The Encounter

                                    

                                          
Meant to post this one yesterday, sorry.
                          
Trigger warnings: panic attack, pain

                          
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"What is that?"
                          
"What's it look like? It's a hawk. Never seen one before?"
                          
"I know it's a hawk. What's it doing in here?"
                          
Hector put a hand to his heart dramatically. "Well, you didn't expect me to leave her outside, did you?"
                          
It had been about five seconds since Varian had woken up and found a bird of prey staring into his eyes. Ruddiger had leaped up upon seeing the bird and hidden behind Varian's back. "Is she yours?"
                          
Hector smiled proudly. "Nope! She's yours."
                          
"What?"
                          
"Well, I remembered you said that Cassandra lady had an owl, so I figured you could maybe use an attack bird of your own!"
                          
Varian blinked. He had said that, hadn't he? He hadn't known Hector had caught that. He had been panicking at the time and rambling incessantly. "She's... she's mine?"
                          
"Yep! Here, hold out your hand."
                          
Varian immediately tensed. Hector's eyes widened. "Sorry! Sorry. I got you a gauntlet so you could hold her." He held out the leather gauntlet. Varian started to apologize, then stopped. He took a deep breath and took the gauntlet. Ruddiger, trembling though he was, crept out from behind Varian and helped him pull the gauntlet on.
                          
"Thanks, bud." He'd missed being able to say that.
                          
"Here." Hector slowly held out his arm to Varian so the hawk could step onto Varian's instead. She looked at him with dark, intelligent eyes and tilted her head slightly. Varian grinned and repeated the motion.
                          
"When did you get her?"
                          
"Earlier this morning."
                          
In surprise, Varian glanced out the window for the first time to judge the position of the sun. "What time is it?"
                          
"Around eight-ish. Why? You okay?"
                          
"Y-yeah. Just... not used to sleeping in. Actually, not even used to sleeping in a bed." He gasped and clamped his mouth shut. "Sor—" he cut the word off. No, Hector told him to stop apologizing.
                          
"Well," Hector stated with what was definitely forced cheerfulness. "We're gonna be on the road for a while, but when we get home, we're definitely getting you a proper bed." He turned and started packing up.
                          
Home. The word sounded strange to Varian. Home had always been back at Old Corona with his dad. Then "home" had turned to "house" when his dad got trapped, and "house" had turned to "prison" when the masked men showed up shortly after the blizzard. But could he really leave it behind? Maybe to never return?
                          
There's nothing there for you now. Just a jail cell and a world of hurt.
                          
But how could he be expected to start over completely with a man he didn't know in a place he had never been?
                          
What would happen if he stayed?
                          
As the realization of his situation started sinking in, he felt tears spring to his eyes. He had been too much in shock from the rescue to think about what he was leaving behind. His entire life had been in Corona. Everything and everyone he had ever known. His father was trapped there, waiting on Varian to find a solution—
                          
Stop it! He could no longer hold onto that hope. If he did, and he was wrong, it would be like losing him all over again. They all said he was dead, anyway.