Before leaving Howl alone at the dining table, Sapphire gives her a small gentle squeeze on her shoulders and whispers something in her ear. Nothing changed from her, always giving the others comforts first rather than herself, but that probably won’t last for Elio since she used that kind of face. Elio knows and notices that but he will patiently wait for his leader at the entrance. Done comforting Howl, Sapphire picks her keychain and comes back to Elio, it seems like they are going to go outside. “Let’s go.” She says without touching Elio as she just walks past, leading the way toward their garage. Both of them stay silent even Sapphire who is always bubbly doesn’t say any word to Elio. Silence is one of Elio’s favorite atmospheres, this time, for the very first time, he hates it. Even though they always spend their time together in silence during their special coffee time, this one just feels awful for him which unexpectedly bothers him so much. Elio notices that Sapphire drives them together going out from the city and their first stop is at a small flower shop on a side road. “Come with me.” Sapphire says while unlocking her seat belt as Elio follows her order right away. Once Elio steps out from her car, Sapphire leads him to get inside and the building looks pretty old yet the flower placements make it elegant and peaceful. “Oh, dear. Are you looking for flowers again this month?” the old lady, the shopkeeper, says and approaches both of us. Again? Sounds like she has been here for not too long ago. Elio thinks and looks at Sapphire but he doesn’t get to see her face because Sapphire is going to the old lady and embraces her with a welcoming warm hug. “I’m not the one who is going to buy the flower, ma’am.” Sapphire replies while they are embracing each other. “Oh, my. Then this young handsome boy here buys one?” the old lady says and pulls her head up to look at Elio’s face. “Yes, ma’am.” Sapphire replies and slowly breaks the hug then turns around to look at Elio, signaling him to come closer. “Come here little boy.” the old lady says and tries to pat Elio’s head as Elio bends down a little bit to make his height different from her. Unexpectedly he just lets this stranger touch his head, probably because Elio at the moment is already tired of thinking too much. “This is the first time you bring someone with you, young lady.” the old lady says and turns her head to look at Sapphire with her hand still patting Elio’s head. Elio takes this moment to peek at Sapphire’s expression and there is a tiny smile on her face then nods her head in agreement. “What kind of flowers do you need, young boy?” the old lady says and turns back to face Elio as she also takes her hand off from Elio’s head. Hearing that question and what Sapphire just told him a few seconds ago, Elio doesn’t have any clue why he needs to choose a flower right now. In addition, Elio doesn't know anything about flowers’ meaning and can’t even remember their names. Hence he looks at Sapphire, searching for a clue what type of flower, but Sapphire turns around and walks around to see the flowers. “Umm.. can I take a look around first?” Elio replies, not wanting the old lady to wait long for just a simple question. “Sure, young boy. Allow me to accompany you around.” She replies and leads him to go furthermore inside, roaming in the small space. Now Elio just realizes that the flowers in this shop are unique and most of them have bright colors. While walking around the shop as the shopkeeper tells each of the flower meanings, there is one flower that got Elio’s attention and another from what she had explained before. “Sorry, ma’am.” Elio suddenly speaks up and cuts the woman from explaining white flowers with trumpet shaped and reflexed petals. “Yes? Have you decided yet?” She replies just as warmth as the first time they have a conversation. “What is the name of those flowers?” Elio says and points toward the flower that got his attention. The flower probably looks like it has the tallest, sharpest, and strongest, sword-like stalk, trumpet shaped flowers with various colors but the one that got his attention is the one that has deep dark purple. “Oh! Those are gladiolus flowers, dear. It symbolizes strength, faithfulness, moral integrity, and remembrance.” the old lady explains as both of them now approach the vases of gladiolus flowers. Based on its looks, it’s totally suitable and perfectly fits with the symbols of it which makes Elio sure of choosing this flower. “I will take the purple ones.” Elio says and takes one stalk from the vase, smelling how good the scent is. “Excellent choice, young boy! I know you have a great taste.” The old lady replies and compliments