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“Oh, you wanna go on a date with me, huh?”
The day was warm, slightly dewy on the skin, and AJ giggled in response. “Is that a bad thing?”
Even for summer, it was unusually warm. Since the Academy was coastal, they would often get cool breezes from the South, but today, there were no breezes. It was just warm. Hot.
Everyone kept complaining about it, but God, did AJ love it.
The heat made Drift’s cheeks flush a special kind of red — the shade AJ could only reach after at least an hour of flirting and flustering her — and was so warm that the Earth Mage often put her hair up in a braid, something AJ lived for.
It showed off her pretty side profile.
And that was ignoring how Drift’s top would get sweaty and cling to her abs and biceps, highlighting to AJ the muscles of the most beautiful woman in the world.
Hot Drift was hot.
Of course AJ wanted to go on a date with her!
“No. I just wanted to hear you admit it.” Drift answered AJ’s teasing, her voice slightly smug as the two students walked down the stairs of the Academy entrance.
“Wow, Open Book, you’re feeling confident today, huh?” AJ grinned back. She loved it when Drift played with her like this. Or, tried playing with her.
“What do you mean? I’m like this normally.”
“Oh, sure. Sure.”
“I am!”
“Yup.”
“AJ.”
“Drift.”
“I am super confident.”
“Good for you.”
“Say it. Say I’m confident always.”
AJ stopped walking, a smile imprinted on her face as Drift glared at her. The bright sun made her brown hair lighter than normal, and brought the green in her eyes out. She was pretty like the Earth.
They were on the bridge now, and AJ knew exactly where she wanted to take Drift for this date.
Would it be pathetic to say she daydreamed about it?
Yes. Shut up, AJ.
Drift slowed down as well, hands on her hips as she frowned at AJ. “Say it, AJ!”
She started laughing, glancing at the river below them. Open Book was just so— cute. “You’re confident, Drift. You’re always confident.”
Her words seemed to satisfy Drift, since she made an aw sound. “I knew you were obsessed with me.”
The two began walking again. AJ would be lying if she said her hand wasn’t itching to hold Drift’s.
“Obsessed with you?” She guffawed, mostly joking. “I knew it. The confidence got to your head. It’s all my fault.”
“No it hasn’t!”
“It has. Oh, it so has.”
“There’s nothing in my head. My head is fine.” Drift defended herself, the infamous tent now coming into view.
AJ didn’t miss a beat, winking at her fake girlfriend. “If you’re not kissing me right now, then I’m afraid it isn’t.”
Somehow, as if the weather wasn’t hot enough, Drift blushed even more. “You just can’t stop flirting with me, can you?”
“I can.” She bragged. “Just don’t want to. It’s so fun.”
“Really? How’s it fun?”
“Well…” AJ sighed lowly, as if gearing up. “I get to see you blush. I get to see you— stutter over your words. You act so high and mighty, so princessy, I like knowing I can turn you into a puddle sometimes.”
“I—” Drift laughed and stuttered as she looked at anywhere but AJ. “I don’t turn into a puddle.”
“You do, Open Book. Now, come on, I know what we can do for our date.”
The Death Mage grabbed Drift’s hand, pulling her towards a collection of trees, right opposite their special tent. Drift started laughing as AJ pulled her along, through a couple bushes and branches.
“AJ, where in the hell are you taking me?” She laughed from behind, watching her fake girlfriend grin back at her.
“Where we went last time. Don’t you remember?” AJ teased when Drift didn’t immediately recall the date. “Oh, you forgot so easily! I’m heartbroken.”
“No! No, I remember.” She huffed in response, as AJ continued pulling her hand.
“You don’t. I can tell. Oh, I’m so sad, Open Book—”
“AJ, I remember! It was after class, right?”
“Nope.”
“Uh… that time we met in the main hall and had nothing to do?”
“Oh my god, you actually forgot!”
“I didn’t!”
“It’s when I first taught you to swim, Drift! Come on, lock in. It was, like, our first date.” AJ smiled softly at the memory, thankful that Drift was behind her, so she couldn’t see the grin on her face. They were almost there, now. Near the lake-river-beach-thing.
