AURELIA
and my hands aren't clean
maybe they never will be
maybe they never will be
Scuffles. Was that the most he'd ever seen of a fight? Aurelia drew back slightly to look at him in surprise when he feigned injury, and then she gave him a knowing shake of her head when she realized he was only joking. The wind did indeed, make up for the silence. She instinctually wanted to say 'oh, well, I can teach you!' or 'show me what you got!' but that fun was dampened by her own destructive thoughts. Would it even be right, would it feel right? To teach him the skills she'd gained with the purpose of killing his kind?
She wondered, for a moment, if she should just come right out and say it. Would he understand? Would he still hold his arm around her? She bit the inside of her cheek, tasting the copper on her tongue. Of course not. And he shouldn't, and she wouldn't blame him. So, then... she wouldn't tell him.
Aurelia eyed him at that idea, as his hand traced along the muscles of her wrist, to soothe and calm her again. He couldn't possibly have any idea what internal struggle was going on behind those green eyes but, she wasn't so sure that she wanted him to know. But she did know that she wanted him close, wanted his company for more than just right now. How could she have that, if he thought she was a cold and ruthless killer of his own kind? How could she ever show him that she could protect him, from anything, if he knew she was meant to do the opposite?
But she quelled her stirring mind and listened to him, watched him lean back into the sand and pull his hand away. All the while, she fought to get back down to earth, to get out of her own head. She was trying, too.
"A week of darkness?" her brows raised in surprise, although it only took a second for her expression to soften as she added, "Well, I spent a lot of time below the surface. Much more than a week, at times, unless I had a job-" and she had gotten so caught up in letting go that she'd let go just a little too much at just the wrong time. Now, he'd probably ask her to elaborate. So she tried to jump ahead of any questions he might have, saying, "my people lived underground, see, in light of all the... things that could eat us up above. Like if you could imagine a city as big as Haulani, under the ground, that's how every city was in my world. And we had huge underground tunnels connecting them."
She cleared her throat then, glossing right past what kind of work she did, and she addressed his points more fully. She leaned forward in forced interest, "Anyway, um..." she bit her lip nervously, eyeing him up and down, "that sounds like fun. Here, I mean. As much as I'd like to go slay monsters in the Grounds, because that sounds like a great time," her voice was heavy with sarcasm, but then her sincerity leaked through and she leaned towards him on one arm, "I think I might just stay here with you."
She wondered, for a moment, if she should just come right out and say it. Would he understand? Would he still hold his arm around her? She bit the inside of her cheek, tasting the copper on her tongue. Of course not. And he shouldn't, and she wouldn't blame him. So, then... she wouldn't tell him.
Aurelia eyed him at that idea, as his hand traced along the muscles of her wrist, to soothe and calm her again. He couldn't possibly have any idea what internal struggle was going on behind those green eyes but, she wasn't so sure that she wanted him to know. But she did know that she wanted him close, wanted his company for more than just right now. How could she have that, if he thought she was a cold and ruthless killer of his own kind? How could she ever show him that she could protect him, from anything, if he knew she was meant to do the opposite?
But she quelled her stirring mind and listened to him, watched him lean back into the sand and pull his hand away. All the while, she fought to get back down to earth, to get out of her own head. She was trying, too.
"A week of darkness?" her brows raised in surprise, although it only took a second for her expression to soften as she added, "Well, I spent a lot of time below the surface. Much more than a week, at times, unless I had a job-" and she had gotten so caught up in letting go that she'd let go just a little too much at just the wrong time. Now, he'd probably ask her to elaborate. So she tried to jump ahead of any questions he might have, saying, "my people lived underground, see, in light of all the... things that could eat us up above. Like if you could imagine a city as big as Haulani, under the ground, that's how every city was in my world. And we had huge underground tunnels connecting them."
She cleared her throat then, glossing right past what kind of work she did, and she addressed his points more fully. She leaned forward in forced interest, "Anyway, um..." she bit her lip nervously, eyeing him up and down, "that sounds like fun. Here, I mean. As much as I'd like to go slay monsters in the Grounds, because that sounds like a great time," her voice was heavy with sarcasm, but then her sincerity leaked through and she leaned towards him on one arm, "I think I might just stay here with you."
but they can still carry you home
when you're ready to sleep
when you're ready to sleep
