Varesa's gaze fell on Bai You's palm, and she tilted her head curiously.
Two necklaces lay quietly there, one cyan and one white, their translucent gems glowing softly in the light reflected off the cave's water.
She leaned closer, her gaze settling on the cyan-blue gem. Something seemed to be carved inside it, but it was too indistinct to make out.
Without thinking, she leaned closer still, nearly pressing her face against Bai You's hand.
Then she saw it clearly.
A tiny mermaid was carved inside the gem, her hair fanned out and her tail swaying gently. The contours of her eyes and brows... it was her.
Varesa froze.
She blinked, then blinked again, as if making sure she wasn't seeing things.
She carefully touched the surface of the gem with a fingertip. It was cool to the touch, and the tiny figure of herself inside remained perfectly still, yet looked almost alive.
"Is this... me?" She looked up at Bai You, a hint of surprise in her voice.
"Mm." Bai You nodded.
Varesa lowered her head again, this time shifting her gaze to the other, cyan-white gem.
There was a mermaid carved inside it too, with curved brows and eyes, a faint smile on her lips, and long hair falling over her shoulders. It was Bai You in her mermaid form.
The two necklaces lay side by side in Bai You's palm, one of her and one of Bai You, nestled close together.
The tips of Varesa's ears quietly turned red.
She drew her hand back, her fingertips brushing absentmindedly against the hem of her clothes. Her gaze wandered, and she didn't dare look Bai You in the eye again.
But it was as though something had gently bumped against her heart, soft and warm, with a touch of indescribable fluster.
"These are Bond Necklaces," Bai You said softly beside her ear.
"I condensed them from my own energy. While you were waiting for me, I happened to discover I had this ability."
System: Since when did it become your own energy...
She gently tapped the cyan-blue gem with a fingertip. "The one carved inside this is you, and the one in the cyan-white one is me."
Varesa still seemed to be staring at the necklaces' appearance, not yet having come back to her senses.
Seeing her like this, Bai You's eyes filled with the faintest hint of a smile. She said nothing, only holding out the necklace with her own likeness carved inside a little farther.
"Pretty, aren't they? Why don't you try one on?"
Varesa's heart seemed to skip a beat. She didn't dare look up, her gaze fixed on the two necklaces.
The cyan-white one swayed gently between Bai You's fingertips, its chain delicate.
The gem, however, was round and full, with the tiny Bai You resting quietly inside, as though sealed in a pool of seawater.
Varesa reached out, but the moment her fingertips touched the necklace, she drew them back.
"What's wrong?" Bai You asked in an even softer voice.
She picked up the necklace, brushing her finger over the gem's surface. Beneath its coolness was the faintest trace of warmth, as though Bai You's body heat still lingered on it.
"N-nothing... It's so pretty, so lovely. I really like it. Could... could you put it on for me?..." she said quietly, nearly swallowing half her words.
Bai You heard her, and the smile in her eyes deepened.
"Shall I put it on you?"
Varesa's face turned completely red. She only murmured, "Mm," then lowered her head and swept her long hair over her shoulder.
The fair, tender skin at the back of Varesa's neck was exposed to the air.
Bai You reached around her neck, her fingertips occasionally grazing her skin, as lightly as a feather.
Varesa held her breath, her eyes fixed on the tips of her feet. She could hear even her own heartbeat clearly.
"There."
The moment the chain was fastened, the gem came to rest just below her collarbone.
A faint cyan-white glow spread across her skin, like a drop of pigment dissolving in water.
Varesa glanced down at it, then quickly looked away.
The chain was so fine that she could barely feel its weight once it was fastened behind her neck.
Only the gem rested unmistakably below her collarbone, cool against her skin, its rounded edge brushing gently against her with each breath.
She raised a hand and touched it. The surface was smooth, and as her finger slid across it, a faint tickle arose, as though something had gently scratched her.
She looked down at it again, and this time she didn't look away.
But for some reason, she kept feeling that the moment she put on this little necklace,
it was as though something very important had been gently set in place.
Her fingertips rubbed the edge of the gem again and again, and the corners of her mouth turned up without her noticing.
She also seemed to feel a faint sense of steadiness coming from within the necklace, as though Bai You were always by her side.
She paused and looked up at Bai You. Bai You was looking at her too, her brows and eyes curved, just like the figure carved inside the necklace.
Suddenly, she couldn't find her voice. Bai You had carefully committed her likeness to memory, then sealed it inside the necklace's gem, stroke by stroke, and given it to her as a gift.
"...Bai You." Her voice was a little hoarse.
"Mm?"
"Thank you."
Bai You looked at her, the smile in her eyes growing warmer. She said nothing either, simply standing there quietly, as though afraid that speaking would break something in this moment.
After a long while, Varesa finally raised her head.
She looked at Bai You, as though she wanted to say something more, yet didn't know what to say. In the end, she only bit her lip gently.
Seeing her like this, Bai You's eyes filled with a hint of a smile. She raised her other hand, the cyan-blue necklace still lying in her palm. The gem gave off a deep glow in the light, and the tiny Varesa inside was perfectly still.
"This one has you carved inside," Bai You said gently, holding out the necklace. "So you'll have to put it on me."
Varesa looked at the necklace, then at Bai You. She nodded gently, then slowly reached out and took it.
Her fingers were still trembling a little. The chain was very fine and wound once around her fingers. She took a deep breath and leaned closer.
Bai You lowered her head slightly.
All at once, the distance between them closed.
Varesa's breath caught for a moment. Bai You's long hair slipped down past her shoulder, its ends brushing Varesa's wrist, carrying a faint scent mixed with the barest hint of sweetness.
She could clearly see the skin at the side of Bai You's neck, so fair and fine that even the faint blue veins were vaguely visible. They moved slightly as Bai You swallowed.
She reached around Bai You's neck, her fingertips just touching her skin. With her fingertips against the back of Bai You's neck, she slowly felt for the clasp, moving as though she were doing something of the utmost importance.
The chain hung down the side of Bai You's neck, the cyan-blue gem swaying back and forth and occasionally brushing her collarbone, leaving an extremely faint trace of light.
Varesa took a deep breath and finally fastened the clasp.
Now the two necklaces, both cyan at their base, one tinged blue and the other white, rested against the other's heart.