Sleeping Arrangements:
The wind blew roughly on the deck of Grandship. With the cold Einherian air causing two Warriors of Light to shiver occasionally.
"I don't understand why they just can't tell each other already and stop torturing themselves!" Ringabel sighed frustratedly.
"If they can't do it on their own, we're going to have to step in and help them..." The Grand Marshal's Daughter agreed, also frustrated over a certain "issue."
The two match makers strategized for a while about how to get a couple people finally together.
Those people? Tiz and Agnes.
It wasn't soon until Tiz being the most worrisome went looking for the two that hadn't attended dinner.(Which was especially weird for Edea Tiz thought) When the Norende Boy got to the deck and spotted the two, Ringabel and Edea decided it was time to put their plan into action.
"I DON'T THINK THAT IT WAS THAT BAD EDEA!" Ringabel yelled.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, 'NOT THAT BAD'?! YOU COULD'VE KILLED ME!" Edea roared back.
The startled Tiz hurriedly ran to the two, wondering what this newest fight was about. However when he got there, he could barely hear himself think! He didn't like it but, he'd have to scream, worrying all people on board in the process...
"HEY! STOP YELLING AND TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS!" Tiz yelled over the two. The two stopped instantly, following their unofficial leader's request.
That, and also they couldn't think of anything else to add to their argument...
"What happened you two?! You could've really scared someone! Besides, you're not supposed to be fighting since you're supposed to love each other, remember?!" Tiz said a bit agrivated that the supposed couple would fight.
Ringabel tensed at this, remembering his confession a couple months back. It was a joyous night, of course. But... It still made for an uncomfortable conversation...
"Er, well Ringabel and I were taking when h-" Edea started.
Suddenly, they all heard loud footsteps going down Grandship's steps.
"What happened?! I heard yelling! Is everyone all right?!" The person who was clearly very worried by the tone in her voice panted.
They soon realized it was Agnes, and apparently, Tiz just happened to go mute when she walked towards the group and next to him.
'He always does this...' Edea thought
"Nothing, just a... argument me and Ringabel had." Edea responded, being the first to speak up in the awkward silence that had been left.
"Phew... I thought someone was hurt when I heard Tiz yell..." Agnes answered with a sigh of relief.
"Don't worry, we're fine," Ringabel responded, a bit agrivated that Agnes had only noticed Tiz yelling and not Edea or himself, "but, we may need a little while to discuss further. Say, a day or so." Ringabel finished with Edea nodding in approval.
"No worries, take as long as you must, the last thing we need is a fight breaking out between us." The Vestal replied.
"Yeah, we can take a day tomorrow if you two need to discuss matters further." Tiz agreed, finally deciding to speak up though obviously still a little uncomfortable.
'Oh Crystals! Can they honestly not already see how well they...! Ahh, what's the point?"Ringabel thought annoyed with himself.
"No, that isn't necessary, I don't wanna waste a day for a silly argument we had. Ringabel and I will just talk matters over tonight. Is it okay if I stay in Ringabel's room tonight Agnes? They're two beds so I won't have to sleep on the floor." Edea said.
Even though Ringabel had heard the plan a thousand times(at least it felt like it...), this still caught him and especially everyone else in the group off guard.
"Er, yes, if that's what you want," Agnes replied, still a little shaken.
"but don't feel that you have to because of the quest. It's really fine if you want to take a day." Agnes added just in case Edea was just trying to be nice.
"No it's okay, really." Edea assured her.
After they finally all got set up for dinner, (since Tiz had to gather everyone earlier) the day went on as normal. Discussions went on as usual, everyone ate the feast as usual from the proprietress.
After everyone said goodnight to each other, Agnes suddenly wondered something,
Where was Tiz supposed to sleep? There was only one bed in the girls room. The couch on the deck was always uncomfortable, and they were right over Einheria!
"Um, Tiz. Where are you going to sleep?" Agnes asked.
