i can hear them whisper as they pass by

Kaisel

He watches the water like it's the first time he's seen tea made. The gradual spread of the tan color in the water is a nice distraction that grounds all the thoughts that seem to be scattering like a flock of birds. "I agree," he says with a glance up at Soh, a ghost of a smile fitting into place, more memory than anything. It grows a bit when Soh touches on the way they don't get along the best, and he shakes his head a bit as he dunks the tea bag to help spread the steep. "Thank you, for offering your home to her. I bet she'll appreciate the company for a while, no matter what she says."

Kaisel glances across to where Koa is consoling Noe, some of the worry creeping back in enough to make the smile slip. Tea suddenly felt like a very silly thing to offer her, and he has half a mind to chug it himself. He looks back at Soh, tilting his head a little as he leans against the counter. "Did you see... is Flora okay, after the beach?" he asks with a frown. She'd been right there among all of it, had started it, but they'd been running and he wishes he knew what happened, at the end.

There's darkness in the distance
I'm beggin' for forgiveness
But I know I might resist it

Koa

Don't take this the wrong way
You knew who I was with every step that I ran to you

He feels it the moment she fully shatters, the pieces she's fought to keep together finally coming undone. Each jagged edge of her digs into his heart, but still he holds them all securely, his arms the net that will always catch her, his devotion an oath he can never break. Noe is his sister, his to protect, and Koa could never begrudge her breaking. He will always be there to hold her when she needs it.

He will never let himself lose her again.

"None of that was you." Koa's conviction in this is unshakeable, and he tries to pass that on to her, desperate for her to believe what he knows. "It was them, Noe- they took over your mind. You didn't have a choice." Whatever crimes her body had committed, they hadn't been been by her. Even the demigods couldn't stop the Family from infiltrating their beings, couldn't resist that violet pull. Ronin, Sunjata- they'd both been turned into puppets by the Family.

He pulls away slightly, enough to brush the tears from her cheeks, to pull hair that's adhered to her bronze skin and tuck it behind her ears. "You do now. Whatever you want, whatever you need- just say the word." Again Koa leans forward to kiss her, his eyes squeezing shut as his lips press into her head. "We can figure out next steps whenever your ready. But until then I'm right here, okay? I'm not gonna go anywhere. And you're safe."

[fin]

Only blue or black days
Electing strange perfections in any stranger I choose