The morning light streams gently through the infirmary windows, casting a warm glow across the room.
Eska sits up in bed, her tray of breakfast balanced carefully in front of her. She's slowly eating, though her movements are careful and slightly shaky. Valen sits beside her, his sleeves rolled up as he slices a piece of bread into manageable portions.
Without a word, he picks up a small piece and offers it to her.
Eska opens her mouth as Valen holds the small piece of bread out to her, taking it without hesitation. She chews slowly, giving him a mock-appreciative look as she swallows.
"I could do that myself, you know," she teases, though her smirk doesn't quite reach her eyes as she winces slightly while shifting her posture to sit more comfortably.
"You could," Valen replies, grabbing another piece of bread and placing it neatly on her tray. "But it would take you twice as long, and you'd probably drop half of it." He picks up an orange next, peeling it with ease.
Eska snickers softly. "You're awfully good at this. Paladin training involve orange-peeling lessons?"
Valen raises an eyebrow. "No, but I'm starting to think it should. Might improve the recruits' dexterity."
They don't notice the door opening quietly or the soft footsteps that follow. Ciel pauses mid-step as she enters, her eyes locking onto the scene before her. Eska, leaning into the playful banter, her comfortable smirk.
Valen, close by, focused but far less stern than usual, his care evident in the way he tends to her needs.
There's a warmth between them that Ciel hadn't seen before and she can't help but smile at the sight, her heart softening at the unspoken bond they share.
"Good morning," she says calmly, her voice going unnoticed.
Eska still bantering with Valen. "We could open an orange-peeling business!"
"A business?" Valen asks, stopping on his tracks from the sheer disbelief, a smirk tugging at his lips. "You mean the recruits and us?"
"Yeah! You guys peel them and I sell them," Eska quips, her smirk growing. "Grateful for what?"
"I'm not sure that will be as successful as you make it seem." Ciel interjects gently, amusement clear in her tone.
Eska freezes for half a second before glancing over, entirely unfazed by Ciel's sudden presence. "Ciel! Good morning!" she says cheerfully, as if nothing is unusual. "You're just in time for breakfast. Want a slice of bread? Valen's really good at slicing them."
Valen, on the other hand, stiffens slightly, his cheeks tinged with a faint pink as he quickly moves his hand away from the tray. "Good morning," he mutters, his voice lower than usual.
Ciel steps further into the room, setting her staff on a nearby table as her smile grows. "It's good to see you awake, Eska," she says warmly, her gaze flicking briefly to Valen. "And it seems you've been in excellent hands."
Eska chuckles, her grin playful. "Oh, you mean Valen? He's been fantastic. I might hire him full-time once I'm out of here."
Valen opens his mouth, clearly ready to protest, but Ciel beats him to it. "I didn't realize paladin training included bedside manners," she teases lightly, the glint in her eyes unmistakable.
He tenses slightly, clearly searching for a response but before he can say a word, Eska cuts in with a smirk. "Hey, he's been very professional. Best orange-peeler I've ever had."
Ciel raises an eyebrow, her amusement deepening as she looks at Valen, who blinks, clearly caught off guard by Eska's remark. "Well," Ciel says with a chuckle, "I stand corrected. It seems he's multi-talented."
Valen rubs the back of his neck, feeling the embarrassment, while Eska just leans back into her pillows, grinning like she's won something. Ciel shakes her head lightly, the warmth in her expression growing.
"It's good to see you in high spirits, Eska," she says sincerely. "And it's good to know you've had such excellent company. Now, let me check on you and make sure you're really as well as you seem to be."
Eska winks at Valen. "See? She approves. You're stuck with me now."
Valen sighs, but the faintest smile lingers on his lips. "Lucky me," he mutters, earning another soft laugh from Ciel.
***
Ciel finishes her checkup, her staff glowing faintly as she moves it over Eska's body. The sharp green crystal pulses softly, scanning for any lingering issues. She hums quietly to herself, before lowering the staff with a small nod.
"Everything looks good," she says warmly. "No major issues. Just keep resting and you'll be back on your feet before long."
