marked me like a bloodstain
Flora breathes out softly, leaning into Sunjata’s side hug, a familiar comfort that still feels strangely fragile in its gentleness. Her gaze fixes blankly on the flickering hearth, the flames dancing in reflections on her jewellery, painting her skin in shifting patterns of warmth and shadow. Her voice, when she speaks, is quiet—barely more than a whisper, as though if she keeps it soft enough, maybe it won't hurt so much. "You know, right before everything... fell apart," Flora begins slowly, fingers tightening faintly around her mug, knuckles pale against the warmth. "I told Jack I wanted to marry him."
She pauses, feeling the weight of that statement settle heavily between them, before quickly adding with a shaky breath: "Not like, right away, obviously—but someday. I wanted him to know that... he was it for me. No more games, no more trying to prove anything. Just... us." Her lips twitch into a brittle smile, and her laugh is a quiet, self-deprecating thing. "Guess my timing’s about as good as yours, huh?"
Flora shakes her head faintly, blond curls shimmering in the dim glow of the room. "You're right, though. About the impossible choice thing." She sighs softly, leaning her head lightly against his shoulder. "And I am proud, mostly," Flora admits quietly, "But it doesn't really change how much it hurts. And maybe that sounds selfish or petty or whatever, but—" she exhales roughly, unable to hide the vulnerable crack in her voice. "I guess I always thought that when you loved someone like this, you'd just...work it out." She lifts one shoulder in a helpless shrug; Jack clearly hadn't felt the same. Had literally said as much when he'd told her that the amount of love between them didn't matter.
"Also, planting a lily is hardly nothing. You can’t downplay your own heroics to me." She says fondly, a genuine spark of warmth finally filtering through the sadness. "Trust me—I learned from the best." And, speaking of, Flora sits up slightly, arching a brow in the Flood's direction. "Are you and mom ever going to actually get married?" A small, almost rueful smile finally curves her lips as she gives Sunjata a gentle nudge.
She pauses, feeling the weight of that statement settle heavily between them, before quickly adding with a shaky breath: "Not like, right away, obviously—but someday. I wanted him to know that... he was it for me. No more games, no more trying to prove anything. Just... us." Her lips twitch into a brittle smile, and her laugh is a quiet, self-deprecating thing. "Guess my timing’s about as good as yours, huh?"
Flora shakes her head faintly, blond curls shimmering in the dim glow of the room. "You're right, though. About the impossible choice thing." She sighs softly, leaning her head lightly against his shoulder. "And I am proud, mostly," Flora admits quietly, "But it doesn't really change how much it hurts. And maybe that sounds selfish or petty or whatever, but—" she exhales roughly, unable to hide the vulnerable crack in her voice. "I guess I always thought that when you loved someone like this, you'd just...work it out." She lifts one shoulder in a helpless shrug; Jack clearly hadn't felt the same. Had literally said as much when he'd told her that the amount of love between them didn't matter.
"Also, planting a lily is hardly nothing. You can’t downplay your own heroics to me." She says fondly, a genuine spark of warmth finally filtering through the sadness. "Trust me—I learned from the best." And, speaking of, Flora sits up slightly, arching a brow in the Flood's direction. "Are you and mom ever going to actually get married?" A small, almost rueful smile finally curves her lips as she gives Sunjata a gentle nudge.
