[private] you're not alone, I'm standing right beside you

[Agetta]

With her muzzle to his forehead, Beyza makes (some) attempts not to watch the play of memories as they resurface. A few she’d already glimpsed inside Agetta’s memories but others are new. He is shattered in his own way and guilt stirs in Beyza’s stomach before she erases it. What she had done for her mother was better than the alternative, it is just that she cannot help but grieve for a moment that the pair standing before her had lost their way from one another. Agetta watches quietly - nervous for this near-stranger and filled with hope for him. She sees Beyza nod before he opens his eyes and so she is already wearing a smile when he looks at her, delighted for him to finally know whatever it was that he was missing. That smile falters - not into something sad, just thoughtful. Because something has changed in the way he looks at her and when Agetta looks back into those beautiful orange eyes she can almost name it. It is a warmth spreading through her that has nothing to do with the tropical afternoon sun. She’s grateful when he looks away to Beyza to give his thanks, confusion seeping into her but it must just be gratitude in his gaze - this Agetta who believes she’s never known love would not know how to recognize it when it is staring at her in the face as it is now. The white eyes of the young magician are sad as Garbage thanks her, as she watches Agetta look at someone she loves and not even know it. She can’t tell which she regrets more: giving the stallion back his memories or taking her mother’s, even though she knew both were kind actions and surely were the right things to do. Either way, they keep missing each other even as they stand side-by-side. This was love, surely. This was something she could have never had with Jamie. And Garbage’s thoughts are not missed. Beyza does not tell him the words needed to unlock Agetta’s memories, but she sends gentle whispers into his mind to tell him what she had done and that it is not permanent. She tells him how broken Agetta had been when he hadn’t remembered her and how she had wanted the peace of death - though the magician also tries to stress this was not his fault, it was several lifetimes of grief and pain and guilt. Though she had before, she finds it difficult to blame him now that he stands before her - now that she knows how he feels about her mother. She tells him how she couldn’t give her mother what she wished and instead had done this, relieving her of the memories that were drowning her until she found a way to carry their weight again. Be kind to her Beyza tells him, though she doesn’t doubt he will try in whichever way he interprets this request. Outloud, Beyza encourages them both to linger in Ischia, stay for the sunset. “The girls are exploring the mainland right now but they’ll be back soon.” Agetta’s smile warms again at this thought while Beyza turn to Garbage and adds “There shouldn’t be any side effects but if you have any further trouble, please find me.” And then the magician takes her leave, knowing whatever is to come needs to play out between the pair on their own. There’s a short, uncertain pause before Agetta asks quietly, hopefully: “How do you feel? Better?” we are made of starstuff

artwork by yoricade

@garbage