[se] drop tea leaves on the floor

// ships are launching from my chest
some have names but most do not //

He is trying to be better. He’s trying desperately to not shut anyone out, even if it rebels against his trained instincts. He knows that he needs to get better at it, to open up and share his feelings. But it’s difficult, and he takes his little baby steps with things like this – not trying to dwell on how much it hurts to have Petronella in the same place that Haai had been. And perhaps it’s for the best, because Melita’s words do help. It helps alleviate the guilt, and for the first time since receiving the sea panther cub, Sunjata feels that hurt subside just for a few moments.

It allows a soft little smile to bloom on his face as he looks back toward the cub. “She never wanted me to be alone in the first place, now that I’m thinking about it.” He rumbles gently. He recalls that experiment a while ago with those natural Frey twin demigods; how Haai had told him that she thought he was stupid for pushing people away. And it hadn’t sunk in then, but perhaps now with the second chance of never having to be alone again, he can try and finally listen to her.

“I don’t think she’ll be as big. Still fierce, I imagine. But I figure it’ll be similar to how Pemota was just a fraction of what star whales could be.” He considers it for a moment before he reaches for the sea panther to pluck her out of the water, to lift her up onto his shoulder, even as the fountain water drenches his shirt.

the flood

// if you find one, please,
let me know what piece i've lost //