ballet shoes

ix. en face

"emmie's actually turning six a week from now. she's the sweetest, she's got a button nose, and very bright hazel eyes. we both have blonde hair, but of course," morgana chuckled before resuming, "i dyed mine rose gold."

carter continued to stare at her with indulgent, languid eyes. watching her talk about her family so passionately warmed his heart.

he just wished he could do the same.

"how about you? do you have a sibling?" morgana asked.

carter's brows furrowed a bit as he chewed on his lip. he didn't really know the answer to that. did he have a sibling? a real one? would he able to get to know him? or her?

a tap on the shoulder broke him out of his reverie. "so, do you?"

he cocked his head to one side. his sister diana would knock his head off if he said 'no'. "yeah."

morgana's eyes twinkled. "really? is it a girl too?"

"yeah, her name's diana. she's three years older than me, just graduated from college." he smiled as morgana leaned in more out of interest. "she's got a daughter too. two-year old stephanie."

"wow!"

carter's lips protruded in amusement. morgana was beginning to warm up to him, and he wanted nothing more in the world to witness that. she was sharing parts of her life to him now, and he couldn't wait for her to tell him more.

"do you miss your family often?" she asked once again.

carter grew silent. did he? the random cookies their mom would bake whenever she noticed carter needed a cheer, the pat on the shoulder their dad would give whenever carter asked for advice, the occasional banters diana would start with him out of boredom, and the piggy back rides he would give to stephanie... of course, he missed all of it.

there was just one thing he missed more — above all. no matter how hard he tried to deny it, he knew it just wouldn't fade anytime soon.

it only grew stronger day by day.

"can i ask you something?"

carter watched as morgana's eyes slowly grew wide at the sudden question. her lips parted, and he couldn't help but to stare at its rosy color.

"y-yeah, sure," morgana replied.

carter pursed his lips and looked back to her eyes. in her ocean blue eyes he saw the only thing he was desperate for; the only thing he craved for since the beginning; the only thing that would make him inexplicably drawn; the only thing that made him truly rest with no inhibition.

suddenly, he was not so alone anymore.

"is it possible to feel at home in the arms of someone?" he smiled.