#adornednight (petra)

[patroklides-archive]

❛ you trusted me, so then i’ll trust you too. ❜  | from petra

TRUST IS NOT SOMETHING DOROTHEA HAS EVER OFFERED FREELY; affection, kindness, even compassion, yes, but not trust. to trust another is to give them power. the power to hurt you. not just physically — though, yes, that too — but in a deeper, more intimate way. to trust is to leave yourself laid bare. to put her life in another’s hands, her safety on the battlefield, is easy, but to trust another with her heart ?

        [ does she trust petra ? sweet, honest petra — and if not her, is there anyone she truly could really, truly trust ? ]

         — but that isn’t what she means, is it ?

         dorothea reaches up to trace a finger over one of the long, thin braids that hang over her shoulders, freshly plaited by the slender hands of the woman beside her. the style is simpler than the one’s petra favors, but it’s similar enough that the image in the mirror is striking. ( is this what trust is ? closing her eyes against the soothing feeling of warm fingers combing through her hair, relaxed and content ? )

         “  oh, petra, it’s lovely~,  ”  she sighs, before she turns to face the other woman.  “  i’ve never done anything this intricate before, but i think i’ve got it. turn around for me ? and don’t be shy about telling me if it looks wrong.  ”

         she shifts up onto her knees behind her, reaching to comb through the long strands. the texture is thicker than dorothea’s own, coarse, yet more silky; she divides the hair into sections with long, painted nails before beginning the braid, snug against petra’s scalp. strand over strand, down to the ends of her hair, before beginning the process anew with another thin section of hair.

         “  there !  ”  she  announces, as she ties off the last strand. one hand curls around petra’s arm as she leans in close, chin tucked over her shoulder.  “  i think i did well for my first try, don’t you think ? then again —  ”  a catlike smile curls at her lips.  “  — you’d look gorgeous no matter what i did.  ”  

unprompted; @adornednight​ ​