Summery: A soft song calms a terrified child during a storm. Comes DIRECTLY after Drip.
(Disclaimer: I'd think its obvious that i don't own Tales of Symphonia (Despite that fact that I wish i owned Kratos -) Namco does. I also don't own the song: 'Manx Lullaby' that is copyrighted to Margie Butler, all I own is the CD it's on!)
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The patter of rain hits the roof of the small two floor home nestled in the woods just outside the village of Iselia, the noise having a soothing affect on the one awake occupant of the house.
A clash of thunder echoes through the house, the patter of rain intensifying as the drops of water fall harder as the storm rages on despite the late hour.
Kratos Aurion turns over, slipping deeper under the warm covers, as he listens to the storm try and drown the world as he himself tries to slip into sleep, despite the fact that he doesn't need it.
The soft patter of small bare feet making their way towards his room, a sound no human ear could pick up, catches his attention. He sits up in bed as he hears a squeak coming from the direction of the footsteps as lightning flashes and the thunder growls it unhappiness to the world.
The door silently opens and a brown haired head peeks its way into the bedroom.
"Lloyd, why are you awake? It's late, you should be sleeping…" Kratos stops what he was saying as he sees the terrified look on the boy's face. "Come here," he says moving over in the bed and lifting the covers.
The nine year old quickly darts his way across the room and to the bed, crawling under the blanket and cuddling up to the man as another boom of thunder sounds.
"Daddy, scared!" the boy says burying his face in Kratos' chest and clinging to him.
Kratos stares down at the boy who hadn't called him Daddy in years, before wrapping his arms around his son and holding him like an infant as he settles on the bed and makes sure the boy is covered with the blanket as much as he can.
Lloyd whimpers as the sky crashes again, burying his face into the crook of his father's neck.
Kratos closes his eyes and strokes the boy's hair as he starts to hum a song he hadn't sung in years, before the words slip out of his mouth.
"O hush thee, my dove,
O hush thee, my rowan,
O hush thee, my lapwing,
My little brown bird."
The boy squeaks again as the thunder sounds, and tries to bury himself deeper into his father's arms.
"O hush thee, my dove,
O hush thee, my rowan,
O hush thee, my lapwing,
My little brown bird."
The gentle lullaby finally registers in the boy's mind and his body relaxes as he starts slipping into his body's much needed sleep.
"O fold thy wing and seek thy nest now,
O shine the berry on the bright tree,
The bird is home from the mountain and valley,
Oh hush thee, my birdie, my pretty dearie."
A smile comes to Kratos' face as Lloyd relaxes in his arms, falling asleep again despite the storm.
"O hush thee, my dove,
O hush thee, my rowan,
O hush thee, my lapwing,
My little brown bird."
He gently continues to stroke the boy's hair, the boy's soft breaths tickling his neck.
"O hush thee, my dove,
O hush thee, my rowan,
O hush thee, my lapwing,
My little brown bird."
The man gently adjusts the boy so his head his laying on his chest, and he moves the covers again to tuck up under his son's chin before he gives the boy a gentle kiss on the forehead.
"O fold thy wing and seek thy nest now,
O shine the berry on the bright tree,
The bird is home from the mountain and valley,
Oh hush thee, my birdie, my pretty dearie."
Kratos' eyes drift shut as he ends the lullaby he sung to the boy as a baby, to calm him and keep him quite as he, Anna and the boy hide from Cruxis. "Sweet dreams my little bird. I will protect you from those that would hurt you," Kratos mutters, a soft smile on his face as he himself drifts off into sleep right after his son.
The storm continues to rage outside unheard as the two occupants of the house sleep, the youngest using his Father as a pillow and mattress, and the oldest holds his son protectively, planning on protecting the boy from everything that may hurt him.