Work Text:
It was almost evening, when the party reached a clearing near a river. The cool air of the night was there already, and that made the girl's skin crawl. She wrapped up her cloak around her tightly, to keep the cold breeze out. She asked her companions about camping, looking around the clearing, considering that stay. One of them complained that it would be better to go back to the village and rent a room, but they scoffed and started preparing the place with the others. They worked around, throwing packs, moving a nearby pile of rocks to make a secure fire pit and collecting firewood. Since there was not much to prepare and a few provisions to have, they just decided to put everything they had in a pot and boil for soup that night.
The girl volunteered to go and fetch water, taking the empty pot with her, and while everyone got cozy next to the fire, she noticed one of her companions afar in the dark, observing the surroundings. “That’s right, I keep forgetting he doesn’t need resting like we do…” She reached to the skeleton, fully cloaked, looking rather annoyed. His skull turned to her, but all she could see from the penumbral light was the gem on his forehead, glowing slightly to the firelight. She thought of asking if he was okay, but she knew it would be a stupid question to ask, but then, she just asked.
“Fane, are you okay?” she asked, expecting a harsh answer like aways.
“Well, I can’t say I was ever ‘okay’, but, sure - he said, between an exasperated sigh - I do not mind the stops for resting, if that is what you are wondering about - he walked away and sat against the nearest tree, rummaging through his pack. He pulled out a book and opened it on a marked page.
She knew that he was mostly annoyed by mortals' needs. Every night he would get more and more annoyed. It couldn't be bothered. He waited millennia to be free, he didn't want to wait any longer for anything. She always had a saddening feeling towards him and his story, but he never spoke anything else about it, never touched the subject again.
Ever since they left the Blackpits, he'd been more distant than ever, silent... He just wanted to get over with that Godwoken thing and do whatever he was supposed to do, and of course, keep on his research of the mortal world. Sometimes he complained about boring and stupid mortal things, but you could see a glimpse of sadness on his fleshless face anyways.
She shook her head, trying to leave those thoughts again. Her heart ached for a second, but nothing else came to her mind. She who could heal any wound, couldn't possibly heal his heart nor his soul. Still, she tried to comfort him by giving him space, helping anyway she could with research and so on. She and the others wondered many times if someday he would just get up and leave them. That’s a thought that she had almost everyday, and it made her heart ache a little. She took a deep breath and gave herself a pat on the cheeks. She walked away from Fane, who was now scribbling on a piece of paper.
Aimee arrived at the river, you could see the sun setting afar, the golden light filling the shadows and shining upon her features. She dropped the pot and her belongings on the lush grass. She decided to wash that nasty pot finally after using it so many times, it has accumulated a lot of soot and grease. After that, she decided to freshen up a little. She undressed her travelling garb and folded everything nicely and put it aside, not dearing to remove her white thin silky, sleeveless-shirt, and some bloomers of the same colour. She walked towards the river, dipped her feet in the water, felt a little cold but it was not that bad.
She sat on a rock, submerged her both feet in the water, and started scrubbing her legs with a rag. The scrubbing was therapeutic, a relaxing sensation spread throughout her body, and now she could think straight about some things that happened.
"Ever since I joined this party, crazy things seem to happen, terrible revelations, encounters, mystic dealings... And I'm sensing too much for my own good... I'm not sure if I can stay positive for any longer. Everything bothers me right now.. What's my purpose here? I'm helping people but I feel drained, even if I get gratitude... and that used to mean a lot to me..."
She sighed, staring at the blurred reflection of herself on the water, almost too dark to see anything now.
"What do I need? Everyone has a goal and a problem to solve: Sebille wants her revenge, Lohse needs freedom from that demon, Red Prince wants to go back to his throne, Fane needs to do something to help his people escape from the void, Malady doesn't even told me anything, but I guess she needs a favor, and we owe her one... And what about me? What's my goal, do I need to become The Divine? Do I really need to claim divinity? I mean, I don't know what to do, besides, there can be only one Divine... Should I quit all of this...?"
She felt her eyes sting for a while, that familiar feeling, a shiver went down her spine.
"I have to be strong, but... I can't anymore. I lost everything ever since the purging of sourcerers started, I can't go back to my old life until all of this ends... Same as them... I'm so weak... And I'm also making things difficult for everyone...."
She reached for her hair, pulling it, burying her face in her hands, and started sobbing.
[...]
The party was already done with the camp setting, Fane too, seemingly not very happy, still helped by scouting the area, making sure the location was safe enough. The others were preparing some kind of stew by the firepit, chopping some vegetables and a small animal they caught earlier.
The skeleton reached further into the forest, straying away from the clearing, to find the river's course. He walked alongside the river, until he heard a sob. Looking further through the dim light and the vegetation shadows, there you could see a faint silhouette, curled up near a bush, but he could see her as clear as daylight.
“Is that you Aimee? “ he got closer, trying to figure out her, a confused tone in his voice “What happened? “
She lifted her head up in a rush, hid her face again, wiped her face and then stared back at him.
“Uh... Nothing, sorry“ she looked away.
“Well, curling up in the dark cold forest is not a common human behavior, as far as I know” he speculated, a hand on his chin “Perhaps, you are hurt?”
