There was rough shaking on his side and Riou drowsily open his eyelids to the sight of his shared bedroom's ceiling. A small ball of light emitting from one lit candle on his bedside splashes limited orange hue on the surrounding and Nanami's worried face by his side.
"What's wrong Nanami..?" He asks sleepily, ready to doze off in a few seconds before his sister shakes him up again.
"I'm scared! Can't you hear that?" She whimpers, squirming in discomfort from the chill running down her spine. Riou figures it is pointless trying to get some more sleep before dealing with Nanami.
"What is it?" Riou sits up sluggishly while Nanami immediately glue herself to his brother, burying her face on his back. Usually, she wouldn't be so scared and would always try to appear courageous no matter how much her heart cowers. Riou wonders what had spooked her so greatly. Until moments pass and a long curious note of husky and guttural sound echoes from upstairs.
"There it is again!" Nanami cries out anxiously. It must have sounded ghostly to her.
"Calm down Nanami, it's the rooftop upstairs. It could have just been the wind." Riou says.
"No! No! No! No way! I-It's not the wind, I just know it!" She argues.
"You want me to go check?" He glances to Nanami, pressing gently on her shaking hand with his. When the gruff sound comes back, she shrieks instead of answering. Riou let out a sigh. Then he scoots off his bed and grabs the yellow shawl he hanged on the wooden chair before making way to the door. Nanami persistently sticks onto him.
"Are you coming too? Stay here if you're scared. It'll be okay." Riou persuades. Nanami shakes her head.
"N-No way! I don't want to be alone!" She seems awfully frightened that it bothers Riou. He couldn't remember the last time she clung so strongly onto him.
"Okay." He smiles softly, trying to show that there's nothing to be afraid of in this castle. Riou pulls Nanami off himself and wraps the shawl he had in grasp around her shoulders. "It's going to be a little cold. Let's go." Then he holds her hand tightly.
"Mmm." Nanami nods at him, finding little strength from his grip.
Riou creaks open the door to the bleak corridor, discovering very little spectacle except where the moonlight shone from the windows. He leads both of them towards the small staircase leading upstairs. With every step, they can feel the cold rush of night air blowing softly against them and as they neared the rooftop, the echoing sounds turn clearly, crispier and louder. Nanami stayed back as Riou peeks out to inspect, with their hands still connected.
"W-What is it Riou?" Nanami asks, fidgeting nervously. Her brother didn't answer her and his body seems to freeze at the discovery. Her chill and fright renewed all over. Nanami tugs at Riou's sleeve.
"Riou! W-What's wrong? What is it?" She inquires unrelentingly. However, she hushes when Riou suddenly breaks into a pleasant laughter. If not confused, she was curious.
"T-To think Nanami is spooked because of this!" Riou says amidst his laughter, his eyes forming crescents as he continues laughing. Nanami's fright seems to have flushed out and now, her rile gears up.
Braving herself, she goes ahead and views the rooftop. Only to find Feather sleeping soundly on the roof's tip, droning the silence and the sound of the wind with his deep snoring.
"I just recruited Ayda. She arrived with Feather this morning. Seems like he found his spot." Riou informs, sighing in relief at the situation while embarrassment wells up inside Nanami. It wasn't long before she turns around, grabs her brother and noogie his brown head. Riou doesn't get why he is punished but to fend off Nanami is not that easy.
This whole thing is ridiculous but he is glad that he can be the pillar of strength and hope of Nanami at her times of need. When Jowy left, she was the one who hurt the most. Nanami had always provided him protection and warmth since they were small, eventhough she was only his foster sister. Now, he wants to reciprocate what she sincerely endowed him.
"I wish you get scared all the time, Nanami." Riou jokes, smiling promptly at her.
"What'd you say?!" Nanami retorts in alarm. But she loves her brother for this too, so she smiled back.
~O~
A/N: Hiya. I really think the ending is awkward but I hope everyone like it. Sorry if there's any grammar mistakes, English is only my second language. Credits to my friend for the idea, CoffeeSky. :)