Welcome to Gaia! ::

As they pulled into the driveway, Melody leaned forward to peer up at the clouds through the windshield. They remained dark and brooding, still swollen with unshed rain but not quite as threatening as they’d been back at the cafe.

“You know…” she glanced over at Harvey with a thoughtful expression, her tone playful. “I’m starting to wonder if this storm really is just a coincidence.” She leaned dramatically against the door as if he radiated bad luck, her lips pulled into a wide grin. “But I might have to agree, I do think it is following you.”

Her expression shifted into something gentler, eyes softening with a trace of something that bordered sympathy if not perhaps pity.

“I think we can make it in one run.” Melody only had her purse, two bags of groceries, and the empty coffee cup to carry while Harvey had a few things in his own.

Melody’s lips parted to protest, but she caught the words before they formed and instead released a soft sigh. “Alright,” she agreed, albeit reluctantly. There was no need to turn down his kind gesture; after all, he had already lent her his spare clothes.

“Thank you,” she added gently, cracking the door just enough to slip the umbrella through and press the button.

Once she heard the synthetic fabric snap taut, Melody pushed the door wide to step outside. “Fortunately, it doesn’t look like it has been raining here long enough to have formed any sizeable puddles.”

Sliding her purse strap over her head, she gathered both grocery bags. Their weight settled into the crook of her elbow as she used her hip to nudge the door shut behind her before circling to the driver’s side.

“You coming?” She asked, a small smile playing at her lips. “There’s room for two.”

Though her eyes were alight with amusement, Melody managed to keep from laughing as Harvey took back the umbrella and held it above them while ushering her towards the front door.

“You know…” she began as she dug through her purse for her set of keys. But before she could finish the thought, the rest of what she was about to say was already forgotten. “Mmmm, never mind.” Feeling a little foolish, she shook her head, dismissing the comment, figuring if it were important, it’d come back to her eventually

The key slid into the lock, and with a quiet click, she opened the door for them. Melody entered first and put her shoes in the basket next to the entryway before heading toward the kitchen, while Harvey got his bags sorted and the umbrella put away.

“How many sandwiches would you like?” She asked, lifting the bag of square ciabatta rolls for him to see how small they were.

His breath against her skin sparked a shiver that raced up her spine, tinting the tips of her ears a light pink hue. It was such a small thing, but it made her acutely aware of how much she’d missed this closeness and the way his arms wrapped around her made her feel secure, maybe even wanted.

Melody relaxed and leaned her back against his chest, finding comfort in the way they fit so perfectly. She turned her head just enough to press a soft kiss near his jaw, then let her gaze fall to the counter again and returned her attention to the sandwiches.

“I’ll make yours first,” she said after she caught her breath, her voice even as her hands busied themselves with small tasks: straightening the now-empty bag, adjusting the cutting board, placing ingredients in order of assembly.

Time alone was limited, two hours at best before they would need to pick up Rae, and though there were things for them to discuss, Melody was uncertain how to navigate the conversation. So she didn’t…

I don’t want to ruin a good moment…

Her voice came quieter than before, “Do you want yours toasted, or just as-is,” she asked.

The flutter in her chest was instant, a soft rush of warmth that spread through her limbs and made her lips curl into a smile before she could stop it. It was silly how something so small could still affect her like this, but she didn’t mind.

If anything, it reminded her of slow mornings, shared laughter, and all the small quiet joys she’d come to cherish. Such as the sound of Harvey typing away at his computer, focused on a work task with the door slightly ajar. Occasionally, she’d sneak a peek inside and catch sight of his pinched expression, brows furrowed in mild irritation at an email he’d received. That same look she often saw both his mother and daughter try to smooth out so he looked less angry.

Melody leaned into him just a little more before reaching for the bread, unwilling to let the closeness go too soon, just as he was. “Careful,” she murmured, her voice low yet lightly teasing. “You keep doing that and I might forget what I’m supposed to be making.”

