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With Love (1)

Summary: Over a thousand miles of distance and letter after heartfelt letter, Colette learns to love.

Fandom: Tales of Symphonia Characters: Colette Brunel, Lloyd Irving Relationships: Colette Brunel & Lloyd Irving Rating: G Chapter: 1 of 3 Word Count: 5807 Mirror Link: AO3 Original Post Date: 11/06/2024

Chapter Title: Now

Notes: The final chapter of this fic will be posted on Colloyd Day and features the wedding. There will be three chapters, and in between each chapter, I'll be posting another two fics. This is aro4aro Colloyd and also relationship anarchy, i.e. the relationships don't have to follow society's rules - what's constituted in the relationship and what it involves is up to the people in it, and there are quite a few relationships here that overlap and are all equal in importance. It's not meant to be polyamory or an open relationship but it can be read that way. The main focus for the most part will still be Colette and Lloyd's relationship (or more accurately Colette's feelings for Lloyd) but there is still mention and exploration of the other relationships, with some alluding to sexual elements between certain characters.

Lloyd is aro bi and Colette is aroace. Happy pride!

~~~

The rustle of grass reached her ears over the crackling of flames and the slow turning of pages, an unexpected sound breaching the calm bubble that had formed around her, though it was deeply familiar. Colette smiled to herself, getting up from her comfortable seat by the fireplace to pour a second cup of coffee for the guest who would soon be entering the house - actions that came to her like clockwork.

The lock on the door turned and the door swung open, just as she’d expected, a familiar face greeting her as blue light rushed through the entryway, dancing across her furniture. “Hi, Colette,” Lloyd said, stepping onto the wooden floors with care, dropping the key into a pocket before running a hand through his hair and sending it into further disarray, strands of chocolate brown falling into his eyes. His voice, sweet as honey, washed over her and made her heart swell with fondness. He wore the smile he reserved only for those he held dear, his gaze flooded with so much affection.

“How’ve you been?” She took his coat, hanging it up on the hook by the front door she’d installed just for him, letting her fingers linger in the soft shimmer of his wings for a moment, gentle warmth settling against her skin. It was a redundant question - she’d read about the mangrove he’d visited in the letter that had arrived last week, now securely stored with the rest of the letters he'd sent her, covered in his messy scrawls. But she still liked to ask it, no matter how long they spent apart - a week, a month, a year. It had been three months this time, after two weeks spent together in the breathtaking garden the elves had started cultivating near Ymir forest, filled with mystical flora and fauna.

He didn’t look too tired, thankfully, unlike the times when he'd been dead on his feet and she'd had to carefully escort him to the bed to ensure he didn't fall asleep on the way. Who knew how long he’d flown just to reach Iselia.

He retracted his wings, the light they’d been casting disappearing as he rolled his shoulders, gratefully accepting the offered cup of coffee, the green and white painted face of Noishe staring back at him from the rim, matching with the cute little puppy on her own. Carefully retrieving a perfectly preserved leaf from one of his many pockets, he left it on the table for her to collect in the morning, returning the piece of her heart she had gifted him before he left. “Good,” he answered as he joined her by the fireplace, giving her a peck on the cheek before taking a quick sip. “You?”

She curled up next to him, taking his hand. “Things have been much the same. Peaceful.” Just the way she liked it. Quiet, time passing slowly as her every day continued without any troubles.

“You’re growing it out again,” he remarked, his fingers playing with the golden strands that tickled her shoulders. The last time he’d seen her, it had barely reached her chin.

“Felt like it,” she mumbled, a small yawn leaving her as his arm wrapped around her shoulders. The novel Sheena had lent her was not going to get any further attention from her tonight - not when she was comfortable slowly melting into Lloyd’s arms. Raising his hand, she let her thumb map the new callouses that had found their way onto his knuckles, speaking of the new journeys he had undertaken. It was a reassuring, intimate rhythm, one that they fell into whenever he visited her humble little abode - the two of them slotting perfectly into place as if they’d never been apart, the physical distance between them dissipating with the steam that rose from their cups of coffee.

