Author's note: this is my last one for today, also, for everyone who asked me if I've written any jealous Warner, this is about the closest I've got.
"No need to worry, everything has been running smoothly in your absence," Castle's voice explains from over the crackling phone line. I am currently staying in sector 50, where they have just begun implementing my policies for improving the sector. They have demolished their compounds and are beginning to rebuild traditional houses at an incredible speed, the first of many changes I've been invited to see throughout the sector.
The leader of sector 50, who has been one of the more pleasant sector leaders to deal with, invited Warner and I to stay on his base for a few nights to view the improvements made to his sector and to survey the success rates of our sector after the changes were made, in order to make sure he was making the right decision, he said. We arrived yesterday, with Kenji in tow as protection should we need it, and left Castle in charge back in sector 45. I was now on the phone with him making sure he was coping okay.
"You remember the-"
"Of course I do Ms. Ferrars, I may be old but I can still follow instructions," He laughs down the line. Before we left, Warner had talked him through everything he would need to know and oversee while we were away. He had experience as leader of Omega Point so we were sure that he was competent, and he didn't have the additional stress of dealing with my workload, as my role permitted me to take it with me if necessary, but I still wanted to check in before we arrived back tomorrow evening.
"I know that," I reply, absentmindedly tugging on the hem of my shirt. "I just want to make sure that you're doing okay, I know the amount of work can get to be a little much sometimes."
"I am well aware of the work that is needed to run a community, and I can promise you that everything is under control," he insists. I feel relief swimming through my veins. This is the first time that both of us have been on an overnight visit at the same time, usually we leave each other in charge. I'm thankful that we can trust Castle to handle this should the situation arise again.
"Well that's great. We'll check in again when we get back tomorrow."
"Okay. Have a good night."
"You too," I say, and then hang up the phone that had been delivered to the room. Our guest room was similar to the room in which I first stayed in when I was taken to sector 45's military base, same simple layout, same features, only this room is slightly smaller than my old one. I quickly sneak across the hall to say goodnight to Kenji before getting myself ready for bed.
I slip out of my clothes, leaving them discarded on the floor before walking over to the bed where Warner sits upright, pillows propped up behind him, flicking through the pages of an old, worn looking book. He looks up when I approach the bed, slipping a thin piece of ribbon attached to the book's spine between the pages before sitting it down on the bedside table. He pulls off the white t shirt that had been clinging to his chest before handing it to me for something to sleep in. I put on the shirt, enjoying the warmth of the fabric against my skin before tugging off my bra from underneath it and climbing into bed.
"Castle says that everything is fine back home," I say sleepily as I try to make myself comfortable in bed, readjusting the pillows and pulling the thin duvet up over my chest.
"Good," he replies quietly. A few moments of comfortable silence pass.
"I can't wait to get back. Our bed is much more comfortable than this one," I note as I continue to try and get the pillows to my liking. Our bed at home isn't just more comfortable, it's bigger, more supportive, and sturdier. The pillows aren't as thin and the covers are warmer. I wonder how I even managed to get comfortable last night.
"I completely agree," Warner adds, rubbing the back of his neck where the hard wood of the headboard had been digging into it. A giggle forms in my throat as I watch him shift uncomfortably but it soon transforms into a yawn. Today had been one trip after another, hours on my feet walking through construction sites and reconstructed streets. I think I'd seen half of the sector by lunchtime, I was completely exhausted.
"I'm so tired," I slur mid yawn, moving my hand away from my mouth. Warner switches off the bedside lamp before moving closer to me, wrapping one arm around me.
"Goodnight love," he whispers before kissing me on the cheek.
"Night," I reply lazily, lying down on my side with my head against the too thin pillows. I pull the sheets around me and shut my eyes, expecting to drift swiftly off to sleep, but the noise from beside me demands my concentration.
"Excuse me," Two words. Clear. Quiet. Amused.
"What?" I mutter, too tired to open my eyes.
"I do believe that the sheets are meant to cover the both of us," he replies, the tone of his voice dancing between sounding entertained and something else which I couldn't quite figure out what.
"What are you talking about?" I mumble into my pillow rather than turning to look at him, tiredness still clouding my brain.
"You are taking up all of the covers," He explains, the playfulness gone from his voice. I force myself to pay some attention, debating between fixing the situation by sorting out the covers or deliberately playing innocent and seeing how he reacts. I go with the latter.
