Firefly Glen [PHE] The course that you have set for me

Anselm had been looking away; he felt a sore intrusion to this tender moment between kin.

He nearly started when Etienne’s nose pressed to his shoulder.

A radial confluence of heat flew up his skin first, the blushing edge of awakening longing.

followed swiftly after by the hammered fist of denial and anger to have such things elicited in him without his explicit permission.

He worked to swallow the sudden sharp-edged bolus in his throat. Take care.

Take care? He could fucking shrivel in on himself for how pathetic and lackluster that sounded.

Thankfully Chani had already stonily turned away, and Etienne was beginning to. Anselm drew in another sigh of resignation before he moved off too. He was sure Chani intended to convey the news to Etienne’s maman herself, but an iron-bound compulsion of duty told Anselm he must do it himself.

His last thought as he exited was how similar the two looked; it was as if Sapphique’s blood was unusually strong.