The reconstruction of the sanctuary had begun. It had begun for days, but everything seemed the same. Everywhere Shaina looked from the broken window of her house, everything was in ruins.

Victory felt like such a barren wasteland in a way.

Someone knocked at the door, snapping Shaina out of her thoughts. She went to answer and found Marin on the other side.

"Oh, right," said Shaina, stepping aside to let her in. "Your house is being reconstructed now."

Marin nodded as she entered. "Thank you for letting me stay. It'll only be for tonight. They've finished setting everything to complete the roof tomorrow morning."

Shaina made a distracted noise of agreement as she looked around, wondering what one was supposed to do when one had guests. She thought of the word again. Guests. It felt silly to her.

"You want…water?" asked Shaina, grabbing a glass and feeling very dumb as she asked the question. Dumb and lost and-

"I'm fine, thank you. I just…want to sleep. It's all been too much," said Marin.

Shaina scoffed out a laugh at that. "Too much. Yeah, it's all been way too much."

Too much death, too much destruction, too much enduring pain after pain. And all for what? Was victory supposed to be this hollow? What had she gotten after this? After the end? Shaina felt the glass in her hand cracking from the force with which she held it, and she set it on the sink to hide it. She turned around, and saw Marin had already taken off her mask and rubbed at her eyes, tiredness showing in her face. Shaina's heart jumped, as if she had seen something she shouldn't have, and her hand went to her mask to feel if she still had it on. It felt cold under his fingertips. Cold, hard…safe.

But why should it feel safe? They were both women, after all. There was no issue on taking them off now…Right?

Marin scoffed out a laugh. "Sorry I'm not very good company but I'm exhausted. Could I just-?"

Shaina motioned to the bed. "Go ahead, lay down. I'm…tired too," she said, suddenly feeling all the aches and pains over her body. Maybe that was for the best. Just…letting this day end and setting her racing thoughts down for a few hours.

She sat down at the edge of the bed, next to Marin. It felt so strange, having someone so close. It had seemed like nothing at first, letting her spend the night with her while her house was being finished, but now hearing her breathing relaxing, becoming more regular as she drifted into sleep. It all seemed too intimate for Shaina.

She shook her head, and laid down on the bed too, staring at Marin's back. Her red hair had gotten longer, falling down past her shoulder blades and spilling across the gray bedsheets. Shaina reached out, touching the red strands with her fingers. They weren't as soft as they seemed. Hard and dry and breaking open at the ends.

The corners of Shaina's lips turned up into a smile under her mask. How very apt. How very much like them. This battle, this crumbling of the heavens and the earth had left them just the same. Hard and dry and breaking apart.

Shaina touched at her mask, taking it off. She suddenly felt exposed. Naked. How much she hated taking it off. But now, next to Marin…It didn't feel like it should mean nothing, to take it off.

But it also didn't feel bad.

Marin turned around to stare at her and Shaina's heart raced in her chest, beating so hard it hurt. Marin was so close. Too close. Any distance was too close when Shaina wasn't wearing her mask.

"It's hard to sleep, uh?" she said.

Shaina swallowed the sudden knot she felt on her throat. "Yes," she said, and moved to lay on her back and not let Marin stare so directly at her eyes. She eyed her mask on the bedside table, but now it would be too obvious if she put it on. Too obvious that she was ok with staring at Marin's face, but unwilling to show herself off.

"Tomorrow…," said Marin, and grabbed Shaina's hand, entwining their fingers. "It will be better."

Her hand felt so hot in Shaina's own. She hadn't noticed how cold she had been until Marin touched her, and now she stared at both their hands, unwilling to let go.

Shaina smiled despite herself, because like this…it did feel like whatever tomorrow looked like, it would be better.