“Hey.” His eyes, under the flickering orange light of the fire, seemed like liquid gold, drawing her in. “Do you want to get married?”

The words washed smoothly over her, and her breath caught, her voice wobbling as she asked a question. "Why now?" In the space between them hovered a single cherished memory, of a warm summer's day when blue flowers had fallen between her fingers and a promise had been made.

His shoulders had risen to his ears, she realised with a jolt - he was nervous, something she rarely witnessed. “I remember how much you wished to have a wedding of your own,” he whispered, his hand trembling in hers as he forged onwards, his words flapping their wings tentatively to bridge the space between them. “I don’t know if you still feel the same way, but we made a promise that we would marry each other, and what I said that day still stands. The only one I’d want to marry is you.”

Blinking rapidly, she tried to clear the film of tears which had suddenly sprung into existence. Squeezing his hand, she beamed, his words nestled within her chest like a sphere of warm light. “Thank you for remembering, Lloyd. I would love that more than anything. To marry you.”

Pulling a velvet box out of his pocket, he presented its contents to her, a shy smile on his face.

She’d known something was going on when some of the older villagers kept finding opportunities to mention to her that they’d seen Lloyd around town, their pitying gazes that she had long since grown used to ignoring sliding off her like water droplets. But she hadn’t imagined the outcome of all that sneaking around would be something like this - something so beautiful, speaking perfectly to the unique understanding between them that had developed over the years.

Staring at the ring sitting snugly in the box, speechless, she gently plucked it out, cradling it in her palm. Her fingers traced the intricate line of forget-me-nots that twined around it. The same plant as the flower earrings that dangled from her ears, the same plant as the dozens of pressed leaves between the pages of the book on the mantelpiece, that had passed between their hands on the many thresholds they had found themselves on.

It was perfect. He must have spent hours labouring painstakingly over it in the forge at his father's house, sweat running down his forehead from the heat and his attention squarely focused on the little piece of metal. It was a gift infused with all the memories they had made together, and one that she would treasure forever.

Glancing back up at Lloyd, her smile grew cheeky as she noticed something he clearly hadn't.

“But alas, soon-to-be husband of mine, you have a hickey on your neck.”

His hand shot up to cover the patch of skin, his expression contorting into horror.

“Don’t start apologising or you won’t stop,” she teased, carefully placing the ring down and getting up to rifle through drawers for a handy box of makeup. She'd dealt with this enough times to know what to do. In fact, she'd say she was a natural at this.

“I didn’t notice. But I don’t think anyone else saw -” He cut himself off when she threateningly waved the makeup brush in front of his face, already coated with powder.

“I’ve told you countless times that I really don’t care what others think about us. And I’ll keep telling you that until you get it through that thick skull of yours!” Hand on her waist, she gave the brush another threatening shake. “Now sit still.”

He often felt guilty about the nasty things people said to her sometimes because of how they perceived their relationship, apologising for any outward signs that their relationship wasn't all that typical, no matter how often she told him it was wholly unnecessary. What did it matter what opinion others held of them when they didn't understand anything about them? All that mattered was that they were both content with the relationship they had built, and for her, what they had now was more than enough - she could ask for nothing more. But even irrational emotions were difficult to overcome, so she helped in the ways she could, and got her fun out of teasing him along the way.

“Right, right. I’ll keep my mouth shut.” He raised his hands in surrender, an easy grin playing on his lips.

She brushed her lips against his cheek. “Good.”

~~~

"No pushing!" Sheena yelled, cupping her hands around her mouth as she masterfully balanced her steaming cup of green tea on her lap.

If she'd tried to do that, Colette thought mournfully, her lap would be soaked with scalding hot tea and there would be a lot of towels involved while Sheena fluttered about her anxiously.

