Zavien
Fear is pain arising from the anticipation of evil.
He let her hand guide him so that his eyes met hers, a sad smile forming as he wished he could change the various experience he'd had in his childhood and how they were affecting Lena now. "Well, I didn't exactly grow up with the best role models. Everyone focused on the sex and what they could get out of the relationship." Screaming matches and projectiles could be noticed from down the street, just another Tuesday breakup that left tensions and bruises throughout the Silk Houses, leaving the occasional batch of kids with another absentee parent. His mom might have kept her business separate, but it didn't protect him from knowing, from seeing what toll it took on her or the leering looks on the street, from understanding the greed and false professions of love. It didn't stop the idealistic wishes he'd developed, the ones that he voiced with a tender expression towards Lena. "I know it sounds silly, but I didn't want us to be like that."
There was a pause, a moment where Zavien was sure his confession would go unanswered again, a beat where Lena simply validated his feelings and moved on. He nearly missed the response in his rising disappointment, the joy having difficulty catching when the words didn't hold the weight he'd expected. It took time for the sentiments to register, for him to realize that she'd said it before his heart was fluttering through the quiet delivery.
His eyes widened a touch, the grin slow to spread across his face, although no less bright. He shook his head, dismissing her apology without a second thought. "I would have waited forever," his finger gently slid a damp strand of dark hair behind her ear, like a secret he was giving her to tuck away as he added softly, "but I'm glad I didn't have to." Then he kissed her again, no longer needy or rushed in hopes of grounding himself in her, but soft and loving like they had all the time in the world to say it a million times over. Caressing hands braced around her, willing him to believe and embrace the excitement of the moment, satisfied to never leave.
Only when he pulled back did he think on it more, curiosity painting his blissful features with a hint of confusion as he asked, "But... what changed? Why didn't you say anything?" He hadn't dared say the words in case they sent her running again, in case she wasn't ready. Other than time and frightening moments of change, he didn't feel that anything monumental had passed (at least not anything more impactful than his death).
There was a pause, a moment where Zavien was sure his confession would go unanswered again, a beat where Lena simply validated his feelings and moved on. He nearly missed the response in his rising disappointment, the joy having difficulty catching when the words didn't hold the weight he'd expected. It took time for the sentiments to register, for him to realize that she'd said it before his heart was fluttering through the quiet delivery.
His eyes widened a touch, the grin slow to spread across his face, although no less bright. He shook his head, dismissing her apology without a second thought. "I would have waited forever," his finger gently slid a damp strand of dark hair behind her ear, like a secret he was giving her to tuck away as he added softly, "but I'm glad I didn't have to." Then he kissed her again, no longer needy or rushed in hopes of grounding himself in her, but soft and loving like they had all the time in the world to say it a million times over. Caressing hands braced around her, willing him to believe and embrace the excitement of the moment, satisfied to never leave.
Only when he pulled back did he think on it more, curiosity painting his blissful features with a hint of confusion as he asked, "But... what changed? Why didn't you say anything?" He hadn't dared say the words in case they sent her running again, in case she wasn't ready. Other than time and frightening moments of change, he didn't feel that anything monumental had passed (at least not anything more impactful than his death).