“Though,” she paused as if reconsidering her next words. But before they could get cut off by her next breath, she continued. “I wouldn’t be opposed if you did this more often,” Melody admitted softly. “It might even encourage me to make more meals at home,” she added as an incentive. “Just don’t expect gourmet meals.”

Whether he was aware of it or not, Melody was in fact trying to learn how to make his favorite Korean sides his mother brought over.

She’d warned him, and yet Harvey took it as a challenge.

One that he was clearly winning…

His attentions were driving her to an almost frustrating level of distraction as she fussed with trying to open the pack of lunch meat for way too long. “You know,” she paused a moment on the verge of almost giving up. “I think we should switch places…”

“I’ll make yours and you make mine,” Melody suggested because, honestly, she wanted an excuse to turn around. Being stuck between him and the counter was kind of unfair, “see how you like being teased.” Though at that point it was unlikely she’d care enough to actually eat anything.

“This is a side of you I’ve sorely missed,” Melody admitted after assembling the turkey, asiago cheese, and arugula on one half of the sandwich. “I feel like I should be saying welcome home.” Not to make it sound like he hadn’t been there all along, but this moment felt more normal than things had been for a while now.

It felt… right.

Harvey’s actions alone left little room to wonder about the sincerity of his words at the cafe, that he wanted to make it up to her.

Melody hummed thoughtfully.

Aesthetically, they looked decent enough. But they would definitely be dry and hard to swallow if they didn’t also add either some mayonnaise or Dijon mustard. Maybe some cracked pepper to taste as well. “Hold on,” she turned to the refrigerator and grabbed both condiments.

“A little bit of these and I think they’ll be done.” She set both next to the cutting board, leaving the decision on which up to him.

“Please… finish what you were saying,” her voice was gentle as she ushered him to continue. This was Harvey’s moment to open up and share the thoughts that had been stuck inside his head, and caused him to put up walls that were fortified well enough to keep even her out.

Sensing his withdrawal, Melody moved without overthinking her actions.

Her hand rose slowly to his face, fingers warm as they rested against his cheek, her thumb tracing a soft line along his skin as she urged his gaze toward hers. At the same time, her other hand found the back of his wrist, a feather-light touch that asked Harvey to let go of the counter and trust that she was still with him.

It struck Melody too late just how deeply she had failed him. As a Knight of Cosmos, she had ben entrusted with a lantern, a symbol of her duty to guide those lost in the darkness, but somewhere along the way, she had let its glow dim and her purpose forgotten. But hearing his words now, she understood her mistake in giving him space, allowing him to drift in the shadows of uncertainty and fear.

“The worry you felt about what would happen to the people you love if something happened to you...” Melody’s voice was gentle as she spoke. “That was my reality.”

“One moment you were beside me, and in an instant you were gone. I didn’t know if you were dead or where it had taken you. But I couldn’t sense your aura. I couldn’t process what happened and lost all will to keep fighting.” With nothing to hold on to, she had fallen to her knees in grief. The emptiness she felt couldn’t be described in words; only those who had ever experienced such loss could understand the sorrow.

“I would have given anything to trade places with you.” How do you tell a 13-year-old girl that her father is gone, that he’s not coming home, and there’s nothing for her to mourn?

“As Knights, we accept that there are certain dangers we will come up against. But the Calamitous Hallow, the Dark Star you mentioned, that is something that neither Cosmos nor the Code has ever prepared us for. Not even the leader of the Negaverse, with all her chaotic power, could bring the serpent down.” It took the combined efforts of all factions, and even that wasn’t enough to defeat it, only contain it for who knows how long. Its eyes remained fixated hungrily on Earth, and someday it will get free again.

“Even after you returned, it still felt like a part of you remained out of reach,” and the future I had hoped for had been stolen from me. Though Melody wished she had the courage to give voice to those words, the last part remained unsaid.

Her hand drifted down the center of his chest before finding its place around his waist. She pulled him in closer and tucked her head beneath his chin. For a long moment, she said nothing.

“I know why you pulled away,” she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper. “I just want you to know you didn’t have to. Not with me.”