[SPRINGTIME]
Fauna was awakened by the sound of shouting before she realized that it was Kronii. The Warden was tossing and turning around the bed they shared together and was vehemently cursing at something. It would have been a comical sight considering Kronii was also punching the air if not for the fact that a stray punch almost grazed her head… and that Kronii was clearly having a nightmare of some sorts.
Kronii sounded simultaneously angry, afraid, and a multitude of other emotions that Fauna couldn't place given her half-awakened state. Needless to say, it was a rare occurrence to see her fellow councilmember in distress. Actual distress, not distress of the kind that elicits an “Awww, cute” from her.
Worrying badly, she immediately embraced Kronii, bringing her close and making the Warden face her direction. She locked Kronii’s flailing body with her own, their breasts pleasantly squishing against each other, her face close enough that even in the dimmed lights she can see the Warden’s eyes looking around rapidly behind her eyelids.
“Kronii, it’s okay,” Fauna says as best as she can in a calm, soft, soothing voice. “You’re just having a nightmare.” She made their foreheads touch each other. “You’re going to be fine. You’re going to be alright.” Seeing no change, she moved her face closer to Kronii’s ear. “I’m here, Kronii. You’re not alone. I’m here with you. You’re going to be okay.”
Fauna had to repeat the mantra a couple more times before Kronii finally woke up, breathing raggedly. She was a little bit hurt and disappointed when Kronii was struggling against her and she let go, with the Warden immediately moving away from her even if she understood that it wasn’t exactly a conscious reaction. Kronii looked around wildly before settling her eyes on her.
“Y-you were having a nightmare.” Fauna says, suddenly nervous under Kronii’s gaze.
In response, Kronii blinked her eyes and then turned her body towards the ceiling.
An awkward silence descends as she observes Kronii’s breathing calming down to even breaths. She can see Kronii pursing her lips in an attempt to say something in reply and so she was content to just let the Warden take her time. She checked her phone in the meantime, it was 2:35 AM.
“D-did,” Kronii’s voice cracks as she finally breaks the silence. She then turned her head towards Fauna. “I’m sorry, did I wake you up?” Kronii asked, her voice uncharacteristically sounding meek.
“Yes, but-”
“I’m sorry.” Kronii immediately interjected.
“-it’s okay.” Fauna finished gently. “It looked like it was a bad dream…” Fauna trailed off, unsure what to say.
Kronii crossed her arms against her chest and embraced herself and looked back at the ceiling. “It was…” Kronii sadly said in response.
“Uuuu”-ing internally in her head, Fauna felt the uncomfortable need to do more and now she’s the one being hesitant on what to say or do to help comfort her friend. Kronii, if ever, rarely shows vulnerability. She wanted to hug the Warden again but what drove her to embrace Kronii in the first place was replaced with indecision and what-if scenarios in her head where Kronii might push her away.
In the end, she decided to go on with it. Fauna silently moved her arm under Kronii’s neck making the Warden gasp in surprise and ask her what she’s doing. She ignored her and made Kronii turn on her side with her other arm, this time with her back facing her. She then closed the distance, cuddling Kronii from behind.
“F-Fauna?” Kronii asked, a few seconds afterwards.
“Yes, Kronii?” Fauna asked confidently although inside, she was anxious.
“Nothing…”
“Okay.”
Fauna’s anxiousness subsided as a comfortable silence surrounded the room. Their breaths, which they unconsciously synced with each other, were the only sounds they could both hear.
“Fauna.”
“Yes, Kronii?”
“I don’t like being the little spoon…” Kronii said in a way a spoiled child would.
“It’s okay if it’s just this once, right?” Fauna giggled.
“I guess so…” Kronii muttered reluctantly before saying her name again.
“Yes, Kronii?”
“I can somewhat feel your heartbeat…”
“What?” Fauna giggled again. “There’s no way you can feel it.”
Another silence ensued before Fauna broke it. “Are you feeling okay now? I… saw how bad it was. We can… cuddle like this until we both go to sleep if you want?” Fauna said somewhat embarrassed at wording it out.
Kronii shrugged and made some cute noise in response. Fauna took it as a yes.
The silence was longer this time and Fauna can feel her fatigue coming back after the adrenaline caused by the night’s events. With her eyes drooping, she heard Kronii call out her name again.
“Yes, Kronii?” Fauna replied sleepily.
“I like the feeling of your breasts behind my back.” Kronii said unashamedly.
That comment made Fauna wide awake again as she giggled. “Kronii, go to sleep,” Fauna gently chided before cuddling as close as she can.
“Fauna.” Kronii said, in a different tone this time.
“Yes, Kronii?” Fauna said for the umpteenth time.
“Thank you… for this.” Kronii replied in a quiet voice.
Fauna smiled. “You're welcome.” And she finally let her tiredness let her go to sleep.
Fauna was awakened by the sound of someone whispering before she realized it was Kronii…who was also simultaneously poking her at the cheek.
“Kronii…” she said tiredly, reaching out for her phone on the nightstand and seeing the ungodly hour. “It’s 2:30 in the morning…”
“Uhm,” Kronii said sheepishly. “Did I wake you up before… I woke you up riiiiiight now?” Kronii added, her voice rising in pitch.
Fauna’s sleep-addled brain could not comprehend what Kronii was saying and she muttered a sleepy response. “No… I don’t know what you’re talking about. Go to sleep, Kronii…”
In the morning, Kronii asks her the same question again and this time she was reminded of a memory that she could only tell was a dream. Hoping to avoid awkwardness, she reassured Kronii that no, she didn’t hear anything before she woke her up.
Kronii smiled a sad smile at her in response and was about to say something when Mumei burst into the room with such force that a vase near the doorway crashed and broke in the ground.
“Oops.” Mumei said unrepentantly.
“It’s a-okay.” Kronii said, making use of her time powers to reverse the vase’s fate. “I can fix it.”
Seeing Kronii in action made Fauna remember more of a memory that’s fading away. Of her… comforting Kronii from a nightmare? And the both of them cuddling each other afterwards. Was it all a dream, she wonders or did it really happen?
“Fauna.” Kronii said, making her snap out of her reverie.
“Yes, Kronii?” Fauna replied absentmindedly before realizing that it was just the two of them alone in the room again.
Kronii giggled in response and when Fauna looked at her weirdly, it turned into a weird full blown laughter that had the Warden go entirely red in the face. It felt as if it was an inside joke that only Kronii knows, yet she feels as if she is supposed to know it intimately as well.
“Ah, thank you for that.” Kronii said once she was done. “That was great.” Kronii was smiling widely at her.
Still unsure of what that was all about as well as her questionable memory of what happened last night, she was about to ask her “What for?” when she decided that it’s best for her poor mind to just let it be and get ready for the morning.
And so, while very much perplexed, Fauna can only smile back in return.
“You're welcome?”