A Very Riviera Christmas
DISCLAIMER: I think you know by now that I don't own it. Otherwise, Ein would've macked Ledah or at LEAST one of the girls somewhere in the storyline. But this fanfic is mine, so I'll write whatever I want in it. So there.
Warning: If you don't like reading about two guys kissing, you might wanna give parts of this one a miss. Just letting you know :3
"This is...!" Ein looked back and forth from the glass orb and Rose, a shocked expression on his face as he did so.
"OEI! CIERRA!" Rose yelled. "ONE OF YOUR MAGIC TOYS IS DOING SOMETHING WEIRD!"
"Doing what?" the Scarlet Witch asked, poking her head into the room curiously.
Rose and Ein both pointed to the still-sparking orb. With a happy little cry, Cierra ran over to it, murmuring something as she put her hands on its surface.
Instantly, the glass ball flashed, the vague image of a woman in violet appearing inside. "Soala? We're right here."
Soala's voice issued clearly through the room, causing prickles to raise along Ein's arms. "Cierra? Everyone's okay over there? Thank the gods... I've been trying to get in contact with you for two days now, and this is the first time anyone's responded. How have you all been doing?"
"We're all fine," the red-haired witch assured her friend. "We've still got a few days' worth of food left, and no one was hurt in the storm." She giggled. "Ledah got a little sick, but he'll probably be over it in about a day or so."
"Really?" Ein piped up, sighing. "The way things were going, I wasn't sure..."
"He might even be well enough to get up tomorrow," Cierra told him. "I just went to check on him, and his body temperature's fallen a little bit. You mark my words, that fever'll be gone by tomorrow morning. If he wakes up sometime before then, I doubt he'll even be delirious!"
"That's good to know," Rose said, giving Ein a significant look. The wingless angel cringed. Good for Ledah, maybe, but definitely not good for him. Now what was he going to do?
"Well, Claude, Ritz, and I have been getting the others out--Chappi was perfectly fine, and so were the Pixias... Gill and Molan keep pestering us to get you out so they can play with Lina again. Meute should be alright; she's taken shelter beneath the layer of ice in her spring every year anyway. Rebecca, Reiche, and Mursya were okay too; they dug themselves a hollow in the snow and stayed beside the storage tree near the center of town until we got to them. Ladie and the Elder were fine as well, although she nearly speared me with that pigsticker of hers for not coming sooner. You're the last ones we need to get out, and we'll probably be there sometime tomorrow. We dug out the town hall, too, so once you're safe, we'll be arranging a little something to celebrate. None of the village supplies were affected adversely, thank goodness, so we'll have enough both for this and for Christmas and the gods' feasts."
"I almost forgot that Christmas was coming up with all this blizzard stuff," Rose admitted with a brief giggle. "It'll be good to have some fun, for once."
"We'll see you soon, then," Cierra told Soala, and removed her hands from the globe. "Isn't that wonderful? We'll be able to get out of here at last!"
---
Sensing the play of light against his closed eyes, Ledah reluctantly groaned, shielded his face with one hand, and opened them.
The snow's line had receded enough that half the window was uncovered, just enough to light the upstairs room. Ein was sprawled on the floor with a chair cushion beneath his head, still mostly clothed; Ledah fought the urge to smile slightly at his friend's deep loyalty. Gingerly, the black-winged seraph sat up in bed, letting the heavy sheets slide to his waist.
Ugh... why can't I remember anything that happened last night...? My head still hurts... probably from the fever... and I know I must've been awake, at least a little bit... so why can't I picture what happened? I have a really bad feeling about this...
"Nnnmmmph... Ledah...?" He turned; it seemed as though Ein was starting to wake up, as well. "You're already up...?" Shaking his head, the wingless angel stood awkwardly. "Are you feeling better now?"
"Yes... at least a little." Ledah looked Ein up and down, trying not to be too conspicuous. Was it just his imagination, or had something in his friend's countenance changed? "Is... something the matter?"
Ein's face instantly flushed, and he shook his head. "Ah...? No... no! N-nothing's wrong! What gave you that idea?"
Ledah simply gave him a sidelong look. Sometimes the younger angel needed a reminder that his old friend could always see right through him. "If I said anything strange last night... you'll have to forgive me; I'm afraid I can't even remember what I might have done... blame it on the fever... I... know I've been acting oddly recently..."
"Well... no... yes, I do kinda have a question about that. There... well, there've been a lot of times you've woken up when it seemed like you were having some nightmare about Hector, and me... I was sort of wondering... did something happen back then?"
