flora
Flora grins, bright and certain. "My house it is," she declares, lifting her chin with playful pride. "Much better than squishing everyone onto the Northaven if it keeps raining like this. At least if we’re at mine, we can all fit indoors without someone ending up sitting in a bathtub with their plate." Her nose wrinkles affectionately at the squeeze to her hand, and she nods in mock solemnity. "And yes, absolutely, I’m leaving the cooking to you. Especially if dinner tastes anything like lunch did. I’d be a fool to interfere."
But then Ronin is rising, tugging her up with him, and before she can so much as make a quip she’s drawn into his arms. For a moment she forgets entirely about paperwork, councils, and dead siblings. Though he feels solid as carved marble, she still finds a warm, quiet spot to rest her cheek against his chest, eyes closing as she breathes in the salt and sun that always seem to cling to him. Her voice, when it comes, is soft and small against the fabric of his shirt. "Thank you," she whispers again, a little steadier this time, the words heavy with everything she doesn’t quite know how to say. When she finally pulls back, her eyes are shining but her smile is unguarded, bright with something easy and real.
Of course, the moment can’t linger forever. Letting out a long, dramatic groan that echoes through the marble room, Flora drags herself back toward the desk like a condemned woman. "Alright, fine," she sighs, flashing him a crooked grin over her shoulder. Scooping up two folders, she holds one in each hand and wiggles them at him like a card trick. "We’ve got Bar Rebuild or Soldier Barrack Cleanout. What’ll it be, Advisor Taliesin?" And, despite which he chooses, they'll end up tackling both.
Together.
~FIN
But then Ronin is rising, tugging her up with him, and before she can so much as make a quip she’s drawn into his arms. For a moment she forgets entirely about paperwork, councils, and dead siblings. Though he feels solid as carved marble, she still finds a warm, quiet spot to rest her cheek against his chest, eyes closing as she breathes in the salt and sun that always seem to cling to him. Her voice, when it comes, is soft and small against the fabric of his shirt. "Thank you," she whispers again, a little steadier this time, the words heavy with everything she doesn’t quite know how to say. When she finally pulls back, her eyes are shining but her smile is unguarded, bright with something easy and real.
Of course, the moment can’t linger forever. Letting out a long, dramatic groan that echoes through the marble room, Flora drags herself back toward the desk like a condemned woman. "Alright, fine," she sighs, flashing him a crooked grin over her shoulder. Scooping up two folders, she holds one in each hand and wiggles them at him like a card trick. "We’ve got Bar Rebuild or Soldier Barrack Cleanout. What’ll it be, Advisor Taliesin?" And, despite which he chooses, they'll end up tackling both.
Together.
~FIN
and if you'd never come for me, I might've drowned in the melancholy
I swore my loyalty to me, myself, and I, Right before you lit my sky up
I swore my loyalty to me, myself, and I, Right before you lit my sky up