"I'll just sleep outside on the couch on the deck, Agnes." Tiz responded.
"No! It's freezing out there! What if you catch a cold?!" Agnes responded, squeezing Tiz's arm lightly.
Tiz could feel his spine tingle. Crystals why did he always get so awkward around her!? Oh, wait. He still had to respond to her.
"Well, I guess that I'd just-" Tiz went to respond but stopped instantly, where was he going to sleep?
'Our room is being taken up by Edea and Ringabel because they won't share the same bed yet... And it's really cold out...
The girls room only has one bed...
Oh dear crystals no.' Tiz thought, anxiety making its way into his body.
For a while everyone just stood there, pondering just where Tiz was going to spend the night. That's when Ringabel suddenly remembered this part of the plan. And boy, was this his absolute FAVORITE part!
"Well Tiz, looks like you're just going to have to go sleep with Agnes in her bed!" Ringabel blurted out.
Everyone went silent. Agnes' grip on Tiz's arm tightened. Edea had to bite her cheeks to keep from laughing. Ringabel was grinning like a mad-man. And Tiz? Tiz was shaking and blushing like crazy, trying to look at Agnes for support but then realizing what he was lookin for support for in the first place.
"N-n-no, th-that's fine. I-I-I'll sleep on the couch on the bridge... I-I-It's fine, r-re-really..." Tiz finally struggled to say.
"No!" Agnes almost screamed, finally releasing Tiz's arm.
Everyone blankly stared at her.
"I mean Tiz, it's freezing outside. And, I'd hate myself if you got sick. I don't want you to sleep outside in the freezing cold, it's ridiculous!" Agnes said, her voice squeaking a little in between breaths.
After a while of silence, Tiz walked over to her, put his hands on her shoulders, and looked at her calmly.
"Are you sure Agnes? I can sleep on the bridge, honest." He said just above a mumble.
"I'm fine with it, besides, we've been together before when we had to camp." Agnes replied, her own voice matching that of Tiz's.
Edea and Ringabel were secretly high-fiving and partying behind the soon-to-be couple, their plan had worked!
"Well, there we have it! You two will sleep together!" Ringabel said cheerfully.
If it was even possible, both Tiz and Agnes' blushes became darker, now looking like a crimsony shade of red.
"Well, we should go get you ready for your big night Agnes!" Edea said grabbing Agnes' hand and running to the girl's room.
"What do you mean?! Well... okay!" Agnes replied being dragged into the girls room.
"Wait! Agnes!" Tiz protested.
Suddenly Tiz felt a yank on the back of his fleece collar, and was being dragged as well.
"So Tiz, when is the wedding going to be? Or how about a better question: What's the baby's name going to be?" Ringabel said to the flustered Country Bumpkin who was putting on clothes hurriedly.
"What?! Oh Crystals Ringabel! We're just sleeping togeth-" Tiz trailed off as the realization kicked in.
"Oh GODS!" Tiz yelled.
In the room down the hall, Edea heard the hell and took it as her Queue.
"Agnes, come on, I gotta show you something!" Edea told the young Vestal who was currently panicking.
"What is it Edea?" Agnes replied, poking her head out of her closet.
"Just hurry up!" Edea said.
Together they hurried down the hall to the boy's room and sat at the door.
"What are we doing here Edea?! What if they see us!?" Agnes yelled in a whisper.
"Shhhh! Just listen!" Edea shushed.
"Ringabel! What if she thinks that I'm looking to, you know... the thing that couples- GAH!" Tiz vented as he flopped onto the bed with a loud: THUD!
"Well Tiz, if she did want to, and you did do the, umm, thing as you call it, you may have a child. Then you could spend the rest of your life with Agnes!" Ringabel tried to reassure Tiz.
"I know that, but I can't do that to her now! We're on our mission and besides, I've never even done that sort of thing! I don't know what to do and I don't even think she does! What if she hates me after? Or what if we have to get rid of it? Tiz replied, a defeated tone in his voice.
