The instant their eyes met, the woman's lips trembled faintly before tears immediately welled within her eyes, and without caring about dignity or appearances, she reached forward and cupped her son's face gently with both trembling hands as though trying to confirm he was truly standing before her and not merely another dream born from longing.
Then she pulled him into a tight embrace.
Arceus' body stiffened for only a brief second before he slowly hugged her back.
The familiar warmth.
The scent of sandalwood lingering faintly on her robes.
The softness of a mother's touch.
All of it caused the loneliness inside his chest to loosen quietly.
For a long while, neither of them spoke.
Sometimes silence itself carried more emotion than words.
