In the dead of night, only one person on the Edens Zero remained awake. Standing alone in the Spa of Eden, gaze cast upon the numerous stars and planets just beyond the window, was none other than Homura Kougetsu.

With a heavy heart and solemn thoughts, the solitude came as both a blessing and a curse to the swordswoman. Although it's been a while since everything concerning her mentor and her mother came to its grand conclusion, she wasn't sure if she could ever get over it.

She's grateful for the friends she's made along the way. She's thankful for the Shining Stars showing her their ways, thankful for Shiki always having her back in a fight, thankful for Rebecca and her compassionate words, thankful for Happy and Pino and all their support, and thankful for Weisz for bringing her to the Edens Zero in the first place.

Despite all the wonderful people she's come to know and cherish and love, there will always be a part of her deep within stuck in a constant yearning for something she'll always lack.

Someone to love.

Her thoughts trail back to her friends. It's only for a brief moment, yet it's still enough to make her falter nonetheless.

A mother figure to love, she swiftly corrects herself.

Her biological mother was the least of her worries by a long shot. It was her mentor, her true mother, her closest friend, Valkyrie, and all the sweet moments shared between the two and the strong bongs they crafted together that left the swordswoman tossing and turning until she gave up on trying to fall asleep and left her bed.

Finding out the death of her beloved mentor, the true identity of her mother, and becoming the brand new Sword of Edens within such a short time span was most definitely a daunting task to face head on. Yet Homura was able to see it through, just as her mentor had taught her.

She doesn't realize she's crying until her legs give out and she crumbles onto the smooth, cold floor. The memories she kept recalling, the solitude of the empty night, all the pain she's held in are finally starting to get to her. It feels as if the weight of the cosmos rests on her shoulders, and for once in her life, she allows herself to be pulled down by this weight.

Silently she weeps, finding comfort in the coolness of the floor she was curled upon and the quiet of the air around her. Such a tranquil moment in time, and here she was spending these precious minutes crying, wasting away. She's well aware she should probably be going to sleep now, but despite that, she's not sure if Mother herself would be able to stop her now that she's started.

She'd be grieving for a while tonight, and as if to set that fact in stone, proof comes in the form of a hand on her shoulder. She's not surprised by the additional presence with her now. It's a feeling that spreads warmth through her, a welcoming touch in a moment of need.

Homura, with her head hung low and tears speckling her vision, is unable to tell who it was with her in this moment of time. She assumes the person in question is Rebecca, one of the members of the crew she feels she's more closer with, and says nothing. Even if it wasn't the blonde she had in mind, surely whoever it was would understand that now was not the time for words to be spoken. The two sat in a sacred silence of sorts, each knowing good and well that this moment would most likely pass and be long forgotten with time and buried deep within their minds, replaced by new memories.

Knowing that time goes on, and although it might take a while, she's sure to heal, Homura felt herself start to relax. As long as she kept pushing, striving towards the future, she was sure to make progress no matter where she ended up.

Homura comes to a rather therapeutic realization- the loss of Valkyrie isn't something meant to weigh her down. It's a catalyst in a peculiar form meant to help pull her forward.

The swordswoman smiles. After however long she's been up for, she finally feels tired. Not tired as in weary and done with the world, but a sleepy sort of tired. She closes her eyes and lets the exhaustion, both mental and physical, take over her, allowing herself to fall against the shoulder of her unknown confidante.

The mystery person lets out a sigh, taking a second of two to admire Homura. "No matter how many things you accidentally say out loud, you still somehow manage to leave me wondering what exactly is going on in that mind of yours." Weisz mumbles.

He slips one of his arms under the backs of her knees and the other wraps around her back. Trying his best to be mindful of the sleeping girl, he gingerly lifts her up into the air. With nothing else left to say, Weisz carries Homura bridal style out of the Spa of Edens and back to her room.

Although Homura was convinced that this was a moment to be forgotten, Weisz felt it was a moment to be cherished, and remembered for years to come. Just the two of them, nothing more, nothing less.

Word Count: 906

Author's Note: Yet again, sorry this is so late at night. I went shopping with my sister and got home a little late. Whoops! Although this is one of the more shorter chapters I've written (probably the shortest ever), I didn't try to add on more words like I usually do. I'm very happy with this chapter and wish to keep it the way it is. Also, I took a more broad approach to the prompt, so I hope that it turned out good!