From outside the door, Agnes finally asked:
"Are they talking about- Does Tiz want to-!" Agnes said stuttering, freaked out of her mind.
I "SHHHHH!" Edea shushed again.
"Tiz, don't worry about that! If you don't want to, you don't have to. But, don't you want to have a baby with Agnes? Don't you want to spend the rest of you're life with her?!" Ringabel pushed on.
"Dammit Ringabel, of course I want to spend the rest of my life with Agnes, I love her!" Tiz yelled.
From outside the door, Agnes gasped, sat up, and ran to her room with Edea giggling in excitement after her.
However inside the boy's room, it wasn't as happy.
Tiz immediately went quiet and blushed as dark as the Blood Sword.
"I-I-I-" was all Tiz was able to get out.
"Well! I never knew you had it in you but you actually admitted it!" Ringabel cheered slapping Tiz on the back.
"I, I love her..." Tiz repeated.
"Then you should tell her! After all, you should tell the people you love the truth, like this:"
Ringabel got up and walked out the door, Tiz poking his head out watching him.
From what Tiz could hear, Ringabel opened the girl's door, heard Ringabel yell loudly: "EDEA, I LOVE YOU!"
Then he heard Edea run over to him, whisper something in his ear, and give him a peck on the cheek.
"See? Like that!" Ringabel exclaimed when he came back into the room, smiling broadly. He then sat down in a chair at the edge of the room, looking pretty pleased with himself.
"I want to tell her... But, if she doesn't feel the same, it'll affect our trust and teamwork in battle because we won't be as close and it'll be awkward..." Tiz sighed.
"Crystals, Tiz! Do you really not see?!" Ringabel was shouting now.
"Even if she doesn't love you back, you have to tell her! There is a chance there that you must take! You and Agnes deserve happiness or at least a chance to it for all you've been through!" Ringabel told the younger boy.
After a while of silence, Ringabel sat up from the chair he was sitting on and spoke softly, in a voice that didn't quite sound like his.
"Come on, I have to show you something. Don't make any noise and follow me at all times. This could be dangerous." Ringabel said.
Tiz nodded and went to grab his favorite weapons: Dual Night Emperors.
"No! No weapons." Ringabel scolded.
Tiz was confused, but still didn't argue, with even him being a little scared when Ringabel started using his Alternis side, and followed Ringabel out the door.
In a similar fashion to Edea and Agnes, Tiz and Ringabel quietly walked across the hall of Grandship, the floors creeking with each step. They then stopped at the girl's door. Ringabel knelt down on one knee, with one arm across his other leg, and the other on the floor for balance. The Amnesiac Cassanova motioned for Tiz to do the same as he was. When Tiz knelt down, Ringabel slung his arm that was on his knee around Tiz and pushed his head towards the door.
Inside they could hear voices.
"Agnes, just calm down, please!" Edea pleaded.
"But I don't know what to tell him! What if we heard wrong and he said that about someone else? Or maybe they were talking about a book or something completely different!" Agnes said in hysterics.
Tiz made a weird twitch and a noise of pain.
"What's wrong?!" Ringabel whispered.
"I- I hate it when she cries..." Tiz said.
Back inside they heard Edea talk in a soothing voice.
"Agnes, he said what you heard, it's okay if you don't feel the same. You can just tell him. You know Tiz, he'd tell you no worries, you know he'd still be there for you all the way." Edea said.
Ringabel could feel Tiz tense as she said: "if you don't feel the same".
"I don't know what to do... I can't take this! I want Ti- I want Ti-" Agnes bawled.
With every sob, Tiz would start to tense more and more.
When finally Ringabel felt something drop onto his hand. It was wet. Was it raining and water was seeping through? Oh crystals, not now!
But when Ringabel looked up, it was completely dry. Then another drop fell. It was also hot this time.
Another sob.
Then another one right after that.
But the second one wasn't from Agnes.
