you hate the crash, but you love the rush
Flora blinks, the smile faltering on her lips—not from displeasure or doubt, but surprise, a flash of confusion dancing brightly through her aqua gaze. Her brows lift as Theea’s revelation hangs suspended in the air between them, delicate and trembling like dew on a spiderweb. It’s fragile, that truth, Flora can see that, can sense the way Theea curls inward slightly, protective, vulnerable, as though bracing for rejection.
But the queen’s confusion melts quickly, warmth flooding into her expression like dawn spilling over the sea, gentle and bright. Her lips part, closing again as the words fail to gather themselves fast enough. And so Flora laughs softly instead, an airy sound of gentle disbelief that eases out of her throat like bubbles rising to the surface. "Oh my gods," she finally breathes, a soft, bewildered smile curving her lips as her eyes search Theea’s face, as if trying to recognize something in the other girl’s features.
"Wait, so—you're like... my cousin?" Flora asks, tilting her head, curls bouncing as she studies Theea with new curiosity. "Or—cousin-adjacent, anyway?" There's no accusation in her voice, no suspicion—just astonishment, quickly followed by a cautious excitement that builds steadily in her chest. "That's wild!" Flora shifts slightly, the surprise on her face gentling into something softer, more sympathetic. "Gods, your mom must have really been through it. Ten years? That's a long time to carry something like that around." She shakes her head slowly, thoughtfully, chewing at her lower lip as she tries to imagine her fathers' reactions. Ronin’s fierce protectiveness, Remi’s quiet intensity, but she's sure nothing that Theea's mom could have ever done would be enough for them to want to cut ties completely. "Look, they're idiots sometimes—trust me—but they're good idiots. They care. Maybe too much, but still. I think they'd want to know. They'd want to see you." Her voice trails off, softening with compassion as her gaze flickers over Theea’s anxious posture, her hidden, trembling fingers.
"Though honestly, if you were hoping for a more put-together cousin, you're totally out of luck. Clearly."
But the queen’s confusion melts quickly, warmth flooding into her expression like dawn spilling over the sea, gentle and bright. Her lips part, closing again as the words fail to gather themselves fast enough. And so Flora laughs softly instead, an airy sound of gentle disbelief that eases out of her throat like bubbles rising to the surface. "Oh my gods," she finally breathes, a soft, bewildered smile curving her lips as her eyes search Theea’s face, as if trying to recognize something in the other girl’s features.
"Wait, so—you're like... my cousin?" Flora asks, tilting her head, curls bouncing as she studies Theea with new curiosity. "Or—cousin-adjacent, anyway?" There's no accusation in her voice, no suspicion—just astonishment, quickly followed by a cautious excitement that builds steadily in her chest. "That's wild!" Flora shifts slightly, the surprise on her face gentling into something softer, more sympathetic. "Gods, your mom must have really been through it. Ten years? That's a long time to carry something like that around." She shakes her head slowly, thoughtfully, chewing at her lower lip as she tries to imagine her fathers' reactions. Ronin’s fierce protectiveness, Remi’s quiet intensity, but she's sure nothing that Theea's mom could have ever done would be enough for them to want to cut ties completely. "Look, they're idiots sometimes—trust me—but they're good idiots. They care. Maybe too much, but still. I think they'd want to know. They'd want to see you." Her voice trails off, softening with compassion as her gaze flickers over Theea’s anxious posture, her hidden, trembling fingers.
"Though honestly, if you were hoping for a more put-together cousin, you're totally out of luck. Clearly."
