admittance —— the first step to anything substantial.
in this particular scenario, the only step she is allowed
by him, which is admittedly better than none. still, the
persistence she displays is one she shares with her
younger sister; the kind that does not give up on those
cared for.❛ and yet, here i am — worrying. you don’t
truly think meager words will pacify this?
i shall not push you to confide in me, but
i hope you correct an erroneous belief :
you are important, and very much so. ❜

❝elsa, please.❞
though her words were meant to be comforting,
he found more annoyance than reassurance. it
could be blamed on his poor mood, or simply
because he was tired.
❝thank you, but this is not a subject open for discussion.❞
nor was it ever– words only brought irritation
and an unpleasant buzzing in the back of his
brain that drove him mad. his voice firm, setting
a limit to how much he was willing to toss back
and forth with the queen, and clearly, that was
the limit.
❝darling, just– come sit with me.❞
given the length of their interaction and the bond
they could claim to have meticulously forged, he
should have known better than to take her for a
fool. she was an aficionado at reading people,
having been proficient in the art of observation.
he had been left without escape.❛ would you rather i point it out for you? ❜

taking her for a fool would be
an idiotic thing to do. to hope she would humor
him would be more like it, though she didn’t quite
get the subtle message. the phoenix sighed out,
raising his tawny stare up to the ice queen for only
a brief moment.
❝i would rather you not bother with it.
it’s nothing of importance, love.
don’t worry yourself.❞
❛ —— a bit glum, are we? ❜
and whilst the query held lightheartedness in delivery,
the queen’s eyes shone with unspoken concern.

❝no clue what yer talkin’ ‘bout.❞
the woman had been nothing but kind
to the phoenix since first meeting, but
the heated creature held a strong bitter
taste in his words of denial. he didn't
want to worry her, but the sounds and
body language betrayed his failed reassurance.