ELIA
Their eyes met again and Elia swallowed, her breath catching. "You never told me—"
"I didn't know how," he said simply. "I still hadn't really understood the differences between Human and Anima. I still thought you were being stubborn, refusing to believe I'd tried to help you. It hurt me that you'd believe I wanted to hurt you. My pride was wounded…" He looked away then, down at his own hands. "Then there was the night your parents fought. About me."
"I tried," she gasped. "I tried to tell them—I knew you wouldn't hurt me again. And I missed you."
He nodded, but his eyes, still alight with that odd glow, only flicked up to meet hers, then he dropped them again. "I didn't understand them. I'd never heard your family shout like that before. I thought you were in danger…"
She brought her hands up to her mouth, suddenly seeing that night so differently.
