The moon lied- She chose the beast.
The laughter faded slowly, leaving something softer behind it, something neither of them tried to name.
"I should let you sleep," Arsen said eventually, standing and gathering both empty bowls.
"Arsen."
He paused.
"Thank you," she said quietly. "For this."
He didn't answer. He only gave a small nod and turned toward the sink, and as he did, the loose collar of his shirt shifted just enough for Sera to catch sight of his back.
Her breath caught.
Pale, raised scars crossed his shoulder blades in jagged lines, deep enough to have required stitches once, long enough ago that they had faded to silver against his skin. They weren't the clean, round marks of bullet wounds. She had seen enough of th