Fates

Summary: Kain blames himself for Rosa's death, but Cecil doesn't want to lose his best friend. Kain/Cecil, implied one-way Kain/Rosa and Rosa/Cecil.

Author's Notes: I hate killing characters off (no one would tell it by reading Perfection though XD). And yet I have this feeling that if Rosa was suddenly out of the equation, Kain and Cecil would get together. Thus an attempt at it XD. Takes place during Baron's attack on Fabul. I could develop it, but it'd get redundant, since I have ideas for an alternate rewrite of the game... therefore it'll remain a one-shot.

As usual, constructive criticism is highly appreciated. Help me improve! Though I can thank my usual beta for a lot of it. I LOVE YOU! ^_^.

Fates


Why him? Why did she have to fall for him, out of all the other men around? Had it been any other man, Kain would have destroyed and annihilated them.

But no. Cecil Harvey wasn't any other man. Cecil was his best friend. They had grown up together, if not downright raised as brothers.... with one major difference. Despite Cecil being the youngest, he was the first to be taken under the King's wing. He had thought the silver-haired boy to be a spoiled prince for the longest time. Both men – now grown – had kept some sort of rivalry, albeit a friendly one.

When it came to Rosa, however, Kain kept wondering why she had chosen Cecil over him. Sure Cecil was a high-ranking officer in Baron's army, a promising future, but there was something off about him. Something about the man under the intimidating, frightening armor he wore. Without his armor, Cecil was much less intimidating. With his pale, milky skin and white hair, he gave a ghostly impression.

Not a ghost – a porcelain doll. Cecil's small, curvy frame and feminine face, complete with big blue eyes, made him appear completely inoffensive. How could Rosa have fallen for someone so harmless, so innocent, so... beautiful?

Why choose Cecil, when she could have had someone stronger, someone who would be able to protect her, someone entirely devoted for her?

However, until he met Golbez, he had never wanted to kill Cecil. Now it was the only thing he thought about. Taking Rosa with him, killing Cecil, and having the woman to himself.

~

Cecil had been gone for weeks; Rosa had followed him, of course. She had insisted on finding him as soon as she heard of the “earthquake” in Mist. Cecil was alive and well according to the soldiers who had the mission of killing the dark knight. Since Golbez had decided to take the Wind Crystal from Fabul, Kain was certain Cecil would go there as well... and that's when he'd make his own move.

Kain walked in the castle, a mad grin on his face. He could see himself winning the fight with Cecil, digging his spear through his armor, looking at him bleed and cling to life... oh how he wanted this.

Golbez had already sent some of his henchmen ahead, who had taken the appearance of the guards. One was in the throne room as Kain and Golbez slowly headed for it, leaving Cecil and his group enough time to retreat up to the Crystal room. They would have no other way to escape.

And so he entered as well.

“It's been some time, Cecil.”

Kain's eyes went from left to right, eyeing the two other men; a monk from Fabul, and a bard. He didn't move as Cecil came towards him. The dark knight's pale face was visible, and Kain could see a smile of relief on his lips.

“Kain! You're alive!”

That voice. Cecil always sounded so sure of himself, so caring. Kain couldn't stand it anymore. “I am,” he responded, trying his best not to jump at his friend's throat. For now.

“So you'll fight?” Cecil inquired. If he thought Kain was there to help him out...

His eyes squinted in the darkness; not that the men present would see. “Of course. That's the very reason I've come. But Cecil.. the one I'll fight is you...”

The dark knight took a step backwards, genuinely surprised. “Kain?! What-”

“A duel.”

“What do you mean...?”

Why was Cecil so daft? What about a duel was so hard to understand?

Instead of replying to the question, Kain lunged at the other man, spear in the air. He watched as Cecil dodged the attack, and then jumped. If this fight had occurred outside, he could have gone much higher. The dark knight stood no chance and didn't block the attack.

Cecil winced as the spear hit his arm. He had felt it through the armor – it hadn't hurt, but he still couldn't believe Kain was attacking him. “What's going on Kain?!” he asked as he dropped to the floor and rolled over to his side to avoid another hit.

“Give it up, Cecil.”

Kain jumped again. In the air, he tried his best to predict Cecil's movements, and landed a blow. Although this time, he was hit back. Cecil had drawn his blade, and in a swift movement, swung his blade in his direction, hitting him on the chest. Voluntarily leaving himself open for another hit, the dragoon jumped again, and before his “friend” knew it, was back on the ground already, spear pointed at Cecil. The blow landed on his other arm, and Cecil cringed again.

