flora
"Mmh." Flora wrinkles her nose, gaze drifting up toward the domed ceiling where a shaft of light angles through, catching in the curls beside her temple. "Even a view like this can’t distract from the endless heaps of paperwork. Trust me, I’ve tried."
At his admission, her brow rises; not sceptical, just...surprised. "Really?" she echoes, arms folding loosely beneath her chest. "Once Soh pulled back, it felt like the obvious choice to me." There’s no heavy implication behind it, just a conversational tilt of her head.
But when he brushes off her praise, that twist of amusement returns. With a nudge to his shoulder that’s more familiar than formal, she grins. "Bit of unsolicited advice? No one likes an overly modest leader." Then, with a more serious cant to her voice, though the warmth never fully fades: "It doesn’t inspire confidence, you know? Sure, there’ll be people you can be honest with"—a small, knowing shrug, as if to say she might even be one of them—"but you represent Stormbreak now. If you go around acting like you’re not the right one for the job, what does that say about Stormbreak?"
Her smile softens when he bows again, soldier-stiff and full of effort, and this time it’s affection that flickers in her expression. "You’re sweet," she murmurs with a sigh that’s more fond than frustrated. "When Sohalia was the Heart, all our political talks happened over wine or shopping trips." Her eyes sparkle as she leans back against the pillar once more, mock-dramatic as she lifts a hand to her brow. "I suppose I’ll have to start putting in actual effort now."
At his admission, her brow rises; not sceptical, just...surprised. "Really?" she echoes, arms folding loosely beneath her chest. "Once Soh pulled back, it felt like the obvious choice to me." There’s no heavy implication behind it, just a conversational tilt of her head.
But when he brushes off her praise, that twist of amusement returns. With a nudge to his shoulder that’s more familiar than formal, she grins. "Bit of unsolicited advice? No one likes an overly modest leader." Then, with a more serious cant to her voice, though the warmth never fully fades: "It doesn’t inspire confidence, you know? Sure, there’ll be people you can be honest with"—a small, knowing shrug, as if to say she might even be one of them—"but you represent Stormbreak now. If you go around acting like you’re not the right one for the job, what does that say about Stormbreak?"
Her smile softens when he bows again, soldier-stiff and full of effort, and this time it’s affection that flickers in her expression. "You’re sweet," she murmurs with a sigh that’s more fond than frustrated. "When Sohalia was the Heart, all our political talks happened over wine or shopping trips." Her eyes sparkle as she leans back against the pillar once more, mock-dramatic as she lifts a hand to her brow. "I suppose I’ll have to start putting in actual effort now."
I hold my breath just a little bit longer
halfway out the door but it won't close
halfway out the door but it won't close