“Oh, right.” She laughed. “I remember now. I mean— I always remembered.”
“Right. Well, we’re here.”
Through two trees was… probably the most beautiful view of the Academy. This spot was the lowest they could possibly go, a bit far from the town, but basically everything was in sight. The bright sun reflected off the Academy walls and the water around them, looking like some tranquil paradise.
AJ walked towards the sand, slipping her shoes off quickly, and letting her feet touch the warm ground. She had to hold back a moan, it was so relaxing.
“Wow.” Drift whispered from behind her, not on the beach yet. “I forgot how beautiful it is.”
“Because I’m here?” AJ asked, acting entirely serious.
Her fake girlfriend snorted. “Oh, yes, AJ. You just make everything look so much better.”
“Well, they don’t call me AJ the Beautiful for nothing.”
“Oh, they do not call you that!” Drift scolded her, walking forwards to the slow waves. The water here was odd — not salty, exactly, and not often strong with waves. Small ones lapped at the shore, but not enough for it to be considered a beach? AJ wasn’t sure. The Academy was just weird like that.
She couldn’t help but laugh at Drift’s reaction, not replying to it. “Come on. We’re continuing your swimming lessons. Shoes off, Open Book.”
Drift groaned. “No, seriously? Do we have to?”
“Yes, we have to.” AJ rolled her eyes playfully. “It’s for your own good. What if you get pushed into the water and I’m not there to fish you out and protect you, huh?”
That caught the brunette’s attention, making her turn to face AJ, her face suddenly soft. “You’d follow me into the water?”
I’d follow you anywhere.
But AJ couldn’t say that.
“Of course I would. Wouldn’t be a good fake girlfriend if I let you drown on my watch, now would I?”
The thought of you drowning also kept me up at night for two days straight, but you don’t need to know that, do you, Drift?
Drift just smiled softly at her, her face still soft, but maybe now just a bit sad. “Right. Of course not.”
“Yup. Which is exactly why we will be practicing today. Where the water’s shallow.” AJ explained to her, gesturing towards the water.
She could sense Drift’s hesitation. Fear. It was in her eyes and on her shoulders. You’re such a damn Open Book.
“Drift, look at me.” AJ took a step towards the Mage, now only a hand away. She dropped her voice, trying to sound as comforting as possible. “You’re going to be fine. I’m right here, and the water’s shallow. We did it before, right?”
“Right.” She whispered shakily.
“Right. So, we can do it again.”
“With you holding me?”
“Well— at first, sure. But I think you can waddle by your own, right? It isn’t that deep, trust me.”
Drift bit her pink lip, looking out to the water. AJ just wanted her eyes back on her.
“Drift.” AJ muttered as she raised a hand to Drift’s ear, tucking a stray strand of hair back. “Do you trust me?”
Without a second thought, the Earth Mage’s eyes returned to AJ. “More than I trust myself.” She admitted.
“Then trust me when I say that you will be fine. I’ll be damned if I let something happen to you on my watch. Alright?”
“Alright. I trust you, AJ.” Drift smiled at her, nodding slightly, before laughing. “Don’t tell me you want me to strip.”
“Oh, I always want you to strip.” AJ leaned in to whisper. “Just maybe not here.”
“My dorm, later tonight?” Drift didn’t miss a beat, flirting back.
“You bet. Let’s do this first, though.” The Death Mage pulled back. “Put your stuff over there.” AJ nodded to a big rock close to the shore.
“You’re not swimming?”
“Not today. I want to test you.”
“But—”
“You said you trusted me. Trust me on this.”
Drift nodded, and AJ winked back at her, before the Earth Mage went to place her bag, shoes, and belt on the sand. “Okay. What are we doing?”
A grin spread across AJ’s face, as she reached into her pocket, and brought out her favourite thing in the whole world.
The Knockback stick.
“No! No! AJ!” Drift started crying out, both laughing and groaning in frustration, which only made AJ begin laughing maniacally. “You’re not hitting me into the fucking ocean!”
“It’s shallow! I tested it!” She begged Drift, stepping forward and placing her hands on the girl’s arms. “It’ll be fun!”
