Don't paint wonderful lies on me that wash away
He sounded so calm and reassuring, like he was somehow telling her that thunder wouldn't actually be able to hurt, that the house was not about to fall off the cliffs. And yet, that's how it felt. Like some storm had swept down over them both and rocked the foundation for everything. Sunjata's hand reached for her cheek, to touch the blush, his fingers offering the same warm, calloused comfort as ever before. How strange, that it still soothed her to feel his touch on her skin. Maea thought she ought to somehow have shied from him after all these words, the revelations, the honesty bordering on idiocy - there was such a thing as too much truth - and yet...
And yet. She still let him pull her in for a hug. Returned it too, with arms that felt a little numb. Blinking against the light streaming in from the window, it felt odd that the sun was still shining outside. It was still daytime, still bright.
"Alright," Maea sighed, weakly. "If that's the case, then... okay. If both are... and only if both are there!" Her arms tightened around his waist, a quiver passing through her body - still so tense - as if to say anything else would be considered treason of the worst kind.
But perhaps he already knew that.
Sunjata said something about continuing to explore, and Maea nodded, a little numb. As he headed for the stairs, she lingered enough to clean herself up and get the dress properly back on. Take a moment to breathe too... She felt for the bond to Shii, but found it quiet and still; unusually so. Frowning, Maea went downstairs, keeping an eye out for the will-o-wisp's telltale glow... but didn't see it on the way into the kitchen.
Sunjata's find made her eyebrows rise up. "Is it really sound to drink?" she wondered, and came over, raising the bottle to her nose. "I wonder where these people went, to leave everything behind like this..." No sign of bodies yet, no violence or disease... It was like they'd gone off on a trip and never returned. They would have to check the other houses eventually. Make sure it wasn't some pirate den..
The wine smelled surprisingly good. Fruity but not too sweet, like flowers and wild berries but with something stable and robust in the backdrop she couldn't identify. She looked around for glasses, but found none... with a shrug Maea raised the bottle to her lips and took a swig.
"It's... good," she said, still quiet. "Did you see Shii, coming down?"
And yet. She still let him pull her in for a hug. Returned it too, with arms that felt a little numb. Blinking against the light streaming in from the window, it felt odd that the sun was still shining outside. It was still daytime, still bright.
"Alright," Maea sighed, weakly. "If that's the case, then... okay. If both are... and only if both are there!" Her arms tightened around his waist, a quiver passing through her body - still so tense - as if to say anything else would be considered treason of the worst kind.
But perhaps he already knew that.
Sunjata said something about continuing to explore, and Maea nodded, a little numb. As he headed for the stairs, she lingered enough to clean herself up and get the dress properly back on. Take a moment to breathe too... She felt for the bond to Shii, but found it quiet and still; unusually so. Frowning, Maea went downstairs, keeping an eye out for the will-o-wisp's telltale glow... but didn't see it on the way into the kitchen.
Sunjata's find made her eyebrows rise up. "Is it really sound to drink?" she wondered, and came over, raising the bottle to her nose. "I wonder where these people went, to leave everything behind like this..." No sign of bodies yet, no violence or disease... It was like they'd gone off on a trip and never returned. They would have to check the other houses eventually. Make sure it wasn't some pirate den..
The wine smelled surprisingly good. Fruity but not too sweet, like flowers and wild berries but with something stable and robust in the backdrop she couldn't identify. She looked around for glasses, but found none... with a shrug Maea raised the bottle to her lips and took a swig.
"It's... good," she said, still quiet. "Did you see Shii, coming down?"
