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Raine had been clenching and unclenching their fists the entire time, ever since the Hexside graduation ceremony started. They would have to walk up there, in front of the whole crowd, in front of all those strangers and worse, their peers—thankfully, hopefully, the last time they'd see most of them.
The fact that they were at the end of the list was even worse.
They counted down from each student called; from Odalia Blight, who was valedictorian, of course, and her infuriatingly saccharine speech, to Alador Lovelace, to Cypress Park and Peregrine Porter—
"Raine Whispers,"
Until Raine Whispers.
"Will Raine Whispers please come up to the stage?" Principal Bump stressed into his microphone, holding the last of the graduation scrolls.
Raine nearly fell out of their seat, stumbling up the few stairs that led to the stage, almost wincing at the pathetic and obligatory claps from the audience. Their parents were always so busy, it was fine, they expected it—
—they didn't expect cheering. Especially not for them. Were they cheering for the right witch?
Once the graduation scroll was in their hand, Raine turned to look out in the crowd and noticed a familiar blur of orange and vermillion.
"That's my Rainstorm!"
"Edalyn Clawthorne, sit down," Bump called out to her, no one noticing the melancholy sigh he gave afterwards. Her graduation scroll should've been amongst this class, after all.
Her laugh echoed across the field, mocking him, disgusting everyone else in the audience and was she standing on her chair? Raine shook their head in disbelief, in fondness, in awe that she was here. Eda, who swore she'd only step on Hexside property again if the place was on fire so she could roast marshfellows.
"You've got no authority over me now, Bumpkins!" she hollered back, following it up with another loud whoop, cheering Raine's name, reminding them they needed to get off the stage now, everyone was staring.
They all but ran back to their seat, still on shaky legs but their nerves something else entirely.
A few more obligatory words were said before this year's graduating class of Hexside was given their congratulations and freedom, released to their loved ones.
Raine hadn't even heard the first few notes of the Hexside school anthem played by the band when their chair, along with themselves, was nearly knocked over by an eager hug and kisses all over their cheek.
Their protest of "Eda, stoooop!" of course only egged her on, especially when their face stayed red.
"And why would I do that when my beloved Rainstorm finally got freed from this prison?" Eda beams, yanking them up by the collar, going in for a proper kiss on the mouth, never mind the stares.
Raine didn't care either. They were acknowledged, celebrated by the only person that mattered. They were positively tickled—
—literally tickled.
They parted from the kiss, only to see a very crude, clearly not from a florist bouquet in Eda's hand, both native Boiling Isles flowers and Earth ones she had shown them in photographs.
"I... I didn't think you'd come," they say bashfully, taking the bouquet and clutching it to their chest, faintly hearing Odalia's gripe of where were her flowers. "You didn't have to, I know you hate it here,"
"Yeah, but my love for you cancelled it out," Eda assures.
Raine lets out a soft, bashful scoff, about to melt right there in the scorching heat of the summer afternoon when Eda cradled their face, looking at them like they were everything she ever needed.
Well, they were.
But she was giving out enough sap for one day, especially when she leaned in, close enough but still apart; "Hey. You'd follow me anywhere, I'd do anything for you. That's the deal,"
Raine felt tears prick at their eyes as they faintly nodded.
Whatever fears they had of the future were quelled at the thought of Eda being there with them for all of it.