"Good to know," Eska replies with a grin. "I was starting to think I'd be stuck in here forever."
Ciel chuckles softly, setting her staff aside. "Not if I can help it. Though I need to check on the other patients—things are busy this morning."
She gives Eska one last kind smile, glances briefly at Valen before making her way to the door.
Valen stands after a moment, picking up Eska's now-empty breakfast platter. "I'll take this out. You should keep resting," he says.
As he turns, Eska reaches out, her hand grasping his tightly for a brief moment. Valen freezes, surprised by the sudden contact. When he looks back, Eska is smiling at him—a warm, genuine smile that softens her features in a way he isn't used to.
There's a quiet gratitude in her expression, her amber eyes shining softly in the morning light. "Thank you," she says.
Valen blinks, caught off guard but he nods, his expression relaxes before giving her a smile as he gently squeezes her hand in return. Without another word, he moves toward the door, stepping into the hallway with Ciel.
Outside, Ciel gestures for Valen to follow her into the cold morning air. They step into the quiet courtyard. She takes a seat on a cold stone bench.
Valen hesitates for a moment before sitting beside her, his breath visible in the cold.
Ciel clasps her hands together, blowing on them lightly to warm them, her eyes fixed on the horizon.
"I've known you for a long time, Valen," she begins, her calm voice seems laced with a deeper tone. "And I've never seen you like this."
"Like what?" Valen asks, turning toward her, his brow furrowing in puzzlement.
Ciel glances at him briefly before looking back toward the infirmary, her expression unreadable.
"Like someone who's head over heels," she says.
"I—what—I'm not—" Valen stumbles over his words, completely caught off guard. He looks away, his face tinged with embarrassment as he struggles to form a coherent response.
"I'm glad," Ciel interrupts softly, a small smile gracing her lips as she spares him further floundering. "It was… surprising when I saw you two together at the encampment. But now, I understand. It makes sense."
Valen lowers his head, his hands resting on his knees as he lets out a slow breath.
"She is… I don't know what happened," he admits quietly, his voice almost a whisper. "One day, I looked at her, and it was like my entire world… crashed."
Ciel watches him closely, her smile growing warmer, enough to chase away some of the lingering cold around them.
"She's been through so much," she says softly. "I'm glad she's found someone she can trust like that. Someone who sees her."
Valen lifts his gaze slightly, her words settling heavily in his chest. But as Ciel's smile begins to fade, a more serious expression takes its place.
"But, Valen," she continues, her tone shifting, "you need to understand what this could mean. When Nakisk brings down his judgment… you have to be ready for whatever it may be."
The weight of her words hangs in the air, and Valen stiffens slightly, his jaw tightening. He nods after a moment, though his gaze remains distant, the gravity of the conversation pressing down on him.
The silence that follows is heavy, the cold seeping deeper into the air as neither of them speaks.
The faint sounds of the infirmary muffled by the walls behind them only serve to make the stillness more pronounced. Valen's thoughts race but are impossible to pin down.
Finally, he exhales, the sound slow and deliberate, as though releasing the weight on his chest.
"I don't know what'll happen," he admits. "And I don't know what I'll do when it does. I don't have answers, Ciel." He pauses, his hands curling into loose fists on his knees."
Her understanding expression remains with him. "That's all I needed to hear," she says softly. "I didn't expect you to have all the answers, Valen. I just wanted to know that you've thought about it. That you've braced yourself—because when the time comes, you'll need to be strong for her."
Valen turns his head slightly, meeting her gaze. Her words are clear but so is the compassion behind them. He nods once, silently acknowledging what she's said, though the tension in his shoulders doesn't ease.
They sit in silence again, the cold biting at their skin, though neither seems to notice it now. After a long pause, Ciel straightens, brushing a stray lock of black hair from her face.
"Come on," she says gently, standing from the bench. "We should get back inside before the medics start wondering where we've run off to."
Valen stands as well, the chill on the stone bench lingering as he steps away from it.
Together, they make their way back toward the infirmary, the quiet between them only reflective.