And here's Part 2.
Broken Wings
N.W. 2
With the Snow as My Witness
Lloyd felt... numb.
So many dead in the last year. Whether by Decus' actions, pretending to be him, or by his actions, refusing to stop and explain to anyone. So many lives lost that he wished he hadn't been responsible for in some way. And yet, there was nothing he could do now.
It was over, at least. And he'd likely spend the rest of his life with the shadows of this year following him around.
Footsteps on the snow drew his attention, and somehow, he wasn't all that surprised when it was Colette who spoke up a moment later. "Lloyd, are you alright?"
"Colette..." He took a deep breath, plastered on a smile, and turned around. "Yeah, I'm fine."
"Liar."
He blinked. That was... unexpected. Colette didn't usually bother calling him out on his little fibs.
"You always say you're alright, but it's not really true," she continued. And from the way she seemed almost curled in on herself, she'd been holding this in for a long time, and was wary about finally spilling it. "You're feeling hurt, aren't you?"
The sigh that escaped him was heavy with the weariness of watching the world go to hell around him. "Colette..."
"I know you're strong," she said quickly, as if sensing that he wouldn't let her continue if she didn't. Lloyd shifted, a small smile starting to lift the corner of his mouth. "But that strength, it's made from a big ball of kindness... and so, what I mean is, you're really, really kind." Her blue eyes finally rose from the snow beneath their feet. "And kind people get hurt very easily."
"You dummy..." The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them, and the startled look on Colette's face was worth it. "What are you trying to do, make me cry?" Because, dammit, that was about where he figured he was headed. And he'd come up here to try to stop himself from crying.
"It's okay to cry. Sometimes tears are the best medicine."
Lloyd knew she'd be able to see the tear streaking down his cheek. Her eyesight was so much better than his, even when he wasn't fighting with the water in his eyes. "You're the only one I'd let myself cry for," he admitted quietly, closing the short distance between them and wrapping his arms around her.
"Lloyd..."
"Thank you. It was so hard being without you," he whispered, even as Colette hugged him back, half burying her face in his coat.
"Yes, for me, too."
"I love you, Colette."
There, he'd said it. The words he'd been holding back for years... And he hoped beyond hope that his love would be enough to keep her by his side. She was an angel, she would never age a day beyond sixteen, and... Lloyd was alright with that. If he had to grow old and die, he'd be fine... as long as Colette stayed by his side.
They stayed like that for a while, wrapped up in each others' arms, until Lloyd took a deep breath, shifted back a little, and brushed some of Colette's hair behind her ear.
So beautiful... He wished Cruxis hadn't gotten in the way, really.
Colette looked up at him, those blue eyes searching his face, and though the smile that she graced him with next wasn't her usual sunny grin, it was an honest smile. "Shall we go tell everyone to stop worrying?"
Lloyd chuckled. "Yeah. I guess we do have a world to save, after all."
She giggled right back, clearly happy to see him in a better mood.