Chapter 28:

“Hey Arcane?” A pale haired teenager, perhaps sixteen years old, asks while stroking a head of bright cyan hair in her lap.

“Mhm?” the hair shifts slightly as the girl it belongs to moves, twisting her face and opening her eyes in response to Fate’s question. Arcane, appearance identical to that of Fate as always, relaxes as her sister’s hands continue their gentle ministrations. The pair of teenage girls have yet to blossom outwards with the trademark curves of their gender, but are unmistakably growing from children into women.

“Are these… lilies?” Fate asks, a teasing grin on her face as she dangles one above her sister’s forehead. Pure happiness fills her features, not quite the innocent joy of a child, but also far from the fulfilled delight of an adult.

Arcane giggles and swats at the dangling flower, knocking the flower away and grabbing onto the pale hand beyond it. Gently she pulls the hand down to her face and cuddles against it. “Maybe” She answers with a smile, her eyes dancing around as she observes the field of white surrounding them.

“Maybe?” Fate replies with faux anger, a happy frown on her face. “In that case, maybe I don’t remember where your room is, hm?”

“Depends on where you forget it to be.” Arcane teases, sitting up abruptly and pushing Fate over. The two girls roll through the flowers with squeals of delight, laughing and scrambling against each other as they move across the hilltop.

They come to a stop with Arcane on top, Fate trapped beneath her. Neither seems to mind; especially not after Arcane drops down for a quick kiss. Their lips quickly meet and then part. Pushing herself off her sister, Arcane brings herself into a position where she can stare deeply into Fate’s eyes. Her own are stared into in turn.

“You blinked.” Fate says after a minute.

“I did not!” Arcane gasps, appalled. “You trickster!”

Fate giggles in reply, and the two girls roll over each other again. The next time they stop Fate is on top, smiling down at her cyan haired twin. “So I was thinking I’d forget it to be a lingerie shop first, but I can’t help but hope you’d rather do without. What do you think?”

Arcane blushes red and looks away, but peeks up at Fate. “I’m not sure I hate it…”

“Going without or the underwear shop? Either way makes you a bit of a pervert, doesn’t it?” Fate replies instantly, shaking her head in mock disbelief.

“You!!... That’s just mean, Fate!” Arcane complains, hiding her face with her hands.

“Then why don’t you stop me?” Fate grins, twitching her hands as she moves them to Arcane’s sides and suddenly strikes. “Tickle tickle tickle!”

Arcane gasps out in a fit of giggling and moves to protect her sides, rolling over and sending the pair of them tumbling over the flowery hillside again. Fate attacks again, and Arcane does nothing but defend. Gaily laughing, they roll away from each other and then land with their heads together and their feet separated.

Panting slightly, the girls take a minute to compose themselves while lying on the flowered hilltop. “This is a nice place, Arcane.” Fate says after a bit.

“I’m glad you like it.” Arcane replies quickly, closing her eyes and nestling her head against her sister’s.

“I mean, it’s no lingerie shop, much less a love hotel…” Fate continues, leading Arcane to flip over and pin her down again. Fate knocks Arcane over with her legs and then starts tickling her again, giving herself a chance to start them rolling again and put herself on top.

When they stop, Arcane’s dress is slightly parted over her chest and the upper portion of her thighs are visible. Fate looks down and feels a surge of desire, half reaching her hand towards her sister’s breasts before stopping and looking at her face.

“Be gentle, okay?” Arcane asks, her scarlet face hidden behind splayed fingers radiating irresistible innocence and appeal.

Fate pauses, feeling a surge of lust and heat through her body while looking at the helpless sister pinned below her in an unresisting position. Yet after closing her eyes, she sighs and pushes herself off of Arcane, turning away and shaking her head while she waits for Arcane to get up and compose herself.

Clothes rustle as Arcane rearranges her wardrobe, then a head of cyan hair lays itself down in Fate’s lap while a pair of pale arms curl around her waist. Fate reaches down and absentmindedly starts rubbing the shoulders next to her body, trying not to notice their trembling.

“How much longer do I have to wait?” She grumbles to herself before realizing she said it out loud and gasping in horror. “Wait, Arcane...”

“I’m sorry.” Arcane mutters, her trembling increasing in strength even as she tries her best to control it.

“Arcane, I… I didn’t… I didn’t mean it.” Fate stammers, her own body starting to tremble in time with Arcane’s. Yet she calms down quickly at the pure smile Arcane directs towards her, even though her eyes glisten with tears.

