Both of you visibly relax once John's footsteps had faded away down the corridor. He had closed the door behind him, and the air was quite stuffy, so you decide to take the initiative to open the only window in the room.
"Thanks."
That one word sent you in a frenzy to think of an appropriate reply. "Oh? It's nothing actually, I just, um, did what I thought was right... but...well...are you sure you're okay? It looks really bad! If there's anything you need-" This was awkward. Really awkward. You hope he isn't going to reply too harshly - you're sensitive. At least you think you are. After rambling on for a while you trail off a little. You realize blurting out your thoughts like that made you seem very much immature. Dave didn't need to worry about you at this point in time.
You look at him, and he gazed thoughtfully at the ground. After a long while Dave finally spoke.
"... nothing to worry about. Horrorterrors are bloody annoying- but I'll be good. It'll take time for me to get able to fully hold them off, but I'll survive." The line doesn't quite seem to be his, and at that moment Dave seems so much older uttering those words. Your heart goes out to him.
"It's always time, isn't it? Taking time to grow up, learn things..." You sigh, thinking of how much you want this all over right now so you could go back home. "Why can't some things be instantaneous?"
He turns to face you, and you realize with some amount of surprise that he's not wearing his shades now. His ruby eyes glitter darkly in the moonlight, their uniformity broken only by the white lightning-shaped slash marring the middle- extending out to scar the skin around his eyes. You find it slightly disturbing - oh no, not the red irises, but the scar - but you cannot stop yourself from asking one question that immediately springs to mind.
"Does it still hurt?"
"No, not much. Used to it." You're very much accustomed to the glazed-over expressions of the blind back in the City, but the intensity of his gaze is somewhat disturbing. You're not sure what to say either, so there is only silence for quite some time. You fidget; there is so much to say to him, but something holds you back. The blankness of his face- not just a poker face he usually wore back in the City, but utter dead blankness- it worries you that whatever you say, he might not register anymore.
The small pool of moonlight had already traversed a few inches across the motel's wooden floor before you could think of something to say. "...it's late, you should rest..."
"Don't think so."
At the very least, you should try to take care of his health. "You should! You're tired, and staying up isn't going to do you any good."
"I... don't want to."
"But why-" You shift closer and take his hand. Then you realize it might be the horrorterrors he talked about- making sure to be very gentle with your words, you reach out to brush the hair out his eyes and ask the question. "...is it the horrorterrors?"
He doesn't reply, giving your hand an affirmative squeeze instead.
There is a pause. Dave looks as if he is about to speak, so you patiently wait for him.
"Sooner or later I'll fall asleep anyway. I'll be fine. You should get some sleep too."
The idea of leaving him like this is horrible.
"No! If you're going to be staying up then I might as well stay with you! It'll be so lonely here in the night!"
"I'm not going to be very entertaining, Jade. It'll just be awkward. Don't force yourself."
"At least until John comes back, okay? Then if you get nightmares again I can wake you!" You keep all your negative thoughts and concerns from your voice, keeping it cheerful. Everyone needs the optimism in their life right now. You give his hand a reassuring squeeze, giving the sunniest beam you can manage- perhaps it's a trick of the light, but the corners of his mouth twitch. Either way, he concedes, and your heart leaps.
"...well I can't stop you then."
There is another silence (so many of them!) as Dave settles himself onto the bed, eyes gazing blankly up at the ceiling. But it's a more comfortable silence. He maintains his grip on your arm and you don't do anything about it- his hand is warm and it comforts you, even though you should be the one comforting him. You sit on the edge of the bed and gaze at his prone form.
Okay, this is kind of stalkerish.
Maybe you really should leave before it gets awkward-
"J-Jade? Are you still there?" Dave suddenly jerks upright, his hand tightening over yours- you squeeze back, bending over him.
"Yes, I'm here! It's alright, Dave, I'm here! What''s wrong? Is it the nightmares?"
"No. Not really."
A pause. You gaze at his face, now bearing a haunted expression, and your heart aches.
"I'm forgetting."
...forgetting? You're not sure how to reply, so you keep quiet.
"It's kind of scary, actually... I'm forgetting how you look like. Everyone. But mostly you."
John trudged down the corridor. Occasionally the floorboards creaked and he stopped, listening for sounds that might indicate an awakening, but as the sounds of night did not cease he continued on his way. From what he recalled of Ionato's tour of the motel facilities, he would be able to find a pantry across a balcony that served as a linkway of some sort. He would be able to get water from there... or so he hoped. Once he had to step over the tail of a sleeping grey daemon - the draconic creature opened one eyelid and regarded him with a baleful dark blue eye, sniffed, decided John wasn't a threat and went back to sleep.
For some inexplicable reason he had a sudden urge to run down the corridor. Seeing no reason not to John obliged, letting the cool night air stream through his messy hair and tickle his wings. He was glad to find that he could control their involuntary buzzing, although the same coud not be said for his unprompted giggling as his feet scuffed the wooden floor lightly, making much less sound than it should have considering the amount of energy he was spastically expending in this dash.
Though the corridor was long, it was way too small to fly in- but his wings couldn't resist the temptation, and as much as he was pumping his feet his soles barely touched the ground. So, tiptoeing awkwardly, John turned a corner to where he thought the pantry was supposed to be- and nearly fell over the balcony that suddenly came into view. A startled squeak escaped from his mouth as his wings whipped out wider, preparing for the unexpected midnight flight- and there was a grunt behind him as his wings smacked into something who was trying to tug him back by his tunic overcoat.
