Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia. Like usual.
A Star of the NightHoo- hoot.
I jerked awake as an owl call sounded throughout the night. I silently scolded myself for almost falling asleep. I was supposed to be the night watch tonight! It was probably a bad idea for me to volunteer when I was so tired, but I was willing to do almost anything to stay awake.
But, oh, how I wanted to sleep. For the past week and a half, though, I had been having issues at night, and so I forced myself to ignore the sweet beckons of slumber.
So here I was now, sitting on the hard ground, staring into the fire, as I tried not to fall asleep. I wanted my blanket very badly, but I knew that if I put it on I might slip away...
Hmm.
I would just have to endure it.
After a careful glimpse around the area, I stared up at the sky in order to pass the time. Spatters of stars shone in the dark night. I could see many constellations even if I could not name them all. It didn't matter, though, because I simply admired the beauty of the dots. It was comforting to know that somewhere out there, there was some sort of light.
My grandfather used to tell me that whenever someone needed help, Martel would throw down a star to give to the person in need. Then something good would happen to that person.
I smiled to myself and recalled an old song I had learned as a child. How did it go again? Oh, right…
"A star of the night / To escape from your plight," I sang softly. "For a lesson well-learned / Take this star you have earned. / But never leave behind / Your heart and your mind. / Bring them with your star. / The trio will go far. / So here is a star of the night / To escape from your plight…"
I sighed wistfully. Wouldn't it be nice to receive a blessing of a star for every curse? But then the sky would be empty, I suppose.
"That was pretty, honey."
I jumped in surprise, and I turned to see the one and only Zelos Wilder watching me from across the fire. My eyes widened, and I felt my cheeks heat up to an impossible level on the blush radar.
"Wh-why were you listening to me, Zelos?" I accused, embarrassed. "You should've told me you were there!"
He shrugged, but there was a twinkle in his eye and a mischievous grin on his face.
"If I had said something, then I wouldn't have had the honor of hearing your lovely voice, Sheena," he teased.
"Sh-shut up!" I mumbled, shamefaced. "My voice is not lovely, you idiot."
Zelos stretched rather attractively and came to sit next to me. He nudged my arm gently with his elbow.
"I beg to differ," he said.
I blushed a little harder, but I just rolled my eyes and changed the subject because there was no use arguing with that man.
"What are you doing up?" I asked him.
"Well, I could ask you the same thing," he replied.
I looked up questioningly.
"Zelos, I'm the night watch, not the day watch, remember?" I pointed out, raising an eyebrow.
He chuckled and leaned back on his hands.
"Thanks for the info-bit, dear," he said. "You have the sweetest tongue."
I glared irritably and hugged my knees to my chest. It was a bit chilly out here.
My heart palpitated for a second when I felt Zelos shift closer.
"No, but seriously, Sheena," the redhead continued. "What's wrong?"
"What are you talking about?" I replied evasively.
"Babe, you know exactly what I'm talking about. And I'd kinda like to know too."
I shrugged.
"Sheena," Zelos said softly. "Why haven't you been sleeping lately?"
I looked up at Zelos sharply. I narrowed my eyes and studied his eyes as if trying to find an answer.
"You noticed?" I asked at last.
Zelos nodded.
After another moment of scrutiny, I sighed and looked away. I folded my arms across my chest and leaned into my knees.
"I'm fine enough," I said. "And I don't want to talk about it."
I froze as Zelos moved even closer, so close that I could feel the warmth radiating from his body. The heat invited me in, but I refrained from leaning into my friend. A bit of cold was nothing I couldn't handle. I was a Summoner and a ninja, and it was high time I acted like one.
"Hey."
A warm hand turned my face, and I was forced to look at Zelos. His blue eyes were penetrating and tongue-loosening, and I almost poured out my heart to him right then and there.
"Sheena-hunny, tell me what's wrong," the handsome man commanded in an almost-whisper.
His voice was so alluring, and the feel of his hot breath on my cheek was just too much.
"That's not fair," I said in defeat. "You can make me tell you almost anything."
"Of course I can," he said in mock arrogance. "I'm your soul mate, remember?"