That's when it hit him, it was Tiz. Tiz was crying.
"I-I-I can't listen to this anymore. I can't. Even if Agnes doesn't love me, I can't have Agnes crying. It's killing me." Tiz said and started to move when he heard something that surprised him.
"I don't know how to tell him Edea, I want to tell him but I'm just so... scared." Agnes mumbled.
"Agnes, do you love him?" Edea asked.
Everyone stayed silent.
"I've never cared about anyone more in my life... Of course I love him."
Tiz stood up and almost opened the door, with Ringabel wrestling him to the ground.
Agnes sat up and hugged her knees.
"I want to tell him but... I don't know if I can. But not telling him is like my own personal torture! So I- I-" Agnes started to weep again.
Then she finally spoke.
"I want Tiz here... He'd know what to do. He always does."
"Agnes. You have to tell him." Edea said getting up.
Agnes scrambled for words when she finally said:
"It's gotten very late, he probably went to bed."
"Agnes, please! He cares about you just as much as you do for him! Want proof? Look!" Edea said as she opened the door revealing two boys standing up looking like deer in headlights.
"Tiz!" Agnes gasped covering her face.
"A-Agnes..." Tiz started.
"Oh for gods sakes! Ringabel!" Edea ordered while stomping out the door.
"Right, right." Ringabel said.
Ringabel pushed Tiz towards the bed where Agnes was still sitting, then closed the door and left the two of them alone.
Tiz scrambled onto the bed and stopped himself at the border.
"Tiz I- how long were you there?" Agnes whispered not looking at Tiz.
"Long enough to hear you cry... I'm sorry, I didn't know you heard me say that." Tiz apologized.
She didn't say anything so Tiz continued.
"I- I hate it when you cry... I can't take it... Because, I- I love you Agnes. I always have, and I always will. You are my hope, and I can't live without you in my life." Tiz confessed.
Agnes finally looked at Tiz. His hair was a mess, he had his normal Freelancer white fleece on but with no belt of potions and he had black pajama pants on. She had something similar on, a version of the vestal garb that had been made to wear while walking around Eternia that Sage had given her along with light blue pajama pants.
"Tiz!" She yelled as she lunged at him into a hug.
"I love you too! I want to spend the rest of my life with you! You've always been there for me! And I can't and don't want to imagine my life without you!" Agnes cried, holding onto Tiz so tightly he almost couldn't breathe.
Tiz stumbled back due to the sudden lunge when CRASH!
"Oww..." Tiz said rubbing his head.
"Tiz! Are you okay?!" Agnes said worried.
And that's when Tiz took his chance.
He grabbed Agnes by her back, cradling the back of her head with his left hand, leaned forward, and kissed her.
It started out soft and gentle, but finally grew to the both of them pouring all of their held back feelings out. Holding each other tightly, stroking each other gently while they mumbled words of love into each other's ears occasionally.
They had to finally stop to catch their breath. This process went on for a VERY long time, until they finally were exhausted and gave into sleep.
"We're going to have to thank Edea and Ringabel..." Tiz said.
"I guess so, after all, they were the reason any of this could have ever happened." Agnes agreed.
"If you want, I could still sleep on the couch if you want a night all to yourself before Edea comes back." Tiz said.
"Unacceptable!" Agnes said firmly.
"Oh, okay. At least we'll get one night together. Then we'll both be in different rooms..." Tiz pouted.
"Unacceptable!" Agnes repeated, though this time, she sounded like she was considering something, or debating something in her mind.
"Agnes?" Tiz asked curiously.
"I think... I think we should change the sleeping arrangements..." Agnes said.
Tiz smiled as he got into the bed. Their bed.
"I've never been happier in my entire life." Tiz said as he kissed the top of Agnes' head.
He positioned himself behind her and wrapped his arms around her waste.
"Me either... I love you Tiz."
Agnes said.
"I love you too Agnes."
Tiz replied.
From then on, the sleeping arrangements were different.