you are not a grave for people to bury their pain inside
never to be remembered again
never to be remembered again
He doesn’t keep her waiting long, for which her nerves are grateful. The creak of timber beneath his careful feet curls around her spine, and her shoulders roll back, straightening in helpless desire to chase it away. Then he is there, tall and composed and - and familiar. It is easier to see him as the man who had held her hand at her bedside than the one who had held the twins in his arms and disappeared over the horizon. And for that -
“Thank you,” she whispers, and though there is a tiredness to her airs, it is overshadowed by the fierce weight of her sincerity. Moving closer on feet that do not tremble even with her uncertainty, she offers her hand in a gesture that would otherwise seem strange - for him to feel, with certainty, what she is feeling. But even if he does not take it (she prays he does, for selfish reasons) her eyes never waver from his seaglass greens. “For taking them. For keeping them safe - even from me. It was exactly what I would have wanted you to do, in sound mind.” If he expected resentment, it will not be found. In fact Hotaru is fiercely proud of the father of her children, and grateful beyond measure. Something quite animal in her purrs, pleased that the sire of her progeny was such a fine specimen, whether she’d chosen him intentionally or not. There will be time to answer questions, to explain - but first she must impress how grateful she is. The safety of the twins would always, always, matter more than her own feelings.
“Thank you,” she whispers, and though there is a tiredness to her airs, it is overshadowed by the fierce weight of her sincerity. Moving closer on feet that do not tremble even with her uncertainty, she offers her hand in a gesture that would otherwise seem strange - for him to feel, with certainty, what she is feeling. But even if he does not take it (she prays he does, for selfish reasons) her eyes never waver from his seaglass greens. “For taking them. For keeping them safe - even from me. It was exactly what I would have wanted you to do, in sound mind.” If he expected resentment, it will not be found. In fact Hotaru is fiercely proud of the father of her children, and grateful beyond measure. Something quite animal in her purrs, pleased that the sire of her progeny was such a fine specimen, whether she’d chosen him intentionally or not. There will be time to answer questions, to explain - but first she must impress how grateful she is. The safety of the twins would always, always, matter more than her own feelings.
you are magic given physical form
Hotaru