“Yes, you did, Fate.” Arcane barely manages not to cry, blinking back the moisture in her eyes. “It’s all my fault…”

“It’s not your fault, Arcane.” Fate protests, shaking her head. “It’s…”

“Sh…” Arcane scolds, putting her finger on Fate’s lips. “It is. I… but… I’m broken.”

“You’re not broken.” Fate replies, but her voice doesn’t have the strength it did before.

“I am. I tried… I asked Rain, and Flame, and you for help, but even with all of you supporting me…” Arcane continues, her voice shaking just as her body is. Fate strengthens her rubbing, trying to calm the distraught sister below her. “But… but…”

“It’s okay. It’s all okay.” Fate chants softly, and Arcane’s trembling slowly subsides.

Once calm, Arcane looks away from Fate and out into the field of lilies. “I don’t understand. I know it’s nothing to be ashamed of, but I can’t help but feel it’s just wrong. So, so wrong…”

“I know. I know, Arcane.” Fate soothes, feeling Arcane relax beneath her hands.

Arcane takes a deep breath and shakes her head. “I’m not making any progress, Fate. Maybe you should just…”

“Absolutely not!” Fate snaps, the sudden hard pressure causing Arcane to flinch. Real anger distorts her face, a harsh tone entering into her voice. “I’m not going to force you, Arcane. I want it to be something we both want. Otherwise there’s no point.”

“But I don’t and I never will, Fate!” Arcane wails, turning so her sister can see the tears streaming down her face. “I’m a worthless coward who can’t let go of her selfish prejudices for the girl she…”

“Arcane!” Fate’s clear voice cuts off anything more Arcane would have said. Taking a deep breath, Fate pulls Arcane into her embrace again. “You are not worthless, and are definitely not a coward. Everyone has things they have trouble with, and that’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

Fate continues to hold Arcane while the other girl cries softly, her hands rubbing along her back but being careful to avoid going anywhere near the small breasts or hips that barely protrude from her body line. Embracing Fate in turn, Arcane seems to do the same by instinct. They remain in that position until Arcane pulls herself away and wipes her eyes, Fate sitting back to allow her sister to compose herself.

“Okay, let’s start over.” Fate says when both girls are back to normal half a minute later. Laying her head in Arcane’s lap, Fate looks up at the other girl to start the conversation. “How’s school going?”

“Lonely. Why can’t you be in my class?” Arcane complains, brushing pale hair out over her skirt and gently straightening out any tangles created by their earlier antics. “Flame and Dawn are nice, sure, but they’re just too…”

“Childish?” Fate offers when Arcane fails to finish, closing her eyes softly.

“Perhaps. Flame’s one thing, but everyone always expects her to explode so it’s alright.” Arcane explains, gently teasing a particularly tough tangle with delicate fingers.

“I kind of liked Flame.” Fate notes, wincing as Arcane pulls a bit too hard on the knot. “Not like that, my jealous one. She’s fun to watch.”

“Okay.” Arcane remarks suspiciously, her sharp eyes neither laughing nor forgiving. Then she sighs and shakes her head. “I guess I’m just not good-Ow!”

Fate stops pinching Arcane’s leg while shaking her head. “Tsk, tsk, didn’t we agree not to talk about that any more?” She asks with a similarly sharp tone.

“... Sorry.” Arcane apologizes remorsefully, surreptitiously rubbing her leg while continuing on like nothing had happened. “Anyway, Flame’s dumped another boyfriend after she nearly burned him alive. Nobody knows what he did, but it’s not like there needs to be a good reason with her temper.”

“Flame goes through boyfriends faster than I go through socks. It’s nothing newsworthy.” Fate relaxes into Arcane’s lap, closing her eyes and letting her hands hang loose again.

“Yeah, but Dawn’s furious at her this time.” Arcane adds.

Fate perks up at that, eyes gleaming. “Dawn got mad? Now that’s something interesting.”

“You think they’re like us?” Arcane asks, tilting her head.

“Of course not. You know Dawn better than that. Flame, I could see it, but…” Fate shakes her head, rolling her eyes at the idea. “I bet Flame’s latest victim was her type or something. What was he like?”

Arcane looks up to think, continuing to brush Fate’s hair without looking. “Hm… I’d say the exact sort of bad boy Dawn’s always scolding Flame for hanging out with. You know, handsome and popular but crude and always doing drugs or getting into fights.” She looks down and shakes her head at Fate. “That can’t be Dawn’s type.”