"Honestly. The children are always so rowdy after training." Her tone was resigned, but her eyes sparkled with proud joy as she kept an eye on the children running amok in front of her house. Their smiling faces were a sign of Mizuho’s bright future - such a sight would have been unthinkable just a decade prior, when the population had been dwindling and the village was on the brink of disappearing. Sheena had worked herself to the bone when she’d taken over as Chief to reverse the fate of the only home she had ever known, and things were finally looking up, a deserved outcome considering how much work she'd put in.

She did, however, tend to push herself too hard, so Colette often had to put her foot down and insist she take a break. Doing so was thankfully something Sheena had also gotten better at over the years, so Colette had managed to convince her to take one on her visit today with minimal protest. There had been no need to physically drag Sheena away from her work.

The two of them were sitting in front of Sheena’s house, the sliding door open to let the autumn air through as they shared a moment of peace. Sheena was relaxed enough to have let her hair down, black tresses spilling to the middle of her back. They ruffled in the gentle breeze, cool against their skin, and Colette reached out to tuck a stray strand of hair away, Sheena giving her a gentle smile in response.

"I'm glad they're taking their lessons seriously, but they've got to stop trying to get onto my roof."

"Why?" she asked, taking a sip of tea, glad for its warmth settling in her stomach. "Chief secrets?"

Sheena snorted in response, throwing a playful glare her way.

"You're heading to Meltokio after you leave, right? Zelos mentioned the gala when he was here last week."

She nodded, reaching for the chain that ran under her shirt, hiding the piece of cold metal pressed against her skin - a constant reminder that the events of a few days ago had not been a transient dream that would have vanished with the morning sun, but rather happy reality. "Yes, for the gala. Despite how some of the Tetha'allan elite go on and on about how we Sylvaranti are beneath them, they still insist I show up!"

Her friend’s raucous laughter drifted into the sky, emptied cup placed safely on the table beside her. She smiled a little wistfully, fingers twisting the lily-embossed bracelet she wore, as she always did whenever she mentioned Zelos. "Don't envy Zelos having to plan it every year."

Their relationship was, as Sheena had often described it over the years with a nonchalant shrug and a quirk of the lips, “strange”. Just as strange as her and Lloyd's, Colette supposed, and that was before she factored in their own involvement with the confusing tangle of emotions. It was all she needed to know - there was no need to pursue every thread and undo every knot to come to a full understanding of all that lived and breathed between them, coiling around them and pulling them close together. Her two friends had never appeared miserable when faced with each other's company, perfectly happy with the current arrangement. They'd never made anything official, refusing to give the gossip columns anything to write about, even if they were often targets anyway whenever the news cycle was slow.

Around this time of year, Zelos was always busy planning the annual Tethea’llan gala, so Colette did her best to spend the entire week before she had to travel to Meltokio keeping her friend company.

And she had the perfect idea for a distraction - she had come here with the goal of informing Sheena of what had happened, after all.

"Is that… is that what I think it is?" Sheena gaped, dumbstruck, at the ring she'd finally managed to pull out.

At her small nod, a delighted shriek left Sheena’s lips. The veneer of graceful chief slipped away, replaced by an excited friend that flung her arms around her in infectious joy, nearly smothering her.

"I never thought I’d see the day!"

"Hey!" Colette protested, pouting. "I will have you know that we have done some things normally. For one, I kissed him when I was fourteen. It was horrible and we never did it again."

Wheezing laughter was muffled into her side, Sheena’s shoulders shaking. "Seriously? That’s your best example?"

"Fine," she said, conceding the point without much of a battle. “Do you want to help with the wedding planning?”

"Of course I would! You don’t even have to ask!”

Sheena’s ready agreement and the merry excitement flooding her amber eyes warmed Colette’s heart, causing it to flutter softly in her chest. Tenderly, she cupped her friend's cheek, brushing her lips against the other and giggling at the light blush that instantly spread across her face. So shy, even now, but still as beautiful as the day she’d met her, that radiant glow she’d possessed then having not dimmed a bit over the years.

Unfortunately, the gratitude Sheena had earned would not save her from the incoming teasing.

