Author's note: Watching the opening cinematic in the double digit numbers paved the way to coming up with this fic.

Night Guest

Zephyr sighed as his feet touched terra firma, or what passed as it as far as cranking cogs and pistons in a city in the sky were concerned. He never knew how tiring it was to save someone's life in the split of a second.

When they reached Sweet Home, Vashyron would have more than a few words about taking in a new recruit for their team of mercenaries. A little girl with suicidal tendencies didn't make the best job application. As much as Zephyr could admit to himself, he didn't want to just leave her at the side of the road for some crony to pick off or to give her another chance at a killing relapse.

He asked her if staying with him was fine. She'd have her own room. Meals were simple. Plenty of hot water for long baths. Zephyr left out details of what he and Vashyron did for a living. They could explain all that later.

She attentively listened to Zephyr's descriptions of what his daily life was like with a growing grin. She assented almost instantly, as if she didn't care about amenities. She must have come from a bad place.

With the stars to guide them -as the girl happily put it- they charted a course for home.

Conversation was limited to Zephyr giving directions. But she had been doing something on and off as he led the way. Something which should have grated on his nerves, but strangely didn't.

Mad laughing. Leanne, she said her name was, kept giggling every few paces and raising her eyes to the indigo sky.

No, Zephyr changed his mind. Not mad laughing. Madly intriguing. How beautiful the sound tinkled as his face heated in the dark night and he thought about how wonderful he felt that he saved a life. A life which would have extinguished had he chose not to follow the wild tempest of compassion in his heart when he spotted the flowing raven hair against the stark white dress high above in the wind. All encasing sadness.

Ebel City arrived at last. Zephyr saw the beaten building in view and his weary bones responded as he sighed. The clicking heels behind him stopped. Curious, he turned around. Leanne frowned as she surveyed the rickety front sign and aging front steps.

"It's all right," Zephyr urged her brusquely, not meaning to. He felt exhausted and wanted nothing else but to sink into bed and sleep until late noon.

"Is there enough room for me? You told me you live with someone else." Leanne laced her fingers nervously in front of her. The movement drew Zephyr's attention to the small hands.

"He'll be fine when I explain things," Zephyr lied smoothly, raising his vision to her face. He was sure Vashyron could listen to reason. Most likely. At least 70 percent. The big issues always required some sort of talking before they were resolved.

Zephyr hesitated; he didn't know the man as well as he could in a year's time. They shared a residence, ate food together when free times coincided, and enjoyed watching sleazy adult films upon Vashyron's insistent recommendations. They never pried into each other's pasts.

The gamine expression on Leanne's face dimmed to stoic thought. "I don't want to bother anyone."

Zephyr surprised himself when his palms gently took her shoulders. The impulse came automatically and strong. He met her doubtful look with assurance. "Everything will work out. I'll make it work."

Leanne's full eyes of gratitude and the gauzy fabric of her sleeves between his fingers revived his senses. He released her and hastily stepped back, busying himself with fetching the key from one of his many pockets.

Zephyr sensed Leanne studying his hands searching his cargo pants pockets, then his leather jacket. A self-consciousness he hadn't experienced made him want to look everywhere but at the girl. Which, in a sense, he was. Where did that damn key go?

The key finally located, Zephyr stuck it into the lock.

"Um, Zephyr?" Leanne asked too loudly as the door slowly parted open with a metallic creak.

He shushed her with a frown and a wave of his hand. Vashyron liked to sleep in front of the TV. "Yeah?" His raspy whisper cut the air.

The quiet reply that came back softened the biting edge of his curtness. "Thanks for everything. Even if I can't stay, thank you for trying. You're very kind."

Leanne still smiled through the uncertainty.

The door swung open fully. Zephyr stepped aside and waited for her to enter, ignoring the unexpected blushing her compliment brought on.

Vashyron would definitely take a liking to Leanne.

- THE END -