Bitterroot Valley subterranean homesick blues

a suffocating silence became them, something heavy and stale. he could feel his throat tightening, see the world narrowing; anxiety began to build, but alsek knew it only as fear. surya wasn't yelling and polaris was silent, but he couldn't help anticipating their inevitable shift of emotion. where was his punishment? surely, his short gest warranted scolding, at the least.

alsek's emotions climaxed within moments. tears fell from either eye, staining his dark cheeks, while the single stream of snot dripped from nose to lip. he weeped aloud with no restraint and held close to polaris, despite retaining some apprehension toward her, too.