sweet nothing (G/t)

~part two~

You'd think that with my life, I'd be used to people saying my name. I should be ready for surprises. It's part of the job, right? 'Expect the unexpected' or something like that? Yet, here I am, scared out of my wits hearing it. I must really be out of it. I'm not down anymore – thank goodness – but I'm on edge. Damn it.

I look over my shoulder cautiously, recognizing the voice immediately yet still unsure. I broke conventions to get here, so would it be that surprising for an adversary to do the same and trick me? Not after what I just escaped from. Though, I doubt an opponent would willingly set this all up, knowing what it can do for me. Either way, I could use a familiar face, and I got one. It's not the one I was searching for, but it'll work.

It always has, even from way up there.

"Myrin." I can't even sputter a greeting. Such frailty I've become. Ugh, and he knows it, too. Look at that smile of pity. I don't even want to know what I look like based on how breathy I sound – how grateful I am of this ground on which I trudge not being reflective.

"You're back," he states slowly. His inflection and no smile – is he surprised to find me? Heh, I am, too, to be fair. I'm glad to be here, but the circumstances could've been more pleasing. I have a feeling he knows that, too.

He's beginning to approach now, closing the door behind him and—Oh? Doesn't he lock his doors in private? Wait, no, not doing that is normal. Huh. When was the last time I didn't make sure to keep a door sealed: physically or charmed? Just after Siobhan's nativity, right? Right after... this all started. Times have changed more than I thought, and it seems I have as well. He looks bigger than when I saw him last: before the sun's crowning.

Looks. I know he hasn't changed at all – not physically, anyway. I should probably respond before he goes in a panic. Again.

"I am. I am here." A luckily, ever-growing truth. "Though so is this." I must acknowledge this display set under my feet and stretching in every direction: a chalet of sorts constructed with petit fours sat upon saccharine acreage. "This is new." Perhaps it's just my daze, but it feels immense to me. Yet, I know it can't possibly be much bigger than a games' or map table to him. Is that what this is on? Surely, it's not levitating. Am I truly that frail now?

"Yes, it is," he affirms, coming up to the edge of the landscape, sweeping his eyes over everything else before landing them back on me.

Gosh, those eyes – so crystalline. I bet they're looking right through my diversions, aren't they? Those ears can probably hear them. I mean, they go out far enough to do so. Can they hear my heart racing? My shrieking lungs? I don't even know which is better at this point. But, is that all he's going to say about it? Really?

"I wasn't expecting this," I explain, though I'm sure that was blatantly obvious. I'm not hiding anything. Physically. "I was under the assumption that other arrangements were going to be provided." I'm honestly shocked I got all of that out in one go. But before I can question further – I can't imagine him lying to me beforehand without valid reason – he sighs, knocking me silent.

"Sula," he says again, "I— I don't know where to start." Well, that's not cryptic at all. It's not concerning, either. "I don't know how to phrase this."

There's more to this. There's always more. The look on his face shows that I must've stricken a sensitive topic. Running his fingers through his hair isn't a good look. Symbolically. That doesn't apply to other senses, for sure, but those are unforgivable.

"Phrase what?" I ask back, trying to rid my mind of sullied thoughts. "To what are you referring?" Does this have something to do with my appearance? My disappearance, even? Wait, does this even have anything to me?