1952 A.D.
Three months later, the forest floor crunched as Aakashi leapt from the car, her bags in hand. The driver got out the other side, nodded to her and left. His family waited patiently for him to return.
Her mind swam as she saw the familiar commune and the dim lights in the windows. Three months apart after seven thousand years with no more than a week's separation felt physically painful, and coming back to the forest felt like a bandage wrapped around her crumbling heart.
The forest looked chilling as the last glimpses of sunlight fell beneath the horizon. The trees towered around her, as if she were an ant and they were giants, clad in vines and moss. She walked hurriedly through the commune, cursing herself for booking such a late flight. Past the last house in the commune, she moved towards their hut, seeing the warm glow through the curtains.
The door was open. Druig stood at the entrance, the biggest grin on his face. Aakashi started to run, despite her heels impeding her from running very fast. She dropped her bags when she was within a meter from him, letting her arms reach forwards and wrap around his shoulders. His arms slid around her waist, and he pulled her in, breathing in her scent. Her head rested on his shoulder, her eyes squeezed shut. Her hands on his back were firm and strong, as were his.
They stood in silence for almost five minutes, arms holding each other together like puzzle pieces.
It was Aakashi that first pulled away, only slightly, so that she could see his face. She stared at him intensely, memorising the features and the way his lips curved upwards when he looked at her, creating little creases in his cheek. She finally spoke, a whisper cutting through the silence. "No words can describe how much I missed you. Not in any language, on any planet, in any galaxy."
"Jinx." He replied, barely waiting to finish his sentence before reaching forward, pressing his lips against hers. She kissed back, hungry for the warmth that she hadn't felt in weeks.
"Are you gonna let me in?" She laughed, stepping back to pick up her bags.
He bent down slightly, extending his hand for her. "M'lady."
"Why, thank you." She responded in the same teasing tone, gracefully entering the room and placing the bags on the floor. Before she could properly stand up, she felt his hands on her waist, gently pushing her against the wall. She giggled at the contact, looking up to kiss him. She put her hand on his cheek, pressing her lips against his.
"God, I love you." He told her in between each kiss, his hands running through her hair.
"And I you." She replied, a whisper in the dark.
