lay your soul onto mine
Flora laughs, light and easy, like it’s all just been some big misunderstanding—like she hadn’t thought anything of it. "No, it’s fine," she says breezily, forcing a smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes. "I do look good in white." Her voice is still warm, still teasing, because if she pretends nothing is wrong, maybe she can convince herself of that too. The thing was, she also looked good with shiny gemstones on her hand, but that didn't mean it was the sort of gift you could just give without any meaning. "Thanks, Jack."
Flora doesn’t let herself linger on it. Doesn’t let herself dwell on how quickly he’d offered to take it back, how easily he’d dismissed it as nothing more than a mistake. Instead, she carefully—deliberately—reaches out and closes the wardrobe door, the soft click of it sealing away whatever fragile, foolish thing had begun to bloom in her chest when she’d first seen the gown. The splintered edges of her disappointment pierce the back of her eyes as tears threaten to form, skewering the petal-soft warmth that had flushed through her when she'd first beheld the dress, but she shoves it down before he can call her bluff; before she lets herself make it mean something it doesn’t.
Offering him a quick, easy smile, she steps back, fingers smoothing over the hem of her dress as she tilts her head. "Well," she says, keeping her voice light, effortless, even as something inside her wilts. "I've got more of Bassian’s money to steal. And maybe the rest of his clothes, if I’m feeling generous." The laugh that follows is just a touch too bright, but she doesn’t give him the chance to scrutinize it.
Instead, she turns on her heel and slips out of his cabin.
~FIN
Flora doesn’t let herself linger on it. Doesn’t let herself dwell on how quickly he’d offered to take it back, how easily he’d dismissed it as nothing more than a mistake. Instead, she carefully—deliberately—reaches out and closes the wardrobe door, the soft click of it sealing away whatever fragile, foolish thing had begun to bloom in her chest when she’d first seen the gown. The splintered edges of her disappointment pierce the back of her eyes as tears threaten to form, skewering the petal-soft warmth that had flushed through her when she'd first beheld the dress, but she shoves it down before he can call her bluff; before she lets herself make it mean something it doesn’t.
Offering him a quick, easy smile, she steps back, fingers smoothing over the hem of her dress as she tilts her head. "Well," she says, keeping her voice light, effortless, even as something inside her wilts. "I've got more of Bassian’s money to steal. And maybe the rest of his clothes, if I’m feeling generous." The laugh that follows is just a touch too bright, but she doesn’t give him the chance to scrutinize it.
Instead, she turns on her heel and slips out of his cabin.
~FIN
