Chapter Text
They lay the flowers down on the graves. It takes a few minutes to arrange the layers of garlands they had painstakingly woven together, hands and fingers passing over each other numerous times. When they finish, the flowers lie like a blanket over the grass. They get back to their feet, then bow.
"Cecille. Mother. Father. It's been a while." For the first time, it doesn't feel so strange to speak his thoughts out loud with another person standing there. It feels... natural. "Who would've imagined I'd come here to tell you… I found the person I want to spend the rest of my life with." He squeezes Claude's hand. Feels Claude squeeze back. "I should also mention. We saved the universe. Thought you might like to know that." He hears Claude chuckle quietly.
He continues, "This may be my last visit for a while. Possibly forever. Claude and I will be going somewhere very far away. I wonder... do you know what 'outer space' is? If my words can reach you, I imagine you do. I'll think of you all every day, as long as I live."
A pause, and then he hears Claude ask softly, "Are you sure about this?"
He turns. "We already discussed this. You don't want me to go to Earth with you?"
Claude looks aghast. The hand holding his tightens its grasp. "Of course I want you to! I just…" Claude's hand loosens its grip. "…I don't want you to lose anything you care about."
Dias smiles. "Then obviously. I have to go with you."
The corners of Claude's lips curl up in a reflection. Claude turns back to the graves. "Cecille. Mister and Missus Flac… sorry for taking Dias so far away."
"You're not taking me away. I'm going with you."
Claude mutters, "Semantics," but he's still smiling. He continues, "I promise I'll do everything I can to make sure we come back to Arlia. And—" He pauses and lowers his head a bit more. "…If you run into my dad. Please tell him I love him."
"If my words can reach them," Dias murmurs, "I'm sure he's listening too."
They leave the village cemetery. Behind them, resting on the graves, tiny white and yellow blossoms shine against the dark grass like stars.