Harper
Harper peers down at her newly shadowed face with a smile, pleased to see her own growing beneath his gaze. There is next to no one left in his life to be excited by his presence, and while it makes warmth stir in his empty chest, he knows he has done nothing to deserve it. All the same, he has spent seasons learning the art of selfishness, so when she offers him a seat beside her he takes it on one graceful heel-turn and descent.
Leaning back against the door frame more than the door itself - he's not certain it can bear their combined weight - Harper crosses his ankles and tilts his face toward the sun, eyes closing. "A lot going on as well. Little of it good," he admits, as he had alluded to in his letter. Normally he would not touch upon it, but her words had stuck with him; an offer to remove masks and do away with pretending. The only problem is Harper isn't sure what lies beneath all those layers anymore. He goes to explain more, but his lips part and nothing comes out, words jammed shut in his throat; unused to this vulnerability after a lifetime of wearing his heart on his sleeve. He closes his mouth and swallows hard, opening his eyes to turn his gaze toward Maea with a stilted smile. "But what about you? You look a lot better, if that's not rude to say. What all happened?" She seems healthier, calmer, and he's glad to see it.
Leaning back against the door frame more than the door itself - he's not certain it can bear their combined weight - Harper crosses his ankles and tilts his face toward the sun, eyes closing. "A lot going on as well. Little of it good," he admits, as he had alluded to in his letter. Normally he would not touch upon it, but her words had stuck with him; an offer to remove masks and do away with pretending. The only problem is Harper isn't sure what lies beneath all those layers anymore. He goes to explain more, but his lips part and nothing comes out, words jammed shut in his throat; unused to this vulnerability after a lifetime of wearing his heart on his sleeve. He closes his mouth and swallows hard, opening his eyes to turn his gaze toward Maea with a stilted smile. "But what about you? You look a lot better, if that's not rude to say. What all happened?" She seems healthier, calmer, and he's glad to see it.
I cut my teeth on second-hand sentiments
you can't trust a thing I say
you can't trust a thing I say
