˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ celestial
LGC APARTMENTS AU — rooftop summer social
nari keeps one eye on daon as he toddles toward the photobooth set up in the corner, making sure he doesn’t grab at anyone’s hands or clothes on his path. why? because he wiggled out of her arms when she tried to clean his hands earlier after he was done eating grilled meat using his fingers instead of proper utensils. there are also remnants of barbecue sauce on his cheek, but at age three, daon has decided hygiene is an option.
“pictures, mama! with the funny hats!” he announces, voice clear and bright enough to carry all the way to where she’s standing. the word lands between them before she can redirect it, before she can soften it into something else. mama. she doesn’t hide their affiliation, not exactly. just prefers to keep it private due to the stigma she’s faced much too often. if people ask, she doesn’t lie. but if they don’t she lets them assume daon is her little brother or nephew. it’s just less complicated like that.
@lgcxruby's standing just a few feet away and for half a second, nari feels something tighten behind her ribs. it’s an old instinct to brace herself for judgement, but she exhales instead. she doesn’t flinch. she’s not sure what ruby heard, isn’t even sure if ruby knows daon is her son or not.
“hey, ruby,” she says, steady, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “he really wanted to take pictures,” nari adds, a small smile on her lips. “you know how he gets once he decides on something.” daon’s laughter bubbles up again, pure and bright. nari crouches to fix his collar, her hand brushing his cheek with a quiet tenderness that says everything without needing words. she also uses the moment to subtly wipe the sauce off his cheek. they both smile up at ruby after that, their identical dimple digging into their left cheek. unmistakably related, these two. “wanna join us?”