Elio then giggles while taking some of the flowers out of the vase. “Do you want to mix it up with other colors?” She says and brings the stalks toward her counter where she will arrange it making it into a bucket flower. Elio’s brain is not used for such creative things so it’s a problem for him to decorate or arrange it with others. “Has he decided yet?” Suddenly Sapphire comes out behind Elio and peeks at the counter table. “Oh, yes, he already chose one of them. It’s gladiolus.” The old lady answers. “Good. Then I will add this one in the center of the bucket.” Sapphire says and hands a stalk of a huge white flower that Elio doesn’t get the chance to know about. “Perfect!” The old lady replies and takes the stalk from Sapphire “Please wait a moment. I will make a beautiful arrangement for the flower bucket.” After giving her flower choice, Sapphire walks back and roams around the shop once again, not bothering herself to talk with Elio. Meanwhile Elio just watches the old lady arranging the flower with other flowers to make as decoration and slowly it turns out to be a beautifully arranged bucket flower. It looks lovely in Elio’s opinion and for the first time in Elio’s life, arranging and knowing about flowers seems interesting. “Here, you are!” the old lady says and hands the bucket flower to Elio. “Thanks, ma’am.” He replies and pays for their purchases. “Thank you very much, ma’am.” Sapphire says and gives her another hug of goodbye. “You are very welcome dear. Feel free to come again.” The old lady replies and returns the hug from Sapphire. Elio and Sapphire bid goodbye to the old lady as they are walking back to get inside their car. Once they get into the car, Elio looks again at the beautifully arranged flower on his hands as he is wondering about the flower that Sapphire just added. What is the meaning of this flower? The shopkeeper hasn’t explained it to him before because he accidentally cuts her off right on its turn which gives him an instant small regret. Sapphire continues driving them again further away from the city, going uphill that it looks like they are on moutain’s feet. The sun starts to set, the sky slowly turns into orange which makes it a perfect view to enjoy the sunset along this road. After a few minutes driving along on the uphill road, Sapphire parks her car at the side near the hill’s cliff with a huge tree on it. “Bring the flower.” Sapphire says and gets out of the car after unlocking her seat belt. Elio does as he is told and follows Sapphire right behind her to get near the big tree. There is a small space behind the big tree which is the edge of this cliff and what’s in there is something that Elio didn’t expect before. It’s a silver cross attached to the ground with three buckets of flowers in front of it, it’s a grave of someone that must be Sapphire knows or a precious person for her. This place blends with the current situation just like a fantasy or a beautiful scenery in a movie as the wind blows at them which makes the leaves fly around. From where he is standing right now, Elio can only see Sapphire’s back and the name of who this grave belongs to gets blocked by Sapphire’s back. Curious? can’t argue more and this might be Elio’s first time wanting to know about someone’s life or even their past. But he is still aware knows about his place, he is not the right person and the right position to take a peek without permission. They just both stay silent as Elio only watches the scenery around and Sapphire’s head is still looking down to the grave until there is a slight sniffle sound interrupting the silence once again. Sapphire wipes her face first before turning around to face Elio who is still patiently waiting for her even though he put that ignorant face on it. “It’s your turn.” Sapphire says and approaches him slowly as she pulls Elio’s free hand, leading him to get closer. Every small step Elio takes somehow feels heavy and weird for him as the anxiety grows inside of him, an instinct tells him about something he doesn’t want to see at the moment. At first Elio thought Sapphire wanted him to choose and hold the flowers for her but it turns out what she just told him at the flower shop before is really referring to him. Now he also knows why there are three buckets on it and still looking not long after being left there. “Take the time as long as you need.” Sapphire says and stands behind. Elio is standing there with his bucket flower on his hand, still can’t believe what his eyes are seeing right now. His eyes go up and down reading the words at the cross repeatedly, slowly, and somewhat it feels heavier every time he reads it all over again. Here is resting, Godly eagle