2. Don’t cry.
Lymle stood before the statue of her grandfather. It was a daily ritual for her to come here after she taught Symbology to the children. She recently taught them how to create a beautiful field of flowers, which the children enjoyed. After everything she had been through on the Calnus and everyone…she had learned to open up, little by little until she could express emotions that she once thought were deeply buried. She one time thought that she had a hole in her heart, and she was afraid that she couldn’t love anyone because of it. However, being with Edgie, Rei-Rei, everyone…even Faize… made her feel whole again.
“I’m sorry it took me so long, Grandpa,” Lymle said. “I had a lot of fun adventures with everyone. I really had a good time. I’m glad I got to spend time with everyone…even…even Faize…”
Lymle wiped away the beginnings of tears with her sleeve. When had she started crying? Why did thinking about Faize leave a raw ache in her heart? It happened so quickly, when Lymle first heard that Faize was gone from Edge, her heart froze. She remembered all the times that they spent together on the Calnus, and the adventures that they’ve been through, all the hardships that they’ve endured together. It was impossible to think that Faize was gone, lost forever in the abyss where he fell to his death. No, no, thinking about it made the ache in her heart grow intolerable, and she longed to see Faize again, just a glimpse of him, even, if only for his smile. She liked it when he smiled, even though Lymle herself couldn’t. The Lemurisan supposed that Faize sometimes smiled for her sake, or so it seemed during their times together which seemed forever ago.
“Faize is…gone now,” Lymle said while she looked down at her feet, feeling the tears brimming to her eyes freely. How long has it been since she was able to show her emotions so openly like this, to feel the prick of tears against the corners of her eyes? “But I’m not lonely, really. I’m not lonely at all.”
She stood there silently weeping by her grandfather’s statue, as the breeze shifted and ruffled the flowers that the children made through Symbology. It was then that Lymle noticed that someone was approaching, and she turned and her breath caught in her throat when she saw that it was him. She wanted to run up to him and hand her arms loosely around his neck, though Lymle remained restrained and simply turned to face him with a smile upon her face. The tears started flowing more freely now.
“Don’t cry…” Faize said as he reached a tender hand out to her to wipe away her tears, “Lymle…”
Lymle shook her head, causing her pigtails to sway as she did so. She then did what she wanted to do for so long, and ran up towards Faize and wrapped her arms around his neck, taking in his scent and the fact that this was real, that Faize was actually here with her.
“I’m not crying because I’m sad now,” Lymle whispered against Faize’s ear. “I’m crying because I’m happy. Don’t you see, Faize?”
“Ah…of course,” Faize said as he returned Lymle’s embrace before he unwrapped his arms from around her and stared down at her affectionately. “You look absolutely radiant today.”
Lymle’s heart swelled with happiness when she heard those words being spoken from the Eldarian, and she unlatched her arms from around his neck and gave him a sweet kiss on the lips, tentative at first, like moths bumping one another in the dark. Faize’s eyes widened a bit, though he eventually relaxed and returned her kiss gently. A light blush overcame Lymle’s features, before she said, “Faize…there’s so much that I want to tell you, things that I wanted to tell you before, but couldn’t.”
“I understand,” Faize said, putting a hand against Lymle’s cheek gently, caressing it. “I finally found a place I can truly call home now.”
Lymle smiled and nodded, before taking Faize’s hand gently within her own. “Welcome home, Faize.”
