Theea
“Noted, I’ll be sure not to shave too many months off my own in the meantime.” He’s got a good sense of humor, I decide. There have been plenty of people in life who’ve been unhappy at me accidentally or not accidentally sneaking up on them. I inherited the soft steps of my parents.
He seems to shrink under my comment, a flower folding in upon itself. My brows pull together, head tilting a little. What happened to him to make him doubt his own abilities so deeply that he can’t take someone pointing them out? Even just a stranger. My heart wants to reach out for him, give him the confidence he needs. But if I’ve learned anything from my over-empathizing with my mom, there’s no convincing someone of something when they don’t want to hear it.
Yet, he agrees, and I grin. His voice might shake, but he’s admitted it. I give a breathy laugh and glance down with a nod. “I suppose it isn’t,” if only to make him feel less guilty. “So you’re welcome.” It doesn’t feel like I did anything big, but I suppose that to some people, even the smallest kindness feels like a lot.
He seems surprised at my lifestyle, but I think I’m just as surprised at his. No family. Maybe I’m biased as someone who’s always had family close to me, but it sounds awfully lonely. “I’m—” Shit. What age would I call myself? Um… “Nineteen.” That feels right. “Though I was just a kid last season. Frey helped me get to where I needed to be. I was tired of traveling in seclusion with my mom—I wanted to make more connections.”
I heft my heavy bag a little, adjusting it. Then he says what most people have said: Maybe I know them. I’m hungry for more stories about them—I’ve missed out on so damn much. “You lived in Torchline! Do you know Remi and Ronin Taliesin?” I bite my lip hopefully. “They’re my uncles. Or were. I haven’t seen them since I was very little, I don’t really remember them.”
He seems to shrink under my comment, a flower folding in upon itself. My brows pull together, head tilting a little. What happened to him to make him doubt his own abilities so deeply that he can’t take someone pointing them out? Even just a stranger. My heart wants to reach out for him, give him the confidence he needs. But if I’ve learned anything from my over-empathizing with my mom, there’s no convincing someone of something when they don’t want to hear it.
Yet, he agrees, and I grin. His voice might shake, but he’s admitted it. I give a breathy laugh and glance down with a nod. “I suppose it isn’t,” if only to make him feel less guilty. “So you’re welcome.” It doesn’t feel like I did anything big, but I suppose that to some people, even the smallest kindness feels like a lot.
He seems surprised at my lifestyle, but I think I’m just as surprised at his. No family. Maybe I’m biased as someone who’s always had family close to me, but it sounds awfully lonely. “I’m—” Shit. What age would I call myself? Um… “Nineteen.” That feels right. “Though I was just a kid last season. Frey helped me get to where I needed to be. I was tired of traveling in seclusion with my mom—I wanted to make more connections.”
I heft my heavy bag a little, adjusting it. Then he says what most people have said: Maybe I know them. I’m hungry for more stories about them—I’ve missed out on so damn much. “You lived in Torchline! Do you know Remi and Ronin Taliesin?” I bite my lip hopefully. “They’re my uncles. Or were. I haven’t seen them since I was very little, I don’t really remember them.”
there is defiance in being a d r e a m e r