“Are you serious?” She moaned.
“Trust me! You’ll learn, and it’ll be fun.”
“Oh my God. I can’t believe this. I can’t believe I’m letting you do this!”
“You’ll be fine, Open Book.” She rubbed Drift’s shoulder as the Mage started walking in front of AJ, back to the beach.
“So, what, you hit me into the water?”
“And you swim back.”
“Over and over?”
“Over and over. I want to get you comfortable in the water, and being pushed in there, but where you’ll be safe.”
“Aw, look at you being all sweet.”
“Shut up.”
“You care about me, AJ?”
“Would I be here right now if I didn’t?” She cocked her head at Drift, who shrugged.
“No, you wouldn’t be.” Drift admitted carefully. “Okay, well, hit me.”
AJ hollered with a horrible type of glee. “Famous last words, Drift.”
“Try me, AJ.” She narrowed her eyes, like starting a test.
AJ took the first opportunity. She hit Drift with the stick, watching her be propelled at least five meters back into the shallow water.
It was true that AJ had come to test the waters earlier. She couldn’t make Drift go somewhere deep, could she? Drift could drown!
Not being able to sleep late last night, AJ went on a walk with Seamstress. They came down here, to the same spot, where AJ swam out as far as she could before the sun came out. It was helpful information — the shallow parts followed a strip, kind of like a rectangle extending deep into the ocean-river-body-of-water-thing. It was deep enough for Drift to be covered in water and need to wade, but not deep enough for her to drown.
The sides around the shallow part, though?
Dangerous.
It was a steep drop between the shallow rectangle and the rest of the river — one step and she’d be gone.
Tall strings of seaweed floated around there, one almost wrapped around AJ’s ankle and brought her under.
So, AJ had to be extremely careful. So long as she aimed the stick correctly, Drift would be fine.
Laughing, AJ watched as Drift fell right on her bum, making a big splash as water soaked her hair. She looked like the cutest wet dog ever. Wet brunette hair covering her face as she began to kick her way closer to the shore.
AJ heard Drift yell out AJ, but pretended not to hear as she watched her fake girlfriend swim back.
It wasn’t long before Drift was back in earshot.
“AJ, I swear to God, you didn’t need to do that so hard.” She said as she walked back up.
AJ only smiled. Her head was leaned back on the rock, lying down watching her walk closer. “What do you mean, Open Book?”
“That was so hard! I fell right on my ass—“
The moment Drift came close enough, AJ hit her again. All the way back into the water.
She could literally hear Drift shout at her as she flew backwards.
It was just so funny.
There was another big splash of water, closer to the shore this time, where Drift had landed. Compared to last time, she recovered much faster — it only took about five seconds for Drift to catch her bearings and become upright. Only another second for her to start swimming.
Well, wading, really. But if Drift could tread water and doggy paddle, that was enough for AJ. At least right now.
She just watched Drift swim back. It was a nice view.
“You gonna do it again?” Drift shouted as she came back into earshot. The Death Mage giggled. “I know you’re gonna do it again—“
She did it again.
AJ threw the knock back stick at her, and Drift flew back, once again.
This time, she landed upside down.
AJ froze, sitting upright for just a second. It wasn’t even conscious — her body just moved in case Drift didn’t.
But she recovered. The brunette’s head came up from the water, coughing hard, but breathing.
She let out a deep sigh of relief, leaning back on the rock.
In a blink, Drift was off swimming towards the girl on the shore. Her head stayed above water the whole time, mouth shut tight so no water would sneak in. AJ felt as if she were some beautiful swan coming to shore.
“Let me guess—“ Drift started as she stepped out of the water. AJ let her get just a bit closer this time, her entire body now no longer in the ocean. She told herself it was to give Drift a break, but… was it a crime to want to see her top cling to every muscle she had? To see the outline of a body AJ had no doubt yearned for, even secretly?
It was not a crime. Something as perfect as that could never be a crime.
Drift slowly became close enough, and AJ threw the stick at her. The same thing happened — a yell as she flew back in the air, and landed with a splash in the shallow section.
AJ didn’t even laugh this time. Just watched. Admired, really.
