"Here, this is for you!" On Christmas, Lailah would get handed a small wooden sculpture. It’s roughly hewn, and far from perfect, but undeniably in the shape of a paper crane. He’s actually quite proud– it had taken him half a dozen tries before finally making one he was satisfied with.
The sound of his voice had caught Lailah off guard and unexpectedly. She was not expecting presents from the Shepherd, or from any of her fellow travelers really. So, for him to have managed to keep a secret from her was astounding! When he retrieved his gift and handed it to her, her emerald gaze lit up with wonder at the sight. Though parts of it were rough, the intent and care was still there. It was very clear how much dedication and effort had been applied to the wood.
“Oh wow, Sorey!” She gasped with a wide smile as she handled the object with care. She rotated it and ran her fingers gently across each of the rough edges and the coarse grain of the wood. It was wonderful, especially for a beginner. “This is impressive, excellent job.” She said as she turned her attention off of the figurine and onto the brunette. Though, the moment was short as she turned her gaze back to the gift.
She was filled with a rush of feelings. Was Sorey trying to show his admiration for her abilities to manipulate paper into origami figurines? Or was he more or less thanking her for her efforts in helping the boy learn from the experience with Dezel? She knew for certain that at the very least that scene would probably stick with the shepherd forever, and now — now she knew that it would stick with her too. For, an item such as this was clearly a symbol of hope, a symbol of memories. It would be something she would always hold onto. It would be something that would be sure to help fill her with pride and joy even if she were not with Sorey anymore. Not only that, but he wooden crane was also proof of their friendship, their own bond as Shepherd and Prime Lord.
Then, even more so than just the emotions wrapped up in such a simple object, the fact that it was something that had been entirely handmade spoke volumes of Sorey. It said how much he truly felt about the Fire Seraph. After all, to dedicate time and effort into a gift was impressive in and of itself. But, even more than that it also allowed the Shepherd to hone in his own hobbies. Perhaps, she had even aided in relieving stress by giving him something other than the malevolence to focus on.
“Thank you so much Sorey, I don’t know what I wood do without you.” She laughed gently with a weak smile. “This means so much to me.” Lailah stated before setting down the crane on a nearby table. Then, she leaned down and gave the shepherd a gentle hug. “I apologize, but, I haven’t been able to finish your gift quite yet.” She stated. Though, she had finished a piece of her present for the Shepherd, there were still many more that she needed to make. And, with her paper running low it was challenging to finish it. Pulling away from Sorey, she smiled before picking up the figure once more. “How long did this take you?