Petal's familiar, happy lilt normally soothed his nerves but that morning Ko'sah grew tense at her approach. "Good morning," he'd huffed, having not been prepared even though it was her morning ritual, a thoughtful frown creasing his face even once he'd caught sight of her at his door.
He'd offered a small shrug at her polite questions, not really certain anymore how well or poorly he ever slept when his whole life managed to be one long, dull moment that stretched on forever. Her declaration, though, left his brow quirked in curiosity. What could she possibly have for him? He assumed food, she had occasionally brought him treats that weren't a part of his normal diet: sweets and the finer foods his master seemed to reserve for his wife.
She'd opened the door as casually as any other day, so trusting that he wouldn't try to break through his bonds and escape the stall. He could feel the anxious energy coming off her in waves, though, and it piqued his interest why she might be so excitable. It was so early in the day and she'd yet to dive into something she was passionate about like her flowers or the animals she tended at her home.
When she'd presented him with the blanket she'd been knitting, though, the centaur snorted and jumped back a bit, staring with wide eyes as she unfurled it like he'd been startled and hadn't seen the very same blanket being worked on during all her visits. He'd never thought she might trouble herself to make it for him.
Ko'sah frowned sadly, his eyes softening in disappointment even as he stepped forward gingerly to take the blanket in his hands. It was beautiful and a deep, luxurious green that seemed sprouted from the forests of his home. It was as soft as the hair of a babe and his heart ached as he rubbed his thumbs in circles against it. It seemed like such a labor of love, but he didn't think he would ever be allowed to keep such a gift. At best it would only be taken from him once Petal returned home and wasn't around to stop them, nothing had stopped them from taking his few possessions long ago when he'd been captured.
The light blue in his eyes swirled darker, his head hung in shame as he huffed and turned his head away from her. The joy in his heart made his chest ache, and it really was such a cruel trick of life to bring him such happiness and pain at once.
"I don't need this," he growled, his hands clutching it gradually turning to fists. The slack fabric grew taut and he glowered at it like the beautiful blanket had personally wronged him by its very existence. Rage was growing in his chest, the ache of joy slowly turning to stabbing spikes of frustration.
With a grimace he pulled his hands further apart, easily tearing the blanket in a clean split before tossing each half to the ground in anger. Without thinking for her safety he reared up as high as his stall and chains would allow him, stomping down hard across the soft fabric and crushing it to the straw floor. He spaded at it several times with his hooves for good measure, like it was a lurking snake that he needed to ensure was dead.
Ko'sah didn't need such personal kindness from her, such gestures of friendship and love that wouldn't mean anything once she was gone and with her family while he would still be locked away and alone. Tears stung at his eyes as he glared at her, his eyes darting about her face and silently begging to understand why she'd done such a thing like it had been worse for her to offer her gift than for him to ruin it.
Knowing that the tears couldn't be stopped, though, he turned his side to her and turned his face to look at the rear wall of his stall. He was too ashamed to face her, he didn't want her to have to see him cry. "Just...leave," he croaked, tail swishing in agitation as a faint trembling took over his body.