"But...but you're okay?" Caleb asks, beckoning her to meet his gaze.
Cornelia had breathed his name before her heartbeat returned, and Elyon fell out of step behind her as she ignored the ache in her legs. Now she is with him as the sky drips with stars and Meridian's second moon begins to fall. For once, she seems immune to the changing of the earth as she explains, or tries to explain, how the Guardians became their elements.
"I don't know if I'll ever be okay again."
Her brain turns to steel wool when she clenches her fists to her temples There seems to be too little oxygen as her breath hitches, and sobs begin to shake her chest. All Cornelia can think of is becoming the still green damp earth, the sightless vision and soundless hearing and the endless echo in her brain as they grasped at themselves. The terror and the loss and the sheer nothingness seem to asphyxiate her. Weeds spring from beneath them as the ground shakes, and she only realises what is happening when a deep fissure cracks the earth.
"Caleb…"
He strokes her hair, and Cornelia forces herself to look at him. His eyes are green as ancient trees, his skin the colour of scorched earth, his jaw sharp like jagged rocks with rich brown hair the colour of her element. Caleb is as steady and reliable and unwavering as the earth, and she knows she has nothing to be afraid of.
"Let's get you inside, huh?"
They settle on the thick carpet in front of the castle's roaring fire. Cornelia ignores the rising sun as her eyes begin to drift close, and he starts to fall asleep, too, as she nestles into his shoulder. It is as good a time as any when his breathing starts to slow.
"I love you."
Caleb presses his lips to her forehead. "I love you, too."
a/n: ta-da! thatll be all. thank you so so much for reading this lil piece, my loves.
yall, this chapter was originally like. three times as long? im thinking of maybe stretching this one into a oneshot of like 1kish words, so if anyone is interested let me know! i headcanon that the guardians' emotional responses sometimes manifest in their elements. here cornelia is having an anxiety attack, so she causes an earthquake of sorts.
also: you know what always messed me up? calebs entire colour scheme is earth tones, and cornelia is the guardian of earth. comicverse caleb is literally a flower like and there is no convincing me that these two arent soulmates
anyway! once more, thank you for reading and i'd such a ball writing this. reviews make my heart happy, and feel free to hit me up any time. catch ya next time kiddies.
Big love,
A
xxxx