The girl in the water had to swim more this time — AJ hit her pretty far back.
She was prepared to just watch Drift swim, but a sound in her ear caught attention.
This is the gayest date ever.
AJ rolled her eyes and laughed, head swivelling to her right, where Flick had just landed. Of course the first thing he brought up was Drift and AJ being gay. He treated it like a slur!
“Well, I’m on a date, not you, Flick. Don’t need to get jealous.” She replied, still laughing, and Flick chirped loudly in response.
I am not jealous. I have been lurking and have news to tell you.
“Oh? Do tell.”
Remember how I was stationed in Ros’s dorm?
“Yes?” AJ frowned. She could hear Drift slowly swim closer.
Juniper came in earlier. They were talking about you.
“Were they now? And they were… saying what?”
Ros told Juniper about your… friendship, and Juniper got mad. She said she would be coming to fight you. Ros tried to calm her down.
The gears in AJ’s head were turning and turning. Tree was coming to fight her? It was almost a dream come true! But— what could Ros possibly have told her that would piss Tree off that much? She already hated AJ, that was clear, but coming to fight AJ? That was— a big step from before.
AJ continued staring at Flick, mulling over the news.
“What exactly did Teacher’s Pet tell her?” She asked Flick quietly.
That you made fun of her a lot. Sometimes it made Ros feel sad. And that you didn’t care about the war—
Flick was interrupted by a pretty voice, coming close.
“Alright, AJ, hit me.”
—which made Ros feel worse. Apparently, you made jokes about Ros being lonely and—
Remembering Drift coming closer, AJ threw the knockback stick at her, aiming it in the same direction as before. But her eyes were trained on Flick.
I mean, what the hell? I wouldn’t say I was making fun of Teacher’s Pet. It’s all in good fun. AJ thought to herself over the sound of Drift splashing into the water.
—something about Tree not liking her as much as Ros liked her. It made Juniper really mad.
“Huh. I see.” AJ nodded thoughtfully, looking out to the ocean in front of her. “Is Juniper coming… now?”
Her and Ros went to your dorm to look for you, but you weren’t there. Ros said you and Drift were on a date by the beach. I think they may be coming now.
The idea was almost funny to AJ. Dueling Tree? Over Ros’s honour? That seemed like a fun time. And it wasn’t even by coincidence! Tree and Teacher’s Pet were genuinely coming to find her, just to fight!
Maybe Drift would like to watch. AJ was sure Open Book would defend her. Maybe even stitch her up afterwards. Drift could be her personal nurse!
“Well, thank you for telling me, Flick.” She sighed. “You know, I don’t think I could do anything without you.”
I know, you gay.
“What— Flick!” She laughed, slightly in shock. “You can’t say that!”
I can say whatever the fuck I want.
“Well, look at your foul mouth! I must be rubbing off on you. Thank God Drift isn’t here, she’d—”
Everything in AJ’s body stopped.
Her heart stopped beating, her fingers paused the incessant twitching they always did, and her brain completely short-circuited.
Fuck.
Drift.
They were on a date. Drift was swimming.
Drift was swimming.
But when AJ glanced at the water in front of her, she couldn’t see the damn girl. It was just— blue water, sand, and the sun. No Mage swimming or treading water anywhere.
Drift was gone. Drift… wasn’t swimming anymore.
“Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuck—” AJ gasped, her body suddenly spurring back to life like someone had kick-started it. The realisation that Drift wasn’t fucking there anymore floated in her head and body.
She’d never taken her shirt off so fast.
AJ’s shoes were already off, and her black shirt was coming over her shoulders, leaving her in just pants and a sports bra.
“DRIFT!” She yelled out and threw her top to the ground. “DRIFT! Open Book! Where are you?”
AJ stood in the sand, eyes frantically searching the water in front of her for any sign of the girl. A head, some hair, a foot, by the shore or in the ocean.
But there was nothing at all. A small wave hit the sand once again, and sunlight reflected off the water — no Drift anywhere.
Flick was squawking loudly by her side, but AJ couldn’t care less about him right now. She didn’t care to translate what he was chirping, instead just yelling at him. “Flick! Fly and look for Drift, she’s in the water somewhere. Find me if you see her.”
