Hotaru
Outside the traffic lights
They turn from green to red
Alys’ approval makes Ru sit a little straighter, tamping down on her preening but not entirely successful. Sunjata, however, is quick to soften her and redirect her focus back to him - though it scarcely fully leaves. “It may be difficult, but until you can forgive yourself for certain things, at least praise yourself for what is undeniably positive; your dedication to change, for example.” Though she hopes that someday he will look back on those more grievous moments and forgive himself, first he needs to practice the baby steps of building the habit of praising himself at all. They turn from green to red
Subsiding once more to allow Alys to continue her reading, though her cheeks go uncharacteristically pink when Sunjata nudges her, nudging him back and rolling her eyes fondly (though mostly so she doesn’t have to look at him and make the childish butterflies even worse). She has an image to uphold after all.
His sweetness always makes her fold though, his last comment making her turn soft eyes toward him, heedless of their company. No sassy comment comes to the tip of her tongue, rendered mute by his appreciation. Instead she can only smile and squeeze his hand, hoping to translate how happy she is to provide that for him every single day.
And as my heart applies the brakes
I reach across the empty bed
I reach across the empty bed
