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Crackle...
Sekhmet remained awake through it all.
At some point, Lily stirred again, lifting her head. Her eyes were open now, clear, not sleepy. She looked at Sekhmet for a long moment.
Then she spoke softly. "Do you remember the promise you made to me?"
Sekhmet blinked. "I made you many promises," he said.
Lily narrowed her eyes.
"One promise," she insisted. "The one you tried to escape by pretending you forgot."
Sekhmet frowned, trying to recall.
Lily’s voice became slightly theatrical, mimicking her younger self. "You promised that when I become strong, you will take me outside the city and show me the wild lands."
Sekhmet’s eyes widened slightly. He remembered. He remembered her insisting she wanted to see "real beasts." He remembered him saying yes just to make her stop dragging his sleeve. He remembered her clapping her hands like she had won a kingdom.
Sekhmet exhaled slowly.
"I remember," he admitted.
Lily’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction.
"So," she said softly, "you owe me."
Sekhmet stared at her.
"You chose purgatory," he said dryly. "You have seen wild lands now."
Lily’s mouth opened, offended.
"This is not what I meant," she protested.
Sekhmet’s mouth twitched.
"What did you mean," he asked.
Lily’s voice softened.
"I meant... I wanted to see them with you," she said.
Sekhmet froze. The words were simple, but they carried weight. They carried the years between them. They carried the childhood promise that had become something else.
Sekhmet swallowed.
He did not know how to respond.
So he did the only thing he could that felt honest.
He nodded once.
"I will," he said quietly.
Lily stared at him, eyes widening slightly, as if she did not expect him to agree so easily.
"You will," she repeated softly.
Sekhmet nodded again.
"Yes," he said. "When we leave purgatory."
Lily’s smile was slow, bright, and genuine.
"Good," she whispered.
Then, without warning, she leaned in and kissed his cheek.
The kiss was brief.
Soft.
A simple touch of lips against skin, warm from the firelight.
Sekhmet froze completely.
His body did not know what to do.
His mind went blank.
His heart stuttered once, then resumed too fast.
Ba - dum Ba - dum Ba - dum...
Lily pulled back slightly, watching his face.
Her eyes were playful, but not cruel. "Now you cannot run from me," she whispered.
Sekhmet stared at her, stunned.
"You... did that," he said slowly, as if confirming reality.
Lily nodded. "Yes," she said, completely unashamed.
Sekhmet’s mouth opened, then closed. He searched for words and found none.
Lily’s smile softened. "You are thinking too much," she whispered. "You always do."
Sekhmet swallowed again.
"I am not thinking," he lied weakly.
Lily’s brows lifted.
"You are," she said.
Sekhmet exhaled sharply through his nose, irritated at himself more than anything.
Then he did something he did not plan.
He reached up and touched Lily’s wrist gently, not gripping, just holding. His fingers were steady.
He looked at her. "You should not do that," he said quietly.
Lily’s eyes narrowed slightly.
"Why," she asked again.
Sekhmet’s voice was lower now, rough.
"Because you will make me care," he admitted.
Lily’s expression softened completely, warmth flooding her eyes.
"Good," she whispered.
Sekhmet stared at her. His chest tightened again, but this time it was not pain. It was something else. Something that felt like a door opening, slowly, against his will.
He stared at her lips for a heartbeat.
Then he leaned forward and kissed her.
Not on the cheek. On the mouth.
The kiss was brief, cautious, like testing the edge of something dangerous. His lips touched hers, warm and real, and he felt her inhale softly in surprise.
Then she kissed him back.
Soft.
Gentle.
Not demanding.
Just... present.
Sekhmet pulled back slightly, eyes open, staring at her face as if he could not believe he did that.
Lily’s lips were faintly parted. Her cheeks were warm. Her eyes were bright like the fire.
She smiled slowly.
"There," she whispered. "Now we are even."
Sekhmet’s mouth twitched, almost a smile, almost a laugh.
"This is not even," he muttered.
Lily laughed softly.
Ha...
Sekhmet’s eyes softened further.
Then Bat Bat woke up.
It lifted its head, eyes blinking, voice loud as a child who had missed the entire story and now wanted to be involved.
"What you do," Bat Bat demanded.
Sekhmet froze.
Lily froze.
One of the guards made a strangled sound like he was choking on air.
Cough—!
Sekhmet stared at Bat Bat with pure murderous intent.
Bat Bat blinked innocently. "What," it asked.
Sekhmet hissed, "Go back to sleep."
Bat Bat stared. "No," it said stubbornly.
Lily burst into laughter, unable to hold it.
Ha - Ha - Ha...
Sekhmet pressed his fingers to his temple.
"This bat will ruin my life," he muttered.
Bat Bat puffed up.
"I help," it said proudly.
Sekhmet stared at it.
"You help by peeing on leaders," he said.
Bat Bat nodded enthusiastically.
"Yes!"
Sekhmet closed his eyes.
Lily laughed harder, shoulders shaking. Even the guards looked less tense now, a few of them smiling despite themselves.
The night did not feel so heavy anymore.
Sekhmet exhaled slowly, then looked at Lily again. Her laughter faded into a warm smile. Her eyes held him steady.
"Thank you," she whispered.
Sekhmet frowned.
"For what," he asked.
Lily’s voice was quiet.
"For being here," she said.
Sekhmet stared at her for a long moment.
Then he answered honestly. "I did not plan to be," he admitted.
Lily smiled. "I know," she said. "That is why it matters."
Sekhmet exhaled slowly. He glanced up at the sky. The moon hung high. The stars looked wrong, but they still shone.
He looked back at Lily.
"Sleep," he said, softer this time, not an order but a request.
Lily nodded, still smiling.
"Okay," she whispered.
She stood and walked back toward her bedroll, but before she lay down, she turned back once more.
Her eyes met Sekhmet’s. Her voice was quiet, almost shy.
"Do not disappear again," she whispered.