And with that, AJ was off to the water. No man, no magic, no force could possibly stop the ferocity she was walking with into the beach — practically running. She took the goggles from her forehead and put them over her eyes, prepared to swim as deep as she could to find Drift.
Once her knees hit the cold summer water, the thoughts came. What the fuck happened? AJ—- she wasn’t watching. But she knew exactly where to hit Drift. It couldn’t be her fault, could it? She had been the one to invite Drift to come! Drift said she trusted her!
AJ stayed on the shallow extension for a couple seconds, dunking her head underwater to see if Drift’s body was floating somewhere near the shallow seabed.
Had her foot gotten wrapped around seaweed? Had she… swallowed too much water and couldn’t breathe? Maybe she passed out in the water. Maybe her body was at the bottom of the ocean floor already, half-dead, crying out for her.
Each one of those thoughts terrified AJ. A deep, bone-chilling fear of something happen to her.
“Drift! Drift!” AJ screamed in the water, watching water bubbles come out from her nose and mouth. She didn’t know why she thought screaming for Drift underwater would work. But the Mage would try anything now.
It was just dark blue and green water — slightly murky and dark. No sign of anyone.
Fuck. Oh, it’s my fault.
Don’t be dead. Don’t be fucking drowning, Drift, I swear to God. I’ll kill you.
AJ realised Drift wasn’t in the shallow part. She’d be able to swim, if she were. It was the perfect height for Drift — if she went on demi-pointe, she’d be able to stand, just barely. So she couldn’t be here.
But then where the hell was she?
To the right? Or to the left?
To the right. The water moves to the right, so if something happened, she’d be pushed along the river to the right.
AJ pulled up from the water, taking one of the deepest breaths of her life and looking around for the last time, before diving back into the water. She wasn’t the best, or the fastest, or the strongest, swimmer, but nothing would stop AJ from finding Drift.
I’ll search this whole damn ocean if I have to, Open Book.
Not caring for her own lungs, AJ swam to the seabed. She ignored her ears popping and stinging, only looking in every possible direction for Drift’s body. The sand was gray and lifeless, and AJ honestly couldn’t see that far through the turbidity of the water.
She lasted about a minute before coming back up for air.
Even when gasping for breath, AJ looked for Drift. At the shore, at the rocks, far in the distance. Everywhere. But she was just… gone.
It’s a big ocean. She’s here somewhere. She has to be here somewhere.
Flick was flying overhead as well, AJ could just barely see a murder of her beloved crows searching the skies for Drift. Of course Flick would call for the other Flicks.
She dived in again. The water was colder than anything before — even the dirt that suffocated AJ so long ago was warmer. Her fingers were beginning to prune, spreading as she pushed herself deeper into the blue waters.
A couple small fish swam around the seabed. Seaweed was almost everywhere, either floating around as AJ swam past it, or stuck to the ocean floor. Again, still, there was no tan body in sight.
Oh God.
God, please, don’t do this to me.
I know I’m not a good person, but—
She needed air.
AJ swam upwards, gasping hard as her head left the water.
Some water must have gotten into her goggles, because AJ’s sight was getting blurry. The edges of the ocean bled into the sky, and little ounces of water accumulated at the bottom of her goggles.
“Drift! Drift, please!” She begged as she found her breath. But, still there was no Drift floating. Small waves just kept crashing into AJ, over and over. “I’m begging you!”
AJ waited a second, hoping that maybe someone would shout. That she might hear Drift’s pretty voice once again, screaming for help, anything.
There was nothing, until Flick squawked above her.
“Flick?” AJ yelled out to the crow. “Have you found anything?”
The shore. He replied, flying away.
“The— the shore?” She stuttered, before looking to the rocky shore. The rocks were next to the beach, a couple meters away from where AJ had been sitting before. But she was too far out now to make out what was happening.
Damn my eyesight.
Squinting, AJ focused on the rocks, and saw—
A blob. A blob of brown and green.
Drift.
Please, please, please, be Drift. Oh God, if I’ve ever done anything right—
Without even a thought, as if her body was being magnetically pulled towards the figure, AJ started swimming as fast as she could. The closer she got, the clearer the figure came.
