Hullo, me again.
Spoilers and only ever-so-slightly AU. DON'T READ ON UNLESS YOU ARE AT LEAST ON DISC 2.Everyone remember the dance party that you get for saving Princess Hilda? What if Kratos was recovered enough to attend... Well, this, according to me.
Pairing: KratosxRaine. Because I like that. And if I get some reviews I might turn this into a Kraine oneshot series. I've a couple more I can post up... But only if people read the story. No point otherwise.
Disclaimer: DarkToLight does not own Tales of Symphonia. If she did, you could have Kratos AND Zelos in your party at a point other than the Iselia Ranch raid.
Man, that raid was fun. Still, I felt a little sorry for my poor bishie Forcyustus...
Lyrics at the start and finish are from Promenade by U2, hence the fic title. Uh, I don't own that either...
Also, I have taken a few liberties with the design of the dance hall. It was slightly inspired by the layout of where I had my own prom. There was a nice patio there, too.
Kratos had always hated large gatherings, especially those hosted by the Chosen of Tethe'Alla
Promenade
Oh, tell me, tell me you'll dance with me, turn me around tonight… Up through that spiral staircase, to the higher ground.
He wasn't entirely certain what had made him agree to attend the stupid function in the first place.
Kratos Aurion certainly felt rather foolish, in a room full of people that almost certainly were not his son's friends, and only there because the Chosen was there. Zelos, in fact, was strangely absent… No, a glance up at the balcony showed him to be lounging about up there, staring most notably in the direction of Sheena, who had been provided with very little in the way of clothing for the event.
Kratos himself was in his Cruxis wear, thanking Kharlan that no-one associated it with that particular organisation. Lloyd had insisted that he came… Perhaps out of some sense of fear at a large gathering, or the need to have his father there, he wasn't certain… He doubted the latter, though. It made his heart heavy, but it was so unlikely to happen. After all, the boy had never called him father. Not once.
The Chosen smirked at him from the balcony, and he made an irritable noise and turned away, intending to head for the door before his son saw, but another intercepted him.
"Kratos?" It was Raine. "Where are you going? You came all the way out here for this and now you're leaving?" Kratos sighed irritably, jerking his arm out of her grip.
"I dislike large gatherings of people," he responded. "Especially large gatherings including that Chosen." That Chosen was, currently, talking to Lloyd. Lloyd, at least, fitted in with the crowd, although he didn't seem to like the formal wear very much. Kratos knew how he felt. "I am going for a walk." Raine gave him a strange look.
"I don't think Lloyd will appreciate that," she responded. "He was so desperate that you attend." Kratos made an absent noise.
"I doubt he wants me here that much. I've seen so little of his life it makes no difference." Raine winced at the bitterness in his voice.
"…Let me join you," she offered. "It's stuffy in here, anyway."
They walked out onto the patio at the back of the hall, Kratos for one relieved that they were out of the stuffy room. The night air was cold, but not bitter, and a few stray drops of rain were falling. Raine walked over to the railings and held out her hand, catching the drops in her hand.
"Isn't it beautiful?" She asked. Kratos walked over to join her, picking his way over the stones. The rain hit his skin, he was vaguely aware that it was by the wet spots gathering on his outfit… But he didn't feel it.
"Yes… It used to be," he agreed, holding out his own hand. "But I cannot feel it any more." Raine gave him a look that was… Pitying?
"Why did you not have a Rune Crest made?" She asked. Kratos made a slight noise and turned away. "Did Yggdrasill not let you?" Again, a slight noise. Looking uncomfortable, Raine slid her Exsphere out of its Key Crest, then took the latter off and walked over to Kratos. "Here," she whispered, opening the uniform enough to reveal the crystal and placing her Key Crest on top of it. "It won't hurt, for a little while, will it?" Kratos made a shocked noise. Yes, it was cold. But in a cool way. Yes, the breeze was blowing over the balcony, that he had seen playing with Raine's hair, he felt it on his skin.
Yes, the rain was beautiful.
"Raine…" He murmured. "I can't…" Raine smiled slightly, transferring her Exsphere to a pocket.
"Just for one night," she murmured. Kratos blinked. Feel for one night? After four thousand years? Did he dare…? "Please?" She took his hand, he felt the warmth! She was there, in front of him, it was no dream… Perhaps, for one night, he could sleep?
"I shall try," he murmured, and she smiled at him. They stayed out there for a while, then went back inside, mostly so that Lloyd didn't question them.
The food had been cleared away, and music was playing softly in the background from a string quartet. Sheena was dancing with Lloyd to evade Zelos, who had clearly been looking for Raine. Kratos looked at the half-elf.
"Would you… honour me with a dance?" He asked, the words hard to say even fourteen years after the death of his wife. It was formality. It was no commitment…
"I would be delighted," Raine responded, taking his proffered hand and allowing him to lead her to the dance floor. He could feel her touch!
The members of the group stopped dancing more out of shock than anything else when they realise who, exactly, Raine was dancing with, and since the Chosen had stopped dancing, the guests stopped dancing too. Kratos was a little embarrassed at that, but Raine refused to let him off the floor, so they continued to dance. The quartet played on. He felt the rush of air past him as they circled, felt the droplets of rain fall from her hair to his face when he pulled her close, he felt the heat rise in his face when he felt Lloyd's eyes on him. Feeling! So much feeling, after so long, it was… It was bliss.
"Raine…" He murmured, but she shook her head and placed a finger on her lips. The quartet played a slow dance, and he slow danced with her. Close, closer than he felt comfortable with, but she guided him. He knew how to dance, he had been dancing for years, but she showed him how to feel the dance. And feel it he did!
Once the dance was finished they broke apart, and he bowed to her.
"My thanks, my lady," he told her, a slight smile on his face, that made Raine smile too. He couldn't remember the last time he'd smiled. Perhaps at a young Lloyd…
They went back out onto the balcony again, this time with the rest of the group, and the rain was still steadily drizzling down. A light, cool rain on his face. Droplets that ran down his skin. So refreshing. They lit fireworks, and bright-coloured lights danced in the skies above their heads. He looked over at Raine.
"I do not know how to thank you for this…" he murmured. She smiled slightly.
"No thanks needed, Kratos," she responded. "I was just showing you that you can break free now. If you do not let yourself be ruled by him, you can feel again." Kratos took her hand, still mildly surprised at the warmth he felt when he did.
"Still," he murmured. "Thank you." She took a step closer as the fireworks above their heads lit the sky brilliant greens and blues, and, as red sunset hues exploded into stars in the sky, Kratos closed the distance between them with a brief kiss.
And I, like a firework, explode, Roman candle, lightning, lights up the sky… I see you stare into space, have I got closer now, behind the face?
Fin
A/N: Did you like it? I've always liked the "he's like Colette" interperetation of Kratos as an angel, and I've inferred what I can from the game.
Hey, if he stays up on night watch all the time, when does he sleep? Conclusion: he doesn't.
Please R&R, I like to know what people think. Constructive criticism much appreciated. Tell me if you want more Kraine, heh.
Ciao!
