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Colette gazes at the sunny sky through the murkiness of her bedroom window. Downstairs, she can make out the sounds of her grandmother and father busying themselves with preparing the table for Christmas dinner. Being at home puts her in a somber mood, the metaphorical distance between herself and her family has never quite healed after all this time.
Iselia is covered in thin sheets of snow that rise to the ankles of the young children who are rolling around outside. Colette fondly remembers Genis and Lloyd building snow forts to pelt snowballs across the front of the school’s patio. Her snowball had swung too wide once and it knocked the rooster compass on the school’s roof off center, forcing it to stay pointed towards the west. She smiles to herself, leaning her forehead against the cold window and breathing out a tired sigh.
“Colette!” Her grandmother calls from downstairs.
She steadies herself, shaking off any lingering feelings of sadness, and makes her way downstairs. The table is set modestly with a few main dishes and some small candles peppered throughout. An ornate wreath hangs above the entryway to the stairs, a gift from the priests of the Church of Martel during Colette’s first Christmas.
“Has your stay here so far been well? Don’t you want to go see everyone?” Her father asks as she seats herself across from him.
“It’s always good to be home, Father. I just wanted to rest a bit after the travel.” Colette smiles.
He merely nods in reply and they sit in silence while her grandmother finishes setting the table and sits herself at the end.
“I heard you stopped by Dirk’s house on the way. How is he doing?” Her grandmother glances at her.
“He’s doing well. I went to ask if he had heard from Lloyd, but it seems he doesn’t know anything either. He sent a letter out a week ago.”
Her grandmother seems to get the message, and doesn’t press Colette any further. Lloyd has been travelling Iselia and destroying exspheres for all of a year now. Zelos occasionally reports seeing him or that he’s doing well, but Colette hasn’t heard a word since they parted ways. She sometimes wonders if he even thinks of her, but immediately brushes those thoughts away. Lloyd is caring and emotional, he would sacrifice the world for her, and she would never take it for granted.
They eat in a comfortable silence, occasionally discussing Colette’s relief work or daily life around Iselia. The food is cleared off the table slowly while they talk about daily happenings in a professional manner. It’s strange to conduct as a family when they’ve been apart for so long. Colette truly loves her father and grandmother, but sometimes she forgets what type of people they even are. When the clock approaches midnight, a light knock comes filtering into the room from the front door.
“Excuse me, I’ll get that.” Colette jumps from her seat and walks over to the door. She peers through the peephole, squinting through the fogged glass before jumping back in shock. Colette throws the door open, a smile lighting up her entire face.
“Zelos!” She exclaims at the redhead posing in the doorway.
“No need to call the presses, I know it’s shocking to see someone like me out here.” Zelos grins.
Colette throws her arms around him, pulling him down into a warm hug. He laughs at her enthusiasm, gently stroking a hand through her hair. His voice sounds like bells chiming in the summer breeze, it’s refreshing and warm despite the cold draft coming in from the outside.
“What are you doing here?” She quickly pulls away, keeping her hands at his shoulders.
“Unannounced visiting. I heard a lovely lady was returning to her hometown for Christmas and thought I’d drop by. Winter happens to be my least favorite season, so what better way to change the mood by being around a beautiful woman such as yourself, my dear Colette.” Zelos waves his arm in time with his speech, bowing slightly at the waist.
Colette smiles warmly, gesturing for him to enter the house. Somehow, she feels much more relieved knowing that Zelos also seeks after company during the wintertime. They were similar in that respect, surrounding themselves with friends to subvert the overwhelming loneliness in their lives.
“We have some leftovers from dinner,” she glances at the kitchen where her grandmother and father retreated towards. “Are you hungry?”
“I ate before making the trip. I actually wanted to see if you would accompany me somewhere.” Zelos smiles, sliding the backpack that sat on his shoulder to the floor and squatting down to rummage through it. He pulls out a cloak similar to the one he’s wearing and offers it up to Colette. She happily takes it, throwing the thick, cream-colored cloak on.
