STORY TITLE: Smiling in the Snow
RATING: T
- T a l e s of G r a c e s * Malik x Kurtz * -
GENRE: Friendship, Hurt / Comfort, Angst
CHARACTERS: Malik Caesars, Kurtz + Other characters occasionally
SYNOPSIS: A man walking down the road home after work meets another; this man was injured and now has no memories. All he knows is that his name is Kurtz. - AU: MalikxKurtz -
NOTICE: Not really connected to Tales of Graces (hence, Alternative Universe).
DISCLAIMER: I in no way claim ownership over the characters, Tales of Graces, nor the Tales of Series! (I seriously wish I did...) Everything goes to the Tales of Studio and Namco Bandai Games! Please support them by purchasing the Tales of Series Games and the release of games coming back to the US! (*ready for Graces F in English*)
~ - ~ T a l e s of G r a c e s ~ S m i l i n g in the S n o w ~ - ~
"What a day...!" The man stretched his arms down at his sides, winter coat falling off of his shoulders. He walked down the road connecting the main part of the city and the housing district. He smiled as the snowflakes, fresh and cold, falling on his face. "Huh?"
He turned his head to see another man, leaning on the walls protecting the city from the outside monsters. Blood rushing from a wound on his forehead and down his arms. His white gloves stained red and shirt torn. The man ran over and asked, "Are you okay? What happened?"
The man's eyes were dull and his skin was pale, possibly from the cold of winter or from the untreated wounds. The man examined the other further. The wounds looked fresh, blood still seeping out.
"S-Speak!"
"Wh... What's..." The wounded man started, but could not continue. He leaned back on the wall, breathing heavily. The white streak of hair that covered his right eye moving, from and to his face. His breath very visible in the coldness. The other man put his hand out, speaking, "Let me help you."
~in the w i n t e r~
"My name is Malik." The uninjured man took a warm cloth and washed the blood off of the other man's forehead. Malik held up a roll of bandages and asked, "Where is the wound?"
The man lifted up the section of hair that fell over his right eye. There was an open wound over his right eye; on his forehead. It was deeper of a wound in that spot than across the rest of his forehead. Malik let out a sigh and took the cloth again. He cleaned the area as the man held up his hair. Malik took the roll again and wrapped it across the man's forehead. "Looks like the wound was more serious over your right eye. Is that where you were attacked?"
"I do not know." The man answered.
"You don't?"
The man shook his head.
"What are you in this city for?"
"I do not know."
"How old are you?"
"I don't know."
"Where are you from?"
"I do not know!" The man shouted.
Malik moaned a bit. He started cleaning the man's right arm. "What do you know?"
"My name is Kurtz."
"Kurtz, eh?" Malik put his hand out. "My full name is Malik Caesars. So, I'm guessing that you don't know your way around here?"
"Correct." Kurtz shook Malik's hand, nodding.
"It's a big city." Malik bandaged Kurtz's right arm. He immediately continued to cleaning the left arm. "You won't really be able to get around without someone's assistance." Malik bandaged the left arm. "And you should rest for now."
Kurtz simply nodded.
"Who knows if you've lost anything else." Malik put the bandage roll down. He smiled. "Guess you are lucky I have an empty room. Guest room, I guess." Malik stood up and put the cloth in a basket for laundry and the bandage roll away in a cabinet. He washed his hands in the sink, speaking over the running water. "Being stuck in this city of all places without any memories, not knowing the place, hardly yourself, the likes. Must sucks. Anyways! You can pretty much borrow my stuff."
"...You are a nice man."
"I'm just doing what any person should do for another."
Kurtz looked away.
Malik smiled once more and started for the staircase to his right. "You can do what you want out here. I want your wounds to attempt to heal before you clean up."
Kurtz simply nodded. He could hear Malik's footsteps going up the stairs.
What happened–? Kurtz fell backwards and landed on the floor. He felt a sudden strike of pain. His back wasn't bleeding. He immediately figured it was a bruise. The pain vanished a moment after wards. Kurtz stared at the ceiling, no thoughts running through his mind. No questions. A normal person would have been asking any question they could possibly think of, but Kurtz kept silent the entire time, unless Malik was the one asking questions. Even then, he just answered those questions in a few words. He looked at his right hand. It felt like the blood was still there, even though Malik removed his gloves before starting to clean up.
Kurtz closed his eyes. Nothingness. No thoughts. No questions. Just... black. Pitch black. Memories missing. The only things he had were his name... and Malik Caesars.
The man opened his eyes and turned his head. He could see out the large window where Malik left the curtains open. He could see snowflakes, white, frozen water particles, drifting. They fell slowly, some occasionally hitting the window. He could feel the winter's coldness, even inside. He shivered.
Kurtz closed his eyes again. This time he drifted asleep. He felt a sudden lack of energy. Even tough he couldn't remember what happened, he knew his body was deprived of the energy to stay awake.
A little bit later, Malik came downstairs wearing a loose shirt and pants. His hair was also sticking up, definitely needed to be combed. He was speaking to himself, "Feels good to take a hot shower in the dead of winter."
He noticed Kurtz and simply smiled. "He must be cold. It's freezing down here."
Malik walked over to the closet underneath the staircase and pulled a heavy blanket out. He put it over Kurtz's body and spoke again, "What a day...! Maybe I should get some sleep too."
The man started up the staircase and turned the lights out.
"What a day indeed."
- ~ - e n d ~ - ~