A Drink Before Battle [M/M] ✅

26: I Heard A Few Things

Sevei woke slowly and hazily, aware only of the cloying scent of the soporific incense and a sharp pain in his spine. He twisted in the chair, intending to find a more comfortable position and go back to sleep, but as he peeked an eye open, he sat upright in joyful surprise.

Yeresym sat up in the bed, his back against the headboard, his legs tucked up crosswise, his hands on his knees. His eyes were closed, and a gentle glow of blue light surrounded him.

At the tent wall beyond the bed, Meira stood at a counter stirring the contents of a copper cup, the spoon rattling against the metal. She cast a glance over her shoulder as Sevei shifted noisily in the chair.

Yeresym's eyes slowly opened. A light mist of blue swirled across the sclera before all of the energy dissipated.

"You're awake," he said with a raspy voice.

Sevei smiled. "Shouldn't I say that?" he laughed. "When did you wake up?"

"A few hours ago," Yeresym answered. "I told them not to disturb you. You looked comfortable."

"My neck would disagree with that," Sevei winced, rubbing at his shoulder. He gave Yeresym an appraising look-over. "So that's what Contemplation looks like? Should I go? I don't want to interrupt."

Yeresym shook his head. "You can stay. I'm only resting."

"You've been asleep for a week and a half," Sevei reminded.

"And it was exhausting."

Sevei pulled himself out of the chair with a few popping protests from his joints, then sat on the edge of the bed, now cleared of all the herbs and flowers.

"How are you feeling? Need more rest, or are you ready to get up?"

Yeresym looked hesitant. "I'm... unsteady yet." He gave a reassuring gesture to Sevei's concerned expression. "It's expected," he said. "I'll be fine in another day or so."

Meira came over and handed Yeresym the cup. He sniffed it with a grimace, then drank it down as quickly as he could.

"Is there anything you need?" Sevei asked.

"A proper bath," Meira said, mimicking Yeresym's disdainful sniff. Sevei chuckled.

"I... can't get down to the river yet," Yeresym mumbled, giving Sevei a troubled glance. "I'm not sure I want to."

"Ah, if only I'd gotten that bathtub," Sevei complained.

Yeresym and Meira both raised questioning eyebrows.

"Oh, it's nothing," Sevei said. "I just had a fancy a while back. Tell you what - I could take you down."

Yeresym's eyes narrowed with unease. "That would be..."

"It would be safe," Sevei asserted.

Meira took the cup and moved to the far end of the tent to wash it.

Sevei leaned in with a mischievous smile and whispered, "And it would be nothing I haven't seen already."

Yeresym huffed. "Is that all you ever think about?"

"Thinking of you?" Sevei murmured lowly. "Every waking moment, and then all night in my dreams."

"I'll be just outside," Meira announced, sweeping past them on her way to the door. She gave Yeresym a pointed look, as if to remind him of something. He watched her go with a glower of betrayal.

Sevei reclined across the bed, propping his head on one hand and gazing up at Yeresym's eyes as if he could never get enough of the sight of them. "Yeresym..." he said softly.