and sometimes when you fall...

[called_lioness]

She dreams.

She's been walking a long time, she knows (and sometimes she's a girl, and sometimes she's a woman, and sometimes she's a lioness, and, most the time, she's a little of all three) when she reaches the beach

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[sai_delgado]

She's been here before, say true, in dream as well as otherwise. Mayhap in a way she's always here, now-- or near enough.

It's not as far down to go this time

(further up and further in)

and it doesn't take as long to get there

(time has no real meaning here)

and when Susan Delgado-that-was comes up beside Lucy, her gentle smile is bright. She slips her hand into the other girl's, and as she does the sea-breeze picks up, tossing their golden hair into a brightness on the wind.

"Long days and pleasant nights, Lu."

[called_lioness]

"And may you have twice the number, Su," she smiles, and looks over at her.

She's not surprised. And she can't remember if she ever knew that saying before, but here she does, now, and whether it's possible or not--there's courtesy, always.

"It's been a while."

It's been no time at all.

[sai_delgado]

Their fingers are laced together, and their hands are warm and real -- as real as anything in dreams, but some dreams are more real than others, oh aye.

"Has it?" She's laughing now, just a little. "Well, mayhap so, then."

Susan swings their hands as though to encourage Lucy to walk with her, but takes no step yet.

"How do'ee fare?"

[called_lioness]

So Lucy takes the first step, and leaves her shoes behind. Because she knows she doesn't need them here, not truly, and she ever loved the feel of sand between her toes.

"Will you listen? It's a long story," and she's still smiling, but it's the sea she looks at now, not Susan.