Ledah gave him a mildly puzzled look. "He certainly did enjoy telling Malice and myself what he was going to do to you for siding with Ursula very often... but no, I don't believe anything went on quite in that sense."
"Oh... well, I guess that's a good thing." That slightly off-key feeling about Ein didn't change, however. Something was still wrong. However, he'd probably say something about it in the near future, so Ledah didn't bother asking. "Hey, do you mind if I...?" Ein held up a hand tentatively.
"Of course not." Since when does Ein need my permission to check my temperature...? Ledah wondered, closing his eyes as Ein slipped the upraised hand under his bangs to rest on his forehead. Something happened last night, I know it... "Well?"
Ein was smiling as he removed his hand. "You're almost back to normal--just a little warmer than I am! That sure is a relief."
Ledah tried to smile back, but it faded quickly from his face. What did I do...? What could I have done, to make him so distant, so awkward? Ein... just tell me that I said nothing to hurt you... I wouldn't be able to bear it, if I had...
"Hey... are you sure you're okay?" Ein asked, frowning. "Ledah... is there something you're not telling me? Maybe you should lie down again..."
"No... I..." The seraph shook his head, a now-distinct look of misery in his eyes. "Please... you must disregard whatever happened last night... I'm not myself when I'm in that condition... I... I just... if I did something foolish, something that... that insulted you in any way... I..."
Ein shook his head and tentatively sat beside his old friend. "Ledah... you didn't do anything of the sort, you hear? The things you said last night... well, they were more like really deep, revealing secrets, and I'm still kinda surprised. You just need to give me a little time to get over it... that's all."
"Secrets..." Ledah was torn; half of him wanted to collapse back onto the bed in sheer relief, while the other half was made even more neurotic with worry. What kind of secrets?
"For one thing, you told me how it felt... when you became a Grim Angel..." Ein said softly. In his eyes, there was a deep sadness for his friend, an ache. "You'd never said anything to me about how painful it was for you before... gods, Ledah... I could've done something for you...!"
The older angel shook his head, wearing a self-mocking smile. "There wasn't anything anyone could've done to ease pain like that. I had Lorelei, and that was the only thing that kept me going. Because Lorelei is my heart, just as Einherjar is your wings... holding my Diviner was the only thing that could've salved that wound. You would've tried, and had I been in any state to appreciate it, I would've been grateful, but that wouldn't have helped at all."
"But... but you did so much for me, when I underwent the trial," Ein protested, spreading his hands wide. "I... I just wish there was something I could've done...!"
"I was able to help you because I knew what would help," Ledah said softly. "And just knowing that you feel this way is enough... believe me when I say that, Ein."
"I believe you," Ein said softly, his deep blue eyes looking almost gray for an instant in the morning's light, his expression suddenly sober. "Because, Ledah..."
Something in the seraph's chest fluttered. "...Yes...?"
Ein's cheeks flushed, and he ran his hand through his hair. "Ah... nah, don't worry about it. It's nothing important. Anyway, if you're feeling better, you should get dressed and come downstairs. We just heard from Soala and Claude through this ball of glass that Cierra put a spell on... they'll be coming for us soon. And besides, you need breakfast. You haven't been eating much since you got sick."
"Alright."
At that, Ein stood, heading down the stairs with one fleeting smile back at his friend.
As soon as the younger angel was gone, Ledah stood up and began to pace the length of the room. What was it? What did I say that was bothering him so much? That alone can't have been it--he wouldn't be acting so, so distant, so awkward. What could I have said to make him start to act so shy...?
He doesn't know how I feel. That, I'm sure of. He's had thousands of chances to realize over the years we've been together, and he hasn't yet. Even now, I've been doing my best to act normal around him, even though it's so hard... but that's the only thing I can think of that would make him behave so strangely. If he knew... then he'd give me his answer... whatever that answer may be. No, he can't know. Can he...?
Ledah stopped pacing next to the bed. Ein told me himself that the things I said caught him off-guard, and he was still unsure of how to react. I know that my own bad reaction to the Grim Angel transformation surprised him badly, by the things he said to me... but... this...? It can't... but... it makes sense, but it can't... even under such conditions, even completely delirious... I wouldn't...!
Finally giving in to reality, Ledah collapsed back onto the bed, covering his mouth with both hands to stifle his soft cry of despair.
I told him...!
---
At the foot of the stairs, Ein sighed and sat down, disgusted with himself.
