The two-day journey to Lesta concluded sooner than Kie expected. Kie didn’t believe the condition at Lesta was grave, but upon their arrival, he noticed the reality. As he scanned all those crying, he couldn’t see them. Immediately his head glutted with dread as he marched towards the old path.

He marched past the dried farmland, rivers, houses with walls, and houses with nothing at all. Nonetheless, he never stopped hearing tears. His ears filled with tears of the unknown until he halted in front of his old home. There he heard the faded tears of his--he doesn’t remember.

Gaining his senses, he stared at the house with anger. He heard the faint tears and scowled. How dare Acy trick him once more? How dare they take his mind, who gave them the right?

He walked inside, closer and closer to the tears. Then from that distance, he stared. Unknowing he shed a tear. Kie stared so lovingly at Acy but he would never admit it. He felt comfort in their presence but didn’t notice. “Still so angelic,” he whispered

Acy looked at him. Their eyes overfilled with tears once more, they didn’t know what to do. They were afraid, afraid that he had come to end it all. To end their hope.

“How dare you come back!” Acy sputtered, they didn’t mean to say that. They didn’t want to squabble, they desired to hold him tight, at least once more.

“Isn’t this what you wanted? Isn’t my return what you kept asking for?” Kie enunciated heartlessly.

Acy’s eyes overfilled once more with tears, sinking Kie’s heart to his stomach. He didn’t want to make them cry. He didn’t want to.

“These tears aren't for you, not anymore!” Acy hollered. They knew they were lying, those tears were for him. They knew they couldn’t let him go, so why were they quarreling again? They didn’t want this. Not anymore.

Kie looked at Acy's tears. Why were they like this? He didn’t understand why they didn't admit the tears were for him.

Kie walked towards Acy and held them by the collar, “you’re so fucking stubborn, simply admit it! You haven’t forgotten me! You’ve been pestering me for the past 500 years. Don’t you dare tell me these tears aren't for me.”

Kie stared at their puffy eyes. Not being able to help himself, he held their face, “Have you cried every day?” he asked calmly. He didn’t get a response but he could feel their tears caress his back. He messed up again. Why was he holding them?

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Acy wrapped their arms around Kie, they couldn’t help it. They knew that this wouldn’t last, they knew they couldn’t lie to themselves but they wanted to hold him again. That is all.

“I'm sorry” Acy muttered while brushing their tears.

Why were they apologizing? Acy didn’t know what they were doing, it seemed their body acted without forewarning.

Kie skimmed them. What could he say, what right did he have to talk? He didn’t find any, all he ever did was wound them. All he does hurts them.

In the distance, someone clamored, Captain! Captain!

Once he heard this, Kie rose up and withdrew Acy from his embrace. Acy wasn't stunned, they looked at Kie softly as if awaiting an order.

Kie didn’t want to get up. He wasn’t sure why. He didn’t understand why it felt so wrong to leave them on the floor and let them go. He did it before, he did it all the time, but why does it always feel so wrong?

“Over here.” Kie exclaimed.

At full tilt, a soldier emerged from the darkness. His hazel brown hair and his glistening lea eyes differentiated him from the room. Yet his astonishment was no different from the room's shared feeling. The soldier stood observing the surroundings. The more he examined, the more confusing it got. A bewitching lean figure on the floor and his stony commander’s back drenched. He could still see the marks where the figure had held. The faint marks where the figure had embraced their captain.

Kie glanced and immediately recognized the soldier. He had forgotten for a second that Acy was still on the ground; for that second he had alleviated himself of guilt. Even so, when he gazed at the floor, Acy was there. Waiting.

“Ria, what’s the situation outside?” Kie questioned.

He was trying to change the topic, he was attempting to divert himself but why? He didn’t understand why he cared so much. He loathed this.

“Tranquil! No tears, we’ve concluded our mission,” stated Ria, “we can leave.”

With that said, the room stood in silence. The ambiance turned sorrowful. It remained this way for some minutes until Ria walked out due to the suffocation.

Kie knelt down near Acy. He wasn’t sure why. It felt right at the moment. He held their face then slowly and gently kissed their cheek. Greedily he embraced them and placed his head on their shoulder.

“I’ll be back, I promise so don’t cry” He reassured.

Acy nodded and smiled as they watched Kie walk out again. They weren’t sure why they believed him again, but they did. Perhaps it was love. Believing despite past betrayal, giving second chances. At least that’s what Acy thought.