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The morning sun made it’s way past the window’s curtains, shining warm and gentle over pale skin. Blue eyes opened timidly and a sharp pain took over his petit body. His muscles began to ache, sore. He grumbled lowly. A loud gasp was heard. Someone dashed away. What happened? his mind raced, confused. Arms tightened around him. It hurts. Someone is crying? It’s a familiar voice, one he knew far too well. The Warrior of Light...!
“Thank the twelve! You are awake!”
“A-Ah.” The boy was both flustered and confused. Not exactly used to such… intimacies. He was slowly unheld by the adventurer, their face still wet from tears. Those weren’t the eyes of someone who just started crying. They seemed to be doing that for quite some time. Alphinaud smiled, as a means to ease whatever could be troubling his companion. “Did I oversleep, my friend?”
“Oversleep...?” The Warrior of Light’s eyes widened in surprised, but soon looked down, almost painfully. Regretful. “You... You’ve been unconscious for nearly a week.”
“WHAT?!” The young elezen was baffled. He coughed, a bit embarrassed to have raised his voice and lost his composure, even if for a couple of seconds. His chin rested on his hand, a puzzled look manifested on his face, as he couldn’t remember what in the seven hells happened.
“Alphinaud, you idiot!” Another voice filled his ears, this time even more familiar than the first.
“Good morning to you too, Alisaie.” The boy giggled, but soon regretted to do so, as his whole body hurt. A deep sigh followed, confusion having clearly defeated him. “May I as... What have I done to deserve such pleasantries first thing in the morning?”
“You big, dumb, inconsiderate fool!” Alisaie shouted, tears flooding. She hugged her brother almost as tight as the primal slayer did, but he endured the pain. His sister seemed to really need that and he wouldn’t deny such a thing to her, of all people. “I was... We were worried sick about you!”
He frowned, bothered by not having any recollection of what happened, aside from a few bits here and there. “I remember you trying to argue with… Lakshmi? And then... Alisaie!”
They both jumped in their seats by the sudden rise in tone from the boy, who sounded very angry.
“How could you do something so reckless! You were almost hit by her attack, if only hadn’t I…” Alphinaud stopped himself. He then understood exactly what happened. “...Oh.”
“You were hit in my stead, brother dear. And for that, I’m grateful”, smiled the red mage, still teary but definitely relieved. “Our ever dependable friend here defeated the Lady of the Bliss.”
Alisaie gestured to the adventurer and went on, trying her best to keep her voice steady.
“I tended to you as much as my abilities would let me, until the primal was defeated and we could take you to camp, to put you in the hands of a chirurgeon, but you...” her eyes were full of tears again. “You weren’t waking up! We thought... You could have been influenced... L-Like Ga Bu was...”
Alphinaud felt his heart sinking as his sister sobbed loudly. He had just scolded her for being reckless and yet, did nothing but the same, staying in danger’s way to help. No heroic sacrifices, the words passed his mind, a bitter reminder of his contradicting actions. The arcanist felt ashamed for making them worry so much, but just when he was about to protest, the usually silent adventurer interrupted him.
“I couldn’t anticipate the smartest person I know doing something that stupid, but I believe you, of all people, would be beyond wallowing in self pity after a mistake. Isn’t that right, Alphinaud?”
A snarky smile followed after the statement, which caught both the siblings off guard. It was bitter… but it was the truth. Right on my weak spot. As expected of the Warrior of Light.
“Anyway, we should probably find Lyse and tell her that you are awaken. I assume the healer couldn’t find her?”
“I have an idea where she could be. I’ll go get her” Alisaie said, wiping her tears with the back of her hand. She got up as quick as she had entered the room. The red mage turned on her heels before leaving, smiling mischievously “Meanwhile, brother... I think you two have a lot to discuss.”
“I-I beg your pardon?” The boy stuttered. Suddenly the tight hug from the adventurer came in mind.
“Take this piece of information and do what you want with it.” Giggled the other twin, ever so cryptical. “Our hero hasn’t had any sleep ever since we came back from Djanan Qhat.”
The teenager left without any more words, leaving the other two companions behind. After a while, the boy gave in to curiosity.
“What Alisaie said... Is it true? Have you not slept in a whole week?”
“Not even a wince.” A loud sigh, followed by nonchalant laughter. “Gods, I’m so tired.”
“I… Apologize for having worried you so, my friend.” His tone grew bleak, guilt still crawling on his back. Once again, he felt like a burden to those who were important to him. “If only I hadn’t been so careless…”
“This wasn’t your fault.” Strong hands met with small fingers, keeping them warm. A smile was given to the boy, in an attempt to ease his worries. “I’ve been through way worse than a few sleepless nights. In fact…The mere thought of losing you was the closest thing I’ve ever felt to despair.”
Alphinaud had no words. The Warrior of Light, a literal god slayer, just said that their biggest fear was… his death? Heat rose on his cheeks and words had difficulty to reach his silver tongue. The elezen mumbled a few incoherent things, as a whirlwind of thoughts and at least seventeen different possible scenarios formed in his head, as expected of a tactician.
“S-Surely you jest!” He managed to say, despite the dizzying embarrassment ruining his composure. “I might be clever but I’m not that irreplaceable! Finding a suitable substitute to me wouldn’t be that hard, considering someone in Eorzea could most definitely be of—”
“No one could replace you, Alphinaud!” The adventurer screamed, surprising both of them and interrupting whatever the boy was trying to say.
“Fighting for Eorzea was never in my plans! Liberating nations was not what I had in mind when I first met you in a carriage, two years ago. The scions convinced me that I should fight, to protect the people... But it was you...”
The hands of the adventurer wouldn’t stop shaking, despite being so firmly gripped around the youth’s small one. The ever stoic Warrior of Light, so vulnerable and so sincere... Young master Leveilleur didn’t have the slightest idea of how to react to that.
“You, who stayed with me in the painful days that followed the waking sands, in the cold nights of Coerthas and Ishgard... It was you who gave me the strenght to carry on, to slay primals and bring peace... Without you, Alphinaud… I would have given up long ago. So please... Please don’t ever say you are replaceable again.”
Silence fell on the room as the sudden confession came to a halt, neither of them sure on how to proceed, but hands still tightly together, maybe without neither of them noticing. The atmosphere was so dense, one could cut it with a knife. Alphinaud’s heart was beating so fast he felt like fainting. As the warrior’s trembling slowly stopped, he managed to calm down, only then realizing how tired and weak he felt.
“I’m sorry... I made you cry.” He said, finally breaking the silence, his voice no louder than a whisper. His fingers squeezed around his companion’s hand. “And... Thank you. For staying by my side for all this time.”
A warm smile rose on the adventurer’s lips, as tiredness started to set in. Suddenly, it was really hard to stay with open eyes. “Allow me to stay... Just a little bit longer...”
Alphinaud smiled as well, as his own consciousness began to fade. “...As much as you’d like, my dearest friend.”
---
“Seems like I got a bit late to the party, Alisaie!” Outside of the tent, Lyse giggled. “They are both asleep.”
“I’m grateful for having both of them back, honestly.” The elezen youth sighed.
“Still…” The monk got a serious tone in her voice. “Once Alphinaud recovers completely, we have a lot of work ahead of us.”
“Fully aware I am of that. But for now…” Alisaie smiled, “let them rest. It’s a moment of respite those two truly deserve.”