Agathe heard a change in the pattern of Sasha's movement across the
floor, and could only assume she was happy. "I'm glad too," She
followed along equally as happy until she was asked the question
about clothes. "What's a nightgown? I've never heard of that
before..."
"It is a dress you sleep in. I alter between shirts in the summer
and the nightgown in the winter so I am warmer on cold nights,"
Sasha explained. "Would you like to feel them? Get a better sense
of what it's like?"
Agathe shook her head. "No, it's okay. Which ever you think will
fit best." She smiled and chuckled. "Who knows, maybe the dress
would make me look pretty." She was joking about the looking
pretty. She'd never cared how she looked, but most people would let
her know when she wasn't looking "nice".
"I think you'd make the dress look pretty. You are already lovely,"
Sasha told her, handing Agathe a pj shirt and pant set. "I think
you'll be more comfortable in this one.and they are soft too!"
Agathe's blush spread across her face, though she had no idea that
it wasn't just her face heating up, but it tinged red as well, so
she didn't seem to care that she was blushing. "Th-thank you
Sasha," She smiled slightly as she took the clothes, but it fell
away as she got a better feel of the fabric. "This is so soft...
People actually wear stuff that's this soft?!"
Sasha laughed, nodding. "I know, right? They are amazing! Would you
like to change here? Think you'll find the room the fort is in? I
was going to go get my own pajama's on."
"I can find the room the fort is in. I'm pretty good about
retracing my steps." Agathe smiled. "Thank you again Sasha," She
clung to the clothes as she walked straight for the wall right
beside the door, but turned at the last moment and went through the
doorway, a smirk on her face.
Sasha had waited until the last minute to call out but let the
breath out with a chuckle. "You're welcome, Agathe. Be there in a
few minutes," she said, going to go get changed in her room.
Agathe got changed in the fort and moved outside of it to wait with
her dirty clothes in her hands held away from the clean clothes.
The gentle smile on her face showed her comfort.
The swish swish of Sasha's tail gave her away before she entered
the room, changed and smiling. "Want to put those near the door? We
can clean them tomorrow if that's okay."
"Sure, and what do you mean we? I intend to clean my own filthy
clothes... You don't have to do anything but show me where things
are." Agathe said firmly as she moved to put her clothes by the
door.
"We as in I was going to clean my clothes as well. I have a set
routine. So I was going to show you while I clean my own clothes,"
Sasha replied, smiling. "Just some pajama's and a couple shirts."
"Oh, okay. That'll be alright. I just don't want to be extra weight
that you end up carrying around..." Agathe said as she came back
over to the fort, her smile gone. She did feel like an added
weight. She had to be led around and Sasha had to practically keep
an eye on her just to make sure she didn't walk into something.
"Extra weight? Oh, no. No, no, no, no. You make me feel lighter.
You helped me with that jerk earlier tonight, been my friend,
introduced me to the birds of prey who are magnificent. You have
done so, so much! If I am doing something to make you feel like you
are and added weight, please tell me. I don't want to make you feel
that way," Sasha said, settling down in the nest.
Agathe stood there at the doorway of the tent for a moment before
sitting there at the edge of the blanket and pillows. "You've done
nothing to make me feel that way... You're the first in a long time
to make me feel like I'm actually worth something... That I'm not
just a blind piece of trash meant for nothing more than littering
the street..." She turned her head away as she muttered that last
part.
"They are the trash if they can't see your worth. I would say you
are a rose that needed nurturing, but you didn't need someone to
become as amazing as you are. You should be well taken care of
though. Your worth is not defined by your disabilities or
abilities. It is defined by you and the actions you make," Sasha
said sadly.
Agathe couldn't help the tear that fell down her cheek, but she
chuckled slightly. "You know, that's what I tried telling myself...
That I didn't need their approval... But when you're surrounded by
the comments constantly, it's hard, it's very hard to not let them
affect you." She pulled her knees up to her chest and clung to them
for comfort.
Sasha moved closer, squeezing her knee before tugging her into a
hug. "I bet...oh, I imagine it's like trying to hold water in your
hands. I am so sorry...I wish I had been there to protect you..."
Agathe had heard Sasha move closer so she wasn't startled when she
felt Sasha's hand on her knee, nor was she surprised at the hug, in
fact she was quite grateful for it. She wrapped her arms around her
and took a shaky breath. "Thank you for understanding..." She
whispered, tears threatening to fall, but she managed to restrain
them.
"You're welcome. It is about time you had someone in your corner
and looking out for you. I do this not out of pity but because I
want to. It makes me happy to do so," Sasha told her, letting her
cry if she needed too. "Life is too short to be unhappy. I am
starting to realize that myself."