it's fine to fake it 'till you make it
Safrin wrapped her arms around her daughters, pulling them close in a fierce, lingering embrace. There was warmth in the way she held them, in the way her fingers gently wove through Nova’s hair and traced soothing circles against Caly’s back. For a moment, she let herself sink into the comfort of their presence, into the tangible proof that not all had been taken from her, that she still had them—her brightest, her fiercest.
"My darlings," she murmured, her voice thick with something softer than sorrow but no less heavy. She pressed a lingering kiss to each of their crowns, breathing them in, as if trying to etch their presence into her very being. "You both bring me such joy," she whispered, her grip tightening just for a moment, unwilling to let go too quickly.
But all things had their time.
Slowly, she began to pull away, her hands lingering against their cheeks before she let her fingers drift back. Her starlit glow pulsed gently, warm and protective, before it began to fade. "Be safe," she said, her voice laced with quiet insistence. "And look after each other, mmm?"
And then, as gently as the evening tide retreating from the shore, she was gone—her light scattering into the stars above, leaving behind only the faintest shimmer in the air, a whispered promise that she would always be watching.
~FIN
"My darlings," she murmured, her voice thick with something softer than sorrow but no less heavy. She pressed a lingering kiss to each of their crowns, breathing them in, as if trying to etch their presence into her very being. "You both bring me such joy," she whispered, her grip tightening just for a moment, unwilling to let go too quickly.
But all things had their time.
Slowly, she began to pull away, her hands lingering against their cheeks before she let her fingers drift back. Her starlit glow pulsed gently, warm and protective, before it began to fade. "Be safe," she said, her voice laced with quiet insistence. "And look after each other, mmm?"
And then, as gently as the evening tide retreating from the shore, she was gone—her light scattering into the stars above, leaving behind only the faintest shimmer in the air, a whispered promise that she would always be watching.
~FIN
'till you do. 'till it's true.
