Echos of a fateful meeting

[Sebastian Arcturis]

He tried to focus on what Leti was doing, rather than fall asleep. He watched him clean up and dress through heavy eyes. As much as he had been bored the other day for something to do mentally, he wasn't so restless now. It was almost peaceful, if he had to put a word to the moment.

Bastian groaned when Leti picked him up. "I really...do not like when you do that," he groaned more or less pointlessly. He didn't like being carried. Yes, he was aware that he couldn't walk even when he wasn't sore or tired or both. It was still uncomfortable emotionally. Physically, Leti was pretty gentle. Compared to the floor, the bed was beyond comfortable though and he did honestly appreciate that. It was easy to sink into the bedding.

The cold wet cloth was a welcome distraction from the effort it took to breathe and more than enough to ease Bastian back into a semblance of tranquility similar to where he had gotten with the bath. His breathing eased slowly and he was eventually unable to keep himself awake, drifting off to sleep and surprisingly pleasant dreams. Maybe he shouldn't be so surprised.

[Feleti Eidothea]

Leti knew plenty well by now that bastian had some kind of terminal pride. But that didn't stop him from doing anything in regards to the man's health. Well maybe it should have.
He watched bastian drift off and continued to use his gift for while, letting their connection build, and feeling the subtle flow of energy.
He knew that bastian would need him there as the effects of the theriac wore off, that he would even if he hadn't been instigated to overtax his injuries. Leti lowered himself to snuggle in against bastian. This time it felt as if he were slotting in where he was meant to rather than following some kind of instinct.
He knew that if cain came home and found that leti hadn't done anything but tend to the soldier all day that likely he would get an earful. But even knowing that there was no way he could avoid the temptation of a nap with the peaceful look on bastian's face. So, Leti fell into a comfortable snooze with his arm around the man's waist.

[Sebastian Arcturis]

His dreams began peacefully. Walking the halls of the castle, the warmth of the sun casting long golden beams through the windows and across the hall. He could smell grass and leaves and flowers but he wasn't sure from where.

Suddenly, he realized he was in a strange part of the castle. One he had never been before which was...something was wrong. He knew the castle. This place... there were prison cells and torture chambers in the depths of the castle. Bastian had visited them a few times as a guard. But the ones the Wardens used off the castle grounds were worse. This place was one of those. A hole with blood stained floors. There was a trail of fresh blood on the ground.

He followed it.

The drops and drag marks looks like something had limped or pulled itself away, the trail winding down more and more stairs, until Bastian got the feeling that maybe...something had dragged the person down. Only to realize he was the one who was bleeding.

He woke with a surprised half shout that quickly devolved into painful groaning as he tried not to move. His chest, especially the left side was a massive spike of pain, so much that he didn't want to breathe and had to force air in and out slowly. His hands tightening fiercely into the first thing he could find. The bedding and blanket. Leti's arm.

It was impossible to think straight or focus, his body stiff with pain. He would violently and almost blindly fight against any other contact, eyes closed to the pain.

[Feleti Eidothea]

Leti had a dreamless sleep. He really was only in a light sleep until bastian jolted him awake with his yell and the frantic clutching.
Leti held bastian sympathetically wishing he could do more. It was clear from the sound of the stilted breathing and his stiff movement that the man was in great pain. It felt as though all the work they had done had swiftly gone down the drain for those few moments of respite they had had. Leti held the man hoping for bastian to calm enough for him to move away for a moment.

He did do so reluctantly pulling away to re-drench the rag and to prepare a numbing tea. He knew there was no way that he could get bastian to stomach the tea without dulling some of the pain with his gift. He set the cup aside and laid the rag over bastian's chest. He placed both of his hands over the man's chest and concentrated, this time murmuring some of the lullaby under his breath from nerves. It might feel like ages for the man in such pain but, in reality the numbing effect of feleti's healing gift would begin to dull the pain within a few minutes.

[Sebastian Arcturis]

All of it felt like forever. Bastian sort of felt the comforting presence that had been next to him move away as the initial sharp edge faded but he still really didn't want to move.

In another more coherent moment, he might have argued that it had been worth it. Almost. But right now everything hurt and he just wanted to breathe without feeling like someone was standing with their foot on his chest. It was right like before, a similar feeling under the general pain.

He blinked at the cool cloth but Leti barely had to begin working for him to begin to relax a little. A short sigh escaped his lips, the familiar melody calming him as the pain and most of his other feeling faded, leaving just an uncomfortable feeling behind. "There was...blood?" He forced out the broken whisper. He meant in his dream, but something was bothering him about the dream. For some reason that was important enoigh to talk through the pain. He worried he might have reopened something or caused other damage, especially to his leg and his lungs. Bastian admitted begrudgingly and internally that he really needed to relax more.

"Leti..." he mumbled the man's name almost more for comfort than anything. In the near darkness of the cave, Bastian could hardly make out anything. He slid a hand up to his chest where one of Leti's pressed gently and before he realized what he was doing, his fingers brushed Leti's hand. He froze there for a moment, not sure if what he remembered had really happened or if he had been dreaming then too.

