title: yesterday and today
genre: friendship/hurt/comfort
rating: K+
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Pandora Hearts © Jun Mochizuki
notes: I like the relationship between the two. So much. :')
—but drenched in vanilla twilight
I'll sit on the front porch all night
waist deep in thought because when I think of you,
.
.
I don't feel so alone...
It was dim; dimness everywhere.
Leo walked through the empty darkness that surrounded him like no ends. His eyes blinked madly, feel trembling because of a cold, somber feeling that cramped through his chest.
He tried to stabilize himself; his breathing went slower and his eyes were getting used to the darkness.
There was a vague footsteps sound nearby, and Leo listened quietly. Suddenly, he felt a glowing warmth moved to him.
"Leo?" the light gone, and the boy found his master stood in front of him; his eyebrows knitted in questioning manner. "What are you doing here?"
"E-Elliot?" Leo held his breath in surprise. "I, I don't know… suddenly I was here and…"
But he was silenced when Elliot grabbed his arm, and held it tightly. "Come, follow me. Let's get out of here…"
Leo felt warmth spreaded through his veins when the heat of Elliot's fingers touched his hand, and he smiled silently. He fastened his step, when suddenly—he felt Elliot's fingers slipped away, and cold wind blew the bangs on his face.
"Elliot?" he called out slowly. His breathing went faster.
He couldn't feel Elliot's hand on his, and started to get panic. He searched and called his master's name again; and then he found Elliot—standing silently in the distance.
A strange; mesmerizing light surrounded his best friend, like thousand of fireflies.
"Leo…" Elliot reached out his hand, and Leo quickly ran to approach his master. But Elliot slowly faded away, along with the light.
"Elliot!"
The boy smiled solemnly; as if he was going to see Leo for the last time.
"I'm sorry, Leo…"
Their hands finally touched each other, and Leo grabbed his master's arm desperately; when suddenly, Elliot was gone.
"Elliot…!"
SRAK.
Leo opened his eye, and blinked madly. He found himself still in his bed, his blanket sprawled and his breathing choked.
Leo took a deep breath, and quickly glanced to his side—when he found Elliot still sleeping soundly in the bed across him.
Leo sighed in relief. Uh—that was a scary nightmare.
Leo pull his blanket again, and go back to sleep; before prayed silently that when he woke up the next morning, Elliot was there to see him.
"Elliot, don't die. If you died, then I will be alone—" Leo murmured silently, holding his books tighter.
"Leo, did you say something?"
The boy was taken aback from his thought. "Eh, nope," he fastened his steps.
Elliot moved quicker, trying to keep up with Leo's footsteps. "Sorry, I didn't hear that clearly…"
Leo shook his head. "No, it's nothing. Forget it."
The autumn's breeze that smelled like dry leaves surrounding the two. Elliot watched as the wind blew Leo's unkempt hair, and smiled silently.
Leo turned his head, and smiled back to his master. Elliot was surprised.
"Please walk faster," Leo told him. Elliot raised his eyebrows.
"Eh? Why?"
Leo was silent for a while— then, he slow down his footsteps. "Nope. Just forget about it."
( Because I'm afraid that you would disappear from my side, Elliot.)
Elliot stared questioningly at his servant for a moment—but Leo didn't say anything afterwards.
"Why you always cover your eyes, Leo?"
Leo, who was trying to open the butter packs, lifted his head up and looked at his master. "Why are you asking that?"
Elliot shook his head. "To me, you seemed like you're trying to hide something."
Leo took a slice of bread, and cut it into two. He was silent for a moment.
"No. I'm not trying to hide anything."
Elliot raised his eyebrows. "Then why?"
Leo looked at his best friend quietly. He took a deep, long breath.
"I just don't want to see."
Elliot stared at his servant questioningly. "See what?"
Leo smiled; his smile was thin and sad. "The world."
Leo always did his chores perfectly. Elliot observed how his servant made up the bed properly, then he cleaned the floor; and tidy up the books that was being put everywhere in the room.
Elliot, who was sitting on the edge od his bed, ate his chocolate slowly; a curious question rushing back and forth on his mind.
Maybe, it will be just fine to ask Leo about it.
"Leo," he called his best friend softly, and the boy paused his work for a moment. "About the things you've said yesterday…"
"Hm?"
Elliot stared at the chocolate on his hand for a while, and lifted up his head again to look at Leo.
"Why you didn't want to see the world, Leo?"
The boy continued his work, but later he stood silently for a moment. "Hmm…" he mumbled raspily. "I have my own reason."
Elliot held his breath then released it with a solemn noise. "May I… may I know that?"
Leo turned his head, and stared at his master intensely.
"Because the world is a cruel place," said him matter-of-factly. "That's all."
( —because I'm afraid that this was just an illusion, and when I uncover my eyes—you would disappear from my sight… )
Leo continued his work, and Elliot gazed at his servant in silence; Leo's back somehow seemed so vulnerable in his eyes.
Elliot had just walked out of a bookstore when the rain fell; right after he and Leo got outside.
"Uh," Leo quickly clutched the book he bought on his chest. "It's raining, and I forgot to bring the umbrella…"
Elliot grabbed his best friend's hand quickly, and brought him to a café's front door. He took off his jacket—then put it on Leo's shoulder
"Wear it," he told his best friend firmly. Leo looked at him with raising eyebrows.
"How about you…?"
Elliot smiled. "My scarf is warm enough. Beside, you had just recovered from fever yesterday."
Leo looked at Elliot silently, and he finally decided to just wear his jacket.
Elliot glanced at the summary of the book on Leo's hand, knitting his eyebrows. "Huh. That stupid Edgar is just sacrificing himself again."
Leo raised his eyebrows, taking a look on the book's back cover. "Well, yeah. But a knight is supposed to be always ready of sacrifice, right?"
Elliot shook his head. "To me, it's a ridiculous thing."
"Eh?"
Elliot clicked his tongue. "Yeah, all his 'self-sacrifice' is just to please himself, right? How selfish."
"Why?" Leo stared at him questioningly.
Elliot took a deep breath. "What's the point of protecting someone, if you'll just make them suffer in the end?" he stated bluntly. "Surely they won't be happy to see you wounded or died for the sake of protecting them."
The sound of raindrops filled the silence between them. Leo looked at the grey sky above silently; and he found himself agree with his best friend's words.
(The person you loved surely would be left alone if you died because of protecting them, right?)
The cold wind blew his hair, and Leo wondered silently—would Elliot be willing to do anything to protect him, in case if he was in danger?
He glanced at his master, thinking of how strong his back seemed to him—yet his eyes were so gentle, so faithful, so caring.
Leo smiled. Yes, Elliot would do anything to protect him; he was sure of that.
( Except to die.)
Elliot turned his head, and in the midst of rain—he smiled. Silently, Leo prayed, hoping that he could see his smile again; now, tomorrow—and forever.
.
.
FIN
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#np: Owl City - Vanilla Twilight
(jakarta, 19/06/2014)