The gentle flow of water from the shrine's tiers drowns out the distant sound of freezing rain against the pines as Lyra takes it all in. She doesn't look at Noah; she doesn't need to. She can feel a certain gratitude radiating off him in waves, and she takes it in stride, not wishing to disturb the peace of the moment by glancing his way. Instead, she takes in the shrine again, eyes ghosting over each and every carefully-placed detail, caressing every stone and flower.
It isn't until Noah speaks that Lyra's gaze flicks over to him, surprised to find him taking a small step in her direction. "Sometimes I think that's why we build shrines at all," she admits quietly. "Not because the gods need them. They exist with or without us, and we could worship them anywhere we choose." She reaches out, fingers brushing one particularly bright flower with something between reverence and affection. "I think we need shrines far more than the gods do. So that we have somewhere to bring our faith that feels as special as the gods do." Lowering her hand, she smiles up at Noah. "This place feels -" Like home, she might have said. Like you, she considered. "- right."
It isn't until Noah speaks that Lyra's gaze flicks over to him, surprised to find him taking a small step in her direction. "Sometimes I think that's why we build shrines at all," she admits quietly. "Not because the gods need them. They exist with or without us, and we could worship them anywhere we choose." She reaches out, fingers brushing one particularly bright flower with something between reverence and affection. "I think we need shrines far more than the gods do. So that we have somewhere to bring our faith that feels as special as the gods do." Lowering her hand, she smiles up at Noah. "This place feels -" Like home, she might have said. Like you, she considered. "- right."
lyra
Who could ever leave me darling... but who could stay?
