DISCORD
Really, he's so stupid some times.
He just can't see what's best for him. Stupid little boy.
It's not for her lack of trying, though. She does her best to catch him off guard, when she can. His eyes go distant and glaze just a little; her eyes slit cat-like just a split-second before she pounces, her arms twining around his neck to pull him closer to her, his cheek pressing against hers. There's a soft cry of surprise from him, the first two syllables of her name escaping his lips before she cuts him off with a single, adoring phrase. She closes her eyes and smiles against tears. She is too proud to cry.
He freezes, for a moment. It is the longest moment of her life. In that moment she fears in the deepest part of her soul that she holds in her arms not him but a dragon, twisting and sinuous and horrifically entangled in blood red strands of thread that trail off into the unknown darkness of the dreamscape; she cannot see where they lead. The dragon screams soundlessly.
And then he relaxes against her, his arm rising to cross her shoulders. Her smile widens as he leans against her, but it grows no less in sadness. She feels his heart beating against hers, two rhythms becoming one for just a moment.
"Idiot," she says again, and he laughs quietly, bitterly, resting his forehead against her shoulder. His silent tears wet her blouse as he gives in at last and drops his guard. She can feel him fairly trembling with exhaustion. "You're such an idiot."
She tightens her arms around him, content to hold him as long as she can, content merely to be his pillar of strength as she always has. Perhaps on some level she has come to terms with this being her real purpose in life; in truth she cannot imagine herself in any other position.
"I love you."
The image of the writhing, bleeding dragon will not go away.
"I love you, little brother."
Her voice is now hardly a whisper in his ear.
"I love you, Subaru."
Really, he's so stupid some times.
He just can't see what's best for him. Stupid little boy.
It's not for her lack of trying, though. She does her best to catch him off guard, when she can. His eyes go distant and glaze just a little; her eyes slit cat-like just a split-second before she pounces, her arms twining around his neck to pull him closer to her, his cheek pressing against hers. There's a soft cry of surprise from him, the first two syllables of her name escaping his lips before she cuts him off with a single, adoring phrase. She closes her eyes and smiles against tears. She is too proud to cry.
He freezes, for a moment. It is the longest moment of her life. In that moment she fears in the deepest part of her soul that she holds in her arms not him but a dragon, twisting and sinuous and horrifically entangled in blood red strands of thread that trail off into the unknown darkness of the dreamscape; she cannot see where they lead. The dragon screams soundlessly.
And then he relaxes against her, his arm rising to cross her shoulders. Her smile widens as he leans against her, but it grows no less in sadness. She feels his heart beating against hers, two rhythms becoming one for just a moment.
"Idiot," she says again, and he laughs quietly, bitterly, resting his forehead against her shoulder. His silent tears wet her blouse as he gives in at last and drops his guard. She can feel him fairly trembling with exhaustion. "You're such an idiot."
She tightens her arms around him, content to hold him as long as she can, content merely to be his pillar of strength as she always has. Perhaps on some level she has come to terms with this being her real purpose in life; in truth she cannot imagine herself in any other position.
"I love you."
The image of the writhing, bleeding dragon will not go away.
"I love you, little brother."
Her voice is now hardly a whisper in his ear.
"I love you, Subaru."