now and then there's a light in the darkness;
feel around 'til you find where your heart went.
Feeling her melt beneath his touch (eliciting a tremor that traverses the length of her spine, sensing her unravel under his teeth), he can hardly contain the mirth bubbling up within his core, filling each and every empty crevice with elation – a feeling he had been without for some time. His hazel eyes observe the way the bleak rays of sunlight weave through her lustrous tresses, framing the stunning shape of her features. The gentle rumbling of laughter shared between them is enough, and soon he is guiding her through the thicket, traversing the woodland together.
There is an undeniable cadence in the way that she moves alongside him; a rhythm that soothes his weary and tired heart. The gentle sound of her breathing, of the dried, brittle leaves of autumn crumbling beneath their weight, the crackling of the brush as their muscled frames press past the fragile remnants of foliage cloaked in winter’s breath – all are enough to smooth the edge of the silence shared between them, and it is a comfortable silence at that. When it is finally broken, her voice – soft and inquisitive – provokes a smile to the corner of his darkened mouth, as the golden flecks of his eyes search the icy, seemingly endless blue of her own.
”Not much,” he muses, his mind distant for a moment as he rifles through the wasted days spent. ”I grew tired of being the aimless wanderer for a while and went home to the island.” The frigid breeze that interlaces itself between the dry, wiry branches of the forest is a reminder of how little he missed the humidity and heat of Tephra, but he would always long for the company of those who called it their own.
”My mother and father are expecting again,” there is a trace of amusement in his tone. He does not say either of their names; he does not seek recognition in either of their positions – or legacies. ”so there’s that. I have a younger sister I haven’t seen in some time – I need to find her.” A pause, as if contemplating the idea. ”I spend most of my time meeting new faces, finding new places.“
But there is something, something forlorn tucked away within his words.
”There’s – I don’t know if I should even say this, but I feel like I can tell you anything.” His gaze meets with hers again, the ridge of his brow furrowed. ”One of my closest friends is .. pregnant.” The word is so heavy; a weight that nearly feels crushing and the ache that has long been held within his chest emerges yet again, threatening to swallow him whole. ”I hadn't seen her in a long time, and she, her sister and I spent a lot of time together when we were young. A part of me is happy for her, and the other part,” the other part is breaking, splitting at the seams, ”always hoped it would be me.”
Fool.
With a deep breath, his gaze apologetically seeks her own.
”I’m sorry, that was heavy." He presses the velvet of his nose against her shoulder, the same carefree smile pulling at his lips again. "Tell me, Circinae – what has been keeping you busy?”
