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 Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2014 2:07 pm
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A year. Nearly to the day. The two had been stranded on that island with only each other to depend on for survival. And they'd done it. If a pae had asked Xanthea before that doomed summer cruise if she was capable enough to survive by herself on a deserted island, she'd have insisted she wasn't smart enough or strong enough nor would she ever put herself in that position. Being on Telrunya itself was as 'stranded' as she'd wanted to be. If she had to choose, that is. After the HQ was destroyed, she was left homeless. She didn't think she'd be able to survive that on her own either, but she did. She managed to find a shelter just on the edge of the forest near the HQ and slowly turn that into a home.
Then she'd met Elizabeth. Elizabeth changed everything. She'd found a friend, and someone to talk to. Someone that (she hoped) enjoyed spending time with her. The island wasn't so lonely anymore. Elizabeth helped her gain confidence and find her lost happiness. They'd go to parties and hang out together. They even raised two little harpy chicks together -- never again! They are too sharp. Xan was happy she didn't have to do that alone. Elizabeth had such wit and intelligence, and she was so gentle and caring. It didn't take long for the feelings of platonic friendship to turn into romantic interest. But it wasn't something she could admit. She was afraid of scaring Elizabeth away.
She was happy just having Elizabeth in her life.
And then an advertisement for a cruise caught the breeze and landed right in the angel's lap. It sounded exciting! She couldn't wait to tell Elizabeth. But her excitement had been cut short when Elizabeth's excitement over her own plans for the summer were revealed first. Xan hid the pamphlet and wished her best friend goodluck on her summer adventure. It was a bit disheartening, and made her sad. She resolved to go have her own summer adventure on that luxury cruise, instead of moping around lonely. She wasn't upset with Elizabeth for planning something without her, after all, she didn't belong to her or have to spend all her time with Xan. She hoped her friend had a good time. Besides, a luxury cruise sounded amazing after all that time spent in her humble little home.
That terrible storm, and the terrible crash afterwards. A whirlwind of water and waves and it was all she could do to keep herself alive. The water's embrace felt more and more inviting the more she struggled against it. Until she relented and drifted off.
But she didn't drown, nor was she pulled under. She can't really explain what happened. She woke up on the sand of an unfamiliar beach. And Elizabeth was there! She'd never been so happy to see her friend in her life. Relief pushed the reservations aside and she wrapped her arms around the most important pae in her life.
The days turned into months on that island. But as the two girls helped and depended on each other, they grew closer. There came a point when Xan couldn't contain her feelings anymore. That night, they became lovers. She didn't know if Elizabeth felt the same as she did, but the emotions and affections from Xan were authentic.
Being stranded on that island with Elizabeth became the best thing to ever happen to her.
And then the day arrived when Elizabeth informed Xan that she might have a way off the island. Xan's heart dropped. Even as often as the two talked of returning and what the first thing they'd do, or the first thing they'd eat, or the first pae they'd go see, Xan didn't realize how much she wanted to stay until Elizabeth had found a way home.
Elizabeth had always had this ability.
Xanthea didn't know it was possible to feel sad, happy, disappointed and excited all at once. It was so overwhelming that she just followed Elizabeth's lead. Elizabeth would never lead them astray. Right?
She looked to Elizabeth's hand, holding hers. "Okay," she whispered. She considered all the things she'd need to pack and get ready, but then realized nothing really mattered. It was when she noticed that Elizabeth was still wearing the shabby little pendant she had made for her. It wasn't anything special. Just some twisted fibers from one of the trees and a piece of seaglass she'd found on the beach that she thought was incredibly beautiful - like Elizabeth. That little token was enough to convince her that going home is what Elizabeth wanted. And all Xan wanted was for her best friend to be happy. She smiled, holding back the tears and hiding the reluctance she felt inside. Even if this is our home.
She held Elizabeth's hand tight, looping her other arm around Elizabeth's and embraced. "Let's go."
~.~
The ride through the sand had not been entirely pleasant. She was going to be digging sand out of every nook and cranny for months! When they'd stopped, and were safely on the beach, Xan fell to her knees and started crying. So many mixed emotions. She did want to be home, she didn't want to leave the island but she was happy to see Telrunya again. She tried to wipe her tears away with the back of her hand, only to spread more sand on her face.
She needed to regroup. She couldn't let Elizabeth see her as such an emotional wreck. "I ... I should check on Xia. Make sure she didn't die. Or kill anypae." She sniffled, only a little though because of more sand. She coughed a little to try and get it out of her mouth. Note to self, when traveling with Elizabeth, it is not a good idea to take a breath the moment she sinks into the sand.