“What's gotten into you?!”

'Oh, I just want Rosa to know that I'm better.' Kain kept the thought to himself, and swung again, aiming for one Cecil's weak point: right-arm elbow joint. The hit was blocked, and Kain swore under his breath. He should have known better. Taking aim for his right shoulder, he jumped again, avoiding another blow from the dark blade now below him. He landed the hit, but Cecil held his sword firmly. This time, the sword hit his legs.

Kain had to admit that even if Cecil wasn't as physically strong as he was, he had a few advantages: one was his heavier armor, the other was his skills in hitting weak points as well, instead of using brute force. The low blow had been quite painful, but clearly wasn't enough to bring Kain down. With this, he went back in the air, aiming for the shoulder again.

Success.

Kain heard the knight's shoulder dislocate. Immediately, Cecil lost grip of his weapon and fell to the ground, a pained grimace on his pretty face. He could only smirk as Cecil attempted to retrieve his sword, gave up, and propped himself on his bad shoulder in order to defend himself with his left arm, still holding his shield tightly. Kain's smirk only widened as his friend screamed in pain. Fortunately, he saw the Fabulian monk rush towards him, and swung his spear in the air, blocking a certainly harsh kick to the head. The monk landed a few feet away, unharmed.

“It's all over, Cecil.” Once more, Kain advanced on the fallen dark knight, spear ready to strike the final blow. “Let me ease your suffering...”

“STOP!”

Kain abruptly spun around, his hidden, blue-gray eyes locked on the delicate female frame at the door.

Rosa.

Instantly, he dropped the spear to the ground. So close to his prize, so close to her. With Cecil out of the way he could be with her... and yet, now that she was there, Kain couldn't finish him off. If he hurt Cecil, he would hurt her too. He watched as Rosa ran to Cecil's side, her small hand reaching out for him. The little girl who had been following Rosa stood close to her, biting her lower lip.

Another voice rose in the room. A deep, strong and familiar voice. “Why do you now hesitate, Kain...?”

Golbez's imposing frame made its way inside. He ignored Kain instead, and focused his attention on Cecil. “So you are Cecil Harvey...” The black-clad sorcerer took a few steps forward, stopping right in front of the younger man and the two girls. “Allow me to give you a gift, something to remember me by...” he trailed off, raising a hand in the air. The energy surrounding him gathered in a purple ball, and shot right at Cecil.

The dark knight's body jolted backwards, screaming in agony as he landed on his bad shoulder. The room went completely silent – Cecil had passed out on the stone ground. The girls rushed to him, right as the bard and the monk ran towards Golbez. They didn't come close as the mage released another attack, and the two men were sent flying to the ground like rag dolls.

“Kain. Bring me the crystal,” Golbez ordered. The dragoon obeyed calmly, under the apprehensive stare of the two girls crouched by Cecil.

Rosa then stood to her feet and walked the mere meter separating her from Kain. “Don't do it! Please, Kain!” She defiantly stared at him as he stopped in his tracks, completely dismissing the massive frame coming towards her.

“Rosa, it's okay... we'll-”

Cecil was trying to call her back, but to no avail. Within a few seconds, she was taken by Golbez. A high-pitched shrill came out from her mouth as she fought back against the massive arm that now held her captive.

Kain came back towards the sorcerer, handing him the crystal.

“So you care about this one too. Then let me keep her, as a guarantee that we will meet again.”

But Cecil didn't want to listen. He attempted to get up, supporting himself on his left arm. “I... I won't let you...”

“Very well.”

The last thing he heard before losing focus on reality, was a loud snap – bones cracking. Rosa's now limp, lifeless body fell to the ground. Even Kain turned around to face his 'master', eyes locked on the corpse.

'He... no. He did not. No...!'

Cecil's strangled voice echoed through the room. “Rosa!” He was on the verge of passing out again, unable to believe what had happened under his very eyes.

'No...'

Enraged, Kain threw himself at Golbez, but the man disappeared into thin air before he could land a hit. He had killed the love of his life, how could he ever obey the man again? How could he pay allegiance to him?

His blue-gray gaze turned back to Cecil, who laid on his back, bewildered. Neither of them could completely grasp what had happened before their eyes.

'This is where jealousy has lead me? To see Rosa die, and my best friend in such a state?'