He hadn't even been able to get one word out, when always before he'd never had any trouble telling Ledah anything. It didn't make any sense, and it was driving him absolutely nuts. Why couldn't he just say it and get it over with?
'I like you'--three simple little words. But faced with Ledah, they became anything but simple. Ein was beginning to understand how it had been years before the seraph had managed to get them out.
What made it so impossible to just say how he felt and get it over with? It didn't make any sense at all! He knew that Ledah cared, no matter how the other angel tried to hide it behind a façade of normalcy. So why was it so hard...?
It was probably just what Rose had suggested to him, during their little talk last night. "How would you feel if Ledah would allow you more than just that tentative hand on his shoulder?" Ein hadn't been able to help thinking of all the things that might entail--that the rare embraces he was able to share with his longtime friend would become more common, that they could even end up kissing... or doing more intimate things together. Ein had never been kissed before, so he could only speculate, blushing slowly whenever he did, how that would feel--but he knew from experience that having Ledah's warm body in his arms, pressed close to his own, made things feel right in a way that holding anyone else did not.
I don't know how in the world this snuck up on me without my noticing it until now. But I do like him... I really do like him... I just need to figure out how I'm going to tell him...
And if what Rose said is true, I really do have to tell him...
Soon...
Shaking his head, Ein headed into the main room of the house and slumped into a chair at the table. He would have to think of something without letting his feelings on to everyone in the house--having Rose in on the situation was bad enough, but Serene, Fia, and Lina? That would be an absolute nightmare...
"Here you go," Cierra announced happily, sliding a plate in front of him. "Toast, and over-easy eggs. Since Claude and Soala are coming, we can afford to use a little more food than normal."
He smiled at her as he raised his wooden fork. "Thanks, Cierra."
"You know, Ein..." the red-haired witch said slowly, rearranging dishes, "whatever it is you're worried about... it'll all be alright in the end. You'll see."
The wingless angel stared at her curiously. "You... can tell...?"
"It is pretty obvious," Cierra admitted. She took a few steps towards him and laid a hand on his head, ruffling his hair. "You've been moody and anxious since last night. I may not know the situation, so I can't really give you advice, but... if you ever want or need to talk about things, I'll be here. That's what friends are for."
Ein made a face. "I just may take you up on that."
Cierra giggled. "I hope you do. I'd love to help in any way I can."
Footsteps made the two of them look up; Ledah was heading down the stairs, his knuckles white though his grip on the handrail seemed light. Something about him had changed from that morning, too--maybe it was just Ein's imagination, but he seemed a little paler than usual, a little more lost in thought, his steps not quite as sure as they should've been.
Sitting up, he turned to face his old friend. "Hey, are you okay? You don't look so good... maybe you should go lie back down. Don't push yourself, or you'll just get sick again, and I don't think you really want to be bedridden over Christmas."
"I'm fine," Ledah said softly, but that didn't shake the shadowed pall that had settled over his entire body.
"I mean it, Ledah--your health is important to all of us, and if you need to take things a little more slowly, then--"
"That isn't it," the blonde seraph managed, speaking slowly, his voice going dead-breeze again. "Ein, I just... I just need a little time, is all... some time to myself." And with that, he headed off, looking as though he didn't care exactly where he was going.
Ein shook his head. "Something's wrong, I can tell. Why won't he say anything...? Can't he tell how much I've worried about him these days...?"
"You know, Ein..." Cierra said slowly, sounding as though she were choosing her words carefully, "sometimes... sometimes fear can get in our way, and prevent us from seeing things that seem obvious to everyone else. Ledah's got his own worries right now, and they're important enough to him that he can't concentrate on anything else. Give him some space for a while, and then approach him about the things you want to say. Right now, he won't be able to listen even if he wants to."
"I know... but... I just don't want him to suffer alone for any longer..."
"He's lucky to have a friend like you," the redhead commented, smiling. "Just trust him for now, okay? If Ledah says he needs room at a time like this, give him room. You have to think about his needs, too. Especially when he isn't doing so well."
"I hope you're right," Ein told her, shaking his head.
Cierra just smiled and kept clearing places for the others.
---
It was about midday when Claude and Soala showed up at last. There'd been odd sounds around the house for a few hours on end, but when there were actual scrapings against the door, then a knock, it brought everyone (even Ledah) over just in time for the violet-haired witch and the dryad to come inside.
It seemed that the two of them had used special spells to displace a great deal of the snow over Elendia in paths that followed the dirt roads and allowed access between the outside world and every building. Ein and the others really were their last stop; some of the others (including Pixia children Gill and Molan) were also hanging around to check on their friends' condition.
