09-11-2016, 11:39 AM
Oh, footsteps! Maybe it’s Dad, coming to cuddle up next to me or nuzzle me awake! My heart starts to race, even though the steps don’t sound like his, even though the scent of the person approaching is unfamiliar. I keep my eyes closed, letting myself hope just a little longer. Letting myself wish. But the sad sound of a boy’s softly whispered, “uh, sorry,” is enough to coax me out of my little fantasy, and I raise my head and open my eyes to see him backing away.
“No, wait,” I murmur softly, gold eyes wide and sad and pleading. “Don’t go. Please? There’s room to share, if you don’t mind cuddling up close. It’s warmer that way anyhow.” I shiver a little, remembering how cold I am now that I mentioned it. And that’s the only thing that’s making my lower lip tremble. Not feeling lost and alone, and definitely not a desolate aching in my chest or needing somebody to be wrapped around me and holding me and telling me it’s going to be okay.
Those are definitely not tears blurring my vision, because I ran out of those and I’m all done crying. Must just be the cold making my eyes water. I shrink in on myself a little, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath, letting it out slowly ‘til the hurt is a little smaller. Then I look up at him again, and scoot a little bit closer to the tree. “I’m Lilitha. Or you can call me Litha if you like, that’s fine too.”
Used to be I’d list half a dozen nicknames, but I don’t really feel like a Lil anymore, or even a Lily really. Those feel like happy little baby names, and...and they fit just fine a few hours ago. I sigh, and lower my head back to rest on my legs. “You really can come cuddle if you want, I’d like that. It’s cold. I don’t like being cold, not at all. And this tree is nice, but it is not especially warm, you know?”
“No, wait,” I murmur softly, gold eyes wide and sad and pleading. “Don’t go. Please? There’s room to share, if you don’t mind cuddling up close. It’s warmer that way anyhow.” I shiver a little, remembering how cold I am now that I mentioned it. And that’s the only thing that’s making my lower lip tremble. Not feeling lost and alone, and definitely not a desolate aching in my chest or needing somebody to be wrapped around me and holding me and telling me it’s going to be okay.
Those are definitely not tears blurring my vision, because I ran out of those and I’m all done crying. Must just be the cold making my eyes water. I shrink in on myself a little, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath, letting it out slowly ‘til the hurt is a little smaller. Then I look up at him again, and scoot a little bit closer to the tree. “I’m Lilitha. Or you can call me Litha if you like, that’s fine too.”
Used to be I’d list half a dozen nicknames, but I don’t really feel like a Lil anymore, or even a Lily really. Those feel like happy little baby names, and...and they fit just fine a few hours ago. I sigh, and lower my head back to rest on my legs. “You really can come cuddle if you want, I’d like that. It’s cold. I don’t like being cold, not at all. And this tree is nice, but it is not especially warm, you know?”