and bury it before it buries me
She had thought of returning to Paraiso, to the waterfall and the lake with the stars trapped inside its glimmering surface. To the cave, with its illuminated crystals, to the love of a family. Maybe even to a man she could have loved, still does love in some fragile way that she knows isn't real. But she knows that they could never be the same as they once were.
When she was young and loved that man in the same way she loved sunshine and flowers.
It would be different now.
Too different.
Maybe it is just the old aches for home. Elena maybe had stepped into this new life in Novus, in Terrastella too quickly, leaving her old one behind. There are pieces of her that mourn for her home, that grieve the family there, which, in the next instant, she feels guilty for. You shouldn't mourn and grieve that which still lives. It was just that, in a way, it all felt dead to her. But there are still pieces of Paraiso there with her, and Elena tries to bring her old life into her new one. It sits there in the echo of her voice, and the shadow of her smile. Maybe this is why she looks to Asterion with some sort of adoration, because he reminds her of something ancient, even if he isn’t. And he feels like childhood magic brought to life. He reminds her of a waterfall, moving the water.
“You aren't alone now,” she points out to him, like some precocious child, but she really means it with such good and pure intentions. A seagull swoops down, low and elegant, like the pegasus, like Rishiri, like Cherish and Starlett, like Divina. “My godfather controlled the wind,” she says, isn't sure why. How long has it been she had spoken of Valerio to anyone. “My great-grandfather did as well. Air walkers, wind talkers,” she says off handedly, all the names were the same. “Are you a water whisperer?” She asks then almost mischievously. ‘Be careful what you tell the river Elena,’ Ori had told her once. ‘Water is a terrible gossip. One drop tells another, tells another, and tells another.’ She sometimes hoped it was true, maybe all the secrets and wishes she told could reach all the way to the Taigan shores and into the hands of her best friend. “Although if you are, you should show restraint in what you tell it.” She smiles like Ori then before she speaks her words, Ori’s words. “I’ve heard water makes a terrible secret keeper.”
Her eyes find his, and Elena is already promising that this would not be the last time she sees him. “Wandering today. And what about tomorrow?” Wander again, and tomorrow’s tomorrow. She asks things she shouldn't ask strangers, but Elena never changes, as much as she thinks she does. Elena is always Elena.
His smile says everything, even when his words speak it. He invites her towards him and the palomino is quick to move to his side. The water caresses her ankles, as if begging for secrets. Her body stands close to him, innocent, like how she once looked at her godfather when he had been around, when he had been there for her. It is like magic, it is magic and Elena is swept away in the beauty of it. Breathless, she realizes she was suddenly, so she takes in a sharp inhale. “Dolphins,” She answers softly. “Can I see them?” Her parents have always talked about the magic of them, but Elena has never seen them except too far out in the distance. “Please?” She says, as if that one word could bring any magic in the world onto her shore.
When she was young and loved that man in the same way she loved sunshine and flowers.
It would be different now.
Too different.
Maybe it is just the old aches for home. Elena maybe had stepped into this new life in Novus, in Terrastella too quickly, leaving her old one behind. There are pieces of her that mourn for her home, that grieve the family there, which, in the next instant, she feels guilty for. You shouldn't mourn and grieve that which still lives. It was just that, in a way, it all felt dead to her. But there are still pieces of Paraiso there with her, and Elena tries to bring her old life into her new one. It sits there in the echo of her voice, and the shadow of her smile. Maybe this is why she looks to Asterion with some sort of adoration, because he reminds her of something ancient, even if he isn’t. And he feels like childhood magic brought to life. He reminds her of a waterfall, moving the water.
“You aren't alone now,” she points out to him, like some precocious child, but she really means it with such good and pure intentions. A seagull swoops down, low and elegant, like the pegasus, like Rishiri, like Cherish and Starlett, like Divina. “My godfather controlled the wind,” she says, isn't sure why. How long has it been she had spoken of Valerio to anyone. “My great-grandfather did as well. Air walkers, wind talkers,” she says off handedly, all the names were the same. “Are you a water whisperer?” She asks then almost mischievously. ‘Be careful what you tell the river Elena,’ Ori had told her once. ‘Water is a terrible gossip. One drop tells another, tells another, and tells another.’ She sometimes hoped it was true, maybe all the secrets and wishes she told could reach all the way to the Taigan shores and into the hands of her best friend. “Although if you are, you should show restraint in what you tell it.” She smiles like Ori then before she speaks her words, Ori’s words. “I’ve heard water makes a terrible secret keeper.”
Her eyes find his, and Elena is already promising that this would not be the last time she sees him. “Wandering today. And what about tomorrow?” Wander again, and tomorrow’s tomorrow. She asks things she shouldn't ask strangers, but Elena never changes, as much as she thinks she does. Elena is always Elena.
His smile says everything, even when his words speak it. He invites her towards him and the palomino is quick to move to his side. The water caresses her ankles, as if begging for secrets. Her body stands close to him, innocent, like how she once looked at her godfather when he had been around, when he had been there for her. It is like magic, it is magic and Elena is swept away in the beauty of it. Breathless, she realizes she was suddenly, so she takes in a sharp inhale. “Dolphins,” She answers softly. “Can I see them?” Her parents have always talked about the magic of them, but Elena has never seen them except too far out in the distance. “Please?” She says, as if that one word could bring any magic in the world onto her shore.
so take away this apathy
bury it before it buries me
@Asterion
![[Image: ddvotwe-59302ba6-6a81-47bf-9846-30c5a5db...0iFb4PvyXE]](https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/8026a53b-dc57-41ab-b574-9f8a8fe57ce4/ddvotwe-59302ba6-6a81-47bf-9846-30c5a5db0780.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzgwMjZhNTNiLWRjNTctNDFhYi1iNTc0LTlmOGE4ZmU1N2NlNFwvZGR2b3R3ZS01OTMwMmJhNi02YTgxLTQ3YmYtOTg0Ni0zMGM1YTVkYjA3ODAucG5nIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.ujCJH7FAbsQhfZlQniMmEd_vw-VmvaTDn0iFb4PvyXE)
let's light this house on fire
we'll dance in the warmth of its blaze
pixel made by the amazing star
