Chapter Text
Thena could not tell her dreams and episodes apart. She was confused most of the time. Out of her mind, even when she was conscious. Yet, she always had a recurring vision. Sometimes it felt too real and sometimes it was too foggy. There were times where black clouds of smoke would swirl around her in what seemed to be fire and destruction. But she remembers too well reaching out for someone. It is always the same form, the same shape and colors… but different scenarios.
A soft wavy brown hair swaying in the wind under three moonlights. Thena is covered in all that blue, and a melody sounds in the distance. The sky like thousands shards of glass that spread across the galaxy. And the woman in front of her turns around and then… and then…
“Come back, Thena.” And then she is in the middle of battle and the woman slips away, and Thena is trapped in the black clouds and there’s screaming and chaos. She holds out her hand and she sees the other woman being taken away from her. The blue disappearing, a reaching hand being snatched away by panic.
“Thena, remember who you are.” A hand reaching out for her. It is her, she came back for her.
“Yes.” Thena takes it with tears in her eyes, a small laugh of relief leaves her trembling lips.
“That’s it. Stay with me.” The voice says, no face. The cloud is disappearing now. She will finally see her face… his? His face?
“G-gil-?” She asks confused, her smile dropping with a small frown. Eyes abscent searching inside her mind for an answer.
“It’s okay. You didn’t hurt me.” He offers a soothing smile, trying his very best to make her feel safe.
“I-I-“ Tears start falling down Thena’s face. She was there and they were dying. No, the lady in blue was dying. “They took her away.”
“Who, Thena?” Gilgamesh asks, knowing it was part of her episodes. He always tried to make her feel valid.
“The woman.” She whispers, still in disbelief.
“Ajak?” He asks with concern in his voice.
Thena stares at him, parting her lips to speak, but no sound comes out. She shakes her head no.
“Thena, is it Ajak?” He tries again like he knows something. And Thena shakes her head no once again. “While you were having one of your episodes…” he begins trying to find his words. “You were calling out for Ajak.”
“Ajak?” Thena questions trying to remember.
“A couple of months ago you began to call out her name sometimes.” He explains. “Listen, we spoke about this, if you want to see her… we can call her and see if she wants to come over here and-“
“H-here?” Thena was still in a state of shock, frozen and slowly coming back to her senses. Her gaze falls behind Gilgamesh, it is night time and she is outside. Bare feet standing on still warm sand from the sunlight that hid hours ago. And she is back. “Are you okay?” She turns her attention to him.
“I am fine.” He reassures her holding his hands up to ease her down. “Come inside.” And she nods.
She walks inside with Gilgamesh trailing back behind her. She wants to lay down, her mind felt foggy.
“I mean it.” He starts again with a serious tone. Thena turns to look at him. “If you want to see her, we can always call her. She asks about you all the time. And sometimes she calls just to check on you.” He informs her.
“I know. I’ve spoken to her twice.” She adverts her eyes from his avoiding the concern they carry. And attempting to hide her own sadness that she could not even comprehend.
“That was a couple of years ago. You should call her.”
— ✽ —
And that is exactly what she did when she was feeling better. She felt herself coming back from her episodes, and she knew that many of the memories she had with Ajak were moments that they had shared in this earth. She remembers the sound of waves and flowers on wavy brown hair. Hot nights with a comforting breeze. She was always standing there in all her glory, reaching out for Thena. ‘You are loved’ she’d said. Walking arm in arm every so often.
“Hello?” The other end of the phone comes alive and Thena is brough back stopping the lights forming on her face.
“Ajak.” Was all Thena could say for Ajak to understand that she was about to share something serious.
“Thena.” Ajak replies in the same manner only with a hint of a knowing tone in her voice.
“I wanted to talk to you-“
“Is Gilgamesh okay? Are you okay?” There is concern in her voice. That motherly tone she uses on everyone. But the way she emphasizes the word ‘you’ makes Thena feel confident in her choice to call her.
“Yes. I wanted to see you. But given that we are on separate ends of the world… this will do.” There is disappointment in her voice. She is trying to make do with what she has now, what her life has become.
“I miss you too, Thena.”
“Ajak.” Thena sighs with a shaky breath. “There are things that I do not understand. But I want to understand. And…”
“And?” Ajak encourages her to go on.
“And it all leads to you.” There is a long pause before Ajak clears her voice.
“How can I help you?”
“Can I see you?” There is hope in Thena that Ajak will agree into meeting with her. She wants to spend some time in her presence to confirm her beliefs. To trigger new memories.
“How about you come to stay with me some time?” Ajak asks and Thena feels some sort of electricity travel through her body. She is terrified for a moment thinking one of her episodes will come up. But they never do, and she is left with a strangely pleasant and too familiar sensation.
“Yes. I would love to.”