“Where are you heading?” She asks, grabbing a pair of mittens off the little table next to the doorway.
“Not too far from here, if you’re willing to walk a bit. Don’t worry, I wouldn’t take a woman anywhere dangerous.” Zelos flips his hair off his shoulder and gestures to the door.
Colette laughs a little, knowing very well that Zelos would never put her in harm's way. She loves him, loves the way he’s able to calm the mood and ease the static between people. He jokes and laughs and doesn’t take life seriously, but he understands the overwhelming feelings that the Chosens bury deep inside. Part of her is glad he exploded, crying and lashing out at the people he loved instead of keeping it all inside. He looked happier now, healthier, eyes looking at the world as though something finally mattered here.
“You coming?” He beckons.
Colette nods excitedly, following him out the door and locking it behind her. They make their way down the streets of Iselia, various light fixtures peppering the houses and roads. The school is decorated with drawings and lanterns the students make around this time, the rooster on the roof still thrown off its axis.
She follows Zelos out of the village, the cold finally settling in and she shivers. He turns to look at her and offers his hand up. Colette takes it, squeezing lightly as a thank you. They make their way down the path leading to the forest, Zelos swinging their hands in time with their steps. He hums a song under his breath that Colette vaguely recognizes as a Tethe’allan lullaby.
“Oh! Right up there.” Zelos points with his free hand towards the path that diverges from the forest.
“The Human Ranch…?” Colette wonders out loud.
“Technically there’s nothing really there anymore,” Zelos tugs her towards the path and they ascend up the slope to the rusted iron doors.
The Human Ranch still stands among the dirty snow, an ominous and tall reminder of the horrors committed by Desians and humans alike. The iron has rusted over time, lacking in upkeep and chipping away at the edges. Zelos makes an easy show of prying the entrance open with his dagger, returning it to its sheath and taking Colette by the hand again.
They make their way through the abandoned ranch, stepping over fallen debris and abandoned weapons. Zelos pulls Colette closer as they pass by a pile of bones, his grip tightening on her hand. She rubs her thumb in a small circle over his knuckle until he eases. They approach a wired fence that’s already been pried open at the bottom, and Zelos uses his free hand to tug it back enough for a person to wiggle underneath.
“Sorry for the unconventional pathway, my dear.” Zelos says.
Colette smiles and wiggles her way through the fence, careful not to catch her clothing on the torn wire. Once she’s on the other side, she waits for Zelos to carefully slide through, tugging his hair to the side to avoid catching at the ends. He pats himself down and pulls the wire back in place.
“It’s just off to the side there,” He gestures to the cliff that looks over the ocean.
They approach the edge and Zelos lets out an extravagant sigh, tossing his bag off to the side and falling onto the ground. He pats the area next to him, looking out towards the rolling waves that collide with the snow falling through the air. Colette sits next to him, crossing her ankles over the edge of the cliff and peering out into the open.
“So, have you heard from Lloyd recently?” Zelos finally breaks the silence.
She smiles sadly, shaking her head, “No. Dirk and I both tried contacting him, but he hasn’t responded.”
“I see.” Zelos nods.
“He’s probably really busy tracking down the exspheres!” She amends, “So, it makes sense that he’d be busy. Sometimes our letters can get lost in the travel, too. I’m not worried, I know Lloyd will be fine. I understand him.”
Zelos laughs, a little too sadly, “It’s lonely, isn’t it?”
Colette opens her mouth to respond, but stops, merely nodding in silence.
“Ahhh,” Zelos sighs, falling back into the snow. “That Lloyd is busying himself with saving the world that he forgets all about us little Chosen. We’re going to die of loneliness in this cruel winter.”
