The many lives and times of Lin and Ezerella

Three years (snippet)

Woahhhh, what's this? An event that's canonical to the main fic, only not included in the fic? Yep, it is! Also, seeing Lin's healing prosses after her traumatic journey before I've even finished planning her journey is.... wow.

For future note; any chapter title that is finished with the word 'snippet' is an event that happens somewhere in the universe of Weep Not For The Memories (Don't Let Life Pass You By) but is not included in the fic, and any chapter title that is finished with the word 'au' is obviously an au.

Lmao the chapter note makes up 1/7 of the chapter.

Enjoy!

Tw// dissociation, mentions of trauma, slight derealization.

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In just one more day, less than twenty-four hours, the cycle ends. Three years will have passed and the fact weights heavily on her mind. She wakes up knowing the fact, just as she has for the past week.

Usually, Lin gets out of bed immediately. First she did so because it was routine, drilled into her head with the years, and because she had chores.

Then, she did so because it was deadly not to. Lin had no time for sleep, no time to rest when she had to keep Ezerella and herself safe.

Lin should get out of bed. Instead, she stares up at the wall and lets the seconds tick by.

After an exact number of seconds which she doesn't care to translate into minutes, she gets up. Her bed has gone cool despite her body heat, or maybe it's still warm. It's hard to focus.

She recognizes this as one of her states, where sound and sight dull and leave her able only to do her tasks. It's been a while since she's fell into this state.

Ezerella notices, as the princess always does. They sit and Ezerella talks; though she barely hears the words, Lin appreciates the gesture. Sometimes having a steady presence makes her come back to herself.

It doesn't today, so they move get up and on.

Things continue to fade as the day goes on, though Lin doesn't let it go further than a hazy dullness. Not a blur, as she might have when she was younger. Things blurred a lot in the beginning.

Soon the sun sets. Lin goes to bed and Ezerella follows. Though they do have separate rooms to sleep in, they hardly use them.

Ezerella gives her a long look from across the room. Lin answers the silent question; it's okay, go to sleep. I'm fine.

With a nod, Ezerella gets into bed and falls quickly to sleep. She doesn't quite understand, but she trusts Lin enough to let her be. She's good like that.

Lin sits on her bed in silence. Midnight draws closer, and a minute before it strikes, she turns her gaze from the clock to Ezerella's sleeping form. Under her breath, she counts down the seconds.

"Five, four, three, two, one...."

Nothing happens. Lin feels the dreading weight on her chest lif as she lets out a breath that she's been holding the whole day. Ezerella continues to sleep soundly.

Sleep tugs at her mind. Lin slips into bed and takes a slow breath, content. She's asleep before her next exhale.

The next morning, she looks around her room and sees the life she has built for herself. The unfixed but neat bed, the photos on the wall, the books piled messily on the desk.

It's the same bedroom that it's always been, but different. It changed, just as she did. Grew up. With a deep breath, she sinks back into bed.

A grin starts to tug at her lips.

"Lin, can you help me with my hair, please! Your sister keeps messing it up!" Ezerella yells from downstairs. "I'm your sister too, kid!" she can hear Ama laugh.

"Not after messing up my hair, you're not!" Ezerella snaps back jokingly. "Lin, help me, your sister is murdering me!" she cries again, followed by a shriek of laughter and a loud whining call of her name

She laughs herself and shouts down for them to hear, "Yeah, I'm coming!"

When she sits down in the kitchen, running a brush through Ezerella's hair as Ama combs her own hair despite it being unnecessary, Lin smiles to herself once more.

This, not adventure, is home.