[private] take a look in the mirror

[Altissima]

Altissima is a little annoyed with herself for not being about to make his leg better, though she is glad to hear him confirm that it is not worse. And it is not hard to oblige his question with an answer, her violet eyes holding a small smile illuminated now by the twinkling light around her. “The light? I was born with some of it.” She still isn’t entirely sure which parent she had inherited it from, though she is glad that it seems to be evolving into something that is all her own. “But whatever I just tried to do to your leg… that’s the first time I’ve done that.” She admits with a slightly sheepish grin, pretending away the rest of the truth - that it was the first time she’s used her light with anyone at all, the first time she had ever wanted to. And even though it had not helped, she is still glad he let her try. She notes how he’s still not putting weight on the leg, wonders if it’s pride - a feeling she knows all too well and one she can’t fault him for. Altissima moves again, coming around behind him to stand on his other side. Not so close that his wings could brush against her skin with a breath - though she thinks about how that might feel with her wings gone from her sides as they are now - but close enough that if either of them wanted to, they could stretch out their neck and touch the other. This is all completely contrary to what she should be doing, but she finds that she does not want there to be too much space between them. “The moon will be out soon.” She remarks casually as her eyes take in the bright yellow glow of fireflies nearby. “So I guess then you’ll have two things to sulk about, Glow Worm.” She intends her next words to be a joke as well, as she turns her blue-tinted head to look at him but her voice grows quieter as the words tumble out - and it feels like her heart lodges itself in her throat. “Too bad there are no hot springs nearby.” What is she doing, bringing that up? She was thinking about how they might soothe his leg but by the time she finishes the sentence, unable to look away from his face, she’s thinking of other things - like what might have happened if she hadn’t tried to run.

artwork by cal

@[Tarian]