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Edalyn was washing plates without really thinking of it, but her eyes glued to what she was doing. She felt Raine’s presence behind her, they were sitting on the table, looking silently out the window, and she didn’t want to look at them, feeling that the words they were about to say might be unpleasant.
“Eda ? Why do I have to stay here?”
“You don’t have to, Raine Storm. If you want to leave, you totally can.”, she answered in a playful tone hiding deception, still avoiding their eyes. “But as I quite appreciate your company, and you didn’t seem to hate it here… I would not have pushed you out the door.”
“Hoo, hoo! “Quite appreciate”, really? I think there’s more than just a little appreciation here!”
“Shut up, Hooty!” exclaimed Edalyn with irritation.
“I… I’m not ready yet”, she added, a tone lower.
While the house guardian went back in the door, she stared at the wall for a good minute, staying frozen in silence.
“Eda? Why won’t you look at me? Did I… do, or say, something wrong?”
“No, you didn’t.”, she smiled, finally looking into their eyes.
And after a small pause, she added:
“Raine Whispers. I’m sorry.”
“… Excuse-me? Sorry for what?”
“Everything…? Our teenage, mostly.”, she sighed, “I’m sorry I never told you the truth about my physical state, I always said everything was fine, I pushed you away when you were worried, I just shut you out and… I know this is hurtful. I… I ruined everything, I hurt you… I just… wanted to apologize…”
“Eda…”
They went to her, took her hands in theirs, and whispered:
“You don’t have to apologize. You don’t need to be sorry. I forgave you everything, if you’ve ever done wrong, a long time ago. I made mistakes, always worrying when you clearly didn’t want to talk about it.”
“No prob Raine Storm, you’re a worrier, should know that by now.”
“Just… Edalyn. I know you prefer to laugh at the face of fate, but if you ever want to stop… Just know you don’t have to pretend with me, ok?”
“Duly noted. Now, question: did I misheard or did you just call me by my full name? It must have been ages, out of crisis situations…”
“You used my last name, I used your full name, equality in points.”
“Oh, I see, things are getting serious now.”, she answered with a mischievous smile.
“Is anything serious with you?”
“Did you have to remind me that there are things I have to be serious on?”, she exclaimed, her smile wiped out her face immediately, “You know I hate being serious, but sometimes I have to. Like making sure King had enough to eat… And Luz’ security, of course!”
“Didn’t she like… Died, a week ago, while under your responsibility?”, they asked, manifestly doubting.
“Nah, she didn’t.” Eda answered with a strange smirk on her face. “She… uh, disappeared in Titan’s spirit and dissolved into light bubbles before coming back in ultra badass witch mode!”
“Sorry, didn’t mean to hurt…”
“Don’t. Please. Stop saying “sorry” when you’re speaking truth. It’s objectively true that I’m not really good at like… Being a substitute mother…”
“Eda… Don’t say that. I’m sure the kids would not agree. And you’re really good in a lot of domains, like providing love, and comfort, and laugh, and optimism. That’s probably the most important thing, ya know?”
“Sure, sure…Anyway. You wanted to leave?”
“No! I was just wondering why you’d keep me around…”
“First, I don’t know if you have anywhere to go.
”Second… Let’s say that you’re here for emotional support, if that’s ok with you?”
“It is, but you will need to elaborate. And it’s true that I don’t really have anywhere else.”
“Elaborate? Seriously?”
“Why would the extroverted, always-laughing, outgoing and independent Owl Lady need any kind of emotional support?”
“I… I didn’t know you see me like that…”
“You are not only that, for sure. I know you are more, I know you have fragilities too, but… That’s the image you built and that you show to the world, yes.”
“You want an honest answer to your question, don’t you?”
“Yes, please. But I’d accept if you weren’t willing to answer at all.”
“… Well. It’s… Somehow, it’s hard to say, ya know, hard to accept, but… I think it might be better if I tell you… You said I am extroverted, outgoing, but.. I hate to face my own feelings, I mask them all the time. You said I’m independent? Why? Because I always refused to join a Coven? No. The reality… The truth is, I completely depend on a few other people, and on you specifically… I… You’re probably not going to believe this, so as proof, I’m gonna tell you… Seeing you head witch, it hurt me. Not in itself but like… I’ve spent thirty years missing someone who gave straight into their game of coven and all, to the point of becoming head witch. Yeah, that was bitter, like… I mean, to this point, you were my enemy! But I still knew I needed you… And then, we played together, and you… I don’t know why you did that…”
“Eda.”
“Yes?”
“Of course I saved you. The day… You wanted to die, didn’t you?”
“… Yes… I tell you, I am emotionally dependent on people. And it felt like the only two I still had would leave me very soon… Why do I even tell you all this?! It’s ok now. Talking about it will just make you depressed and worried about me, which is perfectly useless.”
“Don’t. Don’t tell me not to worry. I love it, it reminds you are here.”
They smiled, their right hand getting lost on her cheek for a second.
“Raine Storm. I promise you don’t have to worry. Everything’s fine. But seriously, how can you like worrying…?”
“You said you felt betrayed when I became head witch.”
“I did, and?”