“Oh-ho-ho, it can’t, is it?” Fate chuckles evilly while wagging her finger at Arcane. “What about the old saying, opposites attract?”

“People aren’t magnets, Fate.” Arcane rolls her eyes. “And you’re imagining things.”

“Am I now?” Fate asks, tilting her face to meet Arcane’s eyes. After examining the clear cyan irises for a bit she sighs and lets her head fall. “Yeah, maybe I am. No need to get mad.”

“I’m not mad.” Arcane denies immediately, leading Fate to roll her eyes. “Dawn’s a good girl, she wouldn’t do anything like that. Anything from Rain and Breeze?”

“Breeze is a toddler in the body of a child.” Fate shakes her head disdainfully. “Stone was one thing, but she gets asked out twice a week and can’t figure out why she can’t say yes to all of them.”

“Twice a week?” Arcane exclaims in surprise. “I’ve only been asked out that much total…”

“Something I should be aware of?” Fate asks quickly, her pale eyes cutting into Arcane instantly.

“Both times were you, silly.” Arcane shuts her down instantly. “But still, shouldn’t I at least be getting asked sometimes, right? Even if I’m going to turn them down, they don’t know that. Am I unattractive or something?”

“Nope, you’re beautiful.” Fate compliments Arcane, closing her eyes and looking away.

“... You know something, don’t you?” Arcane asks suddenly, her hand stopping right next to Fate’s head.

“Absolutely not.” Fate declares with complete confidence, smiling up at Arcane. “There’s no way I would have been so blatant as to threaten every single boy and slightly non heterosexual girl in your school that if they so much as looked at you that way I’d murder their entire family. Nope, never did anything like that.”

Arcane grabs her sisters cheeks and starts pulling them apart, distorting the confident smile the other girl was giving even while trying to tell her to stop. “You… you… this is your fault?!?!” Arcane howls, blushing furiously while scolding the other girl. “Are you that unconfident in me?”

“Maybe it was a touch too far; they did look a bit pale when I finished describing how I’d kill their parents…” Fate mutters once she frees her cheeks from Arcane’s hands. “Okay, I’ll tell two of them to ask you out each week instead-mgfh!?!”

“Nooo!!!” Arcane wails while pummeling her sister. “It doesn’t count if you threaten them!!!”

Fate rolls away, laughing. The play fighting with her sister left her face unharmed, allowing her to tilt a perfectly symmetric, pale face in confusion. “Really? I didn’t realize it was that important to you…”

“It’s not… You…” Arcane growls incoherently, jumping over and pulling on Fate’s cheeks even harder, knocking the other girl over and sending them head over heels down the slope with Fate laughing happily the entire time. They came to a stop with Fate once again resting her head in Arcane’s lap, smiling up at her.

“That was mean.” Arcane pouts, crossing her arms above Fate’s head and covering her face.

“I love seeing you flustered.” Fate explains, picking a few flowers and offering them up to the other girl. Arcane contemplates for a second then takes one, uncrossing her arms with a sniff. “You love it, too.”

“I do, but embarrassing is embarrassing.” Arcane says, twining the flower through Fate’s hair.

“Giving me a crown of lilies, I see.” Fate says in a mock judgemental tone, shaking her head. “Is this so everyone knows I belong to you?”

“If only it was that easy.” Arcane replies, picking more flowers for the crown and weaving them together with tender hands of flesh and magic.

“Love never is.” Fate says, closing her eyes.

“It should be!” Arcane replies with a toss of her head.

Fate opens one eye and looks up at her, still diligently weaving the flowers into a crown. “If it were easy, it wouldn’t be worthwhile, sis.”

“Are we back to being sisters now?” Arcane smiles, taking a few more flowers and adding them to the forming wreath. “I thought we were past that.”

Fate closes her eyes again and sighs. “Of course we’re also lovers, Arcane. But don’t change the subject; love is hard, right?”

“Oh, you.” Arcane says with a shake of her head. “What ever will I do with you?”

“In reality or my fantasies?” Fate teases with a smile.

“... Pervert.” Arcane mutters.

“Hey!” Fate exclaims, her eyes flying open. “I resent that charge! I’ll have you know that my fantasies are filled with nothing but wholesome, loving activities that don’t deserve such a disgraceful adjective!”

“Are we naked in them?” Arcane retorts evenly.

“... not exactly.” Fate replies.

Arcane turns a deeper shade of scarlet, still focusing on the wreath of flowers. “Pervert.”

