⠀⠀⠀

@isledmal⠀⠀⠀ briseis stares for a few moments, blinking slowly, almost like she was surprised by the response she had gotten. the mention of her notebook has her instinctively looking down at the book clutched tightly to her chest. 
            
            & suddenly, it felt like she was being judged. 
            
            “oh.. i don’t… it’s not..” she is stumbling over her words, her cheeks turning pink with embarrassment. this was definitely the worst interaction she’s had in her life. which says a lot, actually.
            
            she’s has plenty of terrible interactions. more than what’s probably normal.
            
            “sorry..” she settles on mumbling, awkwardly taking a seat next to the girl. she feels like she’s already made a bad impression. & she hated it. 
            
            & she / really / wanted the ground to open up & swallow her whole.
            
            “you must think ‘m some loser ‘cause i can’t even ask a simple question without gettin’ all flustered.” her voice comes out soft, almost shyly as her gaze stays focused on the table in front of her. “i don’t... usually start conversations with people. ‘m not really, uhm.. good at it.”
            
            /. good ૮₍´｡ᵔ ꈊ ᵔ｡`₎ა i try my hardest to make a good entrance fr

⠀⠀⠀⠀:   @poetstqrs    ..
            
            mal  looks  up  slow,   a  little  surprised  someone  even  approached  her.
            most  didn   ’t.   not  unless  they  wanted  something  or  were  ready  to  pick  a  fight.   but  this  girl   —-   she  looked  like  she  might  fall  over  just  from  asking.   &  there  was  something  strangely  honest  about  that.
            
            ❝   depends,   ❞⠀⠀⠀⠀mal  says,   voice  light,  not  cruel.   she  shifts  her  bag  from  the  seat,   gesturing  a  little  awkwardly.⠀⠀⠀⠀❝   … on  if  you  plan  on  quoting  everything  i  say  in  that  notebook.   ❞
            
            ⠀⠀⠀⠀a  pause.   then  softer,   almost  shy beneath  the sarcasm   —- ⠀⠀⠀⠀❝   but  no.  it’s  not  taken.  you  can  sit.   ❞
            
            she  watches  the  girl  for  a  moment,   like  she’s  trying  to  figure  her  out,   but  not  in  a  mean  way.   just  cautious,   or  maybe   curious.
            
            ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀❝   you  always  talk  to  strangers,   or  am  i  just  lucky  today   .ᐣ   ❞
            
            ⠀⠀⠀╱⠀⠀⠀HELPP   ??   what  an  entrance.....   /affec

⠀⠀⠀@florianking    ..
            
            she  doesn   ’t  breathe  for  a  moment.   just  stares  at  him,   like  she  heard  every  word  but  still  can’t  quite  believe  he  said  them.⠀⠀⠀⠀❝   you  always  knew,   ❞ ⠀⠀⠀⠀she  repeats,   and  it  sounds  like  a  question,   but  it’s  not.   she  just  doesn   ’t  know  what  to  do  with  the  truth  when  it’s  handed  to  her  so  gently.
            
            her  fingers  twitch,   like  maybe  her  instinct  is  still  to  run,   to  bite  back  or  build  walls  before  the  kindness  can  stick  like  her  mother  taught  her  too.   but  she  doesn   ’t.
            she  just  stands  there.
            
            quiet.   because  maybe  auradon  had  changed  her  more  than  she  ever  knew.
            
            ❝   i  don’t  know  how  to  not  hide,   ❞ ⠀⠀⠀⠀she  says,  finally.⠀⠀⠀⠀❝   it’s  all  i’ve  ever  done.   hide  behind  what  my  mother  wanted...  ❞ ⠀⠀⠀⠀her  voice  wavers,   she  looks  at  him  then,   and  there’s  something  raw  in  her  eyes   —-   like  she’s  trying  so  hard  not  to  fall,
            but  she’s  already  halfway  down.
            
