chapter one. everything was okay back then (because i still had you).
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YEAR 844.
⠀⠀⠀⠀The days feel longer and the nights feel more restless.
⠀⠀⠀⠀She feels more restless. She is distracted, at least at first, and that's never a good thing. Distractions hurt her when she least expects it but nothing hurts like the promises she broke. Her comrade, confidant, and twin flame even, died because she allowed herself to become distracted, less ruthless and thoughtless. It seems like only yesterday that Lune failed to save her, but it was only a week ago. No one blames her but herself. She's angry at no one but herself. (Erwin Smith is a close second.)
⠀⠀⠀⠀Tragedy is wrapped around her bones, tight, unforgiving and evergrowing. It's in her blood, bones, and soul, and one can't merely shake it off. With tragedy, rage festers within, uncontrollable, unrelenting. The strength of a raging fire lies dormant, right in the palm of her scathed, rough, tainted hands. It always starts with the prospect of love and ends at the hands of Death. She died, Lune lived. Lune loved—but not in the same regard that she did. Lune might be the one with her heart still beating but even that is a tragic thing.
⠀⠀⠀⠀Love is an opportunity to be hurt in the dark, in the back, in the heart—in all the vulnerable places—and Death, to those with no hope left, seems to be their only saviour. Broken souls aren't fragile, they're the strongest of them all.
⠀⠀⠀⠀Lune exhales, the cold steel pressing against her neck. Holding the scissors tight and a chunk of hair, she hesitates. She lowers the scissors to her collarbone, still hesitant.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"You should grow your hair out more." Josi brushes the hair out of Lune's eyes.
⠀⠀⠀⠀The memory is as vivid as the one she wants to forget (the one that haunts her—longer days, restless nights). She takes a shaky breath as her mind returns to the present, looking straight at the stranger in the mirror (it's Lune, yet, not). She places the scissors down, out of reach, and clutches the basin—knuckles turning stark white as she pinches her eyes shut.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Sion." Josi calls out to her. "Sion."
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Sion."
⠀⠀⠀⠀She flinches. At the sudden knock. At the voice.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Sion. I know you're in there" He knocks, again. And Lune doesn't respond, again. Biting her tongue, she fights the urge to speak, to say anything back.
