"Lea, where are you taking me?" Isa asks as he follows the redhead through the world that they once called home.

"C'mon, I know it's been a while, but don't ya still have this place memorised?" Lea says back with a light-hearted laugh.

Isa can't say his memory of Radiant Garden is crystal clear. He spent so long trying to forget all about his past. His life before a Nobody. While the Gardens were all he knew at one point, the darkness settled like a fog over the flowers he once loved. Remembering now is almost just as painful as forgetting was then.

"Doesn't matter if you remember," Lea goes on. He looks over his shoulder at Isa and the glimmer in those green eyes is enough to lift the fog. Enough to ease the pain. "Just trust me, yeah?"

"When have I ever doubted you?"

Isa catches Lea's lips shifting into a grin as he turns his focus forward again. "I hope that's a rhetorical question."

"Do you even know the meaning of that word?"

"It means shut up."

Isa shakes his head, chuckling to himself. He continues following Lea without question. Soon enough, they find themselves at the garden of waterfalls. Fountain Court. And it takes Isa's breath away. The sun is setting and in the perfect position in the sky to reflect off the water in the most beautiful way.

"No wonder you were rushing to get here," Isa speaks up.

Lea smiles. "Took me at least two weeks to figure out when exactly the perfect moment is with the sunset and the water."

"Why put so much energy into figuring that out?"

He shrugs his shoulders. "Anything for you."

Isa takes a deep breath. He hates when Lea says that. He doesn't believe he deserves that sort of dedication. Not after everything that's happened. Everything he did. No matter how many times Lea tells Isa he's been forgiven, it just never feels like enough. It never feels—

Lea suddenly takes Isa by the hand, and Isa's thoughts shut down. They shut up. He looks into those green eyes and gets lost in them. Lea smiles again and pulls him towards the centre of the courtyard. Isa follows him. Hell, he'd follow him to the ends of the earth. To the ends of the sky.

"Do you remember the day we met?" Lea asks.

"That's one thing I could never forget," Isa says. "No matter how hard I tried."

"We were so little," Lea goes on, his gaze set on the sky. "We had no knowledge of this world, let alone of the worlds beyond this one. But that never stopped us from imagining a life greater than us.

"Yes, and we got more than we bargained for."

"But we stayed together. Even when it seemed like we were on opposite sides, I still did everything with you in mind. I thought ahead. Made sure my actions wouldn't lead to any consequences for you."

Isa swallows hard. "I did the same."

Lea turns his head down to finally meet Isa's gaze. "The day we met was the day my life began. I never wanted to spend another day without you."

"You sound ridiculous."

Another smile. "Why?"

"We were children."

"Doesn't matter." He now turns his whole body towards Isa's and takes both his hands in his own. "Before we infiltrated the castle, we met and stood here in this spot and made a promise to each other." He gently squeezes Isa's hands. It's a reassuring gesture. One that tempts Isa to just fall into Lea's embrace. "Do you remember that promise?"

Isa nods his head once. "Of course I remember." The words come out barely above a whisper.

Lea presses his forehead to Isa's. "Tell me." His voice is just as soft.

Isa closes his eyes. He does remember. He got it memorised the moment they had spoken the promise all those years ago. He truly never could forget any part of his life that involved Lea. Even when they were drifting apart. If anything, that only made the memories stronger. Clearer. Even in the deepest darkness, Lea had been there. Burning bright as ever.

"I promise to stand by your side, no matter what may happen. To not only fight with you, but to fight for you when you feel you can no longer carry yourself. I promise—"

Lea's lips are on his, shutting down his thoughts again so he can't finish. Isa frees his hands to grab at Lea's shirt and pull him even closer. Lea smiles against his lips as he wraps his arms around Isa, resting them on the small of his back.

These are the moments Isa longs for. The moments he savors. These moments when he and Lea are only two people who exist. When the past no longer thrives and the future no longer strives. It's just them and the present. It's an overwhelming rush of emotions. Ten years' worth of repressed sentiments. Ten years' worth of jealousy dissolved into desire.

When they break apart, Lea brings one hand up to cup Isa's cheeks. He pulls far enough back to look him in the eyes. And for the first time in all the years Isa's known him, Lea's expression is unreadable.

"Lea—"

"I love you, Isa." His voice doesn't waiver. His gaze remains steady. Yet, Isa feels weak in the knees. He opens his mouth to retaliate, but not before Lea can continue, "I know, I know," he goes on, "you don't think you deserve it." He smiles softly. "But I'm fighting for you."

Isa breaks into a bittersweet smile. His eyes suddenly feel wet and he squeezes them shut. I love you. The words echo in his mind. They resonate within him. Set every nerve ablaze in the best way possible. And the only thing he can possibly think to do is kiss Lea again. So, he does. And it's hard and frantic and everything they had been missing for over a decade.

"Why me?" Isa asks when they break apart once more.

"That's a silly question," Lea says, brushing Isa's hair back with both hands. "There's no one else I'd rather be. No one else who knows me better than I know myself. No one else who understands the way you do."

"How can you be so sure this is love?"

"Isa…" He chuckles under his breath. "The moment I learned you had become one of the vessels, I repeated that promise to myself. I told myself I wouldn't give up the fight until I brought you home. Hell, the moment I saw you still in that goddamn coat—That was the moment I knew I'd do anything for you. The moment I knew I love you."

Isa shakes his head ever so slightly. "You're an idiot."

Lea's smile grows. "I can live with that so long as I get to live with you."

Isa opens his eyes to look at the redhead before him. Hell, he outshines the sun. He's more beautiful than any sunset could ever wish to be. And he's in love with him. Of all people. Despite everything, Lea still chose Isa.

Better yet, Isa chooses Lea.

"I love you, too, Lea," he says.

Lea's smile goes lopsided at this. "Glad to hear it."

He kisses the bridge of Isa's nose. The centre of the scar. It's a delicate touch. Soothing. As is the touch of Lea's hand on Isa's hip. Isa relaxes into Lea's embrace, resting his head on his shoulder.

"Do you wanna head home?" Lea asks. "It's getting dark."

"Let's stay a little while longer," Isa says. "I enjoy these moments of solace."

"Even with me here?"

Isa can hear the teasing tone in Lea's voice. He's not really in the mood for joking around, though. "Only when you're with me."

Lea kisses the top of Isa's head and Isa can feel him smiling against him. So, he smiles, as well. Hmm. There's nothing quite as satisfying as making Lea smile. Except, perhaps, making him laugh.

I promise to love you with everything I am. To love you even when I can't love myself. To love you even more when you can't love yourself. No matter how dark it gets, I promise to always be your guiding light. To cast away the shadows of doubt and fear. I promise to love you with everything you are.

As soon as the words are spoken, Lea and Isa are kissing again. And they kiss well past the last of the fading lights of the sunset. They kiss until they're breathless. Until they're lungs are ready to burst. But if this were to be their final moment, neither of them would have any complaints.

Isa may not agree with Lea on what he deserves, but he knows he's ready to stand by his word. He's ready to fight as his side. He's ready to love Lea's light and have his darkness loved in return.

He's ready to keep these promises.