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“I’m not sure we’ve ever been up here before,” Ryne mused. Tonight was already a special night for a host of reasons, but the most unexpected was the rare occasion of finding a brand new sight to see with her favorite person - especially one hidden in plain sight like this.
“Huh, I think you’re right. I suppose we just never had reason to. It’s not like anyone has errands for us to run in an abandoned guard tower.”
“We’ve spent the last two years exploring every corner of this city, but to see it all at once from above… it’s breathtaking.” They’d seen the Crystarium from the sky while amaro riding, but it felt more intimate to look over the city from its very own outpost. The tower wasn’t the infinite spear to the heavens that it seemed from below, nor was it a large crystal beacon one could see from anywhere in the Vrandtic skies. Ryne felt on its level, as though she could reach out and grab it. She gasped as a revelation struck her.
“Is everything alright?” Ryne flinched when her pondering was interrupted by the concerned touch of Gaia’s hand on her own.
“Yes, I’m fine. I just realized what the tower reminds me of: the ice necklace!” She leaned her head against Gaia’s and traced her hands around their view. “See? Blueish white, tapers off towards the base… I don’t know why I never thought of that before.”
“You know that description fits half the crystals we’ve ever seen, right?” Gaia responded with her usual mix of skepticism and snark.
“I know, I know, but they still feel connected somehow! The ice shard… it’s just a necklace, but it feels the same in a way I can’t describe.”
Gaia furrowed her brows, giving serious consideration to Ryne’s musings. “Hmm. I guess I could see it. They’re already connected for me, in a sense. Getting that necklace made was the very first thing we did on our first trip here, when we first became friends.”
“You were my friend before that, too!” Ryne crossed her arms and pouted indignantly.
“Well, it helped that you bribed me,” Gaia retorted, accusatorily poking Ryne’s arm.
“Hey! You didn’t want the coffee biscuits at first. How could that be a bribe?”
“I did have a sweet tooth then, so I wasn’t wholly uninterested. I was skeptical they’d be as divine as you led me to believe, that’s all. But I’m not too proud to admit when I’m wrong. If I recall, my enjoyment seemed to amuse you greatly. You had the stupidest grin on your face for hours afterwards.”
“It was the first time I’d seen you… like something. It was adorable.”
“I suppose I was a bit cranky and stubborn back then.”
“Back then?”
“My offer to punch you when you annoy me still stands.”
Ryne giggled, leaning back on her hands to stare up at the stars. These relatively mundane moments would have been unimaginable to a young Minfilia, freshly liberated from a physical cell only to find herself imprisoned by the endless burning daylight and the burdens another put upon her. But now, to me, they’re… “I get it now. The connection.”
“Between the tower and the necklace?”
Ryne nodded in response, sitting back up and turning to Gaia. “The first time I came to the Crystarium, I was frozen with awe. I’d seen a lot of Norvrandt with Thancred by then, and read from some of Urianger’s books, but none of it prepared me for how grand this city was. Like a whole world unto itself. The Crystarium gave me my first real home. A place with warmth, and joy, and with people I loved that I would do anything to protect. Where I can find solace and where I hope for a brighter future.” Ryne laced her fingers through Gaia’s, gazing fondly into her eyes. “The necklace brought us together, and now you’re all of those things to me, too.”
Gaia raised their joined hand to her lips, softly kissing the back of Ryne’s palm. “I can barely imagine what my life would be like if I was still in Eulmore. Some lonely girl without a family, tormented by voices, pushing away anyone who dared come close. Even with whatever luxuries and trinkets they could provide, it wouldn’t be home. I’m not sure anywhere would be. And now we’re turning over every stone in Norvrandt, and even cobbling new ones ourselves! There’s Amaurot, Elpis, and uncountable numbers of places we’ve seen glimpses of. One day we could even travel to shards no living being from the First or the Source has ever seen… yet any of them would be home, if you were there with me.
“Gaia… that’s the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard you say,” Ryne choked out through a few elated tears.
“You’ve been my partner for moons and my friend for longer,” Gaia sighed, “yet I’m somehow still getting more saccharine by the day. I’m starting to think I have biscuits for brains as well.”
“Then it’s a good thing I have a sweet tooth too!” They both laughed as their arms drifted further around each other.
“Idiot.” Gaia brought her hands up to Ryne’s shoulders. Even in the dark of night, Gaia could still see the blush spreading on Ryne’s face. She looks so beautiful under the moonlight. “Thank you for bringing me up here, Ryne. I love you.”
“I love you too, Gaia.”
Their eyes slowly shut as they leaned in…
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
They jolted and smacked their noses into each other. After taking a second to collect their bearings, they looked up to see the night sky illuminated by colorful explosions.
Gaia broke the stunned silence, still clinging closely to Ryne. “Are those… fireworks?”
“It’s probably just a coincidence. Today is the second anniversary of Eden’s restoration, after all, anyone could be celebrating it.” Her gaze swept across the sky and down to the Crystalline Mean, where a crowd was gathered… and looking at them. “Wait, that’s Rayla waving at us! And I see Moren and Beq Lugg too! And Lyna, and the kids, and…”
Gaia withdrew from the embrace, burying her head in her hands in embarrassment. “Wicked white… Rayla said she had something planned for the anniversary. She knew we’d be up here, didn’t she?” While Ryne and Gaia weren’t shy with their affectionate relationship, Gaia still wasn’t quite at ease having her most vulnerable moments on display, even if the audience seemed to be mostly friends.
“She was the one that told me about the view from this tower…” Ryne sheepishly said as it became clear to both of them that their overly excitable friend had set them up for this.
“That piece of… I’ll kick her arse back through the rift myself!”
“Hey! The view was as romantic as she promised, and it is a special day for us. I for one think it’s a delightful gesture.”
Gaia crossed her arms and grumbled, “I’ll give her a ‘delightful gesture’…”
“I think it’s nice being doted on once in a while!”
“By someone other than me, you mean.” Gaia sighed defeatedly.
“There’s my Gaia,” Ring sing-songed. “Perhaps we should join the party, since we’re the ones who restored Eden in the first place.”
The conversation continued as they stood up and stretched their legs after sitting so long on the ledge. “While I’d love to stay here… you’re probably right. Maybe Glynard will finally let us drink.”
“As long as it’s not whatever Giott calls her ‘light morning brew.’ It smells fouler than amaro manure! Oh, I wonder if they’ll have fresh pastries?”
“I’m sure they will.”
Ryne took Gaia’s hand, leading them back towards the stairs of the tower and out of the crowd’s sight. “Gods, I wonder what else they has planned? I’m so excited to see everyone together!”
“There will be plenty of time for everyone, but…” Gaia quickly tugged Ryne towards her and spun her so they were face to face. She cupped Ryne’s cheek in her free hand and guided their lips together. Ryne’s other hand snaked around Gaia’s waist, pressing them closer together and basking in this moment with the most important person in her world. When the kiss finally ended, Gaia pressed her forehead to Ryne’s.
“That is just for us.”