MAEA
The simple truth was, she was only able to hold herself together because he was nearly falling apart. Being strong when others were weak was the sort of escapist courage she'd clung to in the past, and in this moment it was a last ditch effort to keep herself together. To keep him together. Unsure of what would happen if either fell apart. If the pieces would ever fit together again.
If he wasn't already broken.
He answered the riddle, and Maea nodded with a hint of a smile, looking as if the simple word gave her all the strength she needed. "Yes. Forward."
It had been the only path for her, always, even now. Perhaps it did not make sense for him, perhaps he was still too caught up in his private storm to realize that all he required was to put one foot in front of the other and keep going. One step at a time. Forward. Into whatever future.
If she'd been about to say anything else though, it was lost as he reached up for her, slipped a hand behind her head and pulled her in, down, closer. Tingles spread all over her back from the simple touch. Her scalp prickled with it, goosebumps flaring over the arms; Maea did not resist the urgent demand, barely registered that she didn't have to lean down far to find his gaze, his breath, his searching lips... She met him halfway, shy but not reluctant, and sighed with quiet awe at the softness of his mouth. One of her hands slipped back, up into his hair and the other draped lightly over his broad shoulder. Touching blue feathers, as careful as she could be to avoid ruffling them.
If he wasn't already broken.
He answered the riddle, and Maea nodded with a hint of a smile, looking as if the simple word gave her all the strength she needed. "Yes. Forward."
It had been the only path for her, always, even now. Perhaps it did not make sense for him, perhaps he was still too caught up in his private storm to realize that all he required was to put one foot in front of the other and keep going. One step at a time. Forward. Into whatever future.
If she'd been about to say anything else though, it was lost as he reached up for her, slipped a hand behind her head and pulled her in, down, closer. Tingles spread all over her back from the simple touch. Her scalp prickled with it, goosebumps flaring over the arms; Maea did not resist the urgent demand, barely registered that she didn't have to lean down far to find his gaze, his breath, his searching lips... She met him halfway, shy but not reluctant, and sighed with quiet awe at the softness of his mouth. One of her hands slipped back, up into his hair and the other draped lightly over his broad shoulder. Touching blue feathers, as careful as she could be to avoid ruffling them.
