Honey, these arms that once held you are ready to fight
"Then their betrayal is all the worse," she vows, because she is more the type to bring him their heads than console him with gentle words. Not that she is incapable of it, edging to the lip of her chair to press their sides together. Anything to distract from the bloodlust inside her that wars with how her heart breaks, the terror that lies beneath both of them at the idea that he could have been taken from this world so easily and she wouldn't have been there at his side. "You didn't deserve their doubt, or any kind of pseudo-trial lacking any impartiality, logic, or returned faith in you. That is not friendship, it is conditional kindness. And I'm so sorry." She doesn't take his hand how she wants to, knowing he needs to be in control of them and the cigarette he fiddles with, but she longs to. This isn't her area of expertise. When they have these heart to hearts, historically they're usually halfway to drunk, and the hurts are long in the past. Failing him now is not an option though, even if Hotaru has to learn on the spot. And while she has never been a paragon of impartial justice - her brand of justice being far bloodier and more underhanded - she is also more than okay being unreasonable in her expectations where it concerns Sunjata.
At first, his answer stumps her. Automatically she wants to state the fact that his father is - if not dead by now - in another world. Swallows it down like a bitter pill, because these are the types of odds their luck prefers to draw. Her silence expands like the cosmo as she takes it in, recalling everything he'd told her that night by the fire so long ago. All the evils and sins the man had committed. "Then we can't let him get a foothold here," Hotaru murmurs instead. Head already whirling, full of the beginnings of plans and unraveling a long list of things to start on. "We hunker down until Nate returns. You have to avoid traveling alone if you can, not just because of him but because of the rumors." Her exhale warbles a little, reaching up to gently take the hand that had touched his throat. "I won't let him hurt you again. Not without a fight." And Kane has one hell of a fight coming his way if he thinks Hotaru is as unseasoned as a young, defenseless boy. She is not so easily harmed.
At first, his answer stumps her. Automatically she wants to state the fact that his father is - if not dead by now - in another world. Swallows it down like a bitter pill, because these are the types of odds their luck prefers to draw. Her silence expands like the cosmo as she takes it in, recalling everything he'd told her that night by the fire so long ago. All the evils and sins the man had committed. "Then we can't let him get a foothold here," Hotaru murmurs instead. Head already whirling, full of the beginnings of plans and unraveling a long list of things to start on. "We hunker down until Nate returns. You have to avoid traveling alone if you can, not just because of him but because of the rumors." Her exhale warbles a little, reaching up to gently take the hand that had touched his throat. "I won't let him hurt you again. Not without a fight." And Kane has one hell of a fight coming his way if he thinks Hotaru is as unseasoned as a young, defenseless boy. She is not so easily harmed.
HOTARU