“Eternal virgin.” Fate retaliates, then looks at Arcane’s suddenly pale face. “Oh, damn, I didn’t mean it that way…” She frantically apologizes, trying to get up but finding her head held down by a gentle hand.

“Stop apologizing for the truth, Fate.” Arcane says quietly. “You always mean it.”

“... I can’t deny it.” Fate says softly, choosing not to lie even to protect her lover’s feelings. A quick intake of breath from above her tells her that it may not have been the best of decisions.

Arcane blinks back wetness in her eyes and continues to weave without saying anything. Fate, having put her foot in her mouth three times so far, chose not to make things worse by saying anything. Arcane would take it as either insincere or complaining, she knew full well.

“Fate.” Arcane says after a while.

“Arcane.” Fate replies, looking at her sister with pale eyes.

Arcane sighs, and stops weaving while looking directly at her sister. “I had hoped it wouldn’t come to this, but…” She mutters, taking a deep breath and closing her eyes. “Fate, I think we should break up.”

Fate’s breathing stops, her eyes suddenly trembling and her body shaking in fear. “Arcane… no, I don’t want that.”

“Nor do I.” Arcane denies, bowing her head. “But you have certain needs from a relationship, needs I cannot fulfill, so…”

“Arcane! You’re perfect for me, and I’m perfectly fine without that aspect involved in any way.” Fate snaps sharply, shaking her head furiously. “That isn’t everything in a relationship.”

“But I’m hurting you.” Arcane says. “Everytime we get close I see you, trying so hard not to touch me. I know you want to, I know you don’t like me...!”

“I wouldn’t like not being with you so much more!” Fate shouts to cut her off, forcing herself upright and pushing the other girl away. “Stop degrading yourself to me! I love you!”

“Stop saying that!” Arcane howls, covering her ears and turning away.

Fate lunges forward, ripping Arcane’s hands away from her ears and chanting repeatedly. “I love you, I love you, I love you!” She shouts finally, causing Arcane to wince with the noise. “I love you.” She whispers one last time before letting go and pulling back.

Arcane remains silent and immobile, fallen prone onto the flowery ground and staring blankly off into space. Fate starts brushing her hair, hoping gentle caresses would penetrate the stiff guard her sister had erected around herself. Arcane slowly relaxes, allowing Fate to brush her hair over her ears and massage her shoulders and back again.

“I was serious, you know.” Arcane says after a while.

“So was I.” Fate replies without missing a beat.

“Fate. Stop.” A pair of cyan eyes twist up and stare into Fate’s pale ones, neither balking at the confrontation. “We need to talk about this.”

“There’s nothing to discuss.” Fate says, hoping that will end everything.

Arcane sighs and closes her eyes, taking a deep breath. Then she pushes Fate away from her. “Then I’m breaking up with you.” She says before standing and taking a step away.

“Arcane?!?!” Shocked, Fate springs to her feet and jumps after her sister. “What are you saying?”

“Don’t touch me.” Evading the outstretched hands, Arcane growls at the stunned Fate without pausing in her slow walk away. “We’re through.”

Openmouthed, Fate is unable to move while Arcane walks down the hillside away from her. Shaking herself free of her frozen stupor, she races after the other girl and tackles her violently to the ground.

“Get off me!” Arcane snarls, waves of magical force and terrifying physical strength slamming into Fate as she fights back for real. Fate rises a few centimeters into the air before she manages to react and neutralize Arcane’s power with her own, instinct allowing her to react to her sister’s true power with her own. “Get away from me!” Arcane shouts as Fate traps her hands behind her back.

“Arcane… Please, please just listen to me!” Fate pleads, holding her sister down while crying.

“You said it yourself, there’s nothing to discuss.” Arcane snaps back.

“I was wrong!” Fate wails. “We’ll talk about it, we’ll talk about whatever you want, just please don’t leave me!” Fate cries, collapsing on top of Arcane as the magical force from each of them dies and sobbing desperately.

“... This is exactly the problem.” Arcane mutters, shaking her head. But seeing Fate not reacting, she sighs and looks away from her sister. “Fine. We can talk.”

“Arcane!” Fate’s sudden joy shines brilliantly as the sun through the clouds after a storm.

“After you let me up.” Arcane adds, her eyes meeting Fate’s unwaveringly.

Fate nods unwillingly and lets go, sitting back and pulling Arcane up to sit in front of her, though the separation is obviously difficult for her. Several flowers remain in her hair, and the unfinished wreath is scattered around them. The white flowers shine in the sunlight as the pale haired girl trembles in front of the forcibly emotionless cyan orbs of Arcane.

