“Despite all evidence to the contrary, one inexorable fact still gives me hope. As long as we can communicate with one another, we’ll never be alone. Not even in this dire form.”

–Mother, “Notes on HBRS-15.21”. 3 Years After.

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A new sun set.

Liam watched its slow descent from his favored spot in Elysium, his legs dangling over the scorch marks that he’d never quite been able to remove. The rezzers continued to buzz about as they toiled away on these latest repairs a few floors down. So many more had been made these past months as Pandemonium healed from the wounds that had nearly destroyed it entirely.

He sighed, remembering all who had been lost in that fight…

Liam took off his work gloves and guzzled bottled water. This had been a long day as well, and it pained him to see how little he could do to repay the generosity his hosts had given them.

“Taking another break, huh?” Leah called out from behind. “And here I thought you wanted to clear your debt.”

Liam glanced over his shoulder. His old friend still leaned against her cane, an awkward sight for one so proud.

He frowned. “Not all of us get to work without sleep. I’ll have you know that I managed to clean this entire floor by myself.”

“That’s only because half this city still looks at your family like gods,” she countered, “while the other half thinks the same for me.”

“And I keep telling them, it’s fine. Just need some gloves and a mask, and the risk is minimal.”

“Well, it’ll be nothing soon enough. How’s Evelyn doing?”

“Still recovering. Stein thinks she’ll be good to go in a week.” He grinned. “Why? You evicting us out so soon?”

“No reason for you to stay. Cheyenne’s up and running again, and your second kid is free from the womb.”

Liam rolled his eyes. “His name is Marquise. If you’re going to be his godmother, you’d best get used to saying it.”

She grunted. “I swear, Liam. You’re taking this joke too far.”

“Why do you think it’s a joke? You agreed, didn’t you?”

“It’s called sarcasm, asshole. How the hell am I supposed to do shit for your son from a thousand miles away?”

He leaned back, embracing the last light of day. “Just come over here and enjoy the sunset, Leah. Will you?”

She sighed deeply. The clatter of her cane resonated moments later as she closed in, a sharp and pronounced tap against the concrete foundation.

Leah plopped next to him, watching the same horizon. “Not a bad view. Starting to see why you spend so much time up here.”

“Well, might as well get used to it.” He turned over and grinned. “We’ll be staying a while longer.”

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She raised an eyebrow. “Huh?”

“Stein is worried about Marquise’s health. He came a bit early, after all.”

“So, all the more reason to get him out of the city filled with infectious cannibals, right?”

“That’s one way of viewing it. Another is that we’ll never be able to handle his medical needs better than here. Until he’s at full strength, any travel is ill-advised.”

Leah scoffed. “Good luck talking Evelyn into that one.”

But Liam only chuckled. “She’s the one who insisted on it, and not before getting the Council’s approval either. I’m afraid you’ve been outvoted on this one, love.”

Her eyes widened. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

“Obviously, it won’t be permanent. Good ‘ole Chantelle can barely keep track of my rebellious daughter now that she’s learned to walk, and I’m sure she’ll only get worse from here. She definitely takes after her namesake, and she damn well knows it.

“But we’ve also got other concerns, and it would be derelict of our duties to not see them through.” He met her in the eyes. “How are you doing, Leah?”

“Good.”

“Come on, it’s just the two of us here. You don’t have to hide from me.”

She averted her gaze. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Liam.”

He frowned. “Even after all those surgeries and experimentation, you’ve still got that limp. Stein insists that he’s only a few steps away, but he’s been saying that for months. There’s no telling how much longer it’ll take. If he can even bring you back to your former strength.

“And that comes before your hollowing. We all know how much you lost in that attack. Having someone as versed with this city’s rules as Evelyn can only make it easier to get you back on track before anyone questions your faculties.”

“I’ll be fine.” She grunted. “I don’t need your pity or your help.”

“This is neither.”

“That so? Then what is it?”

“Just some good company.” He stared off into the dwindling sunset. “We both know you wouldn’t accept anything more, anyway.”

Leah said nothing, her violet eyes downcast.

“Don’t forget what we’ve learned through this mess,” Liam continued. “We’re never alone so long as we have each other. You’re no exception, Leah, no matter what you might think. You owe it to yourself to let us stick around and be here for you. Only for a bit more. We all love you too.”

She curled her fingers into her palms. Her arms twitched.

Liam patted her shoulder. “Come now, don’t be like that, love. It’s not like I’m offering to put down the next worker revolution by myself. All I’ve told you is that you’ll get to enjoy our company for longer than you thought. That isn’t the worst thing, is it?”

“I just…” she started before trailing off, her voice soft and vulnerable. “I don’t know what to say right now.”

“Don’t say anything then.”

The two sat in silence from there, watching as the sun dipped ever lower. Long rays of crimson and copper spread out from the horizon, shrouding their world in a different shade. There was no telling what would come next as their world darkened further, but they need not concern themselves for now.

Without thinking it through, their fingers entwined a beat, and then they were holding each other’s hands. Her staunch coldness mingled with his boundless warmth. Their eyes met soon after in the last light of day, with Liam’s living, brown eyes staring deep into Leah’s mascaraed, lilac own. No words were needed. Not when they were together like this…

And then they both broke free in laughter, relishing the moment of sheer stupidity that their platonic relationship had manifested.

What else were friends for anyway, if not a good laugh?