“Thirty years you spent missing me, thirty years I tried to convince myself I was not worried.”
“…What? How? Why…?”
“You were cursed. Everybody knew it. And you mattered to me. Despite being the enemy Belos pointed at. So I tried to believe he said the truth, I… really tried. Now, I’ve been knowing I was wrong for a while. I can worry about you without feeling like I’m betraying some part of me. So, please… Don’t tell me not to worry.”
“Ok… You worry too much, about too many things but… The argument is valid, and you seem to like it, I’ll let you, dear Storm.”
“Thank you, Owl Lady. I’m going out for a walk, do you want to come with me?”
“Nah, thank you. I’d rather stay home today, still got repairs to do…”
“Ok, see you later then…”
Edalyn watched them go away, retaining a sigh until they were out in the woods. She was not able to even understand what was happening just two minutes before, and during all of the conversation, actually. Everything was good and clear and fun but then one word would tense both of them out of any rational amount. And especially at the end of the conversation, she was just there, talking, exchanging with Raine and then… What did happen when they started talking about the years they spent separated? It suddenly felt like a gigantic wall had grown between the two of them…
“Damn, why does it gotta be so complicated?”
“What so complicated, sis?”, questioned a voice from behind.
“Lily!? What do you do here?”
“Just coming for news, you know. You’re my sister, I care about you, I didn’t see you in three days and you were not seen anywhere so I came.”
“I don’t know why, but… Even though we’re close now, even though we spent a lot of times together since last months… It still feels weird.”
“We will be able to chase that weirdness, I promise, even if we can’t take back thirty years without talking. Anyway, if we want to, we’ll need to learn to communicate. You were struggling with something?”
“You wouldn’t understand.”
“I can understand a surprising amount of things.”
“Not that.”
“Uh? Oh. Romance getting hard with Storm?”
“That’s the surname I gave them, you can’t use it!”
“Kay. But I got it right?”
“Kinda… It’s not even to the “romance” point. I mean, we were just talking, it was good, we were calm and comfortable and then… Once or twice, I felt like I couldn’t talk with them anymore. My heart… Well… I fear when they come close, it’s ridiculous…”
“You should tell them.”
“I can’t.”
“Why?”
“Where would I find the words?! They are… They are perfect, ok? And…”
“I know Raine is perfect in your eyes. I don’t know if you need to say anything more than that.”
“I do.”
“And you can’t?”
“I don’t think I can.”
“Joke it around, then.”
“What?! Lilith, this is a serious thing, I can’t… I can’t just joke it around!”
“Everything is a serious topic. But you turn everything to a joke, because this is who you are. You are the light-hearted, generous, comforting joker who will put a smile on our faces no matter what. You are a joker. This is hard topic, but your speciality is joking around them. Just don’t overthink it.”
“I have a question.”
“Yes?”
“Since when the person who doesn’t know what romantic love feels like is the one giving the best relationship advice?”
“Firstly, I know you. Secondly, I know the concept and how it works in history and books. Thirdly, I know them at least a little. Fourthly and lastly, I am not emotionally involved in this, so I can do more rational thinking on the thing.”
“I… Ok. So, you said not overthink? Dear, do you have any idea of the stress induced in me by… all of this?”
“You spent two days running around and screaming “Raine Storm Whispers sleeps at my house!!” between bursts of joy and panicked exclamations. So yes, I saw. And I know that, even though you usually follow your emotions and intuitions, you become over-rational under stress. I know you Eda. and I know you’re one of the bravest witch that ever walked through the Boiling Isles. You can do it.”
“And what do I do if they reject me?”
“They won’t.”
“How could you know that?”
“I spent the last ten years near them cause we were both high in the hierarchy?”
“Ok, that’s a good argument.”
“Thanks for acknowledging.”
“You’re welcome. But I don’t believe you.”
“For Titan’s sake, Eda! You two already look and act like a couple, you’ve looked like that for decades! It’s even more obvious than Amity and Luz and you’re still there, both of you, unable to make a move! I know the curse I put you under, and your tendency to refuse help led you to have a fight. Ok, fine. It’s partially my fault, I can’t complain. But, please, stop this. Stop doubting yourself so much. You are truly great and I can assure you they see this. So now you will take this bravery you have, go find them and tell them!”
“Hey, no need to scream, no need to get angry, I will, I’ll tell them…”
“You go. I don’t leave until this problem is definitely solved.”
“Woah, ok, I made you mad, sorry… I promise I will tell Raine I love them. I… I will do it. I can do it. Remind me, what are your advice again?”
“Breathe. Don’t overthink. And eventually joke it around.”
“Duly noted. Thank you…?”
“You’re welcome. Now, walk out that door, and go!”, exclaimed Lilith literally pushing her sister outside the house.
Edalyn sighed, turned to Hooty and praised him to make reproches to her elder sister from her, and then walked to the woods, very slowly, feet-dragging, not even looking where she was going. She didn’t want to go, anyway. Yes, it would solve the problem of the ambiguity, but it would bring so many questions. None of them was really good at creating or maintaining a relationship of any kind, she knew that, so how could a romantic one work, by the Titan’s blood?!
