flora
Flora pouted at the door with theatrical dismay, shifting the bags in her arms just enough to let one hip jut out for maximum offence. "Just because you can’t see a ghost doesn’t mean they’re not here," she called back, grinning all the while. "Honestly, Niki, I expected more spiritual awareness from you."
But the moment the door opened, any teasing melted into something softer, warmer. Her smile bloomed in earnest as she caught sight of him, pale and red-sweatered and familiar in a way that made her chest ache, though she didn’t quite know why. "Hi you."
She swept past him the moment he stepped aside, swanning into the room with all the effortless grace of someone who considered herself very welcome, and immediately began unloading her cargo onto the cleared table. Once her arms were finally free, Flora turned on her heel and moved back toward Niki without pause, wrapping him up in a hug that was entirely non-negotiable. Her arms circled his back, careful of his balance but firm in her affection, and she squeezed with quiet conviction—comfort, apology, presence all wrapped into one long-held breath.
She pulled back a moment later, only far enough to meet his eyes, her hands still resting lightly on his shoulders. "I’m okay," she said, voice light and easy as if the words weren’t carrying everything. "I’m really sorry I didn’t make it last time. There was, uh—" she waved vaguely toward the woods behind her, as though the entire Greatwood were responsible—"a little mishap with Dahlia on the way."
Her smile flashed again, too bright and too casual to be real. " Just one of those things where someone tries to rip out your spine, you know?" She rolled her eyes, breezy and blithe as if she weren’t still wearing the scars. "I am sorry about," she pauses, grinning. "ghosting you."
But the moment the door opened, any teasing melted into something softer, warmer. Her smile bloomed in earnest as she caught sight of him, pale and red-sweatered and familiar in a way that made her chest ache, though she didn’t quite know why. "Hi you."
She swept past him the moment he stepped aside, swanning into the room with all the effortless grace of someone who considered herself very welcome, and immediately began unloading her cargo onto the cleared table. Once her arms were finally free, Flora turned on her heel and moved back toward Niki without pause, wrapping him up in a hug that was entirely non-negotiable. Her arms circled his back, careful of his balance but firm in her affection, and she squeezed with quiet conviction—comfort, apology, presence all wrapped into one long-held breath.
She pulled back a moment later, only far enough to meet his eyes, her hands still resting lightly on his shoulders. "I’m okay," she said, voice light and easy as if the words weren’t carrying everything. "I’m really sorry I didn’t make it last time. There was, uh—" she waved vaguely toward the woods behind her, as though the entire Greatwood were responsible—"a little mishap with Dahlia on the way."
Her smile flashed again, too bright and too casual to be real. " Just one of those things where someone tries to rip out your spine, you know?" She rolled her eyes, breezy and blithe as if she weren’t still wearing the scars. "I am sorry about," she pauses, grinning. "ghosting you."
I can't stop you putting roots in my dreamland
