Title: Wasurenaikara.
Rating: G.
Pairing: Thomas/Fiona.
Notes: I shall start this off with saying I am horrible. ._. I'm the worst.
Honestly. Because of me wasting time, writing this and numerous other
songfics, I'm going to undoubtedly fail the math section of this test I
have to take. A test, which could very well allow me to graduate this year,
instead of next. THE TEST THAT ULTIMATELY HOLDS THE KEY TO MY FUTURE
LAZINESS! *weeps* I'm horr~i~ble~!
Lyrics are by Gackt; the song itself is found upon his newest single,
titled just as the fic is, Wasurenaikara, 'Because I Can't Forget.' Did you
know he's posed almost naked before? Yep. *Grin*
BUT THAT DOESN'T MATTER. Because.. *-* Thomas. You know, if he dies, I
swear.. I'm stalking Michiro Ueyama-sensei and.. I'll probably end up
glomping him for creating such a great character, but then I'll definitely
kick him. In the KNEE. Graawrr.
Ohh yeah. Excuse the stupid ending, ne? I was being lectured and spacing
out at the same time and.. well, afterward, I couldn't think of anything
better to add. And.. . um. Well. Whaddya think? More plotlessness and
severe plotholes coming out of dear, dear Rinon-chan. OHH. Can I be Queen
of Thomas/Fiona fics, even though I don't have much and I suck at writing?
Pleeeasee? *-*
- - - - zattou o toorinukete hikari no michibiku basho e oto no nai joukei wa nagaretsuzukeru ( Pass through the crowd, to the place where the light leads you As the soundless scenery is flowing past you ) - - - -
Her hands were folded behind her head and eyes closed - not that there was much to see, of course. The sun had slowly set not very long ago amidst a cushion of fluffy, dense clouds and little more than a handful of stars and the duo of moons danced within the vast, black sky. The clouds had moved, though, shifting from their place upon the horizon to the sky up above, dotting it erratically.
Her legs were crossed at the ankle and, suffice to say, her body radiated utter relaxation and comfort. Something she, or any other member of the elite force, got very often. A peaceful smile danced upon her lips as her mind carelessly wandered; somewhere behind her, her fingers were playing amidst the thick, long pieces of grass that coated the small, stereotypical hill - tree placed at the direct top included!
He wasn't too far down from her. Maybe ten feet down from her feet, seated atop a carefully spread sheet. He, on the other hand, let out something more complicated - confusion, happiness, depression, love, as he shifted his weight, leveling out one hand behind himself and leaning upon it. He looked over his shoulder to face the woman, his expression saying nothing of the feelings.
He hardly expected her to tip her head upright briefly to match his stare, her smile not even flickering for the briefest moment. He blinked and she even laughed - why she had, he couldn't even begin to guess.
He smiled weakly and turned away from her.
It was ethereal.
- - - - ryoute o hirogete subete o tsukamou to shita sabitsuita senro no hate ni nanika ga aru to shinjiteitai ( You opened your hands and were about to hold everything within your grasp At the end of the rusted track I want to believe that something is there ) - - - -
"Fiona?"
"Hmm?"
"It's getting cold; maybe we should go in?"
"Soon." She pushed herself upright and propped her hands up behind her, leaning her weight upon them. He frowned and hesitantly lowered himself to the ground to the right of her, watching in an awkward silence as she tipped her head upright, gazing attentatively at the sky through a faint shroud of thin branches and orange, and yellow hued, oval leaves.
No matter how long he watched, he could never grow tired of her. And, no matter how long he watched, he couldn't understand what kept her so captivated by the sky. It was - typical. Dark and yet typically celestial. Nothing different - it was the same old sky he had seen for the past twenty years of his life.
"Two moons." She stated, seemingly answering the unvoiced question as she turned to look at him. She smiled. "I don't remember two moons."
"You - oh."
"There was always one." She leaned her weight upon her right arm and lifted her left arm to the sky, looking away. She spread her fingers and, as she was most likely attempting to do, her hand contrasted almost violently against the sky, covering both of the moons up in full. Almost as though it were a small, small version of both moons, with five branches extending from it. She curled her fingers in and balled her hand into a fist, her face contorting with it. She took on a quick expression of confusion. "At least, I think.."
"You can't remember?" His eyes had narrowed in thought and he canted his head faintly to square his gaze upon her. She briefly glanced at him once more, her lips pursing and she shrugged.
"I don't know." She stared wistfully at her hand, before lowering it into her lap. She sat upright and sighed contentedly. "No - I do remember. I remember a moon and I remember stars, though not the exact amount. I remember watching them often and with plenty of people, though I can't remember the faces of the people I watched them with."
"Are you worried about that?"
"No - well, yes, but no. I have new memories to live by." She shook her head and - shook her head once more, turning to face him once again. He blushed in confusion, though didn't voice it. "I'm happy to be able to think back and remember watching the sky with you and Ban, or Irvine, and Moonbay."
