Partners in Crime

She searched his face for honesty, and continued to hate the marring — if she had caused it… if her actions had impacted him… but then why would he have helped her? Absinth tried to come up with a better reason than their friendship, but nothing made sense. Unless he was that protective of his close circle? Then she was part of that? Her inner musings were interrupted by his voice before her logic could come up with possibilities. An immediate refusal of her question. Followed by an explanation. Absinth listened to his words, following his every breath, desperate for a reason other than her for the state of his face.

She understood to an extent. The suspicion, the threats — Sephiran was like her father, so she knew intimately how his mind warped fact and fiction into cruel reality. How they made enemies out of anything, simply because their mind called for it. They could not live without conflict. Without reason to prove their utmost brutality. Their sickness of soul.

Absinth sighed deeply, shifting her body to lean against Aresenn gingerly, trying not to hurt her injured side. She was quiet, taking in the information as thoroughly as her rattled brain could. But the touch was a welcomed reprieve to the anxiety she felt. “I’m sorry.” The words fell from her lips carefully, sincerely in her own right. She still felt she had to apologize even if he provided a different perspective. It was an all consuming emotion, a guilt, a disgust with herself, a pain that she had caused him any sort of suffering.

Well. No time like the present, why hold back? “I hate weakness. In myself. But I hate that you had to see it.” She rumbled, eyes cast down at the bedding. She didn’t know if it made sense, if it was understandable. Everything felt so fucked, so confusing. Except the warmth emanating from his touch. What was she supposed to do with that?


wormwood