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"See?" Delphine asked. "It's not so bad?"
Cosima hummed in approval. It was alright. She and Delphine walked at a slow pace that wouldn't agitate Cosima's lungs. The fresh air was crisp and cool - free of humidity and pollen tonight, making the trip much more enjoyable. Despite so many factors being in her favor, Cosima couldn't hide the fact that she was using their interlocked arms to keep herself steady or that she was leaning most of her weight against Delphine.
"The weather is beautiful," she said quietly. Delphine must have heard the breathiness of her voice and slowed their walk further. Cosima smiled even if she was disappointed she couldn't do this much without being winded.
Delphine adjusted the strap of the bookbag she carried. The small oxygen canister clinked against something solid. Cosima, in turn, adjusted the tubing around her ears. At least the sky was clear tonight and they could make out the brighter of the stars out here.
"Probably not the best idea to bring an oxygen tank to a sky lantern festival," Cosima says with a small chuckle. "You know, with all those open flames."
"Very funny," Delphine said with a smirk and a twinkle of mischief in her eyes. "Surely, we've done worse."
Cosima laughed, but it quickly turned into a coughing fit. Delphine guided her to a bench, where she sat until her lungs settled down. Delphine rubbed soothing circles on her back as she whispered comforting words.
"Fuck these lungs," Cosima said after a moment.
Delphine chuckled, but when Cosima looked into her eyes she noticed that the woman's expression had sobered significantly. "Maybe we shouldn't have come," she whispered sadly. "It's just..." She started then stopped, chewing her lip in thought. Cosima reached out to hold her hand. "You've always just loved experiencing life, and I wanted to give you a sliver of what used to be."
"Delphine," Cosima squeezed her hand in reassurance, "if I didn't think I could be here, I wouldn't have come." She lifted Delphine's hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it. "Now, help me up," she demanded. "We have a lantern to send off."
They took their time walking through the festival grounds, stopping when they needed to. Cosima sometimes pretended to shop at vendors to catch her breath and Delphine always pretended not to notice. Although it was laborious at best and excruciating at worst, Cosima enjoyed the evening out with Delphine. Maybe the universe knew they needed this moment of peace.
Then it was the moment they were both waiting for - the release of the lanterns. Cosima held the paper lantern aloft while Delphine carefully lit the fuel cell. Cosima felt the hot air filling the balloon and soon it was pulling away from them.
"Hold onto it!" Delphine laughed.
"I'm trying!" Cosima exclaimed as they both scrambled to hold the ring underneath. They held the lantern as they waited for the countdown to begin. Cosima smiled as she watched the light of the flame dance across Delphine's face. "I love you," she said, suddenly overcome with emotions. "You know that, right?"
Delphine smiled softly at her. "I never doubted it for a moment," she whispered just above the chatter of excited participants. Her eyes looked up at the lantern in their hands. "We should make a wish," she said after a moment, "so when we let it go, the lantern carries it out into the world." Delphine gazed into Cosima's eyes and Cosima - even after so long together - felt heat creep up her neck. "Then maybe it'll come true."
"Suddenly superstitious?" Cosima asked with a strangled laugh. Delphine simply shrugged as she waited for Cosima's decision. "Okay, sure." Her voice fell to a whisper. "Why not?"
They both closed their eyes, thinking their hopes and dreams into the paper lantern. In the distance, they heard the countdown begin. Cosima screwed her eyes shut a little harder. "Five, four," the crowd around them counted. "Three, two..."
"One," Cosima and Delphine whispered together. They opened their eyes and released the lantern, watching in silence as it lifted slowly into the air, carrying their dreams away.
Delphine's hand found hers and they held onto each other tightly as everyone cheered and awed around them. "What did you wish for?" Cosima quietly asked.
Delphine's grip tightened. "I think you already know."
Her lungs gave a sharp pain as she inhaled, as if on queue. "Yeah," she gasped, "I think I do."