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Back with the Fatui, it felt as though Columbina followed her around everywhere. Even when she wasn't, they always seemed to end up at the same places at precisely the same time, much to Sandrone's annoyance.
Not that she had been the worst companion, all said. There was something satisfying in introducing the mundane things that had filled Sandrone's life that were entirely novel to Columbina. Then, on the other side of the coin, nothing so deeply infuriating as when she threw Sandrone's generosity back in her face with her obliviously hurtful comments stomping all over the things that Sandrone enjoyed and her habits.
Her face was sour because of the coffee she drank so often? Preposterous! Sandrone could have screwed that girl's head off for saying something like that. And worse still, she knew that Columbina meant nothing negative about it.
There were times back then when Sandrone would have loved for Columbina to screw off and find someone else to bother for a change.
Now Sandrone accompanied Columbina. She'd meant it to be a private stroll, just the two of them, to catch up and just spend that time together. Unfortunately, no one else had gotten that memo. People were too quick to come up to Columbina. Sometimes they would ask if she was the moon goddess, to which she would poorly deflect while clearly thinking herself clever. More often, they merely greeted her and chatted, sometimes offering a gift.
Once or twice, Sandrone could tolerate. However, they were constantly being interrupted. The worst offenders were those who offered they join in their activity. And Columbina, so oblivious as she was, might have accepted about half of them if Sandrone hadn't dragged her off. Sandrone almost felt like she was doing it on purpose!
As she sunk deeper into seething, her grinding teeth clenching harder, a glance toward Columbina revealed her to be utterly blissful, humming with each light step. Sandrone wanted to shake her.
Even at Silvermoon Hall there was no peace. The kuuhenki swarmed them both, begging Columbina's attention, asking to play—or so Sandrone assumed from the occasional translation when Columbina deigned to offer one.
A curious kuuhenki right that moment hovered right in her face.
Sandrone's frustrations boiled over. She bat the familiar away with a harmless swat.
"Enough!" she cried, and threw herself to the ground.
The dirt scratched her knees as she wrapped her arms tight around Columbina's middle, nearly yanking her from the crescent seat that she had summoned. Sandrone shoved her face into the silky fabric of the grown to hide the harsh frown she wore.
"I'm so sick of everyone insisting on taking your attention. What am I, just some pebble in your shoe?"
"But I don't wear shoes," Columbina replied.
"Shut up, I don't mean literally." And she knew it, too, because Sandrone could hear the smile in Columbina's voice. She squeezed.
Columbina stroked her hair gently. "Aw, are you jealous, Sandrone?"
There was no hint of teasing in her tone, but Sandrone knew better. "Quiet! I am not jealous, I am offended by the amount of disrespect you've shown me today."
"I see. Well I deeply apologize," Columbina said, sounding not at all sorry as she continued to pet Sandrone. "I promise, the rest of the evening is devoted to you and you alone. How does that sound?"
Columbina touched her elbows, and Sandrone allowed her to guide her back to her feet. Between Columbina's lashes was a hint of pink, her eyes peeking through the curtain.
Sandrone put her hands on her hips. "And what if I don't have anymore time. Pulonia will be missing me, you know."
"Then I suppose this is goodbye for today," Columbina said. Her hands began to fall away.
"I didn't say that I didn't have time. It was a hypothetical." Just as she broke contact, Sandrone grabbed Columbina's hands and pulled them around her waist. Columbina automatically took up the embrace, drawing her in closer.
Columbina smiled so serenely that it doused the irritation crawling over Sandrone's skin. It hardly even mattered that it came with a knowing look that had not fallen for her bluff. She continued to pull Sandrone closer, until she climbed onto the crescent alongside her, the swing of their legs rocking the seat gently, back and forth.
"In that case, the night is beautiful. Spend it with me," she whispered so that the hall did not take up the echo, the entreaty for Sandrone's ears alone.