He liked the sound of that and, while he did definitely enjoy sitting beneath the sky with her, it grew colder and colder by the moment.
"We can watch the stars always -" He stood and offered a hand to her. She looked between the sky and him briefly, before accepting the hand and allowing herself to be helped upright. "Anytime. Like when it isn't as cold."
- - - - kono mama toki ga tomareba ii to arifureta kotoba de negai o kometa dore dake kimi o mitsumeteitemo ano koro no you ni boku ni hohoemikakeru wasurenai kara.. ( "I hope time stops like this," I wished with my simple words No matter how much I gaze at you I'll never forget you smiling at me Like you did back then.. ) - - - -
There were people he could understand, read, even, but her - he found her to be strangely confusing.
When he had been told that she loved him, he had thought it would remain forever. She, after all, did seem like the dedicated type. And he - he was a hero. Hero's weren't supposed to jump from woman to woman, were they? And, he was okay with unrequited, just as long as he treated her good. Good, of course, being as lightly as he could put it; it if were any less, even in the slightest, tiny bit..
Either way, he definitely didn't expect a 180° turn to occur. Never in his life!
She tugged upon his hand and he nearly went toppling forward, startled by the sudden action. She beamed and laughed, once more, confusing him, though not for too long. He probably had an awkward look upon his face; fright, maybe. Confusion, possibly. She released his hand, drew back and spread her arms out beside her, palms turned toward the sky.
"Look up."
He canted his head at her, knitting his brows together to further emphasize his confusion. She motioned upward with both hands and, for a brief moment, looked as though she were about to burst with anticipation.
"Thomas!" She cried when he didn't oblige and motioned once again. "Come on! Look up, please."
He sighed gently and gave in, tipping his head upright to look into the sky. It had successfully, and completely, been covered within a layer of thick, dark gray clouds; the air literally rung with the oncoming barrage of, quite possibly, rain, hail or even snow.
The latter, of course, was bound to fall. That was just how things were - both weren't dressed warmly enough and it would be another five-minute walk until they reached his house. Fate was cruel, yet very ingenious. He scrunched his nose up as flake drifted down and landed upon his forehead, eventually giving way to the downpour of gentle, glistening white.
"Aren't you glad?" She still beamed at him, much like a child who had discovered something absolutely stunning. And, why shouldn't she be? He did look up in time to see the first downpour, did he not?
"I'm glad," He paused and took a step toward her. She lowered her hands and, this time, canted her head in confusion. This, however, was quickly sated, as he placed either hand upon her shoulders and twirled her about. She moved as though the motion was the most natural in the world; it fascinated him, though he could only stand, staring for so long. With a small nudge, he began once again, "The house is nearby. You're not wearing shoes, Fiona, remember?"
"Shoes?" She echoed and looked down, wriggling her toes to check. Oh, he was right! She remembered taking them off beside the door, now. And, now having realized this, her toes stung with the violent bite of cold the snow gave. She frowned and pulled his hands from her shoulders lightly, tugging and pulling him along as she kicked up the pace. "Cooold."
- - - - genshoku no yurameki wa me no mae ni ukande wa kieru mabuta o tojitemo ima wa ano basho ni mou nido to kaerenai ( The wavering colors float in front of my eyes and disappear Even if I close my eyes right now, I can't go back there again ) - - - -
"Doctor D once dreamt of bringing snow to this continent." She stated matter-of-factly as she watched the snow slowly drift downward and coat the ground, the house, and anything else in sight within a shroud of white. By now, she had tugged on a pair of socks and slippers upon her feet and insistently wriggled her toes, wanting to force the cold out of them permanently. She blew out a small breath upon the windowpane and watched as it condensed. She drew a sloppy smiley face within the whitened area and mimicked it, smiling fondly at it in return, even as it drifted and vanished, leaving little more than a small patch of moisture. She hesitated, casting an offhanded glance at him, before opening the window halfway.
"I'm sure even a brilliant mind like his own would have never considered the gradual geothermal shifts." He recoiled from the window, particularly disliking the abrupt gust of cold, snow riddled wind. He stood and stepped around the duo of chairs to move toward a small couch, its back covered by a large, quilted blanket. He took it into his arms and retreated back to her.
"Maybe." She agreed and stuck her hand out of the window, wriggling her fingers as the flakes of snow drifted onto her fingertips. That, though, wasn't enough to quench whatever thirst she may have held for the snow. Even if she had seen it before, it was just once. Once and for a short, numbingly cold amount of time. "He accomplished it, once before."
"I heard." He unfolded the blanket and neatly spread it out over her back, before seating himself once more. She scooped up a handful of snow, though only to drop it, as she turned to smile at him once more. "For the most part, he is the reason as to why you - well, know."
