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rainbowfic2023-02-14 10:31 pm
shadowsong26) wrote in rainbowfic2023-02-14 10:31 pm
Amaranth #1
Name: shadowsong26
Story: A Human Tradition
'Verse: Lux
Colors: Amaranth #1. Amaranth;
Supplies and Materials: stickers (The best Valentine's Day gift you ever received), feathers (St. Valentine's Day), pastels (Year of the OTP prompt list: February prompt "Valentine's Day"), novelty beads, yarn, glue ("...try to appreciate the ways in which you are progressing, even if your trajectory isn't as rapid as you'd like.")
Word Count: 452
Rating: PG
Characters: Mariko, Lux
Warnings: References to the fire/the way their relationship ended the first time around
Notes: Constructive criticism welcome, as always.
It wasn’t easy, keeping track of the calendar of one small planet that was lightyears away. Especially not when they were staying off the grid as much as possible. It was safer for Lux that way--for both of them, the angel had said, but probably mostly for her.
But with a little effort, Mariko was able to keep track.
And today, a few months after they’d left Red Sky together, the two of them had stopped on--some little planet whose name Mariko didn’t know, far from home. It was a pretty place, at least the region where Lux had decided to land, full of crystal caverns and waterfalls, with flowering vines climbing up the walls.
Mariko found herself in front of one of the vines, trailing her fingers along the wall next to it--she was a linguist, not a botanist or geologist, but Lux was pretty good about warning her if there was anything either of them shouldn’t touch--and finally coming to rest next to the biggest flower, with the most intact petals. It was a pure, saturated red, a few shades lighter than blood, but not far off.
It was--perfect.
With great care, she plucked it off the vine, making sure there was enough stem to manipulate, then crossed the cavern to where Lux was kneeling next to one of the waterfalls, brooding.
She hesitated for another heartbeat, then sat down beside her, placing the flower behind the angel’s ear.
Lux blinked and looked over at her, a silent question in her dark eyes.
“I…uh. It’s…it’s Valentine’s Day, and there’s a human tradition of giving gifts, often flowers, to the people you…”
She trailed off.
She was still a little too--raw, uncertain--the word stuck in her throat.
Lux nodded, her hand drifting up to the flower. “I--thank you,” she said. “I don’t have anything for you.”
“That’s fine,” Mariko said, hastily. “I just…it’s Valentine’s Day, and I saw the flowers, and I thought…it suits you.” It did, the bright red of the flower’s petals making a beautiful contrast with Lux’s inhumanly pale skin, her inky black hair.
Lux nodded again, and then smiled, a rare, soft, almost-sweet smile; Mariko’s heart skipped a beat.
“Thank you,” she said again, and lowered her hand to--almost--brush their fingertips together.
“You’re welcome,” Mariko said, with a smile of her own. “I…Happy Valentine’s Day, Lux.” As if that could take the place of what she wasn’t--quite--ready to say again. Not yet. No matter what she was feeling now.
“The same to you,” she said, inclining her head. “Mariko.”
And there was something about the way Lux said her name; and Mariko knew she’d understood.
Story: A Human Tradition
'Verse: Lux
Colors: Amaranth #1. Amaranth;
Supplies and Materials: stickers (The best Valentine's Day gift you ever received), feathers (St. Valentine's Day), pastels (Year of the OTP prompt list: February prompt "Valentine's Day"), novelty beads, yarn, glue ("...try to appreciate the ways in which you are progressing, even if your trajectory isn't as rapid as you'd like.")
Word Count: 452
Rating: PG
Characters: Mariko, Lux
Warnings: References to the fire/the way their relationship ended the first time around
Notes: Constructive criticism welcome, as always.
It wasn’t easy, keeping track of the calendar of one small planet that was lightyears away. Especially not when they were staying off the grid as much as possible. It was safer for Lux that way--for both of them, the angel had said, but probably mostly for her.
But with a little effort, Mariko was able to keep track.
And today, a few months after they’d left Red Sky together, the two of them had stopped on--some little planet whose name Mariko didn’t know, far from home. It was a pretty place, at least the region where Lux had decided to land, full of crystal caverns and waterfalls, with flowering vines climbing up the walls.
Mariko found herself in front of one of the vines, trailing her fingers along the wall next to it--she was a linguist, not a botanist or geologist, but Lux was pretty good about warning her if there was anything either of them shouldn’t touch--and finally coming to rest next to the biggest flower, with the most intact petals. It was a pure, saturated red, a few shades lighter than blood, but not far off.
It was--perfect.
With great care, she plucked it off the vine, making sure there was enough stem to manipulate, then crossed the cavern to where Lux was kneeling next to one of the waterfalls, brooding.
She hesitated for another heartbeat, then sat down beside her, placing the flower behind the angel’s ear.
Lux blinked and looked over at her, a silent question in her dark eyes.
“I…uh. It’s…it’s Valentine’s Day, and there’s a human tradition of giving gifts, often flowers, to the people you…”
She trailed off.
She was still a little too--raw, uncertain--the word stuck in her throat.
Lux nodded, her hand drifting up to the flower. “I--thank you,” she said. “I don’t have anything for you.”
“That’s fine,” Mariko said, hastily. “I just…it’s Valentine’s Day, and I saw the flowers, and I thought…it suits you.” It did, the bright red of the flower’s petals making a beautiful contrast with Lux’s inhumanly pale skin, her inky black hair.
Lux nodded again, and then smiled, a rare, soft, almost-sweet smile; Mariko’s heart skipped a beat.
“Thank you,” she said again, and lowered her hand to--almost--brush their fingertips together.
“You’re welcome,” Mariko said, with a smile of her own. “I…Happy Valentine’s Day, Lux.” As if that could take the place of what she wasn’t--quite--ready to say again. Not yet. No matter what she was feeling now.
“The same to you,” she said, inclining her head. “Mariko.”
And there was something about the way Lux said her name; and Mariko knew she’d understood.
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