MAEA
She could have picked him apart, at that moment. Maea had never been given that kind of power over anyone before. So many gifts he imparted on her this day... Life guidance, fun, all his experience to learn from and a kiss too. Perhaps she was the real monster here, who even considered letting him think that she hated this last part. Her resolve faltered, the lie growing stale on her tongue already.
But it was the cough that undid her. Wet, rasping, growing from somewhere deep in his lungs. She half expected blood to cover his lips when he turned back to face her again, and her hands balled up into fists to hold back the urge to go over and steady him. The hoarse, hollow voice finally undid her, the look in his eyes making her afraid of what might happen if she really went through with the cold, callous severing she'd resolved herself to.
Breathing in a shivering lungful of air, the calm mask crumbled a little. There was longing in her gaze as she watched him, a little quiver about the lips before she could stop it. Pulling the hair away from her face with icy fingers, Maea shook her head.
"I didn't hate it. The kiss. It was... nice." An understatement of a lifetime, but 'nice' did cover it. "It just... It can't happen again."
Some of the hurt in her shone through as she said it. It was not the kiss she was walking away from. Not him either, not really. It was the idea that she might grow far too attached, and be relegated to a second option. To jealously watch him live a life with someone else and show up only when he felt like it, when it was convenient, when he wanted to prove some point. For all that they'd just met, Maea could so easily see it happen. For most of her life she'd thirsted for affection, attention, to be somewhat special to someone.
It was just too bad it made her vulnerable to making stupid mistakes like falling for the first guy to show up.
But it was the cough that undid her. Wet, rasping, growing from somewhere deep in his lungs. She half expected blood to cover his lips when he turned back to face her again, and her hands balled up into fists to hold back the urge to go over and steady him. The hoarse, hollow voice finally undid her, the look in his eyes making her afraid of what might happen if she really went through with the cold, callous severing she'd resolved herself to.
Breathing in a shivering lungful of air, the calm mask crumbled a little. There was longing in her gaze as she watched him, a little quiver about the lips before she could stop it. Pulling the hair away from her face with icy fingers, Maea shook her head.
"I didn't hate it. The kiss. It was... nice." An understatement of a lifetime, but 'nice' did cover it. "It just... It can't happen again."
Some of the hurt in her shone through as she said it. It was not the kiss she was walking away from. Not him either, not really. It was the idea that she might grow far too attached, and be relegated to a second option. To jealously watch him live a life with someone else and show up only when he felt like it, when it was convenient, when he wanted to prove some point. For all that they'd just met, Maea could so easily see it happen. For most of her life she'd thirsted for affection, attention, to be somewhat special to someone.
It was just too bad it made her vulnerable to making stupid mistakes like falling for the first guy to show up.