eyes. Unreplaceable position. Half piece of me. There is a blank space here, looks like they purposely leave a huge gap in here so there is enough space for one more line to put on. Finally free and peaceful. Now at the very last and very bottom of the cross is the name of the person who is laying down at it. Adam Marando, Aquamarine. “He is like my brother already.” Sapphire says behind him, breaking the silence that only fills with the sound of wind around them. “More likely you guys. In my test only the three of us got passed, Adam, Sebastian, and myself.” She continues as she walks to stand beside Elio. Sapphire looks at Elio’s face and this is her seeing this expression on him, probably Elio also doesn’t have any idea what kind of face on it, doesn’t know he can make this kind of face. She scouts closer to put her arm on Elio’s back and slowly pats him to give it comfort. “There were six members at that time and slowly we started to lose each one of us until the lions out of nowhere chose me to be the leader of the pack.” Hearing the word ‘lions’ still pisses Elio off as his left fist starts clenched tightly together, it might start bleeding at any time of how hard he dips in his nails. “Weirdly, the member that got chosen to be leader is the one that got passed away. It feels like a curse heh?” Sapphire chuckles bitterly at the end of her sentence. After saying that sentence, Elio twitches one of his eyebrows but still hesitates to take a look at his leader who is now leaning her head on arm. Sapphire’s body is really close to him right now as she brings her hands up onto Elio’s shoulder, almost looking like she is back hugging him from the side. But Elio doesn’t mind it at all, weirdly, he needs it at the moment so he lets her stay like that, not minding their close distance. “Since I’m still standing here, watching this beautiful scenery while breathing, then the curse is already broken?” Sapphire says and lets out a sigh. Maybe this is Elio’s first time as well to be worried about his surroundings by noticing Sapphire’s sigh. Her sigh seems off but Elio doesn’t know what it is since he is not familiar with these kinds of things. Elio wants to say or ask something to her but he doesn’t have the courage to do so, eventually still aware of his position. “If the curse is real and it exists,” Sapphire pauses for a couple of seconds and takes another deep breath before continuing “I wish it happened to me.” At this moment Elio can hear her sniffle sound again and finally turns his head to look at Sapphire who is quickly wiping off her tears from her cheeks. The feelings he had, the expression on his face right now, Elio doesn’t have any idea of it but it’s completely annoying and disturbing for him. “Why would you say that?” His first sentence that manages to go out from his mouth ever since he met her today. Sapphire looks up to meet Elio’s gaze and smiles full with pure warmth on it yet it’s different. Elio hates it, hates this smile, hates this expression on her, because his chest somehow aching from seeing it, it’s fake. Before answering his question, Sapphire looks back toward the cross and leans her head on Elio’s arm. “He won’t be there.” She simply says and tears start flowing down on her cheeks. Hearing that, the ache becomes more painful which makes Elio twitch his eyebrow again and looks back to the cross in front of them, watching the same thing with his leader. He takes this time for a while and somehow tries his best to find the correct word for ‘comfort’ that he has never done before. “But you’re setting him free.” Elio says as his eyes gazing upon the last sentence on it ‘finally free and peaceful’ Just a simple comfort sentence from Elio still can catch Sapphire off guard as her eyes widen a little bit and look back toward Elio again. “He doesn’t need to rob anything for whatever he wants. He can rest peacefully without thinking or worrying about things.” Elio continues, eyes still looking toward the cross. Elio doesn’t have any idea where these thoughts are coming but it’s just so right to say those things to her right now. Sapphire who is beside him watches him closely as her eyes look at every inch of his face meanwhile Elio just gets into himself, ignoring her gaze as he just lets himself drown on the view. “Just like an eagle.” He continues and points out at the first and second sentences “Eagle is not supposed to get caged. It should be set up free. Flying around with its huge and strong wings. No other birds can win against it which makes it unreplaceable with any kind of others.” At this moment, Sapphire can’t believe what she is seeing and hearing from someone like Elio who is always putting that kind of ignorant