Warnings: drabble, Ryo POV
Summary: Ryo didn't care what the others said. Everyone had a lucky item and despite the fuss over that yellow shirt last week, he felt empowered.
Some people have talismans to help them get through bad days. Rabbit's feet, horse shoes, lucky clovers, crosses, soft stones, any item that has some meaning that helps them focus on something other than the dreadful things that they have to fight. I didn't understand that when I was younger, I didn't believe that items had power. I suppose that I should have considering the deep bond with the Wildfire armor. But that's more than a talisman for good luck, more than some cheesy novelty item that'll get me through a bad vacation. It was my soul and it already had too much meaning that I didn't want to slap another one onto it.
Rowen's eyes haven't moved from my socks. Striped blue and white, my favorite. Sage left the room the moment I entered. Cye went back to his cooking. Kento commented under his breath, "at least it wasn't that shirt." I guess that yellow shirt that I found? I still don't know what's going on with that. But apparently these socks, comfortable and warm are starting to pose a problem.
"Can't say I've ever seen a guy wear 'em," Rowen said with shrug as he turned around and plopped onto the sofa with a book.
"They make me feel like I can take on anything," I said back. And it's true. Some of my worst battles have been won in these socks. I passed high school entrance exams in these socks. I told my first crush I liked her in these socks (although nothing came of that). I overcame the black armor in these socks. I kept my feet warm on the coldest of nights in these socks. Fought frostbite, hypothermia, and imminent demise in these socks. And though that may be in my mind, I feel pretty lucky to have them. They are a constant in my sometimes uncertain and crazy life.
"They're just socks," Kento said with a bark of laughter. "But if you like them, I like them! A man has to feel good about himself!"
I gave Kento a smile as the chatter died down. It doesn't matter; I could probably buy new socks, plain socks. But the fact is that I like them, I don't know that I feel my best while wearing them, but they give me the slightest bit of courage. And for as stupid as it sounds, some days I really need it.
End