“Oh, I have something to ask you though.” She fought to keep her expression straight, knowing the grin that was fighting its way to the surface would surely give her away. Making sure to keep her tone flat, she launched her assault. “Were you the one that gave Lloyd the hickey? The one on his neck?”

As expected, Sheena reeled backwards so fast she nearly fell off her chair. It was a good thing she was no longer holding her cup, or it would have shattered against the dirt with how violently she was flailing.

Really, they were all so easy to tease.

“From past observation, Zelos doesn’t usually do that. So it was most likely you, unless it was just someone Lloyd hit it off with last week, which I suppose is possible,” she mused out loud while doing her best to suppress gleeful laughter that threatened to bubble up within her, keeping a careful eye on her friend's expression, which was now twitching with embarrassment.

“You’re terrible, Colette! Stop teasing me!” Sheena’s glare held no heat at all as she crossed her arms, though her blush had greatly intensified, her entire face having turned a deep shade of red reminiscent of the tomatoes Lloyd so despised.

Unable to hold it in anymore, she broke down into a fit of giggles that didn't seem like it would stop anytime soon, her entire body shaking from the force of it. "The look on your face!" she forced out between bouts of laughter.

Sheena sighed, rolling her eyes. "You are a menace," she grumbled with fondness, leaning forward to return her kiss to the cheek.

~~~

“What is it, Zelos?” she asked as she pushed her way through the door to his room, heeding the muffled yell for assistance she had heard through the thick walls of the manor, layered in wallpaper. Her gaze skirted over the surprisingly spotless room - most of the time, there were clothes scattered over the bed, ranging from nightwear to formal dress. Lloyd often liked to recall the time when Zelos had scrambled to get everything in order before Seles came to visit, only to get caught in the act by his less-than-impressed little sister, the story never failing to elicit laughter from everyone as Zelos sank in his seat and hid his face with an embarrassed groan.

“Could you help me with the braid?” Zelos asked from his perch on the dresser, tugging rather frustratedly at his hair, tumbling down his shoulders.

He was already dressed in the fancy suit he’d said over glasses of wine last night that he would be wearing to the gala, which was good. There had been a few years where the dread of attendance was so terrible that she’d had to wrangle him into a respectable outfit so they could make it on time. She didn’t want to go either - all that awaited her was two agonising hours where everyone saw her as only Sylvarant’s Ex-Chosen. But they both had to attend, to keep appearances up and to placate the nobility. They were still on schedule this year, barring any… unfortunate mishaps.

She really, really hoped they wouldn’t be held up again by shrieking women wearing dresses that were far too complicated, featuring so many laces it made her head spin, their faces laden with too much makeup. How had they not given up after this long of the cold shoulder?

His outfit looked comfortable, the sleeves not too stiff, the fabric giving him the space to breathe, the dark colour bringing out the blue of his eyes and making his vibrant hair resemble dancing flames even more. A good choice for the hours they’d have to spend on the ballroom floor until the streets were cast into pitch black, sticking to each other’s sides like glue in a bid to avoid unwanted company. Inevitably, he’d be dragged off to dance by some noblewoman who still thought she had a chance with him, and she’d be stuck in conversation with a circle of snobby nobles who thought she couldn’t detect their thinly veiled insults - snarling beasts that hid their fangs behind a facade of friendliness. Both Sheena and Lloyd would have responded with an explosive fieryness that would have stolen her breath, but she preferred to simply let their barbed words slide harmlessly over her, a serene smile plastered to her face.

Zelos had taught her how to navigate the poison-coated politics that arose in gatherings like these, where the elite clustered together and exchanged pleasantries that disguised knives with glinting sharp edges. He’d held her hand when she’d first stepped shakily into the very same ballroom they were heading to later. Back then, she’d quailed beneath the weight of all the stares, and he’d patiently guided her, staying by her side to prevent her from becoming overwhelmed. “Born and bred Meltokian,” he’d joked once, his tone heavy with the disdain he felt for the intricate dance of lies and deceit that he’d mastered in childhood. But even then, he stayed when he could have vanished into obscurity, unable to bear leaving behind this city that he loved despite all of its flaws.

Under the first rays of moonlight, creeping into the room, his eyes seemed to shine, the erratic tapping of his fingers against his thigh giving away that he had more than just the gala on his mind.

“Come here,” she said softly, settling on his bed and patting the space next to her. After he’d gotten into a comfortable position, her fingers settled into the silky strands of his hair and she began the familiar motion of weaving. She’d gotten so much practice doing this with the Iselian children that it came to her naturally - she could probably do this with her eyes closed.

