Goodnight, My Love
Alfred Ashford dashed through the halls of the Antarctic Transport Terminal, feeling a little piece of paper in his pocket. He had to run as fast as he could, before it was too late. Before everything was too late. He couldn't wait for fifteen more years just to give this simple letter. Alfred's mind was telling him to run faster, as fast as he could. Ignore all disturbances and think fast. He was tired, panting, catching his breath, but he kept running. He was desperate to reach her just in time. He didn't want her to think that he forgot, to think that he must still be asleep or resting. Alfred's heart was thumping loudly, a mixture of nervousness, fear, and excitement. He had to get to her. He could punish those who disturbed him later.
Quietly, she hummed to herself, folding a note carefully and setting it aside. The last thing she wanted her brother to know is that she had called him an inept person in her research papers.
"Speaking of brother..." Alexia told herself. "Where is he?"
He'd promise to be there for her before everything went black. Where is he? Alexia crossed the room to prepare her cryostasis pod, one of the very, very few things their father had worked on and become successful. Every few seconds or so, she would throw sideway glances to the door, to see if her brother had arrived. No. He wasn't there. At least, she hoped, not yet. Why would he be absent? She knew that he loved her more than anything in the world, and though she initially thought of him merely as a servant, the last few days were keen of telling her otherwise. Alfred was the only one who loved her, and no one else admired her like him. One last glance at the door, and she sighed. For the first time in her life, Alexia was worried. Maybe because of Alfred. Maybe because someone caught him and shook information out of him. Maybe researchers were running for their lives to this very room.
Best be prepared than take risks, she thought. She sighed, disappointed. She usually didn't miss her brother, but seeing that it will be fifteen years before they look at each other's eyes again, a goodbye is very appropriate for the moment. She threw one last glance at the door, and hesitantly stepped in the open cryo pod, the cold biting her bare skin. Business had to be done, with or without Alfred.
"Goodbye, brother..." she murmured silently, slowly closing her eyes. The pod's doors were about to close (Alexia had access to a button inside the structure), when a voice so familiar, so lovely (at least, now that they were about to say goodbye) that her body, which was slowly submitting to her desire to rest, jolted awake.
"Alexia! Alexia, wait!"
Alfred had always been some sort of klutz, and his twin sister couldn't help but smile as he stormed inside the dimly-lit, contraption-filled room and tripped on the small flight of steps, staring at his sister. He dug in his pockets, still looking amazed at her figure, featuring all the qualities a goddess had, even at a very, very young age. Finally finding what he's looking for, the boy stood up and brushed off his clothes, straightening them. He procured a folded piece of paper from one of his pockets, and, blushing slightly, gave it to his sister.
"A goodbye note, if you will." he told her. She unfolded it and read:
My dearest Alexia,
Fifteen years will you be absent from our humble abode, fifteen years will I endure the pain of not having you with me, fifteen years of being alone, doing whatever each of us has decided to pursue, fifteen years will we be apart. And though I am sure it is not the end of everything, I have kept my secrets for so long. I cannot bear to hide something that has been dwelling inside me, and I am sure that it is time that I let you know. Even at a young age, I have admired you so much ("Ah, Alfred, stating the obvious", Alexia thought to herself) and now, I thought I'd let you know that my admiration has slowly blossomed into something more. I do not know if you share the same feelings as I, but I hope you don't think less of me if I confess.
My lovely Alexia, I love you. So much more than a brother would love his sibling. So much more than a mother would love her children. I love you.
From your brother,
Alfred
She looked up, somewhat amazed from what he had done. A letter he personally gave to her, a letter that told all of the feelings he harbored, a letter that contains everything he used to keep from Alexia, thinking that she will think less of him, especially because his heart is getting the better of him. She thought of how valuable Alfred will be, fifteen years from now, but it struck to her as very insensitive. She looked at Alfred, suddenly realizing how handsome and selfless (at least to Alexia) he was, and how his efforts over the years of trying to show his affection to her would go to waste with a simple sentence. Perhaps it was a product of pity, or maybe it was her own emotions singing, but Alexia's blank face broke into a wide smile, looking straight into her brother's eyes.
"A gift much appreciated, brother." she said. It should have been an awkward moment, for Alexia was unclothed, wearing nothing (she didn't want any article of clothing to wear, thinking that it will be soaking wet once she steps out fifteen years later), but there was no sign of discomfort nor hesitance as she pulled her brother (wearing a shocked expression on his face) into a hug.
They broke away, smiles fading though the impact of the moment still lingering in the air around them. "Do not worry, brother," she started, reassuring him. "Fifteen years will pass by quickly, and we will be together yet again. As you said, the end will not be here. Like you won't leave me alone, I won't leave you. It's just a matter of trust."
"Yes, trust." he echoed, heart still skipping from what happened. "Don't worry, sister. I will do everything that I can do during your absence, and I won't let anything get in the way of lifting our family name."
"Alfred, in fifteen years, together we will lift our family name." She sighed. Later, people would be filling the halls of their Rockfort home, questioning Alfred about what happened to his sister, about her supposed mysterious death. She knew it was too much to bear for her twin, and a few comforting words would ease his mind.
"I love you, dear brother. Don't hurt yourself." She leaned in and kissed him lightly on the lips, before stepping again inside the cryostasis pod that's been wide open for minutes. For a moment, Alfred was stunned. Not only did his sister accept what he felt, she returned it to him. Though joyous at the idea, Alfred's mind raced back to reality, watching his sister as she let the door of the pod close. She was smiling.
Alfred pressed his face against the cold glass, seeing his sister for the last time. She looked at him one more time, a look of reassurance, before the pod slowly buried itself underground, surrounded by mechanical contraptions, and perhaps machines that supported the pod to produce below freezing temperatures. A tear trickled down the young boy's face. Already, he was feeling the pressure that was set to him. Before he went out of the room, before he rode a plane returning to Rockfort, before he broke down and cried, and before all care emptied him and the slow, painful jaws of insanity sank in his skin, Alfred was happy to know that his sister loved him as much as he loved her. Alfred kneeled on the floor, looking at the top of the pod and caressing it with his hands, saying only three simple words:
"Goodnight, my love."
A/N: Another shot at an Alfred/Alexia fic. This is how I envisioned the cryo room scene, and I just had this flippin' idea to write it down. Well, anyway, I'd like to know what you thought of this fic, because, well, comments help. So? What do you saaaay?