Little Miss Perfect

Solitude was something Aloy was used to. It followed her everywhere she goes since Rost had died on the mountain at the Proving. As the sun was setting, she made camp. She hoped that her thoughts would quiet down for the night. She knew that it could spiral down a dangerous path. Hidden Ember wasn't far from her camp, Aloy debated walking despite her exhaustion, but she opted against it, deciding to rest before walking in a crowded settlement.

Aloy sat down near the fire as she listened to the nearby sounds and the crackles of the flame. She let her thoughts wander and slowly, but surely, the nearby noises were a whisper compared to her thoughts. It was a dangerous game, letting her mind wander, it was everything at once until it landed on a specific thought. Erend. Her heart gave a flutter at the thought of Erend, he was charming, attractive even and he was just a walk away from her camp, she knew that, yet there was something holding her in place. Aloy decided it was just her fatigue, after all, she had to save the world, she couldn't afford to be distracted.

Aloy had to keep fighting with her best foot forward, she couldn't risk falling off that throne. And yet the idea of being with Erend was compelling to her, but little miss perfect couldn't be distracted, Aloy can't fall in love when the world is being held by a single thin thread and only she could fix it. She liked the idea of a future with her Oseram friend, but the uncertainty of having a tomorrow held her back from acting upon her feelings, one slip up and the world bites the dust.

Aloy missed him, a lot more than what she'd like to admit to herself. Erend's departure from the Base left an empty void in her heart, that lonely feeling he'd chased away returned, engulfing her in blinding darkness and leaving her alone with her thoughts.

Aloy decided to turn in for the night. You're just confused, Aloy, so believe him when he says there's nothing there. She scolded herself as she stepped into her bedroll. Fresh hot tears threatened to fall, but Aloy found she didn't have the strength to hold the dam back until slumber lulled her into its embrace.

Erend was walking nearby when he heard the sound of someone, a woman, whimpering and sobbing. If it was a more peaceful night without any machines nearby, he'd leave her to her own devices, but the sobs could attract the machines. Erend walked towards the source of the sound, he wasn't sure what he was expecting, but it certainly wasn't Aloy, who, by the time he got to the shelter she claimed for the night, was already asleep. She was thrashing and whining.

Erend watched for a minute, hoping it'll settle, but it didn't. Aloy was still thrashing and whining. He sighed and gently shook her awake. Erend probably deserved it if Aloy punched him in the face for waking her. Aloy stirred, whining softly as Erend braced himself to have his face meet Aloy's fist, but the blow never came. Instead she blinked, wearing a tired expression on her face.

"Erend?"

He nodded, before he could even begin to explain himself, she tackled him in a hug. He was wearing his striped tunic and no armor. When Aloy burst into a fit of sobs, Erend realized that she must've had a rough night. He placed her away from his chest so that he could see her face. "Hey, what's wrong?" He spoke softly, but whether or not Aloy had answered his question was unclear to him since her voice was muffled.

Aloy's sobs began to quiet down to mere whimpers. She wanted to tell Erend how she felt, but the war she was waging internally stopped her. What is wrong with you? Aloy berated herself, you can't risk getting distracted, and on top of that, love is something you don't even know! Aloy didn't dare to look at Erend's face, she wouldn't be able to handle his gentle gaze on her greenshine eyes without breaking down.

Finally she spoke, "Erend, what is wrong with me?" Her voice was as fragile as glass, not quite shattered, but it was breaking.

Erend pulled her closer to him, "Aloy, I promise you that nothing is wrong with you."

Aloy shook her head, "Erend, this mission, I can't let myself get distracted, one mistake and everything we've done would have been for nothing."

"Aloy, you're the most amazing, beautiful, breathtaking woman I've ever known-"

"People died, Erend!" Aloy whimpered. "They died because of me."

Erend sighed, this was getting them nowhere. "Aloy, everyone makes mistakes, none of this is your fault. And by the Forge, I meant what I said." Aloy tried to stifle her yawn, but Erend noticed it, "how about you go to bed, yeah?"

Aloy nodded and slid back into her bedroll. "Please, stay."

It was a simple request, asked so quietly that if it wasn't so quiet, Erend wouldn't have heard it. "Anything for you, Brightspark." He waited for her permission to slide in her bedroll, she nodded, too tired to speak. Erend took her invitation and slid in her bedroll. Aloy, of course, decided that he was the perfect pillow and fell asleep on his chest.