"It wasn't all him." She withdrew from the windowsill and sat back into the chair, gently tugging the blanket around her. She shifted a bit, offering a large amount of the blanket to him and, when he quietly declined, she pursed her lips and forced it upon him. "Everyone helped! You, Ban, Irvine, Moonbay - General Schwarz, Karl, helped as well. And, though I'm not very fond of admitting it, Raven and Raise and Hiltz helped as well."
"And we all did it willingly - well, for the most part, we did." He beamed and leaned back within the chair, curling the blanket around himself in the process. "Give me - us - the chance and we would do it all again."
She remained silent for a moment, either processing this or deep within thought. She leaned back within her own seat and clasped the both of her hands together tightly, caring not of the dampness which soaked into the quilt and the thickness of her skirt. When she emerged from this moment of thought, she turned toward him, lips pursed and eyes narrowed in thought.
"It's funny," She spoke slowly, as though still deeply thinking of what she was about to say. "Everyone was so willing to help and everyone did, so very much and, yet, I did nothing."
"You're not giving yourself enough credit." He poked her gently in the ribs and grinned playfully. She squirmed and leaned away from him, briefly sticking her tongue out and curling her arms about her mid-section. "If it weren't for you - well, simply think about it! There would be no Guardian Force. There would be no constant excavations; there would be no sudden curiosity toward the Ancient Zoidian race. And, I wouldn't be blessed at this very moment with your company, either."
"And if it weren't for me - then there would have been no war."
"No," He stated seriously and shook his head. "Whether you realize it or not, Prozen would have sought the Deathsaurer and Raven-tachi would have wreaked their havoc. Certain people are just destined to do so - you had absolutely no part in it, what so ever."
"I'm glad." She smiled sadly at her lap, before setting herself upright.
"Hm?"
"For you and your words - for everyone." She stood and mimicked his previous action, by folding the blanket over him and loosely tucking it around him. After closing the window, she retreated from the room - most likely heading down the narrow hallway to climb the long flight of steps, to undoubtedly retire within the bed he had offered her.
- - - - kono mama toki ga tsuzukeba ii to arifureta kotoba de negai o kometa ima nara kimi ni akaseru darou boku no naka ni aru sunao na kono omoi o iroase wa shinai kara.. ( "I hope time continues like this," I wished with my simple words Only now I can tell you Because the true feelings inside of me Won't just fade away.. ) - - - -
She lay upon her side and focused a tired stare upon the closed, shadowed window to her right. The snow cast eerie reflections upon it, which only became increasingly stranger as the backlight briefly flickered on and then off once more. It hardly ceased at this; now the moon danced upon the falling and grounded flakes. The darkened room danced with mellow light.
She had, most likely, forgotten her shoes out there and he was bringing them in. She yawned languidly and nuzzled her face into the pillow, deciding that she would, possibly, scold him tomorrow for that. He was alive; her boots were not. He could freeze; her boots could not - well, at least, not completely or forever.
She listened as he moved around down the flight of stairs. The light padding of slippers against the heavily, overly, polished wooden floor, dishes clanking and water briefly running. She should have stayed down and helped him and, for a minute, she felt guilty.
But, he probably would have forced her to go upstairs, whether she was willing to help or not. So - maybe.. Her feeling of guilt didn't dissipate, nor did it shrink in the slightest. She hugged the blanket tighter about herself and still listened.
The hall momentarily lightened behind her. Old fashioned was the only way to describe the house. The doors didn't open and close on their own, there definitely wasn't a computer or numeric pad at every corner - a plain ol' normal house, with the conveniences of their modern day added right in, here and there.
He quietly went about on his way; up the stairs, across the hall - he paused briefly before her door and his shadow was instantly thrown across the room, obscuring the otherworldly lighting the snow gave off. She heard him sigh contentedly and could almost feel his smile, before he drew back and closed the door. His footsteps continued for a short distance longer, before ceasing. The lights went along with it and everything fell absolutely silent.
She sighed and turned, rolling upon her other side before settling down into the blankets once more. She closed her eyes and, almost immediately, found herself dipping into an insecure sleep.
- - - - utsuroke na manazashi de naze boku no koto o mitsumeru no? mou sugu boku mo yuku yo sou subete ga ima soko ni aru kara ( Why are you looking at me with that empty look? I will be going soon, too Yes, because everything's there now ) - - - -
"Ban."
He sat within a high backed chair, before an incredibly large computer screen. For a moment, she doubted he could actually use it - after all, that is what she was there for. He simply did all the battling! She dismissed the thought as she crossed the room, closing the distance between herself and him.
"Ban." She repeated and, upon receiving no answer, nudged gently at his upper arm. It slipped from the armrest and dangled lifelessly at the side of the chair. She stared at it briefly, before trying once more - though definitely lacking the words.
The chair turned this time and, soon, he faced her. Void of emotion, void of - everything. His face was a blank, as though the area itself never existed. A patch of white, pasted upon the frame she knew so very well.
