evocation | ⚡ ML INBOX

[ He'd rather just ignore them, given the choice. It's a hell of a lot less embarrassing than acknowledging them. You're here and I'm here and we're both pretending I don't look at you like a ninth-grader dying of infatuation--and for whatever reason, she just tolerates it. ]

It...ain't really a good story. [ What little shame he has sort of hiccups through his skin, along with something stubborn and sad all at once, an amorphous not-quite-grief. ] Tell you another time, maybe.

[That gets concern to flare up in her, though she tries to tamp it down. Her voice is gentler when she responds.]

Are you sure? It's okay if it isn't a great story. You can tell me.

Easy for you to say.

[ He's joking, an amused note in his voice that doesn't really come through under the mix of tension and--hell, what is that, guilt? grief?--that Kyna gets. Telling her means she'll never look at him without seeing possible fratricide again. Maybe he'd feel better, someone besides Nathan knowing--but saying it out loud risks a hell of a lot more than he's ready to lose.

He's too selfish for this shit, and he can't lie his way through it with Kyna's hand in his. ]

Maybe I'll tell you sometime.

Okay.

[She's not going to push, not when she's picking up those emotions from him. It's not her place to push, but she's still worried. Kyna hesitates for a moment, looking away, suddenly fascinated by the fabric of the couch.]

Um... You know, if you ever need to talk about anything... I'm not going to judge you.

[ Sam squeezes her hand and lets go, reaching up to push his hair back from his face. ]

I know.

[ He doesn't, as it happens, and he doesn't want her to feel that coming though his palm--but he's been looking down at her, so maybe his hair needs to be pushed back, too. It's the best cover he's got at hand, anyway. ]

When I'm ready to go to confession, I'll call you up.

[ A super trustworthy statement, considering that she's experienced the cognitive dissonance of what he says and what he feels, but maybe he's telling her the truth.

Maybe. ]

[It doesn't feel entirely truthful, but she's not sure. Whether it is or not, it doesn't feel right to argue, so she just lets him pull away.]

What, am I supposed to give you a bunch of Hail Marys or something?

Not a bad idea.

[ Though the teasing grin he flashes her is a little too wolfish for Hail Marys. ]

You wanna assign me penance for my sins, be my guest.