Theea
cause every night i lie in bed
the brightest colors fill my head
the brightest colors fill my head
His arms close around me. Why does that surprise me so much? Yes, he froze, just for a moment, but now he's holding me, and in the haze I'm in, it's the most wonderful feeling in the world. Enough that I'm surprised I'm not glowing like my uncle does when he's full of emotions too big to contain.
When he releases me, I'm still smiling, and I watch him step away with his glass. I sway a bit in place, but I'm steady enough right? He bends down in a way I'm sure would topple me over right now, and he carefully gathers little lightning bugs into his empty glass. I smile softly, and I do step toward him, leaning slightly, peeking at what he's doing.
And then he rises, he turns with his captured fireflies, and for a moment I'm taken by the little lights dancing in the glass, eyes glimmering, smile curving.
I look up, and he's right there. Close enough to feel his body heat. A hot rush curls through me, flaring low in my ribs, sending my heart into an uneven rhythm. The glow of the fireflies outlines his face, glints in his dark eyes. I don't even look at the fireflies now - just him. The intensity of the look he gives me, the way his lips part like he's about to say something, do something.
I trace the shape of them with my eyes. There's something stretched taut between us, threatening to break, weakening my legs and making me want to reach up and touch him, to learn the shape of him, to...
To what?
I hold my breath... and the moment loosens. His attention turns to Aria, and I blink down at the ground for a moment.
I'd wanted him to kiss me.
The realization is startling, so much so that I shove it away, somewhere it can't scare me or do damage to a friendship I'm trying so hard to cultivate. His trust his precious, his presence so steady in a world that's unfamiliar to me. I'm at home with him in my travel clothes and worn jackets and sparring and hunting and building things.
I focus on Aria, or try to. It's hard now, especially as he does the best part of catching fireflies - letting them go.
That helps breath ease back into my lungs, watching a whole smattering of them rise into the air. "That's always my favorite part," I murmur. "Like Safrin swept new constellations into the sky." I can't help my warm smile, remembering the story of Ronin and Vanya sailing the stars together. I think this could be a taste of that. A flicker, a breath, half a heartbeat of being held by the stars with someone... important to you.
I'm drawn back down to earth by Damien's voice, and I nod, almost regretfully. "Right," I say. "I don't need a pair of assassins looking for me anyways." My parents will wonder where I am, and something tells me it isn't the right time for them to meet him again - when he isn't delivering me back home after following him somewhere I shouldn't have.
I toss him a crooked smile at his wink, and I absolutely do take his arm. Steady where I most definitely am not. I let him lead, because I stumble with the third step, giggling at the clumsiness, apologizing. Laughing again because I have to lean on him so much. Smiling because he lets me.
My parents are both amused by my state when I finally, reluctantly, part ways with him and find them. We go back to our inn for the night, and I try very, very hard not to think about the way he looked at me when I finally lay down in the inn.
FIN
When he releases me, I'm still smiling, and I watch him step away with his glass. I sway a bit in place, but I'm steady enough right? He bends down in a way I'm sure would topple me over right now, and he carefully gathers little lightning bugs into his empty glass. I smile softly, and I do step toward him, leaning slightly, peeking at what he's doing.
And then he rises, he turns with his captured fireflies, and for a moment I'm taken by the little lights dancing in the glass, eyes glimmering, smile curving.
I look up, and he's right there. Close enough to feel his body heat. A hot rush curls through me, flaring low in my ribs, sending my heart into an uneven rhythm. The glow of the fireflies outlines his face, glints in his dark eyes. I don't even look at the fireflies now - just him. The intensity of the look he gives me, the way his lips part like he's about to say something, do something.
I trace the shape of them with my eyes. There's something stretched taut between us, threatening to break, weakening my legs and making me want to reach up and touch him, to learn the shape of him, to...
To what?
I hold my breath... and the moment loosens. His attention turns to Aria, and I blink down at the ground for a moment.
I'd wanted him to kiss me.
The realization is startling, so much so that I shove it away, somewhere it can't scare me or do damage to a friendship I'm trying so hard to cultivate. His trust his precious, his presence so steady in a world that's unfamiliar to me. I'm at home with him in my travel clothes and worn jackets and sparring and hunting and building things.
I focus on Aria, or try to. It's hard now, especially as he does the best part of catching fireflies - letting them go.
That helps breath ease back into my lungs, watching a whole smattering of them rise into the air. "That's always my favorite part," I murmur. "Like Safrin swept new constellations into the sky." I can't help my warm smile, remembering the story of Ronin and Vanya sailing the stars together. I think this could be a taste of that. A flicker, a breath, half a heartbeat of being held by the stars with someone... important to you.
I'm drawn back down to earth by Damien's voice, and I nod, almost regretfully. "Right," I say. "I don't need a pair of assassins looking for me anyways." My parents will wonder where I am, and something tells me it isn't the right time for them to meet him again - when he isn't delivering me back home after following him somewhere I shouldn't have.
I toss him a crooked smile at his wink, and I absolutely do take his arm. Steady where I most definitely am not. I let him lead, because I stumble with the third step, giggling at the clumsiness, apologizing. Laughing again because I have to lean on him so much. Smiling because he lets me.
My parents are both amused by my state when I finally, reluctantly, part ways with him and find them. We go back to our inn for the night, and I try very, very hard not to think about the way he looked at me when I finally lay down in the inn.
FIN
a million dreams are keeping me awake
