Me Without You - Prompt #2 Vaan/Penelo
Title: Me Without You
Fandom: Final Fantasy XII
Characters: Vaan and Penelo
Prompt: #2 - Nothing
Word Count: 563
Rating: PG
Summary: It was more than an empty room.
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy XII belongs to Square Enix.
Table of Prompts: Qwi_Xux's Prompts
Prompt #2 - Nothing
Penelo turned slowly on the spot, taking in the empty loft. She wasn't even sure she could speak. This somehow just seemed incredibly surreal. The owner of the building had said the upstairs apartment she was renting out was small. To Penelo, who had spent two years crammed into a tiny room in Lowtown with Vaan and various children, followed by months of traveling the world, sleeping in tents and inns, it was enormous. A kitchen took up a third of the space, but there was still plenty of room for furniture.
Her eyes went to the kitchen. There was an actual stove, and a refrigerator, and a sink with running water. As she opened the two doors off of the large loft room, she discovered a closet with shelves and a bathroom with a large bathtub.
Penelo was so caught up in staring at the huge tub that it took her a moment to realize the owner was talking. "--the perfect size for a young couple just starting out," she was saying, waving her arm around the small apartment. "What do you think?"
"We'll take it," Penelo said before Vaan could even open his mouth. "Right, Vaan?"
Vaan locked eyes with hers, a smile spreading across his face. "Yeah."
They worked out the details with the owner, paying her two months rent up front. She left satisfied, telling them the place was all theirs.
Penelo wandered over to one of the windows, looking out at the busy street, watching people going about their daily errands. Her gaze drifted up to the bright blue sky and a peaceful smile settled on her face. Vaan came over to stand beside her, and she put her arms around him. "Thank you, Vaan. This place is beautiful."
She knew that he would probably have been happy just living out of their airship; she was the one who had wanted a residence in Rabanastre, somewhere to call home when they weren't flying. Vaan had always been the one reaching for the sky and bringing her to new heights; Penelo had always been the one who kept them both grounded. Maybe it was the combination that had kept them both going over the years. It had kept them on their feet, but at the same time had allowed them to move forward.
Just as the airship was the symbol of everything Vaan had wanted, this loft was the same for Penelo. Just being able to have windows to look out was a novelty after living in Lowtown. That she could have a kitchen, that she would be able to get a real bed and not just a blanket on the floor--they weren't important things, and she knew that was perfectly capable of living without them, but it meant something that she had the option of having them. This was her look at freedom, physical proof that Rabanastre was liberated. Proof that two street orphans who should have meant nothing in the grand scheme of anything could make a difference. That they could have a life even after all the losses and tragedies and battles.
Penelo sighed in contentment, resting her head on Vaan's shoulder. They stood gazing out the window together, arms around each other, and she knew that it all would have meant nothing if she didn't still have Vaan to share it with her.
Fandom: Final Fantasy XII
Characters: Vaan and Penelo
Prompt: #2 - Nothing
Word Count: 563
Rating: PG
Summary: It was more than an empty room.
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy XII belongs to Square Enix.
Table of Prompts: Qwi_Xux's Prompts
Prompt #2 - Nothing
Penelo turned slowly on the spot, taking in the empty loft. She wasn't even sure she could speak. This somehow just seemed incredibly surreal. The owner of the building had said the upstairs apartment she was renting out was small. To Penelo, who had spent two years crammed into a tiny room in Lowtown with Vaan and various children, followed by months of traveling the world, sleeping in tents and inns, it was enormous. A kitchen took up a third of the space, but there was still plenty of room for furniture.
Her eyes went to the kitchen. There was an actual stove, and a refrigerator, and a sink with running water. As she opened the two doors off of the large loft room, she discovered a closet with shelves and a bathroom with a large bathtub.
Penelo was so caught up in staring at the huge tub that it took her a moment to realize the owner was talking. "--the perfect size for a young couple just starting out," she was saying, waving her arm around the small apartment. "What do you think?"
"We'll take it," Penelo said before Vaan could even open his mouth. "Right, Vaan?"
Vaan locked eyes with hers, a smile spreading across his face. "Yeah."
They worked out the details with the owner, paying her two months rent up front. She left satisfied, telling them the place was all theirs.
Penelo wandered over to one of the windows, looking out at the busy street, watching people going about their daily errands. Her gaze drifted up to the bright blue sky and a peaceful smile settled on her face. Vaan came over to stand beside her, and she put her arms around him. "Thank you, Vaan. This place is beautiful."
She knew that he would probably have been happy just living out of their airship; she was the one who had wanted a residence in Rabanastre, somewhere to call home when they weren't flying. Vaan had always been the one reaching for the sky and bringing her to new heights; Penelo had always been the one who kept them both grounded. Maybe it was the combination that had kept them both going over the years. It had kept them on their feet, but at the same time had allowed them to move forward.
Just as the airship was the symbol of everything Vaan had wanted, this loft was the same for Penelo. Just being able to have windows to look out was a novelty after living in Lowtown. That she could have a kitchen, that she would be able to get a real bed and not just a blanket on the floor--they weren't important things, and she knew that was perfectly capable of living without them, but it meant something that she had the option of having them. This was her look at freedom, physical proof that Rabanastre was liberated. Proof that two street orphans who should have meant nothing in the grand scheme of anything could make a difference. That they could have a life even after all the losses and tragedies and battles.
Penelo sighed in contentment, resting her head on Vaan's shoulder. They stood gazing out the window together, arms around each other, and she knew that it all would have meant nothing if she didn't still have Vaan to share it with her.