Zinnia laughed quietly. The sound surprised her, catching inside her throat like she hadn’t meant to let it go. It was probably the first time she’d done so since Rhys’s death, and she felt her chest loosen from it, just enough to notice the absence of that heavy weight she’d been carrying.
She leaned in without thinking, careful of her skirts so the branches wouldn’t get her too. Up close she could see the way the plants had angled themselves, digging themselves into his curls so it was difficult to pull himself free. “You stood too close, that's all.” Zin murmured.Her fingers brushed carefully at the vine, testing how deeply the thorns had worked themselves in. One tug, and it only tightened, digging spitefully against his scalp.
“They need a little coaxing. A little patience, a little respect. It might take me a moment.” She slid her fingers in carefully, coaxing at one of the thorny loops that had woven itself into his hair. It came away only halfway before tightening again, as though the bush resented her for taking away its prize. She frowned and tried another strand. That one shifted, but not enough to set him free. Zinnia worked at another stubborn coil, thumb brushing against the warmth of his scalp as she maneuvered the vine.
Not wanting to fall into a weird hush, Zin kept talking. “At least it chose your hair and not your ear. That would be far more unpleasant.”
She leaned in without thinking, careful of her skirts so the branches wouldn’t get her too. Up close she could see the way the plants had angled themselves, digging themselves into his curls so it was difficult to pull himself free. “You stood too close, that's all.” Zin murmured.Her fingers brushed carefully at the vine, testing how deeply the thorns had worked themselves in. One tug, and it only tightened, digging spitefully against his scalp.
“They need a little coaxing. A little patience, a little respect. It might take me a moment.” She slid her fingers in carefully, coaxing at one of the thorny loops that had woven itself into his hair. It came away only halfway before tightening again, as though the bush resented her for taking away its prize. She frowned and tried another strand. That one shifted, but not enough to set him free. Zinnia worked at another stubborn coil, thumb brushing against the warmth of his scalp as she maneuvered the vine.
Not wanting to fall into a weird hush, Zin kept talking. “At least it chose your hair and not your ear. That would be far more unpleasant.”
![[Image: e1vmxAG.png]](https://i.imgur.com/e1vmxAG.png)
Bee made this beauty<3