From the Skies to the Heavens

Seventh Prompt: Handprint

Word count (for drabble only): 487 words

When Nahyuta awoke, Ema wasn't yet awake. Though it was hardly a surprise.

But today wasn't a day the regent could wait for her to awaken. In thirty minutes' time, he would be meeting the new president of Codophia, here to pay ceremonial tribute to the nation's founder. Mother was bound to do most of the talking, as she was the one performing the Rite of Channeling for him that afternoon, but it was still expected of him to be present and engaging with the foreign leader. Ema could sleep in his bed as long as she wished, but be could not remain with her.

As he concluded his morning prayers and turned to leave, he felt a stirring of guilt. This had become a pattern the two of them knew all too well. However heated and passionate they were at night, Nahyuta was always the one to leave her cold and alone by day. He didn't want their relationship to become a routine, or dull, or to lose its spark. The least he could do was leave her a note.

And when Nahyuta pulled out a bottle of fingerprint powder from her lab coat, Nahyuta knew just what to do.

When Ema awoke, her boyfriend was gone. Whoop de doo.

She wasn't shocked. He must have had some meeting or someone important coming to Khura'in. He said something about that last night, right?

Bah, what did she know? Much as she enjoyed her nights with him, she felt like they hardly saw each other in any other context nowadays. Just once, it would have been nice to wake up, look into his serene face, and kiss him on the lips mid-prayer. Spend a morning together, like they did that one time.

But alas. Responsibilities.

Ema had the day off (unbelievably enough), so she briefly considering catching up on her laundry or grocery shopping. Maybe she'd go down to the office and help Apollo for a while. Holy Mother knew he needed the help.

...Crap. Was she doing it too now?

Ema was putting her clothes on, about to leave the room when she noticed it. Her bottle of fingerprint powder. What was it doing on the desk?

Nahyuta left a note next to it: "Dust the desk and uncover a surprise. -N"

Curious, Ema poured a liberal dosage of dust onto the polished wood, blowing with practiced ease. What she uncovered made her laugh, then smile.

A set of handprints (his, she'd seen his prints enough to know), shaped in a large heart. The same Valentine's Day heart she made fun of to him last night for being unscientific. How did it look so perfect? He wouldn't have been able to see his work, right?

It was so silly. So small. So unlike him, according to everyone else.

But Ema knew. And it was perfect.

A/N's: Felt like getting one last one in before school starts again. Fuck, five days. Five days, and AAI3 chooses now to hit its wall. I wish I had someone else who could look at it, but my co's all say they're too busy. They probably are, too, but come on.

Well, I come here when I'm frustrated with other projects, right? That's how it's always been. You know it's bad when Skyemadhi fluff of Yuty being corny doesn't cheer me up. They need more shit, but I am not in the mood to appreciate my work. Maybe someone else will.

Thanks for reading, hope y'all are coping with the end of summer better than I am, and I'll see you on the far side!