Echos of a fateful meeting

[Feleti Eidothea]

Leti was about to stand and go fetch some of the books from his shelf when bastian made his need known. He rolled his eyes, it certainly wouldn't be strange for him to need to. But having him say so right after he had been told to stay in bed sure did seem like a childish act of defiance.
"right, I'll help you over to the chamber pot then." He replied pointing to an earthen type vase in the corner. He had no intention of returning the crutches to bastian or giving him license to try to make the journey outside again.
The healer moved to his patients side so that he could help the man to his feet, well, foot.
If anything at least leti hadn't simply hoisted him up and carried him across the room.

[Sebastian Arcturis]

Bastian recognized he was being a little childish but he didn't care. He wasn't so immature that he would bother the man constantly throughout the day, but he was here right now so he was going to get what he could.

Even if it wasn't that far of a walk, it wasn't laying in bed. Best to do it now and wake up. And well...he had just woken up. Not to mention he wanted to test what options Leti gave him. Which wasn't much. Chamber pot in the room, no crutches, supervision. Not being carried was a perk.

He stood with Leti's help, biting back a groan. The soldier leaned on him heavily, unable to keep his breathing relaxed. He did in fact need to relieve himself, leaning against the wall to keep his balance. But he didn't prolong the moment and was content to allow Leti to resettle him back on the bed. Bastian sighed, still not able to accept sitting still. But he would try. A little.

"I won't bother you for that again," he promised. Today at least. In fsct he would do as much as he could without Leti getting involved. Bastian wanted to stay busy, not antagonize the healer. That was...the exact opposite of what he wanted to do to the healer.

[Feleti Eidothea]

Leti's gaze softened and with a sigh he replied "I don't mind if you 'bother' me. " He just wanted one day where he didn't feel as though he was instigating the man to harm himself.
He moved to take down the few books he owned and placed them within bastian's reach. A book of poems, a book of quite old legends of knights past, and of course an illustrated guide to healing herbs. They weren't much but likely they might be able to pacify the man for a little while. The healer seemed almost hesitant to leave but he knew he didn't need to watch a grown man like a hawk.
"Just call if you need me." He added before departing to do various chores about the cave.

[Sebastian Arcturis]

Whether he was bothering Leti or not, he could feel the man's concern. He hardly considered it Leti's fault or responsibility to ensure Bastian looked after himself. He had been the one to make those choices. Leti had just...enabled him. A lot.

It didn't help that the warden didn't quite grasp how close to dying he had been. Maybe a few times.

The books would do. He was familiar with some older tales of knights but he doubted he knew all the same variations. "These will be plenty," he said, picking up the legends first. He hoped it would be enough of a distraction. Hell, even reading about herbs was...better than getting lost in his thoughts.

His gaze drifted over the pages, conscious of Leti's eyes but for the moment, he was actually looking forward to a little privacy. "I will," Bastian said, trying to sound reassuring and sincere. He did mean it. Though he didn't plan on calling for Leti at all if he could help it.

While Leti did chores, Sebastian read. He contemplated drawing, decided against it, stretched a little, did some focused breathing (thanks to the bath he didn't feel so short of breath), and then picked up the poems next. Those...took longer. Implied meaning and rhythm and flow and all of that was...not natural for him. He gave up trying to read internally and read them out loud, deliberately, focusing on his tone. It was tiring physically from all the talking and mentally because he hated metaphors.

[Feleti Eidothea]

Leti was able to get quite a bit done, though he found himself often moving back toward the bedroom to listen in. Mostly he had only heard the quiet rustling of pages and relievedly returned to his duties.
Though shortly after making lunch when he made to bring bastian some food was he caught off guard by the sound of the man reciting poetry to himself in the quiet cave. His voice while perhaps not quite confident as it puzzled out the meaning and cadence was a beautiful deep tone that bounced around the cave in a wonderful way.
He stopped for a moment just outside the doorway, listening to bastian finish the verse. Only after bastian had paused in his reading did Leti enter with bowls of soup in hand.
"You've a good tongue for poems, shame you're a soldier and not a bard, eh?" He replied with a broad smile and a chuckle. He held out one of the bowls for bastian to take.

