The word is enough to pull at their shoulders, an intolerable and inescapable tensing at the thin muscles there. A reflex, snapping things into place and snapping them back to the start of every old Game. Snapping them back to the too-earnest face and the too-wide eyes with the weight of a fresh wave of expectations pulling at the muscles of their shoulders. Dropping their chin, bowing their head. Lifting their arms to hug a child tight to them. Because they could.
Because they could, they had to?
It's hard to say anymore.
Their gaze slides briefly to Chara's and then away again. There's a book open on the floor in front of them, but it's plain from the slightly glassy look to their eyes that they haven't been reading from it.
"I didn't open yours either," they say softly. And it's the truth.
Do you want to be alone?
"I do." A small frown nestles at their brow. "And - I don't. I don't know."
And that would be the truth too, wouldn't it? Can't even be clear about that. Ha.
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The word is enough to pull at their shoulders, an intolerable and inescapable tensing at the thin muscles there. A reflex, snapping things into place and snapping them back to the start of every old Game. Snapping them back to the too-earnest face and the too-wide eyes with the weight of a fresh wave of expectations pulling at the muscles of their shoulders. Dropping their chin, bowing their head. Lifting their arms to hug a child tight to them. Because they could.
Because they could, they had to?
It's hard to say anymore.
Their gaze slides briefly to Chara's and then away again. There's a book open on the floor in front of them, but it's plain from the slightly glassy look to their eyes that they haven't been reading from it.
"I didn't open yours either," they say softly. And it's the truth.
Do you want to be alone?
"I do." A small frown nestles at their brow. "And - I don't. I don't know."
And that would be the truth too, wouldn't it? Can't even be clear about that. Ha.