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Two days after her revival, Necromancer Charlotte was in her true home within Elysium: next to her lady. Within Pandora’s room, they sat before her lady’s vanity. Yoruhime faced the mirror, Charlotte combed her lady’s hair. For Charlotte, being there was priceless splendor in that land of divine sunlight. So nostalgic, so comforting. Charlotte grinned.
“Miss Esther told me that you nursed our Wyvern to health.”
Yoruhime huffed.
“Of course. It’s my duty as Pandora to oversee the restoration of our Specters. The three Judges of the Underworld are no exception.”
“I heard you were at his bedside day and night.”
“I-I wasn’t, Char!”
Charlotte giggled. Yoruhime’s nickname for her—a soft “sha” and a Japanese accented “lu”—tickled her heart. Unique and sweet. Just for her. Her pale cheeks reddened in her reflection. If only she had awakened sooner, she could’ve teased Yoruhime for weeks. If only she had awakened sooner.
She untangled a stubborn knot with her fingertips.
“Thank you for the flowers in my coffin, Miss Yoruhime. I enjoyed them.”
“...Good. I’m glad.”
Many of the blossoms were her favorites. Roses, daisies, lilies, violets… Amazing how they never wilted in Elysium. Every flower of every season known to man was present in its hills. She imagined Yoruhime had searched for them herself. Cheer bubbled in her cheeks. How much she enjoyed being with her again.
Again…
Charlotte looped sections of moonless hair between her fingers. Her hands lacked the eloquence she desired. She pushed through the jolts of pain in her wrist and arms. Death to Spectres was a fleeting inconvenience, Lord Hypnos had told her. Mortal life could be regained in a single breath. She wanted to believe him. She did. And yet.
Twirling the ribbons into her lady’s braid, her smile faltered. She hoped it wouldn’t reflect on the mirror, in her voice. How much her chest ached.
“It’s strange, isn’t it? We died nearly the same time, and there was such a gap between our resurrections. I slept for so long, didn’t I?”
Yoruhime blinked.
“Char…?”
Charlotte chuckled, her radiance dimmed. Her palm caressed her lady’s hair, adjusting the braid to her lady’s preferred position. Ah, it was looser than she’d hoped. Death left a mark. Death held her tight. She continued, avoiding her lady’s gaze in the mirror.
“It can’t be helped. Lord Hades is limited with his capabilities. He must place priority on who he can raise first. Whoever is the most important and the strongest.”
She knew why Pandora and Wyvern were raised before her. She could accept that. She couldn’t accept what crept into her heart. How cold those waters were, how crushing the waves must have been for her, how dark it was that night. Souichiro shielded Yoruhime from the worst of it, he said. She knew how it felt, she died the same way. Charlotte chose her death. Yoruhime hadn’t.
It bore into Charlotte, before she died, the moment she had risen. They had been together since they were twelve. She treasured her. She wanted to be her friend, her shield. Her instinct and goodwill led to her helping others aboard that ship. She hoped to quiet the accusations flaunting as truths with her actions. Nothing worked. She couldn’t forget what haunted her.
How she had failed her lady that night.
Regret she sought to control ghosted past her lips.
“Miss Yoruhime, I’m sorry I couldn’t protect—”
“Char.”
Turning in her seat to face her, Yoruhime frowned. Her scarlet eyes, resolute.
“The past happened. It doesn’t exist in the present. I won’t permit you to finish that sentence.”
“But I—”
“Death is our certain companion in life. It doesn’t end what is important in our hearts. It never does. Your cosmo knows that better than anyone else. You taught me that, Char, by staying by my side all these years.”
Her slender hand rested on her shoulder, a link that drew a gasp from Charlotte. Her heart skipped a beat as Yoruhime leaned toward her. Close enough to smell the jasmine scent of her hair, the rippling of her lady’s long sleeve sweeping her bare forearm. Her lady’s gaze captivated her, her declaration piercing her doubt.
“I need you in the present with me. We’re together now. That’s what matters. Never forget that.”
“Miss Yoruhime…”
Her chest warmed. Where she found guilt and self-blame, her lady found power and resilience. Her upright chin and stature, those were not dictated by the fates. No cosmo was used in those words, no. Pandora wasn’t the one who restored her faith. Pandora wasn’t who she was connected to, remained bound to.
