LIQUID SMOOTH

She stopped looking around them after affirming that her father was indeed not here to command her life and her freedom… Emeralds seek Aresenn’s amber gaze, taking in every word – his gentle tones impacting her more than he could ever know. It was odd to hear someone speak of her struggles, to affirm the difficulties of it, to acknowledge the burden of it all. She bit her lip, muscles tensing in uncertainty as he offered to help her push away her shadows. But how would she even begin to do such a thing? What if her shadow were too dark? What if they were pure white with molten eyes like fire?

But he had an answer for that too. Aresenn spoke of her father, stripping away titles, casting away his madness – revealing him as just a man. She knew this too, but… there was a concrete assurance in his tone that proved her belief; that her father was mortal in the end, despite all the propaganda of immortality she had heard from his when she was but a child,

Absinth’s breath caught in her throat. Scanning his expression for lie or false optimism, but she found neither. Was it normal to find someone so… determined to comfort? She studied his face for many moments, before her own charcoal facade erupted into a drunken smile, voice giggly and warm. “Careful. I’ll fall for you at this rate.” Absinth rose to her feet, a hum on her tongue as she approached the fiery male – stopping to lower herself down next to him. “We Inferos’ can be a demanding bunch.” It was ironic, considering her story, that she still carried her father’s surname at all. Absinth chuckled as she spoke, peering at him from a side glance as her body pressed up against his, that is – before rolling over onto her back while she laughed, limbs dangling in the air as her skull pulled back to expose her throat to him carelessly. She felt so comfortable, especially after so many drinks, why not loosen up? Why not speak plainly?

wormwood