Valkyrie
Though she has lost out on the years where Flora would be more accepting of her love, for now her daughter is not outwardly tired of it, and so Hotaru will not be so easily dissuaded. She will leave no room for doubt in her child's heart. Not about this. Flora will never question if she is loved by her mother. Already she is being forced to question so much else, and it makes her mother ache.
A hand gently smooths from Flora's crown to shoulder, tracing the length of the newly finished braid as Hotaru listens quietly, her droopy child still small enough to hold within her arms. "It was nothing you did Flora," she promises, praising herself privately for how her voice remains even. "It is our faults - mine, and your dad's, and Ronin's - and it's unfair for any of that to fall to you." But it does, and the Valkyrie seethes with rage over it.
Hugging Flora close but without too much restricting force, Hotaru sighs into her hair softly. "Some hurts take a long time to heal. Like broken bones. And sometimes, they can only be healed in certain ways - you wouldn't put dandelions on a cut, hm?" Enzo may shadow Vervain more than Flora, but it's a comparison she can reliably make. "It may not be a hurt you are meant to heal." Comparing it to pain instead of hatred is a kindness Ronin does not deserve in her eyes, but if her daughter sees him and feels inclined enough to be close to him to the point where she wants to fix things, it's a sacrifice Hotaru is willing to make. "All you can do is show him who you are so that he may change his mind. Not everyone will like you in this world, and you cannot force them - nor should you change to make them do so."
A hand gently smooths from Flora's crown to shoulder, tracing the length of the newly finished braid as Hotaru listens quietly, her droopy child still small enough to hold within her arms. "It was nothing you did Flora," she promises, praising herself privately for how her voice remains even. "It is our faults - mine, and your dad's, and Ronin's - and it's unfair for any of that to fall to you." But it does, and the Valkyrie seethes with rage over it.
Hugging Flora close but without too much restricting force, Hotaru sighs into her hair softly. "Some hurts take a long time to heal. Like broken bones. And sometimes, they can only be healed in certain ways - you wouldn't put dandelions on a cut, hm?" Enzo may shadow Vervain more than Flora, but it's a comparison she can reliably make. "It may not be a hurt you are meant to heal." Comparing it to pain instead of hatred is a kindness Ronin does not deserve in her eyes, but if her daughter sees him and feels inclined enough to be close to him to the point where she wants to fix things, it's a sacrifice Hotaru is willing to make. "All you can do is show him who you are so that he may change his mind. Not everyone will like you in this world, and you cannot force them - nor should you change to make them do so."
Just let me hold you while you're falling apart
Just let me hold you and we'll both fall down
Just let me hold you and we'll both fall down
