Night 22
She's repeating herself. A kiss on his scar, a kiss on the nose, a kiss on his lips. Warm and soft. His astral energy pulling on hers. His radiant wings illuminating the dark. His rosy blush dusting his cheeks.
His smile brighter than anything. "Te amo." he says, making Izzie blush bright enough to gently glow.
"Te amo." She says back, blinded by how great he is.. How much she'll hurt him in the end.
"I'm... just so relieved to have you back... I haven't had a moment of rest since then..."
A flash of what happened to Leto. To the thing that stole Leto away.
"Izzie, you aren't a monster... They can try to make monsters out of you all they want. All it takes is a single kind heart to remind someone they are special."
His hand in hers. His radiance. His connection to her is a constant. He saved her. He will always save her.
A flash of him leaping down from the Motley and beating the hell out of the false hydra. Relief washed over her. Nearly dead, and here he is.
"As long as you remember to hold onto my hand next time, it'll be alright."
His laugh, warm and filling "You're right."
The warmth of his body as her tentacle wraps around him. The warmth of his body as she massaged him what was now more than a week ago. Her body pressed against his back. She gently chants his measurements as she recalls the scars.
She wants to taste the inside of his mouth and not just the lips.
"It's not something to really lose sleep over! There'll be plenty of time for that. I'm not planning on going anywhere."
Yes.. Plenty of time to study his face, to wait for that perfect moment to kiss him again.
Izzie wakes up and isn't soaked in tears for once.
Night 23
The warmth is all around her. His breath on her neck. His tongue in her mouth. The feel of his hair in her hands, in her tentacles. The way her body fits against his. Her back against his chest, his stomach, the way of her hips are just above his. The way their legs fit together. Everything feels right. It feels like where she should be.
Then she's back. Carried in his arms as his eyes glow with that celestial radiance. The sparkling of his wings. The feeling of leaning against him as the fireworks went off. How right everything felt. This is where she should be. And that feeling when the alcohol got her talking. His smile, his laughter, how easily he shows her his true self and his everything. Yes.. This is what a relationship should be.
He takes a knee as he takes her hand. That smug 'I can win this' look at the darts. His clumsy but spirited dancing. The light blush as the alcohol hit a bit too hard before the bands. She could forget everything around her and only see him and be happy.
She didn't need her father..
By the light of Yuo's smile she'd succeed.
The First Lord would have to fear her, because love and hope are the antithesis of pain and fear.
Yes.. One day she'll have such pretty wings too. They'll fight him together.
She woke up in Yuo's arms feeling the happiest she's ever been.
Night 24
Flying.. She's in his arms as he easily zips through the sky. How badly she wants to fly like he does. The speed, the rush, the risk of falling, no longer scares her.
"Are you ready?"
She nods. Ready for what? some logical part of her sleepy brain still asks.
He drops her, and her wings spread. She's flying. He's careful to stay close and guide her.
"That's it! You've got it."
They fly together for a while. His wings of light erupt into feathers just before they land at a foggy, gray beach. His hand finds hers. She speaks "I'll have to tailor your clothes again."
He smiles and laughs just a little "Probably. Things are always changing aren't they?"
"But you're not going anywhere."
"But you are."
She looks back, his eyes glimmer with the lighter silver of the Philosopher before they change back.
She laughs a little "I suppose I am. Destiny waits for no one."
Yuo sighs "It's true. But you're going to enjoy the time you have."
"Of course I am-" she moves to kiss him, but he's not there. There's nobody holding her hand. In the distance, Mie waits with black wings and a scythe.
Instinctively she understands the meaning.. and wakes up.
Night 25
She stands at the bow of the boat above the roiling astral sea. The sea is singing to her softly to join it. She turns her head back and sees her friends leaning about drinking and talking. She wants to join them, but her legs don't move. Then Yuo jumps down behind her on his radiant white wings that vanish as he lands, and he grabs her hand trying to pull her away.
"Don't do this. Everything will be fine."
She turns back to the sea. It's still singing such a lovely song she has heard before..
Yuo tugs her away, into his arms. He is as warm as always. "Don't leave me behind.."
He's crying. She's never seen him cry, but some part of her knows he has. He's shed tears for her. He's taken a scar for her. He has lain on death's door for her.
"I'll stay a little while longer."
"I thought you loved me."
"We're adventurers, legends in training, someone will have to make the sacrifice."
"Then tell me that to my face."
"...I'm scared you'll do something about it."
Yuo doesn't respond. His tears are eaten by her slime. Somehow, they taste better than expected.
Izzie allows Yuo to drag her from the bow to her friends as she speaks again. "I'm sorry for falling in love, you know. I didn't mean to. I didn't mean for you to say yes."
"Then tell me that to my face."
"Someday, someday. I'm going to enjoy the time I have left."
"I'm looking forward to it."
"Burn me in your memory, because one day I'll be a star.." Izzie softly sings as the dream fades away.
"You won't even recognize me because I'll have it all!"
