Echos of a fateful meeting

[Sebastian Arcturis]

Whatever ot was they had, Sebastian planned to enjoy it for as long as possible. Of all the things to come of that encounter in the woods, that it would have been his last would not have surprised him. That it was the first time, terrified as he was, he wanted to be close to someone...that he still scarcely believed. Perhaps, avoiding putting a name on it would make it easier to pretend it never happened when it inevitably ended.

"That is not what I meant," he replied slowly, wincing. He'd meant it as a compliment but for Leti to even teasingly push it back on him...the implication was that he was strange. Awkward. Not normal. And he was those things, his attempt at words just now was proving that. Bastian cleared his throat. "I suppose I am. I meant you are a good person. And I like you." Which sounded so awkward to say. Of course his actions proved that was true and that was entirely why he put more stock in actions over words.

He studied Leti and the tired sigh that left him, wondering what had him so tired. Bastian himself, while not exactly peppy, wasn't that tired. He supposed he could read if Leti was tired.

Bastian smiled faintly and nodded, not hiding the fact that his eyes followed Leti's figure out of the tub. He took the man's help with a faint groan. His leg didn't hurt so much as it ached. Walking on it was probably still a bad idea but he would have to ask after the crutches again.

"'Don't get any ideas,'" he teased, leaning against the other man.

[Feleti Eidothea]

Leti couldn't help but return a suggestively raise an eyebrow at bastian's teasing. He might not have had any just then, but he certainly did now. He helped bastian sit on the stull so that he could towel himself down and dress. He helped bastian with his robe while asking "well then, back to the bedroom I suppose." He did sympathize that the addition of the trip to the dining room probably hadn't added nearly enough to his short time awake.
He did intend to give back the crutches eventually, he just worried that bastian would over do it like last time. Perhaps tomorrow the man's chest wound would be closed enough that it would be worth a shot.

He helped bastian lean against him once more so that he could walk the man back to their bedroom. It did feel far too early to turn in given how late they had slept in... but it was well past supper now. The fading light no longer reached down the tunnel into the bedroom. They had only the dim candelight to go by.

[Sebastian Arcturis]

Back to the bedroom wasn't all that bad. He was still tired a lot. There wasn't much else he had to be doing anyway. Still, he wanted to do something besides eat and sleep and share an awkward bath with Leti. Especially after all that talk at the table.

The new chest wound was still a fuzzy memory to Bastian. He knew it hurt there, obviously, but it also sort of blended into the usual fading aches and pains.

"Thanks," he murmured when they reached the bedroom. He wasn't left entirely exhuasted from the trip but even still he had only just started to get his strength back after being made to sleep fpr so long. It had given him time to rest which he had needed but the lack of eating hadn't helped. He was hoping to make up for that, provided his nightmares played nicely.

"Too dark to read," he noted, though he hadn't exactly mentioned his previous thought to do so. Bastian was trying to be a little more social. Tentatively. He gratefully accepted help to sit down. Getting up was easy. Down was a bit more painful. "Do you have something...less strong to help me sleep?" He really wasn't looking for a repeat of his last wake up call. His tone suggested he really didn't want to be asking.

[Feleti Eidothea]

Feleti glanced around at the dim light and nodded. It probably would have been quite the eye strain.
The request for a sedative was met with a thoughtful expression. They did have quite a few varieties so it was a matter of what he thought would help bastian best. He nodded again and then left to tinker about in the herb shelves.
After a few moments he came back with a slightly sweet smelling tea with a bit of milk in.

He had brought a cup for himself too but, he suspected he wouldn't need it after using his gift. He was already feeling a bit drowsy. "drink it slowly." He said in way of instruction. "If you drink it too quickly it might make you a bit dizzy." It could do more than that if you took it all in one go but he gathered bastian wasn't foolish enough to do that. Well....not when he had been told not to. He settled in next to bastian blowing some on his cup of tea. Outside it seemed to have begun to rain, the sounds of water falling hard against the stone could be heard echoing down the tunnel.

[Sebastian Arcturis]

Bastian tried to get comfortable while Leti retrieved whatever unknown sedative he thought useful. As long as it didn't taste like dirt.

Tea. He should have known. This one smelled sweet. Which was almost pleasant in comparison but Bastian wasn't much of a sweets person. Still, it smelled good and he took the cup deciding maybe he wouldn't have to down this one in one go.

