𝙼𝙾𝚁𝙽𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝙻𝙸𝙶𝙷𝚃 𝙿𝙾𝙾𝙻𝚂 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚎𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚒𝚝𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚙𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚘𝚠 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚙𝚕𝚞𝚜𝚑 , linen and silk , layers of thread that trace the outline of serenity , rare in its form , as it lays sparingly idle in the illusion of solace . sleep dismays him with help of warmth while it radiates from the talons of fair , nimble limbs , something of a duvet in itself , lulling him irresistibly into a much needed slumber , no matter how much he tries to fight it .
when he is awoken , there is a quiet unbar of his eyes as they lift ajar . no jerk or startle in spite of the tendency to anticipate surprise when he swiftly eases to recognize illuminance and how the welcoming sun decorates itself across the ceiling . how he stares at the ceiling like a piece of artwork , as if eggshell brush strokes are apart of a familiar landscape painting , and he’s seen it from this angle many , many times before .
𝚑𝚎’𝚜 𝚌𝚘𝚐𝚗𝚒𝚣𝚊𝚗𝚝 , but somehow , that fails to make him happy , seeing as the face is deficient in its spirits , strays away from the delight of what could’ve been an afterglow , now only a phantom , having departed from his pneuma long ago . it doesn’t register warmth , nor does it relish in it , until warmth is bone chillingly cold in the sharp hush of a whisper .
in the corner of his eye , he looks , but only to look away , as quick and quiet as he was awakened . and just as fast , in that moment , he realizes how intense the pain is of a throbbing headache . ❝ why would i ? i’m sober . ❞ absorbing surroundings , he looks again and catches the glint of another’s gaze , nearly as sharp as hers , staring right back at him . yet , 𝙽𝙾𝚃 𝙰 𝚆𝙾𝚁𝙳 —- averting once more deems a mental note as underwhelming as the feline that meanders across the dresser ( … ) in the palm of his hand , the soft , low hum of a lament , he figures he’ll worry about other concerns for now – like this headache . ❝ did you put 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 in my drink last night ? ❞
a soft whimper escapes from plump, rosey lips, and it shatters the illusion of everything soft, and sweet, and delicate about gillian. it falls apart in tiny shards so quick and sudden, as if it were sunflower petals bathed in liquid nitrogen coming in contact with the slightest of touch.
she should not have expected anything other than his disdain; the question as to why she would keep pursuing his attention ( affection? ) was one gillian failed to find an answer to every time. deep within her soul, anchored, rested a connection to this man she could do without, but it would whisper ‘ find him ’ every now and again, and she could only be compelled to do so.
that’s not really a competent explanation, now, is it? gillian’s shoulders dropped, and the knife dancing along the lines of bare legs stopped abruptly, fingers curling in tight grasp on the handle. it was never fun when he didn’t entertain her hunger for the dramatics. he seemed unbothered, and that bothered her.
❝ well . . . ❞ did she? sounds like a detail she would remember, which she doesn’t. at the same time, she would do it out of habit, so she’s not particularly sure. ❝ you are awake, doesn’t that answer your question? ❞