Away from the lively town, Blizzard was extremely worn out because of his long journey and the stuff he was carrying. The sky was changing to a light purple color when he got to the small pub near the road. The old wooden sign creaked in the breeze, and the dim lights looked like sleepy eyes watching people. Blizzard stopped near the entrance, took a big breath, and felt exhausted all over. He had traveled for days with very little rest, bothered by the empty looks of his group and the terrible silence that stayed with him.
The pub inside was dim and welcoming, with soft sounds and the scent of cooking food. Blizzard went to a seat in the corner, keeping his hood pulled up. He asked for a drink, hoping it would help his anxious thoughts. The glass felt cold in his hand, and he simply looked at the liquid swirling around, hoping for answers.
But something different got his attention.
Across the room was a woman who seemed as tired as he felt. Her shoulders were slumped over, her eyes were pink not from drinking but from much crying. She held her drink with both hands as if it was the only warm thing she had left. Blizzard watched her without meaning to, feeling a sadness around her that was similar to his own.
Their eyes connected.
She blinked, surprised at first, then smiled slightly and wearily, showing she didn't have much energy but was trying to. Blizzard hesitated before nodding back just a bit. He didn't come to find company, but something about her interested him, a quiet understanding felt by two people who had lost a lot.
A few minutes passed before she got up and walked over to him. "Is anyone sitting here?" she asked, her voice gentle but a little rough.
"No," Blizzard replied, moving his drink away.
She sat down and sighed. They didn't talk for a while. The silence wasn't bad, just familiar, like they were both stuck in the same haze.
"You seem like you've been through a lot," she said, looking closely at him.
He sighed softly. "You too."
She laughed without any happiness. "I guess that shows we're alike."
They spoke. Slowly to begin with, being careful, then more freely as the minutes became hours. She said her name was Akira, but didn't share much else, and he didn't pressure her. He knew how it felt to escape something you couldn't discuss. Blizzard then shared small parts of his story, being careful not to say too much about the frozen event that haunted him. But even the little he shared let her know he was also in pain.
They made a world for a brief time where pain could feel better, even if only for one night.
When they finished their drinks, the bar's sounds seemed to fade away. Akira looked at Blizzard, with what seemed like worried eyes. "I just want to shut down my mind for the night," she said quietly. "I don't want to think about anything."
Blizzard knew exactly what she meant. Thinking only causes unhappiness and hurt. "I feel exactly the same way," he answered.
Their hands lightly touched on the table between them. After that, they didn't need to keep talking. They just understood each other well.
They got a small room on the second floor, paying without a word, walking up the creaky wood stairs like in a dream. The room was very basic: only a window, a bed, and a dim light. The room felt cold, but they didn't mind. For once, they weren't stuck alone with their own thoughts.
They stayed close to each other, not because of deep feelings or desires, but because they wanted the world to be quiet for a little bit. Blizzard could feel her shaky breaths, and Akira could feel his tiredness like warmth. They were two people who were lost, wanting a calm moment together on a cold bed in a place that wasn't home.
The night passed without any problems occurring.
They didn't make any promises or say what they wanted from one another. Only the gentle warmth of two people trying to push away their worries so they could relax more easily. When morning arrived, Blizzard woke up first, noticing the soft light coming into the room. He felt a bit better, but he still felt the weight of what he had to do.
Akira moved closer to him, slowly opening her eyes. "Is it morning already?" she asked quietly.
"It looks like it is."
They sat silently for a short while, hearing birds singing far away, each thinking about the world that was waiting for them. Akira pulled her knees up to her chest, resting her chin on them. "Thank you," she said quietly. "For helping me forget for a little bit."
Blizzard nodded his head to acknowledge her words. "Thank you as well."
He didn't ask where she was going, and she didn't ask him to stay with her. They knew they were going in different directions, with things they needed to do that they couldn't avoid. But the brief peace they had shared stayed with them like a warm feeling inside.
When they finally left the room, the morning air felt fresher, but Blizzard felt more confident. He had a group of people he needed to save. Akira had a life she needed to fix and rebuild. And even though they didn't know it then, they would see each other again sometime later.
But right then, they gently nodded to each other to part ways, quietly grateful for the evening that had given each of them some calm. As Blizzard started to walk along the street again, he looked back one time, wishing Akira would still be there, but she had already disappeared into the light morning mist. He didn't feel upset or lost; he just understood what the evening had meant to them both. The world was vast, and chance things occurred in odd ways, bringing roads together only when there was something to be understood.
Blizzard pulled his coat tighter and continued walking, taking bigger breaths than he had in the last few days. Somewhere behind him, Akira was also moving forward, starting her own uncertain journey, influenced by sadness, hope, and the strange ease they had felt together at that moment.