Life's Requiem, Death's Caterwaul (Champion Leon X OC [Slight x Raihan])

What Comes After

Lumiose City,

Kalo

Cassandra sighed as she rubbed the last of the sleep from her eyes and looked over at the balcony window door through which the morning sunlight was filtering through. A quick glance at the clock told her it was nearing seven AM, which meant they'd slept at least twelve hours. Arceus knew they needed it, even after resting at the hospital just yesterday to tend to their remaining injuries. For all Xerneas' healing abilities had helped stop the petrifaction and mend some wounds, they still had a good deal of scrapes, bruises on the skin and some ribs, and other aches they hadn't noticed until later. It had kept them under careful care of the Lumiose doctors, and it was only the next day they were released in the evening and then found their hotel to shower together and then crash together on the bed. They hadn't even bothered to dress as exhausted as they were, and even now her body was sore like she'd gone through an intense workout.

She chuckled at the notion–they really had been dead tired.

After all, they'd almost died.

Again, technically. But this had been closer. Much, much closer. She could still remember the sensation of her leg going numb and heavy–of watching her body slowly turning to stone. Of watching the same happen to Leon. She remembered how he shook when he held her; the tears; the choked sobs.

She rolled over to face Leon properly, the young man sleeping soundly with his arm secured around her waist. He looked peaceful, for which she was grateful. He'd endured so much, even before all this. He'd missed half a childhood, instead using it to endure immense anxiety and pressure of being the best and keeping up pretense for an entire region. Then the greatest betrayal and a loss of himself coupled with nearly losing his home again and his family and friends? And now all this. Part of her own doing, and the rest, well; she would trust AZ and Xerneas about Lysandre and just hope he would learn–and suffer, if only a little. Maybe then the guilt consuming her wouldn't feel so heavy then. In time.

He must have sensed her staring, for his eyes opened a little, then blinked twice before opening fully. A small, gentle smile came over his face and he tugged her closer to nuzzle his face into her hair, inhaling slowly.

"Hey," he called softly, and she nuzzled in kind into his neck as she braced a hand on his chest.

"Hey."

He was quiet for a moment, just enjoying the feeling of her against him, and then spoke in a hushed tone, "How do you feel?"

"Better than yesterday," she chuckled back. "You?"

"Same as you," he snickered. He glanced up to the balcony. "How long were we out?"

"About twelve hours I think."

"Huh... Is it weird that I don't feel hungry? Can't even remember the last time we ate."

"I think we were too tired to feel hungry," she laughed. "We should eat today, though–for sure. In maybe another hour or two. I like being like this right now."

"Agreed. We haven't gotten to sleep like this for a while it feels like," he hummed, tugging her closer; practically curling himself around her. He was quiet for a few moments before speaking softly again, "Are you okay? Really?"

She took a few moments to respond, "I think so. It was... a lot."

"Yeah."

"I... think it'll be okay, though. Yveltal is sleeping... AZ and Xerneas are dealing with Lysandre... and I imagine Sycamore and the League are handling the aftermath," she went on, sighing. "Looker is probably going to have a lot of paperwork covering things up. Another list to my record."