A/N: Hey everyone! This is my first published work on FanFiction. I used to write loads, but was too scared to publish. This story came to me when I couldn't sleep, so I stayed up and wrote it all before I could scare myself into not doing it. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it!
*Spoiler warning: Manga chapter 88-90. Not heavy spoilers, but hints.
*Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, Akizuki Sorata does. Bless her for creating such awesome characters.
"I'm sorry, Zen, but I've chosen a different path now."
Her voice echoed through his ears. He could feel his heart pounding furiously inside of his chest, it was hard to breathe. As his stomach started to turn, he opened his mouth and inhaled sharply.
His eyes flicked open to find himself tangled in a pile of sheets, sweating profusely. Just a dream. As he sat up, he felt a dampness at the corners of his eyes, which he brushed away with his forearm. What a terrible dream. I've been having so many nightmares since coming to Wilant. He groaned as he looked at the pocket watch he kept next to his bed; the watch Shirayuki had given him three years ago. Great, its 4am. What am I supposed to do now? I don't want to go back to sleep, that's for sure…
A little voice popped into his head. Go see Shirayuki. Despite all of the reasons he had not to, he wanted to more than anything; justifying it as merely taking a morning walk, he got up and began pacing down the hallway. As he made the final turn that would take him toward her room, his breath hitched and a prickly, warm sweat broke across his skin, making his nightclothes feel stiflingly hot. He felt his heart thudding against his ribs with each step he took. Finally, he reached her door. As he reached for the doorknob, his hand froze. I don't want to wake her up. What if I wake her up?
At that moment, the doorknob rattled and turned, and the door gently creaked open. Zen held his breath. Just when he felt that the entire world had been frozen in time, a high-pitched gasp brought him back to reality.
"Zen?!" Shirayuki's eyes were wide as she examined him through the small opening of the door. She wore a simple, beige nightdress and covered her shoulders with a thick, fringed blanket. Before he could say anything, Shirayuki grabbed Zen's wrist and pulled him into her room. It was warm. The golden light of a single lantern danced along the walls and flickered across their faces.
"What are you doing here? Are you okay?" Shirayuki prodded in a squeaky whisper.
"Uh, yeah," Zen said, scratching the back of his neck and glancing at the floor. "I just had a nightmare, so I was taking a walk through the castle and found myself at your door. I didn't want to wake you up though."
Shirayuki smiled and blushed, turning away so Zen wouldn't notice. "Well, I was already awake. I always get up this early."
"Really? Why?" Zen's eyebrows furrowed as he looked at her. He noticed that her bed was already immaculately made and her clothes for the day sat on top of the quilt.
"I like to start each day by writing in my journal and then enjoying a cup of tea while I watch the sunrise." she replied.
Zen chuckled. "You sound like an old woman."
Shirayuki smiled at that and laughed a little. "What's wrong with that, old man?"
Zen smiled. He felt at ease now that he was with her and she was acting like her usual self. She interrupted his thoughts, adding, "When I opened the door, I was just about to head over to the pharmacy. I left my journal there last night. Want to come get it with me?"
"Sure!" His heart felt so warm. He walked over to her and took her hand as they left. He loved doing small things together, like taking walks. It made him feel as if he was getting an inside look at how Shirayuki lived her life.
Taking great care not to disturb anyone else's sleep, Zen and Shirayuki walked silently to the pharmacy building, their footsteps barely audible. Shirayuki lead them to the pharmacy library, which was dimly lit using only a few gas lamps on the walls. "Here it is!" she exclaimed, grabbing and holding up a thick notebook with a worn, tawny cover.
"Wow, it looks old." Zen remarked.
"Well I'm an old woman, right?" Shirayuki chuckled. "I've actually been writing in this journal once every day since I came to Clarines. It's kind of like a record of my own story. There's only one page left actually, I'll have to start a new journal tomorrow."
