Nocturne of Nightmares (Fanfic)

Chapter 5

"Have we met before?" Leila asked, still in shock.

She felt a cold touch on her face and was suddenly overcome with a longing nostalgia that put her on the verge of tears. She couldn't bring herself to look away from the handsome stranger before her.

He didn't answer her, but instead blinked several times.

'Is he half-asleep?' Leila thought.

Finally, the stranger removed his hand from her face.

'He was so cold...'

Leila looked over her shoulder to see the others looking at her in confusion.

"He seems to be okay. Don't worry." She told them.

The five of them entered the room as well, but remained a suitable distance from the bed.

"I'm sorry for shocking you like that." The young man said to Leila, his voice so soft it was almost a whisper.

'Maybe he needs water?'

She looked around the room for something to give him, but there was nothing else in the room.

"Does anyone have anything to drink?" Leila asked the others.

"I only have this rake." Thoma said.

Subaru, Nalalie and Mina all shook their heads and Ray stepped forward, taking a flask out from his jacket.

"Take this." He said.

"He came prepared." Subaru commented.

"Yeah, man. What else do you have in there?" Thoma asked, half joking and half curious.

Leila propped up the stranger's head with her hand as Ray let him drink from the flask. The stranger licked his lips.

"Are you okay?" Leila asked in concern.

He closed his eyes for a moment as he inhaled a breath.

'I feel like he's going to collapse any second. It's making me nervous.'

"My name... is Licht." The stranger introduced himself.

"Licht..." Leila repeated the name curiously.

Licht then attempted to sit up on the bed, only to fall back down, Leila quickly catching him before he hit the bed.

"Sorry about that." Licht apologised with a gentle chuckle.

"Careful..." Leila told him as she held his body.

The man was so frail, Leila was worried he would break in her arms.

"How kind of you to help me." Licht said.

"It's okay." Leila replied as she gave him a gentle smile.

Licht moved to comfortably lean himself on her chest and a fresh sent tickled her nose.

'Is this Licht's scent?'

He twisted his body to bring his legs to the front, his hair brushing the tip of her nose.

'Not sure why, but I thought he'd smell like disinfectants... But...'

Licht, now sitting on the edge of the bed, took her hand.

'It's not as cold as before, but is still considerably cold.' 

"Thank you." Licht told her.

A gush of warmth confused Leila as it suddenly came over her, despite the coolness of his touch, and she couldn't help but think how his scent was strangely comforting and familiar.