They were lying on the rocks, facing the sky — almost unconscious.
The Flicks were surrounding her, about nine of them on the rocks, pecking at the girl.
It’s definitely Drift. Flick wouldn’t do this to anyone who wasn’t Drift, Ghostie, or AJ herself.
Don’t be dead. Don’t be dead. If you’re dead and you drowned… I’m the Mage of Death, and I swear to God, Drift, I’ll find you.
“Drift, wake up!” She yelled as she got close enough. It was certainly Drift. AJ recognised her brown hair, her skin, her clothes.
But she wasn’t moving.
Not at all, not even flinching.
If she were awake, she’d hear me. She’d say something.
Even stronger than before, fear took over her chest. AJ felt entirely sick to her stomach, like it was full of dirt and vomit.
Eventually, after swimming and shouting, AJ reached the rocks. She placed her hand on it, pushing up to the rocks and leaning over Drift’s body. The Mage looked… half-dead. Her eyes were shut closed, hair wet and raggedy, and Drift’s skin unusually pale.
A long cord of seaweed was wrapped around her torso, hanging off the rocks slightly, and AJ realised the seaweed must have kept her underwater, unable to scream for help. On her leg, as well, was a deep, bleeding gash, about the length of AJ’s forearm.
“Drift, Open Book, please.” AJ began to sob, cupping her cheek softly. “Please be breathing.”
The Flicks chirped around her, but AJ ignored it. She laid her head on Drift’s chest, desperately looking for any sign of breathing or heart rate.
Whether or not it was the Flicks being loud, or AJ’s poor hearing, or simply a quiet heartbeat, AJ—
Couldn’t hear anything. She couldn’t hear a heartbeat.
Tears started prickling at her eyes, and it felt as if her heart was cracking down the middle. “Drift, no, no, no, no! Please. Please, oh God, Open Book, you can’t be dead. Please.”
Between her sobs, AJ started hearing for breathing. Or, feeling for it. She laid her head on Drift’s chest once again, trying to find any evidence of breath entering her lungs.
But Drift’s chest didn’t move. It didn’t raise, just like how it didn’t fall, and AJ started crying harder.
“DRIFT! No. No, God, don’t do this— it’s my fault. It’s my fault again.” AJ cried, head still on Drift’s chest, as if any second now, she may breathe. As if there was any chance of her heart beating once again.
But AJ felt it, just like how the Flicks felt it.
“Open Book—” AJ wiped a tear sliding down her face. “You’re the one good thing to happen to me in this Academy, since I’ve gotten here. Please stay. Please don’t go. Oh, please…”
AJ didn’t cry.
She was stronger than that.
When her town burnt, she didn’t cry. When she left Ghostie, she didn’t cry.
Even when Flick died, she didn’t cry.
But for the first time since she was, maybe, five-years-old, tears kept slipping out. Uncontrollable, like the ocean. They just kept coming and coming as AJ hiccuped, her head resting on Drift’s chest.
“It’ll come back. Right, Flick?” She whimpered to the crows surrounding her. “She’s just sleeping, right?”
The Death Mage could only sniff as she listened to her familiar.
Try compressions. Ros and Juniper might be coming, and they can help.
“C— compressions.” AJ whispered, her eyes completely blurred. She couldn’t see the crows in front of her clearly, let alone anything else. “Compressions can keep her heart going. Her heart. CPR…”
Slowly, as if in a trance, AJ pulled up from her girlfriend’s chest.
Drift still looked dead.
Her skin was a washy, pale colour, and lips slightly purple.
Drift’s lips were never purple. She had pink lips. AJ liked to kiss her pink lips.
“Okay.” She cried, collecting her hands. “I can do compressions, right, Flick?”
Put your hands on her chest, and push. Over her heart. Push hard, and breathe into her every fourth compression.
“Okay. Okay. I can do that.” AJ muttered tearfully. She put her hands over Drift’s chest, between and above her breasts, and started pushing down. Like AJ had seen others do a million times. “Flicks, can you find Ros? I think— I think Ros can help.”
