(SE) when the nighttime comes, say yes

SUNJATA

i'm drowning in all these voices in the sea
and meeting all my vices in the ring

Her laughter is a bright, tinkling sound in his ears as the water splashes against her body, and he can’t help the breathy chuckle that leaves him in response. He’d absolutely be sick when he gets back, but it would be worth it, he thinks, deciding that at the end of the day it was far easier to deal with the consequences after everything. And so he lets her nestle in, listens to her words with a quiet nod. “It can happen anywhere.” And it had. Caido had only reiterated the fact to him that nothing lasted forever. And he had to get used to it, despite how hard it was to.

He tilts his head back again as she traces the lining of a feather, his compass tattoo stretching out, pointing to her in a different way — no longer the north, but a point nonetheless, and he’s content to let her draw and touch and explore as he closes his eyes again, keeping her near. He’s aware of his surroundings, aware of what’s going on, but he simply just needs a moment to recover, to think.

Chances were, he’d end up slipping that ring back on the moment Maea left, returning to playing the part at first until it fell apart at the seams, waiting to celebrate the day that it does. But he doesn’t know, entirely, what he’ll do yet — and he chooses to focus on Maea rather than the dark spiral of his thoughts once more, finding light within the way it dances along her pale, sunburned skin.

so step inside, i ain't afraid to bleed
there ain't a casket strong enough for me