i just watched part of the orange town arc and felt some parallels between these scenes. robin won't forgive yama for destroying the ruins, while luffy doesn't want mohji's apology for burning down the pet store because in both cases, an apology doesn't bring back the thing you destroyed
Jo chases Leaf down through the depths of the plant research facility, shortly followed by Molly… so Leaf takes some drastic measures to get them off her trail.
The setting of the sun halos Yuuri in gold, painting him in honeyed shades. Yuuri’s eyes are shining, his fingers still holding Vitya’s in reassurance.
“I know you've wondered… Or you've wanted to know what happened to my brethren.” Yuuri offers him a smile of encouragement, a tiny quirk of lips that Vitya returns, swallowing down the bitter remnants of his loneliness and sealing them away with the image of Yuuri’s reassurance. Nyéraldë is there, more present than she has been in months, sending tiny pulses of warmth and love.
Vitya can do this. He can do it because Yuuri’s hand is in his and Nyéraldë loves Vitya, loves Yuuri, and loves every inch of her forest.
“I showed you the sky-bridges earlier… The sky bridges used to connect almost every tree in the forest, home-tree to home-tree, stores and meet-trees. There were hundreds of elves in Nyéraldë once.”
“They're not -” Yuuri blurts out the interjection but falls short of finishing it, looking scared for a second before another wave of warmth envelopes them.
“Dead? No, not dead.” Vitya finishes the question for him, squeezing his hand before he turns back to the glade and leads Yuuri towards Nyéraldë. “We used to celebrate the summer solstice for Nyéraldë every year at her feet, singing songs of our thanks and love for her… It all changed when the Village was established. There were many people of the forest who saw the arrival of your people as an annoyance, or as a sign that we would be… overrun?” Yuuri frowns at the slight, but doesn't protest further than a downturn of his expression as Vitya settles them at the foot of Nyéraldë’s trunk, leaning into her warmth.
Their shoulders brush as Yuuri rests against him, reassurance in closeness spurring Vitya on. “I argued, of course, but there were too few who echoed my sentiments. Those who did were soon silenced by their elders and betters.”
Vitya can feel the bitterness that floods him at the words; the way his heart contracts at the memory of the loss, the way his ego still feels bruised.
“My parents were among the loudest of those suggesting we leave, that we abandon a sinking ship - as they put it. I wasn't surprised when they left. They were the first to go, they left with strict orders that I follow once I'd ‘come to my senses’, which evidently I never did…” Vitya shrugs lightly at that and Yuuri huffs out a disapproving sigh. “The trickle of leavers turned into a flood after that, until it was just me.”
Vitya hesitates for a second before he pushes on. “The worst - the worst was Chris - Christophe. He stayed as long as he could, he didn't want me to be alone, but eventually the pressure from his family was too much…” Yuuri’s fingers tighten against his, a reflex action that Vitya returns with a sad smile. “I still miss him, sometimes. Just the odd days when I think of something and wish I could tell him… but to see him I'd have to leave Nyéraldë, to leave my home and my heart and I couldn't imagine ever doing that.”
“That's… awful, I can't even imagine how much that must have hurt.” Vitya can feel Yuuri’s gaze on his face, feel the indignation - for a fleeting second - from Nyéraldë. Yuuri curls into Vitya’s side, his head dropping to Vitya’s shoulder. “I'm so sorry this happened to you, Vitya.”
“Thank you.”
They're silent for a moment, the twilight painting the glade and bathing them in the last warmth of the day.
“And then the forest started… Receding?” Yuuri prompts.
“Yes… It was even more lonely without the trees singing.” Vitya tried to keep the sadness from his voice, but it must seep in because Yuuri shuffles even closer.
“But you weren't alone. You had Makka - and now me. And we're working to find out what is happening to the forest.” Yuuri sounds so determined, so certain that they’ll find a solution that Vitya smiles to himself, basking in Nyéraldë’s assuring warmth at Yuuri’s words.