One, two, three. AJ pushed down on Drift’s chest as much as she could. One, two, three, four.
With each compression, AJ found herself crying harder.
She was pushing so strong that Drift would move during each compression, her body shaking with the force of AJ’s hands, yet, still, entirely lifeless.
AJ didn’t even know if some of the Flicks had gone off to find Ros.
Ros wasn’t on her mind right now.
It was just Drift.
Who she might’ve just killed.
Eventually, AJ remembered to breathe into Drift’s chest. She stopped compressing, and went to kiss her girlfriend’s lips, huffing all the oxygen in her lungs into Drift’s.
It was funny. And if AJ weren’t crying, she might laugh.
How many times did she dream about kissing Drift? All the time. AJ could never think of a situation, of a place, of a time, where kissing Drift may feel wrong in any sense. Where she wouldn’t want to. It was— kissing Open Book was a universal right. There was no possible, human way, of AJ not wanting to kiss her.
And yet, today, during their date, she was making out with her girlfriend’s corpse.
She didn’t want this.
AJ didn’t want this.
AJ didn’t want to kiss Drift like this. She didn’t want to lay her head on her chest, or cry into her arms, or peck the lips of a dead Drift.
But she had to.
All those times AJ wanted to kiss, to cuddle, to hold an alive Drift. A Drift that breathed, who’s heart beat. Why didn’t AJ? Because she should have.
Now all she has are cold, dead, purple lips—
“Oh my God!”
“AJ!”
Was that Flick?
Flick could actually speak now?
That was weird.
“What the fuck happened? Oh my God— Drift…”
But AJ couldn’t focus on that right now.
One, two, three, breathe.
One, two, three, breathe.
“AJ. AJ! Stop. Let me do it.”
The crying Mage blinked, still pressing into Drift’s chest.
In front of her was a pale woman, with white and purple hair. With a soft voice…
“Ros?” AJ whispered. “You’re here?”
Everything cleared up. AJ looked down to Drift’s dying body, and then back up.
They were by the rocky shore, and Ros had come. All the Flicks had returned, too.
“Yes! Yes, AJ, I’m here. The Flicks found me.” Ros spoke frantically, trying to push AJ’s hands away from Drift. “Let me take over.”
AJ swallowed, still compressing her girlfriend’s chest. “But she’s—”
“Ros can take care of her.” A voice came from behind, slightly deeper. AJ recognised it. It was Juniper. “She’s the Life Mage, remember?”
AJ stared at Ros, who looked like she was about to cry. The rims of her eyes were slightly red and watery.
Slowly, AJ withdrew her hands.
Ros’s replaced them. She immediately began her magic on Drift, still compressing.
“AJ?” Juniper asked from behind. “AJ, you’re in shock. Listen to me.”
“I—” She stuttered. “She was swimming. I was watching, and… and then—”
A warm hand wrapped around AJ’s shaking shoulders. Tree’s face came into view. She also looked worried, concerned. Slightly shocked. “It’s okay. AJ, it’s alright.”
It’s alright.
“No. No! It’s not fucking alright! She drowned! She drowned, and it’s my fucking fault!” AJ yelled out to Juniper, who softened slightly at her outburst. The Death Mage turned to Ros, who was hunched over Drift’s dead body. “Ros. Ros, you have to save her. Please. Please.”
“AJ…” Juniper whispered.
“I know you don’t like me very much, but— I need her. I need her in this Academy. And she can’t die because of me. I can’t hurt her again. Please, Ros.”
“AJ, she’s trying.” Juniper interrupted the girl’s sobbing. “Trust me, she’s doing all she can.”
“I know. I— I know. What were… did Flick find you? I…”
Ros didn’t answer, she was too distracted, by Juniper rubbed AJ’s back. “We were… already on our way.”
“Why?”
“That doesn’t matter now. Are you— are you hurt as well, AJ?”
She shook her head numbly.
Sparkles and magic floated around Drift’s body, no doubt Ros’s doing. Her compressions also seemed stronger, more accurate than AJ’s.
“There’s water in her lungs.” Teacher’s Pet muttered to herself. It was loud enough for AJ to hear.
