you'll come back

Iolaire held Deathbelle close, determined to not let the woman go. They'd been separated for so long and it was clear that neither of them were in the best places in life. The smaller woman's brain was still too fuzzy from her time being dead that it was hard to process any sort of pain in the living world. She knew that Deathbelle was hurting, but she didn't know what to do about that hurt. It was deep seeded, she could see. Io's time away had made her less of what she had once been. Her mind didn't cooperate now. She no longer was cool and collected and she didn't always know just what to say. That would have come in handy right now.

Eventually Deathbelle spoke, saying that she'd found happiness and that it had all been pulled from her. Gently, Iolaire stroked the speckled woman's head and ruff, pulling her claws gently through the fae's fur. That was something that Iolaire could understand. "I'm sorry, love." She then slid her cheek along Deathbelle's, holding her closer and placing their chests together. Io's cheek rested in the thicker fur of the other woman's ruff. "I know how that is, unfortunately." Her voice was soft, but Deathbelle would hear.

When Roan died, Iolaire had lost everything. She had lost her purpose, her path, any confidence or happiness that she had. Iolaire, the greatest healer that she knew, had let her own husband die. It struck her hard and brought her low. She died with him. It seemed that Deathbelle had died with the end of the happiness that she'd found as well.

Perhaps it was time for a bit of tough love? Io pulled back enough so that she could meet Deathbelle's gaze with her own. The smaller woman's brow furrowed and she began to speak. "Happiness or not, the world moves on and so must we. We have to remember who we are, what we've accomplished, what we've been through. It will be hard, but we have to pull ourselves together. There are still those out there that rely on us." She was preaching to herself as well. It was time to get her shit together. It was time for Deathbelle to get her shit together too.

Iolaire's gaze softened somewhat and she placed a gentle kiss to the side of Belle's muzzle. "At least we won't have to do it alone." Her voice was hopeful. Neither of them had anything. Why shouldn't they have each other? Perhaps they'd moved past the point where they could be lovers, but they would always be friends. They could bolster one another's resolve, help one another return to a semblance of what they'd once been.

"Deathbelle & Iolaire"