Never in his life Kain had wanted to break down, until now. Cecil would never forgive him, and he could never forgive himself. For a long minute – an eternity – the only thing he did was stare at Rosa's body, and how her death wouldn't affect only his own life, but Cecil's.

~

The bard was the first one to come back to; his first reflex was to get up – slowly – and limp to Rosa's side. The second move he made was to whimper and cower away, bent over as he was about to retch all over the place. Kain only wanted to grab him by the collar and shake him, but his own body refused to budge.

The monk was far more courageous. As soon as he stood up and found his balance, he rushed to her as well. He didn't even look at Kain, his head bowed in respect. She had given her own life to stop Golbez from taking the crystal – and even if her attempt had failed, it had been a worthy, courageous effort.

During all this time, Rydia kept quiet, trying her hardest not to let the tears fall. She had witnessed her mother die only a few days ago, and the only person she could have trusted in a similar way was lying, lifeless, on the stone floor.

Suddenly, Kain regained his composure. He walked to the bard and picked the man up by the collar, which made the frail man cower even more, his whimpers becoming louder. “Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you. Take the girl out of this room. Now.”

Afraid the dragoon would kill him anyways, the man wriggled out of Kain's grip and, mustering all the courage he could, wobbled in the little girl's direction. He took her hand into his, and led her out of the room, choking back a few sobs.

Kain took a deep breath as he knelt beside Cecil, obviously uneasy. What could he say? He was the one responsible for Rosa's death, and once the dark knight snapped out of it, Kain was sure he was going to get himself killed. Slowly, he extended his arms and gathered the younger man's body.

No word could have described Kain's amazement as Cecil clung to him with his left arm. The knight was still in shock, but would prove to recover fast, a moment which Kain dreaded. “Is there anywhere I can take him to...?” he asked to the monk, who was now picking up Rosa's body.

“I will ask someone to show you. Both of you could use some rest. I promise you that everything will be taken care of concerning Rosa, and I shall keep an eye on Edward and Rydia as well. As if the poor child wasn't traumatized enough already...”

Relieved, Kain closed his eyes and walked out of the room, followed by the older man.

The monk spoke to one of his “Brody, show the men the living quarters.”

“Yes, master Yang.”

~

The room was awkwardly quiet. Kain judged that his friend was completely out of it; Cecil kept mute, nodding or shaking his head as he was asked basic questions. His only reaction, once Kain decided to pop his shoulder back in, was to cringe and grunt. Nothing else. And within five minutes, the younger male was asleep – passed out from exhaustion would have been more accurate.

Kain sighed, taking deep breaths to relax his tired body. He didn't bother taking his own armor off, grabbed the nearest chair possible and let himself fall on it. A part of him told him to stay awake, that Cecil would need him when he'd wake up, yet another part asked him to forget everything and sleep.

He opted for the middle; drifting off to a light sleep, ready to jump when Cecil would come back to.

~

Kain jerked awake as the sound of sheet rustling came to his ears. His surroundings were not what he was used to; the orange-reddish eerie glow coming from the window gave the dragoon a very odd feeling, almost an omen.

The sheets rustled again. Kain turned his gaze to the sleeping figure in the rather large bed Yang had provided them, in the living quarters.

It was a relief to see that Cecil had simply shifted around. The silver-haired man was now resting on his left side, emitting soft groans of comfort. Cecil moved his right arm, and the inevitable came. A wave of pain spread through his shoulder, causing the groans to become louder, and he squinted groggily in response.

“Are you okay?” Kain inquired as he got up from the chair, stretching his arms.

Cecil groaned again and sat up on the bed, moving his right arm around to get used to the pain. “I.... guess so,” he responded, not bothering to cover his upper body as the sheet fell to his lap, revealing his pale, feminine frame. Still using his right arm, he pushed a few silver bands away from his face, and blinked hard in order to focus on the dragoon.

“I... I'm sorry about Rosa, Cecil.”

Cecil shifted again, his upper, naked body facing Kain. As much as he tried to block the memory of Rosa's death, he knew it was useless. He had to face it, just like the attacks on Mysidia and Myst. And all the things before.

“It's okay, Kain,” he tried to reassure despite his jittery voice. That, and he was too proud to admit he had felt like Edward did when his lover died in his arms. “A friend's death is hard to believe, but I have to move on.”

But deep down inside, he wanted to break down and cry like a baby.