She didn't move though. She smiled and leaned forward, placing a hand upon the side of the nonexistent face. She ran her fingers lightly upon his cheek, her lips now moving though the words going unheard.
His hand took a hold of hers, surprising her and startling her. She jerked back, attempting to free herself, though failing miserably. He didn't let go and wouldn't.
"Haven't anything else to say?" He hissed and stood upright, shoving her forward and twisting her arm roughly behind her back. She wailed, the noise once more going unheard. The wail soon became a scream, as the cool, bony hand of - someone slid about her throat, long, feminine nails digging into either side of her throat.
She gagged - this noise came out clearly, surprising her even more, and made an attempt to use her other arm, to possibly pull his hand away. This man, who ever it may have been, dug his thumb nail deeper into the skin and lowered his head, dipping in toward her ear, as though sharing some large secret.
Pale, white strands brushed against her shoulder. She shivered and squeezed her eyes closed. Prozen.
"He's not here to save you now, is he?"
Maybe he was wrong. Through the door she had entered in - had she entered from that door? - came her other savior. He who now worried of her well being, herself in general. He smiled and the hand, the hand, which held a grip so violently upon her throat, broke away.
Though she bled.
- - - - kono mama toki ga tomareba ii to arifureta kotoba de negai o kometa dore dake kimi o mitsumeteitemo ano koro no you ni boku ni hohoemikakeru ( "I hope time stops like this," I wished with my simple words No matter how much I gaze at you You smile at me, like you did back then ) - - - -
"Have you ever wondered," He was shook from his sleep by her voice. It was close - right beside him, maybe, and trembling furiously. He exhaled through his nose; concealing whatever startled look he was preparing to spout and opened his eyes. She was right beside him. "Why we have nightmares?"
She was flushed and looking incredibly tired. Her eyes were puffy, as well - whether from sleep, or crying, he couldn't exactly tell. His brows knit together in confusion and he leaned around her to toy with the switch, turning the bedside lamp on. He silently swore and reminded himself to change the bulb later; it was terribly dull.
"Are you okay?" He withdrew his arms and rubbed at his eyes, before pushing himself upright. Maybe he was dreaming, still. She followed in suit with his action, rising swiftly from her seated position just beside his bed and to her feet. She looked back toward the door and swiftly considered leaving. She shouldn't have woken him; it was just a dream, after all. "What's wrong, Fiona?"
"Dreaming." She answered with a smile - a faint, shadow of a smile, and wrung her hands together. He canted his head in confusion at her and pulled his legs in toward his body, unsure of how, exactly, he was supposed to react. She took no time in demonstrating, as she lowered herself to the bed top just below his feet, her hands still tightly clasped together. "I didn't intend to wake you, Thomas. I'm sorry."
"It's only right that you did," He still remained confused, though took matters into his own hands. He unraveled the blanket from around herself and draped it over her shoulders, much as he had done earlier that day. "I'm glad you did."
"I dreamt of you," She supplied cheerfully and her smile brightened, though dulled just as swiftly. He would have smiled, if her own weren't so fleeting. Instead, he remained quiet, watching her raptly. She sighed and tugged the edges of the blanket around her tighter.. "It was pleasant, for a short while."
"I'm here." He forced a smile and motioned toward himself to emphasize this fact. She narrowed her eyes in thought as she watched this, soaking in the gesture, the fluid motion. Though she still sighed. "I'm fine."
"I know." She was irregularly quiet as she sunk deeper into the blanket. He blinked, his confusion definitely not lifting. And it only grew heavier as she leaned toward him and encircled her arms about his midsection, drawing him into a gentle hug. He frowned - her being sweet was normal, her talking sweet was normal, but, her hugging him?
The only thing that snapped him back into reality was the fact that she was whimpering and trembling furiously. Had her dream been that bad? He curled his arms around her and rubbed gently at her back, murmuring gentle shushing noises in an attempt to calm her.
She quieted and even soon grew still, though her grip never fell slack. She buried her face into his chest and uncurled one of her hands, coaxing and rubbing gingerly at her neck. He didn't release her and nor did he push her away. He looked down at her briefly, surprised entirely by the fact that she was, as well, looking up at him. He blushed and would have looked away, if she didn't frown so heavily.
Well. He was waiting for a time when he knew her response wouldn't be negative, right? And - maybe she would take it the wrong way. Maybe she would laugh and it would cheer her up, ignoring the fact that his pain was definitely apparent..
He grimaced at this thought and, before he could bother to control himself, he was definitely murmuring a gentle, "I love you."
I just - Ohh, nooo..
He watched her expression dramatically change, though it didn't look all that bad. Or bad, at all. Her smile was off complete effulgence, though she let out another quiet, even sigh and lowered her head down upon his chest once more. His blood froze and he blinked repetitively, as though to clear his vision - maybe he was seeing things, because she didn't run away, and maybe he was hearing things, because she didn't respond, and maybe -
"I hope time stops like this." She spoke quietly, possibly louder than it came out to be, as he could almost feel her words dissipate into his nightshirt. She curled her arms tighter around him and sighed - contentedly, quite possibly! No From what he heard, no longer did the trembling fear of her nightmare radiate outward, affecting the words. "I don't.. need to say more, do I?"
