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The setting sun was coloring the sky above Daybreak Town with a palette of soft pinks and lilacs as Ava and Luxu sat on a hill overlooking their home. They had chosen a comfy spot in the shadow of an old tree to take a relaxing break from their duties as the Master's apprentices, far away from the tower and the responsibilities imposed on them at such a young age.
Here they could just be themselves, free from their roles and expectations layed upon them, and it had become a little ritual for them to sneak away and take a breather.
At first it was just Luxu who hid away to have time for himself, but it wasn't long before Ava had the same idea and surprised him in his "secret spot" by coincidence. She had longed for a break from being the responsible one, the one everyone relied on, and the pressure her new role would bring. A desire Luxu understood on a deep emotional level.
So there they were, "hiding away" once again and enjoying the peace of this moment with nothing but the wind whispering around them. Luxu was engaged in his favourite book and Ava enjoyed the view ahead of them, occasionally letting Dandelion seeds get carried away by the breeze.
"You know." She spoke up, making Luxu look up from his book. "I strive to be like a dandelion." Her gaze was fixated on a Dandelion and she wore a sweet smile as she let more puffy seeds fly.
"Oh? Fluffy and dead with a gust of wind?" Luxu chuckled fondly, always the smart-ass, but his voice was devoid of any snark.
"No, silly!" She laughed and gave him a playful slap on the shoulder.
"Filled with sunlight. Stubborn. Resilient. Unapologetic about their ways and free as the wind..." She looked deep in thought as she explained and there was a quiet strength in her gaze as she turned to look at Luxu, who had been listening to her with silent admiration. "Does that make sense?"
"Yeah..." He replied with a small smile, not noticing the pale blush blooming on his cheeks. "Would be neat sometimes, being able to fly away like that..."
Ava hummed in thought. "Maybe not flying away but... Feeling less bound and dragged down by responsibility…?"
"Hmm..." Luxu nodded in understanding.
"I getcha… it gets a bit much sometimes…"
She hummed again before they fell silent once more, letting the wind carry away their words like wishes they'd never dare telling anyone else.
Maybe those wishes will never become reality, but what they had was this moment in their little hideaway. Leaning against each other, they'd enjoy this rare time for themselves to the fullest as they watched the sunset over the distant town.
~~~~~~~~
Xigbar opened his eye to the cold light of his room in the Castle that never was, only slowly realising that it was all just a sweet dream. No, a memory… A memory of a time when everything was simpler, when he was more than this empty husk of a man. Long ago…
Covering his chest with his left hand, he let the feeling, or rather, the memory of it, linger a little longer… The memory of their mutual understanding, their hope, and his first time developing a crush on a wonderful and strong person…
He allowed himself to dwell on this memory just a little longer before shaking his head and softly laughing at himself. "Dreaming of the past? I really must be getting old."
He chided himself as he decided to let the past be in the past and rolled to the side to get some more rest. Yet as he closed his eye and drifted off to sleep again, he wore a small and genuine smile.