Aisha knelt on the ground in Luna's room, holding her in a tight embrace, one hand caressing the back of her head.
Luna kept her head buried in Aisha's shoulder, silently weeping.
"Everything is okay, My Lady. Please calm down. Please stop crying."
Tears soaked into Aisha's dress as Luna sniffled, her whole face red and raw from crying. She kept hugging Aisha, gripping her clothes hard.
Clenching her eyes shut, she murmured in a hoarse voice, "Why aren't y-you mad at me?"
Aisha's last tear traced down her cheek as she smiled. "Why would I be mad at you?"
After a long pause, Luna murmured, "I lied to you."
Aisha grabbed the back of Luna's head, caressing up and down. "You didn't lie to me, my lady."
"I - I kept this secret from you." As Luna said those words, tears welled up in her eyes again.
Aisha gently continued her caressing. She chuckled, her own reddish eyes from crying relaxing. "You didn't lie to me, My Lady."
The welled-up tears broke loose, and a stream poured down. She tucked her head back into Aisha's shoulder and wept out loud. Aisha frowned, hugging her tightly. "You didn't do anything wrong. I understand. You tried not to make me worry, I understand."
"There, there," she said, caressing her back. "Everything is okay. I am here, My Lady. Please cry until you can't anymore."
"N-no, it's pointless," Luna said, rising from Aisha's shoulders to wipe the snot and tears from her bloodshot eyes. "There's nothing to cry about…" Luna paused, snorting to clear the fluid from her nose before continuing, "…about an incurable illness. It's stupid t-to waste time worrying over something certain."
Luna crawled back from Aisha's hug, facing her. But Luna couldn't keep looking at her; she darted her gaze towards the floor. "I'm s-sorry."
Aisha smiled warmly and extended her hand towards Luna's cheek, stopping herself just before touching her, remembering that she could not. But she didn't care at that point. The one person she cared about the most, the only person she had ever cared about in her life, sat in front of her, crying nonstop, in pain.
With that, she touched Luna's cheek, saying, "There is nothing to be sorry about, my lady. I understand."
As she said that, Aisha pulled on Luna's head, moving it forward to face her.
Tears fell from Luna's eyes. As Aisha held her head in one hand, Luna reached up and pressed Aisha's other hand tighter against her own bloodied cheek
It's so warm. Like someone's hand that I can't remember. It's… so… warm.
Luna smiled forcibly as she closed her eyes, swallowing her emotions deep into a place that no one would find. With that, she let the last of her tears flow out.
Keeping her head in Aisha's hand, she looked at her. A grin formed on her face as she said, "Thank you."
…
Aisha carried Luna under her shoulder towards the red-leathery sofa. Walking with her to it, she placed Luna onto it.
Gently, she grabbed her legs, placing Luna into a lying position. "Is this comfortable, my lady?" she asked as she walked towards a dresser on the opposite side of the room with a gentle smile to pick up a pinkish blanket.
"Y-yes, everything is fine," Luna said, her hand on her forehead as she stared pointlessly at the ceiling.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Of course, my lady, ask anything," Aisha said as she rummaged through the dressers, searching for that specific blanket.
"How did you know?"
Aisha hesitated for a second, but not wanting to disappoint Luna more, she said, "Doctor Aux. He had sent me a letter a week ago that said that you, my lady, were sick, and to keep an eye on you and report any abnormal changes in your health to him."
"Is that so?" Luna wiped the tears left from her cheeks.
"Old man, not only did you leave without telling me, now you tell someone about my illness? Sigh, what am I going to do with you," Luna murmured, staring at the ceiling with a warm gaze.
Aisha walked over and stood above Luna, placing the soft pinkish blanket over her. "Now, my lady, please go to sleep and rest for a while, okay?"
"Of course, everything for you," Luna said and grinned at the end while looking at her.
Aisha looked at Luna, who grinned from ear to ear; a tint of sadness showed on her face. Is it really alright?
Breaking off from the daze, Aisha blushed and turned her head away. She backed out, walking towards the door.
Luna followed her with her eyes while waving and saying, "Thank you, it meant a lot to me."
"To me too, my lady," Aisha said while grabbing the handle. Just as she was about to push down on it, she heard from behind, "You are the most precious person I ever had."
She turned instantly back to Luna, who had half of her face covered under the pinkish blanket, a blush still evident on her face.
With that sight, Aisha realized the weight of her words. Her face turned beet red, and she stomped out with a last word of "Thank you!" and closed the doors, leaving Luna alone inside.
Slowly, Luna started dozing off into the world of dreams. Her eyes became heavy as she relaxed and closed them.