𝚂𝚘𝚛𝚛𝚢 𝙰𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚝 [𝚐.𝚒 𝚟𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚘𝚞𝚜 𝚡 𝚐𝚗!𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛]

VIII

Stretching your arms you pulled at the sore muscles and breathed in the dirt that littered your body. Your claymore was still new but you were getting better, swinging more easily and becoming more accurate. Turns out, you were much better with lighter weapons, your bow, sword, and dagger worn with use and love.

You had just finished your daily commissions and were ready to hop in the shower and take a quick nap. Over the past year - it’s already been a fucking year? - you had become more efficient, waking up earlier and completing your commissions swiftly. Your skills sharper and getting better everyday.

You strolled back to the Adventurer’s Guild with a skip in your step and a smile on your face. Today was the day! You had finally racked up enough money to rent your own apartment (yours and Ariel’s of course cus the mooch had nowhere else to live). Waking up early in the morning to get the most expensive commissions, because apparently commissions had different amounts of mora attached to them depending on the danger level of the task, and tirelessly throwing yourself into them with your then amateur skills, you finally made enough to move out of the small inn you two had been occupying.

You collected your payment from a smiling Kathryne and continued on your way down the road. You waved to Marjorie and Sara who were both opening up shop as the sun raised towards its peak.

You swung into your room, not caring to be quiet despite Ariel being curled in his loveseat by the window warmed with the sun’s morning rays. You took a quick shower, humming a song from your old world as you ran your calloused fingers through your hair.

Throwing on some soft clothes, ones you had bought from Ms. Blanchard once you had gotten a little more money so you didn’t have to sleep in your adventuring clothes, you jumped on your creaking bed. Out of the corner of your eye, you thought you saw Ariel stir, but your eyes fluttered shut as exhaustion settled deep in your bones. Before succumbing to sleep you felt a gentle kiss be pressed against your forehead.

-

Your system was shocked awake, every nerve on edge, tensed and ready to snap. A deep roar rumbled through the streets and shook the window pane of your room so hard you feared it would break. Jolting up you frantically searched the room through hazy eyes to try and find Ariel, and for a moment you panicked when his white hair was not glittering in the afternoon sun or his clothes were not draped over the velvet seat.

The cry sounded again and it shook you to your core. Tears filled your eyes, only making it harder to see, your throat constricted and you desperately tried to gasp, reaching up to grab your hair. Pulling had always been a bad habit when you were scared, but right now you were too scared to think of it. Tears rolled down your face and you could hardly breathe. Your head was foggy and you felt like it was anytime now that you would pass out. It felt like you were going to die.

Vaguely you realized hands gripped your own and you let out a strangled scream, weakly trying to get away. The hands let go of your wrists and instead went to brush against your hair, lightly scraping their nails against your scalp. Soothing words were whispered in your ear though you could hardly make most of them out. Gasping breaths were taken until you could steady your breathing, something that was followed by vague encouragement.

Eventually you calmed. Your throat undid its death grip and your hands released your hair, cramped from being clenched so tightly. The hands reached to grab your own and ran soothing circles into your knuckles and palms. It was then, when you rubbed the tears from your reddened eyes, that you saw Ariel behind you, holding you to his chest and focused on breathing deeply, something you had unconsciously copied. His eyes were stuck to your joined hands as he rubbed the cramps away.

Feeling even more exhausted than you had this morning you fell back against him. He leaned his head against your own and released your hands, hugging you tightly. The motion felt grounding and the last of the fog in your head finally left.