A small smile crept across my face, and Zelos released my face and returned the smile.
"You wish," I muttered.
"Every day," he replied playfully. "But one day…"
He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, and I laughed quietly.
"You're completely impossible," I said.
"Only the better to tease you with, my dear."
"More like torture," I said under my breath.
Zelos chuckled again, but then he returned to the original subject matter.
"So," he said. "What's up?"
I changed my position to Indian-style, and I fidgeted with my hands in my lap.
"I—I've been—I just…"
My face fell, and to my surprise, I felt tears pool in my eyes. I looked up into Zelos' smooth face, and a tear slid down my cheek. I sniffled, and I made my confession in a whisper.
"I've been having nightmares."
I couldn't look away from Zelos' captivating gaze. I reached up a hand to wipe away my tears, and I forced myself to look down.
"I mean," I went on. "It's nothing new, because I've always had nightmares, but lately they've been really bad, and—and they come every time I sleep now, so I've been trying to stay awake, but it's not really helping…"
A sob and a shudder went through me, and I tried to pull myself together. Zelos was silent, and I wondered what he was thinking. I suddenly felt his hand on my back, though, and he rubbed it comfortingly. Unfortunately for me, the sweet gesture wiped away my walls of self-defense, and another sob escaped my throat. I took a few deep breaths, and I managed to keep my tears at bay.
"Sorry," I said, wiping my eyes again. "I'm being stupid. I shouldn't—"
"Sheena, it's okay," Zelos interrupted. "Stop putting yourself down. Just let your feelings out for once, okay?"
I could only nod, but I still tried not to cry. I was tougher than this! It was useless, though, and I shut my eyes as more tears slid down my cheeks.
I was warm suddenly as Zelos enveloped me in his arms. I slid my legs to the side of me, and I leaned against Zelos. I trembled in his arms, and I clutched his pink tunic and hid my face in his chest. Soon, his shirt was soaked with tears.
I cried only for about five minutes, and then I managed to regain my composure. However, I remained sniffling in Zelos' arms. And with my head against his shoulder, I was finding it hard to keep my eyes open.
"Those must be some pretty bad nightmares," Zelos said quietly.
I nodded a little, and Zelos tilted my chin up and looked into my eyes.
"And what are your nightmares about?" he asked.
My eyes widened, and I felt a little panicked.
"I—I don't want to—please don't make me think about them—please—" I pleaded.
My breathing picked up, and I closed my eyes in fear.
"Sheena, relax, honey," Zelos said firmly but gently. "You don't have to tell me anything. It's okay."
I clutched Zelos' shirt again, and I tried to calm down. I desperately tried to block out memories of my recent nightmares.
"Sheena," Zelos murmured.
I couldn't reply as I was too busy pushing away pictures in my head.
"Sheena, stop shaking, and try to breathe," my friend continued.
After a few moments, I calmed. But I was so tired. I yawned into Zelos' chest and struggled to keep my eyes open. And Zelos' hand that was stroking my hair wasn't exactly helping. Soon, I was in a sluggish state of being in which I was almost incapable of moving. I doubt very much I could have fought off any monsters that came our way.
But, wait! What was I doing?
"No," I gasped, and I jerked awake all the way. "Zelos, I can't go to sleep. At all."
My friend continued to hold me to him as I looked up worriedly into his blue eyes.
"Tell you what, Sheena," he offered quietly. "I'll be the watch for now. You can go to sleep for a while. And if anything happens, I'm right here. You can't put off sleep forever because it's not healthy, honey."
"B—but…" I whispered, terrified at the very thought.
"I'm right here, okay?" Zelos said. "Just go to sleep. I won't let anything happen to you."
"I don't know," I whispered, resting my head against his chest again, but he had already won the battle, for the moment I closed my eyes, I was asleep.
XXX
Running. Always running.
Darkness, all around me.
Suddenly, I fell to the ground. I couldn't get back up, and someone grabbed me and held me down. I couldn't move, I couldn't breathe, I couldn't do anything.
Then my friends were there, standing around my fallen form. They didn't see as enemies grabbed them and killed them all, one by one. My friends fell to the ground, except for one—Zelos. He stood and stared at me silently.
