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To Lloyd's surprise, people had no idea Genis snored – at least not on a regular basis. Apparently it had been collectively decided that he didn't, and they seemed genuinely surprised whenever Lloyd would make a quip about it.
He eventually figured out that he did when he wasn't completely relaxed in his sleep, and unfortunately, even if surrounded by his closest friends, being in new and unfamiliar places tended to set the tiny half-elf and even his collected sister on edge; for perfectly understandable reasons. Ozette had been the worst case by far - in the end, Lloyd had to wake him up to ask him if he could stop, and he woke up the next day to find Genis hadn't slept all night after that. He didn't leave his side for that entire day despite Genis' weak protests, an uncomfortable mix of guilt and concern that he'd fall over a rock and hit his head over it, all because he was sleep deprived because Lloyd had to open his big, fat mouth. He didn't even complain when Genis snored again that next night, just shifted a bit closer and let him roll onto his arm in a half-hug throughout the night.
Apparently not even Genis knew he did so! Lloyd had (eventually – it didn't occur to him until later) figured that out after teasing him back over the snoring, and Genis had no idea what he was talking about, snapping that if you're teasing someone, it at least had to be true, sheesh, Lloyd. He hadn't outright said it, but the blank look on his face first that became his frown and his head cocking gently to the side said all words required. A part of Lloyd, somewhere deep within him liked knowing he knew how his best friend ticked and didn't like the thought of anyone else knowing him better.
Still, it wasn't as though his snores caused problems for anyone. They were barely audible except in worst-case scenarios (the aforementioned Ozette case having been the absolute worst) - the majority of the time, only to Lloyd did they sound loud as the two often shared beds together, and if anything being able to hear his best friend late in the night when the brunet woke up tended to relax him.
Now more than ever, he thinks, frowning to himself, a little annoyed with himself over his paranoia. He couldn't help but imagine many times in the past day that he'd wake up later or try to find his best friend for a reason - only to find Genis no longer there. That he'd decided to follow the blond half-elf after his sudden betrayal, agreeing with his ideals more than the brunet's. Normally he wouldn't be so paranoid about this, trusting Genis more than anything or anyone, but after Zelos had mentioned such a thing could happen (Sheena slapped him soon after for distrusting him – he proceeded to say it was a joke, and yet another argument was born between the two), the idea had wriggled its way into his head and refused to leave. From the occasional looks Raine gave when she couldn't see her brother and then the pure relief see had expressed on her face when he'd pop up behind her, camoflaged in the snowfall and laughing about something, she seemed to have the same problem.
(then, without fail, everytime, he'd end up imagining how it would turn out if that happened and they ended up clashing – and then he would stop, not wanting to go any further. he couldn't seem to decide if he was willing to defeat him if it turned to that. not even when he added colette's wellbeing into the equation.)
Out of pure curiosity, Lloyd would occasionally ask the half-elf if he himself snored. He'd shrug, and then always give a varied answer; Sometimes he did, sometimes he didn't. The next day, he did. After that, he didn't. There wasn't any pattern to it. The times he did, Genis would say he just breathed lightly. The times he didn't, he'd say the brunet made loud, obnoxious noises that prevented him from sleeping (neither of them ever mention the Ozette case). Lloyd tried to retaliate by saying it was because he had elven hearing, but then Presea would occasionally proceed nearby with a small, polite cough, causing a small tint on Lloyd's face, laughter from Genis and the faintest hint of a smile on the pink-haired girl's usually emotionless face.
But Genis never once complained about it. Except when teasing. But then he always complained when teasing.
One of the things Lloyd found did seem to bother him when taken too far by the half-elf, though, was the fact that he tended to hog the bed in his sleep. Yet another thing he had no idea he did. He'd often wished that he would stop doing so and allow the brunet some space as they slept, but Lloyd found he missed it and took all of those wishes back as soon as he could when, during the previous night they had stayed at Flanoir as Raine and some of the others got a doctor to check on Altessa, Genis had snuggled down next to him as always but remained curled up in a petite, tense ball in his arms, snoring rather than practically kicking him off the bed and still managing to remain in his embrace.
A small inquisition later after the half-elf noticed it was snowing outside and insisted on dragging the brunet out, on the balcony of the church, and he'd found out the half-elf had certainly been shaken up by the betrayal. He could've guessed it, after the sullen way Genis had been acting throughout the night as they hurriedly made their way to the snowy region, but a part of him had convinced him that the half-elf wasn't upset over Mithos, but over whether Altessa was alright or not. The part deep inside him didn't like having to share his best friend's attention. He understood the half-elf's empathy, but at the same time something about it bugged him. It had always been them. Always. Mithos didn't have any right to suddenly break that.
"I just understand him, I guess." Genis had said the previous night, in the snow. His milky features had been dyed red from the cold and the snow clung to his bangs, making him look a little bit like a doll, abandoned and left outside in the flurry. "I've hardly had the kindest treatment myself, you know? I can sorta see where he's coming from."
Lloyd had scratched his head, unsure of what to say. Anything he could have said would only hurt his friend more, dig and twist the knife in just that little bit more, since he had no idea what it was like to be discriminated against so strongly. Which is why he could only say what he could.
"We can't give up."
Genis had turned to him in surprise.
"We can't give up – everyone has a right to see this world. This scenery." Genis had paused, the words sinking in, the cogs in his mind turning as he thought his statement over. Then, he had breathed out in an exasperated way, as though something was finally letting him go and allowing him to breath, and smiled at him – a radiant smile, so contrasting to their surroundings and his pale features and his recent everything. And then he'd sneezed and, as the brunet was leading him back to the room they shared, had thanked him. For a reason to which he never explained after Lloyd had inquired why. And one Lloyd knew he'd probably never figure out.
Which is why, when he woke up the next morning to his neck being tickled by his best friend's soft, even breaths just beneath his chin and the small steam of sunlight filtering through a slight gap in the curtains and spilling across the floor in a haphazard slant towards the bed in which the two resided, he was overjoyed to see Genis had subconsciously taken upon his usual habit of stealing the whole bed during the night when the two had fallen asleep, and that he wasn't snoring. The content, peaceful look on his sleeping face as he lay in his arms (or practically on top of him) was as carefree as he could get in this situation he was locked in.
It was a strange feeling, Lloyd thought; awakening to the slow inhales and exhales of another still enthralled within their own dreams, but not unpleasant, either. In their sleep they had become a mess of limbs, sheets, friends and breathing. A tangle of half-elf and human. Of snoring and not snoring. As Lloyd balanced precariously on the side of the bed, an arm and a leg dangling off, he thought to himself that it was incredibly uncomfortable and grumbled as he pushed Genis' pale arm off his face. He promptly flopped it back, and Lloyd gave a sigh.
Still, it wasn't so bad.