[Feleti Eidothea]

Leti was startled by the brushing of fingers against his own. He stopped singing and his eyes focused on what he could see of bastian's face in the darkness. One of his hands moved to intertwine his fingers in bastians.
He wasn't even sure if bastian remembered what had happened, theriac was a pretty strong drug and used sparingly for good reason.
He wasn't sure how to ask if bastian still remembered and still felt as he had then. "bastian" He replied in a quiet confirmation, of what not even he was certain. Maybe just that he was here. After a moment he replied "I let you overdo things again....you'll have to rest for a while now..." He said in way of a gentle explanation. It was a bit of an understatement. As far as Leti could see bastian hadn't actually damaged anything too badly but it certainly hadn't been good for his recovery efforts.

[Sebastian Arcturis]

He didn't remember how it started. He didn't even remember Leti drugging him. But he remembered the bath, sinking into the warm waters, the soft herbal scent around him. Leti's hands on his chest. On his stomach. Their lips pressed together. Sitting on top of the other man and letting his tongue explore his mouth while his hand...

Bastian didn't really know where that moment went or how they got there which felt like a very classic dream. Only the way Leti said his name and how he touched him... The white haired man's explanation was vague and confused him but his words and the caress felt...familiar. Comfortable. Bastian tightened his grip on the fingers threaded through his own.

"You..." He hadn't intended to pause after the word but saying it pulled back another moment. He'd pressed Leti against the wall to kiss him passionately, aggressively, and when Leti pulled away finally to breath, that had been the word that fell out of the other's mouth. "You did not make me...do anything," he wheezed. He wasn't sure he wanted to recognize more than that, staring up at the man who face he couldn't really see but he could very vividly imagine. Leti was handsome. Attractive. There, he used the word. Even just thinking about him like caused involuntary reactions. Reactions he wasn't sure how to handle, but certainly he couldn't deny it.

"I don't...don't want to rest," he grumbled, more out of obligation. He wasn't in so much pain anymore, but he was too sore to move, at least right now. It also meant he couldn't really get comfortable. So sleeping was off the table. Why couldn't he remember what happened after the bath? Ho long had that even been? His breathing settled into a less frantic pace, but it still wheezed in and out of his chest as he closed his eyes again. Didn't want to sleep or not, his body was too exhausted to do much of anything else. "You have a nice...singing voice," he mumbled sleepily.

[Feleti Eidothea]

He felt with a bit of surprise great relief that bastian had remembered and reassured him. Leti hadn't realized how much that strange moment of closeness had meant to him until the opportunity had been presented for them both to forget it. He knew without a doubt in that moment that he would have been deeply disappointed had bastian forgotten or chosen to forget.

Though the grumbling soon brought a soft chuckle to his lips again. "You never do. but you must." Even so Leti could here the man fighting off sleep in his replies. If bastian had been able to see it he might have noticed the slight tinge of embarrassment on his face at the compliment. Was this the first time bastian had been awake to hear it? almost undoubtedly. The lullaby wasn't something he usually did in front of others if he could help it. But singing it did seem to help with using his gift.
"Thank you" He mumbled out in reply though he didn't continue now that he had been caught. He sat quietly with bastian waiting for the man to drift off. His mind musing on their new found closeness....perhaps it wasn't new. It felt more as though they had simply acknowledged something. Yet the way he felt about the stranger was so unlike anything he knew that he was at a loss of what to do about it. As far as he knew there wasn't anything in the few books and scrolls he had read. Nor had he ever heard the villagers speak of it. but perhaps there was one person he could ask....
But he too was tired from their escapade, it might have to be tomorrow night.

He waited for bastian to fall asleep before making dinner to be ready for cain. When the man did get home Leti was predictably scolded for neglecting his duties.

[Sebastian Arcturis]

Bastian hadn't heard the song before but he felt like he had. It was strangely familiar only he knew it wasn't from any old memories. His dreams maybe. He was a little disappointed Leti didn't continue but he was too exhuasted to keep talking, let alone keep his eyes open.

More than the melody, he wanted the man to sleep with him. But part of him still found that too awkward to ask for and another part knew Leti should be doing other things.

He fell asleep quickly, slipping into a deep sleep. It was colored with his usual restlessness and active or uncomfortable dreams, but it was heavier. He slept through dinner and completely ruined any attempt at a normal schedule between his usual exhaustion as his body struggled to heal and plus everything else.

[Feleti Eidothea]

Leti didn't attempt to wake bastian for dinner.
He did remind himself that he would need to try to get the man to eat a heartier breakfast tomorrow. He wasn't comfortable with the amount of meals the man had managed to skip lately.
After doing a bit of chores he did return and slip into bed beside bastian. He knew that he would likely find it hard to fall asleep considering the nap he had shared. Even so the warmth of bastian beside him lulled him into a sleep quickly enough.