Lina immediately rushed off with the other kids to play in the snow; Serene left to talk to her friends Rebecca and Mursya shortly after. Fia headed out to get some more supplies, and Rose retreated upstairs to straighten up what had been Ledah's room and get more work done on her book. Ledah himself walked discreetly out of the house slightly later on, which left Ein and Cierra alone in the living room.
"So, hey, Cierra..." the wingless angel began.
"Yes?"
"Have you ever... really liked somebody, but had trouble actually saying it to them, even if you had the suspicion that they might like you, too?" he burst out, cheeks already beginning to flame.
"My... is that what you've been so concerned about, then?" the witch asked, sitting down beside him. "I can't say I've been in exactly the same situation as you, but there was once someone I cared very much about. No matter how hard I tried, I was never quite able to tell him my feelings... by the time I finally had the courage, I realized before I approached him that he was already in love with someone else, and that I would only cause him pain by confessing how I felt. If I'd spoken up earlier, I might have been able to begin a relationship with him, but I wasn't able to get up the nerve until it was already too late." She shrugged, smiling ruefully. "That's the way of life. But, I've come to realize that maybe he and I would never have been truly happy together, anyway. And because I do care about him, and know he'll be better off with the one he really loves, all I can do is hope that things work out between them."
"Wow..." Ein grimaced. "That's got to be rough."
Cierra smiled at him. "I'd say that when you grow up, you'll understand it better, but... it seems you're getting there on your own, if you love someone that much at your age."
"I know that if I don't say something soon, I'll end up really hurting that person," Ein said softly. "But I don't know what I'm going to say or how to say it..."
"When the time comes, so will the words you're looking for," Cierra supplied helpfully. "A simple 'I love you' can't exactly hurt, either."
Ein offered her a lopsided smile. "Thanks. I know... but it's just so hard... and I don't even understand why..."
Cierra considered him for a moment, then shook her head and spoke. "Ledah is a very lucky man," she said with a gentler smile than any Ein had seen her give. "He needs someone like you to love him... he's blessed to have you in his life."
Ein laughed embarrassedly, ducking his head and running his hand across the back of it. "Was it really that obvious?"
Cierra just kept smiling. "Remember, Rose and I are always here if you need it... for moral support, I guess you'd say. We're your friends, and we really do want you and Ledah to be happy together. After all your hard work to save Riviera--and to save Ledah, after that--you need a life of peace, and for things to work out for once."
"Thanks, Cierra... and I really mean that. If I need advice... I know I can ask you."
The red-haired witch giggled. "Just leave it to big sis!"
---
Night had fallen, and Ein and Rose were heading down to the town hall for the promised getting-out party.
Mylene and Soala, in charge of the decorations, had outdone themselves--delicate paper balls, lit from within by soft, warm etherlight, were strung around the long wooden building on what seemed to be a single thread, casting a beautifully welcoming air about the area.
"You sure you want to come up here with us?" Ein teased, elbowing Rose in the side. "You've been writing in your every spare moment lately."
Lashing her tail, Rose lightly smacked Ein on the head. "Hey! I can afford to take a break--I'm almost done. Even though I'm trying to finish by Christmas, when I've only got a few chapters to go, I can take a well-deserved rest. Besides, they'll have better food. Even though Fia just got us some more stuff, most of what's in the house has been there for at least a week. Bleh."
"You sure are finicky," Ein remarked. "So why are you so desperate to get done by Christmas anyway, Rose?"
"Because then I can give it to all of you," she replied impishly, laying the back of a finger against Ein's lips. "But you didn't hear that from me, so I will kill you if you tell any of the others. It's supposed to be a surprise, and it won't be if you ruin it for them."
"Don't worry," Ein said easily as the two of them walked in.
"Hey, lookit." Rose pointed upwards; Ein craned his head back to see a sprig of mistletoe pinned to the top of the doorframe. "These people think of everything, I tell you."
"Does that mean I have to kiss you now?" Ein asked, giving his friend a sidelong look.
"Oh, don't worry, I'll save you the humiliation of having to mack your familiar," Rose told him, rolling her eyes. Laying a hand on his shoulder, she leaned over... and gave him a quick lick on the cheek.
Ein fidgeted. "Gahh... Rose! Since you're a person now, why do you still have such a scratchy tongue? That tickles!"
"Because I'm a cat Sprite," she informed him patiently. "I'm going to go get food--wanna come?"
