Moonspear i need coffee in an IV

arcturus felt relieved to see piper begin to turn around; it meant he wouldn't have to chase her -- she was too pretty, too strong for arcturus to want to exercise any sort of cruelty against her. he was sorry, in that same vein, to see her depart -- she was bewildering, but he somehow enjoyed being in the fiery reach of her shadow.

when she froze in second thought, the boy's gaze brightened -- perhaps she was turning around to say goodbye?

but no -- she asked if he was retarded.

arcturus practically hiccuped in shock, a strangled cry only half-escaping his throat. retarded? he blinked and stepped back, entirely taken aback by her cutting question. children could be cruel, but it seemed no child was cruel as a girl; feeling as if he had been steamrolled by a rock above, arcturus vehemently tried to fire off a retort, anything to prove he was not fucking retarded, thank you bitch.

he was so riled up, so taken aback, so hurt, so shocked, that of course, no response came -- but his mouth was working with a twitching fury, and instead he resigned to staring hatefully at the back of piper's head as she walked away.