porcelain skin is littered with scars,
some from her and leona’s fights,
others from bearing the weight of her heresy.
“ i tried to flee when you raised your sword, i never wished to hurt you.
i wish you could say the same about me. “
she takes some tentative steps forward during leona’s realisation.
her fists are still clenched, her rage doesn’t simply melt away, but there is an ounce of sympathy. armour is stripped, leaving her in underclothes.
“ . . . I — ”
those were real questions, and real memories that brought them along. the memory of Diana in the cold, suffering, alone. a neverending punishment.
who was she to preach for the message of the sun when Diana was right ? she had denied her the warmth of it.
....
Those hands had once stroked her body. She had once kissed those palms and drawn those fingers into her mouth. She would have recognized them anywhere.
Lesley Nneka Arimah, What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky
“ they punished me and you simply. . allowed them to. you couldn’t protect me, so the moon did. “
her tone is bitter, her gaze remains averted, yet she’s not protesting leona’s closeness. she craves it and curses herself for doing so.
“ leona. . “
“ i didn’t mean to make it worse !
i couldn’t control it. “
her hands are clenched, she’s standing her ground, watching as leona shifts closer. she possesses that same need, but refuses to act on it, while also refusing to leave.
“ we could have solved this ! we could have made it better before you made it worse. ”
her feet think and follow her need — the need to be closer, to reach out and hold.
“ you could have taken all your anger on me. I know I deserve it. I know. but not on them. ”
....
( the young temptation to provoke is there — but she doesn't. )
I gave you a chance, but then you decided to massacre 𝘮𝘺 people !
( it was a cycle — the anger, the yelling, and soon they would be in each other's arms again. )
. . . I'm afraid for you.
of course i’ll hurt you. of course you’ll hurt me. we will hurt each other. but this is the very condition of existence. to become spring means accepting the risk of winter. to become presence means accepting the risk of absence.