I am in love with this anime. Hello there MasKaiHilFantic is back with the first of the hopefully many fanfics about his newest otp, Gutsca! I was introduced to Berserk through a Facebook post of all things and I couldn't be happier! It's absolutely amazing and I love the chemistry between Guts & Casca. And this little fanlore is immediately after episode 21, so bear with me newbie antics please.

Enjoy!

Better than tomorrow.

She struggled to move. She'd been lying for a good portion of the night awake and yet she felt as if she'd been a slumber for an eternity. Mustering up just enough strength to turn over her face hit the solid, smoothed and scarred surface of his chest.

It's strange; only a few hours ago she was certain on putting herself out of her misery and jumped off of a cliff, only for him to grab a hold of her and pull her up. Like he always does. Even if she resisted and resented him. And did she ever resent him; whether it be a seething smoldering jealousy towards how Griffith treated him, or his pinhead-like tendencies to ignore her warnings towards Griffith. That resentment alone was attracting her towards him and somehow… three or five years, countless battles, not to mention an infinite punches to his square jaw later…

There she was, somewhere unknown, unheard of from society or even her fellow comrades, away from the responsibilities and the hardships all curled up in his strong arms. Was this her destiny?

She often would imagine being Griffith's. Never mind the dilemma of being his woman or his 'sword', she just wanted Griffith's admiration and in some greedy way, his attention. Well then he showed up. And things changed, forever.

Because she wasn't looking at the fallen and visibly defeated Griffith; somehow he merged in the snow surrounding him and vanished from sight. She stared at the footprints. The large, heavy footprints carrying the weight of a man who was still unknown of his dream in spite of what he had contributed in the three years before. He didn't think, unlike Griffith. He didn't elaborately plan, unlike Griffith. He didn't even listen at times, unlike Griffith.

And he didn't stop from getting whatever it is he wanted to gain, unlike Griffith.

She knew it, she knew that Griffith wanted to stop him, he needed him for his grand scheme. And Griffith was willing to offer the world and then some, but his offer was thrown right back at his face. Not because of superiority—well maybe that's it—but mostly because he didn't want to be a mere tool to Griffith's huge arsenal.

Of which she was a part of.

That's when she realized, she was only merely a tool to him; he may have rightfully admired her and even at some places adore her, but that was it. She along with the rest of the battalion were a means of attaining his goal, his ultimate goal; his dream.

"Casca?" Her trail of thoughts were interrupted by him. She looked up at the groggy male. The man without a dream, but the man who was willing to go and find it. She knew that he'd even be successful in achieving it. And the weirdest part, in her wildest dreams, she thought that he would take her along his treacherous journey.

And suddenly, something so meaningless was revitalized as his goal.

"Morning," she nuzzled her face in the nape of his neck. She was too tired and too weak to wrap her arm around him and pull him into her embrace like she wished. But the alternative was fine to her for the moment. He gently stroked the top of her head and lightly rustled her hair. He reached towards her and delicately planted his lips over her forehead. She smiled and suddenly felt a very tiny surge of energy in her veins. She forced his head straight in her bosom and earned a muffled grunt from the man.

"Looks like you've slept well, Guts."
"Mm, no."

"Why?" She pulled his face towards her with her hair. At any prior moment he would've violently reacted, but at that time he merely smiled.

"I couldn't stop thinking about you, and last night," She gently chuckled at his innocent and yet very weighted reply.
"I hope you achieve your dreams," Guts stared at the ebony female, his eyes were lit up with sparks of hope for her, for a dream that was basically meaningless to him at this point. Unless it had to do with her.

"I want to be there to see you achieve yours," she replied back, before resting his face in her embrace again and pulling him close.

Dreams—everyone has them. Some fulfill them. Others abandon them. Some are forced to leave their dreams and others are forced to fulfill others'. One thing was certain though, they both had dreams they wanted to fulfill. And they wanted to be a part of each others' dreams as well.

They were from that moment.

Reviews are always appreciated, until next time!

~Machu :)