Evie
The offerings closer to the heart of the Citadel would have had no problem accommodating his stature, but she doesn’t let herself entertain the twinge of guilt when Hadama’s restrictions become immediately apparent upon his arrival. He’d come here without complaint, and she must remind herself that his discomfort does not outweigh the comfort this arrangement brings to her.
“You’re welcome,” she murmurs, testing her tongue before she settles into true utilization of it. Evie had asked the waitress ahead of time to visit them sparingly for the sake of privacy. When he opens with sentiment, she knows that was an appropriate choice.
“I’ve missed you too. I don’t have many friends - hardly any - so it wasn’t easy for me either.” Taking a fortifying breath, Evie curls her hands around her mug to stop the endless circling of her fingers and steels herself enough to look up into his eyes. “What you did at the meeting hurt me very deeply. I know you’re not the type to let someone get hurt because of their own rash behavior,” she allows, though it’s a brief respite before she soldiers on, “but you didn’t just pull her away. You stood with her. You backed her up, and that immediately threw the rest of us into danger.” While many might have thrown Maea to the wolves, Evie can’t overlook the fact that there had been an alternative option of simply hissing a reprimand or pulling her away, as Evie’s parents had done so often when she or Sam had embarrassed them.
“Why?” It’s a strained plea for a better answer than she thinks he can sincerely provide. If only it was that easy. “I’ve never known you to act without thinking. I don’t know what I’m missing here.”
“You’re welcome,” she murmurs, testing her tongue before she settles into true utilization of it. Evie had asked the waitress ahead of time to visit them sparingly for the sake of privacy. When he opens with sentiment, she knows that was an appropriate choice.
“I’ve missed you too. I don’t have many friends - hardly any - so it wasn’t easy for me either.” Taking a fortifying breath, Evie curls her hands around her mug to stop the endless circling of her fingers and steels herself enough to look up into his eyes. “What you did at the meeting hurt me very deeply. I know you’re not the type to let someone get hurt because of their own rash behavior,” she allows, though it’s a brief respite before she soldiers on, “but you didn’t just pull her away. You stood with her. You backed her up, and that immediately threw the rest of us into danger.” While many might have thrown Maea to the wolves, Evie can’t overlook the fact that there had been an alternative option of simply hissing a reprimand or pulling her away, as Evie’s parents had done so often when she or Sam had embarrassed them.
“Why?” It’s a strained plea for a better answer than she thinks he can sincerely provide. If only it was that easy. “I’ve never known you to act without thinking. I don’t know what I’m missing here.”
listen carefully to the sound of your loneliness
like a heartbeat that drives you mad
like a heartbeat that drives you mad
