Chapter Text
None of the party was surprised when Siffrin refused to talk about the loops. They all generally understood how it wouldn't be fun to talk about the various ways you died. Odile had assumed things would stay that way for a long time, lest some drinks got involved.
But none of them expected Siffrin to start talking in his sleep so audibly.
Not to say they weren't already used to it. Siffrin had always mumbled a little in his sleep, often things they never remembered the next morning, but they never seemed too important. When he can shrug it off like it's nothing, Odile can assume that it's nothing she needs to be too worried about.
Then it started after the loops.
It first happened at the inn down in Sâbortuaire, where they were preparing to make their way from the coastal village down to the south of Vauguarde. Odile wonders why they never ask for more than one room. She supposed it's a force of habit, as they never like to be far apart -- especially Siffrin, who has taken to soaking up their presence like a sponge.
Odile has settled herself in for the night, ready to close her eyes when a faint mumbling permeates the air. She had assumed she was merely hearing things, but then she hears Mirabelle mumble a soft, "Siffrin...?"
So it was what she thought.
They all turned to Siffrin, curled up on the bed beside Isabeau. They've wrapped themselves in the blankets like a small animal, curled up in a knot. Isabeau has raised his head, barely half awoken by his bed partner's mumbling.
"Isabeau," Odile whispers. "What are they saying?"
"I don't crabbing know," he grumbles. "I just sat up."
"SHHHHHHH!!" Boniface jumps up with a hiss. "I'm tryna listen!"
They all freeze as Siffrin sniffles, shuffling himself in his little cocoon before settling. They all breathe a sigh of relief.
They stay quiet now, waiting for the next bout of mumblings.
It's mostly gibberish, but a few words make sense. "... s'where y' gon' g' wh'n th's all ov'r...?" Siffrin's voice changes up a little, not much but a slight bit snarkier. "Oh... I m'ght j'st go h'me t' K' B'e.. traveled 'nough..."
... Gems Alive, that sounds like her. She sits upright a little more.
Isabeau stares down at Siffrin, then snorts softly. "Wow, that's not a bad impression, M'dame."
Mirabelle sits up a little more as well. "What are they even talking about?" She turns to Odile, but all she can bring herself to do is shrug.
"I have not the faintest idea," she scoffs. "I never had this conversation with them."
"So..." Boniface gasps. "He must've had it with another Dile!"
"SHHHH!" The three of them all hiss at Boniface.
Siffrin makes a soft sniffling noise and rolls onto his stomach. With his face smushed into the pillows it's a miracle he can breathe at all. They make an odd sound and mutter again.
"S... w'll y' g' b'ck t' y'r st'di's..." They inhale sharply. "P'rh'ps... 'av'n't b'n h'me 'n a l'ng t'me... Wh't 'bout y', S'ffr'n..."
He sniffles again and goes quiet for a moment. The four of them are all listening intently now. Odile has admitted she's been curious about the things that happened to them, but she knows better than to just ask. She doesn't want to upset him anymore than he already is, but... She really does want to know.
She leans forward and listens intently.
Siffrin snorts a small laugh. "... 'm gon' m'ke a n'w f'ld 'f r's'rch... 'n wh't 's th't, S'ffr'n..?" They roll onto their side again. "... d'nno... m'ybe... mnnn... trav'lol'gy..."
Isabeau snorts far too loudly for the middle of the night and quickly covers his mouth.
"Isa!" Mirabelle hisses.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" He whispers through giggles.
Odile huffs. That certainly does sound like a conversation she would have with them. She... finds herself both frustrated and amused that they didn't, as it would have been rather amusing.
"Be quiet, both of you," she whispers. "Don't wake him."
Siffrin grunts suddenly and they all go quiet. Gems Alive, she will never let those two hear the end of it if they wake him. With all the bouts of insomnia they've had since... well, everything, he needs his rest when he can get it. She knows Siffrin doesn't need all the coddling, but the least he deserves is to sleep, and she wants to make sure they get it. ... She sounds like her crabbing father.
Thank the Expressions because Siffrin stays blessedly asleep, simply rolling away and curling up against Isabeau. The fighter seems to stiffen up, his face dark as beetroot. Odile does not laugh at the look on his face, but she does make a note to torment him later for her own amusement. But she will admit it's rather cute when he grins down at Siffrin as if he's been everything he could ever want before laying down with them. It's so gooey and soft that it gives her cavities just crabbing looking at it.
... They're sweet, she'll admit.
She tucks herself back into her bed, sighing with relief. She can hear Siffrin mumbling again, but decides that it doesn't matter much now. She can hear them flipping between her voice and his own. It's cute, very cute. She makes a note to ask about it tomorrow.
The next comes quicker than she would have wanted it to. While she would have loved to stay in bed a little longer, they do have somewhere to be sooner rather than later. It's a long walk to Jouvente after all.
Odile finds herself pleased by how well-rested Siffrin looks, the rogue roaming in a pleasant mood the whole morning. They may as well be glowing with how smiley they are.
It's all a nice change.
Isabeau is smiling at them the way he always does, and she can't resist temptation for that long.
"So, Siffrin." She waits until he turns to look at her. "How did you sleep?"
Isabeau turns to glare at her, face dark as his shirt. She fights back the urge to laugh, because Siffrin is now smiling up at her. "Great, actually! Warmer than I expected, but I had a nice dream."
She smirks down at him. "You did? What was it?"
They shrug. "I can't remember, but it was nice." His smile softens and little.
"Well, you did seem very cozy." She snickers to herself, because Isabeau has quickly hidden his face in his palm. She shakes her head to herself.
"Yeah," they smile. "I was pretty cozy."
Isabeau makes a sound like he's choking.
These two.