Who made her heart race at a single touch. Who made her wish for more. Her lips parted gently, her breath softly brushing Yoruhime’s midnight hair. Her grip on the comb slipped. Her fingers uncurled midair. Reaching for her.
Before Charlotte’s palm caressed her lady’s cheek, Yoruhime leaned back. Her warmth left her. Those scarlet eyes averted, her lady’s cheeks pinked.
“A-And it was my fault anyway. I didn’t want to let go of the kitty. It was too cute.”
Charlotte blinked, her trance broken. She laughed, her hand retreating to lightly cover her own mouth. Her lady was too cute.
“Then, may we arrange for a pet when we return to the living?”
“Hmph. Pandora can’t be seen as a soft caregiver. She’s a commander for Lord Hades. Besides… it’s against school regulations.”
She clapped her hands together, a playful plea.
“It’ll be our little secret, Miss Yoruhime. We can keep whatever companion you’d like in our room, and I’ll make sure that they receive all the care they would need. What would you prefer? A cat, a rabbit? I won’t tell a soul!”
“Ch-Char…”
Yoruhime pouted. Charlotte grinned. A beat before they both giggled. Like they had for years, like they always would.
“Miss Yoruhime, thank you again for the flowers.”
“I’m glad you liked them.”
“I did. However, you forgot one of my favorites.”
Her lady’s shoulders jolted. Her mouth was like a red fat zero on an exam. A gust of wind blew flower petals from the windowsill, floating near the mirror. Yoruhime recovered as a white petal landed on her shoulder.
“Which one?”
Sweet Yoruhime. Her nails dug into the back of her chair, her brows knit. Her foot looked ready to dash for the door. Charlotte grinned. Part of her wondered if she ought to withhold the truth from her lady. If Yoruhime knew flower language like she did, then her heart would be laid open. It could become complicated between them. But then…
Death had already left its mark, had it not?
Charlotte leaned closer, her hand gently plucking the white petal from her lady’s dress. She cupped it within her palm and laid it over her heart. Gazing straight into those scarlet eyes, she answered to the one who grounded her in the present.
“The snowdrop.”
Yoruhime nodded, slowly.
“That flower… Does it have a special meaning to you?”
Bursting into giggles, Charlotte rose to her feet. She laid the comb next to the flower petals by the mirror. She tried to spin her cheer.
“It means—”
Yoruhime rose, and held her. Jasmine flooded her senses. Charlotte had been centimeters from tumbling into the vanity. Her knees had buckled underneath her, her body a sudden dead weight. They stood upright, her lady supporting her. A curt warning.
“Don’t push yourself. It takes time for your body to adjust to living.”
Right. She’d forgotten. Again. Death held her tight as well.
Yet to deny herself that heat between them, to be in her arms… Before anything else happened, before they needed to exert themselves. Just a little longer. That’s all she’d like. Practice. Practice being closer to her. Her duty. Her heart. Charlotte restored her smile.
“Miss Yoruhime.”
“What is it?”
Gathering cosmo within her, Necromancer manifested her Surplice. Ebony metal plating covered her as she straightened and gingerly stood on her own two feet. Yoruhime frowned, her higher pitch betraying her stoic composure.
“Char, that’s the opposite of what I said.”
“It’s okay, Miss Yoruhime. Think of this as rehabilitation for me. A rehearsal for the fights ahead.”
Cradling Yoruhime’s hands in her own, she faced her lady.
“May we dance, Miss Yoruhime?”
“Dance?”
“We’ll keep it simple. Do you remember the box step from class?”
“Yes, but…”
“Please. I’d like to do this with you.”
And only you.
Yoruhime huffed. They started slow, her lady taking the lead. One, two, three. One, two, three.
“Next time, we’ll do this without A-kun and B-kun holding you up.”
Necromancer laughed, her ghosts spooked behind her.
“I’m sorry, Miss Yoruhime. I’m just so happy. I didn’t want to risk falling on you.”
“Don’t worry, Char. I’ve got you. You focus on regaining your strength.”
With her pledge, Yoruhime’s grip tightened. Her face resembled a soldier at war. Too cute, her lady. Charlotte leaned closer, the beads of her facemask dangling near her lady’s hair.
“And you can remember these moves whenever Master Souichiro asks to dance with you.”
“Ch-Char!”
Basking in Yoruhime’s blush, Charlotte giggled. On the third count, her heart leapt with joy. She swore once more to protect Yoruhime. In this life and the next. Her lady and dream. Her snowdrop of the night.