TONGUES & TEETH; Luke Castellan [ 1 ]

< FIRST LIGHT >

FIRST LIGHT
Could this be how everyday begins?

Once again Pandora sat at the table picking aimlessly at her food deep in thought. Only at the sound of his voice beside her did she float back to reality, "Eat something princess, you'll need it." He nudged her shoulder, for the first time Pandora nodding slowly rather than sending him a dirty look, one he had gotten used to.

Since their interaction with Pandora's anxiety attack she had hardly passed him around camp let alone talk to him.

"What's on your mind." He mumbled beside her the others too busy in conversation to notice the pair conversing. Pandora shrugged bringing a slice of potato to her lips, still thinking rather intently.
"Seriously Walker, you look sick, or tired or something and the other night—." He gestured to the dark circles around her eyes and trembling in her fingers.

"Nothing worth repeating, besides I'm fine just a little tired is all." Pandora diverted shovelling another vegetable in her mouth, suddenly her skin heating slightly at the touch of her leg. Usually she would burn the skin right off his fingers, but she could hardly keep her eyes open. She hardly slept since the bonfire, she didn't want to advertise it but she was exhausted.

"When was the last time you slept." His hand circled a few times across her skin before Pandora answered reluctantly.

"Few days ago.. Sunday I think." Pandora really couldn't stand the pity, bringing her fingers to push his hand off of her leg coldly.

"The bonfire was Friday, It's Wednesday, Walker." Pandora gulped, dropping the fork from her fingers. "Why haven't you slept, is it the cabin or the anxiety, cause you're welcome to—

"It's not the cabin.. or that." She sighed slumping further into the seat her hands rested on the wooden table, "Any excuse to get me in your cabin huh Castellan." Pandora still managed the taunt, Luke's expression not shifting from concern.

"Promise me you'll get some sleep tonight, or at least come see me if you can't." He pleaded shifting off the bench mumbling some good nights to the table before he left.
Pandora followed suit soon after walking with Rhea back to her cabin.

"How's your training going Rhea." The small girls hand was clutched to Pandora's, the two girls slowly making their way back to her cabin. "Beat up any boys yet." She smirked the little nodding eagerly.

"Mr D says I could beat Lukey if I tried." Pandora smiled unsure if it was from the girl or the name, "He's helping me with shooting." She nodded. Majority of Rhea's siblings hardly trained most spent time on beauty and books. Rhea's father was in the army, meaning she was a lot more adventurous than her siblings.

"That's good Rhea, well have a good sleep." Pandora knelt down so the girl could wrap her in a hug, "And don't let the bed bugs bite." She tickled the girl who squealed scrambling towards the door of her cabin.

"I can feel it you know." Pandora narrowed her eyes in confusion for a moment, "The spark between you and Lukey." Pandora paled, with the last word Rhea turned on her heel and run into the room.

Pandora mostly tried to ignore the words as she moved back to her cabin further away pushing the door open slowly. After many hours of restless sleep, she lay awake staring at the ceiling. Analysing the details of the roof.

The house being dark and haunted enough as it was the tapping of class on the one window opposite her dead sent her in a frenzy, the girl pressing herself against the bed post. The tapping sounded against until it quickly became knocking Pandora rushing to open the window before she could comprehend Luke tumbling through open window.

"Merlin, what are you doing here." She cursed loudly knowing no one besides Reaper would her. He grinned at her pulling himself up better beginning to untie his shoes. Her eyes darted to the red pair of shoes, oddly enough wings on either side allowing him to fly to the second of the building.

"Did I wake you?" He pulled both shoes off his feet muttered some phrase the wings disappearing. "Walker." She moved her eyes away from the shoes to his face.

"No, no you didn't." Pandora realised the skimpy clothes she was wearing, short pyjama bottoms and a tank top. "But that doesn't matter why are you here." She demanded, Luke crossing the room curiously before collapsing against her bed, Pandora's glare only hardening.

"Bloody hell you have a nice cabin, so much room and this bed, I'm sleeping on top of kids most nights." He ignored her sinking further into the sheets comfortably.

"What are you doing here—

"Couldn't sleep, figured you couldn't either so here I am, entertaining my favourite princess." He taunted shuffling so his head was now rested on a pillow, "The Princess of Death." He smirked reluctantly Pandora crossing the room to sit beside him resting her back on the headboard.

"I don't need entertaining." She spat shivering as the coldness of the house got to her. "And I certainly don't require your company." He truly made himself comfortably laying his arms on the pillow before resting his head on them.

"Don't lie now Walker, bet you were dreaming of me before I showed up." He chuckled dodging her swatting her head, Pandora's eyes closing wearily however the girl kept snapping them open. "Why won't you go to bed." His tone softened as he turned to face her, his eyes scanning the tired features on her face.

"Cant fall asleep." She continued to struggle to keep her eyes opening confusing Luke further as his fingers reached out making contact with her arm. Pandora flinched at the sudden touch but relaxed when she realised who was just drawing circles, the same way he usually did.

"Lies again princess, now give me a real answer, why haven't you been sleeping." She focused on the drawing on her skin, keeping her eyes open for a moment.

"I get.. I get these nightmares." She stared hesitantly, her tiredness some factor of the outburst of her secret, "They're horrible and I'd rather not sleep then endure them." She finished shivering again this time Luke's hand dipping from a moment to pull the covers up and over her knees.

"I get them too sometimes." Pandora tilted her head wearily to Luke's meeting his eyes, "Lots of us do, you're not alone princess." Pandora instinctively shuffled closed to him, shuffling into bed, the warm radiating off of Luke.

"Hmm." She hummed softly closing her eyes tight for a moment, "Can you.." Luke's eyes widened at her words, "Nevermind, just ignore me." She turned to her side her back facing Luke.

"I'll stay.. if you want me too." Luke seemed too eager, Pandora shuffling back around to face him, a sleepy smile on her lips.

"I want you too." She shuffled closer, so close to sleep she hadn't noticed Luke bring her closer to him, a hand wrapped around her waist softly.

"Is this okay princess." She nodded as her eyes finally closed, Luke's hands wrapped around the shivering girl, minutes later the two teens asleep.