Isla
Isla's lips part as if to apologise for anything she might have said to cause Ever discomfort, having spotted the subtle flinch in his body as if she had mapped it there herself with her bare hands. But she stops herself, giving him the space and time to speak, ending up silently nodding her agreement to his point. "Well, I am sure Mateo does not view you as an obligation," she assures him, for all the good it might do. It's still easier to refer to the botanist in those terms than to suggest the same for their relationship. (Or whatever remains of it at this point).
Maybe becomes probably, potentially infinite choices close and narrow down to only two, and Isla senses the natural close to their conversation like a heavy book falling shut. "Perhaps I will see you, then, down at Torchline, if you decide to accompany Mateo," she says. "Only if that is something you would be comfortable doing though, of course. For now, I will let you get on with the rest of your day. We have both always been quite busy people, after all."
Maybe becomes probably, potentially infinite choices close and narrow down to only two, and Isla senses the natural close to their conversation like a heavy book falling shut. "Perhaps I will see you, then, down at Torchline, if you decide to accompany Mateo," she says. "Only if that is something you would be comfortable doing though, of course. For now, I will let you get on with the rest of your day. We have both always been quite busy people, after all."
sooner or later, we all have to wake
and try forgetting everything
and try forgetting everything