[Sebastian Arcturis]

The words certainly sounded lovely even when he didn't always know what it meant. He glanced up at Leti when he rounded the corner, slightly startled. Had he been standing there a while? Bastian wasn't embarrassed, but he did feel...something? The idea of Leti eavesdropping on him was nice. And strange.

He closed the book carefully and set it aside with the others so he could take the bowl of soup from the man. Oh right, lunch. When was the last time he had had a lunch?

"Nothing like yours," he said, avoiding the compliment. "Bard?" He shook his head. "I am not very good at storytelling," he admitted. Reading was one thing, the words ready and waiting to be pulled off the page. Recitation was too...creative and performance based.

He stared at the soup for a moment and despite not being hungry, he tried a little. It tasted good at least, simple or not. "How are chores?"

[Feleti Eidothea]

Leti shook his head still not used to the compliment. It was somehow more embarrassing being complimented when bastian was fully awake. Well maybe the man wasn't a storyteller but Leti liked listening to him read all the same.
The healer was glad to see bastian try eating even in spite of having breakfast. Getting bastian to eat regularly was almost as hard as getting him to rest.
He himself took a few bites of the soup and shrugged "I've gotten quite a bit done! just need to move some of the herbs in."
There wasn't strictly a ton he needed to do each day, but some of the tasks were pretty tedious, like grinding dried herbs.
"How has the reading been?"

[Sebastian Arcturis]

Bastian gave the man a look that clearly suggested he was bored and this wasn't at all what he wanted to be doing right now. But he didn't say. He doubted Leti would show him any pity for being bored or for suggesting he want to do more than lay in bed. He didn't want pity anyway. He wanted to not be bored.

"The reading is fine." Honestly he couldn't repeat the words he had just read aloud, that was how little he had been paying attention to the poems.

He convinced himself to eat more than he wanted to which was about half the bowl. More interesting food might have been more appealing but he doubted he would be able to keep anything more exciting down. Meat though...he could do with some of that. At least he wanted to try. Whether his stomach was quite up for that yet he wasn't sure.

Half the bowl finished, he set it aside and picked up the book again. He didn't begin reading out loud right away. It wasn't that he waa embarrassed, even if the idea of Leti as an audience was different, it was more that he wasn't convinced he wanted to keep reading. It was the first time being wholly conscious and entirely awake around the man and they hadn't exactly talked about what had happened the other day.

That, he was embarrassed about. Not the act itself or even the strange fondness he had for the other man. But talking about it, thinking about it directly... Bastian had been taught that such things between two men were...not socially acceptable. Were obscene. Blasphemous. And without the drug to ease him over that, it was all a little...confusing. To think about what he had willingly taken part in. About what he had enjoyed. What he sort of wanted to do again. It was...more conflicting than anything he had dealt with in a while. Was what happened between them really okay? Would it be okay if it happened again? Did that mean he loved Leti? And what did Leti think about it? Had Leti other feelings or was it just a convenient way to get out his own urges while Bastian wasn't entirely in control of himself?

The soldier wasn't sure how to talk that. Better to try and distract himself.

[Feleti Eidothea]

The answer wasn't very illuminating but he supposed he wouldn't expect any other answer.
Satisfied that bastian had eaten enough, leti finished his own soup and left to finish doing what he needed for the day.
His mind was already on what he had planned for the evening. He too was conflicted about how he felt for bastian but he knew that he definitely wanted...a repeat. The only thing was that he also didn't want to encourage bastian into....physical exertion. But, he had a plan to help him figure a few things out.

It hadn't yet occurred to Leti to question whether he loved bastian. But he did know there was some fondness, some attachment that he knew was far too strong for someone who would likely have to leave once his leg was healed.
Once cain had returned he served the soup again to cain and brought bastian a bowl. This time however he didn't stay to eat with bastian as he had before. In fact Leti instead waited for cain to turn in for the night as he puttered about the main room. Once cain did say good night, Leti peeked his head in to check if bastian needed anything but didn't provide an explanation as he replaced the candle.
The healer packed a scant few things into a satchel.
He slipped out of the cave just as the sun had begun to set and began the ascent down the many steps on his way to town.