"Nah... I think I'll wait for the others, see if I can get a minute to talk to Ledah. He wasn't looking so good the last time I saw him today."
"Suit yourself. I'll be back in five or ten, okay?" With that, she walked off.
Ein leaned back against the doorframe and looked around with a smile on his face.
All of Elendia had turned out for the little gathering. Mylene and Kyle, down by the tables, were attempting to keep their children, Molan and Gill, under control; Ladie the valkyrie and Ritz the gnome were engaged in small talk over cider. Mursya the werecat, next to Rose, was stuffing her face with fish; Rebecca the harpuia and Reiche the sylph were talking with a few of the resident fairies in a corner. Chappi the hobbit blacksmith was enthusiastically explaining his recent project to Fia's grandfather, Graham, and Claude and Soala were tending an etherlight fountain that formed the centerpiece. Each of them seemed to be having a grand old time.
"Hey, Ein! Sorry we're late!"
It was Lina, with Fia right beside her.
"Hey. Glad to see you two here--the more the merrier, right?"
Lina dashed through the door and tackle-glomped the wingless angel. "Promise me you're gonna dance with me later, Ein! Please? Pleeease?"
"You shouldn't pester him," Fia protested helplessly.
"It's okay," Ein demurred. "Sure, Lina. I'll dance with you sometime tonight, if I have the time. Although, Gill will probably take most of your time." The little archer giggled; Ein joined in with a laugh of his own.
"Hey, Fia! Lookie lookie, there's mistletoe!" Lina shouted suddenly, pointing above the three of them. "Guess we get to kiss Ein now!"
"Ah... sorry, guess I should've moved," Ein said helplessly as he bent to let Lina plant a peck on the same cheek Rose had used before running off.
"Um..." Fia was suddenly very red. "Ein, do I really have to...?"
"We can get out of it like this," Ein explained, gently lifting Fia's right hand and softly pressing his lips to it instead.
"Thank you," the fencer said in a very small voice as the two of them steered away from the innocent-looking green sprig. "Ein... don't you think you're a little too indulgent of Lina sometimes?"
"I don't know," the wingless angel replied, shrugging. "You only get to be a child once, so you should enjoy it while you can... at least, that's my opinion. I've seen what it does to people when they have to grow up too quickly... in fact, I think that's part of the reason Malice turned out the way she did. I may have been really young, but I still remember what she was like before her mother died. She may've been aggressive and pushy, but she was also a lot of fun to talk to sometimes. But on that day, she changed--she became harder, angrier, less approachable. It's no excuse for the things she did, but she didn't have a very good life."
"That's so sad..." Fia said softly, looking at the ground.
"Yeah. I don't want Lina to be anything like that. I've seen enough pain that just having a silly little girl as a friend is a welcome relief."
Fia smiled. "You're such a kind person, Ein..."
"Ah... nah," the wingless angel said evasively, looking in another direction and blushing with the praise. "Shouldn't you go check in with your grandfather now?"
"Oh... yes! Yes, I probably should. I'll see you later on, then," the fencer told him, gathering up her petticoats and heading across the room to where Graham and Chappi were.
Smiling again, Ein returned to his post by the door.
Within only a few minutes, he was interrupted in his wait yet again when Serene and Cierra showed up. Directing them to the food (after being kissed on the forehead by Cierra and exchanging casual pecks on each cheek with Serene--he was under the mistletoe again), he resettled.
He was beginning to get worried when, at long last, Ledah trailed up the path to the town hall.
"Ah! Hey--I've been waiting for you to get here!" Bouncing up, Ein offered his old friend a bright smile. "Are you still feeling alright? You aren't getting too cold out here?"
The blonde angel smiled back softly and shook his head. "No. Once again, you needn't worry for my sake. Ein... I--"
"It's okay, you don't need to say anything," Ein told him, putting his hands on Ledah's shoulders and staring up a few inches into his friend's crimson eyes. "Listen... I think we need to talk sometime soon, maybe after the party's over. Do you think we could do that, tonight?"
"I don't see why--" Ledah began slowly, searching Ein's face in an attempt to find out why the wingless angel seemed so earnest.
"Hey boys," came Rose's bright and perky voice, interrupting the seraph in the middle of his sentence. Turning, they gave her mixed tolerant and exasperated looks.
"What do you want?" Ein asked.
"Don't you know?" Rose returned, that infuriatingly complacent expression still on her face.
"No..." Ein said in a tone that clearly stated "my-patience-is-wearing-thin". "You're gonna have to tell us if there's something you need. I was kinda in the middle of a conversation."
