flora
Flora doesn’t try to soften the moment when Melita shrugs it away. She knows too well how hollow comfort can sound when it’s aimed at something that old, something that carved into you so early it becomes part of the structure holding you upright. Platitudes bounce off grief like pebbles off armour, and so she simply lets the silence sit for as long as it wants to, the water shifting gently around them, sunlight warming the back of her neck while the conversation breathes.
Eventually the current carries them somewhere easier.
Flora’s grin returns slowly, curling sideways as Melita paints the image of Kaisel marching everyone around the house in coordinated Remi-and-Ronin pajamas. "Oh I can absolutely imagine him doing that," she groans, tilting her head back dramatically against the tumsea’s inflatable crown as though the thought alone is exhausting. One hand flops over her face for a moment before she peeks back out toward Melita with theatrical despair. "And it's always the worst possible timing too." Her mouth twitches as she drops her hand again. "Like we will be about to get up to stuff and suddenly I realize he is wearing an undershirt with my parents’ faces on it." She makes a face, scrunching her nose in exaggerated horror. "Total mood killer."
Then she pauses, lifting one finger as another thought strikes. "Or Hadama’s," she adds, eyes widening behind her sunglasses.
The expression lasts only a heartbeat before she dissolves into laughter, shoulders shaking as the tumsea rocks dangerously beneath her. "Honestly though, the worst ones are the jump scares. I'll reach for a tea he's brought me and it is Noah’s face staring up from the mug, or I grab a hand towel and it says something like CLEANING UP THE FLOOD with Sunjata grinning on it." She rolls her eyes skyward and shakes her head, the fond exasperation obvious even through the dramatics.
Her grin sharpens suddenly with mischief as she glances back toward Melita. "Maybe I should make a tiny cannon with your name on it, super limited edition," she suggests, tapping the side of her glass thoughtfully. "So every time he shows up in another piece of ridiculous merch I can just—" She makes a small exploding motion with her fingers. "—shoot him."
The idea delights her enough that she laughs again, the sound easy and bright as the tumsea drifts lazily across the pool while the two of them soak up the sun and let the conversation wander wherever it pleases next.
~FIN
Eventually the current carries them somewhere easier.
Flora’s grin returns slowly, curling sideways as Melita paints the image of Kaisel marching everyone around the house in coordinated Remi-and-Ronin pajamas. "Oh I can absolutely imagine him doing that," she groans, tilting her head back dramatically against the tumsea’s inflatable crown as though the thought alone is exhausting. One hand flops over her face for a moment before she peeks back out toward Melita with theatrical despair. "And it's always the worst possible timing too." Her mouth twitches as she drops her hand again. "Like we will be about to get up to stuff and suddenly I realize he is wearing an undershirt with my parents’ faces on it." She makes a face, scrunching her nose in exaggerated horror. "Total mood killer."
Then she pauses, lifting one finger as another thought strikes. "Or Hadama’s," she adds, eyes widening behind her sunglasses.
The expression lasts only a heartbeat before she dissolves into laughter, shoulders shaking as the tumsea rocks dangerously beneath her. "Honestly though, the worst ones are the jump scares. I'll reach for a tea he's brought me and it is Noah’s face staring up from the mug, or I grab a hand towel and it says something like CLEANING UP THE FLOOD with Sunjata grinning on it." She rolls her eyes skyward and shakes her head, the fond exasperation obvious even through the dramatics.
Her grin sharpens suddenly with mischief as she glances back toward Melita. "Maybe I should make a tiny cannon with your name on it, super limited edition," she suggests, tapping the side of her glass thoughtfully. "So every time he shows up in another piece of ridiculous merch I can just—" She makes a small exploding motion with her fingers. "—shoot him."
The idea delights her enough that she laughs again, the sound easy and bright as the tumsea drifts lazily across the pool while the two of them soak up the sun and let the conversation wander wherever it pleases next.
~FIN
I want to be when you fall on me like night
I wanna kill the lights
I wanna kill the lights
