What if She Couldn't (Ralof x Reader)

Chapter 9: Recovering the Lost

"Aww, Ralof, you didn't fail! I'm perfectly okay," I reassured him, sitting down next to him on the bed.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

We sat in silence. Then Bryn chose that moment to peep his head through the doorway.

"AN IMPERIAL!" Ralof bellowed, "DON'T WORRY, I'LL GET HIM!"

"No, stop!" I yelped, "Bryn isn't an Imperial. He's a friend."

"Bryn?" Ralof's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, then anger.

Oops. Probably shouldn't mention Bryn's name, as he was probably the reason Ralof ran away.

"Ummm... I meant... Flynn! Yeah, Flynn." I covered.

Bryn facepalmed.

"Yes, this is Flynn... my brother. Say hi, Flynn."

"This is stupid."

"I SAID, SAY HI FLYNN!"

"... hi!"

"That's better."

Ralof seemed content with my awful cover, and Bryn was utterly confused with my weirdness.

"Anyways, Ralof, we're gonna take you back to your sis- back to your house."

Nice save, self. First with saying Bryn's name, then with almost reminding him of his sister.

"Umm... Flynn... can you carry him?"

Bryn gave me a look, but picked Ralof up like a backpack and carried him out of the room.

I gave the innkeeper 20 septims and an apologetic look.

We headed out to Ralof's house, and tied up the horses outside.

"Ralof?"

Ralof was fast asleep.

"Bryn, just put him on the bed in the master bedroom. You sleep in the guest room, I sleep on a bedroll in the living room."

"Whatever you say, (Y/N)."

Bryn carried Ralof upstairs, and I sighed in exhaustion. It had been a long day. When Bryn came back downstairs, he grabbed a horker loaf from the table and disappeared into the guest room, without a word.

I set up my bedroll on the floor, and was about to lay down when I heard screams from upstairs.

I rushed upstairs. The screams were coming from the master bedroom. I opened the door and ran inside.

Ralof was thrashing on the master bed, mumbling curses and shouting.

"Ralof? Calm down, buddy."

I went and sat down on the edge of the bed, my bare feet grazing the cold floor.

Ralof's eyes snapped open and he looked at me, his eyes wide in terror.

"Did you have a nightmare?" I said.

"Yeah," he murmured, sitting up and clutching his knees to his chest.

"I get them too."

We sat in silence for a moment, my hand finding his back and rubbing it gently.

"(Y/N)?"

"Yes?"

"Could you... stay with me for a while?"

"Always, Ralof."

He laid back down contentedly, and I breathed a sigh of relief. I took an extra bedroll from my inventory and placed it on the ground next to his bed.

I was about to fall asleep when I thought of something. I walked over to the master bed and leaned down over Ralof's head, giving him a quick kiss on his forehead. His forehead was hot with a slight fever, and his breath smelled of mead.

"Goodnight, Ralof. I love you."

Satisfied, I laid down on my bedroll and fell asleep.

~~~

"(Y/N)? Where are you? Ralof, do you-" Bryn's voice said, before opening the door to the master bedroom.

"Oh. There you are, lass."

I yawned and sat up. I wasn't embarrassed to be found in Ralof's room, surely Bryn would understand.

"Give us a minute, Bryn," I said quietly.

Bryn nodded and stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him.

"Ralof? You awake, buddy?" I said, standing up.

Ralof moaned and sat up in bed. "Yeah... massive headache though. What happened?"

"You ran away from us. We found you in the Sleeping Giant Inn, really drunk. Why did you run away?" I said, sitting down on the bed next to him.

"I wanted you to be happier," was his simple reply.

"Ralof... I've had a crush on you for so long. Don't be jealous of Bryn. I've never liked him in that way, only as a friend. I can't... I can't live without you, Ralof. We've been through so much together, and just being next to you makes my nightmares go away. When you said all those things to me... I just snapped," I said softly.

"(Y/N), I- I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to take it that far, I never wanted to hurt you-"

I cut him off with a kiss. A simple kiss. Nothing else but quick proof that I cared about him. I wasn't much of a romantic. 

"Wow," Ralof said, shocked to see any display of affection from me, "I- I love you too, (Y/N)."

Outside of the room, we could hear the excited fangirling of Bryn.

"YES! IT WORKED!!! WOOOOHOOOO!"

I blushed, jumped up, and ran to the door.

"Bryn? Were you listening to the entire conversation?"

"Yep, and I shipppp ittttt!"

"Shut up," Ralof said, crossing his arms in mock anger.

Now that we had made up with each other, I felt a lot better. Like I could take on Alduin fifty times.

"I think..."

"What?"

"I think I'm ready to take on Alduin again."

"Okay, let's go to High Hrothgar!" I chirped excitedly.

We ran outside, fueled with happiness.

"Onward!"

The three of us mounted our horses, and galloped down the dirt path.