he spotted clover, first. she was nearly impossible to miss, fluttering gently among the flowers dotted throughout the park. even amonst the other bees buzzing merrily through the blooms, she was still visibly much larger, and so stuck out like a sore thumb to king’s searching eyes. the sight of her made him jolt to his feet, tail puffed and muscles stiff as he gave a ‘weh!’ of surprise. because if clover was here, then surely... almost the moment the thought was complete, king turned his head, and sure enough. he watched willow reach out her hands to cup her palisman momentarily in them, took in her smile and the way she still kept her hair in pigtails. he could not help but think of her the last time he’d seen her: afraid, hurt, caught in the door between the demon and human realms. he remembered the way he’d napped in her lap, on the airship. the careful way she’d soothed and petted him, when he’d woken up from his strange dream.
he found himself... wanting her to do that again. to have that moment of lulled safety, again. and so he took one step, and then another, and then another, until he was running to willow. small puffs of breath left him, and by the time he’d reached her, had skidded to a halt at her feet, he was nearly panting.
❝ willow! ❞ there was uncertainty there, in his voice, in the slight wobble of his chin. he stood there for a moment, awkwardly. after all, she was more luz’s friend than king’s... but she had been kind to him, and to luz. ❝ um, are you... okay? ❞
@floraversed — you're my friend! boogie woogie woogie