Spirit Animals Oneshots

~ Reilin Day 9 - Nostalgia and Mini-Pies ~

Some Older!Reilin fluffness to warm your heart.

Meilin is desperately trying to finish baking her delicacy only to be met with horrid nostalgia, a distracting boyfriend, and fond memories.  

Tw: Mentions blood and brief trauma, contains spoilers/topics from the books, swearing, kissing (eWw), etc. 

< Meilin >

Baking always had a way of making life better for Meilin, more so when done with someone dear to her. It was a way she connected on a personable level, testing how loving they were through a willingness to deal with two long hours of Meilin's bossy personality. For her boyfriend, it seemed that the baking wasn't much thrill. She was thoroughly convinced the only two arousals he got out of it were messing up her process and enjoying the delicacies afterwards. 

But true to the last ten years of knowing one another, he remained her lovable idiot.

Meilin shook her head from side to side with a contemplative grimace, deep in thought. Ten whole years. Had time passed her by that quickly? An entire decade since her first day in Greenhaven, her very first time meeting the Four. People of which had grown quite dear to the Zhongese. 

To emerge from all that triviality, victorious in yet another battle as the years progressed... It brought her back to the unease. Comforting Abeke in late nights as Shane's betrayal stung her to the core. Nearly losing herself in Gerathon's grasp, only to arrive with confirmations of Tarik's horrific death. Watching Conor's futile fight against the Wyrm and hear his cries at midnight. The worst of it all- useless as Rollan barely held on. 

All the nights he would endlessly stare off at the sunset. The delight and humor that quickly faded when memories stirred. Especially the trips to medical, frightened by the thought of losing her teammate and confidant. How anxious it made her, a foreign feeling really, to see his unconscious frame covered in blood and laid in that bed. 

Then, the opposite. The good.

Falling asleep in Rollan's arms every night. The thrilling adventures. Awakening from a night terror to find him nearby, the soothing sound of his words gently leading her to calm. Being released from Gerathon if but a moment by his influence. Feeling the comfort of his touch. Wasting hours at a time staring on at the dopey boy with ecstatic life, and somewhat admittedly handsome features. His silly little jokes she would never admit to laughing at brought Meilin a greater understanding of what it was to live... The smiles. Kisses. Hugs. Bliss. 

She loved to remember the endless celebrations and the constant bickering when someone made a complaint, or the Four came back from exhaustive war. Serenity specifically, one that came having those Meilin held dear to her nearby, and in the growth of her and Jhi's bond. 

Meilin, in a word, could truly describe her previous years as the greatest of her life. Even in the present, clinging on to what little hope she had left of finishing up the mini pies. 

Much to her disdain- though not surprised in the slightest by it- Rollan hadn't specifically done anything to help. He brought coal for the oven. And nearly lit the place on fire. 

A scowl formed on the edge of her lips, and Meilin surveyed the room. Where was Rollan anyway? She hadn't taken notice of him for nearly a half hour. The dalcop somehow made her more annoyed by his absence than with his presence, which was a rare occurrence for the woman. 

He often reminded her of the puppy she once had in her youth. Though only for a short time, Meilin had nurtured a playful runt back to health after they were near crushed by a wagon. Once the pup was healed, the Zhongese girl had released it onto the street again. Her father didn't like dogs, and hiding it beneath her bed for years at a time wasn't the best idea.