Colette smiles at his dramatics, bringing her legs up to wrap her arms around her knees. Zelos does a good job at keeping the mood light, but she can tell they’re both mulling in shared longing. Lloyd is the sun on these cold days; he’s the sole reason they’re both alive and breathing. Sometimes she forgets how much of a hole he leaves behind when he continues on his own. Colette keeps strong, has always been stronger than most, but sometimes it’s exhausting. She loves this world too much, and it almost never loves back.
“Do you think Lloyd misses us, too?” She finally asks, nerves vibrating throughout her body.
“Definitely!” A familiar voice comes filtering in from behind.
Colette turns quickly, her eyes widening at the sight before her. Lloyd stands by the wire fence, grinning with two packages sitting next to his feet. His hair is a little longer, strands pressing against his face when a draft rolls in. He has snow clinging to the bright red jacket he’s always worn, and his cheeks are flushed red. She can tell he’s been travelling through the snow by the dirt clinging to his boots and the snow around him.
“L-Lloyd?” She quickly stands, looking at him in bewilderment.
Zelos lays still on the ground, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. He knew.
“Sorry it took so long to get here! I stopped by Iselia, but your grandmom said had already left.” He scratches the back of his head.
“I told you I was bringing her over here,” Zelos glances up from the ground.
Lloyd pauses, looking at him, then his eyes widen in realization, “Oh. You did...I completely forgot! Sorry about that, Colette.”
They both glance at her unmoving figure, and she shakes a little from the cold or Lloyd or maybe a bit of both. Colette hasn’t cried since the priests at the Church told her to be strong, but she feels the tears pooling in her eyes right now. She wipes furiously at them and runs to Lloyd, throwing her arms around him in a fierce hug. He grunts from the impact, chuckling a little as she clings to him. He pats her back, pulling her up into a tight, warm embrace.
“Why didn’t you respond to my letter?” She mumbles into the fabric of his jacket.
“I wanted to surprise you,” he sounds sheepish, “Zelos told me he could arrange something so I could surprise you and my Dad.”
Colette releases herself from him, and they smile at each other--it’s private, personal, filled with their shared affection and love. She shoots a look back at Zelos and pouts, “You.”
“Sorry, hunny. The man wanted to surprise you, what can I say?” Zelos laughs, sitting up.
“You could’ve said something! You’re mean, Zelos.” She pouts.
“Hey, now I’m the bad guy? Give me a break, darling. I’ve already played that part, can’t I get an upgraded role?” Zelos places a hand on his chest.
They walk over, Lloyd offering a hand to help Zelos up. He pulls Zelos up and plants a chaste kiss to his lips, grinning widely. Zelos scrunches his nose up, making a dissatisfied noise.
“I missed you,” Lloyd mumbles under his breath. Zelos’ features soften and he nods slowly, placing a kiss to Lloyd’s forehead.
“And you,” Lloyd turns to face Colette, “Of course I missed my favorite Chosen!”
“Hey,” Zelos responds with faked offense.
Colette’s cheeks hurt from smiling so much, she reaches for both of their hands and holds them tightly. They both wrap an arm around her, bringing her into a big hug. It’s unbelievably warm, Zelos’ hand tugging at her hair and Lloyd rubbing a thumb into her shoulder blades. She stands up on her tip-toes, kissing both of their cheeks, laughter bubbling up in her chest.
“Thank you,” she giggles out, holding them tighter, “thank you so much.”
They eventually part and sit around discussing Lloyd’s travels. He tells of the exspheres he’s destroyed and the ones that have eluded him. Colette describes her relief work in Sylvarant and of her stay in Asgard. She conveniently leaves out the bit about the resentful and irritated people who throw cold looks at her when she arrives in certain towns. The stories fly back and forth between the three of them until the sun starts to set early beyond the ocean.
Zelos eventually raises his head from Lloyd’s shoulder and yawns, “It’s getting really late.”
Colette nods, pressing a hand into the snow and waving it around to form a snow angel. They should be getting back soon, especially with Iselia’s dark winters making it impossible to see the paths. Lloyd and Zelos probably have things to do, and she really should return to the relief work in Asgard. Plus, she has a feeling they’d be reunited again soon.
