Damien
i'm trying to run from our pride
For a heartbeat he froze, startled by the sudden warmth of her fingers wrapping around his own. He wasn’t used to that kind of ease—not from her, not from anyone. His instinct told him to draw back, to tuck his hand away where it belonged, but the joy in her face kept him still. The hesitation bled into his shoulders, but after a beat he closed his fingers around hers, careful, like he was afraid to hold on too tight.
Her words hit him like the wake of a lantern flaring. Alive. Home.
A smile pulled across his mouth before he could stop it. Genuine, though a little crooked, as if it had to fight its way through the ache her news pressed into his chest. She deserved this—her father alive, her family whole again. For her, he could be glad. But behind that gladness, a smaller voice whispered the old truth: his parents would never come walking out of the dark, never step into the lantern glow with open arms. That emptiness flickered sharp, then dulled as he forced it aside for her.
"That's good. I’m glad,Theea,” he said, voice rough but steady, “You should have him back. Your family together again. You deserve that.” He gave her hand a final squeeze before letting it go, slow enough to make it clear the retreat was choice, not rejection.
The corners of his mouth tilted again, softer this time, something like relief bleeding into his tone. He watched her practically bounce with joy, and though part of him stayed on the outside—always on the outside—he let himself stand in that glow with her.
A squeak split the moment. Damien glanced down to see Aria pawing furiously at something in the grass. A bright yellow rubber duck with a Ludo mask, half-buried in the dirt, wobbled with each swat of her paws. The cub chirped, grabbed it between her teeth, and tossed it into the air like a prize, utterly delighted.
Damien huffed a quiet laugh under his breath, shaking his head. “Looks like she’s already finding her own party favors.” His eyes flicked back to Theea, lingering longer than he meant them to.
Her words hit him like the wake of a lantern flaring. Alive. Home.
A smile pulled across his mouth before he could stop it. Genuine, though a little crooked, as if it had to fight its way through the ache her news pressed into his chest. She deserved this—her father alive, her family whole again. For her, he could be glad. But behind that gladness, a smaller voice whispered the old truth: his parents would never come walking out of the dark, never step into the lantern glow with open arms. That emptiness flickered sharp, then dulled as he forced it aside for her.
"That's good. I’m glad,
The corners of his mouth tilted again, softer this time, something like relief bleeding into his tone. He watched her practically bounce with joy, and though part of him stayed on the outside—always on the outside—he let himself stand in that glow with her.
A squeak split the moment. Damien glanced down to see Aria pawing furiously at something in the grass. A bright yellow rubber duck with a Ludo mask, half-buried in the dirt, wobbled with each swat of her paws. The cub chirped, grabbed it between her teeth, and tossed it into the air like a prize, utterly delighted.
Damien huffed a quiet laugh under his breath, shaking his head. “Looks like she’s already finding her own party favors.” His eyes flicked back to Theea, lingering longer than he meant them to.
'til you set fire to my atmosphere
