The fall (TBATE)

1. Time, part IV

[ A/N: Regis best boy and big bro. 
Update tomorrow. Sorry, no fixed and final part of a chapter along with a new chapter will be published soon. Had a family problems, so there wasn't much of time to write. xd Could do better... but I hope you like it. ]

***

After a week of traveling and fighting in the wilderness, exploring dungeons and some old ruins we managed to find by an accident, waking up in the embrace of warmth and comfort was certainly a wrong feeling. No, not just wrong... strange, perhaps? Weird. But good. I felt... protected and calm. As if I forgot for a moment to stay alert and in lookout for a danger that could await me in the unexplored wilderness. It was a feeling of warmth and comfort that I didn't want to dispel. In fact, I wanted to bathe in this warmth for a little while longer before waking up, it wouldn't hurt, would it? To relax, forget about reality juse for a few minutes, to hear steady... beat of heart?

It was when I finally somehow got back to my senses, yawning drowsily and... understanding that I wasn't actually sleeping anymore. No, in fact I was already awake and...

"Good morning, little prince~ Have you slept well?" Regis' cheerful, sudden voice near my ears took me literally by surprise as I almost jumped off my skin. Alarmed, I looked at my friend with wide eyes and, no doubt, a dumbfounded expression on my sleepy face.

What?!

I felt my ears and probably face heated up, especially when I remembered yesterday's dialogue... And my thoughts just now.

"Um... Good morning," I finally managed to say, stuttering, still a bit embarrassed. Though I didn't really understand why exactly. It wasn't really wrong for boys to sleep in one bed, let alone kids, but thinking that I really wanted more of that warmth of protective embrace was... weird and awkward, embarrassing.

I sighed deeply, trying to regain my composure and thinking how to explain my... reaction, but I was outstripped.

"Relax, little prince~ It's not like you have to say anything on that matter. Though I do remember how you were clinging to me and weeping yesterday~...."

"Shaddap! Regis. Really. I will kick you." I hissed, trying to sound serious, though in truth I actually couldn't help but smile. Feeling the small amount of dignity I had still left by now shattered, I let out a giggle and shaked my head, still smiling, "Thank you, though. You know, for yesterday," I averted my gaze from his gleaming amber eyes, feeling a bit uncomfortable. The moment he... Regis had gotten his human form, let alone these eyes, I couldn't help but feel like he always could see through my very soul. And while it wasn't exactly an unpleasant feeling, it was really weird and scary. Especially after his words yesterday that still ringed loudly in my head.


Suddenly feeling my hair being ruffled I stumped on my line of thoughts and looked back to... smiling Regis.

What. Really now?

If I felt like this morning couldn't surprise me anymore it already has, seeing not a grin - or even a shit grin - but a small, warm smile on Regis face was definitely overkill.

"You know, if it is your way to try and kill me, you are a way of success." I grumbled at him, rolling my eyes.

"Well, you asked yourself, remember? Little bro~" Regis laughed at me, surprising once again, since I expected at least a smirk or something, not a pat on shoulder.

Damn you.

I sighed, shaking my head, but said nothing as I crawled out of the tent, blinking my still somewhat sleepy eyes to adjust to the light slightly.

Cold morning breeze sent chills down my spine with a somewhat uneasy feeling, as if something was amiss. And, considering how mysterious and chilly this forest was, It shouldn't have been a surprise and yet...

I sighed. Maybe with all the comfort in the royal castle and eleven city I got for all these years I just forgot how cold the air of the Elshire forest was in the morning? Though I did visit this camp occasionally when I wanted to be alone, but more like at night and always overslept after.

Oh. It was only now that I noticed what I was wearing. Thin shirt and black, long shorts.

Damn, one mystery less... And one more. Why? Well, because I didn't really know how or when exactly I changed and, perhaps I should just stop thinking about it right now, seeing as how the small amount of dignity I had yet was about to crumble.