The gentle pull of fingers through her hair woke Josie but not enough though for the time to register. A content hum sounded from the back of her throat and her arm snaked across Eleri to squeeze her...hips? That shouldn't be right. Josie opened her eyes, blinking the sleep away, and realized she was cuddling the elf's middle. Eleri was sat up in bed with one arm around Josie's shoulder, the other resting so she could run her fingers through long brown hair. Her hip, a pillow for Josie's head. The Antivan craned her head back to look at Eleri and found green eyes waiting.
"What time is it?" Josie asked, voice thick with sleep.
"Late."
Josie started to sit up, propping herself on an elbow to better look at Eleri. "What's wrong, amor? You shouldn't be up."
"Nothing." A soft smile played on light pink lips as Eleri placed her hand on Josie's cheek. "Go back to sleep."
Sleep was slowly leaving Josie and she became more aware of the probable time and, more importantly, that something was definitely wrong with her elf. Knowing Eleri would only deflect any real concern, Josie decided humor might soften her.
"It must be something. I usually can't get you to stay awake the night before a free day!" She followed her dig with a poke to Eleri's nose. Eleri scrunched it as she bobbed her head back to avoid the finger after its initial contact, poorly feigning annoyance as she always did with her smile showing through.
"Really, Jo. I'll be fine."
"I know you will be but that does not sound like you are now."
Eleri huffed and let her head fall against the wall with a thud. Her eyes, as far as Josie could tell in the dark, stared up at the ceiling. Instead of pushing her, Josie took the hand that rested on Eleri's leg and began running her thumb across Eleri's palm. Something the elf admitted was one of her favorites. Eventually, Eleri's eyes slid down to look at Josie. She tilted her head to better make eye contact before she started speaking.
"I had a bad dream. That's all. It's silly. You should go back to sleep."
"Or, I could stay awake with you until you feel comfortable enough to sleep yourself." Eleri shook her head but remained quiet. "What was it about, your dream?"
"Everything."
"What do you mean?" She had an idea of what was meant but needed Eleri to clarify. She didn't want to assume anything. Eleri liked to think she kept her thoughts and feelings under lock and key but she wasn't so successful. Josie didn't want to be the one to shatter the illusion for her.
"The Inquisition, Corypheus, demons, those stupid Templars. Always a lot of Templars." A heavy sigh escaped Eleri. "It doesn't matter, just a dream."
Josie didn't believe her for a second. She was merely having trouble articulating what she wanted. It was a classic defense mechanism that Eleri used. A downplay of the emotions she couldn't fully explain.
"What happens to the Inquisition in your dream?"
"It fails." Josie almost rolled her eyes at the predictability of Eleri's dream.
"Why?"
A long pause and drifting of green eyes from brown. Josie reached up to mirror Eleri's actions from before. She put her hand to the elf's cheek and guided her eyes back. Her voice when Eleri answered all but broke Josie's heart. It was barely above a whisper, and so scared and guilty. As if just dreaming it meant that the events were set in stone.
"Because I failed."
Josie brought her other hand up to cup both cheeks. She leaned in to give a gentle kiss that neither one of them pulled away from. Eleri's hand, the one that had moved to Josie's hip as the Antivan moved closer, tightened and at that Josie pulled back slightly.
"What do you usually do after you have a bad dream?"
There was no possibility that the dream was a one-time thing. Their cause was too big, too important and all its weight rested solely on a young Dalish elf who didn't quite grasp the world she was trying to save. Impossible that her dream was only just starting.
A small laugh left Eleri. Josie felt it more than heard it, mostly just a release of air than an actual laugh. "I, uh…I watch you sleep until my mind quiets." A short pause then a rushed, "You calm me down."
Josie giggled but otherwise let Eleri go unteased. It was sweet.
"Then let us lay down and try to sleep."
Eleri nodded and slid down the bed gracefully, quickly getting comfortable. She pulled Josie down half on top of her. At the sudden tug, Josie let out an undignified squeak of surprise. Eleri laughed and Josie glared, until a peck to her lips soothed her injured ego.
"It will all be well, mi amor. I cannot promise it but I do believe it. I believe in you and everyone who supports you. Thedas does not rest in your hands alone. We have carefully built this army around you, to compliment you to the very best of all of our abilities. You must have faith in that." Josie comforted from her spot cuddled into Eleri's side. She felt a nod against the top of her head and at that, let the conversation die. Words didn't sooth all hurts. Sometimes a physical touch was more desperately needed.
