Chapter 103: Chapter 103 (The End)

It took them a good four hours to get from their apartment to the shuttle that would take them to the spaceship, which would then take them to Firelight. Like always, Sun Fang had splurged on very fancy tickets, at a very fancy ship, so comfort wouldn’t be an issue. Which was good, because the travel would take days, and he was starting to become so full of anticipation that he couldn’t even imagine sitting still for that long.

At the spaceport, Sun Fang wandered around the shops while waiting for the time to board. Ivy walked with him, their hands connected as they swooshed through clothing shops. And though Sun Fang’s fingers itched with the need to buy some of those things, he knew full well that he could just as easily get these things on Firelight. Thus, though painful, he persevered and didn’t buy them.

Well, he didn’t buy all of them.

Ivy stopped at a small bookshop, one wedged in between a makeup store and a gift-store selling mementoes of Guillotine for tourists. As Ivy abruptly stopped walking, Sun Fang was shocked into a standstill as their connected hands didn’t allow him to get any further. Blinking confusedly into thin air, he turned around and asked, ”What’s wrong?”

Ivy pointed at one of the books in the shop’s window. It had a picture of the sea on it, and Sun Fang smile. ”Want to take a look inside?” he wiggled his eyebrows, and Ivy glared at him for the nearest of seconds. But it didn’t actually protest, so they walked into the shop.

They walked out with six books about the ocean.

Sun Fang was absurdly pleased.

After their stint through the shops, they whittled away the rest of the time at a cozy restaurant. Sun Fang ate until his stomach felt too bloated and he could no longer go on, defeated by the limits of his physiology. It was a treachery he would remember until the day he died, an unforgivable crime. And to think, Ivy had laughed when he explained this!

Treachery! Betrayal! He would never recover!

Coughing to himself, Sun Fang waved away his thoughts. Sitting in the actual gate room, waiting for boarding to finally commenced, Sun Fang’s foot kept tapping on the floor. He was nervous, he absentmindedly realized, though he had a hard time deciding why. Because they were moving? Because the shuttle was two hours late and he was starting to become annoyed? Because Xingyi would be picking them up at the spaceport when they landed? Because Ivy was reading a book about oceans and he was pretty sure he was gonna be regaled with info about it throughout the whole journey?

None of the above, he decided. No, he was just… baffled that this was actually happening. They were actually going. 

Somehow, maybe he’d expected that they would be stopped at some point.

Maybe.

”Are you happy?” he abruptly asked Ivy, turning to face it. His finger tapped on the armrest, and he then moved to cross his arms over his chest, a strange feeling boiling inside his stomach. 

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Ivy looked up from its book, thoughtfully considering his question. Finally, it said, ”Yes, I am.”

Sun Fang nodded. He uncrossed his arms, slumping back on the chair. Blowing out a breath, he relaxed at last. ”Good,” he noted, voice getting lower. Then he added, ”I am, too.”

”That is good,” Ivy concurred, already going back to reading. Sun Fang smiled, a small huff leaving him, and shut his eyes. He stayed like that until boarding was finally announced through old, crackling speakers, and they rose from their seats. He stretched as he walked, ambling over to the staff with a yawn. Ivy kept close, obliquely showing their tickets, and then they were through.

Outside, the sun was shining, shamelessly blinding them. Sun Fang had pushed up his sunglasses on his head at some point, and he swore now, tearing them out of his hair and shoving them messily onto his nose, almost stabbing himself in the eye. 

The shuttle waited for them, and the others. Ivy walked on first, the one who kept track of their seats, and Sun Fang followed after with a hand raised over his eyes, in a fruitless attempt to not lose his vision. Already, spots of light were making a home in them, and he cursed lowly under his breath until at last he was under cover again.

Ivy sat down on a wide, soft armchair, buckling in instantly. Sun Fang flopped down beside it, clicking his belt shut and then dramatically leaning his head on Ivy’s shoulder. ”Oh, my vision is ruined now,” he groaned, waving a hand in the air. He fell Ivy freeze below him, then raise a hand to his head and softly pat his hair. Hiding his smile, Sun Fang shamelessly added, ”I think I need a hug to recover from that arduous adventure, Ivy.”

Ivy tonelessly said, ”Then a hug you shall have,” and shifted to curl its arm around Sun Fang’s shoulders. Sun Fang, helpfully, allowed himself to be manhandled into position, and then slumped against Ivy. His whole weight was cast onto it, his whole upper body caught in the embrace.

Sun Fang sighed, and smiled again. ”You give the best hugs,” he mumbled into Ivy’s shoulder, hugging back tightly. His fingers locked together behind Ivy’s back, and he settled in for the long haul, absolutely determined to get all the hugs he wanted. The power of hugs was unstoppable; it had already filled him with a mighty strength.

Sound crackled from the nearest speaker, Sun Fang turning his head slightly to hear better. ”We are preparing to set off; all passengers get into position,” the captain announced.

Sun Fang gulped, and regretfully sat up straight. He held out his hand, Ivy grabbing it before even a second had passed. Scooting back on the chair to sit properly, he pulled not he belt to make sure he hadn’t messed up. Then he closed his eyes, squeezing Ivy’s hand.

The shuttle’s engine turned on.

THE END