300+
She stood in the darkness, it swallowed her earthen tone, and only the soft slow of the lantern gave light to her stature and form. His lighter color stood against the dark of the couch, gold eyes the brightest accent in the room, brighter then the candles flame. She watched him, waiting for the answer of her question in the silence of the dark. None were awake, it seemed, besides the two. The night had been long, energized by the celebration and now most would seek the comfort of their beds after such festivity. Except them. The incident weighed so heavily on their minds that each could not find satisfaction in sleep. She couldn’t after seeing him among the pack. She had avoided the mere sight of him, and yet now the conflict needed resolution or she would never be able to sleep. It seemed to haunt him as well.
His words were received with mixed feelings. Mati could not deny that she enjoyed his company, and the feeling of some as simply as his eyes on hers made her want to merely be in his presence. Even now, with the tension that stood between them Mati would rather have that then the emptiness of her cold room. His voice was quiet, whispering through the fragility of the dim light. But then, she didn’t understand. Would he never have her any other way? Or their friendship? The questions were ones she had never asked before, and she was too scared to ask them. Instead silence ensued until he spoke again.
It was a relief to know that he felt as she did. Such a thing was not something to be given away, and never ever taken. Mati held it close, having been so close to loosing it against her will. Her mother’s rape, and her father’s insanity made her susceptible to such tragedies. She would protect herself at all costs. “I agree.” She spoke, whispering as well but with a stone-like tone. It wasn’t right, and she feared that both would suffer as a consequence, though she didn’t wish such a thing upon her brother. “Neither were thinking clearly.” She commented, moving the subject away from them. Mati was unsure what to tell him. Tell him that she thought of him often and even when she thought he found her something toss-able she still cared to know how he was? It was out of the question.
“I wouldn’t have believed it,” She spoke, not really knowing why she would be so honest. She had hated him, for saying those things, and yet every time she wondered if he would throw her away she knew he wouldn’t. “if you said you would.” She thought better of him, if he cared to know it.