Day 12: "You kept this?"

Connective Woven and Mental Threads

Finally, they were alone. Her private garden overlooking the Quarry, smelling of sweet citrus, remained quiet as they leaned together. Hand-in-hand, Lili nestled into Raz. Fireflies and moonlight were their illuminations. They sat with their legs dangling off the rocky cliff, watching the eerily still water, the crescent moon's distorted, angular reflection like a jagged scythe.

Raz was quiet, surprisingly so. For as talkative as he could be, he hadn't spoken much if not to answer her. If Lili had to describe him to someone else, she might have called him pensive. His attention was fixed somewhere she couldn't see. Even when she scoured the sky, trees, and landscape, nothing of value appeared. It was as if Raz wasn't viewing anything at all, emerald green eyes dull and listless.

The last few days had been particularly tiring. Her father was rescued, and the organization was restored. The agency still had budgetary problems, but those were on the back burner while the Psychonauts recuperated from Maligula's rampaging return. And remembering Maligula, Lili's lips pursed. She knew what Raz had opposed from his long, exhausting tale that stole his breath. How he had faced her with his Nona, weathered by regrets, and sentencing Maligula back to the bottom of Nona's mind wore him down so heavily when Lili embraced him at the shoreline.

It was a moment she couldn't forget. She had run straight past Augustus as he carried his aunt to her family. But on all of their faces, a haggardness, as if they had aged before her. And even when Raz embraced her, and she joked about the funnel, he wasn't fully himself. No jokes, no quips, not even a smirk, just instant relief that it was finally over, that the past had been put to rest.

She sighed. "Hey, sorry I didn't take your water curse seriously."

"What?" He blinked, head whipping over to her. As quickly as his confusion came, he replaced it with a hum and a shrug. "Oh, you mean back in Loboto's mind? It's okay. It wasn't real in the first place."

"But you believed it was for a long time, right? Your whole family thought they'd drown."

He looked to the side. "Yeah. True."

Raz avoided her gaze, and Lili scowled. He looked out, and Lili trailed where he searched. It was water below them. There wasn't a specific spot that Raz fixated on. Instead, he seemed to take in every inch of the lake. When Raz rested his hand on his knee, Lili noticed him lifting his index finger, and in the water, the waves came together, forming a matching finger that sunk into the depths when he dropped it.

All this time, the curse wasn't real. It was a complete fabrication meant to steer the Aquatos miles from the morbid truth. In a way, Lili wanted to punch Ford hard in the teeth. Raz hadn't deserved to think he'd drown; his family didn't deserve to fear what would happen if they associated with psychics. Those terrors lasted up until mere days ago when the truth unveiled itself, the Aquatos and Psychonauts both thunderstruck by Ford's revelations.

They should've begun to heal. Her father had accepted her relationship with Raz, teasing and chiding when appropriate. Raz's siblings were beginning to explore their powers and engage with psychics. Even Augustus was eager to learn pyrokinesis, Norma offering genuine lessons to amend using him for her gain.

For Lili, everything should've been better. But looking at Raz, the pit in her stomach deepened. It swallowed her calm bliss, etching worry in her bones. She shifted in her spot, Raz glancing over at her, and she took his hand.

"Look, Raz, I can't say I fully get what you went through. I know you told me about Lucy and Ford and all of it, but-" She paused, growling, unsure of the proper words. "-I mean, if you want to talk about it, we can. I'm not going anywhere."

His eyes widened, a spark in his irises. He turned to her as well, his thumb tracing against her gloved palm. Pushing his bangs to the side, a small smile graced his face, charming, genuine.

"I know, Lili. There's a lot for me to…" Raz tapped his heel against the rocks. "...unpack. I'm sure there's stuff I still don't know about, stuff that not even my dad knows."

Automatically, Lili smacked her fist into her palm. "You want me to interrogate Ford and make him spill the beans? Because I will if you say the word."

A nervous cackle split past his lips. He quickly shook his head and hands, somewhat disappointing her. She had a bone to pick with Cruller, even if Raz said no. She'd be certain to get the answers out of him when they were alone.

"I'm good, Lili. I'm just glad it's over…and Nona's safe." Raz brushed his hand over the Psychonauts pin on his jacket. "I mean, I'm at my dream job, my family is safe, and - and Nona's fine now."

His voice hitched. Mentioning Nona brought on a weepy note. He blinked, his eyes wet. Lili leaned closer, taking his hand again, his other one brushing against his eyelids.

"I'm really glad your family is okay," she quickly piped up.

Raz sniffled, dragging his hand across his nose. "And I'm glad your dad is, too."

"Oh, no, don't change the subject. We're talking about you." Lili poked him hard in the chest, a reflex. When Raz grimaced, she said, "Seriously, Raz, you can talk to me about these things. I won't-"

She paused. A glint of teal on his wrist caught her eye. It popped against the striped shades of orange and yellow. Contrasting heavily with his muted coat and sweater, it seemed brighter than it was. As her fingers grazed it, soft strings reminded her of a humid, yet sprawling summer camp.

"You kept this?" she whispered, staring at the bracelet she had woven for him.

She heard Raz snicker. "Who's changing the subject now?"

Lili puffed out her cheeks. He had a point, but she refused to admit it. "I thought you would have taken it off by now. It's just a bracelet."

She gazed at him, his countenance perplexed. He fidgeted with the deep red bead that held it together, its shade the color of Lili's hair. "No way. It's special," he murmured, spinning the bead.

He was sweet, almost too sweet. Anyone could've put on a performance that was saccharine but not him. He glowed like the first time Lili saw him on that stage overshadowing the counselors.

Lifting his wrist, he pointed at the insignias. "And you even put cool skulls in it. I have no clue how you did that."

For now, he was happy. He was back to himself, or he had smothered down the negativity in favor of the moment. Although it didn't sit well with Lili that the conversation had taken a turn for the jovial, she still grinned. He had endured more in a week than a person would in their lifetime. They both had. Together, they had faced extremes not even an esteemed Psychonaut would encounter.

In the end, they had each other. The night was as young as they were. If he still had the strength to smile, regardless of the adversity or trauma that trickled through his bloodline, she'd grin, too. Confronting the demons from the past, whether days or years ago, could come another time, so long as Lili could hold his hand.

She finally said, "I'll have to show you how when you make mine."

"Great!" He swallowed. "Um, Lili?"

"Yeah?"

His cheeks darkened. She noticed his legs kick a little faster against the rocks. "You're my friend, and, um, my girlfriend, and I - I, uh, I'm glad you're here."

It was mean to laugh but she let it out anyway. For his bravado, he still needed to work on his confidence in the boyfriend department. She flicked his nose, sneering, "Still getting used to that magic word, huh?"

"Might take a while," he replied, chuckling.

She leaned forward, enjoying the subtlety of his eyes widening. She kissed him, their mental connection opening. She heard waves lapping against a shore, felt raindrops dancing on her skin. And it was alright, safe and calm, as Raz squeezed her hand.

Parting from Raz, she promised, "Whenever you wanna talk about it, I'll be here for you just like you were for me."

He rested his forehead against her brow and closed his eyes. "Thanks, Lili, for everything.."

It wouldn't be tonight. It wouldn't be tomorrow night. Whenever Raz would be ready, Lili would be prepared as well.