He narrowed his eyes faintly at Leti when the man read his mind. Alright, fine, he wouldn't drink it all at once then. "What is it?" He asked, taking a sip. Slowly. Did everything have to be slowly with herbs? Bastian at least wasn't very sleepy. A little tired but he imagined even with a sedative it would take him a while to sleep.

The rain was pleasant. He supposed that meant less need to lug water up the mountain. He put his good arm around Leti and used the other to drink the tea. Slightly less slowly but he was trying. Lifting his left arm hurt a little but he needed the practice.

"Do you really need that to sleep?" A soft note that he noticed the other man seemed tired already.

[Feleti Eidothea]

He chuckled "so I've been found out eh? well a little solidarity won't hurt me." It was true he probably could have gone to sleep quite easily without the tea but it certainly wasn't bad. It had a gently sweet flavor with distinct hints of floral. Though he had hoped that bastian would blame feleti's sleepiness on the tea. He knew that he needed to reel in how often and how much he was using his gift on bastain. Somehow going full force had become a habit.

"It's chamomile, cumfrey and Valerian" Leti explained sipping his tea as he told bastian how the dried flowers were grinded and steeped into a tea. In his mind slow was good, the powerful quick effects of the theriac were often addicting and could have ....side effects. The valerian was most important and the cumfrey thrown in just to help with any lingering inflammation. The worst Valerian could do was induce a deep sleep.

He too enjoyed the pouring rain outside. Most definitely because it indeed meant that was less water he had to carry but also simply because he had always liked the sound of it.
"sometimes I just like a bit of tea." He smiled at the arm wrapped around him reveling in their casual closeness.

[Sebastian Arcturis]

Solidarity. That almost sounded foreboding. Not the way Leti daid it though. He didn't push the matter, considering the healer was intending to sleep.

Bastian would have prefered something...more alcoholic. Or at least less floral. Plants and green things were not his favorite. Fruit might have been alright.

Chamomile and cumfrey he remembered from the book. Well, in pieces anyway. He listened quietly to Leti and the rain before setting aside his half finished cup so he could lean over Leti and plant kisses on his neck. He caressed the man's chest, slowly undoing his robes.

"Sometimes I just like you," he suggested, while also casually suggesting more with his hand. As much as he liked the rain and listening to it, it was also helpful in drowning out other sound in the cave when the drops were heavy enough.

[Feleti Eidothea]

Leti's fluttered blinking in surprise at the sudden and smooth attack. It was utterly effective, Leti flushing as he nearly fumbled his tea cup as the warm kisses peppered his neck.
"Bastian, we should-"
The reiterated affection was like the final blow. His intentions of scolding the man for leading into what could be quite taxing. He hadn't quite gotten over the trauma yet of both their sexual bouts thus far leading to bastian being incapacitated. Swept away he meekly replied "I- I like you too, bastian....but...I don't want you to hurt yourself..." his voice gentle and concerned despite the noticeable quickening of his breath.
His hands gently grasping bastian's shoulders as if to steady him. The conflicted feeling of being incredibly aroused and incredibly worried written all over his face.

[Sebastian Arcturis]

The verbal resistance was expected. Planned for. Not ignored but...an acceptable detour if he could do what he wanted. It wasn't a hard no. He could feel Leti getting excited.

He was mostly certain the second time had less to do with being tied to a chair and more to do with simply being injured. Simply, ha. Certainly Bastian hadn't gotten over that trauma, especially mentally. But he wasn't planning on moving all that much. At first.

Kisses shifted over his jaw and cheek as Bastian settled on his side more and tugged Leti against his chest. He was trying to avoid the obvious and was also aware he needed to save his strength. It was almost spooning and he wasn't subtle about where he wanted his hands. "I will not," he murmured in assurance. More than anything he wanted to move but holding Leti and not moving too much worked for now.

[Fade Out]

[Feleti Eidothea]

[after a very lewd and enjoyable tussle]

Leti could see bastian falling asleep, his eyes drooping closed. With how much bastian fought sleep he was more than happy to lie there in their blissful state. He too let himself close his eyes and drift off with bastian partially draped over him. He did shift ever so slightly to bring the sheeps wool blanket around them and settled into their entanglement.
Leti found sleep easily. He had already been sleepy from using his gift, then the tea and now this. The healer was more than ready for some shut eye.
He fell into an easy sleep, able to sleep straight through to morning provided bastian's nightmares didn't rear their head and wake them both.

