but there's chaos brewing
underneath my skin
Hotaru, returned and alive and whole, set to do something about the propaganda matters. Perhaps it was best left to her then, or Melita could bother her about it later, when the time was right and everything didn’t seem so murky, cloudy, and veiled. Instead of settling into that current pursuit, she simply took the moment for what it was, biting down a platitude of statements that rushed into her mind. Maybe it was some manner of growth that she managed to ensure they didn’t make it out into the air – less and less impulse.
“I’m tired of being shut out,” she said, as she had many times before. Maybe this time it would stick. “I’ve always been here, unless I’m at sea, and -,” her teeth ground together, words muffled against his frame, but she figured he’d be able to hear them, regardless. If not, they’d echo as a roar, as a howl, as a bellow, so they couldn’t be ignored any longer. “You just act like I don’t matter, or…,” there were more statements that could’ve followed, and they flared at the edges of her mouth, biding their time. “I can take care of myself. I don’t want to be pushed away or forgotten. But you don’t need to protect me.”
Melita had never wanted to be a burden. Hadn’t she shown that many times over? Hadn’t she persevered? Hadn’t she countered? Hadn’t she dug her stubborn, tenacious heels into the earth, into the sand, to show her might, her persistence. Still lived. Still extended her hand out to her family. Only to be treated like another piece of ash, while he sunk further and further into the abyss.
“I’m tired of being shut out,” she said, as she had many times before. Maybe this time it would stick. “I’ve always been here, unless I’m at sea, and -,” her teeth ground together, words muffled against his frame, but she figured he’d be able to hear them, regardless. If not, they’d echo as a roar, as a howl, as a bellow, so they couldn’t be ignored any longer. “You just act like I don’t matter, or…,” there were more statements that could’ve followed, and they flared at the edges of her mouth, biding their time. “I can take care of myself. I don’t want to be pushed away or forgotten. But you don’t need to protect me.”
Melita had never wanted to be a burden. Hadn’t she shown that many times over? Hadn’t she persevered? Hadn’t she countered? Hadn’t she dug her stubborn, tenacious heels into the earth, into the sand, to show her might, her persistence. Still lived. Still extended her hand out to her family. Only to be treated like another piece of ash, while he sunk further and further into the abyss.
trying to hold in the storm
instead of making waves
MELITA
