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“You look beautiful”
Noora smiled softly, her gaze still focused on the ground as soft fingers finished swiping paint across her pale cheeks. It wasn't that she’d never heard these words before. In fact, if it was up to Eva they would be the only thing that ever reached her ears.
You’re beautiful. You deserve the world. You are so loved.
Sometimes, it just seemed like the words in her head were louder.
It hadn’t been an easy year, mostly spent mending the shattered remains of her confidence after finally working up the courage to leave William for good. She had spent so much time convincing herself that the only way to fully feel loved was to become pliant, bending and molding herself into what he wanted her to be. That to feel loved, she had to also endure pain, or else the love would have no wounds to mend.
Eventually the bending became too much and she cracked, finally having enough and packed up her things, heading to the only person she wanted to see.
It was two in the morning when she climbed through Eva’s window, her hands shaking, tears finally beginning to flow. Eva asked no questions, just pulled Noora into her bed and let her cry. She held her until morning, not daring to sleep until she knew Noora was okay.
They kissed for the first time that morning, Noora’s eyelids still heavy with sleep and Eva’s hair tangled. Neither of them would’ve wanted it any other way.
It certainly wasn’t easy, Noora occasionally regressing back into old mindsets and anxious habits. It broke Eva’s heart to see how dull her once fiery soul became and made it her mission to help Noora rebuild herself in any way she could.
It took time and patience, and not every day was good, but now, almost a year later, the spark returned to Noora’s eye. She knew Eva could spend hours watching how passionately she talks with Jonas about politics, or how she animatedly debates about the best John Hughes movies with Even over Sunday breakfast, or how she reassures Vilde without hesitation as soon as the girl begins to question her worth.
Only a few days before, Eva told her that once she feared she’d never get this Noora back, the Noora she was first captivated by in her first year, the Noora who loved herself as much as Eva loved her. And of course, she’d love Noora any way she was, but all she could ever want was to see her smile.
Since then, Noora had been playing those words on repeat, her own mantra, her reason to get better. Eva didn't want perfect, she wanted Noora, she wanted to make Noora happy.
So, for a moment, she would let herself be loved. She would let herself go to pride with her beautiful girlfriend and her best friends. She’d embrace herself without any fear.
“Thank you love,” She finally met Eva’s eyes, a smile stretching much wider across her lips as she took in her slightly glittered appearance, making her glow in the light of their bathroom.
“So do you” she pressed a soft kiss to Eva’s lips, taking her hands in her own and squeezing gently. “Let’s go take on the world”
You’re beautiful. You deserve the world. You are so loved.
She could be afraid later.