Archive of Our Own ^beta

The sun shines bright today, and with it the sky's blue has become deeper. Barely a cloud in the sky to obscure it, too. A sight dearly welcomed by those who live under it today.

A sight especially welcomed by this kingdom's knight, transfixed on what was above.

Cielomort's love of the blue sky was well known by the entire continent. To show and protect everyone that lives under it was what kept this knight going. But only the other knights knew that love went deeper, and only Cielomort knew just how deep it was.

Piercing the very soul, it wanted to be the sky.

Not just on a figurative level, no. It could pull that off just fine for its people, its friends, and dearest Cinnamon. Heck, it was already doing that.

No. On a physical level, the blue sky is what it wished to be.

The body felt strange at times. It could fly with magic, but it could only go so high before it lost breath and had to descend. Not nearly enough to reach and become the sky. At times it didn't feel like that outstretched hand belonged to it, That the soul reached to those gloved fingertips. It felt like an observer of what was meant to be its own body. A soul should reach every corner of its vessel, shouldn't it?

And oh, how its eyes strained in the corners when it stared into the sky like this. Unusual. Thrilling. Focusing into a perceived center, as if the sky called for it.

As if the sky also wanted Cielo to get up, shed this form and become one with that azure expanse. One of its own.

It could protect everyone that way. Ensure the only rains would be for bountiful harvests. All the love of something human stored in something that covered all of humanity.

...But that wasn't what was happening right now. It was just focusing a little too hard. The little pain it felt in its eyes would fade quickly, at least. It always did.

"...there you are, my dear." After some time, Cielo heard a quiet voice and even quieter footsteps behind it. No matter where it went, Will was always certain to find it... there was some comfort in that. His company was always welcome.

"Ah, Will!" It turned to greet him with a smile, patting the grass beside it. "I was just doing some skygazing. Would you like to join me?"

Will hummed, gladly sitting down next to his friend and accepting its little cuddle with a smile of his own. Their gazes turned to the sky in peaceful silence, each allowing the other to get lost in their thoughts. And Cielo felt itself becoming fixated again, staring into the expanse as its heart raced just a bit.

A hand grazed its hair before it became too absorbed. "...you're thinking about it again," Will whispered. "Aren't you?"

"...when am I not thinking about it?" Although it laughed, it was a bit weak. How easily it could be read by its beloved! But that was one of Will's best qualities, along with everything else about him. "I tried telling Kurode about it a few days ago. Same as the rest of them."

"How did that go?"

"Mmm... Honestly, I think it might have gone over his head... But he didn't really take issue with it. He'll accept my thoughts as they are." Snuggling up closer. "...but he had the same concern as you. Not that I told him that, though..."

"..."

Cielo's gaze pulled away from the sky and to Will. "I won't truly be gone if it happens, you know... Wherever there's sky, I'll be there."

"I know, dear. ...and yet, I would still miss you." He slowly pulled it into a hug, running a hand through its hair as it melted into the embrace. "I would miss this. Perhaps that's selfish..."

"Maybe. But it's alright. Perhaps I'm being selfish, too..." A breeze blew past them as they fell silent again. And it stayed like this for a while, with the two perfectly content, perhaps even ready to doze off...

But before Cielo succumbed to its sleepiness, it whispered. "If it happened, I'd still find a way to reach you. I'll part the clouds so the sun always shines on you... and ask the wind to hug you for me..."

...That earned it a kiss on the head, and soon enough they were both napping under the blue sky.