Flora
Flora’s aqua gaze doesn’t waver as Soh speaks, tracking every shift in her silver eyes, every rough edge in her voice, and when the words finally land—everyone out—she nods immediately, firmly, like she can physically hold that truth in place if she does it hard enough. "That’s really good," she murmurs, the praise quiet but solid, something meant to be leaned against.
Her breath leaves her in a slow exhale, and then she’s pulling Soh back in without asking, arms sliding around her shoulders and locking there, tight and deliberate, cheek resting against damp hair as the pool laps gently around them. There is nothing clever to say, nothing that would stitch this together or make the shape of it less jagged, so she doesn’t try. She just holds her, grounding and present, letting the silence do the work words can’t.
When she finally eases back, it’s with another soft sigh, fingers lingering for a moment at Soh’s arms before she lets them fall away. Her head tips slightly, curls darkened by water clinging to her neck as she shakes it. "No," Flora says gently. "Nothing yet." Her mouth twists, just a little. "We might be able to see it from the coast, though." The thought makes her wince, shoulders lifting and settling again as she tilts her head, eyes flicking briefly toward the horizon beyond the balustrade before returning to Soh. "Maybe it’s better not to watch," she adds, quieter, like she’s convincing herself as much as anyone.
Her gaze steadies again, concern threading through the warmth as she searches Soh’s face. "How are Zavien and Koa holding up?"
Her breath leaves her in a slow exhale, and then she’s pulling Soh back in without asking, arms sliding around her shoulders and locking there, tight and deliberate, cheek resting against damp hair as the pool laps gently around them. There is nothing clever to say, nothing that would stitch this together or make the shape of it less jagged, so she doesn’t try. She just holds her, grounding and present, letting the silence do the work words can’t.
When she finally eases back, it’s with another soft sigh, fingers lingering for a moment at Soh’s arms before she lets them fall away. Her head tips slightly, curls darkened by water clinging to her neck as she shakes it. "No," Flora says gently. "Nothing yet." Her mouth twists, just a little. "We might be able to see it from the coast, though." The thought makes her wince, shoulders lifting and settling again as she tilts her head, eyes flicking briefly toward the horizon beyond the balustrade before returning to Soh. "Maybe it’s better not to watch," she adds, quieter, like she’s convincing herself as much as anyone.
Her gaze steadies again, concern threading through the warmth as she searches Soh’s face. "How are Zavien and Koa holding up?"
I hope you're sweating the bigger stuff,
finding some peace in an honest love
Hope you stop when you've had enough & throw the towel in
finding some peace in an honest love
Hope you stop when you've had enough & throw the towel in
Code stolen from Queen Sky
