And now I can't think up of titles! Yaaaaay!
Admitadly I feel a little... Mmm, insecure, I guess, uploading this. After all, there's nothing but huge, giant multichaptered projects around here... And all I have to contribute is a tiny friendship one-shot between Lloyd and Genis. ._.
But nonetheless, I actually wrote this to practise. I wasn't originally planning on uploading this, but I actually found I was quite proud of this little ficlet, so I decided, why not? I don't exactly have much on my account, anyway.
Just friendshippy nonsense between the two best friends, but I suppose now that I've re-read it and stuff it actually sounds like Lloyd's got a crush on him... which was completely not my intention. I'm sorry. *bows regretfully*
Still, I digress. I hope you all enjoy this, and appologies for any mistakes. I kinda get distracted when re-reading my stuff.
Many people had no idea the silverette didn't snore – at least not on a regular basis. Lloyd had eventually figured out that he did when he wasn't completely relaxed in his sleep, and unfortunately, even if surrounded by his closest friends, being in new and unfamiliar places tended to set the tiny half-elf and even his collected sister on edge; for perfectly understandable reasons.
Apparently not even Genis knew he did so. Lloyd had (eventually – it didn't occur to him until later) figured that out after teasing him back, and Genis had no idea what he was talking about. He hadn't said it, but the blank look on his face and his head cocking gently to the side said all words required. A part of Lloyd, somewhere deep within him liked knowing he knew how his best friend ticked and didn't like the thought of anyone else knowing him better.
Still, it wasn't as though his snores caused problems for anyone. They were barely audible, the majority of the time only to Lloyd did they sound loud as the two often shared beds together, and if anything being able to hear his best friend late in the night when the brunette woke up tended to relax him. Now more than ever. He couldn't help but imagine many times in the past day that he'd wake up later or try to find his best friend for a reason - only to find Genis no longer there. That he'd decided to follow the blond half-elf after his sudden betrayal, agreeing with his ideals more than the brunette's.
Normally he wouldn't be so paranoid about this, trusting the silverette more than anything or anyone, but after Zelos had mentioned such a thing could happen (Sheena slapped him soon after for distrusting him – he proceeded to say it was a joke, and yet another argument was born between the two), the idea had wriggled its way into his head and refused to leave. From the occasional looks Raine gave when she couldn't see her brother and then the pure relief see had expressed on her face when he'd pop up behind her, camoflaged in the snowfall, she seemed to have the same problem.
Then he'd end up imagining how it would turn out if that happened and they ended up clashing – and then he would stop, not wanting to go any further. He couldn't seem to decide if he was willing to defeat him if it turned to that. Not even when he added Colette's wellbeing into the equation.
Out of pure curiosity, Lloyd would occasionally ask the half-elf if Lloyd himself snored. He'd shrug, and then always give a varied answer; Sometimes he did, sometimes he didn't. The next day, he did. After that, he didn't. There wasn't any pattern to it. The times he did, the silverette would say he just breathed lightly. The times he didn't, he'd say the brunette made loud, obnoxious noises that prevented him from sleeping. Lloyd tried to retaliate by saying it was because he had elven hearing, but then Presea would occasionally proceed nearby with a small, polite cough, causing a small tint on Lloyd's face, laughter from Genis and a small smile on the pink-haired girl's usually emotionless face.
But Genis never once complained about it. Except when teasing. But then he always complained when teasing.
One of the things Lloyd found did seem to bother him when taken too far by the half-elf, though, was the fact that he tended to hog the bed in his sleep. Yet another thing he had no idea he did. He'd often wished that the silverette would stop doing so and allow the brunette some space as they slept, but Lloyd found he missed it and took all of those wishes back as soon as he could when, during the previous night they had stayed at Flanoir as Raine and some of the others got a doctor to check on Altessa, Genis had snuggled down next to him as always but remained curled up in a petite ball in his arms, snoring gently rather than practically kicking him off the bed and still managing to remain in his embrace.
A small inquisition later after the half-elf noticed it was snowing outside and insisted on dragging the brunette out, on the balcony of the church, and he'd found out the half-elf had certainly been shaken up by the betrayal. He could've guessed it, after the sullen way Genis had been acting throughout the night as they hurriedly made their way to the snowy region, but a part of him had convinced him that the half-elf wasn't upset over Mithos, but over whether Altessa was alright or not. The part deep inside him didn't like having to share the silverette's attention. He understood the silverette's empathy, but at the same time something about it bugged him.
"I just understand him, I guess." Genis had said the previous night, in the snow. His milky features had been dyed red from the cold and the snow clung to his bangs, making him look a little bit like a doll, abandoned and left outside in the flurry. No doubt he felt as such.
Lloyd had scratched his head, unsure of what to say. Anything he could have said would most likely only hurt his friend more, since he had no idea what it was like to be discriminated against so strongly. Which is why he could only say what he could.
"We can't give up."
Genis had turned to him in surprise.
We can't give up – everyone has a right to see this world. This scenery."
The silverette had paused, the words sinking in, the cogs in his mind turning as he thought his statement over. Then, Genis had breathed out in an exasperated way, as though something was finally letting him go and allowing him to breath, and smiled at him – a radiant smile, so contrasting to their surroundings and his pale features. And then he'd sneezed and, as the brunette was leading him back to the room they shared, had thanked him. For a reason to which he never explained after Lloyd had enquired why. And one Lloyd knew he'd probably never figure out.
Which is why, when he woke up the next morning to his neck being tickled by the silverette's soft, even breaths just beneath his chin and the small steam of sunlight filtering through a slight gap in the curtains and spilling across the floor in a haphazard slant towards the bed in which the two best friends resided, he was overjoyed to see the silverette had subconsciously taken upon his usual habit of stealing the whole bed during the night when the two had fallen asleep, and that he wasn't snoring. The content, peaceful look on his sleeping face as he lay in his arms (or practically on top of him) was as carefree as he could get in this situation he was locked in.
It was a strange feeling, Lloyd thought; awakening to the slow inhales and exhales of another still enthralled within their own dreams, but not unpleasant, either. In their sleep they had become a mess of limbs, sheets, friends and breathings. A tangle of half-elf and human. Of snoring and not snoring. As Lloyd balanced precariously on the side of the bed, he thought to himself that it was a rather uncomfortable.
'Still, it's not so bad.' He thought to himself as he gently snuggled down again to sleep and pass the time until the others returned, a half-asleep Genis following soon after out of habit, wanting to stay near to the brunette after he detected him moving and breathing out a contented sigh, still engrossed in the world of dreams.
There! It's finished! I actually spent a while on the ending; they're always the toughest to me.
For some reason, this was really difficult to write. I kept adding and getting rid of things until I was left with this half-satisfactory thing. I guess.
I've always found it amusing how it would be like if Genis snored. Would it be gentle, or would it rock the whole inn the party would be staying at?... Yes, I think about these things. Does that make me weird? Probably.
Also, does Lloyd seem a little possessive? Again, that wasn't my intention, but it wasn't too bad so I didn't think I needed to change it. Sorry.
*Cough* Well, since this was practise, I'd love some reviews. They make my world spin 'round. Preferably no flames. But y'know, whichever works for you. So farewell until we meet again for another story and I hope you've enjoyed this and that I haven't wasted approximately 7.1352 minutes of your life.
(That was a random number, by the way.)