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Karlach stared down at her hands - they were more rugged than ever, carrying her axe had left them worn and calloused. She had wanted to wear gloves when she got here but Lae’zel had scoffed at the idea ‘You have the hands of a warrior! That is nothing to be ashamed of.’ Now though, she wished she had picked them up as she walked over to talk to her old friend. The cleric was by herself, sipping a glass of wine as she stared up at the stars and moon, the silver of her hair shining in the night.
“Heya Fringe.” She said with a big smile, as she put her hand behind her head nervously. Shadowheart returned the smile, pleasantly. She had watched Karlach walking over to her, slowly escaping the raucous of the group.
“Hey yourself Karlach. You’re looking even more muscled than usual.” She must have thought it a compliment but Karlach shifted uncomfortably as she continued “Lae’zel must be keeping you on a tight regiment.”
This time they both chuckled. Lae’zel had been making sure she was fit, not that she had to. Every day in the hells was a battle, a workout of physical and mental ability. She looked into Shadowheart’s eyes and reached out to her with her mind to no avail. No tadpoles. No easy way out if they didn’t want or couldn’t explain their feelings.
The eye contact might have said it all anyway, that there was something there once, before Lae’zel, before Halsin they had held each other, kissed, talked about the future. All of those memories seemed to be rushing into Karlach’s mind, she wondered if they were on Shadowheart’s as well.
They stood awkwardly for a second - the sound of the music drifting closer to them, saving them from this moment.
“Mm.” Karlach caught the tune and it sparked yet another memory.
“This is your favorite song isn’t it?”
“Is it?” Shadowheart listened intently and once the chords strummed against her ears her face melted into a blissful look.
“It is. You remembered.” She looked down at her feet and missed Karlach inching closer.
“Course I did Shaddy.” Shadowheart scowled at the nickname and went to make a remark but found herself inches away from Karlach’s chest.
“Dance with me Fringe.” Her hand reached out and Shadowheart placed hers into it while looking around tentatively.
“Don’t get me in trouble with Lae’zel.” She said softly, still letting Karlach hold onto her hand gently. She heard her booming laugh reply to her fears.
“You just focus on dancing.”
That was enough talking, Karlach thought - she reached around Shadowheart’s waist and pulled her close. She smelled of pine and incense not the thick perfumes of her past. They danced around the small tents and twirled to the water’s edge - living in suspended reality. Here Karlach’s heart had been fixed and she had not gone to the hells. Here Shadowheart was able to be with her parents and the music never stopped playing. Here they never had to stop dancing.
This was not their reality though, eventually the tune faded to the next, slower, more intimate. They could have stopped but instead they pushed against each other leaning in and rested their foreheads to touch, closed their eyes. Slowly circling each other to the soft tune. The moon shone on an approaching figure - Lae’zel smirked at the scene and extended a hand in their direction.
“Karlach, the night has fallen, let us rest before we venture back.”
There was a moment’s hesitation before Karlach with a smile twice as wide as before released Shadowheart and with a jogging embrace swept Lae’zel off her feet planting kisses upon her face and neck taking her towards their tent on the far side of camp.
As they walked away Shadowheart stared down at her hands the warmth dissipating off of them quickly. Halsin stepped forward out of the shadows and took them in his. “She is still very happy Shadowheart - as are you. You’ll have to let go of your guilt. You could not follow her.” She pressed her face into his chest and heard the beat of his heart where the hum of an engine should be.