The orange glow from his skin brightened for a long moment, then settled into a steadier, deeper burn.
A faint scent of heated metal and clean, living wood rose, lingered, and then faded into the background — the kind of smell that made you think of old workshops and careful hands.
"...Beautiful..." was the word that came out of Katana's mouth before she realized she had spoken it.
Her dark eyes were wide in quiet amusement and something close to wonder. She had leaned forward slightly without realizing it, her shoulders shifting off the headboard, her weight pressing into her knees.
The cat plush lay forgotten in her lap, her fingers loose around its soft body. The shifting, living motion of the materials held her completely.
She could not, and did not, look away.
Specks joined and fused with quiet precision.
