The Meaning of Your Journey
By Morien Alexander
Disclaimer: I don't own Avenger or any of the characters. I'll put them back when I'm done playing!
Pairings: mild Nei/Layla, mild, one sided Speedy/Layla
Notes: Just a short little shoujo-ai snippet. Not particularly well written... but ah well.
The Meaning of Your Journey
And then you finish your journey, only to find that what you wanted was with you the whole time...
"Layla Ashley!"
"Layla!"
"Layla-sama!"
"Layla Ashley!"
"Layla! Layla Ashley..."
For six months since the day they parted, Nei had heard nothing but Layla's name being repeated by the people surrounding her. Even four years later, people could not stop talking about the incredible fight between Layla and Volk. Westa herself had prodded Nei to reveal everything she knew. And none of them had stopped to think that maybe it was hurting her to think of it. Every time she heard the name "Layla," Nei would turn to listen in case someone had heard something about her whereabouts. Every part of her longed to just leave their growing city and search ...
"Nei?" Speedy rapped his knuckles against the metal door to her room. "Are you in there?"
"I'm here," she said, trying to force her voice to be cheerful. After all, there was nothing that she lacked. Companions there were plenty- new children, dolls, adults... hundreds of outfits lined the walls of her closet... food and water were more abundant than they had ever been... and she had a bay window that looked out across the wide red plain. The moon hung heavy in the sky, sparkling lines of rocket fire transversed the space between them. Diplomatic missions were at a peak now, as both the moon and Mars began to prosper. Westa was called to negotiate more often than not, and had once pointed out the spark of light where she visited to Nei. "Hold out my thumb to the east... and there..."
"Can I come in?"
"Yes." Nei turned from where she was gazing outside and smiled at Speedy. Out of everyone in the city, he most understood her. Even with his doll breeding business going so well, he was not satisfied. And yet, he was smiling broadly.
"Sit down."
"I am sitting down."
"Oh, okay... right." Speedy's smile stretched even farther. "Well, then- I'll just tell you." He held a pause which apparently was supposed to be dramatic. "She's back."
Nei hardly dared to breathe. She didn't want to guess... and then be wrong. It could just be Westa returning from her visit. In fact, that's probably what it was. There was no way that Layla would... but would she? "Westa's back?" Nei finally managed to squeak.
"No- Layla!"
And then there she was, in the room with them. Her hair a little longer, the line of her mouth a little softer, her clothes a little more worn. And her eyes... Nei could not tear her gaze away from the other girl's..... no... now Layla was a woman. And she was still a girl. More than ever, Nei felt her own helplessness. She wanted to run to Layla, wanted to tell her to never go away, but she didn't seem to have the power. Twin tears slipped from her rose colored eyes.
Layla spoke first, breaking the silence as though it had been a wall of glass. "Nei..."
"Layla....-sama..."
As if no time had passed, Layla moved to her and gathered the smaller girl into the protective circle of her arms. She smelled of red sand and battered metal. As Nei pressed against her, she heard the door shut softly. As usual, Speedy was aware of her needs. "Layla-sama!" And her small white hands gripped the dusty cloak as though to keep Nei afloat. Tears poured silently from her eyes and soaked into Layla's shirt.
"I found it... what my journey was for."
Nei was silent. When Layla talked, it was usually important.
"It was you."
The pink haired girl pushed into her companion's arms, seeking to melt into them, seeking to become nothing but an extension of Layla. "Why didn't you stay? I wanted you to stay so badly... it hurts..."
"I had to let you grow." There was a hint of a smile in Layla's voice. "I shouldn't have... come back."
Nei pushed away and the fear in her expression was palpable. "Y-you... you aren't going again?!"
"No." Layla's eyes were gentle. "I'll stay."
"With me?"
"Yes."
They sat in silence, then, for hours. Layla held Nei in her lap, and the smaller girl just watched Layla's thumb tracing over her own knuckles. Nei was full to bursting with questions, but as always, she was conscious of Layla's reluctance to speak. And so she simply let the world turn in the reflected red light of the moon, her heart swelling comfortably with the thought that Layla had come back... Layla was back! And better yet- she was going to stay.
After a long while, a question slipped out. "Why did you come back?" The minute she said that, Nei regretted it. She knew the answer.
"Because of you."
-
Speedy stirred into wakefulness in the dark of the night from a knock on his door. Sleepily, he crossed the carpet, feeling cold. "Just a moment," he called before slipping a sweater on and opening the door. To his surprise, Layla stood just outside, looking uncomfortable. "Layla... come on in."
She entered, arms crossed over her chest, refusing to look at him. But despite her obvious uneasiness, she began speaking right away. "I want her." As usual, she got right to the point. "I want her to be mine only."
"Layla..."
"I kissed her. When she was younger."
"I can't imagine she complained." Speedy turned on two lights and flopped down on his bed, gesturing Layla to sit in an armchair opposite him. "She really likes you. She always has- Layla-sama..." he smiled a little. "Not that I blame her."
Layla wasn't the type to snort, so she just pointedly ignored the remark and lapsed back into her customary silence.
"So what do you want? My blessing? I'm not her father or anything."
Layla's bright eyes focused on her own feet.
"Or perhaps you're wondering if she has a boyfriend."
"She will be needed to create more children."
Speedy sat back, blinking. "What?" Of course she would. He had just never thought of sweet little Nei in such blank terms. The way Layla said it made it sound as if she would be used as a sort of hive mother. Which was not exactly true, as more children were being born each day. But of course for Mars to thrive, they had to make up for the lost generation of children. Would Nei's body be used to achieve this? "Well, there are more children now. It's not like she's the last child on Mars."
"Is she being used like a guinea pig again?"
"She is being treated well."
Layla nodded, shifting. "I want to take her away."
"Why?"
She didn't reply, but stood and moved towards the door.
"Layla!"
-
An hour later, Nei's room was empty, and two figures made their way across the star lit desert. One small, one large, hands together and feeling more complete than either had in a very long time.
... and that you never want to finish the journey.
End