[ME] summer lover won’t you treat me right?

Hotaru

I remember the night you said ‘I think I’m falling in love with you'
igniting a great unendurable belongingness, a match in a forest fire

The evening can't possibly get any better, but Sunjata's voice crooning softly in her ear as she looks out over all these people she loves and who love her in return makes her think she doesn't know the limits of her own happiness. Her laughter escapes her like a fountain, rainbow droplets that rain upon them all before she can extend a hand to reign them back in. Already she glows like a drop of sunlight stolen from the source, but the radiance of her joy makes every shade of gold seem all the brighter. She scarcely wants to blink, to breathe, lest the tableau fall away and she awakens in Sunjata's arms back in the quiet of their bedroom.

Sunjata does it for her, as he does all the hardest things for her sake. Hotaru's eyes blink away from Enzo and Flora for the briefest of moments, ensnared anew by the Flood. She doesn't think she can stop smiling, but as he goes down on one knee her face transforms into as many circles as it possibly can, eyes wide and mouth falling slack. Her hand in his tightens instinctively as her heart double-times so fast the room sways around her.

The tears come somewhere in the middle, laughing wetly at the understatement of their tangled history. She doesn't feel them when they come nor as they continue, dripping diamonds in the tasteful low lighting of the bar. Yes, yes, yes, her heart sings, though he's yet to ask. There is sorrow and regret and a place between them that will always be empty, but their arms have found each other around that space and it will live with them forever as they make their way forward. Lovingly cradled in the roots they grow together. The two rings in the box are evident of that; Hotaru may be a different woman now than she was when the first ring was crafted for her, but she can't imagine not wearing it now.

Though surely there are people waiting on her, Hotaru couldn't care less - though she doesn't make them wait either, because her answer is as easy as breathing, as certain as sunrises and tides. "Yes. Yes, of course - always," she blubbers nonsensically, free hand rising to cup Sunjata's face as she leans down and kisses him firmly, laughter and tears making her lips tremble against his as she seals the vow that hides in her answer.Love you, yes, forever, forever and always - I love you, I love you, I love you, rings in cascading circles to anyone who doesn't have the good sense to shut her out. But it's her party - her birthday and engagement party - so she'll cry if she wants to.

I burned so long so quiet you must have wondered if I loved you back
I did, I did, I do