Ep 233 Script (Patreon)

233

S:....what do you want to do…on your last night of freedom?

boys blushing, looking at each other.

K: (swallows) (looks at scra’s lips) (thinks: this feels like…is he…? stop. you don’t deserve to even think like that. don’t let months of penance and suppressing feelings be ruined in one moment of weakness. he deserves better than you -)

there’s a commotion behind them, drunk ree has intruded on farrah’s secret talking to a small group of sparrows.

R: hey farrah, you want another -

sp: who’s this? is this Kestrel bothering you?

F: she’s no one, just someone I’m travelling with. you’ll get the message sent, right?

sp: (to ree) go back to your pals kestrel, you’re intruding.

r: fuckin’ - excuse me?? you don’t OWN this pub, you can’t tell me who I can TALK to -

sp: i think you’ll find i can be VERY persuasive if someone tries to get smart with me -

R: impossible, with how dumb you are -

sp: you wanna say that to my face -

R: I LITERALLY just did, unless this is actually your ass, which would make sense you ugly -

F: (stands to shove ree out) we’re leaving, now -

sp: (sparrow goes to grab farrah) you don’t have to - we ain’t done talkin’ -

r: get your hands off her! (punches him)

sp: (spitting blood) you’re done, someone get the Redguard

F: (shoving ree out, gathering others as they go) we’re leaving, everyone out before we’re arrested

(brothers grumbling, scra and ky worried)

F: (to ree) What POSESSED you to -

r: he was an asshole -

F: whatever, now we’ve gotta lie low for a while, come on -

p: hey, this has nothin’ to do with us, so we’re just gonna go to the next pub. good luck outrunning the law, kids.

R: you’re YOUNGER than me -

F: shut up, this is all your fault, get going.

K: this way, keep quiet.

(in a barn, girls sitting on hay bales, scra and ky sharing awkward looks wishing the girls would talk it out. a noise comes from a back stall)

s: (standing, alarmed) what was THAT??

K: (grins) c’mon, you’re gonna like this.

(find a horse in a stall, scra stands transfixed)

S: what the flock is -

K: (petting horse on nose) here, like this. gently. (scra hesitant, ky guides his hand)

S: it’s so soft?

(Scra looking at horse. ky looking at scra, soft smile on lips)

(girls ignoring each other. drunk ree fuming)

F: I was busy talking, why did you have to interrupt like that -

R: you denounced me. i’ve NEVER said we were nothing to each other, even when i was mad at you. i was just gonna ask if you wanted another drink. that was all.

F: well i didnt ask you to -

R: you don’t NEED to, that’s the whole point! I - it doesn't matter anymore, i guess. I’ll leave, so you guys don’t have to hide here too. …i used to hallucinate, you know. back at the roost. when i missed you too much, and had no idea what happened to you. i imagined all sorts of terrible things happening. you falling. you, with your wing mutilated. they were just hallucinations, but they somehow all came true, anyway. because of me. I still have nightmares. it’s funny, though. every time i imagined you, you were always in the dress you wore when we got Bonded. you looked beautiful, that day. (leaves)

(don’t show farrah’s face. she leaves, too. the boys realise they’ve gone)

S: should we…follow them?

K: (looks up at loft) …ive got a better idea.

(both lying in hay, a skylight showing stars above.)

S: ha, it’s like a giant nest. it’s more comfortable than you’d think it’d be. what do you think will happen to the egg, if we’re locked up tomorrow?

K: (sighs) they’ll probably put it in an orphanage, unless someone adopts it.

S:...i don’t want it to go to an orphanage.

K: im sure we can get ree’s brothers to find someone suitable to take it in. give it a proper life. …if this is our last night of freedom, I can’t think of doing anything better than saving Ree from getting arrested…and spending the rest of it with you.

s: (thinking back to them lying like that on the cliff, and all the signs ky’s shown him: should I…do something brave, for once? ) you’re…always rescuing me, looking out for me. is it because you still feel guilty about lying to me?

K: …it was, at the very beginning. but somewhere along the line it began to feel more like second nature, and now i can’t stop. there’s just…something about you, that I want to protect.

S: (tries to play it off, give him an out) ha, must be your Redguard instincts -

K: (serious) I don’t think it is. When it comes to you I…worry, when we’re apart.

S: I’m not THAT much of a danger magnet -

K: I think it’s more that…I don’t want to be away from you. I’m…terrified at the thought of being locked away, never seeing you again.

S: (exhales) if you say things like that…I’m gonna get the wrong idea.

K: I told you…I’m done lying, Scra. is it…selfish…if all I can think about is…touching you…when this might be the only chance for me to do so?

S:...for once in your life, be selfish. please.

( Ky gently touches scra’s cheek, trails fingers down neck to peck)

S: (exhales shakily) can I…touch you, too?

K: please.

(take jackets off. do some under-shirt fondling)

K: can I…kiss you?

S: please.

[kiss softly but gets desperate, ky goes on top, scra pulls his hair, ky grabs at straw, forearms bracketing scras head]

K: (pained) fuck - (Pulls away) I got carried away, I’m sorry, I’m taking advantage of you because we might be locked up tomorrow and -

S: you’re not taking advantage of me if we want the same thing.

K: why would you -

S: just - (pulls ky back down to him) sleep next to me, one last night. please.

K: that’s…not even a request.

S: then I’ll request this, instead: don’t regret this tomorrow. I won’t.

K: regret? how could i regret the best thing that’ll ever happen to me in this life?

Right! I'm giving y'all this a week early because I want y'alls opinions - I've spent the last 3 days rereading the entire comic to make sure the timing doesn't feel wrong for them to have their first kiss (is it too long if we've waited 5 years already lmao) and I know they're being spurred on by the prospect of never seeing each other again and I want to make sure it doesn't seem like that's what's getting them to do something that doesn't feel like natural character progression, if that makes sense? Like I hope I've portrayed they've been pining for each other for ages despite all the obstacles, and that they want to finally take this moment [selfishly] for themselves because they both have regrets but don't want not doing it to be one of them?? Thoughts??