[Sebastian Arcturis]

He fell asleep after Leti left. Between actually eating, still recovering, and the fact he was laying in bed reading, the soldier didn't realize he had taken a nap until he woke up. He didn't even remember dreaming. He reread a few poems and then spent the rest of the evening wishing he could at least pace the length of the room or something and instead just listened to the sounds from the main room.

Cain returned at some point and while he couldn't make out any shared words, he could tell when Leti spoke to his father. It was both comforting and...not comforting, having so much time to himself. If he could do more than relax, he might have enjoyed it. It was more strange that Leti didn't stay to make sure he ate, but Bastian only greeted him and thanked him for the food, considering he was trying to stay true to what he had said about not bothering him the rest of the day. He could manage one day.

By the time Leti checked in on him, he'd had a little more soup and had leafed through the guide to herbs before falling asleep again. He shifted restlessly, not quite making it to a restful sort of sleep but not quite entering the realm of his usual nightmares. He dreamed about the voice in the mist again, only this time he had recognized it as Leti's voice. And he still hadn't been able to find him.

Bastian woke suddenly, panting, not really sure why. He realized after a moment that Leti hadn't joined him. Which actually was a little disappointing. Had something happened? Or was this about what had happened the other day? Without many other options, he tried to ignore the soreness and discomfort and get back to sleep. It took a long time.

[Feleti Eidothea]

Leti made the trip down to the village with a bit of haste. He could already feel a tinge of nervousness knowing what he was heading out to do. It was foolish but curiosity killed the cat. He knew that if there was one person in town that could answer his questions it was one of the ladies of the night. He had only occasionally seen them. Once or twice he had assisted cain in healing them, or dropping off some ointments, or the few times that he had visited the tavern for entertainment. He had never partook of their...services...but he knew it wasn't uncommon for the men in the villager or travelers to do so. 
He could hear the rowdy noise of the patrons drinking and laughing. As he entered the tavern he caught a few looks from the regulars. It was pretty unusual for Leti to travel to the village alone, especially the tavern. Leti cast his eyes about and made eye contact with the younger of the two ladies who was moving about serving some lager. His face heated up a bit as he realized he hadn't actually thought through how to go about asking the woman for help.
Luckily he didn't have to, the girl crossed the room as if the eye contact was plenty a que for her to know. She was only a year or two older than himself with cascading copper hair and a wide smile.  "bout time you took an interest, thinking of heading upstairs?"
Leti only managed to awkwardly stammer something vaguely affirmative. He followed her meekly up to one of the Inn rooms above the tavern to a few encouraging cat calls from drunken customers at the tavern.

Upstairs the woman immediately began undoing her top and going over prices for a slew of lewd acts.
"er- wait! no!no!no! I just wanted to ask for some advice!" Leti pleaded, to which he received a confused and very disappointed reaction.
The girl rose an eyebrow as she stopped fiddling with her clothes "What? you came into a tavern and called me up here to chat? ain't got any money? " 
Leti frowned and took out a silver coin and a small bottle, placing them on the bed. She would know what the bottle was for, he and cain often traded batches of it for ale or wine. She blinked a few times and then moved to easily sit on the bed somewhat suggestively. "well....it most get lonely up on them mountains..." She nudged thinking perhaps he was just a bit shy.
Leti wrung his hands trying to figure out how to explain without explaining. He moved to sit in the chair opposite the bed. "It's just I've met this girl and...."
She perked up a bit "Oh, and here I thought you were a virgin. Me and Lindsey have had a bet for years....damn. I don't mind if you call her name..."
Leti shook his head this time a little taken aback for multiple reasons "No!, no,no...it's not, well yes but..." He sighed "I just....I want to make hi- her happy but I don't really know...."
An enlightened and touched look fell over her face "Well innit that sweet in a way, though If you were aimin' to make her happy then I'd say comin' here wouldn't be it..."
With an understanding reached Leti was finally able to ask for advice from her arena of experience. All the while he had to find ways to justify getting advice about men and his new found beau without giving away that it was a man.
By the time their chat ended the two had grown an interesting friendship and Leti felt....very educated indeed.

