Willow.
The walk back to the institute wasn’t the same and honestly it never was.
Going to Morgana and Freya always felt like stepping out of the skin I was forced to wear and into the one I was born with. My breath came easier and my heart steadied and the ache between my ribs calmed. But walking back? That was different. I always felt like I was shrinking with every step and folding myself back into something smaller and safer.
I didn’t skip this time or even hhum. I barely noticed the trees around me, the familiar path and the wildflowers brushing my legs. My thoughts were a mess. All I could think about was the way Freya giggled when I kissed her nose. How she reached for me when I stood up to leave. How her little fingers curled around mine like she thought if she just held on t