"You'll be looking up to me and making wishes on every star that falls"
"Wishin' to make it up to me and wishin' that you had understood"
"A man doesn't choose their destiny, it's destiny that's calls!"
"And baby no wish can take it back, because, I'm already a star!"
"I'm already a staaaaar!"
Izzie wakes up feeling nostalgic for her Xanthous cloak.
Night 26
Izzie is sitting with Yuo singing with the group terribly as the hour grows late. His body so delightfully bared and where his body touches her is warm. Warmer than the fire to her senses. Everyone breaks into laughter and he passes her what's left of his watermelon. She laughs "Watch this!" and pushes it through her stomach. The rind that comes out the other end is perfectly clean. His eyes widen in surprise. "Woah!" and his impressed smile keeps her self-esteem intact.
Then she's back. Measuring him properly for a swimsuit. His bared down to nearly nothing and of course she's blushing, and he's blushing. "Sorry, I should have really done this properly the first time."
"It's alright." he says, trying to not look as Izzie spreads his legs apart more.
"Honestly these aren't going to be fitted or anything, but, in the future it's good to work with proper fitting. Armor and such works better when it fits proper." Izzie’s mouth is on autopilot. Speaking means she’s not thinking too hard.
"Y-yeah.."
"Aaand, done, let me just get everything ready for you then.."
As she turns around she's somewhere else. Underwater with Yuo and Squishy, their voices in her head as they make commentary on the beauty of the sea. How beautiful everything is, but her focus is on them. How wonderful her boys are. How great it would be to retire with them at her side. But she can't.
She's back on the beach. There's nobody here but her and Yuo, and something is bothering Yuo. She wants to run to his side but something keeps her anchored. That's right. Yuo's not okay. Maybe he knows this won't last. Yes.. that makes sense.. She won't stay after all.
Izzie wakes up feeling fine.
Night 27
Yuo’s reaction as she shifts through her new outfits leaves Izzie feeling warm and fuzzy inside. It's his smile she works so hard for. She doesn’t even mind losing access to her kitchen when Faram and Yuo are discussing having work done on the ship, because Yuo promises to show her even more wonderful food in town. More things they’ll do together. She’s positively giddy.
She’s using the kitchen for the last time she’ll get to while Mie is off, likely meditating. She’s humming to herself while she turns the Talking Doll into Yuo out of sheer excitement for what he could possibly share with her next and begins to dance with it. Two mage hands still working on dinner.
“Is that a little me?”
Izzie freezes. “Y-yeah? When in want of the actual deal, I mean..” She quickly turns it into The Philosopher, while fretting if that might be weird too.
“I think it's cute. I can’t snuggle with you all the time after all.”
Izzie blushes so furiously her cheeks match her eyes. “O-okay message received I-I.. I’m cooking very busy!”
Yuo can’t help his little chuckle “Well, if you don’t want my help..”
“I-I do! But! No more embarrassing me! Or you’re gonna catch these hands mister!”
Yuo only chuckles more “Alright, alright..”
Night 28
The splendor of the astral sea never wears off on Izzie. Some instinct deep inside her tells her to jump off the side, and she does. A circle of light forms under her that turns into a ribbon-like path. Wings sprout from her back made of the same radiance. She glides across the path with ease. Across pools of silver mist and around trails of color. There are celestials, devils, demons, githyanki ships, and astral creatures all going about their day. A dead god floats in the distance, his body a colony for the lost. She follows this instinct of hers as far as it allows, to the edge of Celestia’s border islands. There is a place here she must go. A colony for aasimar-
Izzie wakes abruptly to the banging of hammers. Annoyed, she chooses to start her day anyway.
Night 29
Izzie is curled up watching Roe and Yuo spar. Roe’s style takes advantage of his unique anatomy. Curving strikes that can bridge gaps at any range. His light, metal body lends itself well to weaving between blows and taking what can’t be dodged without flinching. Yuo meanwhile uses a style of opening itai slashes and elegant swordplay. He can’t take blows, so he weaves with the grace of an acrobat while bringing his full-sized sword to bear. It is his shield as well as his weapon, and she loves to study it from afar like this.
She looks over at Mie who grins ever so slightly while summoning her blood red sword. “Watching these two makes me want to spar too.”
Izzie nods enthusiastically “Me too. Were only I more skilled in melee I’d probably be going next.”
“Pfft, you’re plenty skilled based on that watermelon..”
Izzie waves it off “Ahh, that’s different. I can do anything with Moppina.”
“Moppina?”
“A-ah.. To say I was a lonely child is an understatement..”
“I get ya. Don’t worry about it. Just don’t sell yourself short. You could probably give me or Yuo a run for our money if you wanted to actually master melee combat.”
“R-right.. Thanks for the confidence. I think I’m fine just exploring the limits of my current power though.” Izzie looks at her staff…
Didn’t she have Moppina when she had this conversation?
Izzie wakes up feeling a little confused.