He had to get it out; get it off his chest. “I couldn't do anything. All I could do was lay there. I wanted to get up, I wanted to end it, but I couldn't. I didn't.” Cecil's blue gaze shamefully drifted away from Kain. “I'm such a coward.”

In any other situation, Kain would have slapped him back to reality. Instead, he simply crouched at the side of the bed, trying to get Cecil to look at him again. “You're not a coward. If you need to blame someone, it's me.”

The silver-haired knight turned his eyes back at Kain, puzzled. “What do you mean?”

“I'm the one who gave Golbez the idea of kidnapping Rosa. I didn't think he'd act on it. But I wasn't surprised when he did it.”

This confession didn't seem to stir Cecil, who simply quirked a brow back. He knew Kain – the man would have never been able to do such a thing. There was only one possible explanation, as farfetched as it would have seemed to anyone else. “What if he had manipulated you to do it?”

“He did not. I acted on my own volition, Cecil. I didn't want to kill her. The one I wanted to kill was you.” To Kain, it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Cecil shrugged and frowned. He had fought with Kain many times, and took the fact lightly. “Why is that?”

Kain rolled his eyes as he stood up again, crossing his arms against his chest. The man before him was so naive and oblivious at times. “I loved Rosa. I wanted to be with her. The way she looked at you... the way she touched you, how she kissed you and hugged you, I was jealous. Golbez made me realize that-”

It was Cecil's turn to roll his eyes at his best friend. “This is exactly what I was saying. He was manipulating you.”

“Damnit Cecil, stop it. Please,” Kain warned, exasperated. “It made sense to me. I wanted her before Golbez came along, but you're my best friend and she was in love with you. I didn't want to hurt any of you until he came along. I couldn't stand if I had hurt either of you.... You're my best friend,” the blond repeated, moving a few inches closer to Cecil. “I did not want to hurt you. Or Rosa.”

For thirty seconds, Cecil fell quiet as he searched for the right words.

“You're the best friend a man could have, Kain...”

The words were genuine.

Baffled, the older man's shoulders dropped. “I... I don't get it. I wanted your girlfriend – I wanted to kidnap her and make her mine, in fact... I sentence her to death, and I try kill you. And you're telling me I'm the best friend you've ever had? Is something wrong with you, Cecil Harvey?!”

“Only a real friend would push aside their desires for the sake of their own friends,” Cecil replied, amazed. “And it means a lot to me. Even though... even though Rosa and I were not together.”

Kain's jaw dropped. He had seen them holding hands, go on dates, he had seen her kissing him; for hell's sake, she even slept in his room every now and then.

“We weren't together. In fact, I always thought you would have been better for her than me. I mean, look at me...” Cecil scoffed and laughed softly. “The moment I wear casual clothes, people think I'm a woman. I'm not as strong as you are. And who would have taken care of her if something had happened to me? You would have.”

'All these years of suffering... all these years of hating my best friend, of feeling guilty when I dreamed of Rosa... were not justified? Was jealously clouding my eyes so badly, as I never questioned their status?'

“W-w... Why not?! S-she loved you, didn't she?” Kain stuttered, in utter disbelief.

“She did. But I wasn't in love with her. There's.. someone else I'm love with.” Cecil's blue eyes drifted away again, and his cheeks blushed slightly. “There are things you know about me which Rosa didn't know, but there were also things that she knew about me which you didn't.”

The blond man shook his head. Realizing he still wore his full armor, he took his helmet off and put it on the floor. “Well I didn't know that for sure. Hey, we all have a private garden, don't go thinking I'm holding this against you. But tell me something, because that got me curious. What things do I know that she didn't?”

“Like how I wet my bed until I was eleven...”

“That was quite easy to know when we shared a bed on a nearly daily basis.” Kain couldn't suppress his laugh long enough, and was soon chuckling madly.

He was soon followed by Cecil, who let himself fall back on the bed, pushing the sheets away. “Nine years later and I'm still dry.”

“I totally needed to know that. Thank you for sharing.”

Their laughter died down and Cecil resumed. “Well, my point was... I can have as many lovers I want, provided I find them. But I can only have one true best friend, and I don't want to lose him.”

The words echoed in Kain's head.

“You're the best friend a man could have, Kain...”

“I can only have one true best friend... and I don't want to lose him.”

“... but there were also things that she knew about me which you didn't.”

After a moment of shock, Kain crouched to the side of the bed and drew closer to Cecil. “Are you trying to tell me, that I'm the one you're in love with?”