- - - - ano hi ano toki no mama tsuzukeba ii to arifureta kotoba ni negai o kometa ima nara kimi ni akaseru darou boku no naka ni aru sunao na kono omoi o iroase wa shinai kara.. ( "I hope things continue like that day, like that time," I filled my wish into simple words Only now I can tell you Because the true feelings inside of me Won't just fade away.. ) - - - -
- - - - zattou o toorinukete hikari no michibiku basho e oto no nai joukei wa nagaretsuzukeru ( Pass through the crowd, to the place where the light leads you As the soundless scenery is flowing past you ) - - - -
Her hands were folded behind her head and eyes closed - not that there was much to see, of course. The sun had slowly set not very long ago amidst a cushion of fluffy, dense clouds and little more than a handful of stars and the duo of moons danced within the vast, black sky. The clouds had moved, though, shifting from their place upon the horizon to the sky up above, dotting it erratically.
Her legs were crossed at the ankle and, suffice to say, her body radiated utter relaxation and comfort. Something she, or any other member of the elite force, got very often. A peaceful smile danced upon her lips as her mind carelessly wandered; somewhere behind her, her fingers were playing amidst the thick, long pieces of grass that coated the small, stereotypical hill - tree placed at the direct top included!
He wasn't too far down from her. Maybe ten feet down from her feet, seated atop a carefully spread sheet. He, on the other hand, let out something more complicated - confusion, happiness, depression, love, as he shifted his weight, leveling out one hand behind himself and leaning upon it. He looked over his shoulder to face the woman, his expression saying nothing of the feelings.
He hardly expected her to tip her head upright briefly to match his stare, her smile not even flickering for the briefest moment. He blinked and she even laughed - why she had, he couldn't even begin to guess.
He smiled weakly and turned away from her.
It was ethereal.
- - - - ryoute o hirogete subete o tsukamou to shita sabitsuita senro no hate ni nanika ga aru to shinjiteitai ( You opened your hands and were about to hold everything within your grasp At the end of the rusted track I want to believe that something is there ) - - - -
"Fiona?"
"Hmm?"
"It's getting cold; maybe we should go in?"
"Soon." She pushed herself upright and propped her hands up behind her, leaning her weight upon them. He frowned and hesitantly lowered himself to the ground to the right of her, watching in an awkward silence as she tipped her head upright, gazing attentatively at the sky through a faint shroud of thin branches and orange, and yellow hued, oval leaves.
No matter how long he watched, he could never grow tired of her. And, no matter how long he watched, he couldn't understand what kept her so captivated by the sky. It was - typical. Dark and yet typically celestial. Nothing different - it was the same old sky he had seen for the past twenty years of his life.
"Two moons." She stated, seemingly answering the unvoiced question as she turned to look at him. She smiled. "I don't remember two moons."
"You - oh."
"There was always one." She leaned her weight upon her right arm and lifted her left arm to the sky, looking away. She spread her fingers and, as she was most likely attempting to do, her hand contrasted almost violently against the sky, covering both of the moons up in full. Almost as though it were a small, small version of both moons, with five branches extending from it. She curled her fingers in and balled her hand into a fist, her face contorting with it. She took on a quick expression of confusion. "At least, I think.."
"You can't remember?" His eyes had narrowed in thought and he canted his head faintly to square his gaze upon her. She briefly glanced at him once more, her lips pursing and she shrugged.
"I don't know." She stared wistfully at her hand, before lowering it into her lap. She sat upright and sighed contentedly. "No - I do remember. I remember a moon and I remember stars, though not the exact amount. I remember watching them often and with plenty of people, though I can't remember the faces of the people I watched them with."
"Are you worried about that?"
"No - well, yes, but no. I have new memories to live by." She shook her head and - shook her head once more, turning to face him once again. He blushed in confusion, though didn't voice it. "I'm happy to be able to think back and remember watching the sky with you and Ban, or Irvine, and Moonbay."
He liked the sound of that and, while he did definitely enjoy sitting beneath the sky with her, it grew colder and colder by the moment.
"We can watch the stars always -" He stood and offered a hand to her. She looked between the sky and him briefly, before accepting the hand and allowing herself to be helped upright. "Anytime. Like when it isn't as cold."
- - - - kono mama toki ga tomareba ii to arifureta kotoba de negai o kometa dore dake kimi o mitsumeteitemo ano koro no you ni boku ni hohoemikakeru wasurenai kara.. ( "I hope time stops like this," I wished with my simple words No matter how much I gaze at you I'll never forget you smiling at me Like you did back then.. ) - - - -
There were people he could understand, read, even, but her - he found her to be strangely confusing.