Arcane starts. “We should break up for a while.” She states plainly. “Being together is only hurting the both of us.”

Fate opens her mouth instantly, then thinks better of it and closes it. Closing her eyes, she spends some time putting together what she wants to say before giving up and replying. “But Arcane… I love you.”

“I know.” Arcane says with difficulty.

“Then!...” Fate exclaims, but Arcane cuts her off.

“That isn’t enough, Fate. No matter what the romances say, it just isn’t. For either of us.” Arcane shakes her head sadly.

“But… but…” Fate stammers, not sure why she found herself so lost for words or unable to come up with a coherent argument.

“You know I’m right, Fate.” Arcane continues implacably. “You just don’t want to admit it.” she sighs and hangs her head. “Nor do I, honestly. I don’t want to break up, or see how this isn’t working… but I can’t keep doing this. It’s just not working.”

“... What do I need to do?” Fate asks finally. “What can I change, what can I do differently, what else can I add? Arcane, I want to be with you, and I will give anything to do that. So please, please, won’t you stay with me?” She begs, reaching towards the other girl’s hand only to have it withdrawn before she could reach it.

“It’s not you, Fate. It’s me.” Arcane denies simply.

“It can’t be.” Fate rejects. “You’re perfect. It has to be me, because there’s nothing about you that makes me want to leave you!” she continues while trying to move closer to Arcane.

Arcane pushes her back subtly, moving away herself. “It’s this, Fate. Can’t you see it? You come closer, I pull back. You want intimacy, and I… I can’t.”

“I’ll back off-” Fate begins immediately.

“That won’t help anything!” Arcane shouts, silencing Fate at the sudden clear emotion in her voice. “You’re already holding back, and it’s hurting both of us.”

Fate looks down and clutches her skirt, unable to deny it yet wanting so desperately to. Arcane watches her and shakes her head.

“We’ll be better for it, Fate. We need to separate.” she says softly, rising slowly to her feet and looking down at the pale haired girl trembling in front of her.

Fate reaches a shaking hand out to her, brushing Arcane’s fingers and grasping them in a fragile grip that seems like it would blow away in the wind. For a long time she doesn’t say anything, yet as Arcane is about to withdraw she hears a soft voice. “I want your promise.”

“My promise?” Arcane asks, not pretending not to hear or understand the words spoken.

“I want your promise… no, I want your oath.” Fate says in a clearer voice, looking up at Arcane with tear filled eyes. “You will come back to me, no matter what.”

“Fate…” Arcane says gently. “I can’t make that promise. We don’t know the future, you could find someone better…”

“Then I won’t let you go.” Fate declares absolutely. “Unless you swear it, I won’t let go.”

“...Fate…” Arcane pleads, shaking her head at the impossible promise demanded by the other girl.

“Arcane, I can’t lose you.” Fate says softly, looking away. “You need us to be apart, I know. I know you won’t be happy if we stay together, even if I can’t understand why. I don’t like it, I hate it, I hate it more than anything else in existence, with every particle of my being, but I know.” She takes a trembling breath, looking at Arcane with watery but determined eyes. “But I will not lose you forever.” Her voice is hard as stone, making even Arcane want to yield. “I will not accept that what I feel is not real, or will not be fulfilled.”

“... Fate…” Arcane starts again.

“Please, Arcane.” Fate pleads. “If that’s too much, then at least promise me you will be safe, and you will be happy. That way, even if I’m not with you, I can rest easy. Please, Arcane. Promise me; you will be safe, and you will be happy, until we are together again. Absolutely, no excuses, forever. Swear it.”

“...” Arcane stares down at her, the will in her eyes slowly failing.

Fate sees this and repeats herself one last time. “Please.”

Arcane closes her eyes and sighs, giving up. “Alright.”

“Promise?” Fate asks.

“I promise.” Arcane replies.

“You swear it?” Fate demands, watery eyes staring at Arcane suspiciously.

“What do you think of me?” Arcane chuckles, but quickly stops under the unchanging gaze pointed at her. “Fine, I swear it.”

“That doesn’t count. You have to say it.” Fate insists petulantly.

“Haa… okay. I swear that until we are together again I will endeavor to keep myself…” Arcane starts before Fate cuts her off.