            ❝   even  if  our  parents  would  never   agree   ...   i  care  that  you  meant  what  you  said.   ❞⠀⠀⠀⠀a  pause.   a  breath.⠀⠀⠀⠀❝   i  care  that  it’s  real.   even  if  i  don’t  know  what  to  do  with  it  yet.   ❞
            
            her  hand  reaches  out  slowly,   careful,  like  the  moment  might  break  if  she  moves  too  fast.
            fingertips  brushing  the  ring   like  it’s  made  of  something  more  than  gold.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀❝   ..   but  i  think  i’m  ready  to  try.   ❞
            
            ⠀⠀⠀⠀and  yet  the  words  taste  like  something  darker,   maybe  perhaps  knowing  what  the  four  of  them  came  to  auradon  to  do   —-   or  what  they   're   about  to  do.

“i always knew.” ben’s voice held kindness in it, almost as if he were trying not to scare her away.
            
            did it upset her that he knew? he figured that was probably true — he had technically lied to her. let her believe he was only under some silly spell that would go away eventually once he ate what she had given him.
            
            but he had, and his feelings were still there. his heart was still beating as frantically around her as it did the first time he’d looked at her once he’d eaten that cookie she’d gave him. “but i’m not. i’m not under your spell, mal. maybe i was for a time. briefly. but that part of me doesn’t care. i don’t care. these feelings are real.” he spoke honestly. “do you not want to allow yourself to feel too? do you want to keep hiding?” the question was quiet, almost as if he didn’t want to hear the answer.
            
            but he’d listen anyway, because whatever she said.. ben would follow. even if it meant truly breaking his own heart if she said she didn’t want to feel. he’d allow her that much, after everything.
            
            “my parents?” he’d nearly forgotten about them. “i don’t care what they say. if they truly want me to be happy, they’d learn to accept you. just like i have.” ben murmured, expression softening into something kinder. “they’ll learn to love you just as i do.”

⠀⠀⠀:   @florianking     ..
            
            she  doesn   ’t   flinch,,   not  this  time.   just  stands  there,   quiet  nd  still,   like  she   ’s   afraid  moving  might  ruin  the  moment.
            
            ❝   so  you  knew,   ❞ ⠀⠀⠀⠀she  says,   barely  above  a  whisper.⠀⠀⠀⠀❝   you  knew  it  wasn   ’t   the  potion.   ❞
            
            the  villain  kid  fidgets  with  the  fabric  of  her  dress,   like  she  doesn   ’t  know  what  to  do  with  her  hands   —-   like  her  body  hasn   ’t   caught  up  with  her  heart  yet.⠀⠀⠀⠀❝   i  think…   part  of  me  hoped  you  were  under  the  spell,   ❞ ⠀⠀⠀⠀she  admits,   eyes  downcast.⠀⠀⠀⠀❝   because  if  you  were,   then  i  wouldn   ’t   have  to  believe  any  of  it..   wouldn   ’t   have  to  let  myself  feel  it  back.   ❞
            
            she  glances  up,   and  there   ’s   something  soft  there  now   —-   something  scared,   but  soft underneath.⠀⠀⠀⠀❝   ..    but  you  weren   ’t.   now..   you   're   here..   saying   things  no  one   ’s   ever  said  to  me.   ❞
            
            she  breathes  in  slowly,   like  the  air  might  soothe  the  confused  ache  in  her  chest.   a  small  pause,   a  smaller  smile   —-   her  hand  moves  anyway.⠀⠀slow.   unsure.⠀⠀⠀⠀❝   if  i  wear  it..   ben..   your  parents...   what  would  they  say   .ᐣ   ❞
            
            ⠀⠀⠀╱⠀⠀⠀RETWEET...   idk  what  to  do  with  them  chat...   /affec

@florianking     ..
            
            ⠀⠀⠀╱⠀⠀⠀WHY  AM  I  ALWAYS  THE  TARGET   /lh

/ BC I LOVE MAKING ANIMAL NOISES
            /lh

@florianking     ..
            
            ⠀⠀⠀╱⠀⠀⠀WHY  ARE  YOU  ALWAYS  MAKING  ANIMAL  NOISES  AT  ME    /lh