When he had been told that she loved him, he had thought it would remain forever. She, after all, did seem like the dedicated type. And he - he was a hero. Hero's weren't supposed to jump from woman to woman, were they? And, he was okay with unrequited, just as long as he treated her good. Good, of course, being as lightly as he could put it; it if were any less, even in the slightest, tiny bit..
Either way, he definitely didn't expect a 180° turn to occur. Never in his life!
She tugged upon his hand and he nearly went toppling forward, startled by the sudden action. She beamed and laughed, once more, confusing him, though not for too long. He probably had an awkward look upon his face; fright, maybe. Confusion, possibly. She released his hand, drew back and spread her arms out beside her, palms turned toward the sky.
"Look up."
He canted his head at her, knitting his brows together to further emphasize his confusion. She motioned upward with both hands and, for a brief moment, looked as though she were about to burst with anticipation.
"Thomas!" She cried when he didn't oblige and motioned once again. "Come on! Look up, please."
He sighed gently and gave in, tipping his head upright to look into the sky. It had successfully, and completely, been covered within a layer of thick, dark gray clouds; the air literally rung with the oncoming barrage of, quite possibly, rain, hail or even snow.
The latter, of course, was bound to fall. That was just how things were - both weren't dressed warmly enough and it would be another five-minute walk until they reached his house. Fate was cruel, yet very ingenious. He scrunched his nose up as flake drifted down and landed upon his forehead, eventually giving way to the downpour of gentle, glistening white.
"Aren't you glad?" She still beamed at him, much like a child who had discovered something absolutely stunning. And, why shouldn't she be? He did look up in time to see the first downpour, did he not?
"I'm glad," He paused and took a step toward her. She lowered her hands and, this time, canted her head in confusion. This, however, was quickly sated, as he placed either hand upon her shoulders and twirled her about. She moved as though the motion was the most natural in the world; it fascinated him, though he could only stand, staring for so long. With a small nudge, he began once again, "The house is nearby. You're not wearing shoes, Fiona, remember?"
"Shoes?" She echoed and looked down, wriggling her toes to check. Oh, he was right! She remembered taking them off beside the door, now. And, now having realized this, her toes stung with the violent bite of cold the snow gave. She frowned and pulled his hands from her shoulders lightly, tugging and pulling him along as she kicked up the pace. "Cooold."
- - - - genshoku no yurameki wa me no mae ni ukande wa kieru mabuta o tojitemo ima wa ano basho ni mou nido to kaerenai ( The wavering colors float in front of my eyes and disappear Even if I close my eyes right now, I can't go back there again ) - - - -
"Doctor D once dreamt of bringing snow to this continent." She stated matter-of-factly as she watched the snow slowly drift downward and coat the ground, the house, and anything else in sight within a shroud of white. By now, she had tugged on a pair of socks and slippers upon her feet and insistently wriggled her toes, wanting to force the cold out of them permanently. She blew out a small breath upon the windowpane and watched as it condensed. She drew a sloppy smiley face within the whitened area and mimicked it, smiling fondly at it in return, even as it drifted and vanished, leaving little more than a small patch of moisture. She hesitated, casting an offhanded glance at him, before opening the window halfway.
"I'm sure even a brilliant mind like his own would have never considered the gradual geothermal shifts." He recoiled from the window, particularly disliking the abrupt gust of cold, snow riddled wind. He stood and stepped around the duo of chairs to move toward a small couch, its back covered by a large, quilted blanket. He took it into his arms and retreated back to her.
"Maybe." She agreed and stuck her hand out of the window, wriggling her fingers as the flakes of snow drifted onto her fingertips. That, though, wasn't enough to quench whatever thirst she may have held for the snow. Even if she had seen it before, it was just once. Once and for a short, numbingly cold amount of time. "He accomplished it, once before."
"I heard." He unfolded the blanket and neatly spread it out over her back, before seating himself once more. She scooped up a handful of snow, though only to drop it, as she turned to smile at him once more. "For the most part, he is the reason as to why you - well, know."
"It wasn't all him." She withdrew from the windowsill and sat back into the chair, gently tugging the blanket around her. She shifted a bit, offering a large amount of the blanket to him and, when he quietly declined, she pursed her lips and forced it upon him. "Everyone helped! You, Ban, Irvine, Moonbay - General Schwarz, Karl, helped as well. And, though I'm not very fond of admitting it, Raven and Raise and Hiltz helped as well."
"And we all did it willingly - well, for the most part, we did." He beamed and leaned back within the chair, curling the blanket around himself in the process. "Give me - us - the chance and we would do it all again."
She remained silent for a moment, either processing this or deep within thought. She leaned back within her own seat and clasped the both of her hands together tightly, caring not of the dampness which soaked into the quilt and the thickness of her skirt. When she emerged from this moment of thought, she turned toward him, lips pursed and eyes narrowed in thought.
