A/N: originally posted to AO3 on May 3, 2021.
A gentle breeze blew through the courtyard of the Buvelle estate, disturbing the leaves of the gnarled oak tree close to the far wall. Several of them came off, fluttering through the air before landing on and around the figure of Sona Buvelle, who sat under the tree tuning her etwahl. A familiar screech sounded overhead, and the musician looked up to see a large azurite eagle soaring over the wall of the estate, another figure grasped tightly in its talons.
Valor deposited Quinn on one of the lower branches of the tree, then landed next to Sona. Smiling, she reached out, gently stroking a hand over the bird's soft feathers. He preened at the attention, prompting a soft laugh from the woman above them.
"He never gets tired of your attention, hm?" Quinn smiled down from her perch in the tree, that lopsided smirk Sona so loved. She grinned back, hands forming signs.
It's only because he spends so much time around you and not enough around everyone else. Sona plucked a few strings on her etwahl, and, satisfied with the tune, set it aside for the moment, beckoning for Quinn to come down. You know I can't get up there.
Quinn laughed, a melodious laughter Sona would never tire of hearing. "Alright, alright." She jumped down, landing without a sound on the dirt and grass surrounding the tree's roots. She wasn't wearing her armor, Sona noticed, instead opting for a simple Demacian military-issue tunic and simple hunting garb.
The two settled against the tree together, each savoring the warmth and comfort the other brought. Quinn's hand reached out, and Sona responded, interlocking her fingers with the ranger's. The feeling of Quinn's hand on hers served as a reminder of the differences between the lives they led as rough calloused palms met soft untouched ones. Sona had callouses of her own, on her fingertips from playing her instrument, but the majority of the skin on her hands was unblemished, unlike her counterpart's, which were covered with scars and worn rough from years of being out in the wild.
Quinn told her about her most recent mission, about how she and her band had been on a scouting mission on the eastern border. They'd seen platoons of Noxian troops massing at the border fortress, which alarmed the Prince when they relayed it to him. Jarvan, being Jarvan, had sent notices to every outpost in the area, ordering that they also gather at the eastern border and prepare for an attack. The higher-ups in the military were concerned, and for good reason, because this large a regiment could only mean Noxus had given up on their invasion of Ionia and shifted their sights to Demacia instead. They'd likely need everyone they could spare.
The implication was obvious - Quinn, along with the other ranger-knights, would be sent out again sometime in the next few days, even though she'd just returned. The news saddened Sona, although at this point in their relationship she was well aware of what loving a soldier entailed, especially a scout such as Quinn. Such was the soldier's creed - dedication to Demacia and its values came before personal interest. There were times when Sona went for months without seeing her, and although she missed her dearly, Quinn always came back to her. Something about this time, however, rekindled a feeling of concern in the musician, the faint but ever-present fear in the back of her mind that her ranger would not return. Even someone as sheltered as Sona was aware of Noxus' military might, and although Quinn was one of the best fighters Demacia had to offer, their enemy was not to be underestimated.
With a heavy sigh, Sona pulled away from Quinn, reaching for etwahl. Balancing it on her lap, she plucked a few experimental notes, then lapsed into song. The ranger leaned back, listening, a soft smile forming on her face as the notes from the etwahl drifted throughout the courtyard. The song sounded bittersweet, happy on the surface but with a certain sadness underneath. Sona's playing was different this time from what Quinn was used to hearing. There was a certain tension in the notes, something she'd never heard before despite all the times she'd listened to Sona play. The song lasted only a few minutes, but when it ended, the last notes fading into the summer breeze, Quinn felt as if she'd been listening for an eternity. Sona's hands were trembling, she noticed, movements so slight that the untrained eye would not have caught it. Gently, she reached over, catching the musician's hands in one of her own.
"Sona? Are you okay?"
Sona nodded, taking in a deep breath. I… I'm worried about you, Quinn. Every time you leave, I… I don't know when you'll return. Setting her etwahl aside again, she leaned into the ranger, wrapping her arms tight around her slender form. Quinn returned the gesture, embracing Sona with one hand, the other running through long blue locks as she looked down at her.
"I know." A pause. "I just… you know Demacia comes before me. This is bigger than me, bigger than us."
Sona gave another nod as she pulled away to sign. WIll you come back?
Quinn looked at Sona, caught off-guard by her question. She'd never asked before. "I- Yes, Sona. I'll be back."
Sona smiled, pressing her forehead to Quinn's. If it's okay with you…. Her hands trailed off as she hesitated.
Those same rough, calloused hands were up again, clasping her smaller, dainty ones as Quinn looked her in the eye, "You can tell me anything."
Valor screeched as he circled overhead, signalling to Quinn that she had places to be. Quinn acknowledged the bird with a nod, then returned her attention to Sona. Instead of signing, however, the musician leaned up, capturing the ranger's lips in her own, a few long moments of intimacy only broken when Sona pulled away as Valor swooped in, preparing to carry Quinn out of the estate. I'll be waiting, you know. The trembling in her hands returned, If- no, when you come back, I'll be right here. She held onto those rough, weathered hands as Valor lifted Quinn into the air, chasing after her touch as the pair glided away. I'll wait as long as I need to. Quinn smiled again, as she had been, but this time, it was a sad smile, bittersweet like the song Sona had played.
"I know."
Neither of them knew what awaited the Demacian soldiers on the eastern border. Sona released another shaky breath, watching Quinn and Valor fly away, growing smaller as they rose into the sky. I love you.
Quinn's eyes, sharper than the average human's, caught Sona's signs as Valor flew her over the estate wall.
"I'll come back to you, I promise."