Existing (under editing)

Chapter 21*

Lucas was still asleep when I got back. I walked up, pulled the cover back over him, worried he would feel the draft on his bare back. I was careful as the swish of the soft noises from the thick fabric brushed against his skin. I tucked in the edges, making sure he didn't catch a chill. Sweeping his curls gently behind his ear, careful not to wake him as he breathed softly. What is love anyway?

I managed to pack our bags up, ready for our new room, before going over to Embers desk to sit and wait. I lit the small candle resting on her desk so I could see them in full vision, seeing the wick come alight as the tinny dancing flame became stable. I slid down into the leather seat I skimmed my hand over her things after. I swivelled around, almost loosing balance on the rotatable axis.

The maps and designs sprawled across the table and wall behind me, the ones piled up on the desk were half done or crammed with notes and markings, accurate in thick and thin lines. Measuring applications and notes showed great detail in the work sophistication, some were rushed and in the moment. Most signed by the same signature. Others with a newer one. These were the ones made by the person who'd done the portraits. Dead eyed faces of men and women that stared blankly back. Some were crossed out viciously, hatred burning though the tares that had ripped through with the pens strike, others had been held with a stone hard grip, the edges creased and bent. They had been pinned and re-pinned numerous times. I doubted I would ever meet these crossed out people though, the way it seemed the termination of the markings were final and unchanging. Some seemed to have a less dominant presence on the wall then others, minor figures but important enough to be there. I leaned the chair back into the desk as I looked up at them all. The hierarchy may have felt less defined except if it hadn't been for one. A man. His face twisted and aggressive. His receding hair line added shine to the balding part of his forehead represented through the life like drawing. His eyes dark with hatred like holes to an empty soul. The corners of his paper crumpled to the point the edges had ripped and thinned. Another held near, blank and a question mark draw into the middle. No face or defining features. I reached up and pulled the pin out, looking into the blank space between the ears. I spin the paper over, bending with the movement. Writing was scribbled onto the back in quick cursive movements but I sighed and put it back, feeling weak from my lack of literacy skills.

"Good morning." Lucas huffed into his pillow, his arm patting the pillow besides him. "Time to wake up Alma."

I laughed and walked over to the bedside. "Good morning."

He lifted his head realising the pillow wasn't me. Dropping it hard back down into the thick fabric in shame I chuckled as I climbed back into bed with him.

He chuckled and spoke, muffled from the pillow as I sat comfortably besides him, "I genuinely thought it was you."

I gave a little snort, "I know, that's why it's funny."

He peeked an eye up at me taking in my face then hid back down again. "Stop laughing, it's embarrassing." He mumbled.

I flicked the blanket off his back which made him clutch the pillow more to hide his face. As I pulled the pillow off him, I managed to catch a glance of his face, flushed ruby red in embarrassment, before he got up, skilfully keeping his face out of sight and attempted directing the conversation elsewhere. He swayed side to side trying to pretend to stretch his arms out, facing away still. "Alright let's get dressed and see if embers back." He mumbled.

"Aww," I giggled and smiled up at him. "But it was sweet to know you were thinking about me when you woke up, must have been an instantaneous response if you got us mixed up that easily."

He turned his head, peering at me over his bare back, the shadows of his hard muscles emphasized by the soft light. "Really?"

I let out a massive laugh, "Still looked pretty silly though." I picked up the pillow he had patted, holding it up next to me and smiled jokingly, "but I can understand why you mixed us up, we could be sisters."

Lucas let out a laugh, "Are you trying to be funny?"

I clutched at my pillow friend a little tighter, embarrassed how joking I was being. "No, just admiring how poor your eyesight can be in the morning."

"Oh. Oh no." he closed his eyes, slowly getting back into the bed. I sat very still, regretting my teasing. "Well if you want to play it that way." He smiled, then all of a sudden, swung the pillow he had secretly grabbed onto without my knowing, flinging it into my face, I pulled my own pillow up to protect me. We both laughed, continued hitting each other in our pillow fight. He attacked from above, using his height to his advantage. I swing from side to side, hitting his gut. His hitting from up to down made his speed lag, eventually allowing an opening for me to push the pillow with all my force into his chest, causing him to fall down onto the lower end of the bed. We bounced with the force as I lost my balance and landed on top of him, laughing, and his chest bouncing me with extra force from the springs of the mattress. Eventually we calmed down, tears in the corners of our eyes and grins on our faces. I managed to get a hold of myself but let out a giggle every third second, not quite in control of myself yet. Lucas smiled up at me, his fingers played with one of my curls not incorporated into my dreads. Twisting it around and around as it sprung back into a spiral. I lay there, our noses almost touching.

"Lucas?" I asked.

"Yeah, Alms."

I giggled, "What?"

"I thought about trying out nicknames. What about Ma? Like Alm-Ma"

"No," I giggled, laying my head down on his chest. "It sounds like your calling me Mum"

He laughed, "yeah your right. What about just Al? Actually wait, just forget that. Your too girly to be and Al. So what did you want to ask before?"

I thought again, about what Ember had said. About his father. About love. But I let it go and rolled off him. "Oh, just was going to let you know that Ember has found a room for us to move to."

He sat up as I bent down and chucked some clothes I'd prepared for him, his way, catching them instantly and proceeded to pull a pair of shorts up under my nighty. We both turned away, allowing me to change into my top, then after I reluctantly put on shoes we went in search of Ember.