"This isn't about me, it's about you," Rose said in a tone that just as clearly stated "you-are-a-moron". "Don't you get it yet?"
"What?"
In response, Rose smiled brightly and pointed up.
Ein and Ledah followed the direction of her finger in unison, and each caught sight of that blessed and cursed green plant.
"Wha-- wha-- wha--!" Ein sputtered, turning to Rose with his entire face flaming red.
Ledah, though silent, gave the former familiar a look just as desperate as his friend's, blushing just as badly.
Trapped, Ein realized. Trapped like a rat...! I can't act like this is no big deal because that's going to hurt Ledah, and I can't act like it is a big deal because then I'll just mess it up and everything I've planned to say will all go to waste...! Damnit Rose, why'd you have to butt in...?
"We're waiting," Rose told them cheerfully.
"But--but--but I can't just--" Ein tried desperately, holding out his hands in a wordless plea.
Ledah's blush faded somewhat, and as he looked to Ein, his crimson eyes darkened, his expression slowly becoming sober and sad.
"I'll..." he said softly, stepping over to his friend. Gently, he brushed Ein's bangs off his forehead.
As the wingless angel stood silently and waited, eyes closed, he felt the soft brush of Ledah's lips against his skin, and then sensed the blonde seraph remove the restraining hand.
Opening his eyes, Ein grimaced. "Ledah, I--"
Ledah just gave him one long, pained look, then to Ein's utter shock, bolted back out the door, wings slanted forward, running in wide desperate strides.
Turning to Ein, Rose glared at him. "Way to go, you moron!" she snapped. "Now look what you've done! After this, there won't be any more second chances--unless you're going to fix things now, it's completely hopeless--and it's completely your fault, you jerk!"
"My fault?" Ein demanded, but stopped as he caught sight of Ledah's still-retreating form out of the corner of his eye. "Oh... dammit... Ledah, wait!"
And he gave chase, dashing along the fine crust of snow that still lay over the path.
Fia, who had wandered over after hearing Rose's angry words, looked worriedly after him. "Is everything alright...? Ein..."
"He just possibly ruined a great relationship," Rose fumed. "That idiot. I give him the chance of a lifetime, and what does he do with it? Tosses it straight out the window! The boy is hopeless!"
"Ein..." Fia murmured, slowly walking down the angels' path.
---
Breath rasping, heart pounding, Ein ran with all the speed he could muster.
Ledah'd had a good head start, but he'd stopped in the middle of the road, his back to his friend, head bowed and wings curled dispiritedly. And Ein was almost there.
"Ledah," he yelled between gasps for air. "Ledah!"
No response. Dashing up to his friend, Ein knew there was no time for thinking--he'd just have to do what felt right to him. And so he didn't stop to speak, but simply threw his arms around Ledah's body, pressing his cheek against the nape of the other angel's neck.
"Ledah... I'm so sorry, Ledah..." he said softly, feeling a painful knot beginning to form in his throat. "I should've said something, anything, before now... I should've been smarter, should've realized... I had all this time with you, when I could've figured out the things that've been going through my own head...
"But you really caught me off-guard... telling me the way you did... I didn't know what to say or do, didn't know what I was supposed to feel. Rose talked some sense into me, thank all the gods. And since then... I've still been trying to spit it out, over and over, all day...
"I'm a coward, Ledah, and it doesn't help that I can be so stupid either. I've really hurt you, by not saying things when I should. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.
"Please... please tell me that I haven't ruined everything forever... Please, gods... because this hurts so much... the things I might have done to you... because, oh, Ledah...
"Because I love you, Ledah, I love you... I've loved you all this time, and never known it...
"So please... please don't run away from me anymore..."
There was a long silence, and then:
"Ein..." Ledah said slowly, softly, his voice twisted by tears. "I've never run from you... only from my own fear..."
Twisting in Ein's desperate embrace, he threw his arms around the younger angel in turn.
"I could never run from you, Ein... I love you..."
It was so quick, Ein barely understood what had happened. In what seemed like the length of an eyeblink, he and Ledah were clinging so closely to each other that it seemed neither would ever let go, their lips locked together, Ledah's wings forming a protective curtain around their bodies.
For the first time in his life, Ein glimpsed a flicker of true bliss.
---
NEXT TIME: So, now that our two beloved idiots have figured it out, we're left with one more all-important question... what about Fia? It's not very good for your mental health to see your crush confess his love to someone else, after all... Plus, the countdown to that special moment begins... :3