(no subject)
Morning Light
By LuckyCitrus
Fandom: Tales of the Abyss
Pairing: Anise/Guy
Genre: Friendship/HurtComfort
Morning Light
Anise jolted awake, flipping upright in her bed. She breathed out shakily and looked around the dark inn room with bleary eyes.
Luke was sprawled horizontally across his bed; his feet hung off the edge, he was snoring lightly with his mouth open. In the bed next to him Tear was sleeping on top of the blankets, her staff laid closely by her side. Anise snorted back a laugh. Looking to the bedroom window, Jade was sat in an arm chair, arms folded but eyes shut; as if deep in thought. Anise assumed he was asleep.
Anise rubbed her arms, shivering and scowled to see Natalia hogging the entire blanket. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and pulled on her boots.
She stood at the edge of the bed and held her breath; fearful of waking anyone up. She was about to tip-toe out of the room when she noticed the corner bed; empty and bed messy. The blanket had been tossed off the bed and lay abandoned on the floor.
She sighed, a smile on her lips.
Swiftly yet silently she moved across the floor, not missing Tear’s twitch at the slight noise that was the door closing.
She made her way down the inn stairs; lit by dim candle light. She pushed open the front door (noting it was way past curfew and wondered if she would be able to get back in) and onto the snowy streets of Keterburg. It wasn’t snowing anymore and the dark sky was bright with stars.
She shivered momentarily and pulled her clothes tighter around her. They were not designed for the winter weather.
She made her way towards the park; snow crunching underneath her feet. The park was now empty from the laughter of children with her their snow ball fights, snowmen and energy.
“Can’t sleep?” Anise jumped at the sudden voice. She turned to see Guy sat on a bench with his arms huddled around him, scarf tightly tied around his face and blonde hair full of white snow. She stared at him with surprise.
“Why aren’t you in bed?” She said suddenly. His lips twitched into a smile.
“Couldn’t sleep” He replied rubbing his fingers together as if to create enough friction between the two gloves to warm his hands.
“I can see that.” Anise stepped forward, about to sit next to him when his shoulders tensed. Anise cringed.
“Sorry.” She muttered. Guy looked up, his blue eyes meeting hers.
“No it’s fine. You can sit down.” She did. Guy forced himself not to inch towards the edge of the bench. Thankfully she did not sit too close.
“You never said why you weren’t in bed? Isn’t it way past your bedtime?” Guy teased, a boyish smile crossing his features. Anise laughed.
“I think its way past your bedtime old man.” Anise retorted, playing at his game of age teasing.
“Old? I’m only 21.” Guy chuckled and looked towards the sky, breathing out a cloud of white smoke. He looked back at Anise and then looked like he was going to say something then didn’t; then decided he would.
“Bad dreams?” he asked quietly. Anise turned to look at him; surprised.
“How would you know that?”
“Lucky guess” He said, with a laugh. “Well actually I saw you tossing and turning before I left.”
Anise made a pausing noise, slightly embarrassed that Guy had watched her sleeping.
“I dreamt of that day again.” Guy began to no one in particular. Anise said nothing. She had assumed he would be awake from something like this.
“When you saw your sister” Anise said. It was not a question. It was a statement; she had heard him muttering her name in his sleep.
“Well, not my sister -just my sister’s replica.” A cold gust of wind made the two shiver on the spot. Anise blinked, snow was beginning to gather on her eyelashes.
“Do you miss him?” Guy asked suddenly. Anise winced slightly and stared at him confused.
“Who-“She stopped mid sentence. She knew who he was talking about. He was talking about Ion. Anise swallowed a heavy lump in her throat. She hadn’t spoken about Ion since he had died and she wasn’t sure she was ready to.
Guy sighed and put his head in his hands and stared at the floor. Anise didn’t say anything; it appeared he was not the only one talking in his sleep.
Snow was beginning to fall gently from the skies. Anise looked up; for once in her life unable to say anything. The sky was now a light purple with a hazy orange at the horizon, snow increased in amount sprinkling a new layer of powdery white across the park.
“Let’s go back. The others will be wondering where we are.” Guy said suddenly, getting up from the bench. He stifled a gasp when Anise suddenly grabbed onto the sleeve of his shirt and then his wrist. Her hands were icy cold.
“Let’s not go yet.” She whispered her face pink from the cold. Guy chuckled and sat back down next to the brunette; thinking not more of it. He uncurled his scarf from around his neck and dropped it onto her lap.
“What do you want me to tell Luke?” Guy said, teeth chattering.
Anise grinned at him; a wonderfully warm green scarf around her neck.
“We’ll tell him you got lost.”