Lys: Long Wished-For

Aithne felt tears spring to her eyes again. The Guttersnipe's words... they were the words she'd waited ten long years to hear.

Overwhelmed, she did the first thing that came to mind- she flung herself at the girl and hugged her tightly. Somewhere in a small, dark, out-of-the-way corner, she knew the Guttersnipe wouldn't particularly like it, but the huge enveloping rush of release drowned it out. She felt as though a balm was being spread over her scorched heart. She understood. Or was willing to, at least. Aithne felt, for the first time since leaving Eire, that she was not accepted as a thing that could not be got rid of, but intentionally wanted. And so, like it or not, she hugged the Guttersnipe.