Leave! I thought. You'll get killed if you stay!
But he stood there, and suddenly an enemy grabbed him.
No! I wanted to scream, but I couldn't make a sound.
The enemy cut Zelos' throat, and I was horrified beyond reality as he fell to the ground, dead.
And finally I could talk.
XXX
"No!" I screamed. "No! No! No! No!"
"Sheena!"
I froze suddenly at the sound of someone's voice. I blinked, and I found myself looking up into a beautiful blue set of eyes.
"Zelos?" I said in disbelief.
My friend's face relaxed, and he nodded.
"Yup. It's me," he assured me.
I didn't know what to say, and I unexpectedly began to shake uncontrollably.
"Sheena?" Zelos said, but I didn't respond.
"What's going on?"
Zelos turned his head at the sound of Lloyd's voice.
"Yo, Lloyd," he said. "Can you cover the watch for a while?"
"Uh, yeah," Lloyd answered. "Whatever."
"Thanks, bud," Zelos said, and he suddenly lifted me up into his arms, bridal-style. "We'll be back."
"Whatever," Lloyd reiterated.
I closed my eyes and clutched Zelos' shirt with shaking fists.
"Hold on, Sheena," my friend murmured.
He stopped suddenly, and he sat down cross-legged and dropped me into his lap. I opened my eyes, and Zelos studied my face.
"Are you okay, honey?" he asked quietly.
I nodded.
"Yeah," I said, struggling to keep it together. "I just—oh, Zelos, I was so scared!"
I burst into tears for the second time that night, and Zelos held me to him in the warm circle of his arms, whispering soothing words and rubbing my back gently. I sobbed into the man's shirt, resoaking it with tears. I cried until all that was left was the occasional sniffle and whimper.
More time passed, and soon I was completely silent and still in Zelos' lap, listening to his steady heartbeat. The rhythm comforted me immensely, and I grew sleepy at the hypnotic sound. But if I fell asleep…
"Hey, Sheena?" Zelos said suddenly.
"What is it?" I asked, opening my eyes with effort.
"Hun, what happens in your nightmares?"
I sagged a little, and I kept my head against my friend's chest as I spoke.
"Each one is different," I admitted at last. "You probably wouldn't think they were scary because they've been touching on all of my fears, but they're really scary to me. I don't want to talk about them, though. I usually forget them, anyway. But I do remember the feelings I got from each one, and the feelings were what scared me the most."
Zelos rubbed my upper arm absently while he said what was on his mind.
"That makes sense," he said. "Maybe you need to face some of your fears, babe."
"…"
Zelos chuckled at my unhappy silence.
"Exactly," he said.
I furrowed my brow.
"But how do I face fears that involve someone's death?" I asked, concerned.
"Is that what you dreamed about tonight?" my friend asked, and I nodded.
"Well…"
Zelos was silent, and he appeared to be pondering hard.
"I know!" he exclaimed suddenly.
Uh-oh. I didn't like where this was going. I lifted my head and looked at the redhead's suddenly mischievous face.
"You need a hero to come into your dreams, Sheena!" he clarified. "Such as me."
He put a fist to his heart and looked off into the distance epically.
"I, the Great Drop-dead Gorgeous Zelos Wilder, swear to come into your dreams and protect you, my sweet banshee."
He looked down at me with a twinkle in his eyes.
"What do you think?" he asked.
"…"
"Sheena, don't look at me like that!" he cried. "You're hurting my self-esteem."
I raised an eyebrow.
"Zelos, I don't think that's possible," I said tartly.
The ridiculous man pulled a despaired expression.
"What am I supposed to do now?" he asked. "Resort to low occupations such as taking out garbage and scrubbing toilets? I can't possibly go on as a hero if my favorite D.I.D. won't accept me."
"D.I.D.?" I asked in some confusion.
"Damsel in Distress."
"Zelos!" I said in disbelief. "I'm not your damsel in distress! And if you don't stop calling me names, then you'll be the one in distress."
Zelos looked at me with mock hopelessness.
"Garbage and toilets, here I come," he said.
