Beautiful Lorien

Find Us - Navrina + Stohn

"This city is too big."

"That's just because you're still too used to being alone in nature."

"Forests have cute animals, beautiful trees, and actual peace. I don't remember nature having such crappy taxi service."

"Cities have your favorite thing in the whole wide world though. And me."

She pulls the laugh from his chest with those few lines. She's good at it, good at knowing every part of him and what makes him feel the warmest.

"I make one joke about pizza two years ago and no one can let it go. This is my life now." They both shared the next laugh.

Side by side, Eight and Marina had stopped to take a break in one of the best lunch ins downtown Chicago had to offer. They decided to split a vegetarian noodle dish in a small restaurant away from the under of a July afternoon's heat, praying to be ahead of schedule. Food vendors and trucks line the streets but the sunlight, even for two hours they were out, had been too much. The rules of their little but extremely competitive game were simple enough; find the items. A scavenger hunt around the Chicago area. The pair had to find a monument, a cafe, a hot dog vendor, one of Chicago's biggest attractions, and finally, the part of 'us' that makes them happiest. Photos and souvenirs are both acceptable, just carry the proof.

Sam and Ella had worked on their short list but Eight was sure that devious Ella did most of the brainstorming on all sides. The humans, Fleur and Daniela, chimed in with the last idea. A scavenger hunt of places or photos was too simple, especially since it was a competition. They needed to find something they couldn't just take a picture of, something they had to prove about themselves.

Their personal list was crafted like it was meant to be a relationship hunt; their competitors, Eight could only imagine, must have a harder one. Or, even better, the same.

"It only took us two years to find a way to that would make those two have to work together on something instead of insulting or one upping each other's ideas for enjoyment," Eight grinned.

Marina shook her head, taking another bite of their lunch.

"Give them the apocalypse and they're an impossible team to beat. Make them play Mario Kart with some of our friends and it's like we've divorced the family," she grinned at him. "I'm amazed they agreed to even take part in this little game, and against us at that. We're actually unbeatable." She adds the last line with a smug grins and a wink.

"Talk about stressful," Eight agrees, smiling in response to her. He knew it was a game and he knew why they decided to design it into a competition. But still, the fact that it took a game to push the pair of them to do something relaxed and open with each other appealed him. He could remember the long night conversations he shared with his friend. He can remember the kiss of the wind on the cool Chicago night as they lamented for hours about their deepest, truest feelings.

Eight knew he loved Marina with his entirety. He has since the war finished, since the Garde teamed together to defeat Setrakus Ra once and for all. Since the two had taken their time to see the world together and develop where they left off in Florida.

Eight remembers knowing merely by the soft smile on his usually snarky friend's face and by the quiet light that touched his dark brown eyes at the mention of the name that thrived in his thoughts.

Number Nine was in love and he himself did not even realize it.

Maybe that's why Nigel and Six helped Ella set up the other list. Ella might know Nine, but Six knew his companion far more. Nigel was moral support, perhaps someone to bounce ideas off of since he and Nine proved in recency to be very alike.