Water and Wind

Arian

There's a wash of heat where Nimue's fingers left his cheek that's still burning. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees her turning back to him, hears her musical words. "I'll be back."

She stands in front of him, unwilling to cry even a bit more. And he can't. But if he could, he would. Her honey brown hair is loose from its usual braid, and flowing around her face as her brown eyes bore into him.

Can you hear me? He tries, but clearly she can't.

She just stands there, staring at him and trembling. "One more minute." The man warns, and still she stands there.

Then, in one fluid motion, she's hugging him and crying at the same time, her tears wetting both herself and him as she pulls him tighter. He can do nothing but stand there like a wooden statue, but neither care.

Finally, she pulls back, and then, as if she's deciding something, leans forward, her mouth right to his ear. He knows the adults are scandalized, and Lucifer is probably ready to strangle the pair, but he doesn't care.

Then, the most wonderful thing happens. Her voice appears in his head, despite the closeness of her mouth.

Try to break free from it.

And then, right then, it seems like anything is possible. It takes almost no effort to do so, and she falls into his arms, laughing and crying at the same time.

She stands back, and stands up tall, looking into his eyes. "One last show?" She asks him bravely, and the children in the row cheer. They all know what they are talking about. Nimue winks at them. The adults have no idea what they have been practicing all this time, with the children as their spectators, and sometimes even part of it. But this is a show just for Nimue and Arian, and they know this, standing back respectfully.

She faces him, a smile pulling at her lips. Her eyes lock on his as her face lights up. He stares back at her, mesmerized. She takes a deep breath. "Are you ready?" His answer is a ball of breeze forming in between his fingers.

"Ready." A smile of his own pulls at his lips, quickly forming into a large grin despite their situation. He raises his hands above his head. "Let's do this."