Selaphiel begins to turn away from her and her heart twists. It’s certainly what she deserves. For now, though, he stops and she feels a flicker of hope.
And then her nickname in his voice erases what little chance there had been that Mazikeen wouldn’t cry and the tears that had been shining in her eyes begin to fall. Even though it is frustrating, even though now and then she does still hide what she is feeling so it will not weigh on anyone else, she has not yet started to wish for the emptiness again. She had caused pain and she deserved to feel it now - and the shimmering moments of happiness when they come around are worth it.
She nods quickly, and when she goes to speak again a small sob chokes out before she finds her voice. “Yeah. It’s me, Sela. I’m…. I’m...” Back? Better? As though having her emotions ripped out of her had been a vacation or a disease she just needed to recover from.
She takes a step forward but hesitates before drawing any closer. Everything, including the affection she feels for Sela, is shining and over-bright in contrast to the last year, but she knows that they had really only just become friends before everything had slid sideways. It doesn’t seem likely that he would accept, or want, a hug from her.
It is easier to be brave with Firion and it is effortless to return the comfort he had given her now that he needs it. But Sela? She may only ever have just her hope that they could still, somehow, be friends. And even that feels like a selfish thing to want right now as his family suffers through this tragedy.
So instead she just lets her shaky voice bridge the gap between them. “I’m so sorry.” For his loss, for everything she’d said to him last time they met. There is so much crammed into those three words.
@Selaphiel