“No, I'm okay... I'm just tired” she shook her head, pulled a hair strand and twirled it “I'll head back to the camp, I'm done here…”
She stood up and then grabbed her pack on the floor, and the pot, clean and filled with water, and just when she passed through Fane, she was held back by her wrist.
“W-what? “ she turned around to see his arm, holding firm to her wrist. She looked at his dark eye sockets, only to look away afterwards - Let me go.
“I know I might lack some understanding of your frail people,, but do not take me as a ignorant fool “ he said, in a low tone “I know you are not your normal self tonight, and this king of my concern, as we are exploring these lands together for some time now” he let her go, standing still and trying to get a look at her eyes “I know how sensible mortals are and how things can affect them. I am not simply asking for you to tell me the reasons for your concerns, but also how we can solve them. “
Aimee looked back at him, meeting his hollow gaze. The gem in his forehead was darker than usual, you couldn't see much of his skull due to his cowl. She touched her wrist, still feeling the cold from his bony fingers.
“This is nothing that can be ‘solved’... You can't have a deep, personal issue solved so we can just let it go, and it's not like you could talk about it, neither understand- “
“Oh, please!” he made a movement like if he took a deep breath and then stepped closer to her “Why are you mortals so damn stubborn? And you say I cannot understand?” he seemed menacing, almost like growing taller, his shadow darker than the ones around them “Why is that? Is there a reason you won't reason with me? Do you despise me that much? You think only you mortals have issues? Just because I'm not one of your kind, doesn't mean I don't understand!”
Aimee took a step back, eyes wide open, but guilt suddenly took her eyes, and she denied the right of being scared, she had a sad look. Fane noticed her expression, and stepped back too, but didn't look away like she did.
“ If I am right here asking, doesn't it mean anything? " he said that in a lower tone, then he let out a sigh.
She felt his words soften up a bit, and then, she met his gaze.
“I-I... It's just” she took a deep breath and looked away from him “ I don't get... you... “ she paused to shake her head “ I wish I could, but…”
Fane was stunned, and Aimee couldn't finish her sentence. They both stood there, staring deeply at each other for a few seconds. So profound the gaze, you could see a slight shine in her eyes, tears forming, ready to fall down, and his sockets never looked drier. Fane shook his head and got his focus back, but he didn't had time to think.
“What do you mean? “ he had a low, calm tone in his voice.
“Like I said, I- I don't understand you... Fane, I “ Aimee drove her gaze to her shaky hands “I can feel you are not doing okay, and... That kills me...”
He stood there in silence.
“I thought that I could help everyone, and I did everything I could but, you... “ she reached to his chest with a hand, touching with the tips of her fingers ”You feel so much, and this makes me feel that I cannot reach you, not entirely... I don’t know how difficult it is to be in a strange land, I can't help enough. You have such a big goal, and I'm afraid I won't be of much assistance, and-”
She gasped softly, surprised. Fane placed his hand on top of her hand, close to his chest.
“ You don't have to worry about me. This is a quest I need to take care of, and you... “ he grasped her hand ”You did more than enough. Quote that you did more than enough, doesn't mean you are done here. We still have work to be done. Besides, it has been anything like I ever imagined, being here with you. Crossing these lands, unveiling the truth, doing justice, seeing this world through your eyes, even metaphorically... It has been a privilege.
Fane let go of her hand, still on his chest. Aimee pulled her hand back, still looking at his dark eye sockets.
“ I thought that... You hated it here, this... Hated me, too. I'm sorry... “ her eyes turned glossy again, then she tried to hide it with her hands “I'm sorry if I ever made you feel like... If you didn’t feel anything… ” her voice trembled “or thought of you being ignorant to everything... I just…”
Fane reached for Aimee, holding her by her both wrists, moving them away from her own face.
“The only thing I hate is to see you like this…. Nothing good ever came out of crying. I wish I could help you understand those feelings of yours, but all I can do is say that no matter what happens, I'll be here.”
She still felt his grasp, firm and cold. Suddenly, her heart ached and she felt a tingling sensation on her skin. Fane let go of her once more, just to be grabbed by his palm. Her warm, soft hands squeezed in his thin skeletal fingers, but he couldn't feel anything.
“ I-I... “ Aimee stuttered, her gaze was intense and bright, closing in - I swear I'll do my best to help you, and… “ her face was starting to change colour “I promise to be here and there for you too... “ her hands were trembling on his.
“I wish to help you too, that's all I can offer, after all this time we've been together. You're the one who put us together, and we wouldn't be here if it weren't by your doings.”
A single thick tear rolled off her eye, and splattered on the back of her hand. She realized that and wiped her face again, letting go of his hands.
“Sorry about being a crybaby today... I wish I had the strength you have. You feel so much and show so little, it's amazing.”
“Well, these are acquired traits from being around morons throughout my entire existence. Besides, I could not cry even if I tried, you know ” he shrugged, a lighter semblance seemed to take form on his pale skull “You have nothing to worry about.”
She never had such a conversation with Fane like that before, she ended up a little speechless. She always thought him to be cold and heartless, but deep within he was compassionate, and she knew she got his affection. Fane chuckled shyly for the first time at the sight of Aimee blushing, but he played dumb for this time, still bottled feelings up.
“My, let’s go back, I am sure you are cold and hungry like the others, I came to fetch you, after all” he said, going ahead of her.
Her heart fluttered a little, she felt at ease for that moment, and she would keep that in her head for a long time.