Thalassa
The laughter, pouring of shots, and sharing of jokes is surprisingly cathartic. Thal doesn't realize she's smiling until she's pressing the bourbon to her lips, feeling the curve of glass meet the upward curve of her mouth. She blames it on the alcohol, the influence that's slowly giving her thoughts wings and bringing an attractive flush to her cheeks.
But the cocky grin falters, falling to a flat, controlled expression she's so skilled at wearing. Because she knows what request is coming when she chooses truth, knows Colt won't miss her chance, but she still isn't ready. Thal hasn't told anyone about Vesper, not really. It's been a secret she's guarded close, one she tries not to look at unless she's alone with a full bottle to blur the hurt.
It'd been easier to talk about Pierce, a necessity when explaining how she'd been infected, but even then, she'd only trusted Asta enough to admit that truth. Even with him, she hadn't been able to talk about the demigod, to admit how pained she'd been by his utter rejection - the first or second time. To admit that someone she'd barely known had been able to inflict such a wound on her heart.
Swallowing the bourbon and bitterness on her tongue, Thal shrugs her shoulders. She tries to be nonchalant - to act like it doesn't still bother her - but the liquor loosens her lips, drawing them down in a frown of quiet resignation as she says, "I got infected." She could leave it there. After all, it's the truth, if not the abridged version of it; but Thal secretly wants someone to know, wants Colt to know why they were doomed to fail.
That doesn't make saying it any easier.
In a slow, distracted motion, she lowers the glass, rotating the bottom against the counter with easy habit. The words feel a little farther if she focuses on the grind of glass on wood, if she separates herself from the emotions the memories bring. "Vesper chose to abandon me to the situation I'd been stupid enough to get myself into." She tilts her head to the right, heaving a small breath to explain. "He blames me for walking into the arms of the man who killed his father - not that I knew at the time." Her head tilts to the other side, her hair falling to reveal her features. "And I blame him for being heartless enough to leave me to a fate worse than death." She pauses, an ache stemming from the scars crisscrossing her soul, nearly shivering with horror to recall those months.
Clenching her jaw, Thal manages to scrounge a pathetic attempt at a cocky, unbothered grin. Raising her glass to Colt, she passes the torch of torture. "Your turn."
But the cocky grin falters, falling to a flat, controlled expression she's so skilled at wearing. Because she knows what request is coming when she chooses truth, knows Colt won't miss her chance, but she still isn't ready. Thal hasn't told anyone about Vesper, not really. It's been a secret she's guarded close, one she tries not to look at unless she's alone with a full bottle to blur the hurt.
It'd been easier to talk about Pierce, a necessity when explaining how she'd been infected, but even then, she'd only trusted Asta enough to admit that truth. Even with him, she hadn't been able to talk about the demigod, to admit how pained she'd been by his utter rejection - the first or second time. To admit that someone she'd barely known had been able to inflict such a wound on her heart.
Swallowing the bourbon and bitterness on her tongue, Thal shrugs her shoulders. She tries to be nonchalant - to act like it doesn't still bother her - but the liquor loosens her lips, drawing them down in a frown of quiet resignation as she says, "I got infected." She could leave it there. After all, it's the truth, if not the abridged version of it; but Thal secretly wants someone to know, wants Colt to know why they were doomed to fail.
That doesn't make saying it any easier.
In a slow, distracted motion, she lowers the glass, rotating the bottom against the counter with easy habit. The words feel a little farther if she focuses on the grind of glass on wood, if she separates herself from the emotions the memories bring. "Vesper chose to abandon me to the situation I'd been stupid enough to get myself into." She tilts her head to the right, heaving a small breath to explain. "He blames me for walking into the arms of the man who killed his father - not that I knew at the time." Her head tilts to the other side, her hair falling to reveal her features. "And I blame him for being heartless enough to leave me to a fate worse than death." She pauses, an ache stemming from the scars crisscrossing her soul, nearly shivering with horror to recall those months.
Clenching her jaw, Thal manages to scrounge a pathetic attempt at a cocky, unbothered grin. Raising her glass to Colt, she passes the torch of torture. "Your turn."
Never been the type to
Let someone see right through
Let someone see right through
