[private] you said there's a nursery where all the stars came to life

[Nemeon]

His golden eyes watch with fascination as she takes a step to demonstrate the light - and his gaze lingers on it, greedily taking in every glowing molecule until it fades away and leaves them in the rainy darkness. Nemeon often feels like he's just a large moth, without all the hairiness involved - drifting (whether physically or just emotionally, like he is now) towards it.

“It’s beautiful.” He tells her honestly, keeping himself rooted to his spot. The light doesn’t linger long enough to be of any help if she were to lose her way, but just its presence tugs at Nemeon’s heart - makes him over-romanticize the idea of it, even though light such a commonplace thing for almost everyone in the world. “You'll never be left in the darkness.” So long as she kept moving - but, still - that was something.

The word ‘gifts’ makes Nemeon wince, snapping him out of his light-infused dream - that word landing on him and needling into his skin. He knows she didn’t mean anything by it - she couldn’t have possibly. And it’s hardly her fault that, as old as he is, these facts about his life and who he is still weigh on him instead of becoming things he accepts and has gotten over.

He shakes his head, his expression tight with exhaustion. “Not any that I’d call gifts. I turn into a statue when the sun rises, and only transform back into a… breathing creature when it sets again.” He’s lying by omission, not telling her the other thing hidden by his skin - but this moment was already so fragile and Nemeon does not want to be the one to shatter it. Not until absolutely necessary. And she seems as cautious as he - so there may never be a need at all.

NEMEON

@Allaire