"Your family will be so happy to see you!" Xan said cheerfully, fully meaning it.
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Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2014 12:21 am
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Elizabeth had made sure that she could transport something the size and complexity of her friend and lover before they'd left the island, but she hadn't accounted for the energy it would take her to do it. And so they'd sort of...oozed out of the sand together, Xanthea gasping for breath (which sent a twinge through Elizabeth's heart--she hated to think she'd caused that!). As Xanthea coughed and wept, Elizabeth mostly just laid there. She couldn't recall when she'd last been this exhausted. Every muscle in her body ached. Even her skin ached. But they'd made it. They were safely back on Telrunya, and that's what mattered.
Wait, where was Xan going? Don't leave me, thought Elizabeth. She vaguely tried to move her hand to take Xanthea's, but her fingers could only move a few inches, and couldn't reach her before she stood up. "Yeah," she responded, her voice almost trancelike. "You...you do that....and I'll...I'll go check on Ruya. Yeah..."
After Xanthea left, Elizabeth laid on the beach for what seemed like hours. When the sun began to slip below the horizon, she finally got up and began to trudge home. Home. Home had been their little lean-to for so long, it was difficult to think of the house she shared with Amapola as home just now. Oh Guardians...Amapola... Elizabeth winced as she contemplated what her sister must have thought.
As she neared the house, she saw a light through the window. Good, someone was still up, then. Timidly she opened the door.
Amapola had been sitting at the table, burning the midnight oil with a book she just couldn't put down. When she heard the door open, she assumed it was Ruya, who kept odd hours lately. "There's leftover stew in the fridge if you--" She stopped mid-sentence, her mouth hanging open. Abruptly Amapola stood up, her skin paling at the ghost before her. "Elizabeth?"
"Hey," said Elizabeth with a bit of a smile. She rubbed the back of her neck nervously.
"Oh, Lizzie!" exclaimed Amapola, tears filling her eyes as she rushed forward to embrace her sister. "I heard that that cruise ship sank, and I just couldn't believe it! And then folks began to find their way home, and I was so hopeful, but then you didn't, and I knew if you'd found shore somewhere you could've come home in a snap, and then you didn't, and I just...I just couldn't think about what might have happened to you!" She'd had many sleepless nights, tossing and turning, hoping that she'd wake up the next morning and her sister would be home and it would all have been a horrible nightmare.
Elizabeth was practically bowled over by Amapola, though she'd been prepared for that reaction. "I...I did wash ashore somewhere," she confessed, unable to fully meet Amapola's eyes. "But I wasn't alone...Xanthea was there too, by some miracle of the Guardians. And I couldn't just leave her..." She shrugged sheepishly. "I'm sorry I was gone so long." She was missing Xan already...
"Oh, Lizzie, no apology necessary! I'm just glad you're home!" exclaimed Amapola. "Oh, but it's late, and you look exhausted. I'll heat up some water for a bath so you can soak and wash your hair--my goodness it's gotten long!--and I can make up your bed while you're in the tub. You can tell me everything tomorrow." She kissed Elizabeth's cheek and went to the kitchen to put the water pail over the fire.
Elizabeth nodded simply and sank down into a chair. She began to daydream about Xanthea and their island. How beautiful her skin looked against the white sand. The gentle caress of her fingertips. The sounds she made when she--
"Your bath's ready, Lizzie. C'mon, I'll help you with your hair if you want."
"No thanks," said Elizabeth, shaking her head and forcing a small smile. "I can manage." Once she was in the bathroom with the door shut, she sank into the steaming water. "Ahh..." she groaned. She'd forgotten how good this felt. They'd had nothing but cold ocean baths on the island. She let her mind wander again as she used Amapola's fancy hair potion on her hair. She wished that Xan could be here, soaking with her, cuddled against her chest.
She could be, if you'd have said something.
Elizabeth nearly jumped out of the tub. "Sodohka!" she exclaimed in an accusatory tone. Guardians, how long had she been there?! Elizabeth blushed, sinking back into the water.
I've heard worse thoughts than the one you were having, Sodohka replied dryly, lying on the floor next to the tub.
After a few more thoughts, Elizabeth stepped out of the water and dried herself off. She wrung out her hair over the tub and twisted it up into the towel like she'd seen Amapola do before.
"Amapola?" she called, looking around as she exited the bathing room.
"I'm right here, what do you need?" Amapola appeared from out of her bedroom. "Your bed's all made up. Do you want some tea before bed?"
