Random 75

Riya looked properly chastised and did a fairly good impression of Garren's innocent look, whereas Mael was visibly enjoying to chance to see his sister caught red-handed.

Sebastian merely nodded. "Tomorrow, then," he said, getting up and remembering fully well to stay decent by adjusting the dressing gown. "Thank you for the bath and the tea -- and more importantly, for listening." One more look at them all and he glanced at Sylvie, then at the stairs, offering an arm. He didn't look like he wanted to say anything more.

Sylvie took his arm and looked at Garren and Gemma.

The latter was looking at the ceiling, worried about the young woman. But if Sylvie insisted she knew what she were doing, let her live with the consequences.

"I'm sorry." Sylvie was not sure what of everything she was apoligising for.

Gemma softened, and both she and Garren bid her a good night. By silent agreement they stayed were they were to talk things over without their strange guests.

He led her up to the room they had woken up in that same morning and allowed Sylvie to settle down first. Judging by how he closed the door and leaned his back against it, staring at the ceiling, that whole business had been stressful. Inwardly, he felt as though he'd just discovered something new. Finally, he lowered his eyes and stared at Sylvie, smiling just a hint.

Sylvie was sitting on the edge of the bed, and working on removing the skirt without falling over. Without the tension and at times anger of the conversation, she couldn't keep her exhaustion at bay anymore. When she noticed Sebastian was looking at her, she extended a hand in invitation and said the first thing off the top of her mind. "Not caring what anyone thinks of you is easier." Her voice was barely above a whisper.

Obediently, he walked over and sat down next to her, the edge of his mouth curled into a half-smile. "It might be, but it's also lonely." If need be, he was going to help her with her garments. "Might be that the harder bit is more rewarding."

She closed her eyes and leaned against his shoulder, relaxing with relief at being understood. "Lonely feels like slow death."

For a moment, he didn't have any answer to that, and hoped she didn't see his eyes misting up again. This was getting to be a habit, apparently. "It's just that," he said earnestly, wrapping an arm around her, slowly petting her side and barely keeping himself alert anymore. "I'm sick of it," he added quietly, staring at the wall and leaning slightly against her himself.

For a few breaths, Sylvie tried to find words that felt right and that she could say, but couldn't. Finally, half asleep, she straightened up a little, and softly kissed his cheek.

Eyes half-closed, he turned to look at her and returned the favour, though on her forehead. He kept on petting her side. "Not so bad right now," Sebastian said, examining her features for a moment. That one old song came to mind, further complicating his state of mind in terms of emotions. "I've got no words right now," he admitted softly.

She had her eyes closed, relaxed. tears were running down her face, but there also was a faint smile. "Talk tomorrow?"

"Deal," he said, wiping some moisture from under her left eye with his right thumb. After another kiss, this time on the tip of her nose, he let go for a while to take off the dressing gown. He only wanted to lay down, hold on and sleep. And worry about tomorrow -- tomorrow.

When he got up, Sylvie just slipped under the covers, still in tunic and socks, too tired to get rid of those - and too tired to think of asking Sebastian for help.

He scarcely minded. A warm body was a warm body, after all, but however -- this certain body was much to his liking. Only wrapping an arm around her, he squeezed himself into the bed and buried his face into her hair, one last kiss planted in her neck.

Sebastian held her as long as it took her to fall asleep, but lay awake for a while himself. His mind was racing as per usual, but in the end, once it came down to sleep, his dreams were more relaxed than in quite some time.

Sylvie snuggled into his touch, enjoying both the warmth and the reassurance. It took hardly any time for her to drift off.

She was fast asleep by the time Gemma locked the door to their room. Hopefully unneccessary, probably pointless if not, but she would be completely unable to sleep if she didn't put something between Sebastian and her family overnight.

He woke for a while when he heard the rattle, ear twitching and eyes opening fully. His sudden alertness lasted only for a few seconds though once he realised he certainly hadn't locked the door, ergo: they had been locked in. The last thought before his dreams came again was slight smugness.

Morning came, and that slight smugness was not his first thought: it happened to be the groggy realisation that this was the second morning he'd woken up in the same bed and next to the same person. He eyed her for a while, raising his head, blinking a few times, again rememorising her features, the restful expression, again paid attention to the eyebrows and the way sunlight made the tone of her hair--

Second morning, second similar blow of the hammer unto his consciousness. Sunlight! Sebastian entirely forgot about Sylvie and warmth and the fact that he was most assuredly naked, launched himself out of bed and to the window.

A broad smile cut a line across his face.

A few clouds dissolving into drizzle still hung over the city, but the morning sun lighted their edges. Beyond those, blue sky was visible. The runoff from the tarps over the yard had shrunk from a rivulet to rapid dripping.

The sudden movement did something to wake Sylvie, but what finished the job was loud knocking on the door, and Gemma's voice. "You said something about getting an early start."

Sylvie was too drowsy still to make sense of the words, let alone register the sound of the lock under the knocking. She turned around to the window. Sebastian and a bit of blue sky. She smiled. I've woken up to worse sights.

"We did. We'll be down soon," he replied, feeling far too smug again. Too busy staring at the blue sky, he didn't even think to look back and see if Sylvie was awake for a while. Instead he just leaned his elbows against the window sill and smiled before looking behind himself. (Incidentally, that was when he remembered he was in the nude, but didn't give a damn.)

"It worked." Sylvie let out a relieved sigh, sat up and rubbed grit out of her eyes. She felt a bit stuffy-headed, which was hardly a surprise after yesterday.

"It worked," he repeated, spent a while longer at the window and then sat down next to her, untangling his hair with his fingers. Now that the first of the excitement was gone from his system, Sebastian began to feel the stiffness in his side and various other aches. Even so, he thought about just sitting down for a while and contemplating success. It was best to hold on to it while one could.

"And now I hope that wasn't the easiest part." She was only half joking. She was also wondering if she had brought the comb or left it downstairs. Her hair had been still moist when she lay down, so, unsurprisingly, it was a mess again. The stuffy feeling in her head and tickle in her throat wasn't surprising, either.