“No. not endeavor, not best of your ability, not any of that nonsense. You will do it. Absolutely.” Fate corrects without a trace of reason or restraint. Arcane opens her mouth to talk the other girl down but stops on seeing her expression of hardened determination and unyielding will.

“... Okay.” Arcane surrenders, throwing up her hands and giving in. “I swear that, from now until the time that I am once again romantically engaged with my dear sister, Fate of Magia, I, Arcane of Magia, will be safe and happy, absolutely, unquestionably. Once that time comes keeping me that way is her responsibility.” Arcane adds teasingly, but Fate only nods seriously.

“You’re damn right it is. So until I take over, you will not get so much as a scratch, you understand? Because I won’t be there for you.” Fate say with perfect seriousness, standing up and hugging Arcane one last time before stepping back and holding out her hand. “No matter how much I want to be.”

Arcane hesitates, then reaches out her own hand and grasps Fate’s firmly. The pale haired girl shakes them one up and down before releasing, turning sharply and walking steadily out of the lily field.

After she takes three steps, she stops and looks back over her shoulder. “Arcane… Whenever you're ready… I'll be waiting. Always.” She declares with a shaking voice, suppressing turbulent emotions beneath a veneer of calm. “No matter what.” She adds as she turns around again and set off, fixing her gaze on the distance.

Arcane watches her go, seeing the time shaking in her shoulders and the slight hang of her head that confirmed the intense emotions she was feeling. Almost, she finds herself stepping forward to comfort the crying Fate, to gently wipe the tears from her eyes and steady those shaking limbs, to allow the other to do the same for her. She wants so badly to reach out her arms and embrace the other girl, to gently feel each other’s warmth and love. But she holds herself back, turning around much as Fate did and striding with a similar gait towards the other side of the hill, towards where they had first been sitting and away from the road that brought them here.

She doesn’t take a single glance back, holding herself to the resolution to part ways here until both of them are ready. Like Orpheus, she knows the temptation she will feel if she turns will cause her to lose her love forever. But, just in case Fate is similarly tempted, she does not allow herself to cry, does not allow her muscles to shake. Puppeting her own body with magic, she controls each and every muscle with perfect discipline, allowing not a single crack in her facade of calm. Yet as she walks she feels a certain wetness trailing down her cheeks and a slight catch in her breathing.

Soon, yet an eternity later, she reaches the other side of a tree in the middle of the field. Checking to make sure the view is obstructed, Arcane collapses. Heaving sobs wrack her body as she hugs herself on her knees.

“Fate… Fate, I’m so sorry. Please forgive me… please forgive me, I didn’t want to hurt you. I’m sorry for being so weak, I’m sorry for being such a bad sister, such a terrible lover. I’m so, so, sorry.” She cries, tears streaming down her face to dye the white lilies grey with wetness. She remains there, curled up on the flowered field, until her tears dry up and her voice is hoarse.

“I love you.” She croaks, finally managing to say what she no longer could to her lover’s face. In Arcane’s mind, she was the one who broke their relationship long before the events of this day. She knows, as she always had, what Fate wants, what Fate deserves from a lover. Physical intimacy was just a cover, sex nothing more than an excuse. What Fate always wanted, always needed, was validation, was proof that Arcane loves her back as deeply as she herself loves Arcane. To this day, Arcane could not provide it. She cannot say the words, she cannot perform the acts, she cannot even think the thoughts that Fate needed her to think.

“I love you, so I had to leave you.” Arcane says to herself, her voice nearly gone from crying. “You deserve better than an insincere, insecure wreck like me. But…” her voice trembles as she hugs herself in guilt. “I’m sorry, but I can’t stop myself from wishing, from praying to every god out there that you never find it. Because then you’d know just how worthless I am, and you’d never come back to me.” Arcane hangs her head, hating herself completely.

Hours later, as the sun sets the sky afire in the distance, Arcane slowly rises and stumbles out of the grove of trees and across the flowery field. On the way she pauses to retrieve the wreath of lilies, but doesn’t find it. There are many scattered flowers where the two of them had lain before, but all those that Arcane had woven into Fate’s hair were gone. Arcane stops and shakes her head, walking ahead and not looking through the memories engraved in the pattern of crushed flowers.

She stumbles onto the road and walks along it towards the transit station. On the way she sees a pair of flowers, woven together carefully with a slight dark stain on their stems. Hiding her red eyes glistening with renewed wetness beneath her hair, she boards the transport with the flowers clutched tightly in her hands, heading back to her school dorm and a life alone.

Chapter 28: (I Love You)