02-04-2015, 04:59 PM
She looked at the woman properly for the first time; indulged her senses, now that they were alone, whilst trying not to be too intrusive. Was there etiquette? Asha didn't know. Beneath the words she felt the sincerity; more than enough of it to lull what was said with soft edges. For almost her entire life she had bounced from place to place, and they had not always stayed in hotels. She wasn't uncomfortable being in someone else's home, and she took the offer of the bed at face value without further argument.
As to her secret; she hadn't told anyone, ever. But Nox had guessed, and she didn't even know how, exactly, other than he must have identified her similarities to what he knew of Aria. Elias knew now too, and had made no promises of keeping it to himself, though she couldn't think of a reason why he'd tell anyone. In any case, she'd survived this long. More insistent was the question of why such a gift made her monstrous in the first place, but though the question pressed the sides of her brain with its urgency, it was not something to tackle tonight.
The idea of staying at Nox's place flushed her cheeks. Had she felt anything like that from him, she likely wouldn't have been so cavalier about going off with a stranger; she'd been brought up better than that. Or at least stricter. The embarrassment only deepened with the awareness that Aria could literally feel it radiating from her. She coughed, buried the feeling down, until Aria excused herself for her bath. She was pretty glad for the subject change.
"It's okay."
The forgiveness was obvious, as was the sense that she didn't deem the apology necessary. Gratitude. An echo of Aria's own fatigue, bouncing like sunlight between mirrors. That was the strangest thing, the little echoes. There was nothing else to be said, nothing that needed saying; she was instinctively aware of Aria's need for space without being told, and was glad to give it. Her stomach protested a little, but she shunned the fridge in favour of getting some rest. Her fingers itched to find her Wallet, document some of the evenings wonders, but she dissuaded herself from that too. Answers would come in the morning.
As to her secret; she hadn't told anyone, ever. But Nox had guessed, and she didn't even know how, exactly, other than he must have identified her similarities to what he knew of Aria. Elias knew now too, and had made no promises of keeping it to himself, though she couldn't think of a reason why he'd tell anyone. In any case, she'd survived this long. More insistent was the question of why such a gift made her monstrous in the first place, but though the question pressed the sides of her brain with its urgency, it was not something to tackle tonight.
The idea of staying at Nox's place flushed her cheeks. Had she felt anything like that from him, she likely wouldn't have been so cavalier about going off with a stranger; she'd been brought up better than that. Or at least stricter. The embarrassment only deepened with the awareness that Aria could literally feel it radiating from her. She coughed, buried the feeling down, until Aria excused herself for her bath. She was pretty glad for the subject change.
"It's okay."
The forgiveness was obvious, as was the sense that she didn't deem the apology necessary. Gratitude. An echo of Aria's own fatigue, bouncing like sunlight between mirrors. That was the strangest thing, the little echoes. There was nothing else to be said, nothing that needed saying; she was instinctively aware of Aria's need for space without being told, and was glad to give it. Her stomach protested a little, but she shunned the fridge in favour of getting some rest. Her fingers itched to find her Wallet, document some of the evenings wonders, but she dissuaded herself from that too. Answers would come in the morning.