heartbreak is one thing, my ego's another

KOA

Koa's hand clenches automatically, futilely attempting to keep her hand from slipping off his arm. "Don't leave," he murmurs a quiet protest, making a sound that is not a 'mewl' because he's definitely far too manly for that. "But I'm tired," the Dragoon whines in protest, leaning his face into the palm that cups his stubbled cheek. Forcing his copper eyes to open, he once again makes her his focus, his attention rapt as he commits fully to taking in her face. He lets his hazy gaze sweep over her: the worry lines creasing her eyebrows, the way her jaw flutters with a tension she doesn't let leak into her voice. She cares, he realizes, cares enough to put this mask on, to think she has to pretend she's okay.

And fuck if that knowledge doesn't light a spark in the torch he carries, too hot and glaring for him to put it out.

Though his body still sobs its weariness, Koa forces it to straighten, to unfurl from the lump he so desperately longs to become. "I'm going to be fine," he promises, even managing a (mostly) real smile as he reaches for her, his knuckles brushing across her cheek. "The healing water'll take care of it, might just take a few hours for my brain to settle back in right. Prob'ly shouldn't be unsupervised, though." Which means she's stuck with him, at least for a little while.

With each love I cut loose, I was never the same
Watching still living roots be consumed by the flame

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!