eyes can't shine unless there's something burning bright behind
Her incredulous gaze examines his features, even as his hand comes up to rub at his temple. Realizing the mirror of body language, Aurelia lets her own hand slack down from her face and consciously lets go of Sunjata's hand to pull back just enough to resume a small bit of space between them. She's held on long enough for him to know he can anchor to her, if he needs to; that she's here, if he needs her. It's up to him, however, if he does - not her. She can accept things either way.
Aurelia's gaze flickers with understanding. They've talked about the war before, of choosing sides, and she remembers distinctly how hard he had been trying to remain neutral. Her lips shift to offer an understanding half-smile. She does realize, with a pang, that she hasn't yet told him of her own experience with Safrin yet. It feels far less important, at the moment, though.
The moment his eyes meet hers more steadily, Aurelia soaks up the darkness in them readily. In this heartbeat, she decides it isn't stupid. Sunjata meant what he'd done; to save Nate in the event that things became catastrophic. She doesn't believe it selfish. She nudges her knuckles back against his, trying to comfort him still, and says, "I would do the same for Milo."
Her shoulders tense as she leans back against the booth, holding his gaze still - even if it's weighty. He'd be surprised what kinds of darkness she can handle, and this hardly brushes the surface of what she prides herself on being able to. Still, recent events have surprised her. She's changed... grown softer.
"Sunjata," she tilts her head a little, brows lifting, "you did what you thought you had to. It's not stupid," her tones are gentle without being pitying, because she knows that if she were in his shoes? She'd do the same. "It's... it's the right thing, if only because you thought it was. Things will change," she nods decisively, glancing away, "Nate and Hotaru... they'll... they'll understand, eventually. Sometimes..." and Aurelia's not used to being this honed in on what she really means to say, but maybe it's something about the fact that her and Sunjata share that weakness of being bad at it that, it alleviates some of the pressure. "Sometimes love makes us blind. Is it really... our fault?" It's not a rhetorical question, though, because fuck... she doesn't know the honest answer. She swirls the liquored ice in her glass thoughtfully.
Aurelia's gaze flickers with understanding. They've talked about the war before, of choosing sides, and she remembers distinctly how hard he had been trying to remain neutral. Her lips shift to offer an understanding half-smile. She does realize, with a pang, that she hasn't yet told him of her own experience with Safrin yet. It feels far less important, at the moment, though.
The moment his eyes meet hers more steadily, Aurelia soaks up the darkness in them readily. In this heartbeat, she decides it isn't stupid. Sunjata meant what he'd done; to save Nate in the event that things became catastrophic. She doesn't believe it selfish. She nudges her knuckles back against his, trying to comfort him still, and says, "I would do the same for Milo."
Her shoulders tense as she leans back against the booth, holding his gaze still - even if it's weighty. He'd be surprised what kinds of darkness she can handle, and this hardly brushes the surface of what she prides herself on being able to. Still, recent events have surprised her. She's changed... grown softer.
"Sunjata," she tilts her head a little, brows lifting, "you did what you thought you had to. It's not stupid," her tones are gentle without being pitying, because she knows that if she were in his shoes? She'd do the same. "It's... it's the right thing, if only because you thought it was. Things will change," she nods decisively, glancing away, "Nate and Hotaru... they'll... they'll understand, eventually. Sometimes..." and Aurelia's not used to being this honed in on what she really means to say, but maybe it's something about the fact that her and Sunjata share that weakness of being bad at it that, it alleviates some of the pressure. "Sometimes love makes us blind. Is it really... our fault?" It's not a rhetorical question, though, because fuck... she doesn't know the honest answer. She swirls the liquored ice in her glass thoughtfully.
Aurelia
