forthebothofus | [ 05 ] [ Commentlog

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[ 05 ] [ Commentlog | ATTN: Zachariah ]

[It was rare for Abeni to sleep so soundly, and yet in the Stables loft, on the pile of straw she'd called her bed for the past few months, Abeni was having the best sleep she'd had in a long time.

Exhaustion was perhaps the reason, or maybe that she was finally starting to relax, even just a little. Knowing that her partner was right there beside her was a comfort in itself. Abeni didn't think she would rest even a quarter as well as she did without him around. Of course, she left him the option to go as he pleased, but was quietly grateful when he did not.

This night there were no nightmares, no sounds to wake her, and she would make the most of it.]

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[Even more rare is Zachariah falling sleep alongside her. When she sleeps he's always there keeping guard for her to make sure nothing happens. Sure this place wasn't Deadworld, but somethings were just habit. This time however he couldn't help himself. After not sleeping for a few days the exhaustion finally overtook him.

Tired as he was though, he could never sleep more than a few hours at a time. When he woke it was without a start for once and he was feeling oddly comfortable, though when he looked down it was easy to tell why. Sometime during their sleep Abeni had apparently begun using him as a pillow. Without any idea what to do, Zachariah just stared and remained perfectly still.]

[Warmth perhaps would be her reason, or maybe that Zachariah was the single person she felt safe around. Whatever the case, she was quiet and content, fingers loosely holding the hem of his shirt. For the moment, Abeni was still completely out to it.]

[He tought about trying to gently move her, or maybe slipping out from underneath her, but neither of those would work. Abeni was a light sleeper at the best of times. If he tried to move it would surely wake her up and he was hesitant to do that. No it seemed he was going to be her pillow until she woke up.

Zachariah remained perfectly still. His only movement came from the slight rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. This was something he got very good at over then years in Deadworld.

As he looked down at his sleeping friend he realized that this was probably the most relaxed he had ever seen her. When she was awake she always had this guarded quality to her. Now that she was asleep, that was gone. In fact she looked downright peaceful. For a reason not even he was sure of, Zachariah slowly slipped his arm around her shoulders. It was nice to see her like this.]

[She stirred at the touch, brow creasing a little before easing back to that of relaxed sleep. Rather than pull away or wake up for real, Abeni instead settled in, drawing herself a little closer. It'd been a long time since Abeni had slept that close to someone, but something in her remembered from the few times she had.

The hand closest to Riah steadily reached to halfheartedly return the embrace. Instead of reaching around him, it paused to rest on his stomach.]

[Zachariah paused to stare at the hand on his stomach. There really wasn't anyway to pull away from her now. He wonders just how she's going to react to this when she wakes up. As close as he is to her this is completely uncharted territory for him. There was no telling how she'd react now. Still, he couldn't help but find himself enjoying this.

Ever so slowly, Zachariah moved his hand and began petting her hair softly.]

[She sighed at the touch, curling a little more to hook a leg around his. For a moment Abeni lay still, breath soft and deep. Before Deadworld, she might have made a sound, but conditioning and survival habits kept her from doing so even now. The hand in her hair was certainly not unwelcome.]

[And again Zachariah froze for a moment. That was certainly not what he was expecting. When was the last time a woman was this close to him? Six years? Seven? He couldn't even remember anymore. This was his friend though, one of his closest friends, and friends did things like this at times right? He knew for a fact Fiel and Iriel would cuddle like this at times so there was nothing weird going on here. Nope, nothing weird.

Despite the slight crisis that went on in his brain at the moment, he didn't pull away from her or stop petting her hair.]

[For a short while she lay still, drifting off again and making the most of her new pillow. It was nice to be held, nice to have someone there. Nice, and a little bit odd.

Odd enough to, however belatedly, trigger a response in the depths of her mind and wake her.

As realization of what was going on kicked its way into her bleary mind, Abeni tensed.]

...Zack?

Um...hi?

[He smiles nervously at her and tenses as she does.]

Um.

[For once in her life, Abeni was completely baffled. She blinked, frowning as she started to shift away from him, only to pause mid motion to look at him.]

What's going on..?

[And why was it all so comfortable. Awkward, just a little, but comfortable.]

Well um...

[That's a very good question.]

We were uh, sleeping and I woke up and were kinda cuddling against me and I didn't want to wake you and uh...yeah.

[That still doesn't explain why he put his arm around her and began stroking her hair but hopefully she won't ask that.]

S-sorry.

[And his face is turning red.]

[The words voiced and the realization that her hand and leg were still right where they'd been before she woke only threw Abeni even more off guard.]

Wait.

[Had he said 'cuddling'? Surely Abeni heard that wrong. Her brow curved to a confused frown.]

I don't... cuddle.

[Yeah. Sure. Keep telling yourself that, Abeni.]

...At least I didn't think I did.

Oh. Okay.

[He pauses for a moment.]

So what are we doing then?

[Abeni frowns, fails to come up with an answer and... slumps. He's right. She knows he's right.]

Don't... tell anyone.

[Agitated? Yes. But even so, she doesn't move away.]

It's cold out.

My lips are sealed.

[No sense on being on the receiving end of Abeni's bad side. Besides, he kinda likes this.]

Yeah, I think I'm done with winter now.

Mm.

[She smiles at that. It's faint, but definitely there. Abeni doesn't know why she's smiling, or why she hasn't moved away. Warmth, she'll tell herself, even if it's only half true.]

Does this happen often?

[The question is really bugging her. For all Abeni knows, she's been a complete cuddle whore for years and never realized.]

If it does I haven't noticed it.

[As far back as he can remember they really haven't slept together before. If one was asleep then another was keeping watch. This only happened because he went so long without any sleep at all.]

Right.

[It made sense. For a moment she was quiet, still settled against him while she tried to get her thoughts in order. This was a one off thing that neither intended and that would be the end of it, right? So why hadn't she moved.

Suddenly very aware of where she was and what they were still doing, Abeni voiced her next question.]

You uh, want me to move?

No no you're fine.

[Riah tried not to blush again as he was pretty sure he said that a little too fast, but this was such a nice moment that he didn't want to end it so soon.]

Unless you want to move anyway.

[Abeni also found his response a little too fast. She shifted a little, closer again and, head on his chest, glanced up at him. A smile pulled at her lips.]

You're blushing.

[And now he was blushing even more. He immediately looked down at his foot as he tried not to look her in the eyes.

Way to act like a damn fool Zachariah.]

I uh...it's just...um....

[And he's really not helping himself here either.]

[She spares him her gaze and settles in again.]

How longs it been?

[Good looking guy like him is sure to have girls chasing him everywhere. Abeni can't help but wonder what's up.]

[Zachariah blinks.]

Since...what?

[She manages not to laugh. His innocence is cute. Abeni takes care to keep the question tone casual.]

Since you were this close to a girl?

Oh...oh.

[And there went his face again. If she kept this up he was going to be redder than a tomato.]

I uh...a-about...seven years...

[Those were a long seven years too.]

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