don't paint me black when i used to be golden

He was... busy. Hazel had written it off when she'd spent so much time alone, or with just Halo. The healer was stuffy, boring, and maybe a little... a little dry to be around. She was nice enough, sure, too nice. Boring. All of it was boring. It was fine, though. She was fine. She'd come through all of it fine. Just like the fight, the injuries, the whole committing a murder thing-- fine. Hazel wouldn't tell anyone it was any different, even though the nightmares woke her near every night. No, her feelings weren't hurt, the longer that Lis stayed away. Why would they be?

It wasn't like she had feelings. It wasn't like she was capable of feeling anything. Hazel was doing her best to convince herself of that, at least. He was a prince, he had... prince things to do. She was... hm. What was she? All the things her father said on that fateful day were still rolling around in her head, and despite her best efforts, Hazel may have started to believe them. Were they even friends? Hazel was starting to convince herself she was little more than an obligation, after all.

And then... there he was. She couldn't help the way her heart leapt in her chest, couldn't help the joy that colored her face. For the first time since she'd woken back up from... er, from everything that had happened, she was excited. Her name on his lips, she couldn't... she couldn't help herself. Still, he stopped short. Hazel, too, was nervous. A knot in her stomach, and she did her best to offer a smile. Did her best to look relaxed, even though that was nearly out of the question. "Hey," it was all she could manage. Her emotions rocked from one to the next, nervous and anxious and excited and... right, the feelings that she was doing her best to stuff down. Maybe a little of that too. "You... did you get taller again?" Maybe it's enough to disarm her. Still, she wants nothing more than to reach out and touch him, but is it... is it even her place to do that, anymore? Fuck.

"Speech"