Work Text:
[SOMEWHERE AT LA MANCHALAND]
A day most dreaded by Sancho had arrived: The Third of March. Typically the day would go as follows; Sancho received a bunch of gifts from her family, got told some useless sentimental crap, and a celebration followed
Sancho never really understood why it made their faces light up with joy, it was just a day, wasn't it? What was the importance of it? They called it a birthday. But still, she did not believe there was any point to celebrating such trivialities. Infact, she hated the very idea of her birthday, all it was was a cold and harsh reminder of how alone she had been ever since her birth.
Yet..
The joy her family got from it was almost indescribable, and despite her lack of understanding for the occasion, she still decided to cherish every moment spent with them on those days. Every fleeting second of their happiness was engraved in her memory, despite her centuries of experiencing the day.
Today was no different,
or, well, should have been no different.
It was early in the morning, so early that none of her family were even awake, so early that the darkness hadn't bled away from sunrise yet.
Sancho was busy brooding outside, even after all this time, she got painful memories from her past. Not to mention the fact she'd be bombarded with attention later on; because she knew that after today, her little sister would go back to avoiding her with that very familiar disgust, Nicolina would continue to harass her with dresses (yuck), and Curiambro- actually, Curi wasn't that bad.
The point was, it was tiring. It just felt like a glorified routine
And... Rain began to pour in.
Bloodfiends like herself had an irrational fear of water, and it was rather difficult to handle things like rain unless you were a higher Kindred capable of overcoming that very fear.
Sancho had not overcome it, yet, she could not bring herself to care enough to move inside.
Even when she was drenched, she did not want to, for she was lost in intense thought. In an attempt to ignore the rain, she curled her knees up, burrowing her face between her arms.
That was, until, she heard a familiar set of footsteps approach. The person sat down next to her, and suddenly the rain had stopped hitting her.
She looked up, and found the eyes of her younger sister peering down at her, though her gaze held something other than unadulterated disgust. She was holding her parasol above both of them, rather than just herself.
"You're up early, don't sit here looking sad, it's.. annoying.."
Dulcinea whispered to Sancho, looking away briefly before looking back and observing her reaction.
"Why do you care?" Sancho responded in retaliation, gritting her teeth. The audacity.. she never asked for her company, why was she even here? She buried her face back in her arms.
"You're right.. I don't." The younger bloodfiend sighed, before shuffling closer to Sancho, leaning against her shoulder.
An uncomfortable silence stretched between them, alongside the triggering noise of the rain around the pair.
"Look.. Sancho," Dulcinea began, sitting back up straight, "I.. I know we rarely ever talk... And when we do it's always just us barely tolerating one another.."
Sancho's eyes widened slightly, if Dulcinea was perhaps saying what she thought she was..
"Go on.."
"You are... My elder sister, after all.. I would like to know what's bothering you.. Besides, you don't typically sulk in the rain of all places."
Sancho looked back up again, this time with something other than some form "resentment" (Though, we know she's never truly felt that way towards her little sister)
"I hate this day..." She responded quietly, a hint of vulnerability in her voice.
Dulcinea frowned ever so slightly.
"Why? I was under the impression you enjoyed it."
"...I remember.. when I was still human.. so fragile and young.. I had no-one. Not even when I was born.. I had been alone with the cold, until Father found me at that old ruin. My 'Birthday' is a reminder of that horrible day..."
Dulcinea stared in silence for a brief moment, though her expression held nothing but unfamiliar affection. Sancho couldn't stand it and immediately looked away again.
"Sancho..."
She whispered softly, before immediately pulling her into a.. hug? Whatever it was, Sancho immediately warmed up to it and hugged her back.
"I do not know how to comfort you.. but.. you are not alone anymore. In my youth, I was also alone before Father took me in. And I have been blessed with an.. interesting family.. yet, dare I say they were the best thing to ever happen to me?"
She paused, looking down at Sancho hugging her, before continuing.
"..Sancho, my dearest sister.. despite our arguments, I ..do ..love you... and I have never stopped doing so."
Sancho finally looked back up at her, tears welling in her eyes, a small smile playing on her face.
"..R-Really..? Haah.. I never thought I'd hear you telling me that.."
"Hmmh.. Ofcourse I do.. Don't get used to it." Dulcinea said playfully, ruffling her sister's wet hair.
"Come on, birthday girl. Lets head inside and get you dried off, you don't want to be soaking wet for your party, right?"
She stood up, offering her a hand, keeping the parasol above Sancho's head rather than her own.
Sancho chuckled softly despite herself, wiping away her tears and holding Dulcinea's hand to stand up.
"..So.. ridiculously juvenile.."
"And as Father said.. 'It is that very ridiculous juvenility that brings colour and joy to life', did he not?"
"...I suppose so... Thank you Dulcie.. I love you."
Dulcinea paused, before a gentle smile spread across her typically cold and unbothered face.
"Love you too, Sancho. Happy Birthday."