Hotaru
Scowling at him half-heartedly as he laughs at her, she eyes his waist and hums contemplatively. "They have stretchy waistbands, and would keep your virtue in tact even if they wouldn't necessarily keep you warm," she chuckles, words half smashed into her knees alongside her smile at the image. She rides that amusement even as her own question drags them back to more delicate territory.
Admittedly, she thought it would hurt worse than it does. Instead she sits there listening quietly, the words soaking into her skin where she'll carry them for a long while yet. Though he turns to face her, Hotaru doesn't do the same. Staring into the fire as his words wrap around her and paint a picture more vivid than her own daydreaming could conjure. It's still undoubtedly like looking through a window to the perfect view beyond while being stuck outside unable to reach it, but...she's still breathing. Just happy that they're happy, even if they're happy without her. The ache is still there but it isn't choking her anymore. Whether it's resignation or acceptance is something she isn't sober enough to parse.
With all the information he has just given her, maybe she should have more to say, but all she can think is, "I'm glad. You both deserve to be happy." And she means it. The empty space they used to fill in her is scar tissue more than open wound, but nothing will ever fit there again. Hotaru is sure she's more scar than living flesh at this point, and isn't sure anything will ever find its place inside her now regardless of where. She's learning to be okay with it.
Watching a piece of log fall off and crackle into the deeper portion of the grate, the Valkyrie blinks and is relieved to find her eyes sting but are otherwise dry. Nothing for him to read off her. Head still spinning and reluctant to stand but aware they should both get as much sleep as possible before the inevitable hangover, Ru sighs and releases her legs to instead unsteadily clamber to her feet. "Think I'm ready to sleep before I get a second wind and do something stupid." Which is inevitable and will likely lead to her talking to him in bed, but at least her drunken body will be horizontal and less capable of getting her into trouble.
Admittedly, she thought it would hurt worse than it does. Instead she sits there listening quietly, the words soaking into her skin where she'll carry them for a long while yet. Though he turns to face her, Hotaru doesn't do the same. Staring into the fire as his words wrap around her and paint a picture more vivid than her own daydreaming could conjure. It's still undoubtedly like looking through a window to the perfect view beyond while being stuck outside unable to reach it, but...she's still breathing. Just happy that they're happy, even if they're happy without her. The ache is still there but it isn't choking her anymore. Whether it's resignation or acceptance is something she isn't sober enough to parse.
With all the information he has just given her, maybe she should have more to say, but all she can think is, "I'm glad. You both deserve to be happy." And she means it. The empty space they used to fill in her is scar tissue more than open wound, but nothing will ever fit there again. Hotaru is sure she's more scar than living flesh at this point, and isn't sure anything will ever find its place inside her now regardless of where. She's learning to be okay with it.
Watching a piece of log fall off and crackle into the deeper portion of the grate, the Valkyrie blinks and is relieved to find her eyes sting but are otherwise dry. Nothing for him to read off her. Head still spinning and reluctant to stand but aware they should both get as much sleep as possible before the inevitable hangover, Ru sighs and releases her legs to instead unsteadily clamber to her feet. "Think I'm ready to sleep before I get a second wind and do something stupid." Which is inevitable and will likely lead to her talking to him in bed, but at least her drunken body will be horizontal and less capable of getting her into trouble.
But I am just a broken machine
And I do things that I don't really mean
And I do things that I don't really mean
