Disclaimer: Do not own!
A/N: Okay, so there's spoilers for this story, you have been warned! Other then that, enjoy!
To a Distant Silhouette
The amusement park was shining with neon-light colors, blue, red, purple, orange. We were there just this afternoon, having a relaxing time without thinking about what we should do for once. Not to mention it's snowing tonight.
Altamira looked beautiful under the snow. With the night sky acted as a black cloak, the white snow stood out brilliantly against it. I was instantly mesmerized by the magnificence of the sight.
"Whoa, how pretty…" I mumbled, catching the snow in my hand.
"Lloyd!"
A voice called out, and I turned to find my friend, Colette, coming towards me.
"Oh hey, Colette!" I said smiling as she walked closed.
"What're you doing here all by yourself? Everyone's going to bed," She said, now standing besides me. "I came out to look for you."
"Thanks, but I'm just here to watch the snow," I said honestly, grinning at the same time.
"It's surprising even in Altamira, that it snows," she agrees, also tilting her head upward to marvel at the snowing sky.
"Yeah, I guess I'm just excited to see them, since snow is so rare back in Sylvarant, "I said grinning bigger, "Especially in Iselia, I've never seen it before!"
Colette's clear giggles rang through the chilly air. "You're right, Lloyd! It never snowed in Iselia!"
I nodded happily. Maybe that's the reason that I'm always fond of snow. Since I don't get to see it too often in my life, it's always a joy to experience it.
Or maybe…there's a feeling of familiarity? I'm not sure, to be exact, but it always felt that I've seen it a long time ago. Then again, I could be wrong since it never snowed Iselia.
Colette was sniffing besides me, looks like she's having a raining nose.
"It's getting cold, maybe you should go back to the inn."
"Okay, I think I'll go back," Colette said sweetly, " Are you coming, Lloyd?"
I hesitated and thought a bit.
"I think I'll stay out for a bit. You go on ahead."
"Okay, but come back inside before you catch a cold!" she said sincerely, and I smiled, waving a hand at her.
"Don't worry, I won't."
Colette skipped down the pedestal and down the stairs. She turned to give me another wave before disappearing into the night. I turned and continued to be fascinated by the night view. As more and more snow fell, I reached out and examined it. My eyes lit up with excitement.
"Oh hey! It's snowflakes!" I exclaimed, "it feels like it's been a long time since I've seen these…"
Again I have no idea why, since it never snowed when I was back in Slyvarant. But I just knew that I've seen snowflakes somewhere before.
I was probably too focused in what I was holding, so I didn't notice the swift sound besides me.
"You like snow?"
"Huh? Yea-"
I turned on my instinct, and what I saw was the mercenary who've betrayed us, one of the four seraphim, who's name was…
"K-K-K-" I pointed my finger at him, "Kratos! What are you doing here?!"
The said angel looked at me with his usual indifferent expression.
"Does my presence disturbs you?"
"No-I mean, yes!" I said, a little panicky. I guess I was just surprised to see him here in Altamira, and about every time he pops up.
Come to think of it, what was he up to anyway? First he deceive us at the Tower of Salvation, then he saves us from Pronyma and Yuan, then gave us hints at Sybak…
Dammit, what was I suppose to believe? As much as I don't want to admit it, I actually thought of him as my friend. Even more so, I looked up to him as a big brother who's willing to give me advise not only on swords, but on ways of life.
The one who told me not make mistakes, told me how I can become stronger with feelings that makes me want to protect my friends, the one who told me to carry on with my exsphere even after I found out the truth behind them…I've had a hard time thinking that they were all lies at the end.
My emotions must've get to me, I was feeling hot on the cheeks and my breathing became heavy.
"If you're working with Yggydrasill, then why did you help us and gave us hints?" I demanded, "answer me, Kratos!"
He looked at me without saying a word, then for a brief second, his eyebrows seemed to flinch. And with another second, he was closing in on me. I nudged away reflexively.
"W-what are you-"
Then out of the blue, he grabbed me on the shoulder and pulled me towards him. I should've never had my guard down, but somehow, deep down, I thought he wouldn't hurt me.
He merely touched my forehead with his.
I stared, feeling the time had froze and my body unmovable like stone. He pulled away.
"How long have you been out here? You're having a fever!" It's his term to be harsh, eyes narrowing altogether.
"Fever? I am?"
Before I could do anything about it, a pull on my arm and I was yanked briskly behind him.
"W-where are you taking me?!" Jogging slightly behind him to keep up, my breathing felt faster and heavier. Maybe I really was getting sick.
"To the hospital," he said without looking back.
"Hey wait! I said wait up!"
A trance-like aura washed over me. What…where, have I experience this?
"Daddy, daddy!" I said to a man who held my hand, "Wait!"
The man seemed to notice and looked down. "What is it, Lloyd? Am I walking too fast?"
I nodded, and the man smiled. He slows down a few paces, and walked along side with me.
"Is this better, Lloyd?"
"Yes, daddy!" I answered with a big grin.
"Wait up," I said once again with these strange nostalgic feelings. Then out of nowhere, my mouth blurted out something I didn't even imagine of saying.
"Dad."
What? Where did that come from?!
Kartos stopped abruptly, and I almost crashed to his back. I suddenly felt embarrassed, because there's no doubt he heard my mumbling.
He turned slowly, staring at me with an unreadable expression. I gaped back, but felt stupid for doing it.
"What? What are you looking at? I was just mumbling," I said defensively. There's nothing wrong for someone to miss his dad anyway, right? I haven't been able to go back to Iselia ever since I started out on this journey.
