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"Julia? Are you well enough for our walk today?"
Lana's voice reached Julia's ears muffled by the wood of the door. This dimly-lit room they shared was so sparsely furnished that her voice echoed.
"Miss Lana, yes... I am."
Eagerly she donned her light shawl and opened the door to find the perky healer outside. Lana was dressed in her usual attire, having swapped the staff in her hands for a large basket of food.
"Morning!" Lana beamed at her.
"Y...yes, good morning, Miss Lana."
The healer linked their arms together and dragged Julia off, making sure to speak only after they had exited the dark castle walls for the bright outside. The sun was just barely up, and the birds were still singing. Just like every other day, both girls took a moment to take in the fresh air and stretch. Julia always felt like these early hours were a special treat reserved only for Lana and herself.
"Let's go, then! We don't want to be late!" Lana exclaimed. Julia nodded, and followed her to the beaten path to the orphanage.
The walks had been Lana's idea. Julia still remembered how Lana had cupped her cheeks with those smooth hands of hers, and declared that a few minutes in the sun would do her colouring wonders. Ah, she had been so lightheaded she hadn't been able to refuse – not that she would have, really. Lana had always looked out for her where others had – perhaps unconsciously – chosen to ignore her, not that she blamed them.
"You know, I really do think the walks have been doing you good." Lana commented, kicking a pebble out of their path.
Julia struggled to summon a reply quickly enough. "I... I enjoy them, Miss Lana," she tried.
Lana stopped in her tracks, and turned around. "R-Really?"
This was getting more confusing than ever. "Yes...?"
"S-Sorry if this is awkward," Lana said, turning back and continuing onwards to their destination. "It's just that Seliph thinks I'm... being too much of a bother."
"A bother? Miss Lana, I never- I don't... I like spending time with you, Miss Lana." It was hard to make Lana realize that she was serious when said healer was walking farther and farther away from her. But as Julia finished her piece, Lana froze and turned around once more.
"Wow, that's a relief. Now I can tell Seliph to stick it if he tries to pull that line on me again, yeah?" She toyed with a strand of her fluffy hair.
"Lord Seliph means well," Julia smiled warmly. "Even meeting Miss Lana was because of him, so..."
Lana worried her lower lip, and Julia was finding it a challenge to look her in the eye while she was doing... that.
"I like you, Miss Lana. You are... kind. I think... I can remain here without Sir Lewyn because I know you are here..."
Lana could feel herself turn redder with every word. "J-Julia..."
Julia walked forward, linking their arms together. "We must not be late, yes? The children are waiting."
"O-Oh, yeah. Yeah, let's go." Lana reached out to pick up the basket again, and was met with Julia's hand taking hold of one of the handles.
"Let us share," Julia proposed. "I feel... bad letting you do all the work, Miss Lana."
Lana smiled uncertainly, about to refuse, when she remembered what Seliph had said the previous day to her: She looks so fragile, I hardly feel comfortable letting her act as a healer – there is no way I'm giving her this tome...
Maybe what Seliph was doing was the exact opposite of what Julia wanted. Maybe Julia wanted to be responsible for something, too. Maybe she wanted to be asked to do stuff.
"...Sure, no problem. But tell me if you get tired, alright?"
Julia smiled brightly, and just as the first time she'd seen it, it caught her off guard and blinded her with its brilliance. So, she'd made the right choice after all.
"Thank you, Miss Lana...!"
They continued the walk to the orphanage, conscious of the slowly rising sun; the children would be hungry. Lana had been making these trips alone for a long, long time – it was only since Julia had joined their ranks that she'd gained a companion. And Julia could really use some of the morning sun and fresh air, so it worked out on both ends, she thought.
On the way back they had plenty of time to spend as they wished, and they set off at a leisurely pace.
"Miss Lana, look at that! The butterflies are returning!"
Lana watched on, amazed, as the first butterfly of the season fluttered around them and then alighted on Julia's outstretched hand briefly before resuming its activities.
Julia beamed in happiness, and Lana laughed.
"Here, Julia – maybe if you wear a flower in your hair, more butterflies will come to you," she said.
Julia cocked her head to the side, but bowed low enough for Lana to be able to tuck the flower safely in her hair.
"So... are butterflies attracted to beautiful things, then?" Julia asked.
"I think so," Lana replied. "They're always around flowers and stuff, so I guess they must be."
Julia grinned. "Just like me."
"Yeah," Lana agreed. "You're so beautiful I'm not surprised!"
"Th-thank you, Miss Lana," Julia stuttered. "But what I meant was that, I too am attracted to beautiful things like you..."
"Oh!? Um! Th-thank you, Julia," Lana said, growing redder by the moment.
"Miss Lana, this flower..." Julia pointed to the spot above her ear, "It is the colour of your eyes, is it not? It is now my... favourite flower."
Hrg! Lana's mind cried out. It was just so unfair that Julia could be so blindingly adorable and tall! Infuriating!
"Th-Then, here's my favourite flower!" Lana exclaimed, plucking a flower a cute shade of lavender.
"So we make a... pair now, right, Miss Lana?" Julia gazed at the healer, a soft smile on her face.
"Yeah!" Lana replied, enthusiastically, a matching grin on her face.
They walked the rest of the way back without issue, and as they made more idle conversation Lana couldn't help but feel a little vindictive joy at having proven Seliph wrong. Julia wasn't delicate, or fragile, or anything. Julia was a girl just the same as her, and she needed friends, and Lana was going to be that friend, like it or not!
She also needed a healthy dose of disobedience, come to think of it. Disobeying that doohickey had never led to bad things anyways. Too delicate, her foot! Lana knew the solution to this particular problem quite well, and it lay in Seliph's desk! Speaking of...
"Hey, Julia? I have a present back home for you..."