"Am I?" I reply lazily, pouring in just the right amount of innocence, hoping that I was able to hide my amusement.
"Look. Look how much I have," He continues, and I'm trying to stifle my giggles with my pillow. I love teasing him. I force my face into neutral and roll over to face him, pulling what little of the covers he probably had underneath my body. I open my eyes and look at Warner, who was lying on his back but is now propped up on both elbows in just his underwear, a sliver of blanket draped over his legs.
"I see no problem with what I'm looking at," I say with the most serious voice I could muster, letting my eyes roam once over his body. The noise that then sounds in his throat is caught halfway between a laugh and a scoff.
"Of course you don't," he whispers to himself, slowly shaking his head. I roll over so my back is facing him, pulling what's left of the covers with me.
"If you're cold just come cuddle me," I suggest sweetly.
"Okay," he agrees, and is beside me in an instant, wrapping his arms around my waist and resting his head on my shoulder, pulling me against him. I settle comfortably against his warm chest, enjoying the feeling of his fingertips on my stomach and the soft rhythm of his breath against my ear. He slides my shirt up over my hips, trailing his fingers delicately over my sides. His movements are soothing that they almost send me to sleep, that is until, his fingertips reach my ribs and he jabs me gently, knowing full well that I'm ticklish along my sides. I squeal involuntarily, and he continues repeating the movement.
"Stop that," I manage, trying to bat his hands away, my voice a few pitches higher than I would have liked. He chuckles against my ear, clearly showing no intention of stopping the attack.
"Stop what?" he answers innocently, his breath hot on my skin. The tickling gets worse, and now I have no control over my own movements, kicking and squirming as his fingers press every sensitive spot on my stomach.
"Aaron, stop it!" I squeal, grabbing at his hands with minimal success. My legs are kicking frantically and tangling in the sheets and I can barely breathe from all of the uncontrollable giggling. Then with absolutely no warning the tickling ceases. I struggle to suck air into my lungs and recover from the assault of sensations that just occurred on my stomach and in one swift movement Warner tugs the sheets from my body and pulls them over to his side of the bed, leaving me with nothing.
"That was unfair," I insist, my voice still a few pitches higher than normal and my face flushed. I sit upright, folding my arms over my chest. "Give me that back right now."
"What?" he murmurs lazily from underneath the mound of blanket that he's buried himself under. I let out a quiet huff.
"Give me back the covers." I demand, hoping I sounded sterner than I did a few seconds ago.
"Sorry, what was that?" He replies teasingly from under the pile of sheets. I find myself shaking my head in frustration but also trying not to laugh.
"Give me it back please," I say, with a much less demanding tone this time, attempting a new tactic in trying to reclaim the covers. Warner mutters something incomprehensible into his pillow before rolling onto his stomach, leaving me sat upright staring at him.
"I'm getting cold," I voice after a few minutes pass, hoping this will sway him to give up monopoly of the covers. He says nothing. I sigh to myself, thinking of what to say next.
"I know you're not sleeping," I say after a few more minutes. Still no response. I then try to slowly pry what I could from his reach, but my stealth does not last long as he springs to attention, pulling the sheets back in his direction. It becomes a tug of war, neither of us putting in too much power so we don't rip the sheets in half. I'm pulling as hard as I can but he clearly has the upper hand, it's taking all of my non supernatural strength not to lose what little I have.
"Just give me the-" I pant, yanking harder on the thin fabric between my fingers before I find myself flying backwards and landing on my back against the mattress, lucky I didn't fall out of bed. I roll over onto my side with my back to Warner, thinking of any other way I can win this.
"Fine. I'll just go and sleep with Kenji," I say, and he immediately reacts, sitting up and spreading the covers evenly across the bed. A smug smile begins to spread across my face. I knew that would work.
"Or you could just come here," he suggests, inching closer to me. I roll my eyes before moving towards him and lying down, letting him wrap his arms around me and pull me against his chest. "I much prefer this option." he whispers in my ear, pulling the covers up to my chin.
"Me too," I sigh, letting my eyes fall closed as I relax against him. His lips softly brush my cheek, and I turn my head towards him so I can look at him.
"Goodnight, love," he whispers softly, placing a quick kiss on my lips.
"Goodnight," I reply before settling back against the pillows, allowing myself to finally drift off into a peaceful night's sleep.