He studied me a little longer, then with a shift of eyes, he turned on his heels. Was it my imagination or did his eyes showed pain?
"I see," he said, hauling me once again.
"Hey! I'm fine! Really!"
Of course, he was oblivious to my pleads. Then I realized something trudging its way towards us.
"Noishe!" I yelled eagerly to the animal. Maybe I could tell Noishe to take me back to the inn!
"Good timing, Noishe," Kratos reached out and scratched Noishe's ears gently, letting it nozzle it's head against his hand. "Please tell Lloyd's friends that he'll be staying in the Altamira infirmary for tonight."
After hearing these words, Noishe trot away without even looking back at me.
I went speechless. What?! That Kratos, how can he just buy off Noishe like that?! Noishe was suppose to be on my side!
"Noishe, you traitor!" I yelled after the dog-like creature, but only to get pulled once again by the seraph in front of me.
"I said I'm fine! I'm going back to the inn!"
"You're sick, and that's not where you belong," he answered monotonously.
That's it, I've had enough. I jerk off his hand that was on my arm.
"Who are you to decide where I'm going to stay? Stop sounding like you care!" I bit my lips. "Dammit, Kratos! You're suppose to be our enemy! So act like one!"
He stood there and watched me, those eyes still impassive and solemn. I gawk back at him, both of us waiting for each other to break the silence.
At last, he said, "Do you wish for me to be your enemy?"
What do you want me to say? Could I say no? If I did that then how would I face Collette, the one you've tried to hurt, and all the others who's trying to stop the Cruxis? However I find it unbearable, the truth was, you betrayed us.
My lips were shaking, and my head feels like it was about to explode. Everything spun around like Mary-go-around, and my vision was starting to blur. Not good, at this rate I will…
"Lloyd!"
I heard Kratos yelled. Strange, there was this eerie, blurry image of a man that I saw in front of me, just before I sank into the depth of unconsciousness.
It's "him" again.
Who was he?
---------------------------------------------------
…
…
…Why and how and who?…
"Hehehehahaha!" I giggled, feeling happy and gullible.
"No squirming now, Lloyd. And no pulling on my hair," he said, holding my shoulders to steady me. He pulled me close to him.
Warmth on my forehead. A sense of secure and tenderness connects through us.
"Good," he said, pulling back, "You had us worried."
He tapped me on the head with his fingers, "Didn't I tell you not to overdo yourself in the snow? It is good that we came back in time, or you might have gotten a cold."
I stuck my tongues out apologetically at him. "Sowie, daddy!"
"It's fine now. Go to sleep, Lloyd," he said, pulling the blanket up on top of me.
"Daddy, peek-a-boo!" I said, raising both of my hands in the air.
"No peek-a-boo, sleep."
"Tomoro, daddy?"
He paused, then gave me a faint smile.
"Sleep now, Lloyd."
…Who are you?…
A hand caressed my hair as I fell asleep. The man said, "Sleep well, son."
…I couldn't see his face. Even though I think he's an important person to me, I couldn't see it. From the beginning to finish, he was a distant silhouette that always embedded in the abyss of my memory.
In my slumber I felt a hand on my head, the same affection emitting from someone I've known so long ago.
"Sleep well, Lloyd."
…Who are you?…
---------------------------------------------------------
Lloyd…
Lloyd…
Lloyd!!
I opened my tired eyes and found my friends surrounded around me. I was in a bed, and the smell of medicine told me that I'm in the hospital.
"Everyone…?" I managed weakly, Colette was the first to speak up.
"Lloyd, we were worried about you! When we set outside to look for you again, Noishe came and lead us here," she explained.
"Dude, you've got some frostbites too," Zelos said, "You have a room at the inn, you know?"
"Anyway," Sheena interjected, "It's good that everything's okay now, good thing you came to be treated right away."
"Yes, the doctor said you'll be fine by tomorrow," professor Raine told me, "Now just rest for tonight."
I nodded dozily, still not fully aware of the situation. But it's starting to come back to me. Right, I was watching the snow, then I got sick, then Kratos…
"Kratos!" I snapped suddenly, everyone jumped.
"Kratos?" Regal inquired.
"You have seen the seraphim, Lloyd?" Presea stated more as a comment then a question.
"Err, no, I…"
Oh nuts, I think I blew it. I shouldn't have told them about that, since he didn't do anything to me anyway. In fact, he was the one who discovered my fever.
The memory of us touching foreheads came back.
But I'm not so sure that the rest of the group would believe me that easily, will they? Told them how he was just trying to drag me to the hospital won't do me good, right?
"I mean, I thought I saw him, so I followed, but it wasn't him," I corrected myself, mentally scolding myself for breaking the dwarven vow.
"Oh, no wonder you were out in the snow that long," Genis figured.
"Y-yeah," I said, averting my best friend's eyes, "I guess I outdid myself."
"Well," professor said again, "We'll let you rest now, Lloyd. We'll come by next morning."
Gradually the gang leaves the room and I was alone. I looked up at the ceiling, unable to fell back to sleep.
I wanted that nostalgic feeling back, the one I vaguely remembers in my dream. I've felt it yet I've lost it, will I be able to find it back if I dream again? In the realm of unreality, will I see "him" again?
My hand moved its way to my forehead…
Outside the hospital, the snow was falling again, forming beautiful snow flakes on the windows.
…and the warmth was still there.
-The End-
A/N: coughLloydhewasrightinfrontofyoucough Eh, I know only Flanoir has a hospital, but I thought since Altamira is a major city, it's got to have some kind of medical facility right? ; Or maybe it already does but I can't remember. ;;
Hope this isn't too bad, despite the lack of fluffiness...still hope you all liked it!