[SE] If I hit the bottom will I break?

melita

and she recklessly plays with matches

She half expected him to roar and grumble again at her plans. In fact, she nearly dared and goaded him to do so, that pinpoint of audacity already brimming and beginning as they moved their way up in line, in the slight arch of her brow, in the challenge of something greater and grander. She was never going to stand around and wait. She would plant sedition when and where she could, bombard and try to distract while others went elsewhere – down into the reaches of Starfall. At one point, she could always argue it ‘could be worse’, but she didn’t think that would go over well either.

When it didn’t come, her eyes narrowed, in either speculation or surprise, before seeing his quiet smile, and the answer that came through was oddly sentimental, pulling at her ribcage. She smothered it downward, uncertain if it would become foolhardy, buoyant, something to fixture and fixate a hope on -  but her grin matched in eagerness, stepping forward again as others snagged at their meals and dispersed. “That’d be nice.” Friends at her back, rather than just her vehemently screeching at the world, and something like more than acceptance. She'd already given him that.

But Iskra had more starting points, and she listened, nodding along. Fire. Lightning. Visions where he’d master them, muster incantations, sharpen and hone his skills. “You’ll learn more too, as time goes on,” she shrugged, figuring it was the same for Abandoned as it’d been for her.

And then they were next – and the Honeybee began reciting her order, word for word as one of the more indulgent meals they’d shared as children.