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The trusty bat feels heavy in Stelle's hands. Her golden eyes fixate on the dried blood stains before she channels her disgust into Destruction. Blue sparks dance across the bat, hungrily consuming the dark flakes. If only she could do the same for the dark feelings in her heart...
"Ah, Greyie. There you are!" A familiar voice rings out, dragging Stelle's attention away from the bat.
Blue sparks gleefully escape her control and rush hungrily towards Hyacine. Turquoise eyes watch Destruction's approach steadily, with full faith that Stelle does not deserve, but will answer to. She pulls on her Authority to slow the sparks down and shields Hyacine with her own body, calling upon Preservation to blunt the incoming impact. Despite the defensive maneuvres, Destruction rain hurts - Stelle just knows she'll have a bruised back come the Entry Hour.
Yet, that's hardly important at the moment. Pushing the dread and guilt down, Stelle quickly checks the pink-haired healer. Hyacine seems fine (unlike Stelle and her back); her smile projects a sense of calm Stelle can hardly share; her gaze is filled with some worry, but not for herself. Before Stelle can vocalise an apology and let her shame guide her eyes away, Hyacine's warm hands envelop her cheeks.
"I'm fine. You've kept me safe. You can relax now." There's no hypnotic pull in Hyacine's soft voice or turquoise eyes, but Stelle's tension slowly dissipates. Her legs buckle down, and she drops to her knees, Hyacine quickly following suit. She shouldn't - only Stelle should be on her knees, repenting for her carelessness. Not that Hyacine will ever allow that. So, Stelle doesn't fight it - she lets Hyacine's slow breathing pattern guide her own, holding onto the sense of relief.
"Sorry." Hyacine's disapproving tut stings, but Stelle is sorry. An accident or not, her powers almost hurt her dear...friend.
In response, one palm slides up her cheek and temple right into her grey mane. Scratches are different from the pattern Stelle's used to, but it feels good, relaxing.
"You dummy. That's not what you need to apologise for, is it?" Hyacine gently reprimands her. Stelle's grimace melts to the scritches.
"If he has a problem with me doing what he failed to do, then he can get his butt here and punish me himself." She grouses, but Hyacine's scritches make her words lose their bite.
"We all have our parts to play, Stelle."
Stelle?
"...My bat says otherwise." Stelle's response is bitter, but she ultimately holds herself back, Hyacine's warm touch grounding her.
"You want revenge, Greyie?" Turquoise eyes gleam with malicious mischief - a look that looks disturbingly attractive on Hyacine's face. Stelle hasn't seen it since giving up her managerial duties in the Garden, and she is very thankful she's already on her knees. "Help us complete Lady Aglaea's gambit. Help me fulfill my duty. And after that... you have calls to make, don't you?"
Stelle feels weightless, the reality of months spent on Amphoreus hitting her all at once, but Hyacine's words are her lifeline. "You mean it? Really, honestly mean it?"
"Really, honestly, yes." Hyacine giggles happily, making a mess of Stelle's hair. "Up you go, Greyie. Don't make me worry about you chasing shadows - I need to finish my preps."
"No." Stelle surges forward and traps the smaller girl in a tight hug, a surprised laugh smothered in her shoulder. "I'm a brooding and sad Stelle now, and I need time to switch back to a happy-go-lucky Greyie."
Hyacine leans back with some effort and her soft voice flows right into Stelle's ear. "You're such a handful. Alright, how does five minutes sound?"
An impromptu live ASMR session makes Stelle's head spin, but the promise of cuddle time has her resist the unfair offer. "More."
"Ten?"
"Too stingy."
"Twenty?"
"Warmer."
"Okay, okay, you'll get your quint." Hyacine sounds exasperated, but she returns the hug wth far more strength than expected. With a woop of victory, Stelle tumbles backward, dragging the pink-haired healer with her. Her anger at the traitorous Cleaners is still an ongoing issue, but she's willing to bury it for the sake of the girl resting on her chest.
This is a cheap price to pay to make the ever restless Hyacine take it easy for a time.
This is a cheap price to pay to make sure Hyacine doesn't have to take Seliose's place in the skies.