“Can you get it out?” Juniper asked quietly.
“Yes. I can. Or— I think so.” Ros replied, AJ unable to do anything but stare at the dead Drift. “I just need to open her mouth…”
Juniper kept rubbing AJ’s back, almost holding in her place. Ros pulled Drift’s mouth open, letting more white sparks from her fingertips flow down into Drift’s throat.
“Is she getting the water out?” AJ whispered.
“Yeah. Violet’s been teaching Ros some stuff.”
A big white glob came out from Drift’s mouth, and a bit more from her nostrils. “Is that the water?” AJ asked.
“Yes. I’m clearing her lungs.” Ros replied.
“Is… is she alive, now?”
“I don’t know, AJ! Just— give me a minute. I’m trying my hardest, and—” Ros began panicking, starting another round of healing on Drift’s drowned body.
Juniper interrupted her panicking. “Ros, you can do this.”
“I know. I know. I have to do this.”
AJ couldn’t do anything but watch.
Ros stilled, suddenly.
She was doing compressions earlier, and mouth-to-mouth, but—
She stopped.
Her hands fell from Drift’s chest, and her face went slack.
“ROS!” AJ yelled. “What the fuck are you doing?” The Death Mage tried lunging at Ros and Drift, but Juniper wrapped her arms around AJ’s torso, preventing her from diving at them.
“AJ! Trust her!”
Ros did nothing but stare at Drift.
AJ didn’t even know what she was yelling, simply that she was.
It happened so quick.
AJ couldn’t even understand what was going on.
Ros just— suddenly— raised her right arm high, and punched Drift’s chest.
Hard. As if she were trying to break it.
As Ros’s hand went down, more sparks came out from her. They circled Drift like a ritual.
AJ assumed Ros was trying to kill her girlfriend.
Until, somehow, as if it an angel had personally visited them and gifted AJ a miracle—
Drift moved. Her chest just… lurched upwards.
And she coughed.
Like, alive coughed. As in, when someone was breathing? And had a heartbeat? Like, they weren’t dead?
Just like that, Drift coughed.
Ros shut her eyes in relief, leaning back.
Instantaneously, AJ jumped forward, Juniper’s arms completely retracted from her stomach, simply letting the Mage go to her girlfriend.
“Drift? Drift, please.” AJ sobbed, climbing over a rock in record speed to hold Drift’s face. Her pink-skinned, warm, beautiful face.
That was actually moving. With open eyes, and talking lips.
“AJ…” She whispered in reply. Drift’s voice was dry and quiet, like someone who had just been raised from the dead.
“Hey.” AJ cried, caressing her cheek. “Hey, Open Book. You’re not— not dead.”
Her eyes were hazy, looking around. “What happened? I… I’m wet.”
“Yeah. There…” The Death Mage glanced to the ocean. “I’m sorry, Drift. You were swimming, and I didn’t see you. I must have hit you in the wrong direction or not been watching you, and— I couldn’t find you. I searched the whole cove and you weren’t there. I…”
She just broke down crying, once again. Head resting on Drift’s chest.
“AJ, it’s okay.”
“I was so scared. I looked for you, and then Flick found you, and you were dead—”
“Dead?”
“Yeah. I did compressions, and— and Ros showed up, and she saved you. Oh, God, Drift, you were dead. I swear to God, we’re never doing that again. I’m not letting you out of my sight, okay? Never again. Oh, God.”
“It’s okay now, I’m— alive.” Drift whispered hoarsely, moving her hand to AJ’s on her cheek. Juniper had moved towards Ros in the background, now holding her in her arms, as Ros seemed to rest her eyes.
“You were so dead, Drift, I…”
“That doesn’t—” She coughed, frowning. “Doesn’t matter. We’re alive.”
“And I’m never taking my eyes off you again.” AJ vowed.
“Aw, it’s a dream come true.”
“Don’t joke right now, okay? What… do you need anything? Water? I can…” AJ turned around to look for something, maybe run back to the village quickly, but Drift reached up to her face and held her chin.
“I just want you to hold me.” She whispered, eyes drooping down.
“I can do that.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah, I can hold you.”