“I… heard you and Lloyd are getting married.” His voice was tiny, almost timid, a stark contrast to its usual swaggering confidence that had been his shield against the world for as long as she’d known him, painstakingly maintained to ensure nothing could get through to his fragile heart. He still struggled to take it down sometimes, even when faced with those he was closest to, and she'd never begrudged him for that. His voice as it was now would not have been audible in a room filled with chatter, an environment that Zelos was used to, navigating and directing the flow of people's attention like it was nothing. But here in the sanctuary of his manor, it cut through the weighted silence with ease.

“Lloyd told you, hm?” He gave a small nod, not enough to disrupt her motions but enough to answer her question. She’d already guessed that Lloyd had visited a few days before her - there were signs of him scattered all around the manor. A pair of red gloves on the dining table, a set of carving knives that had been freshly polished, a cloak haphazardly thrown over a chair. Just as there were signs of her and everyone else lying around, such a natural sight that she barely noticed them. Holders of happy memories, suffused into the rich wood of the floors, alleviating the cold that had seemed to cling to every surface in the past.

“Would you like to officiate the ceremony?” she asked casually as she threaded one strand over another.

“What, me?” He almost moved and jeopardised the half-done braid, but a quick nudge from her knee made him fall still again. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure,” she hummed, working her way towards the tips of his hair and hoping the repetitive motions would help make the tense set of his shoulders vanish. “I can’t do it myself. Father hasn’t wanted anything to do with the Church for a long time, not that I blame him. And with grandmother’s passing, you’re the only one left I trust to do this.”

She had known for close to a decade that the Church had been built on a sham, its foundation a lie maintained by a child who had held the fate of the world in his palm, grieving his sister and hoping to immortalise the best of her. But it was still an integral part of her and the memories that had made her who she was today, one that she had decided she didn’t want to let go.

Zelos, more than anyone, understood that endless struggle of trying to separate all that they had been taught from the ideals that they wanted to put their faith in, having gone through it himself. And neither would he question her and Lloyd’s union, which every other priest in Iselia she could turn to certainly would, casting their judgement on a relationship they had never tried to understand from the very beginning.

“All done.” She patted him on the shoulder, leaning back to observe her neat handiwork. It looked like it would last the night.

“Thanks.” He turned to face her, tucking his legs close, his gaze determinedly avoiding hers as his hands went to picking at the fabric of his pants. “I’d… I’d be happy to do it. If you’re sure you want me to.”

Shoulders hunched, he seemed so small, reminiscent of the young man who had desperately held his weapon to her throat in the Tower of Salvation, terrified of being loved as he'd attempted to bloodily claw his way to a future where he could be free to find his own happiness. He had held the same uncertain expression on a snowy night a few years ago, cheek pressed against wood, eyes gleaming with unshed tears as he’d asked if it was truly alright for him to enjoy Lloyd’s embrace even when she loved him so.

She could understand, a little too well - they were two souls with intimate knowledge of what the other had been forced to endure. On some nights, she woke from vivid nightmares of that horrible moment when she had faced Remiel and signed her life away, thinking it was worth nothing compared to that which her sacrifice would save. Her heart in a vice and cold sweat running down her back, she could do nothing but curl up into a ball and sob, feeling very much like that girl who had believed herself to have no future, until the sun rose to drive away the fog that clung to her, shrouding her in its icy darkness.

To the silent question he posed, she gave him the same response now that she had then, leaning forward to brush her lips gently against his forehead, hoping the affection she harboured in her heart for all of her friends, threatening to spill out of her at any instant in time, could reach him. “I'm sure. And… I only want you to be happy.”

Because that’s the least they both deserved. It was a lesson Lloyd had taught her, and one that she had taken a long time to take to heart. She owed the world nothing, and even if she had, she had surely paid her dues long ago, as he always reminded her on days when it seemed the sun could not chase away the chill piercing her soul, as she shakily questioned if she deserved this pocket of peace she had carved out for herself.

He loved Lloyd just as much as she did, just as much as Lloyd loved them both, in a myriad of ways that were all beautiful.

The shaky smile she got in response told her that the remnants of melancholy still gripped his heart. But there would always be good days waiting on the other side of the horizon, and until then, she would keep him company and do her best to cheer him up.

