"Meryl?" a soft question broke the bright and nearly silent night, "Are you awake?"
The voice was answered by a noncommittal moan and Milly scooted higher on her cot-like bed on the opposite side of the hotel room.
"Meryl?" she whispered so loud it could hardly be called so.
"I already said 'yes,' Milly," she heaved a sigh of annoyance, but her back kept faced to her partner while she stared drowsily at the wall.
"No, I mean… I want to ask you a question."
Meryl rolled her eyes part way before turning to face her partner, reluctantly mind you. Milly lay on her stomach, arms under the pillow and clenching it beneath her tilted head. Her large aqua eyes sparkled in the moons-light, or they gave off a light of their own. They glistened. Immediately, Meryl's sharp look faded, as did the sleep deprived and nagging corners of her mind. Milly certainly was not feeling right if she was crying. It was abnormal to see the big girl doing little else than smile. Lord, she even grinned in her sleep!
"Alright. Shoot."
Milly looked down at her pillow as she began, "Do you… ever miss your family, sempai?"
"Of course I don't," she replied, bringing Milly's chin up to meet her pained eyes to Meryl's hardened ones. She did not like that look, so she attempted to explain, "I'm a grown woman!"
Milly made a soft noise of recognition in the back of her throat, rolling her face to wall without moving her body. Meryl closed her eyes, concentrating as hard as ever to catch the elusive "Sleep While On Vash Duty". But sleep did not come as quickly as she wanted. Hell, sleep just plain did not come. Something wrong settled in her heart, softening it and prodding her mind to consider more deeply her answer.
"Never, sempai?" she heard Milly say softly on a puff of air. Meryl opened her eyes and caught her purile partner's gaze again, "You never miss home?"
"Well… sometimes I do, I guess."
She looked into those childlike eyes again. They did not seem quite as annoying or stupid. No, there was a purity there that was beautiful when coupled with the girl's vague intelligence. The sweet light blue glimmered back with a bit more cheeriness. There was that constant smile.
"I miss mine," she answered back, that happiness not hidden from her voice. Meryl simply had to return the little grin, sleepy as she was.
"But… do you know what, sempai?"
"What, Milly?" she asked, settling her head back into her fluffed pillow and preparing herself from some heavy duty beauty rest (which she felt she more than deserved).
"When you're around, I…. I don't," Milly yawned audibly and the springs creaked beneath her as she settled into a mezzo-fetal position, "G'night, Meryl."
"Good night," Meryl replied, but continued to stare at the wall until sunrise began to paint it gold and warm pastels with the ascending suns. Her heart, again, felt off. Something strange and warm that prodded at her mind again. This was different, though. This was… nice. Not a bad feeling. And, as sleep finally took her over completely, she figured out what it was. Love.