Eternity is hidden in every moment.

He moved until he was out of Izumi's line of sight and further still, until they were out of his range. Quicksilver couldn't linger to listen in on a conversation spoken in a language he couldn't understand, one he assumed would be about him and void of sugar-coating. A lot of discussion would be had regarding the Empress' time spent in his care, no doubt, and how could be perceived as suspicious. He had tended to and protected Reiko throughout her most vulnerable time and it bothered him that others might think him so awful as to take advantage of that.

It hurt, and he hadn't expected it to cut so deep.

His steps were slow, and brought him once more to the caverns where he'd nursed his pale-furred companion during her stay with Vanderfell. Izumi's arrival meant that she would take her leave, the silverwhite believed, and Quicksilver knew there would be nothing sweet about her departure. His heart would yearn for the closeness of hers, and as he stepped beyond the threshold of his hollow he knew it would go back to being the cold, lonely place it'd been before.

The scent of her would linger, enough to torment him, but ultimately it would fade. The medic looked briefly around at the things Reiko had accumulated there while he'd insisted that she make his home her own, at the stone he'd gifted her that she so coveted, and he hoped she would return for them sooner rather than later. This way, the pain of their farewell could be short and sharp, and each of them could carry on with the way things were meant to be.


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Izumi would allow for Reiko to fetch one special gift and say her farewells. Tentatively she would leave the crane's side, not wanting to make her wait very long. Reiko had done enough damage as it is and to make Izumi wait longer than necessary would only show how little she cared for her, and the others - even if it wasn't true. She cared deeply for each member of Shiroshika, for her daughter and dear friend Izumi who had remained at her side during their travels to find the missing princess.

But she had to be honest. With a still missing son and empty bed to return to at the end of the day, she was lonely. Soon her daughter would be old enough to find a mate of her own, and the Empress would be left watching at a distance. As much as she yearned to remain here with Quicksilver, to have companionship at the end of the day - it was a pattern doomed to end.

Following Quicksilver's scent had led them to the same bed; his den. With a timid, gentle approach; ears held back and chin tucked close to her chest as she stepped forward gingerly, she sought the druid's gaze first. “I — must return to Shiroshika.” No matter how much she tried to hide it, there was hesitation in her posture and voice as it tremored. She knew how difficult this had been for him, and that perhaps her departure would do him more good in the end.

That didn't make it any easier.

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He didn't know how long he'd stood there, staring down at a familiar little blue pebble; at bedding once meant only for him, but now held the scent of a she-wolf most dear to him. Quicksilver had gone without in lending those furs to Reiko over the days that fate brought her to Vanderfell, to him - and he wanted to believe that it couldn't all be for nothing.

"I love you," the snowflower had mustered for him recently, words that he so longed to return but could not - not again! Quicksilver hadn't stopped thinking of that evening when they'd lay alongside one another, platinum mingled lovingly with alabaster, when she'd assured him of her affection, yet there was no courage left in him to embrace it.

The echoed sound of footfalls from behind made the druid cant a velvet lobe backward, but he wasn't ready to turn his face toward the she-wolf he knew they belonged to. It was strange how one could so swiftly come to recognise such little details about someone: the sound of her steps, the way she breathed while she slept, how he could predict a smile before it tugged at her maw. At last, after the dove declared what he already knew, Quicksilver turned to look over a slim shoulder to seek her features.

Sorrow lingered there - reluctance, too, perhaps? The silverwhite's own expression was neutral, though the gleam of silver-blue eyes would reveal his misery should Reiko look close enough. “I...” what if I said I didn't want you to go? “I know.”

What if I asked you to stay with me?


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These moments she would treasure. A fleeting glance at what could have been if she had been better about it all; and she had to commemorate it all was but a small, blue stone. Soon Izumi would walk her back home where others waited long enough for her return, and tonight she would sleep alone in a cold empty den once more.

They had waited long for her return, and yet it didn't feel long enough.

She was ashamed to think how she wanted to stay or ask him to come with her. They were needed in two different worlds, and he, had decided to move on with neither of the birds who yearned for his affections after all. It would be unfair to demand anything else than a bittersweet departure.

“I think —” Cracking a smile as a nervous laugh bubbled from within, choking back any discomfort as she did so. “I am in a lot of trouble when I return home.” As though she was some rebellious child sneaking away from home to see a boy against their will.

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He felt the stress and tension ooze from her, and imagined it creeping its way across the cave floor toward him. It grabbed onto his paws and worked its way into his bones, as contagious as a yawn, and the druid gritted his fangs. His face, void of expression, was turned away at the snowflower's nervous beat of laughter; his gaze found the blue-gold pebble again. Once his, but gifted lovingly to Reiko. Soon it would be gone along with the she-wolf he so loved, returned to their new home in the North, and he was pained in not knowing when or where their paths might cross again.

