death by a thousand cuts (lenrisa)

you were spring, i was fall

More often than not, Leon, Mark, Therese, and James would go on an outing. It was peculiar to the two women at first, but eventually, they were able to grow used to it as time went by.

This outing is different, though. The view from La Union felt different from Therese and Leon's standpoint, and the recollections both women garnered from the view left the two women to take a deep breath as they got out of the vehicle. They saw each other's eyes yearning for the memories of yesterday, and the thought of it just filled the air with nostalgia, along with the heat that the sun exudes.

"Ganda, Hun?" Then, James pulled Therese to the shore, and Leon watched them walk away, only to be disrupted by her lover, Mark. "Well... should we head to our room to rest..." or?"

There was a Cheshire cat smile painted on Mark's not so sly face. Normally, Leon would bite the bait and do what lovers do—but this is La Union, and La Union is Leon and Therese, and not a tinge of this place could take away the familiarity that takes over her. They laughed as they tainted every breath, step, and sight by painting the entire town green, pink, and purple—whatever floats their boat, they did.

But Mark and James didn't know this. They will never know about it because it doesn't concern them and simply because it was from the past. It's obvious how fate seems to intertwine their lives again only when they've found the "man of their dreams," as most people would say.

They were destined to meet again because they were always meant to be in each other's lives, not just meant to spend an entire lifetime with them.

Leon was in the mood for drinks. "Go rest, I'll follow." This response wasn't an entire lie, to say the least, but there was something she didn't mention she was going to do — watch Therese fall in love with James as Leon sipped her cocktail from afar.

It was a hell of a comedy — their situation is — because out of all the people Leon's husband's best friend's wife could be, it had to be Therese. Her freaking Therese. The first woman who awakened her senses and the last woman who broke her heart.

The indubitable Therese Navarro, in all her glory, was James's—Mark's best friend and colleague's—wife.

Leon expected heartbreak warfare as soon as she reaches the shore, but it was just the beautiful sun getting ready to set and the indubitable Therese basking in what's left of the specks of the ethereal star—both views so beautiful, both scenes she would kill for just to glance at them in all of her lifetimes.

She knew that coming empty-handed would just make her presence useless, and so in a matter of fifteen minutes, Leon was prancing her way to Therese—who was still by the shore wrapped in her purple Pashmina—with two cocktails in hand.

"Drink?" Leon offered, leaving Therese shaken because of how sudden her approach was.

Leon could sense an adamant Therese, but the insistent look she gave Therese was enough for the woman to heed her request and just drink the damn cocktail.

"You didn't have to, Leo."

And just like the many exchanges they have had over the years, Leon would always have the same response, "I always do not have to, Reese. I just always want to. "

And it would put Therese at peace.

It would make her happy because Leon knew how much Therese disliked being a bother, reassuring her that, was important. Leon knew Therese to that extent and that's why the former crease on Therese's forehead is gone now and the jaw that was clenched just moments ago seemed to have found its relaxed state, and that puts Leon at peace—knowing that she could do something so monumental, such as to put the only woman in the world for her in peace, whatever form of peace it may be.

The feeling of feet buried in the sand, the sound of waves crashing, and the view of the brightest star bidding its goodbye kept the two women occupied in the meantime.

"Leo?" Moments like this usually don't call for a conversation. They were happy enough to have a moment with each other, even if the most intimate they could get was for their shoulders to graze each other from time to time.

It was enough; it was more than enough because it was the only thing they had—feet buried in the sand, shoulders grazing from time to time.

"Yes?"

"How were you able to move on from me? From us?"

You'd think that their moments of togetherness ever since their paths crossed would have led them to talk about their past, but those times didn't carry the breeze of the sea nor the absence of their husbands. Those moments weren't simply the time, but today of all days felt like it was.

Just like how the sun can let go of herself as she lets the moon shine at night, Therese felt as though she needed to carry on the conversation on what they were and what they had been without the pining of wanting to be together once again.

"Wow. Um..."
"It's fine, Leo. I mean– I mean, you don't have to..."
"Well, I want to... so..."

Leon took a deep breath. "I... I accepted that the odds were never in our favour."

"I was mad. I was covered in anger and grief like strawberries dipped in molten chocolate. It was dire. So I let myself be consumed by it until it was gone, and just like the anger and grief left my body — so did the loss. I felt naked without all three, but I was free..."

The closure that they never got is right before them served on a silver platter.

"We were two puzzle pieces who were never meant to be in one puzzle only. You were spring, I was fall and with the love that we once had, I learned that not all opposites attract and not all similarities keep you intact," Leon could feel the shackles off of her slowly.

"I knew that you and I were going to meet once again in this lifetime, Reese. I just didn't know that it was in this form. But I'm glad I have you in this lifetime, however the way we are bonded with."

Therese was speechless.

"I never got to apologise for never saying goodbye to you, Leo. But thank you... for everything."

"I have forgiven you a long time ago, Reese. La Union has always been our happy place. I'm glad to have shared this moment once again with you. As friends."

Leon's hand gestured for a handshake to which Therese responded.

"As friends."