I'm still dancing to tapes that keep playing in my head
while snow falls and lights are flickering
while snow falls and lights are flickering
Mort’s sweet voice slides into the gaps between his families words like a spring wind, but even the gentleness of the God’s reminder can’t stop the instinctive desire to dig in his heels and object. He pulls away reluctantly from his mother’s gentle kiss to look at them all from a distance, to see them as one. There they all kneel, arms still wrapped around one another in a mass of limbs and heart. Flora, his other half. Mateo, his only brother. Remi and Hotaru, parents who had always loved him fiercely regardless of complications. Boldly, blasphemously, Enzo thinks that in this moment, his love for his family outweighs even Mort’s love for Vi.
“It was more time than we thought we’d have,” he murmurs, to Mort and his family alike, though he scarcely blinks as he takes them all in. Then he goes in a semi-circle, pressing kisses to each forehead. A wet, messy one for Mateo first; “Break a few hearts for me too, huh?” A lingering one on Remi’s left brow; “I’ll always be with you, dad. Even when only your soul is wrinkly and ancient.” Another lingering one on the small bridge of Hotaru’s nose where it spreads into pale brows; “Try to live for me, mama. I’ll see you again before you know it.”
And then there is Flora.
He pulls her half over his shoulder from where she had been clinging, a perfect fit as she has always been. Trails kisses from ear to ear over the arch of her eyebrows until he can whisper right back into the left one. “As I will always love you most.” He squeezes until it nearly hurts, and stands with a slowness that hurts far worse. He has managed to avoid crying this entire time; too happy to see them all and buoyed by Mort’s shining presence, but as he backs away slowly to the God’s side, Enzo can’t help the small sheen in his own eyes. “I love you all. You shouldn’t have needed to hear it from me to know it, but I guess I can say it one more time.” Cocksure smirk firmly in place, Enzo salutes them lazily with two fingers - on the wrong hand. “Don’t give me another family reunion too soon, ‘kay?” Enzo has to be the young east and prettiest in the afterlife. Take that, Flora.
Then turning to Mort, his smile slips a little. Something more resigned. “Thank you, Mort. I’m ready now.” He has so much to tell Vai and Aoife now after all.
“It was more time than we thought we’d have,” he murmurs, to Mort and his family alike, though he scarcely blinks as he takes them all in. Then he goes in a semi-circle, pressing kisses to each forehead. A wet, messy one for Mateo first; “Break a few hearts for me too, huh?” A lingering one on Remi’s left brow; “I’ll always be with you, dad. Even when only your soul is wrinkly and ancient.” Another lingering one on the small bridge of Hotaru’s nose where it spreads into pale brows; “Try to live for me, mama. I’ll see you again before you know it.”
And then there is Flora.
He pulls her half over his shoulder from where she had been clinging, a perfect fit as she has always been. Trails kisses from ear to ear over the arch of her eyebrows until he can whisper right back into the left one. “As I will always love you most.” He squeezes until it nearly hurts, and stands with a slowness that hurts far worse. He has managed to avoid crying this entire time; too happy to see them all and buoyed by Mort’s shining presence, but as he backs away slowly to the God’s side, Enzo can’t help the small sheen in his own eyes. “I love you all. You shouldn’t have needed to hear it from me to know it, but I guess I can say it one more time.” Cocksure smirk firmly in place, Enzo salutes them lazily with two fingers - on the wrong hand. “Don’t give me another family reunion too soon, ‘kay?” Enzo has to be the young east and prettiest in the afterlife. Take that, Flora.
Then turning to Mort, his smile slips a little. Something more resigned. “Thank you, Mort. I’m ready now.” He has so much to tell Vai and Aoife now after all.
frozen in last winter's bed
Enzo