~~~

“Colette!”

Presea greeted her warmly, jumping up and dropping the shovel in her hands to rush over as Colette dropped the final few inches from the sky and into the impressive garden on the rooftop of the Lezerano Company, retracting her wings. The smell of dirt and flowers, which she'd been able to distinguish from miles away, was even stronger here, a calming, familiar presence.

Over the years, Presea’s face had never shed the impassive mask that had been forced onto her by her Exsphere’s parasitic influence, but she had certainly grown more expressive if one knew how to look for it. It was in the musical lilt of her voice, the strength of the back-breaking embrace she pulled Colette into, squeezing the breath out of her.

“Colette.” Regal was not far behind Presea, sleeves rolled up and dirt coating his hands, looking nothing like the distinguished head of the Lezerano company. Here, he could shed that image and be nothing more than a normal man, experiencing the joys of gardening with the warmth of the sunlight dancing on his skin.

She managed a weak wave, Presea's arms still firmly holding her in place until she finally let go, leading Colette to take deep, heaving breaths to once more fill her lungs as she observed the current state of the garden.

When the winds of spring began to blow, Regal and Presea could usually be found in the rooftop garden in the early hours of the morning, tending to the flowers they’d specially planted around Alicia’s grave. Dozens of heads tipped with petals bobbed and weaved, nodding an enthusiastic hello to anyone who visited and keeping Alicia company. There were new holes in the dirt, neatly dug in a set of two rows.

“We’re planting lilies,” Presea explained cheerfully before she could voice her question.

“I believe congratulations are in order?” Regal asked with a small smile, steering the conversation in an entirely different direction.

“The news has spread this far, then?” she commented wryly, already moving towards the bucket conveniently placed by the piles of dug-up dirt, extra gardening tools placed inside for anyone else who wanted to join in.

“Sheena came by yesterday to provide us with the iris buds, and she told us. I’m so happy for you two.” Presea followed her, grabbing her hand to give it a firm squeeze.

Despite the vastly different lives they had all returned to after their journey together had come to an end, they still made an effort to keep in contact, the many diverse paths they walked always managing to intersect in one way or another, despite the changing sceneries and their many meetings and partings. The threads of their lives had weaved together to form a colourful tapestry that would never come undone, each and every one of her friends having left their permanent impression on her soul, forging a unique bond that had endured through thick and thin and would always link them all together.

“Thank you.” A bright smile graced Colette’s face. “Regal, would you mind -”

“Settling the catering and the equipment?” he finished her sentence before she could, taking the words straight out of her mouth and looking highly amused. “Consider it done. Just tell me what you need.”

“And I’ll help with any decorations,” Presea offered as she pushed her shovel into the dirt, resuming her gardening.