figure on him as he barely speaks or interacts with others. The words he used right now, which the ones that Elio doesn’t even know as well, are perfectly fit and just like Sapphire’s wants to hear right now. Since the other two tigers are too upset and still too emotional, Sapphire doesn’t get any of these words from them as she also keeps everything inside of herself. Elio lets the wind take control of the sound again until he is totally prepared to look back into his leader’s eyes because that seems the right thing to do now. “Since he is the half part of you,” Elio pauses and finally turns his head to face Sapphire “I believe you are the half part of him too.” Even though he barely even makes a move for her, letting her to be this close with him is already more than enough. The comfort in Elio's words right now is enough to push things from Sapphire’s heart to rolling out tears from her eyes. “He might have made a lot of choices and probably regretted most of it but,” Elio pauses again and finally a tiny smile appears on his face “He won’t regret his last decision.” That’s it, Sapphire can’t hold her overwhelming feelings anymore as she launches her body to the fullest forward and pulls Elio into a hug that she is needed the most from last night. She buries her face on Elio’s neck and finally can let out all of her emotion as she cries louder and hugs him tighter. At first Elio freezes up for a couple of seconds because he never gets used to close physical contact with anyone but somehow slowly his body manages to endure it. Instead of standing still there and letting her hug him, Elio slowly moves his hands forward and wraps it around her. Previously Elio always thought hugging and touching are such ridiculous things to do with each other up until this moment. Hugging can make him feel safe and the comfort in just indescribable ways as he slowly puts his head on her shoulder and closes his eyes, enjoying this warmth and comfort position that it makes him start to think about lasting it longer. The hug lasts longer than both of them thought, too comfortable with each other, until Sapphire stops crying and no more sniffle sound as she slowly pulls away from the hug. “Thank you. I really need that.” Sapphire says and wipes her face then looks at Elio with a smile that seems better this time. Elio doesn’t say anything, back to his usual figure, he only nods his head and looks away from Sapphire’s gaze. Seeing Elio darting his eyes away from her, Sapphire realizes that she might have forced him to do something that he is uncomfortable with. “Sorry, it must be uncomfortable for you.” She says in a very apologetic voice as she puts her hands behind her back, starting to feel guilty of her own needs. That is something that Elio doesn’t expect to hear so he frowns his eyebrows and looks at her with a confused face. “Don’t be.” Elio simply says and Sapphire immediately looks at him “It was fine.” he continues without looking at Sapphire, not knowing he can say such a thing. Sapphire’s lips start to form a smile again, much better, much warmer than before as Elio successfully takes away some of her sadness. It’s not only helping her but somehow Elio gets the courage to finally take steps forward and kneel down in front of the cross. While hugging her, all of the memories from the beginning until the end with Aquamarine, running across in his mind which makes him ready to give one final speech in front of him. That is his first thought until Sapphire follows to kneel down beside him and holds the chisel on her right hand. “We left a space for you.” She says and hands over the chisel to Elio. Since Elio has never done sculpting before, he hesitates to take it but Sapphire takes his hand on hers, putting it the chisel on his hand as her hand holds it as well. “There is no right or wrong. I’m here for you. I’ll help you with it.” She says with her usual comforting voice and that warm smile that Elio much prefers to see. With that Sapphire helps Elio to sculpt his sentence which it sounds ‘Never dies, never forget’ Both of them look at the cross that is now already complete with each of their sentences, it totally complements each other and figures him perfectly. “Thank you, Tanzanite.” Sapphire speaks up, breaking the peaceful silence yet Elio isn't bothered by it, instead he is confused by her sudden confession. “You already said that.” Elio replies and chuckles, referring to that comfort they shared with each other. “I know but I still,” Sapphire pauses while Elio doesn’t mind to look at her as he is still staring at Aquamarine’s cross, thinking that Sapphire just overreacted to it “Thank you for saving our lives.”
Comments
Post a Comment