"It's funny," She spoke slowly, as though still deeply thinking of what she was about to say. "Everyone was so willing to help and everyone did, so very much and, yet, I did nothing."
"You're not giving yourself enough credit." He poked her gently in the ribs and grinned playfully. She squirmed and leaned away from him, briefly sticking her tongue out and curling her arms about her mid-section. "If it weren't for you - well, simply think about it! There would be no Guardian Force. There would be no constant excavations; there would be no sudden curiosity toward the Ancient Zoidian race. And, I wouldn't be blessed at this very moment with your company, either."
"And if it weren't for me - then there would have been no war."
"No," He stated seriously and shook his head. "Whether you realize it or not, Prozen would have sought the Deathsaurer and Raven-tachi would have wreaked their havoc. Certain people are just destined to do so - you had absolutely no part in it, what so ever."
"I'm glad." She smiled sadly at her lap, before setting herself upright.
"Hm?"
"For you and your words - for everyone." She stood and mimicked his previous action, by folding the blanket over him and loosely tucking it around him. After closing the window, she retreated from the room - most likely heading down the narrow hallway to climb the long flight of steps, to undoubtedly retire within the bed he had offered her.
- - - - kono mama toki ga tsuzukeba ii to arifureta kotoba de negai o kometa ima nara kimi ni akaseru darou boku no naka ni aru sunao na kono omoi o iroase wa shinai kara.. ( "I hope time continues like this," I wished with my simple words Only now I can tell you Because the true feelings inside of me Won't just fade away.. ) - - - -
She lay upon her side and focused a tired stare upon the closed, shadowed window to her right. The snow cast eerie reflections upon it, which only became increasingly stranger as the backlight briefly flickered on and then off once more. It hardly ceased at this; now the moon danced upon the falling and grounded flakes. The darkened room danced with mellow light.
She had, most likely, forgotten her shoes out there and he was bringing them in. She yawned languidly and nuzzled her face into the pillow, deciding that she would, possibly, scold him tomorrow for that. He was alive; her boots were not. He could freeze; her boots could not - well, at least, not completely or forever.
She listened as he moved around down the flight of stairs. The light padding of slippers against the heavily, overly, polished wooden floor, dishes clanking and water briefly running. She should have stayed down and helped him and, for a minute, she felt guilty.
But, he probably would have forced her to go upstairs, whether she was willing to help or not. So - maybe.. Her feeling of guilt didn't dissipate, nor did it shrink in the slightest. She hugged the blanket tighter about herself and still listened.
The hall momentarily lightened behind her. Old fashioned was the only way to describe the house. The doors didn't open and close on their own, there definitely wasn't a computer or numeric pad at every corner - a plain ol' normal house, with the conveniences of their modern day added right in, here and there.
He quietly went about on his way; up the stairs, across the hall - he paused briefly before her door and his shadow was instantly thrown across the room, obscuring the otherworldly lighting the snow gave off. She heard him sigh contentedly and could almost feel his smile, before he drew back and closed the door. His footsteps continued for a short distance longer, before ceasing. The lights went along with it and everything fell absolutely silent.
She sighed and turned, rolling upon her other side before settling down into the blankets once more. She closed her eyes and, almost immediately, found herself dipping into an insecure sleep.
- - - - utsuroke na manazashi de naze boku no koto o mitsumeru no? mou sugu boku mo yuku yo sou subete ga ima soko ni aru kara ( Why are you looking at me with that empty look? I will be going soon, too Yes, because everything's there now ) - - - -
"Ban."
He sat within a high backed chair, before an incredibly large computer screen. For a moment, she doubted he could actually use it - after all, that is what she was there for. He simply did all the battling! She dismissed the thought as she crossed the room, closing the distance between herself and him.
"Ban." She repeated and, upon receiving no answer, nudged gently at his upper arm. It slipped from the armrest and dangled lifelessly at the side of the chair. She stared at it briefly, before trying once more - though definitely lacking the words.
The chair turned this time and, soon, he faced her. Void of emotion, void of - everything. His face was a blank, as though the area itself never existed. A patch of white, pasted upon the frame she knew so very well.
She didn't move though. She smiled and leaned forward, placing a hand upon the side of the nonexistent face. She ran her fingers lightly upon his cheek, her lips now moving though the words going unheard.
His hand took a hold of hers, surprising her and startling her. She jerked back, attempting to free herself, though failing miserably. He didn't let go and wouldn't.
"Haven't anything else to say?" He hissed and stood upright, shoving her forward and twisting her arm roughly behind her back. She wailed, the noise once more going unheard. The wail soon became a scream, as the cool, bony hand of - someone slid about her throat, long, feminine nails digging into either side of her throat.
She gagged - this noise came out clearly, surprising her even more, and made an attempt to use her other arm, to possibly pull his hand away. This man, who ever it may have been, dug his thumb nail deeper into the skin and lowered his head, dipping in toward her ear, as though sharing some large secret.