“Oh, that reminds me!” Lloyd gasps, getting on his knees and crawling back towards the wire fence. He picks up the packages he had discarded earlier, bringing them back over.
They were neatly wrapped boxes, both small and covered in wrapping paper that bore the Lezareno logo. Lloyd handed one out to each of them, staring expectantly at their reaction. Zelos glances at Colette and shrugs, peeling away the wrapping paper with careful precision. He doesn’t tear it at all, carefully tossing the paper aside to reveal a black box no bigger than a book.
“What is it?” Zelos quirks an eyebrow.
“Well, you have to open it.” Lloyd says matter of factly.
Zelos pries the box open slowly revealing a hairclip decorated with small pearls and diamonds. It’s S-shaped, sparkling against the setting sun, and Zelos picks it up carefully. He’s trying hard not to smile, the corners of his lips twitching.
“A hairclip?” Zelos questions.
“W-Well, I thought you’d like it...You have a lot of hair, um, and it’s handcrafted by one of the people in the villages I visited. I helped destroy the exsphere that was poisoning the town, so they gifted it to me! If you don’t like it, though--”
“Lloyd.” Zelos cuts him off, smiling, “It’s nice. Thank you. Would you care to do the honor, my dear Colette?”
Colette smiles, reaching over and gently tucking the red strands behind Zelos’ ear. She slides the hairclip into place and touches it gently. Zelos smiles and leans back a bit, “How do I look? I assume you’re all taken aback by my incredible beauty. Don’t look too long or you’ll fall in love with me. Really, it only takes a minute.”
Lloyd blushes to his ears and looks away, mumbling something under his breath. Zelos lets out a loud laugh, tucking a loose strand behind his ear and leaning forward to kiss Lloyd. “Thank you, hunny.”
“Colette, open yours. I hope you’ll like it…” He seems to almost shy away from the gift.
Colette tears the wrapping paper with much less grace than Zelos, pushing the discarded scraps into the snow to prevent it from flying away. It was another black box of similar size, taped down on the sides. She tears at the tape while Lloyd stutters out, “I-I made it myself. So, it’s probably not as nice as the gift Zelos got…I asked my dad for some advice, but it’s mostly from scratch. You lost your Cruxis Crystal, so I thought I could make something else for you”
She pulls the top off to reveal a necklace. It’s made of a dark iron, a red ruby sitting in the center and surrounded by small diamonds. It’s very lightweight and has a few bumpy edges where the smithing wasn’t perfect. Colette takes it in her hands and laughs softly to herself.
“Oh, god.” Lloyd sinks into the large collar of his jacket, “It’s terrible isn’t it?”
“No, of course not, Lloyd! I love it. It’s very...you.” She smiles, holding the necklace up to her throat.
Lloyd is incredibly red and fiddles with the hem of sleeve, “What’s that supposed to mean.”
“It means she loves it just as much as she loves you, idiot.” Zelos rolls his eyes and gently pats Lloyd on the back.
Lloyd scoffs, offended, and shoots a pointed glare at Zelos.
The three sit around for another hour at least, mostly in silence, leaning against each other for support. Colette loves them. She loves Zelos and how his smiles stretch the freckles on his face, how he lightens the mood and always shows up when she really needs it. She loves Lloyd and his calloused hands, his hearty laugh and the way he cares for the world just as much as she does. She loves their embraces and sweet words, their devotion and surprises. Even after they part ways--Lloyd going off to see his dad and Zelos parting ways to visit Sheena who is in Luin--Colette feels an incredible lingering warmth. She has never once regretted her position in life, and resentment is far from what she feels to the world, but sometimes the burden of the Chosen was overwhelming. As much as Colette loves the world, the people, the animals, the skies and the earth, she loves Zelos and Lloyd the most.
If she ever wondered what a family felt like, she assumes it’s like this.