She had been walking in between the trees for a good ten minutes when she noticed that the air was full of a melody, a familiar one, which left all of the birds silent in admiration and fear, that everything around her felt suddenly brighter, the atmosphere was clearer. And by that only, she knew she had arrived where she had to go.
After another minute of walking, she entered a large glade, in the middle of which Raine was sitting, playing the rhapsody she had written for them years ago, their eyes closed. The Owl Lady leant against a tree and closed her eyes, listening to their play with delight, till they finished, five long and beautiful minutes later.
“Eda?”
“That’s me.”, she answered, opening her eyes.
“You came.”
“In fact.”
“Why did you leave the house? I thought you had repairs to do?”
“I do. But… My sister appeared out of nowhere and trapped me in a truth or dare I didn’t want to do, so I escaped.”
“You, you refused a dare? I didn’t know that was something that could happen!”, they exclaimed, amazed. “Do you think I could ask her tips to find some?”
“She keeps a list of the one I refused, you can ask her, it’s very short. And I would probably accept some of them if dared by you and not by her.”
“Really? Interesting… What was that dare that made you run away? And would you react the same way if I’d give it to you?”
“Are you playing?”
“I dare you to answer my questions.”
“This is not a dare I can refuse. Yes, I would do it if it was you asking. But I know you would never dare that to me. You would believe I’m lying. Which is not the case. I promise.”
She looked at them right in the eyes, blinked a second while taking a deep breath, chasing every thought, and, staring smilingly at Raine, she finally whispered:
“Lily dared me to admit that I love you. Not just as a friend. I truly love you. Romantically. I almost went mad after we fought, cause I knew I would never have the possibility to see you as often as before. These last thirty years, I tried to distract myself, but I’ve been thinking of you every second. When we burnt the forest together… Yes, going to the end of act would’ve mean death, but it would’ve mean a happy death, cause I was close to you, closer than I ever thought we could be after that. My only regret was that I could not save you. But you stopped me, you saved us… And you brought me back to life just like that. Then you acted like you forgot and it was a nightmare, but you fought and… We succeeded… I just…You’re everything to me, and it’s so hard to ever think fate could still separate us, cause I need you… It’s… Yeah, I love you. And now, I can’t even remember why I couldn’t tell you, but, hey… It’s done?”
“And absolutely wonderfully.”, they whispered, pulling her into a hug. “Eda… Thanks you. For everything. You are the most wonderful people in the universe, every realm included. I love you too, even if I can not make a beautiful speech like you did… I love you, my light… And I’m not sure I can believe in the happiness of having you…”
Nestled in each other’s arms, finding refuge against a tree, they both let the time and silence make the words sink in, open the door to their joy, their hope, and the fulfillment of simply being together, finally knowing and accepting the reciprocity of their feelings.
“Can you believe this?”, Raine murmured with a smile, “Can you believe that we are finally united?”
“Somehow, it’s hard, and… I know you have trouble believing it, too.”, she smiled, her head in their shoulder, “So I’m gonna put it the easy and clear way. Raine Storm Whispers, do you wanna be my lover?”
“Yes, Eda Light Clawthorne, the Owl Lady. Yes, I want to be your lover.”
“Thank you.”, she smiled, “Thank you, I know… I know you know I can be very hard to handle sometimes, I am so happy that you…”
“I can deal with it, Eda Light, I know I can do this so we’ll be together always.”
“Always. And, I really like that nickname, where did you find it?”
“Oh, I was just thinking, this week, how you almost always call me with mine, I thought I had to find one for you… And you’re a light if I’m lost in the dark, you’re hope and joy and happiness… Plus, it sounds quite similar to your name, so… It came naturally. I’m glad you like it.”
“This is beautiful, Raine Storm.”
The boss music called of sit there together, silently, exchanging a few words from time to time, till the end of the times, and they were looking at the sky slowly turning from the bright red of the day to a peaceful orange, then the dark blue of night, watching the stars appearing one by one, as still as statues, comfortable, exchanging remarks, jokes, smiles, the redhead admitting Lilith had not really dared her to do this explaining the conversation, the blue-haired nodding, understanding the semi-lie. They let time flow around them, slowly, till the moon flooded them in its light.
“Maybe we should go home now, shouldn’t we?”, asked Raine calmly.
“Yes… Just a second.”, answered Edalyn, taking off her right earring, “Take that, please. If you have it, I’ll have to come for it if we ever fight, and so we’ll talk and not wait decade…”
“I don’t think we could ever part ways like that again.”, they smiled, “But I like the idea. Take mine. So we are sharing.”
They exchanged their earrings with a complicit smile, knowing that, even more than their mutual declarations, even more than accepting to be each other’s lover, this gesture signed their relationship, their love and their will to live it
“Eda-Light?”
“Yes?”
“May I kiss you?”
“Of course.”
Not even a second passed between the end of her agreement and the moment their two smiles became one, drowning them in happiness, curiosity, plenitude and peace. When they broke the contact to breathe, staying just a millimeter away from each other, they finally knew.
Now, nothing could separate them again, ever, because they had found their way back to each other, to home.