24 DEC 33AE, 1845 PT
Los Angeles, California
It was disorienting to be surrounded by a forest of trees one minute, then a forest of buildings the next. What was even weirder was driving through the streets of Downtown Los Angeles without seeing a soul in sight.
No matter where Camilla looked, the streets were empty, and the building interiors were all dark and barren. The only people she saw were the other guardians in her transport, each of them either exhausted, anxious, or mentally absent.
"Captain Wyatt," the driver said, pulling up to the curb. "This is your stop."
Camilla grabbed her backpack and jumped out of the transport as fast as she could, thanking the driver as she did. As the vehicle pulled back onto the street, Camilla took a moment to gaze up at the building before her.
Without its obnoxious neon lightstrip, Everland Park looked just as inconspicuous as any of the other buildings in the city, and it was more than a little unnerving. But the lockdowns and curfews were only because Exodos had been running rampant across the west coast; hopefully now that would change. Especially since it was those rules that forbade all flying in civilian zones, and Camilla had to use the building's front door just like everyone else. Thankfully, she had the foresight to have her key card ready beforehand, and it didn't take her long to enter the building and access the elevator.
When Camilla opened the door of Elsie's condo, she was immediately greeted by an onslaught of smells. Instinctively, she braced for the odor of burnt food, but that surprisingly wasn't the case. Instead, the air was filled with the refreshing scent of pine trees, mixed together with the perfume of cinnamon and the smell of something savory. Curious, Camilla closed the door quietly behind her and went to the kitchen to investigate, briefly sparing a glance at the festively decorated pine tree in the corner of the living room.
At the stove, Elsie was stirring something in a small pot, her attention darting back and forth between a tattered cookbook and whatever she was making. When she tasted some from the spoon, she shrugged to herself, then grabbed some oven mitts to move the pot to the counter. But as she did, her hand slipped, and the hot pot and its contents began to fall towards the ground.
Camilla was moving before her tired mind could process the situation, and she froze everything in midair. For a moment, Elsie simply stared at the still life scene blankly, and while Camilla began reassembling everything and placing it gently onto the counter, Elsie watched in transfixed awe. Once Camilla was done, Elsie continued to stare at it for a moment longer before slowly turning around. At the sight of Camilla, Elsie's eyes widened even more, but it was a while before she did anything else.
"Camilla?" she finally asked tentatively, as if Camilla would disappear if she spoke any louder.
Camilla felt a soft smile slip onto her face with ease, and she did nothing to hold it back. "I'm home."
Elsie was rushing at her before she could even finish, and Camilla was ready. She caught Elsie in her arms, only stumbling a little at the force of Elsie's momentum. Elsie wrapped Camilla in her own embrace as if Camilla would slip away again if she didn't hold on tightly enough.
"Welcome home," Elsie replied, her voice wavering against Camilla's ear. Shortly after, her fingers lightly brushed the back of Camilla's neck, and Elsie chuckled. "Your hair looks great, by the way."
Camilla merely hummed in thanks, and she squeezed Elsie even tighter.
With neither of them willing to let go of each other to move somewhere else, they simply stayed where they were. Camilla was exhausted, but she didn't want to move just yet, so she trusted Elsie's secure embrace to keep her upright. For now, all she wanted was to bask in the moment of finally having Elsie back in her arms, breathing in the smell of home, and enjoying Elsie's warmth as it thawed the chill that had settled in her heart.
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Triple Point
Science FictionTargeted by superpowered terrorists, an actress is protected by the government's strongest guardian--the same woman who broke her heart two years ago. ☆ Elsie Bates won't deny that she's made a few enemies during her fifteen-year acting career, but...
