❰ by the time emil's hand falls on his shoulder, lalli has sliced a jagged path about a third of the way around the circumference of the splotch, which now hangs as a flap of loose bark as he stills. the dagger hovers there, wedged halfway under the colored bark, for a good couple of seconds after emil's said his piece. and he's right, but lalli's hand tightens around the handle of his dagger nonetheless. ❱
I-... ❰ he has to argue, to say something, but no words are coming. just that one half-choked syllable, lingering in the air between them. finally, his hand drops back down to his side.
a beat, then another. then he closes his eyes, which is basically the only way he's tearing them away from that spot right now. ❱
You stopped... at the pool, didn't you? In the cave. You didn't make it to the end.
no subject
I-... ❰ he has to argue, to say something, but no words are coming. just that one half-choked syllable, lingering in the air between them. finally, his hand drops back down to his side.
a beat, then another. then he closes his eyes, which is basically the only way he's tearing them away from that spot right now. ❱
You stopped... at the pool, didn't you? In the cave. You didn't make it to the end.