[private] the water is deeper than anything you've ever seen

[Nemeon]

No part of Nemeon wants to hate Anaise, though he’s vaguely aware that it might be easier for them both if he did - that way they wouldn’t have future chances to really hurt each other. There’s no chance of it happening, not when she takes another step - and he’s both heartened and worried by it. It’s better than her disappearing on him but presents different challenges.

He can’t forget that he still poses a threat to her.

Her admittance that she is the only one in her family that reads thoughts without meaning to strikes at his heart, kindling a sad version of kinship there. “Well.” There’s just a small pause before he continues. “I know what it’s like to do something you don’t mean to.” He finally voices the words that have been haunting his hurt - the reminder that he might just know exactly what it is to cause pain without meaning to.

“I think… I just thought no one else had that problem.” Which sounds a little naive now that he’s said it outloud - out there assuming he was the only one with problems. “But at least yours has a chance at control, right?” Nemeon offers her what he wants to be an encouraging smile, but it waivers and collapses in on itself so quickly. He wants so badly for there to be a way to simply not be what he is. To not cause sickness just by standing too close, to not be aware that the only time when he is not harmful is when he’s completely unconscious and encased in stone.

He’d like for Anaise to keep drawing forward, would like for them to exist in a moment where neither of them gets hurt and they can really have a chance at friendship. But he’s not sure that moment exists for them.

NEMEON

@anaise