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Orym is the first to spot the other group, even though he's the shortest. “Over there!” He points and yells, takes off running. Laudna cranes her neck to see, stands on the tips of her toes for the extra height. And the silhouettes are unmistakable, even in the distance. Little metal friend rolling along on a single wheel, scraggly gnome with a cap, tall faun in billowing clothes leaping towards them, and a human woman trailing behind. Imogen is lavender hair and yellow scarf, hardened eyes and lightning scars. Imogen looks thinner than Laudna remembers.
But Fearne is the one bounding towards her. Fearne pats Orym on the head as he powers past her, and Fearne is the one who shouts. "Guys! Guys!" Fearne is positively beaming, and she wraps Laudna in a crushing hug as she approaches. "Laudna! Tell me you're ok. Tell me you guys are all ok."
Mister screeches as if to punctuate the question, and Laudna allows relief to wash over her even as the townsfolk around them start giving them strange looks. "We're ok. We're really ok."
Over Fearne's shoulder, Laudna can see Orym talking with Imogen, druid crafted flowers in her hair, and Orym's face is wet. Chetney claps the warrior on the back, and his face too is smiles and excitement. FCG rolls closer, and Ashton hoists them up into the air. Imogen's eyes flick up then, but look away just as quickly when Laudna catches them. Imogen turns back to Orym, nods at something he says, but her hands are nervous, fidgeting and wringing together.
Laudna hums in acknowledgement of Fearne's continued chatter, but her fingers twirl as she casts Message to Imogen.
"Hi."
"Hi." Imogen still doesn’t look.
"Imogen?" And Laudna's trying to be normal, trying so hard not to sound desperate. Because she misses Imogen. Because she's been compartmentalizing for far too long, and if the slightest crack starts in her walls, everything will come spilling out.
"Laudna?" And just the sound of her own name in her head is enough to make Laudna tremble. Because Imogen sounds shy, and scared, and lonely, and Laudna would give anything to make Imogen feel safe.
"Darling?"
"I can’t, I—"
And Laudna feels like she's falling, despite Fearne holding on to her. Because even if Laudna knows this can't possibly be a love story, it still feels like her heart is breaking. Never mind that Laudna told herself not to dream of futures that could never be.
Black tears form around her eyes, drip down in dark streaks. And she tries to hide her face when Imogen does glance up, but it's too late. Imogen sees.
She breaks free from Orym without warning, runs towards Laudna. There's a touch of hands and a flash of magic, then it's just the two of them on a rooftop, away from the bustle of the street below.
"Laudna," Imogen reaches for her, without hesitation now, mind and body. “I thought I lost you again.”
"Imogen. I’m here." And this time, there's no looking away. Their minds link as their hands clasp, fingers sliding over one another slowly. There is something here, in this moment, that feels right. It’s comfortable — familiar. Imogen's palm is just the slightest bit sweaty, and Laudna's is cool as always.
Imogen's finger catches on the ring, brushes over the ridge formed by two snakes, and just briefly, Laudna forgets about their connection. She thinks of the ruby ring, and the circumstances that led to its purchase. She thinks about the gnarlrock, about crying in the night, about flying through the air and clinging to Imogen. But mostly she thinks about Imogen, rubbing her temples, leaning close, pressing their foreheads together in that way she always does. "Does it hurt?" Laudna would ask. "Not with you," Imogen would answer. And Laudna would believe in those moments that there was hope in this world, that somehow she had managed to be deserving of Imogen, after everything that had happened. And she knows she said Imogen was like a sister, but she also knows that’s not true. Because Laudna dreams of Imogen squeezing closer still, cupping a porcelain cheek with her hand, and pressing her lips to Laudna's.
There's a sudden exhalation, and a gasp from Imogen. "Do you want me to kiss you?" She asks out loud.
The panic is immediate. “I'm so sorry. I didn’t mean to. I—”
But Imogen is moving, exactly like Laudna imagined. There is a hand on her face, lavender hair tickling her eyes as the distance closes, and then Imogen's mouth over hers. There is a sigh of relief and a pursing of lips. Imogen tilts her head and Laudna sucks in a breath. Imogen kisses her again and Laudna weeps. Gentle hands brush away dark tears, and Imogen shivers as wet eyes blink at her.
“Don’t cry. I’m here”
“I just missed you so much.”
“I missed you too.” Imogen nestles against Laudna’s neck, draws little circles on Laudna’s back, whispers into her ear. “Will you hold me?”
Laudna tightens her grip. “Always.”