He moved forward, reaching to softly gather the little stone with his lips as not to mark the smooth surface with teeth. Quicksilver veered toward the pale Empress and padded closer with tentative steps, as though the sound of his claws against rock might interrupt whatever sliver of peace they might have left, and lowered his muzzle to place it with great care on the stone before her. “I...” he swallowed, dared seek her eye again, and managed a watery smile, “I wish... I wish you safe travel, Reiko.”

I will miss you.

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She didn't know what to expect from this. There she stood so uncertain with it all, how to say farewell in the best way possible without it sounding like forever - at least not on her end... for she wanted to see him again. Not with the random excuse of being cared for after an injury or sickness, nor with the lingering emotion to fight among themselves with broken hearts beating behind every word.

No... Something pleasant. Happy. A joyous occasion that they could share and not let the past come between their jubilation. And even though the past few days were pleasant and she would not have changed a single thing of it all - it was all coming to a swift, abrupt end.

He brought the stone to her, laying it down at her feet with a polite... generic bid farewell. Hear heart sank at his words, wondering... was that it. Is that all he was going to say? Pushing through with a smile as she would not let her emotions ruin anything left here. Of course, he didn't have much else to say. Quicksilver was kind and all of this was him simply doing the duties of a healer.

She would be foolish to think it was anything else.

Casting a bright gaze to the druid, pushing any and all dreary emotions away. “Will you please wish Ira and her new family well for me? For her to have many, healthy children to come in the next few days.” Leaning down to hover just above the stone, nosing it gently. “And thank you for everything Quicksilver. Please be well.” For a moment she would pause as if wishful thinking had her hesitate before gently scooping up the stone once more.

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Why was it so hard to say goodbye? He'd said it so many times recently that he thought he'd be used to it by now. Quicksilver stood there awkwardly, sorrow in the powder blue of his eyes as the snowflower stared right back. His ears twitched backward and the alabaster tip of his tail curled at his hocks; he did not consider how she might feel, considering her outward collectiveness. He was so focused on her lovely features that he barely registered the well wishes she had for the High Queen, and his gaze followed as she dipped to collect the Lapis Lazuli.

When she rose her head again, there was one last long, lingering look - and then she turned away.

“Wait,” Quicksilver blurted at once, having not expected to be so emotional about this. Was it because Izumi had come, and because of how pointedly she'd looked at him - accusation in her stare? He swallowed, felt a whine strain in his throat, and willed the dove to regard him once more.


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With the stone securely held between ivories, she was prepared to go and join Izumi on their walk back home. Back to Tsukiishi and away from the comforts she had found here in Vanderfell. Knowing very well how the others would feel, and how she would be greeted with frustration, it drew her ears back and down in shame and defeat.

And Quicksilver wouldn't be there to comfort her at the end of it all, she would have to pick herself back up and do it solo.

Then she caught his plea. Without hesitation, she'd stop in mid-stride, placing her paw firmly on the ground, and turned to gaze at him over her shoulder with glittering eyes. No matter how she tried to fight that wishful thinking, the hope that there was something more still lingering - it still held on in her cerulean stare.

Muted by the stone in her mouth, she'd wave her tail, silently welcoming whatever he had left to say.

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She paused. She rose her head, looked over a slim shoulder. She met his gaze.

If he could melt, he would have. He thought about what he wanted to say and how he wanted to say it, then toyed with how to avoid it. Quicksilver was torn between the truth of his heart and the anxiety of another rejection, of another broken heart that he knew he would not survive another time. He released that whine, breathy, but before his mind could regain control he was striding her way.

Closer. That floral aroma he so adored filled his nostrils as he inhaled deep - lavender and frost, as intoxicating as the first time he'd smelled it.

He did not say a word. He sidled in close until the platinum of his flank mingled lovingly with snow and reached to press his snout to Reiko's own, blue-grey eyes fluttering shut as he drank deep the scent of her as though it would be the last time the opportunity would ever arise, and pressed a lingering kiss to the side of her mouth.

“I love you so very much, Reiko,” he crooned, not for the first time, but fearful that it might need to be his last.



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The gaze that met hers was unexpected. The pendulum that swung in greeting, welcoming what was on his mind before they parted slowed with uncertainty. He did not answer immediately, instead, the silence lingered as he approached. Wait, why was he approaching? The muscle in her chest ached, beating feverishly with what might be occurring - she feared him asking for her to never return. To never leave any more gifts for him or call out as this would be their last.

Anxiety bubbled into her chest, threatening to choke her out here and now - wanting to walk away before he could strike her down with spiteful, permanent goodbyes.

The way he pressed against her was confusing, warming her skin uncomfortably only to be greeted with his head against hers for a kiss. Breathless, timeless, she froze. Even the beating of her frantic heart couldn't be heard through the words the druid would utter... Like an arrow, it struck her. Buckling under the relief of anxieties along with the rush of something else that took its place.