Shirayuki handed it to him and he ran his fingers across the rough cover. "Hmm. I like it." Zen smirked mischievously and glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "Is there anything about me in here?"
"Well of course!" Shirayuki exclaimed, oblivious to his joking. "You've been such a huge part of my path!"
Zen's breath hitched for a second as he heard those words. Part of her path.
"Just checking." He smiled.
As they reached the pharmacy doors, Shirayuki paused with her hand on the doorknob and looked up at Zen. "Since you're already awake, would you like to have tea with me and watch the sunrise? I can always write in my journal tonight, and it would be nice to spend some time with you."
"That sounds wonderful, Shirayuki," he said, a grin dancing across his face. "I've been so busy lately, it feels like I've hardly gotten to see you." Zen sighed.
"At least you're nearby now, Mister Ruler of the North. Even seeing you in passing is better than not seeing you for two years." Holding her journal in one hand, she wrapped her arms around him in a warm hug. He put his arms around her small shoulders and placed a kiss on top of her head.
"I definitely agree."
Once they made it back to Shirayuki's room, the sky was starting to lighten. Shirayuki set herself about brewing the tea while Zen skimmed through some of her plant encyclopedias.
"Hey, Shirayuki, what's in the tea you're making?" he asked.
"Dried leaves from a Camellia plant and bit of dried bergamot orange peel that I picked up from a merchant in town. It's not really medicinal, but it's my favorite," she remarked as she poured the boiling water from her kettle into two small, white mugs with delicate, red flowers painted on them.
"It sounds nice," Zen said as she handed him a mug. He curled both hands around its smooth surface, the warmth of the tea seeping into his cold fingers. He watched as red pigment floated out of the tea leaves and swirled around the water, gently changing each clear drop to a welcoming, rust-brown hue. Shirayuki had stolen his heart just like this; slowly, each of her actions leaving an impression until she had made herself an irrevocable part of his path. He had grown so much because of her, and he was so much stronger knowing that she would be by his side.
"Oh, Zen! The sunrise is starting! Let's go out on the balcony and watch it!" Shirayuki interrupted before opening the door and running outside.
Zen started, nearly spilling his tea as he jolted back to reality. "Uh, yeah, that sounds great!" he stumbled, eyes wide.
He walked over and grabbed a blanket from her wardrobe to keep himself warm, then grabbed his mug and met her on the balcony. Setting his steaming mug next to hers on the smooth marble railing, he wrapped the blanket around his shoulders. The fresh northern air danced in his silver hair and chilled his cheeks. Such a peaceful sound.
The hollow whisper of the breeze was interrupted by chattering teeth. Shirayuki must be cold. Zen reached out an arm and wrapped it around her shoulders, bringing her under the blanket with him.
"Thanks." She smiled. "By the way, what was your nightmare about?"
Zen sighed. "I don't know if you want to hear."
"I do. If it will ease your mind at all, I want to hear about it."
"Well—" Zen hesitated. "I dreamt that you decided you no longer wanted me to be a part of your path."
Shirayuki's face furrowed as she turned around to look up at Zen, who kept his gaze high, trying not to make eye contact with her. "You know that's not going to happen right? Zen, look at me!"
He turned his head, his azure eyes welling with tears for the second time that morning. Shirayuki cupped his face with her hand and pierced his gaze with her own. "Zen, I love you. I want to be with you, and I know that I can be with you. I also know that you respect me enough to let me pursue my dreams as an herbalist, and I know that if the day comes where we need to bend the rules a little so that we can both be happy, you won't hesitate. You're a professional rule-bender by now, right?"
Zen snickered and grinned as a tear trickled down his cheek. "I suppose you could say that," he sniffed. "Professional rule-bender and Mister Ruler of the North. I like those titles," he laughed again and wrapped his warm arms around her in a tender embrace. "I love you."
Shirayuki snuggled into his chest. The couple smiled and looked out toward the sunrise, knowing that no matter what the days ahead held, they would be okay. This was the dawn of a new story.