Your past and mine are parallel lines
Soh had known that this would hurt Zavien, but knowing it and seeing it were two different things.
He stared at her, through her, breath stuttering as he seemed to freeze in place, hands still fixed on her arms, deathly still and pale beneath the weight of her words. When he spoke, it was in a strained monotone, as though the words were physically painful to force out, and Soh felt tears gathering behind her eyes as she silently berated herself for having told him. A part of her knew that he deserved to know, knew that she couldn't have lied to him - but was this worse than a refusal to share, this pain that Kaisel had caused?
"Yes," she whispered, hands raising to tentatively cup his face. "But it's not true, Zavien." She was sure that it looked that way to some people, from the outside looking in, but the reality was so much more complicated. Zavien could love Soh deeply, and yet still love Lena, too. She knew he wasn't over her death, that he still struggled with so many things about losing someone he loved, things that no one else would have any insight into.
Love was complicated, built on shades of grey and swatches of screaming color. There was nothing simple about this journey that she and Zavien had embarked on, especially not now, and for Kaisel to have assumed to have any knowledge of Zavien's thoughts or feelings still made her furious. Besides, if Zavien had moved on quickly, wasn't the implication that, as Lena's friend, Soh had made a move too quickly, too? "It's not that black and white," she insisted, not sure what she could say or do to make this better, or if she should just let the feelings run their course.
He isn't leaving, she told herself, though there was an uneasiness in her chest all the same, as though this new information would make Zavien realize that he didn't want her, didn't want this, that he'd dishonored Lena somehow by choosing happiness over grief. But Soh stood her ground, refusing to back down as she watched him. She'd weather this storm, and any other, because she knew that, despite how things may appear from the outside, this relationship, their love, was right (albeit poorly timed).
He stared at her, through her, breath stuttering as he seemed to freeze in place, hands still fixed on her arms, deathly still and pale beneath the weight of her words. When he spoke, it was in a strained monotone, as though the words were physically painful to force out, and Soh felt tears gathering behind her eyes as she silently berated herself for having told him. A part of her knew that he deserved to know, knew that she couldn't have lied to him - but was this worse than a refusal to share, this pain that Kaisel had caused?
"Yes," she whispered, hands raising to tentatively cup his face. "But it's not true, Zavien." She was sure that it looked that way to some people, from the outside looking in, but the reality was so much more complicated. Zavien could love Soh deeply, and yet still love Lena, too. She knew he wasn't over her death, that he still struggled with so many things about losing someone he loved, things that no one else would have any insight into.
Love was complicated, built on shades of grey and swatches of screaming color. There was nothing simple about this journey that she and Zavien had embarked on, especially not now, and for Kaisel to have assumed to have any knowledge of Zavien's thoughts or feelings still made her furious. Besides, if Zavien had moved on quickly, wasn't the implication that, as Lena's friend, Soh had made a move too quickly, too? "It's not that black and white," she insisted, not sure what she could say or do to make this better, or if she should just let the feelings run their course.
He isn't leaving, she told herself, though there was an uneasiness in her chest all the same, as though this new information would make Zavien realize that he didn't want her, didn't want this, that he'd dishonored Lena somehow by choosing happiness over grief. But Soh stood her ground, refusing to back down as she watched him. She'd weather this storm, and any other, because she knew that, despite how things may appear from the outside, this relationship, their love, was right (albeit poorly timed).
Stars all aligned and they intertwined
Minor powerplay allowed without permission.
Feel free to use force/magic on Sohalia.
Feel free to use force/magic on Sohalia.