Her maw hung slightly open, just barely enough to let the stone fall from her lips before turning to throw slender arms around the Druid's neck for stability as she reached up to press her head against his. Tail sweeping at the ground while she awkwardly propped herself up against him. “I love you too Quicksilver.” Tears collected at the corner of her eyes, but not of sadness. She was uncertain what all of this meant if it meant anything, but at the very least... it was better than the nothing that threatened to be of them.

She wouldn't question it, not here, not now but instead would simply live in the moment.

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When he opened his eyes again, he saw her staring at him with her mouth ajar. Fear tightened its grip of his chest and his heart skipped an uncomfortable beat, fully expecting her to tell him that he shouldn't. Quicksilver felt she would withdraw, remove herself from his side, and for a fleeting moment he wondered if he should be the first to step away - to try and save himself from the pain of her refusal.

But she did not.

Reiko reared up to wrap her forelimbs around his neck, tugging his head to her level so she could press her brow to his pallid cheek. Quicksilver leaned into her forehead, exhaled at last, and emitted a soft whine. Her returned affections, made all the more emotional by the sound of her voice fogged by tears, had him shifting to push his nose alongside her own. He knew she had to go and knew they could not be - knew Izumi lurked along Vanderfell outskirts in wait for her friend. The silverwhite tried to banish the thought of her from his mind but guilt had already begun to nip at his heels.


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Of course Izumi waiting at the borders crossed her mind... but so did a million other things. What could have been, what may never be, what would become of whatever this was. It filled her soul with bittersweetness, as though teased with what could have been a moment of bliss only to be taken away at the reminder that there was someone else - and that time here was short.

All of this was so confusing and she would dare not ask for clarification. Instead, as he pushed in to nuzzle against her, letting a flicker of her tongue brush against him in a gentle kiss as he whined. No more crying, she had to tell herself and him.

“I know...” Trying to steady her voice through the confusion, the uncertainty of this, she'd breathe softly through each word. “I know you hurt, so I will not force anything between us...” but — my feelings will not change. As long as his feelings remained, so would hers.

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Ira's warning sprung to mind, reminding him of how she could be nothing but toxic to him. The druid recalled the feeling it'd roused in him: the desire to bite back in defence of the wolfess his heart beat for. He'd tried to listen to her and understand, but it was so difficult when poison was the most delightful thing he'd ever experienced.

He was addicted no matter the turmoil, the sorrow, the pain - and Reiko was his drug of choice.

Her words were gentle to his ears, and the silver medic was grateful. There was no rushing him then, no encouragement to choose on someone else's terms. Only acceptance, which was more than he could've hoped for.

Quicksilver needed time. If ever he were to offer himself to another, he needed to be whole again. He would mend himself first, re-evaluate, and go forward. Head first, hopefully, into something wonderful.

“Thank you,” he breathed into the dove's fur then withdrew to take one last long look at her. “I... I will miss this.”


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For better or worse she did not know of Ira's words how she affected Quicksilver negatively - to be called a poison, toxic, it would shatter everything beneath her toes to know. That her mere presence was a sickness to anyone let alone Quicksilver would bring the woman to her knees and vow to never return as his antidote. Ignorance was bliss, and it would always be.

Her gaze met his powder blue as soon as their contact was broken. Finding her footing along the ground once more with a gentle sit. “I will miss you.” She'd reply back. Not just the moments they shared, but him in particular. The man behind the moments, the one who all these little scenes played out with and would continue to be repeated for days to come.

“This is not goodbye, but until we meet again.” As she wanted to see him again whenever possible, whenever he could without dread filling his head. With a last smile, she'd pick up the stone and wander off to meet Izumi; not wanting to leave the crane waiting for too much longer regardless of how much she wanted to stay... a final glance over her shoulder was given before the druid would be too far out of sight.

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"This is not goodbye," the snowflower announced, "but until we meet again."

Her words instilled hope in him and he dared to smile again, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. He wanted to believe her, very much so, but he was a naturally anxious creature. The experience of pulling her from the river had been traumatic for him, and the weight of fear he'd felt in thinking that he might lose her continued to press heavily on his shoulders.

“Until then,” he crooned, not wanting to concern the snowflower with his solemn thoughts, and watched quietly as she lowered her lovely crown to once more collect her pebble. Quicksilver was glad he'd given it to her, glad she kept it close and for the comfort it provided her - just as he'd hoped it would. That soothing effect on her only added to his belief that these crystals might actually work as intended, and he felt a drive to learn more of them.

He watched her go until she vanished from sight, then lowered to his bedding with a sigh to reflect on the time they'd shared together. Nose pressed among the furs that lined his cave, Quicksilver closed his eyes and inhaled the scent of her, knowing that it would soon fade and remind him how she was really gone.


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