I stared so hard at them both, my oceanic blue eyes fixed without blinking, that Sakura and Elara started blushing deeply.

Their cheeks were flushing with warm color as they darted their gazes back to me and then quickly away to some random spot somewhere in the park.

So cute!

The way their usual strong and composed postures faltered just a little under my steady attention was simply adorable.

Titania was busy making Vaelora scold her for something or other, the former superior spirit of creation’s voice flowing in gentle but firm waves while Titania’s cute face pouted adorably.

Her small silver brows furrowed and her delicate butterfly wings drooped slightly as the lecture entered one ear and came right out the other end, I’m sure.

As Sakura prodded Grey Ivy gently with the long stem of her elegant kiseru pipe, squinting with a small frown creasing her sharp amber eyes, the small grey child beamed her a bright, innocent cute smile that lit up her golden pupils.

And even the great Sakura melted right there on the spot, her cool expression softening as she reached out and patted the child’s head with surprising tenderness, her pink claws moving in slow, careful strokes through the soft strands.

She and Elara started discussing something along the lines of "it wasn’t her fault. It was Titania’s fault. Let’s not hate her, let’s hate her mother instead."

Their voices were low and conspiratorial while their bodies leaned slightly closer together, shoulders brushing in a way that felt almost friendly.

Then I took a short break from the scene and slipped away quietly.

***

I walked for a while through the village, my steps slow and unhurried on the soft, moss-covered paths that wound between the wooden homes and vine-draped archways.

I was watching the Amazons go about their daily works with strong, purposeful movements—some sharpening spears against whetstones that sparked faintly, others weaving fresh baskets from supple green fruits, and a few tending to glowing flower beds that pulsed with soft inner light under the warm afternoon sun filtering through the canopy.

Everywhere I wandered in, I saw familiar faces who waved at me with satisfied smiles that reached their eyes, their postures relaxing visibly as they recognized me, some calling out warm greetings that echoed lightly off the ancient trunks.

One Amazon in particular, Dila, the daughter of one of the elders, ran straight up to me with light, eager steps, her braided hair swinging behind her as she pushed a firm, warm kiss onto my cheek.

Her lips lingered for a brief, affectionate moment before she pulled back with a bright grin and greeted me welcome, her hand squeezing my shoulder once in genuine happiness.

Seriously, it was good to be back...

The familiar scents of earth and blooming flowers wrapping around me like a comforting embrace as I continued my walk, the sunlight dappling across my skin and the soft ground yielding gently under my boots.

I had walked around a good degree, taking in the peaceful rhythm of daily life around me, so I decided it was time.

With a simple focus of my will, I teleported away from the area in an instant, the world folding smoothly around me without sound or flash.

And I appeared directly inside the familiar treehouse I hadn’t been to for nearly a month, the air inside carrying the same faint, woody scent mixed with dried herbs that I remembered so clearly.

I walked into the house proper, using my hands to gently shift the strands of vine curtains that hung in the doorway, their leaves brushing softly against my fingers like living silk as they parted with a quiet rustle.

"Took you long enough, god-touched..." The voice that entered my ears wrapped around me like a long-awaited warmth.

How I had yearned night after night to hear that voice again, the low, melodic tone sending a deep ache of relief through my chest as I stepped further inside.

When she turned to face me, from where she had been standing quietly watching the outside from her window, her emerald eyes reached me fully, locking onto mine with an intensity that made my breath catch for a moment.

The soft light from the window catched on her features and highlighting the faint tremble in her shoulders.

"S... Sara..." It was such a relief that a single tear slid slowly down my face, tracing a warm path along my cheek as she also released tears from her own eyes, glistening as they fell freely.

"I missed you so much..." She whispered as she ran towards me.

Her steps were quick and urgent across the wooden floor, as her voice broke slightly with raw emotion;

"You cannot even imagine the pain and agony related to not seeing your face for that long, every single day feeling like an endless stretch without you here!"

She reached me fully.

And she wrapped her arms around my body in a firm embrace, her hold strong and desperate as if she feared I might vanish again, pulling me close against her taller frame while her fingers dug lightly into the fabric of my tunic.

She actually reached me this time... her body pressing fully into mine without hesitation.

She continued to cling tightly, whispering over and over in a shaky, heartfelt murmur, "I was so lonely, I was so lonely, I was so lonely!"

And I rubbed her head slowly with one hand, my fingers threading gently through her hair in soothing circles to calm her down, feeling the tension in her shoulders gradually ease under my touch.

Hmph. She was still a bit taller than me, though, her chin resting just above my head as we stood there.

I guess evolution didn’t fix that crap after all, the thought flickering through my mind even as warmth flooded my chest.

"I missed you too, Sara." I held her cheeks gently in both hands, my thumbs brushing away the lingering tears on her skin, and planted a kiss on her lips, soft and firm at first, savoring the familiar warmth and the way her breath hitched against mine.

However, it soon escalated into a hungry and ravenous exchange of lips, our mouths moving together with growing urgency, tongues brushing and pressing as the kiss deepened.

Our bodies shifted closer until we soon fell upon the bed her sisters had prepared for me sometime ago, the plush surface sinking softly under our combined weight as the vine curtains swayed lightly from the movement.

Even as we kissed, Sara still wept, the tears not ceasing at all, warm drops falling onto my skin and mixing with our shared breaths while her hands clutched at my shoulders and back.

I must have really worried her, I guess, the realization hitting me deeply as I tasted the salt of her emotions on her lips.

I turned her, now on top, as I decided to do it;

"Sara..." I immediately pulled back from the kiss just enough to speak to her, my eyes meeting hers directly, our faces hovering close enough that I could feel the warmth of her breath against my mouth. "I love you. With all of my heart, I love you. I have decided to become a god-class being so that I can live forever with you. I will never abandon you or get killed by some idiot..."

"..."

She only watched my face as it hovered on hers with silence, her emerald eyes searching mine intently.

Tears still glistened on her long lashes while her fingers remained tangled in the fabric of my tunic, the quiet stretching between us filled only by the soft rustle of vines outside the window and the steady beat of our hearts.