Soleil
Somewhere in her head she recognizes that they’re moving, that he is taking her somewhere - likely the town he’d spoken of - but instead of trepidation there is only a warm blossom growing exponentially in her chest until it feels like it’s going to push out her throat and into her mouth. Because he finally looks down at her, and he sees her. She’s not invisible anymore. She’s not a lost little girl, or the newest Halenani ward, or just a face in a sea of people. As he recognizes her it’s as if her identity is returned to her, and she is Soleil. His daughter, not just an unfortunate child with no home and no family.
Her own eyes well with tears even as the brightest smile she has ever felt on her own face breaks free. Her father pulls her in and Soleil wriggles up to wrap her little arms around his neck, holding on with all her might. It’s worth every moment of cold, because everywhere else she is warm at last, inside and out. Her face presses up under his chin, where his scent is strong and familiar at the soft spot of his throat. Here her own tears are pressed to his skin, shoulders beginning to shake as she hiccups helplessly.
She has tried to be so strong since she and Luka arrived here, and now she doesn’t have to be. Soleil tries to speak through her tears, legs curled up against his chest as she is held close. “E-Everyone was hurting and going black, and I felt s-so awful!” her voice wobbles, the nightmarish moments as the only life she knew ended imprinted on her young mind. “And then Luka ‘n I were somewhere else, and everything was wrong,” her arms tighten around his neck as she cries. Breathing fast and hard with each sob, free to finally break down. “And I couldn’t find you, I couldn’t find anyone, and we were all alone!”
Her own eyes well with tears even as the brightest smile she has ever felt on her own face breaks free. Her father pulls her in and Soleil wriggles up to wrap her little arms around his neck, holding on with all her might. It’s worth every moment of cold, because everywhere else she is warm at last, inside and out. Her face presses up under his chin, where his scent is strong and familiar at the soft spot of his throat. Here her own tears are pressed to his skin, shoulders beginning to shake as she hiccups helplessly.
She has tried to be so strong since she and Luka arrived here, and now she doesn’t have to be. Soleil tries to speak through her tears, legs curled up against his chest as she is held close. “E-Everyone was hurting and going black, and I felt s-so awful!” her voice wobbles, the nightmarish moments as the only life she knew ended imprinted on her young mind. “And then Luka ‘n I were somewhere else, and everything was wrong,” her arms tighten around his neck as she cries. Breathing fast and hard with each sob, free to finally break down. “And I couldn’t find you, I couldn’t find anyone, and we were all alone!”
the day will be whatever you make it
so rise like the sun and shine
so rise like the sun and shine
