⤷ @sw0rdancer : we all feel out of sorts, set apart, at times. small or alone.
the crackle of flame upon firewood provides the perfect backdrop, accompanying the soothing timbre of yué's timbre enough for wisdom to root, at least enough for comfort, while true belief may take much longer than a handful of conversation. luke hardly viewed it, her cadence, as a practiced skill, rehearsed and refined for one's own societal advancement. rather, something inherent, warmth in the same way moonlight flittered upon the wool of his charitable hand-me-downs. it was well-enough for her to sit with him, solidarity in solitude he hadn't known much of before since he was cast out of his village, and even more to truly speak. his gratitude was nothing short of palpable, with a smile etched onto his features, dimpled cheeks and all, only masked by a bowed head, eyes trained on his lap so as to not come off as too much.
and yet, as the initial giddiness dissipated, reality stepped in its place — more so, the reality of his situation. from a quaint family home, its walls bursting at the seams with seven within, to a life of exile, scraps, and confusion, all due to this curse. " you do ? " brows formed a crease between, finally looking up to meet yué's gaze, as if he couldn't comprehend why someone like she, gifted and all, could bear to feel the same way. " i don't think you could even begin to understand what's wrong with me, i — i can't imagine people looking at you how they did with me. like, like i was a monster. as if i would do anything to hurt them, or hurt my family, or — or hurt anyone. "