"No, thank you," said Elizabeth. She hugged Amapola again. "It's good to see you again, Amapola. I've missed you." She felt a little bad for it only being half-true. She'd sort of quit thinking about her life on Telrunya. She'd had to. "I'll see you in the morning. Goodnight."
As she laid in bed, all she could think about was the glaring absence of Xanthea. She'd grown used to her presence, cuddled against her in bed, her smiling face at first light. Not even Sodohka's warmth at her side could make up for it. She sighed. "I miss her, Sodohka. I don't...I don't even really want to be here without her. I'd almost rather be on the island again."
Almost?
Elizabeth smiled wryly. "The bath was nice. But would've been better with Xan." She stared at the ceiling. "I'll go to her tomorrow."
And do what?
"...I don't know. Spend the day. Maybe spend the night. I need her."
Is there a reason you can't live there with her? You two are very close. I'd say you were even ready for the Guardians--
"I don't want to think about that just now." Elizabeth cut her companion off. But she knew she was right. They were partners. They couldn't just go back to their old lives like nothing had happened. She didn't want to. She knew Xan wouldn't want to, either. So maybe they could begin a new life here, together. But that was for later to think about.
Elizabeth fell asleep eventually, the memory of making love waist-deep in the ocean enough to calm her nerves for now.
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Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2014 8:32 pm
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Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2014 10:05 am
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Elizabeth hadn't been sleeping either. She'd woken up sweating, in a panic. She was so used to the cold nights on the island, this house was far too warm. Her blanket had become a cocoon, suffocating. And there was no Xanthea. Elizabeth laid on top of the bed, blanket now in a crumpled heap on the floor. She sighed. Would she ever get used to sleeping alone again? She frowned. Why should she? There was no reason for anything to be different between them now that they were back home. They could combine households. Xan could come live here, or maybe they could both live at Xan's place, leave this house to Amapola...
The knock startled her out of her planning.
She scooted down the hall to the door, scrambling so the knock wouldn't sound again and wake Amapola. She wrenched open the door, and her mouth fell open. Elizabeth wasn't sure who she expected to see at her door so late at night, but...it definitely hadn't been her Xanthea. "Xan..." she breathed.
And only a second later, she stepped into her pale angel and embraced her, folding her into her arms and covering her lips with hers. Slowly she backed them into the house and nudged the door closed with her foot. She touched her forehead to Xanthea's, dropping giddy little kisses on her lips. "I'm so glad you're here," she whispered. "I couldn't sleep without you."
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Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2014 4:30 pm
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Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2014 5:07 pm
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"I love you too, Xan," said Elizabeth, settling her hands on Xanthea's hips. "And I need you too. I think I always have." She kissed her again, several times. They'd work out details in the morning. For now, they had each other, and that was enough. Elizabeth picked Xanthea up by her thighs and carried her the short steps to her bedroom, where she collapsed onto her bed with her love, giggling quietly.
"Should we sleep, or should we..." She flicked her eyebrows upward. The look on Xan's face told her all she needed to know. She grinned and scooted down on the bed...
~-~-~
The next morning, the pair had a bit of explaining to do. Amapola, as was her wont, was thrilled that after all this time, Elizabeth had finally found love. Xia and Ruya were practically sisters already, and they had mostly left the nest, as it were, so there wasn't much to be done there. What remained was the practical aspect.
"Of course you'll live here with us," said Amapola to Xanthea effortlessly.
And that had more or less settled it. So after breakfast Elizabeth and Xanthea flew down to Xan's little house and began to gather some of her things. There wasn't much, but it would still take a few trips. So they began with what she would need immediately, and things that were most special to her. They left a note for Xia before leaving, explaining why Xan wouldn't be there, and started back home. Elizabeth practically glowed for the whole morning.
When they returned to Elizabeth's place, Amapola was nowhere to be seen. Presumably she'd gone to the market in the City to accommodate their new housemate. But waiting for them on the table was a small stoppered bottle with a note that simply read "For Elizabeth and Xanthea--congratulations!" in a pleasant script.
"Odd," said Elizabeth. "It doesn't look like Amapola's handwriting. But then--when was the last time I saw her write anything?" She took off the stopper and smelled it. "Ooh..." she smiled, the expression warm on her face. "It smells amazing." It reminded her of Xanthea, actually. Probably a love potion. It would be just like her sister to leave them a love potion. "Shall we?" She wouldn't mind a bit of a bedroom romp. Elizabeth took a drink of the bottle, then offered it to Xan.
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