She grinned, gratitude that they were willing to offer their precious time sinking into her every action as she picked up a shovel and joined Presea in kneeling in the dirt, the sweet scent of flowers surrounding them. Working in a garden was a familiar routine to her - she'd grown to love it as a child when she'd realised it was one of the few things she had full control over, and she had spent hours painstakingly tending to her flowers to ensure they would all bloom and make her garden as beautiful as possible. She still did so now, having never fallen out of love with the hobby. So it didn't take long for her to fall into a rhythm, assisting her friends in creating a new home for yet more flowers to bloom, once more breathing colourful life into the world.

~~~

“What about this one?” Raine pointed to a page of the book they were flipping through. Displayed on it was a white dress that would have covered up to her ankles, elaborate and overflowing with tiny details, and far too many laces that had to be done up at the back.

“Hm. It’s pretty, but… It's too much?” Colette offered, not quite sure how to phrase her thoughts as she turned them over in her head, imagining what it would be like to wear that dress for close to half a day. She was certain she'd trip over the hem of it and ruin the ceremony by crashing into something. It was inevitable. And even getting into it would be a nightmare to begin with.

Raine only nodded, taking a moment to absorb Colette’s words before flipping to the next page.

“Ugh! I swear -”

Both she and Raine swivelled their heads to stare at the entryway, where Genis had just broken off his impassioned yelling to blankly return their stares.

“You’re back early. I thought you had class until late afternoon?” Raine asked, an eyebrow raising as she observed the state of her brother, his hair sticking to his forehead and drops of water falling from his sleeves to create puddles on the floor. “And why are you dripping wet?”

He rolled his eyes, pulling off his shoes and stomping over to the kitchen to squeeze the water from his clothes and conjuring a small ball of fire to encourage some of the water to evaporate. “Some idiot decided to conduct a water spell that was out of her league and blew up the whole classroom, so class ended early.”

Colette hid a smile behind her hand, watching Raine do the same. Seles again, huh?

“It’s nice to see you again, Colette,” Genis said as he wandered over, slightly more dry than before, wild curiosity dancing in his eyes. “What are you two…”

He trailed off when he caught sight of the white dresses peeking out from the pages of the catalogue, eyes widening as he went very still, resembling a statue.

“I was waiting to tell you in person this afternoon,” she said with a smile as she pulled out the ring from under her shirt, glinting as it caught the light of the sun through the window. “But I guess the cat’s out of the bag.”

She wasn’t quite prepared for the armful of Genis that she suddenly had to contend with as he practically tackled her, vibrating with energy. He was finally reaching the age where those of elven descent began to mature - he’d shot up in height and was now all awkward long limbs and sharp elbows, jutting painfully into her.

“I’m glad Lloyd remembered,” he beamed, looking like he was going to burst from joy as he pressed a quick kiss to her cheek.

The three of them had been best friends for as long as she could remember, and they likely always would be. And that meant a sacred trust - trusting the other two with promises made, with hopes cradled in trembling hands, with dreams she aspired towards. So while Genis had not been there in person, that fateful day with forget-me-nots resting in her palms, he still knew everything that had transpired - and had nestled that knowledge safely in his heart, safeguarding it to ensure he never forgot.

She returned the gesture, heart overflowing with a gentle warmth, before wrapping her arms around him and holding him close, uncaring of the way he fit imperfectly in her embrace. “I’m happy you did too.”

~~~

Dear Lloyd,

I know I could just fly to Altamira and visit you instead of sending this letter, but I suppose it's just habit to write my thoughts down.

All the preparations on my end are going well. You know, whenever the fairytales mention weddings, all they write about is the ceremony itself. How beautiful it is and how everyone who attends has so much fun. They never mention the preparations, and how incredibly hectic it is! But I am having the time of my life planning this, and I hope you're enjoying yourself too.

We're almost done on our end, and the last update Presea gave me gives me hope that you two will be done soon as well. If that's the case, then we might be able to hold the ceremony in a month's time. Could you meet me in Iselia in two weeks? I’ll give you all the updates then, and we'll see about final preparations.

I hope this letter arrives on time. If not, we’ll just deal with it if it comes to that, like we always do.

I’ll be waiting to see you again!

With Love, Colette

Pressed between the folded pages is a forget-me-not, each petal carefully preserved.

It is a promise, of a future that would be forged together.

#tales of symphonia #lloyd irving #colette brunel #sheena fujibayashi #zelos wilder #presea combatir #regal bryant #raine sage #genis sage #fanfiction #colloydday countdown

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