a/n: Requested anonymously on LJ with these prompts: fleece hoodies, strung lights, the last night. I think it bears mentioning that I actually haven't 'met' these two in-game, so most of this comes from the manga. Enjoy!

granite
one day the stars will align for us

.

She will be gone come sunlight.

This, at least, is the plan. Candice's been away for two months, now, and she rather misses home—rather misses the sensation of snow on her cheeks and the overcast skies and the lullaby her wintered trees sing. Saying goodbye is hard, though. There are nice people here in Sunyshore City, delicious food she cannot find anywhere else and a lighthouse where the sun dusts itself every morning, curling like golden vines around white walls before mirroring themselves on the surface of the water.

And though she has spent days trying not to think about this, there is also Volkner.

Volkner, who is so silent and cold most of the time that he is almost a walking contradiction to his city. Volkner, whose only sign of affection is personally making sure that the inn she stays in has enough space for her things, short skirts and pretty tops and fleece hoodies and all. Volkner, who is quite possibly the most ill-equipped person for romance she has ever known, having nothing to offer her even after she tells him, as casually as possible: oh hey, I think I like you. Don't mind it, though, I'll be gone by tomorrow!

He does not kiss her. He does not even look at her.

But a little later, when everyone else has gone home and all that's left in the silence are the strung lights that dimly illuminate the bridge, Volkner reaches out for her hand, entwining his fingers around hers. There is no squeezing, of course, but in the future there will be scribbled letters masked as battle challenges and visits that are too conveniently scheduled to be spontaneous and Candice will look back to this day and think: well, now, this might not be so hopeless after all.

.

end