"That was my bloody face you hit- what are you doin' out here anyway?" Ionato helped John clamber back over the railing. "Kids like you should be in bed, not gallivanting about at night like this! You even dropped your spectacles!"
John awkwardly accepted his spectacles from the older man. "Uh... I was going to get some water..."
"Well, don't tarry then! The pantry's just round the corner."
John paused. "Why're you up this late?"
"Well." Ionato seemed to be incapable of producing a convincing response, but he recovered quickly. "I couldn't sleep."
"Oh."
An owl hooted softly in the forest beyond. The woods were darkly silhouetted against the rising (or setting?) full moon, and a crisp night breeze blew through the open-air balcony. The leaves rustled in response.
"Are you married?" John asked the first question that popped into his mind.
"Uh, no. What kind of question is that, chap?"
"Oh, I'm sorry! I was just curious!'
"Well, 'supose it's excusable. I'm such a jolly old grandpa, you'd think I'd be married by now!"
"Oh. Sorry."
"Don't have to apologize, kid. It ain't your fault."
A brief silence.
"Though I'd sometimes wish I was."
John nodded. He could understand. His parents were married early, when they were in their early twenties. Ionato seemed about... forty to fifty? Being not married for such a long time must be really depressing.
"You're John, right? You seem familiar somehow."
"... uh, yeah. Someone else said that too!"
"Oh, who?" Ionato was interested now.
"Gwen! She said I looked almost identical to her son! It's kinda creepy, actually-" John's statement was interrupted by Ionato not-so-subtly having a coughing fit into the kerchief he always had on him.
"-sorry, choked on my saliva. You're acquainted with ol'Gwen?"
"Oh yes, we met her at Zephyr Village! She was very welcoming and friendly! Do you know her too?" All thoughts of getting water were momentarily forgotten.
"Oh, really? Yes, I did know her once. It's been a long time since I've visited her- how's the good lady?"
"She's a little eccentric, but I really like that about her- she's probably always been like this, what am I saying? She has a kid too- Edmund. Do you know about him? I don't really know too much, uh, am I telling you stuff you already know?"
"Just ramble as much as you want, kid. You like rambling, don't you?" Ionato seemed very amused.
"Alright, if you're sure you don't mind! Edmund and I look alike, but he's got greener eyes. Teal, I think! Although for some reason he didn't really like us...he got better about it, though. And, uh, oh, you want to know about Gwen, right...well, she's great, and a really loving mom to Edmund, and she's really helpful! She took the four of us in even though she randomly popped up- okay, Astrae was like that too. I guess it's great that we have a knack for bumping into helpful people...wait, do you know Astrae? She was the lady that- oh, of course you do, she was with us when we found you, right? Silly me!"
John laughed, the sound trailing away mid-laugh as he realized that he was rambling and Ionato was scrutinizing him. There seemed to be some long-lost emotion in the old man's eyes, something that made John fidget slightly under his gaze.
"I...digress?" Hooray for Rose's vocabulary lessons to salvage the situation.
"Yes you did, kid." Ionato didn't seem angry, however; clapping a hand on his shoulder and steering him down another corridor. "Let's just talk while we walk- you're not going to get any water if we keep standing here like this." John nodded, and there was a brief period of silence where they walked together. "You're an interesting bunch, you four kids."
"Really? Interesting...how?" Maybe they were giving away their modern-ness. Oh...dear. Rose would think of something, although frankly John couldn't see how anyone could tell- they had changed into time-correct robes, or maybe it was their accent-
"'s rare for children your age to be out traveling, coming-of-age journey or no. But you seem capable of handling the dangers of travel - I mean, look at the pirate attack! Kids Rose's and that blind boy's age don't come back for an old dude they've barely met when they have things to be running from! That takes guts- you're going to be important people, I'm sure."
John nodded sheepishly, a little embarrassed by Ionato's praise. "We just...uh... do our best?"
"Good to hear."
They were outside the pantry now, and Ionato fell silent. John was sure the old man had ceased their conversation, but just as he made a move to open the pantry door Ionato spoke again.
"You asked whether I was married?"
"Uh, yeah! I'm sorry if I'm prying or anything."
"Doesn't matter, but I thought I'd give you some advice. It's strange coming from a man like me, but owing to your group's mixed race nature I'd think it'll apply to you as well. Don't ever fall for someone not your race. Never let it happen to you."
"Um, mixed race?" Mixed race...well, he was a weird air person. But the others were perfectly normal and human...right? "I guess, but...why?"
...though it would be really cool if everyone else grew wings too. Dave could have dragon wings and Jade could have, uh, bird wings and Rose would have fancy butterfly ones maybe-
"It's painful to go down such a path, mate."
John blinked. "Eh?"
Ionato frowned, opening the pantry door himself and stepping in. "What am I saying, you're just a kid! Just, when you get older, settle down with a nice Ventus girl and all will be happy and sunny and rosy. Yes. Jolly marvellous! Do you have a glass to get water from or are you planning to use the pantry mugs?"
"The pantry's, thanks...so is that like... like a cultural thing?"
"Sort of. Intermarriage between races is frowned on, and - well, you can't have children." Ionato's expression was strange, and John was starting to feel that he was encroaching on a very sensitive topic.
"Oh. Okay." Best to leave it at that. "Thanks, Ionato! If I'm disturbing you or anything-" He accepted the container Ionato held out and turned away to fill it.
"Nah. You can find your way back, yes?"
"Yeah."
"Then I'll leave you to your water. Have a nice night, John!"
John could here Ionato's retreating footfalls behind him, but the questions that were dredged up didn't follow. The silence that followed allowed the questions to swirl around John's mind confusingly, all through his way back to Dave's room.