Lily’s head snapped up when Willis approached her. Bile rose up her throat. Even through his tears, his eyebrows were furrowed, mouth pressed in a tight line. He almost looks worried. Him worried about her, after all this?

He looked down at her. His mouth opened a few times, yet he didn't mutter a word. She waited. But nothing came out. Even as he repeated the action a few times with more and more force. He stopped with a growl, rubbing his face with his hands.

“Are you alright?” she asked. Though the answer was clear.

Her eyes widened when he made a so-so motion with his hands, humming. His expression slipped back to annoyance. He then gestured in vaguely familiar motions. Though he seemed to struggle with even that.

What is he… wait. He wasn't gesturing, he was signing. Or trying to, at least. His hands shook. He paused multiple times, as if he couldn't remember how to say what he wanted. She didn't recognize anything he tried to tell her. She got ready to apologize, but he stopped before she could. Rolling his eyes.

She yelped when he suddenly dropped to the ground. Stepping back as he wrote in the sand. The message was surprisingly clear given he wrote it upside down: ‘I cant talk’.

“Oh… oh- okay that makes sense. I probably should have been able to guess that one,” she frowned. Embarrassing. “You don’t have to talk, it’s alright.”

He ran his hand over the message before writing again: ‘I want to talk.’

“Yeah that… also makes sense,” she cringed. Teeth grit. He probably wants to tell me he never wants to see me again. She wouldn’t blame him. 

He went to write again. 

There has to be an easier way to- oh. “Oh! Stop, stop doing that, wait! Give me a minute.” She waved her hands frantically. He paused, raising an eyebrow at her.

She took a deep breath. This will be easy. If I can apologize I can do this too. It was a familiar dance, she just had to remember the steps. The ocean air brushed through her hair. She brought her hands together, calling upon her magic. Its warmth stirred within her.

It will have to be sturdy so he can write on it easily. Probably water resistant too, she thought as she slid her hands together. Tracing out a thin, rectangular shape with her magic. Like watercolor paper. I can make watercolor paper. She smoothed out the light, molding it just right. Or as much as she could as her hands still shook. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Yet she grasped at perfection. It had to be nice for him. 

She finished it off with one last run over top. Willing the texture to take shape. The light faded, leaving her with a single, stiff piece of paper. She ran her thumb over it. Not quite as smooth as I wanted, but it should take lead marks well enough. She held it out to Willis, who remained still as stone on the sand, “Here, you can write on it.” She tried to ignore the way he looked at her. 

He blinked a few times before he shook his head, taking it. He held it close, staring.

“Here, this too,” she snapped her fingers, calling upon one of her pencils. She offered it to him.

He didn’t take it. Attention on the paper he held. Stars appeared on his cheeks as he rubbed it between his fingers. Some of her magic dusted off, disturbed. He stopped short of doing any real damage. Letting the energy settle back into place.

He snatched the pencil from her with the speed of a snake striking its prey. She barely had time to register the act before shoved the paper in her face, his message hastily scribbled upon it: ‘you made this?’

“I did,” she nodded, eyebrows raised. You saw me do it, she resisted the urge to point out the obvious.

Perhaps it was best she hadn’t, as tears started to well in his eyes. His face crumbled to another sob. He buried it in his cape.

“Huh- hey it’s okay. It’s not really a big deal. I do that all the time,” she frantically tried to soothe him. Why is he crying again? Did I do something wrong? She crouched down to his level, sitting on her knees. 

It was a moment before he calmed himself again. Scribbling out chicken scratch with abandon. Thankfully, what he wrote was simple enough to decipher: ‘why?’

“Why I made the paper?”

He nodded.

“Well you had stuff to say but you couldn’t talk so. I figured it would be easier than you trying to write everything out on the sand,” she explained gently.

He stabbed at the ‘why’ with the pencil tip.

Her mouth pressed into a tight line. “…what?” She felt like a broken record in her confusion.

He repeated the motion with more force. Face scrunched into a grimace. It was a miracle the lead didn’t break.

“I don’t know what you’re trying to say.”

He went back to writing. Much messier than before. She couldn’t help but flinch when he turned it back around: ‘why did you do thatwhy are youstillhere’. Some of the words overlapped, blending together. She’s sure any other paper would have torn the way he gripped it.

“I care about you. I’m not going to leave,” she said firm. She clenched her hands. “I also need to apologize at least ten more times,” she joked weakly. “I really am sorry Willis. I can’t say that enough.”

‘I’m sorry too’

She blinked. “Don’t apologize,” she couldn’t help but snap. He didn't even flinch. “What are you even apologizing for?”

‘yelling at you’

“I deserved it. I would have yelled at me too,” she retorted. She put a hand over the paper when he went to respond. “I’m serious. I made you feel worthless. You… have every right to be upset at me about that.”

Something wet trailed down her face.

Oh. She wiped the tears from her face. “I don’t know why I’m crying,” she chuckled softly. “That’s embarrassing. I don’t remember the last time I cried.” She rubbed her face, trying to make it stop. It got worse.

Willis clicked his tongue, grabbing her attention. He had set down the pencil and paper. Hands held out.

She shouldn’t have accepted it. She didn’t deserve the comfort. Yet he did, and that was enough for her to let him wrap his arms around her. She held him back, claws dug into him, as if he would disappear otherwise. A wail climbed up her throat. She pressed her face against him, melting. It was warm. It was safe.

Something wet hit her head. She paid it no mind. Until it happened on her leg next. She shifted. Huh? Willis did much of the same. When she pulled back he was looking up. She followed suit, only to be met with a splash directly in her eye. “Ack-!” She shook her head. The frequency picked up with the wind. Of course it would start raining now.

An eep escaped her throat when she was suddenly thrown into darkness. Her friend’s cape now draped over her. She almost wanted to stay there. It would be lovely to curl up against him. Take a nice nap. She already missed the fleeting comfort of their arms around her.

However, she wormed her way free, greeted by drizzling. The pitter patter of rain mixed with the tides. He gave her a look, holding an arm up to shield her again. 

“I have a better idea,” she said. Calling upon her umbrella in a single swift motion. She held it between them. “There.”

He took a second to write: ‘that is a better idea’

“Thanks. I get to have those sometimes.”

He huffed, before starting to stand. Gesturing for her to do the same. She obliged. When he made his way to the tree line, she followed. The forest provided its own cover, yet the two kept huddled under her umbrella all the same. They were pressed together and she couldn’t complain. They watched the rainfall pass by in silence.

“So…” Lily eventually wondered aloud, “what now?”