Lace Ravine

Chap. 5: Lace Tries to Apologize - pt. 1

This chapter was posted late due to unexpected personal conflicts, and is of longer length to make up for it.

It took some of Lace's best convincing skills to get a reluctant Vin to agree to a stop on the Hub. She won him over with the understanding that she was simply there to pick something up, namely her ship. With Phocorian cloaking working its magic, the two pricked the atmosphere of the Hub and located subsector 27.8 without any interaction with security. Though Lace's vessel was still in the parking lot, she piloted Vin to a landing outside a certain half-breed's home. To his chagrin, she hopped out as soon as they touched down, without a word, and slipped inside the strange shack.

Within, Lace saw little sign of her ex-lover, until she turned the corner into the living room, finding her sitting, staring off at nothing in the distance. The human called to her delicately. "Rizma."

For a moment, Rizma thought she had imagined the voice, but when her gaze landed on the other woman, she sprung to her feet in surprise. "Lace, I- I thought you weren't coming back."

Lace displayed a half-smile. "I'm not here for long. I'm just picking up my ship."

"Oh." Rizma couldn't help but look down at her feet, unwelcome disappointment directing her. She slowly returned to her original position as Lace explained.

"But I figured I owed you a goodbye first. Since I never got one last time."

This brought a grin to Rizma's purple cheeks. "You really are different now."

"Goodbye." Lace approached her, and the other woman stood still as a gentle kiss brushed her cheek. The human stepped away without trying anything more. Rizma couldn't find any words, and watched Lace's back as she walked away from her once again.

Before the human could exit, Vin squeezed his muscles through the open slot in the wall, exasperated. "Lace we need to leave." As soon as he noticed Rizma's presence, he halted. For a minute he refused to acknowledge her existence, and spun back to Lace. "You didn't tell me-" In his hesitation, Lace had already left.

Rizma spoke up quietly from behind him. "You still mad at me?"

His vision whipped back to her, boiling with resentment. "You cheated on Maisy."

"But she isn't in trouble with you?" Rizma gestured toward where Lace had been, causing Vin to sigh.

"She was, but she's Lace. That stuff is practically expected. But you..." He shook his head at Rizma, genuinely upset. "Maisy trusted you."

It was as if Rizma's heart had been pierced. "I know." She could feel tears gather at the corners of her eyes. "And I don't expect you to understand."

Seeing the state he had brought the woman to, Vin finally gave her a chance. "Try me."

Rizma filled her lungs completely, then let out a long exhale that shook slightly with mourning, before telling her story. "You've seen them together. Lace and Maisy- they have something, some deeper connection that even they don't understand. And I..." She had to take a moment to steady herself, before continuing, struck by intense pain she had tried to forget. "I could never have been that special. Maisy and I were already drifting apart. The whole thing was my fault, but I was hurting. I wanted someone to look at me, really look at me and make me feel like I meant something more. Lace did that. It's a no good excuse, but it's all I have. I felt unloved." As she finished, her gaze remained aimed away from the man, until Vin's forgiving words reached out.

"I'm sorry."

A smile of relief fluttered on Rizma's lips. "It's over now. I honestly didn't expect to see any of you again."