#vhenast

          ❛      IT WAS BEFORE MY TIME, BUT . . .    ❜     voice soft, quiet.   a tender moment that is shared between the two of them  ---  some things he doesn’t talk about often, never feels the need to or has the time.   in his hands, he works precariously over his hunting knife, rubbing the whetstone thoroughly across the blade.    ❛     my mother used to tell me stories of how her tribe moved with the bison. they lived almost as one, where the bison went, my people went.    ❜

fenne lily   --   car park

 “     When   you   finally   kill   Corypheus’   dragon     ,     they   might   call   you   an   Archdemon   slayer   too.     Lucky   for   you     ,     they’re   wrong   about   that   beast   but   they   all   do   seem   to   be   somewhat   fixated   on   calling    it   one.     ”     He   offered   her   a   sad   smile   that   didn’t   quite   reach   his   eyes.     “     Powerful   title   that.     ”

             merilin’s brows draw together, contemplative as she looks upon him in silence. the man is too ashamed to admit these sins to her without shaking, even after commending her for being kind and trusting. there is no mistaking the significance of this confession.

             her chest aches at the sight of his pain, and finds herself at a loss of words for a short while. orsino was born into a world where he was considered an aberration, with every breath he took being a sin upon the maker’s name. when his and others’ lives were in certain danger, he made a difficult choice. while she can’t claim to know what he went through, merilin is no stranger to desperate circumstances.

             it gives merilin further pause to wonder what she would do in such a scenario. could she claim she would not have taken the forbidden option if it meant a chance at survival? the uneasiness that follows the thought is her answer.

             ❝ …i’m so sorry you had to go through that, ❞ she swallows, her gaze now visibly saddened by his display of vulnerability. ❝ you were protecting those mages, and the templars forced your hand. i understand. ❞

             to prove her words are genuine, that her heart is truly with him, merilin takes one step closer toward orsino, then gently places a hand on his trembling shoulder.

   There were many things that he expected. FEAR, disgust, and anger were a few as example. Yet, did he not know her? Orsino had just admitted he saw her as a soft-hearted individual. He knew, truly knew, that it was not likely for her to feel much resentment towards him. Truthfully, it was a part of why he confessed his messiest secret to her. 

   But people were not always predictable.    History had taught him that not everyone are who they seem to be.

   Today was not one of those lessons. After the silence grew long enough to begin to cause pain, Merilin answered. Her words were like a dream, Orsino could hardly believe he heard them. An intense imagination born from what he wanted to hear. No, it was real. Her simple acceptance was real and it caused a surge of emotion he could not have foreseen. Warm relief and uncomplicated happiness. 

   The hand on his shoulder, the comforting touch, was all it took to finally break down his walls. The pressure felt like an invasion, his shoulder wanted to jerk away, but it had good intentions. All the right parts of him knew that and allowed what was desperately needed. 

   Glassy and stinging eyes finally let go of his tears. Free, they ran down his face as he gulped down a sob. Crying so openly was bad enough, he would not make even more of a scene by wailing away his sorrows. His hand laid over the one settled on his shoulder. 

        ❛    . . . ARE YOU COLD?     ❜     the meager campfire provides little solace, but he’s still able to make her out.   flickering flames highlight her cheekbones, eyes onyx in the darkness.    tempted to remove his jacket, just to provide her with some semblance of warmth, just for a moment ( but she is the type to fuss until he takes it back, it’s a trait of hers that he’s fond of ).    ❛    in the morning, we should go and fetch more firewood. and fresh herbs.    ❜    the silence is something he enjoys, never feels the need to fill it with words, especially when it comes to her.   the flickering of the fire, the quiet rumble of the trees, the breeze that comes in from the east, the sound of her breathing just a foot or so away.     it is peaceful. 

        ❛        you should rest soon. ain’t you tired? you worked very hard today.    ❜