Eternal Scars Can't Hold Us

[Kopa]

Kopa had been having a very stressful week. Firstly, he'd attempted to try and apologize to everyone, but bit his tongue because he was way to arrogant to actually apologize, and kicked himself repeatedly afterward. The only person who he wanted to hang out with and had been hanging out with and enjoyed hanging out with was Afua. he couldn't quite put his paw on it, but he had some sort of feelings for Afua that he was quite sure about. He couldn't tell what those emotions or feelings were, and was completely oblivious to them. Secondly, he had been really tired and grumpy, and only recently got some sleep. And oh man, he was so refreshed.

He was in one of the recently built cabins that the other Dawnseekers had made and sighed in boredom. Wow, when he wasn't being an arrogant twerp, life seemed pretty boring, huh? He had always spent his days hanging around with Afua in the Pridelands and felt homesick. He knew he couldn't go back there, but he wanted to so badly. It was his home. He grew up there. He hadn't noticed some tears in his eyes. He didn't wipe them away yet since he wasn't paying much attention to them. His family was torn apart, and he thinks that the ones he has left hate him.

Kopa looked outside. The sun was shining, but his heart wasn't. it was dark and somewhat emotionless. His father was dead, his mother was dead, and his home was taken away from him. All by the same army. The Blackbloods. He hated them so much, and would do anything to get back at them and hurt them in somewa- He shook his head. No, he couldn't think like that.

Kopa sat down again, his head lowered. No one seemed to trust or like him. And he wished they did trust him and like him, but he didn't want to admit he needed someone, that he need help, to apologize. He was just too arrogant. He wasn't like this until his dad died, then he became very closed off and didn't want to speak to anyone. He closed himself off, until his friend Afua opened him up again. Just slightly. He was very grateful that he had a friend like Afua. Really grateful.

Kopa didn't realize he was crying. This time though, he wasn't angry. He was disappointed and sad. Mostly in himself. His anger had slowly started to dwindle, but his spark of fury and passion and anger was still there, but it was growing dormant.

Would he find anyone he could trust? With his life?

[Afua]

Afua walks into the cabin, a deer leg clutched between his jaws. “Lunch is ere” his muffled voice says from between the limb. He drops the limb on the ground before turning to look at Kopa, instantly his muzzle pulls into a frown.

“You ok man? Having one of those moments?” He slowly approaches his best friend, worry graces his face as his watches the other male having a break down. “Kopa?” He presses a paw on his shoulder to make the others aware of his presence in case he was so lost in his grief he didn’t even notice him.

[Kopa]

Kopa couldn't stop crying at this point. He heard a voice but ignored it at first. He sobbed, his shoulders shaking. He felt a paw on his shoulder. He looked up to see Afua comforting him. He almost smiled, but then frowned. "I-I'm fine," he said shakily. This was a lie, of course. But he didn't want to be helped right now. He shook his head. "No, I'm not having another moment," he lied.

Kopa looked at what was in Afua's mouth. "Is that gazelle?" he asked. He wasn't sure what it was. He hadn't caught one. He sighed deeply.

He tried to smile, but it was sad. "Thanks, Afua," he mumbled to the other male lion.

[Afua]

"I-I'm fine,"

Orange colored eyes squint at the other before his brow lowers giving a soft scowl at the other. Afua never was foolish enough to believe him so why would he start now?

"No, I'm not having another moment,"

“Mmmhm, suuurrree” he stretches the word out playfully “then what would you call it? A full on break down? Don’t deny it, it’s only me” his head lowers, bumping his forehead into the others shoulder in comfort.

Is that gazelle?"

“No, white-tailed deer” he says, glancing at the meat. “I find it tastes better”

"Thanks, Afua,"

“Don’t thank me, I’m your best friend it’s what I do” he smiles at him

[Kopa]

“Mmmhm, suuurrree” his friend said.

Kopa glared at him. "I'm not!" he protested. His glare lessened as he realized it was only Afua. He sighed and looked away, grumbling a bit. He wasn't much for sharing feelings. But as he glanced at Afua more, he realized also that he'd have to cough up and confess sooner or later.

"Deer, huh?" he grumbled, sniffing the meat. He wasn't as hungry as he was before, but he took a bit of the meat and was surprised to find it did taste better than a gazelle. "Huh, who would have thought," he mumbled.

He couldn't quite enjoy though, as he glanced at Afua. "Best friend, of course, we'll always be best friends, right?" he said, only a hint of the barest smile peering through. He was silent after those words, hoping Afua wouldn't nag any further, but knowing his best friend, it was probably inevitable.

[Afua]

"I'm not!"

“Uh, yeah you are” afua counters playfully as he moves to lay down beside his friend. Watching him eat the deer meat with a content smile on his muzzle.

"Best friend, of course, we'll always be best friends, right?"

“Unless you do something really, really stupid like join the black-bloods then yeah we are always best friend” he paused then stares at the others male collecting his thoughts. “But...ah I was think...that maybe we could be something more then best friends?” He ventured softly, orange colored eyes carefully watch for the others reaction.

[Kopa]

Kopa glared at Afua. "Am not," he grumbled. He had only the barest hint of a grin. He glanced at his friend as Afua smiled. He rolled his eyes. "Join the Blackbloods? Hah, yeah right, there is no way in the world I'd join the Blackbloods," he said haughtily, though he nudged his friend playfully to signify he wasn't being mean.

Kopa looked at Afua for a few moments, a silence-breaking out between the two males. "Hmm?" he questioned as Afua began to speak.

His ears were perked up, wondering what his friend was asking.

"But...ah I was thinking...that maybe we could be something more than best friends?"

Kopa looked taken aback. He wanted to grin widely, but he controlled himself, a thing he couldn't do very well, but in this instance, he did it well. "More than best friends?" he repeated, but it was more of a question. He thought for a moment, trying to take it all in. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"Like, best best friends?" he said daftly, still a bit ignorant to the question.

[Afua]

“For gods sake Kopa smile for once! Remember when we were kids and raced with Beba?! That was fun right?” He nudged him back playfully

“More than best friends?" he repeated, but it was more of a question. "What do you mean?"

“You know...uh-“

"Like, best best friends?"

“Yeah,” he chuckles “even more then that” before he steps forward bumping his forehead up against the others chin in a nuzzle

[Kopa]

"I do smile, I just don't want to," he said with a huff. He glanced at Afua and would have raised his eyebrow (if he had one) "Yeah, I remember," he looked almost sad. "But I really haven't ever smiled genuinely since we were kids, or since..." he trailed off. "Since, you know, my dad died..." he was silent, at least until Afua continued.

“You know...uh-“

Kopa had a blank stare for a few moments before he realized what his best friend meant. "Oh... oh!" he said, finally dawning on him.

Kopa's face went red, clearly flustered and blushing. Afua nuzzled him and he nuzzled back. Which surprised Kopa himself. "Oh... what's more than best friends?" he asked.

[Afua]

"Oh... oh!"

The other male chuckles from his spot presses against the man’s chin. “There ya go” He managed to speak between his chuckles.

”Oh... what's more than best friends?"

“I love you, you idiot” he snickers,pulling back to gently press his nose against the others in a sort of “Boop” he stares at his best friend for a long moment. “So? What do you say?”