Cecil parted his lips open and a furious blush spread across his cheeks. Embarrassed, he looked away, remaining completely speechless.

“Listen Cecil, if you had told me before-”

The dark knight closed his eyes and swallowed hard, seemingly pained by having to give an explanation over his feelings and behavior. “I value your friendship so much, Kain. I don't want it to be destroyed because of that. I'd prefer keeping you as a friend than having to deal with what could happen if you had known... if we had to break up... if I had lost you... or the awkward feeling if our relationship wouldn't have worked out.”

After trying to meet his gaze a few times, Kain gave up. He gently reached for Cecil's chin, urging the younger man to face him.

“Please Kain... don't make this harder... please,” Cecil begged, looking away. If Kain hadn't known him better, he'd have thought the youth was about to cry.

Yet Kain didn't back up.

“We could have worked it out. Look at us – we're nearly a couple. You know me better than anyone else on this goddamn planet. We spend a lot of time with each other, and yet are independent enough not to suffer if we don't see each other for days. Hell, you've never been shy about being fully naked around me. When you think about it, a lot of real couples aren't even as close as we are. The difference is that we're not intimate with each other. And that can be fixed.”

As quickly as he had crouched, Kain sprung up and quickly took his armor off, the pieces landing with loud clangs on the stone floor. The noises made Cecil cringe, and he hoped everyone around them were heavy sleepers. Confused, the younger man watched as his friend jumped onto the bed, landed beside him and brought their bodies closer without any warning.

“But Kain... it may prove hard if you're not attracted to me. I'm not even female.” Cecil paused for a few seconds and frowned before speaking up. “And don't tell me it's because I look like one.”

“Okay then...” The dragoon propped himself on his right arm, his blue-gray eyes set on the smaller frame in front of him. Sure Cecil was feminine, but there was something else about him. “... Tell me why you are attracted to me then.”

Once again, Cecil blushed. “Well, I know you like the back of my hand. It's not the only thing but it does play a big part... I know what you think. What you feel, almost. It's also how you've never judged me, no matter what I've done. How we're already close. … And I guess all those years we spent sleeping beside each other, even as teenagers, didn't help, heh.”

That last sentence got a chortle out of Kain. He was somewhat relieved that despite today's events, the dark knight was able to joke around a bit. Cecil was quick to move on – more courageous than he thought of himself – but something told him to keep on his toes about the whole ordeal. Nonetheless, Kain listened to him, and even had encouraged him to talk.

“These are the same reasons why I would see us as a couple.” He didn't want admit it right now, but so far, Kain had been attracted to women. And Cecil was fairly close to one physically. He understood his point, however: Cecil wanted Kain to be with him because of their bond. “Looks aren't just what matters, and I think you'd know that first hand, being a dark knight who looks nothing like one.”

“But... what if it doesn't work? What if we're not meant to be with each other? I don't want to lose you over this, Kain. I mean it.”

With his free hand, the blond cupped Cecil's chin. “What if I promise there will be no such awkward moment after all of this?”

It took a few seconds for Cecil to reply. “... Okay.” If Kain said there wouldn't be, there wouldn't be. Kain was a man of his word.

Instead of leaning over and kissing his friend on the lips, Kain grinned. There were a few things he wanted to know before going any further with the other man. “Do you ever think about me when you're alone?”

Cecil blinked, not catching on right away. When he did, he blushed yet again. “I... well... huh.... You really want to know?” He waited until Kain nodded, and answered. “Yes.”

Kain's grin grew wider, satisfied with Cecil's reaction. “How good am I?”

The silver-haired man frowned lightly. “Good, I guess... I've never been with anyone before, you know that. I can't compare you to anyone else. But in my dreams, I love it.”

Oh so Cecil dreamed about him too. Interesting. “And what do I do to make you feel good? How do I take you, in your dreams?”

Cecil closed his eyes in recollection, trying his best to remember every detail. “I'm on my back... my legs are spread, and you're between them.”

On cue, Kain pushed the other man on his back, moving Cecil's legs apart with ease. His blue-gray eyes scanned the pale form below him, brows arched, and a light, devious smirk on his lips. Despite the countless times he had seen Cecil naked, it was the first time Kain paid attention to his body. He had a hard time conceiving that he had fought – and lost several times – against a man who looked so fragile, powerless.

