[center][img]https://i.postimg.cc/tgbbhnFP/Elara.webp[/img][/center][Sub]Interactions: Sunni-[@The Savant][/sub][hr]
[indent]Elara stood there, her breath catching in her throat as Sunni’s rambling confession poured out in a chaotic stream. Each word seemed to tumble over the next, more unexpected than the last. She watched as the colour rose in his cheeks, his hand gripping his necklace so tightly that his knuckles turned white. The sight of his nervousness was almost palpable, and she felt a strange mix of emotions swirling within her. 

The first? Confusion. Elara’s mind whirled, struggling to process Sunni’s initial words. Rocks? Was he seriously asking her if she liked…rocks? Her eyebrows knitted together, and she tilted her head slightly, trying to make sense of his question. Before she could fully grasp the oddity of it, Sunni’s words tumbled out again, this time something about her being…pretty. As a rock. The moon, specifically.

Her eyes widened, and she blinked rapidly, attempting to keep up with the bizarre comparison. She could feel a slight furrow forming on her forehead as she tried to decipher his meaning. Sunni’s voice, all the while, continued, his words coming out in a rush as if he feared losing his courage if he paused. Elara’s lips parted, but no words came out. She could see Sunni’s face flushing deeper, his eyes darting away from hers. The absurdity of the situation was almost too much to handle, and yet, there was a sincerity in his tone that made her heart beat… a little faster. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, her fingers fidgeting with a strand of her hair as she tried to find the right response.

At least until he brought up dead people.  

This particular comment brought about the second emotion. Astonishment. Elara’s eyes widened even further, her breath catching at the sheer absurdity of the comparison being made. Her lips parted, but no sound emerged, leaving her momentarily speechless. She blinked rapidly, her mind struggling to process the bizarre analogy. It was almost too much to believe.

And yet… the earnestness in Sunni’s voice was undeniable. He really thought her to be like the living dead! Elara’s heart pounded in her chest, and she could feel a slight tremor in her hands as she clasped them together, her fingers interlocking tightly.

Sunni’s eyes seemed to dart nervously, his face flushed with a deep crimson hue. His words, though strange, were laced with a sincerity that tugged at something deep within her. Elara’s breath came in shallow, uneven bursts as she tried to reconcile the absurdity of his comparison with the genuine emotion behind it.

She took a small step back, her gaze never leaving his face. Her mind raced, searching for the right response. What was she supposed to say here? A thank you?

Elara cleared her throat, the sound breaking the tense silence and signaling that it was her turn to speak now. She could feel the weight of Sunni’s expectant eyes on her, his nervous energy palpable.

She opened her mouth. Then closed it. Then opened it again, her lips forming silent words as she struggled to find her voice. Her heart pounded in her chest, each beat echoing in her ears.

[color=#4169e1]“I’ll go…get you some blankets for the couch. It can get quite…cold out here.” [/color] Her voice was soft, almost hesitant, as she turned in the opposite direction from where she’d faced. She took a few steps, the distance between them growing, but not before pausing and glancing back over her shoulder.

[color=#4169e1]“I don’t care much for rocks…or dead people. But…thank you. For your strange but well-meant words.” [/color]Her tone was gentle, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips before she walked away. [/indent]