letting go

POV: Quintyn Avilov

Hi yes hello I'm here to psychologically and emotionally scar my character.
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Quintyn had been worried about her half-sibling Alyssa for a while now. When she had started noticing subtle changes in the usually cheerful and invested daughter of Athena, Quintyn couldn't help but cast a concerned and watchful eye towards her younger sister.
Alyssa had a good poker face. She seemed to properly and effectively maintain control of herself, but Quintyn was highly practiced in observing people through the masks they used to sugar-coat their emotions. When Quintyn had started noticing changes in Alyssa, she began looking deeper and paying more attention, desperately trying to decode what was going on in Alyssa's mind off of the smallest of hints she was given. It was a near impossible task, she knew there was no way to figure it all out on her own. Quintyn wanted to be able to help Alyssa, to lead her away from the dangers of her own mind, but she wasn't exactly sure how to approach the situation.
Quin had been waiting for the right moment to confront Alyssa about the changes she'd noticed. She wanted to help her, and she needed Alyssa's help to do so. Quintyn had waited in the shadows, observing her sister carefully and giving her as much space as she seemed to need, but giving her space didn't seem like it was working.

It was a brisk April morning when Quintyn was shaken from an uneasy sleep by the sounds of shuffling around the cabin. She became alert instantly, giving the room a wary glance to check if the coast was clear. When she realized it was only Alyssa that had risen from her bed, the daughter of Athena relaxed, but laid awake with her eyes closed as Alyssa stepped out of the cabin and onto the porch.
Quintyn felt her chest grow heavy as her heart pounded. This would be a perfect opportunity to talk to Alyssa and offer her help.
Quintyn threw her blankets off of her body and rolled out of bed, treading carefully as to not wake any of her other siblings. She didn't bother changing out of her baggy white shirt and plaid pajama pants as she stood in waiting for Alyssa to gain some ground before Quintyn began to follow.
Quintyn slipped on her black army boots quickly and pulled her knotted hair to one side as she left the cabin. She let the chilling breeze of spring blow through her as she scanned the empty camp with striking grey eyes.
She took off in a jog once her gaze fell on Alyssa, who had begun to run from the cabin.

Quintyn followed Alyssa, not slowing or quickening her pace. Her heart grew heavier and heavier as each sob that escaped Alyssa broke through the songs of morning doves in the air. A desperate sort of pain rose in Quintyn's chest as she realized just how badly she wanted her sister to be okay.
As they reached the forest, Quintyn's breath had grown shaky and uneven as her lungs begged her to slow her run. She wasn't sure how long Alyssa was going to run for, but she knew that at such an early hour of the morning, she probably wouldn't have been able to keep up, so she took a chance.
"Alyssa!" She called, a hint of desperation in her voice that she had tried to hide but failed. "Alyssa! Wait! Please!"

Quintyn closed the space in between herself and Alyssa, slowing her pace and drawing heavy breaths as she did. Alyssa responded to her in a hurried slew of words, only further reflecting how upset she was. Quintyn looked upon her sister with sympathetic eyes as she slowly stepped forward, hoping Alyssa wouldn't continue backing away from her.
"Alyssa, it's okay," Quintyn assured softly. She held her arms out slightly, the cold clung to her skin like frost on the roofs of brick houses. She payed no attention to the uncontrollable shivering of her body as it begged her in silence to put something warmer on.

Quintyn tried her hardest to keep a warm smile on her face. Gods, it had never been harder to hide her own emotions before. Every inch of her wanted to show the concern that bubbled in her chest, but she forced herself to seem welcoming, to seem like a safe place for Alyssa.
"I'm here," Quintyn promised. She looked Alyssa in her eyes, trying not to let the tears that fell from her sisters broken gaze jerk her heart even more. She had noticed a change in the daughter of Athena's glance many times before, but now as she stared into the once warm, comforting blue pools, Quintyn realized just how sapped of their colour they had been.
"What's wrong, 'sis?" Quintyn questioned in a light tone. It felt like Alyssa was a deer or a rabbit, like she could flee at any moment and leave Quintyn in her dust, so Quintyn tread carefully with her words and avoided sounding patronizing at all costs.