[Sebastian Arcturis]

The movement of the blanket, soft as it was, was enough to startle him awake, but gently. Bastian groaned softly and shifted a little and then felt himself tugged back into the warm embrace of comfort. "...don't go anywhere, Leti," he mumbled before he drifted off completely.

The soldier enjoyed a thoroughly peaceful deep sleep. He hardly moved, though he did mumble Leti's name a few times.

It was almost strange then, when he awoke in the morning without any pressing nightmares weighing him down. He didn't wake up struggling or screaming or gasping for air. It was...surreal. Bastian found he hadn't moved almost at all and for a long moment he simply looked at Leti's sleeping figure next to him, beneath him. He was handsome. And try as he might, he couldn't resist playing with his hair.

Or attempting to. His shoulder felt stiff and painful so he decided against moving it. Well, he could admire the man from a distance. That was nice too.

[Feleti Eidothea]

Feleti slept well, pleasant dreams guiding him through the night. The memory of them had already fleeted once his eyes fluttered open.
As his eyes cast about the room he found bastian was already awake. He only half remembered bastian's plea for him to stay by his side before they had both succumbed to sleep. Even so he had already promised himself that he wouldn't make the mistake of leaving bstian while then man slept. He smiled a sleepy smile at the man and yawned.
"morning handsome~" He moved a bit closer so he could wrap his arms more fully around his waist. He stay like that for a moment before moving away to sit up and stretch. Judging from the light peaking down the tunnel it was fairly early.

His face held a smile that was unbearably pleasant even by leti standards. "how are you feeling? are you hungry?" He asked clearly last night had left him in a tremendously good mood.

[Sebastian Arcturis]

He offered Leti a sleepy smile. Handsome, huh? He sort of knew that but hearing it said that way, by Leti...it felt different.

He fought to keep his eyes open until Leti's arms wrapped around him and he grunted faintly in pleased surprised. "Morning," he mumbled.

He watched the man pull away and reluctantly let him, wincing as he had to move his shoulder to let the man leave. Bastian enjoyed his peaceful half awake time a bit longer, avoiding moving. Leti's more than awake questions took a moment to find purchase in his mind.

"I do not need to ask how you are feeling," he teased tiredly. He yawned, Leti's finally catching up with him. "Worn out. Hungry..." he groaned as he sat up, leaning on his right hand and avoiding his left. "Shoulder is a little sore," he found himself admitting eventually. Better than hiding it. It wasn't that bad.

Well, he had been bleeding but he wasn't anymore.

[Feleti Eidothea]

Leti peered at bastian's shoulder with concern but only for a moment. It wasn't so bad that it looked concerning through the bandages. Then again he knew bastian had a tendency to down play his injuries.
"I'll have a look after breakfast then." He replied his mood easily lifting again. He seemed to hesitate for a moment as if afraid that leaving might set bastian into a nightmare that they had so wonderfully avoided.
He reached out to put on his robe and lifted up his pants. He chuckled and grimaced having noticed the 'evidence' of the night before. "Guess I'll have to give these a wash today."
Now dressed he wandered off in search of a bite to eat.

He found cain in the main room getting ready to head in to the village for the day. The two had a short conversation in which gratefully cain did not mention anything about noises in the night. He also agreed to take two of leti's cheese wheels into town with him. When leti return it was with bread, bowls of the left over rice lentil stew and a berry juice of some sort. He settled in to happily munch at his food beside bastian. Everything felt very right. And for once their lust hadn't resulted in near death.

[Sebastian Arcturis]

It likely hadn't done him any good to sleep with it like that but he had been too tired to care then. He was still tired now but the memory of the other night was still present enough that even his stiff shoulder didn't bother him. "Alright," he agreed with a nod.

He watched him dress, still trying to wake up. Leti's comment about washing woke him up further. He wasn't embarrassed or sorry about he fact that Leti might not wear pants for a whie. "Better than the blanket." Honestly the blanket might be alright but the mattress...had Leti gotten up in the night? Bastian couldn't remember. The thought of Leti walking around after that made him smile to himself.

Bastian was flexing his fingers and wrist carefully when Leti returned, experimenting with his range of motion. He gratefully accepted the rice and bread, more than hungry and content tp eat with Leti. He was less sure about the juice. In his short experience, drinks around here...had side effects. He asked Leti with a silent look.