Worlds Apart

Equanimity

When I open my eyes in the morning to a still dimmed room, I am genuinely relieved given all that happened yesterday. Eadric is already awake, I note, as he trails his fingers lazily through the front sections of my hair, somehow avoiding the accent braid still located towards the front of it. Our limbs are tangled similarly as to how we had fallen asleep the night prior, aside from my leg is now resting across his abdomen and head over his chest due to his back being sunken into the dense mattress I now use to prop myself up somewhat with my arms still laced around his neck.

"Hey," he greets fondly as I narrow my eyes through the darkness to make out the silhouette of his face, his tone husky from the morning hours.

"Hey," I offer regardless, setting my chin over his chest. "Is the sun not up yet?" I question, attempting unsuccessfully to blink back the drowsiness from my eyes.

"Pretty sure it is," he notes, cocking his head to the side in thought. "In fact, I'm pretty sure it has been for quite some time, now."

"Then what is this? Why the hell aren't the lights on? And why hasn't anyone come to get us yet?" I ramble, wary.

"Easy, Ambassador." Eadric soothes, running a hand up and down the exposed surface of my back. "Everything's in order."

"And you know this how?" I question, curious.

"Apache stopped by a couple hours ago." He reveals, much to my surprise until I recall how silently he had managed to wake Eadric with me there before. Goddamn hunters tread. "He said that the Ambassadors have agreed to postpone meetings until later afternoon to grant us the time to rest."

"You mean to grant you the time to rest." I state with some snark as I lift an arm to closer inspect the one below his eye. "Those cuts all over your face are going to take at least two weeks to heal with treatment from Kiche if you want the scarring to be minimum."

"I've never exactly worried about that in the past." Eadric reminisces as he wraps his arms around my shoulders, securing me in place. "And anyways, you had a pretty long day, too, from what I remember."

"Yeah, a long day of locking someone up who I still have yet to decide what to do with despite being heavily pressured from both sides of the equation." I recall, looking away in heavy thought.

"Don't think about that now." Eadric states, his tone hushed as he laces a hand under my chin to guide my gaze back to his own. "Just get some rest now, while you can."

"What about Maaike?" I ask, an automatic impulse.

"Olvir was with Apache earlier. Promised to take the little girl to continue her training and get her to school later."

"Then, what about you?" I follow, watching him closely.

"What, you worried I'm not going to do the same?" He questions, a subtle grin crossing his bruised lips. "Rest, I mean."

"I would like it if you did the same." I simply state, for once not trying to banter with this guy.

Eadric seems to understand my insistence as he assures me with a squeeze, "I haven't slept this comfortably maybe ever. You'll be damned if I don't take advantage of it."

My smile fades with my exhaustion as I rest my head against his barreled chest again, his lips finding my forehead as he presses a soft, lingering kiss there, the last thing I remember before dozing off once again.

By the time I open my eyes again, I am not all that surprised to see Eadric is genuinely out cold despite having attempted at some light hearted prowess earlier. With evident caution and care, I slowly pull my leg away from over his torso before turning the other direction to reach over into the dull grey nightstand towards my side of the bed for one of the poem books I snagged from his collection back at Nocte Cantavit. That is, until Eadric starts to stir again.