While he didn't dream, there was something different and more calming than before about sleeping beside the man. Despite the heavy sleep and extra sleep from the day before Leti actually slept in a bit. By the time he stirred there was already the hint of sun peaking down the cave, marking it as a bit of a late morning.

[Sebastian Arcturis]

Not eating didn't help him feel less tired. He still wasn't entirely feeling like eating very much \. Not because he wasn't hungry, more because he just didn't feel like himself.

Leti joining Bastian didn't wake him up, but he did manage that sort of still asleep waking state for a moment to accommodate his sleeping companion. He relaxed and his dreams ceased being so aggressive with the warmth of another body so close, his sleep much more restful from that point on.

He woke around the same time as Leti and was actually surprised to feel the man next to him. Not in the same way as he had before, he very much liked and embraced sleeping with him, and even found his arm around the man. His surprise was more for the fact that even in this room down the steps, he could make out sunlight. He groaned faintly, not quite awake enough to put together words, but aware enough to the fact that he had company that he didn't move his arm on purpose.

"You slept well," he mumbled.

[Feleti Eidothea]

"morning" Leti mumbled sleepily, in the warmth of the embrace he was a bit reluctant to move out of bed. He made a slightly disgruntled noise as he sat up slowly to stretch. He rose and stumbled off to find breakfast. He returned with a lit lantern and some food for them both. It was just a bit of bread and cheese but anything was better than nothing especially for bastian. He wasn't going to let the man get away with a few bites today.
He hung the lantern up and held out some of the food for bastian. "Eat it slowly if you half to but try to get most of it down." His tone was a bit stern this time.

He sat down himself to chew thoughtfully on some bread. "I'll be doing chores but you need to stay put today. I won't stray out of ear's reach." He announced knowing that if he wanted his plan to work he would need to make up for the lack of work he got done yesterday. Well that and bastian really did need to rest.

[Sebastian Arcturis]

He didn't keep the other man in bed, but he too was a little sad to have that comfort leave. Bastian balked at the idea suddenly. When had he ever wanted to stay in bed? When had he ever slept with someone more than once and when had he ever thought about sleeping with someone again?

Never.

It was beyond strange, but he couldn't bring himself to find it uncomfortable. Leti was too...reassuring and exciting to find being around him uncomfortable.

The stern suggestion he eat was met with a resigned sighed. "Alright." But he dutifully pulled himself up slightly. Everything still ached in that overly tired sort of way, but while his body needed rest, his mind needed to be awake. Bastian was slowly understanding he was stuck in a sort of depression borne of not being able to do normal things. He wanted to get up and workout at least but yesterday had proven he wasn't at all ready for that. The soldier took the offered bread with a yawn and pulled small pieces of it off to eat. He paused about halfway, tried a little cheese.

Bastian nodded as Leti planned their day. "Let me know if I can help," he said. It was an acceptance by way of preferring to having something else to do. He realized it was also a little awkward, being the patient but offering to help. He felt like he was going to go crazy laying in one place and right now he was eating breakfast. Imagine if he had absolutely nothing to do?

He was quiet for a while, slowly getting down the rest of the bread and a little cheese but that was almost too much. He wondered if he could handle some stretches...maybe find something heavy to work out his arms or something. Bastian habitually pressed a hand to his chest and the discomfort there while he thought.

[Feleti Eidothea]

Leti too had never been drawn to sleep beside another, not the way he did with bastian. He had spent the night looking over wounds or keeping vigil before but he had become so comfortable with bastian that he didn't stop to think about it. All of the feelings he had for bastian were entirely unlike what he had felt before. He dealt with them the only way he knew how, which was to act like normal and only act out on urges when he caught a sudden burst of confidence.

It was his turn to balk, "You won't be doing anything of the sort!" He really intended not to tax the man anymore than he had. It was his job to make the man well and while he was technically doing that, he was also aware that he had been too lackadaisical in his care twice. If he hadn't been born with this gift then likely bastian would have suffered greatly either of those times. He could see the wheels turning in the stubborn man's head. He briefly considered tieing the man down.
"You can draw, or read if you like....but unless you need to make water you're not stepping foot out of this bed." Leti replied firmly as he finished nibbling through his cheese.

[Sebastian Arcturis]

His offer to help was met with a firmer, more aggressive reprimand than he had expected and he blinked. Well, so much for that attempt. He sighed again, this time a little bit more amused. The idea of laying here doing nothing was painful. What was he supposed to do? Contemplate his life? His injuries? Worry about what might happen? Worry about who he should tell his father? Think about Leti and - Okay, maybe he could find a few ways to keep himself busy alone but that didn't fill a whole day.

He'd forgotten about drawing as an option. He glanced over at the half covered parchment. Not a whole lot of room. He'd have to save that for when he really started to lose it, he supposed. "What is there to read?" Honestly, he would take anything at this point. Plant guides, doctors logs, supply lists... He snorted and then grinned. "Leti, I need to piss." Well, he didn't need to. But he could. And if that was how he was going to get out of bed, then so be it.

At least, if Leti tied him down, he'd have a rope puzzle to work on.