Kain's hands moved from Cecil's legs to his shoulders and collarbone, sliding all the way to his upper arms. His muscles weren't prominent, yet were firm under his fingers. Gently, he continued mapping the flesh, going down to his chest and abdomen, eventually stroking his thighs. Kain had never been aroused by another man, but Cecil was different.

The grin grew wider as Kain brushed over his friend's shaft, making the smaller man gasp. “And? What next?”

Flustered, Cecil answered between moans, as Kain's took his hardening member with his left hand. “You... you just went right in.”

“It might be bit too early for that,” the blond stated. “As you said yourself earlier, you're not a woman. I just can't... fuck you senseless right off the bat. Here. Give me a minute or two.” Kain jumped off the bed – at Cecil's dismay – and sprinted to the private bathroom. After a long minute of opening drawers and cabinet doors, Kain found what he was looking for. “This should do the trick,” he resumed as he came back in the bedroom, holding a bottle of massage oil in his hand.

Cecil's brows were quirked, as if there was something he didn't understand.

“You can be so naive at times. You must be pretty damn tight, I don't want to hurt you.” This being said, Kain coated his fingers with the liquid and, once again, spread Cecil's legs apart. Two cold and wet digits gently played around the puckered entrance, but Kain only inserted one. The younger man proved to be tight indeed, and he was suddenly thankful to know more about sex than his best friend.

In front of him, Cecil groaned in discomfort, not used to feeling something penetrating him. The feeling was even more awkward as the second and third digits made their way in, preparing him for Kain's cock.

The blond man brought Cecil's body closer to his, bringing his legs up to his shoulder. After making sure the man was alright, Kain gently pushed his member in, waiting for a positive reaction before going further. Once he got a moan out of Cecil, Kain pushed in, and gave him more time to get used to the feeling.

And honestly, Kain had to adjust as well – he had never been in such a position with another man, and barely imagined he'd ever get that far with Cecil. He had to admit, however, that it felt good. More than good; right.

Definitively strange, but something he could see himself doing again – even if they weren't done.

When Kain felt Cecil move below him, he pushed in again, enjoying the youth's tightness around his member. He grinned and closed his eyes, establishing a slow pace, using Cecil's legs as support. But it soon wasn't enough, and he bent the legs forward. Now in a better position, he proceeded to add more strength to his thrusts.

Beneath him, Cecil moaned. He tried to buck his hips along with Kain's thrusts, but his position was making it hard. Instead, his hands roamed his own body, pretending they were his lover's. The older man caught on fast and let go of the legs, feeling Cecil wrap them around his waist, the hips bucking against his.

Kain was now able to run his hands over Cecil's pale skin, his breath hitching. He arched his back before bending over, enough to cover most of the slender body below him. Softly, he gritted his teeth against Cecil's neck, even nibbling gently on the sensitive flesh, lapping at it with his tongue.

Without warning, Kain brought the body closer to his, lifting Cecil so he could sit on his lap. He resumed the kissing and the playful biting on his partner's neck, feeling the goosebumps on his skin.

Cecil clung to his friend's shoulders, lips parted in pleasure, whimpering and moaning. He knew he was getting closer to release. “Kain... faster,” he demanded, impaling himself on the other man's hard-on. His silver head rolled back in pure ecstasy, which Kain pulled back in order to lock their lips in a deep, heated kiss.

Kain groaned as the youth pulled back from the kiss and dropped his head on his shoulder, feeling the body stiffen in his arms. Cecil's limbs shook as he shot his seeds across their stomachs, before slumping on Kain's chest, exhausted.

The blond man came soon after, releasing his load deep within Cecil, grunting loudly, still thrusting upwards. In utter bliss, he could barely move for a long minute – only his lips responded to his brain, sending fluttering kisses down his lover's collarbone.

Cold drops on his shoulder and his back brought him back to reality. Cecil's breathing was irregular, and his body still shook as he sobbed quietly.

“You've had too many emotions today, haven't you?” Kain asked his large hands going up and down Cecil's back in an attempt to calm him down. After seeing Rosa die, not being able to help her, and his first time... he had to say it might have been a bit too much, a bit too fast.

“I'll... I'll be fine,” Cecil uttered, trying his best to stop crying. He hated feeling so weak; knights weren't supposed to cry like this. “I'm just exhausted.” The silver-haired man nuzzled his friend's neck, short sobs shaking his body every now and then.

As Cecil finally relaxed, Kain held him close; he didn't want to sleep. The only thing he wanted to do was watch over the man he loved.

~ The End ~