The journey back to the cave was made short by the thoughts swirling in his mind. He prepped a few things based on the tips he received and then slipped into bed with bastian. He found it hard to fall asleep especially next to bastian, and his sleep was a bit restless.
He had some quite scandalous dreams likely from his knew knowledge and murmured bastian's names a few times in his sleep. Leti once again was a slow riser in the morning. 

[Sebastian Arcturis]

He was awake but not quite lucid when Leti returned. It was a pleasant warmth he felt at seeing the other man and an immediate comfort having him close by. It took a while to get back to sleep but once he did, it was peaceful. It was a trend he was starting to notice. What he wasn't sure of was whether it was only Leti that brought this soothing affect to his normally troubled dreams or just people in general.

He didn't wake up the rest of the night and he too slept in. Of course, good sleep or not, he still startled awake. He sat up violently, panting and trying to remember what he had dreamed about and trying to ignore the intense pain he'd created in his leg. In the dream, Leti hadn't been with him. He'd been alone. So he went looking down the dark steps and started falling...

Bastian took a pained deep breath and settled back down. He wanted to go back to sleep, still tired from the poor sleep he had gotten and grumpy over the fresh pain in his leg.

[Feleti Eidothea]

Bastian startling awake once again took Leti by surprise. He felt his heart skip painfully but settled back in for a moment.
He knew he needed to get up and start his chores for the day but he would have preferred to sink back into a snooze at bastian's side.
He also felt a little bad seeing the man in pain. He reminded himself to give bastian a mild anesthetic with his bath tonight. "nightmare?" He asked sleepily as he wrapped an arm around bastian's waist. He too was tired from the ngiht out and the light sleep. Though his night had been restless for a very different reason.

[Sebastian Arcturis]

The warden was used to his sudden wake up calls. Normally, his dreams were surprisingly consistent about what time they deigned to pluck him gasping and flailing back into the waking world. After the near death experience over a week ago (had it really been that long and that short a time?) things were much less consistent. At least he didn't want for more sleep.

He felt a little guilty for waking Leti up, especially when it was clear the other man found Bastian's jerking awake startling. He had always had nightmares. Most were mild like this past one. Things that while eerie or terrifying were not incredible violent or graphic. Other nights they were worse. When he was younger he had tried to avoid sleeping becaise of how bad they were. Now, he wasn't sure if they were more tame or if he was simply used to it but the soldier did understand sleep was important.

Not moving for over twenty-four hours...that he struggled with.

"Nothing bad," he mumbled, as if his waking up like that was normal. Which it was to him. The arm was comforting even though he still wasn't certain he should allow himself to find it as such. Still, after a moment, Bastian slid his arm around Leti and pulled him closer. "Leti...can you...stay here a moment. Least until I go back to sleep?" The request was accompanied by a yawn.

He was positive he would be asleep again soon enough. He wasn't so positive if that sleep would be any more beneficial than the restless night he had had.

As for the pain...he had a book on herbs he had been putting off...maybe he should look into that. Learn was sage was actually good for. And if there was something Leti might have that he could take for the pain.

[Feleti Eidothea]

Leti wondered what could be normal that would cause a man to jump out of his skin like that. But his concern melted into a slight surprise. He had woken in Sebastian's arm before but this was the first time that he had witnessed Sebastian actually doing it, not only that but the request the man made strangely touched him.
"alright" Leti replied quietly, settling in to the warm embrace.
He lie there in bastian's arms until he could hear the man drift off, and then a moment more just to make sure. Carefully he disentangled himself trying not to jostle the man as he got up to set about the day.
He did a few morning chores before bringing some nettle tea and breakfast for bastian. Leti didn't want to wake him and thus simply left it nearby.

When he had done enough of his regular chores he followed a bit of advise given to him in a round about way by his new friend. He wasn't even sure if there would be a need considering he didn't actually know how bastian felt on the matter. It was a bit...awkward and embarrassing and he found himself very glad indeed that bastian couldn't walk.
It seemed strangely lucky as well that cain should choose to visit the village so many days in a row.