Haulean's heart started pounding, when Nairn admitted to knowing his mother. Enough that he'd begun clutching the ring tight enough to make it bite into the skin of his palm, where a couple of the gems protruded slightly. Close friends... He kept his eyes closed, trying to settle his heart rate, his breathing... and not to let more tears escape. His head was already throbbing from all of the upheaval. Vaguely, he heard the rustling of paper, but paid it no mind just yet.
Eventually the pain in his palm made the petite boy relax his hold, and slip the intricate ring onto his own finger; surprisingly, it fit. But he'd always been smallish.
"If..." Gods above, did he have the courage to ask? If not now, when? Nairn claimed that they grew up together, which... he knew could only mean one thing. Because, otherwise, so many other things didn't add up. And without even reading the letters, he opened his eyes, looked into his bleeding palm, then shifted so that he could lift his tear-filled eyes to meet Nairn's.
"Then why didn't you know who my mother was, until just now?" he asked, more directly and more seriously than he'd ever asked anything of Nairn. There was still a vulnerability and sadness in his tone. An obvious fear of what turns this conversation could take. But he was trying to be brave.
Once again, he was shaking. Afraid. Worried that if Nairn was who he thought he was... that suddenly he would lose him. Maybe he hadn't wanted him, and would now distance himself, or make him leave? Maybe he'd be angry. What if he lost everyone he considered family, in one fell swoop? And one more heartbreaking thought... what if Nairn lied to him, in this moment?
Eventually the pain in his palm made the petite boy relax his hold, and slip the intricate ring onto his own finger; surprisingly, it fit. But he'd always been smallish.
"If..." Gods above, did he have the courage to ask? If not now, when? Nairn claimed that they grew up together, which... he knew could only mean one thing. Because, otherwise, so many other things didn't add up. And without even reading the letters, he opened his eyes, looked into his bleeding palm, then shifted so that he could lift his tear-filled eyes to meet Nairn's.
"Then why didn't you know who my mother was, until just now?" he asked, more directly and more seriously than he'd ever asked anything of Nairn. There was still a vulnerability and sadness in his tone. An obvious fear of what turns this conversation could take. But he was trying to be brave.
Once again, he was shaking. Afraid. Worried that if Nairn was who he thought he was... that suddenly he would lose him. Maybe he hadn't wanted him, and would now distance himself, or make him leave? Maybe he'd be angry. What if he lost everyone he considered family, in one fell swoop? And one more heartbreaking thought... what if Nairn lied to him, in this moment?
04-08-2024, 02:49 PM