Pale, white strands brushed against her shoulder. She shivered and squeezed her eyes closed. Prozen.
"He's not here to save you now, is he?"
Maybe he was wrong. Through the door she had entered in - had she entered from that door? - came her other savior. He who now worried of her well being, herself in general. He smiled and the hand, the hand, which held a grip so violently upon her throat, broke away.
Though she bled.
- - - - kono mama toki ga tomareba ii to arifureta kotoba de negai o kometa dore dake kimi o mitsumeteitemo ano koro no you ni boku ni hohoemikakeru ( "I hope time stops like this," I wished with my simple words No matter how much I gaze at you You smile at me, like you did back then ) - - - -
"Have you ever wondered," He was shook from his sleep by her voice. It was close - right beside him, maybe, and trembling furiously. He exhaled through his nose; concealing whatever startled look he was preparing to spout and opened his eyes. She was right beside him. "Why we have nightmares?"
She was flushed and looking incredibly tired. Her eyes were puffy, as well - whether from sleep, or crying, he couldn't exactly tell. His brows knit together in confusion and he leaned around her to toy with the switch, turning the bedside lamp on. He silently swore and reminded himself to change the bulb later; it was terribly dull.
"Are you okay?" He withdrew his arms and rubbed at his eyes, before pushing himself upright. Maybe he was dreaming, still. She followed in suit with his action, rising swiftly from her seated position just beside his bed and to her feet. She looked back toward the door and swiftly considered leaving. She shouldn't have woken him; it was just a dream, after all. "What's wrong, Fiona?"
"Dreaming." She answered with a smile - a faint, shadow of a smile, and wrung her hands together. He canted his head in confusion at her and pulled his legs in toward his body, unsure of how, exactly, he was supposed to react. She took no time in demonstrating, as she lowered herself to the bed top just below his feet, her hands still tightly clasped together. "I didn't intend to wake you, Thomas. I'm sorry."
"It's only right that you did," He still remained confused, though took matters into his own hands. He unraveled the blanket from around herself and draped it over her shoulders, much as he had done earlier that day. "I'm glad you did."
"I dreamt of you," She supplied cheerfully and her smile brightened, though dulled just as swiftly. He would have smiled, if her own weren't so fleeting. Instead, he remained quiet, watching her raptly. She sighed and tugged the edges of the blanket around her tighter.. "It was pleasant, for a short while."
"I'm here." He forced a smile and motioned toward himself to emphasize this fact. She narrowed her eyes in thought as she watched this, soaking in the gesture, the fluid motion. Though she still sighed. "I'm fine."
"I know." She was irregularly quiet as she sunk deeper into the blanket. He blinked, his confusion definitely not lifting. And it only grew heavier as she leaned toward him and encircled her arms about his midsection, drawing him into a gentle hug. He frowned - her being sweet was normal, her talking sweet was normal, but, her hugging him?
The only thing that snapped him back into reality was the fact that she was whimpering and trembling furiously. Had her dream been that bad? He curled his arms around her and rubbed gently at her back, murmuring gentle shushing noises in an attempt to calm her.
She quieted and even soon grew still, though her grip never fell slack. She buried her face into his chest and uncurled one of her hands, coaxing and rubbing gingerly at her neck. He didn't release her and nor did he push her away. He looked down at her briefly, surprised entirely by the fact that she was, as well, looking up at him. He blushed and would have looked away, if she didn't frown so heavily.
Well. He was waiting for a time when he knew her response wouldn't be negative, right? And - maybe she would take it the wrong way. Maybe she would laugh and it would cheer her up, ignoring the fact that his pain was definitely apparent..
He grimaced at this thought and, before he could bother to control himself, he was definitely murmuring a gentle, "I love you."
I just - Ohh, nooo..
He watched her expression dramatically change, though it didn't look all that bad. Or bad, at all. Her smile was off complete effulgence, though she let out another quiet, even sigh and lowered her head down upon his chest once more. His blood froze and he blinked repetitively, as though to clear his vision - maybe he was seeing things, because she didn't run away, and maybe he was hearing things, because she didn't respond, and maybe -
"I hope time stops like this." She spoke quietly, possibly louder than it came out to be, as he could almost feel her words dissipate into his nightshirt. She curled her arms tighter around him and sighed - contentedly, quite possibly! No From what he heard, no longer did the trembling fear of her nightmare radiate outward, affecting the words. "I don't.. need to say more, do I?"
- - - - ano hi ano toki no mama tsuzukeba ii to arifureta kotoba ni negai o kometa ima nara kimi ni akaseru darou boku no naka ni aru sunao na kono omoi o iroase wa shinai kara.. ( "I hope things continue like that day, like that time," I filled my wish into simple words Only now I can tell you Because the true feelings inside of me Won't just fade away.. ) - - - -