I burst out laughing.
"Zelos, you're so weird!" I laughed.
The redhead smiled naughtily.
"That's how the ladies like me," he said slyly. "I mean, haven't my seductive tendencies drawn you in?"
"You mean 'perverted' tendencies?" I corrected him, still laughing.
A slow, pleasant smile warmed up Zelos' handsome face.
"All the better to attract hunnies with, my dear," he teased good-naturedly.
"Zelos, you need some new lines," I pointed out.
"Nonsense," he said in a snobby voice. "I am Pick-up Artiste of the year…of forever."
"But you already used that one earlier!" I said skeptically.
He smirked and brought his face down to mine.
"I can't help it if you dazzle the living daylights out of me, Sheena," he said.
I blushed a deep shade of red.
"You idiot…" I mumbled, covering my face with my hand.
Why did he have to throw me off-balance with stupid statements like that? How was I supposed to handle him? He knew those things always made me uncomfortable.
"At least I'm a sexy idiot," he said.
"…"
"Sheena! What's up with all the hurtful silences tonight?"
"You asked for them," I replied, shrugging.
"Well, since you're my favorite hunny," the redhead said. "I guess I can let it slide, just this once."
I rolled my eyes.
"Mm-hmm," I said.
Zelos' chest vibrated with soft laughter. He was silent then, and I realized how tired I was. My body felt like lead, to tell the truth, and my eyes were starting to close again…
I opened my eyes and yawned. I couldn't go back to sleep, at least not for tonight. Maybe tomorrow. I struggled to keep my eyes open, and I studied Zelos' exphere for a distraction.
I blinked suddenly when I realized Zelos had said something.
"Huh?" I asked stupidly, toying with his exphere.
"Are you ready to go back, my banshee?" he repeated.
"Yeah," I responded sleepily. "And stop calling me that."
"I'll think about it," he said lightly.
He stood slowly and carried me back to camp. I hid my face between his shoulder and his neck, not wanting to talk to anyone who may have been awakened by my earlier screaming.
As I expected, Lloyd spoke.
"Is everything…okay?" I heard him ask hesitantly.
"Yeah," Zelos nodded. "Everything's fine now, bud. You can go back to sleep."
"Whatever," Lloyd mumbled, and he probably fell straight to sleep.
Zelos stopped walking then, and he lowered me gently onto a bedroll. He began to cover me up, but I stopped him.
"Wait!" I said, clutching his shirt. "Zelos, I'm not going to sleep."
"Sheena-hunny, you're almost a zombie," he said. "You're going to get sick if you don't sleep."
My face fell.
"But…but…" I whispered. "I can't. At least not tonight."
Zelos' intelligent blue eyes studied me for a moment thoughtfully.
"I have a better idea, honey," he finally offered up. "What if I stay with you for a while?"
I bit my lip and looked away.
"Sheena?"
I looked back up at the man, and he looked down at me.
"How will that help?" I asked doubtfully.
Zelos shrugged.
"I'm not sure," he confessed. "But it's worth a try, isn't it?"
I sighed.
"Uh…okay…" I said nervously. "Just don't do anything stupid."
Zelos smiled.
"I wouldn't dream of it, Sheena," he assured me. "No pun intended."
The corners of my mouth lifted a little, and I nodded.
Zelos slid under the covers with me. I was on my back, and Zelos lay on his side and hooked an arm around my ribs and snuggled up into my side. He used his other arm for a pillow, and his face was close to my ear.
"Just go to sleep, okay, Sheena?" he said softly. "I'll be right here if you need me, and I'll come if you call."
I was too sleepy to pick apart and analyze the last part of his statement, so I just nodded. I closed my eyes then, and I tried to sleep. I had never felt so comfortable and safe and warm inside and out.
Mm, I thought to myself before I slipped away. I could get used to this.
With that last thought on my mind, I drifted off to sleep.
And for once, I didn't have another nightmare.
Instead, I dreamed of Zelos walking around on the beach in his Pick-up Artist outfit, telling everyone how hot he was.
Author's note: Thanks for reading! If you happened to like it, I would love a review. XD -SC