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“At least we’re under the same sky.”
The first few times it happened, Vassa hadn’t been paying attention. She just knew Lucien was going to the night court for social events mainly for his mate. She certainly didn’t realize that things could be going poorly between the two.
He got back while she was human so rarely, she was usually still a firebird, flying through the skies. She would find herself wondering if she scared the humans. It’s not like she could do anything about it right now if she was scaring them.
Because of the rarity of him coming back while she was in her human form, she hadn’t realized it was a pattern. In fact it wasn’t until Jurian had said something that she started paying attention.
“At least we’re under the same sky.”
Lucien would go to meet with someone from the night court, or go for a Fae event, and she knew, as well as Jurian did, that he was only going for his mate. To appease the mating bond, or make sure she was doing well, or just to be close to her for a few hours.
But each time Lucien came home from the night court, either Vassa, or Jurian would ask how his mate was.
Each time, Lucien would look to the sky for a few seconds, before closing his eyes. “At least we’re under the same sky.” Vassa used to think it was romantic as shit. That was before she started reading into things.
“At least we’re under the same sky.”
Sometimes Lucien would come back, devoid of emotion. Sometimes Lucien came back, appearing as if he was barely holding himself together. Sometimes he came back looking as if at the swing of a feather, he would break apart. Sometimes his eyes were already shining.
“At least we’re under the same sky.”
Every time, after Vassa started paying attention, she could see the pain, the stress, the guilt, the heartbreak. She could see it all in his eyes before he would close them, and leave for his room.
Each time he came home it was the same thing. “At least we’re under the same sky.” He would then go to his room for the remainder of the night, no matter how early it was.
“At least we’re under the same sky.”
Vassa wished she could help. She wished she could go to that night court, find Luciens mate and talk some sense into her. But she wouldn’t, because she knew that would hurt Lucien more.
Vassa watched slowly, as her friend was breaking piece by piece, and there was never anything she could do. She was barely holding onto her anger where Lucien could see.
“At least we’re under the same sky.”
But then, something changed. Slowly, very slowly, he would start coming home slightly more hopeful than the last. Jurian never asked, and neither did Vassa. Neither one of them wanting to stop the slow hope that was slowly canceling out the pain in Luciens eyes each visit.
“At least we’re under the same sky.”
Vassa was starting to get annoyed by the sentence to be honest. Lucien could be more informative, but that was all he had ever said before retreating to his room.
Then, one day, years later, Lucien had walked in from a visit to the night court, looking the happiest she’d ever seen him, and though she knew the answer, she still asked him.
“How is she today?” Vassa asked, not looking up from her book, and was taken aback by the answer Lucien gave today.
“She’s doing really well.”
Vassa had looked up at him, confused, because that wasn’t what he usually said. “But?”
Lucien smiled, he had actually, truly and brightly, smiled at her. “But nothing. She’s doing great.”
Vassa wanted to ask, she truly did. Especially as Lucien came and sat across from her, picking up some work to continue, rather than going to his room.
Vassa waited for the statement that didn’t come. Watched her friend get to work, looking genuinely happy.
Later she and Jurian would discuss the latest turn of events, and try to figure it out amongst themselves. Whatever it was, it had to be good. She hoped it was good.
“And you’re both under the same sky.” Vassa said, before looking back to her book so she could continue reading.