"Thank you again, sir. I will keep an eye on him."
A pair of eyes glanced over the petite draenei woman standing in her doorway, then gradually slid past her to the half-hidden room beyond as an expression of concern twisted the man's features.
"It is no trouble. However, I'll make sure to send a healer up soon so they can check for any severe injuries," he said.
"I would much appreciate it," Areai said quickly, her hands tightly gripping the doorknob and making as if to close the barrier between the hallway and her quarters.
The man who had helped her carry Animus to her room nodded slowly, not protesting as he turned but still clearly worried. The woman quickly and quietly closed the door, hearing the small clicking sound as it finished; a moment passed and she placed her head against the smooth wood for stability, her hands bracing themselves close by as she fought to take a deep breath.
How could things have gone so wrong? Teeth bit down hard into a soft lip, and glowing blue eyes closed as her mind whirled with everything that had just happened. She felt herself tense as the memories assaulted her; the way the troll had viciously taken his rage out on her companion, and how she had leapt to her hooves only to find herself freezing as fear iced in her veins. She had allowed Animus to become so injured because she had hesitated, and the bitter taste of disappointment in herself stayed firmly on her tongue.
A growl of frustration was heard, and one of the draenei's hands pulled back to smack itself against the firm wood door. The resonating whack that followed had her pause, remembering that if she were too loud she might awaken the man on her bed. She breathed in slowly, then exhaled in an effort to calm herself; what was she doing?
"Light, grant me the ability to get through this," she mumbled softly.
Eventually, the calm of the quiet and the coolness of the wood against her forehead helped her regain a little of her stability; she was nowhere near ready to turn around, to face the man lying unconscious, but she knew she would eventually have to. Her eyes reopened and she lifted her head from the door, her hands going up to straighten herself in an effort to give herself a modem of comfort before she slowly turned around and looking in the direction of her bed.
Her chest tightened as she walked forward through her small living quarters, finally taking in the extent of his many injuries. As she skirted around her small table and chair, she noticed the swelling and dark marks that had begun to appear on his face and neck; small cuts could be seen as well where the troll had been particularly brutal, splitting the skin to cause as much pain as possible. A fresh surge of guilt welled within her as she halted by the bedside, her earlier thoughts returning as quickly as they had left. Why had she frozen like that? She had been in countless battles, faced much larger enemies and met them head on, and yet when a friend needed aid, she had found herself helpless to even move.
A small hand reached out to the prone figure on her bed, seeking the larger one that lay on the covers to perhaps offer some measure of comfort. But she paused before her skin met his, instead hovering just out of reach as she pondered if it was the right thing to do. Yes, she wanted to give him reassurance, even as he remained unconscious, but she quickly recalled how he shied away from contact with others unless necessary. Would he accept her, even as he slept? A little voice snapped that he probably wouldn't, and that she had best leave him alone; it was her fault he was like this, after all.
A moment passed before Areai finally pulled away, instead cupping the hand against her chest as she cast her eyes about and wondered what to do. Gnawing on her bottom lip, she noted belatedly that her room was in need of a slight pick up; deciding that it would be better for her to work on something productive than sit and worry endlessly, she slipped away from the bedside to instead tidy up her small space.
As she moved about, she realized her room was much more cluttered than she had thought; the huntress had been so focused lately on trying to make end's meet that her armor now lay in disarray upon the chest near the foot of the bed that should have been used to hold it, while a few of her bows cluttered a corner to the far left close to the desk that the inn provided for use. The desk itself was covered with gems and tools, as she had been focused on making jewelry and such to sell for coin; close by, the table and single chair that was the last bits of furniture had a few dirty dishes that had been forgotten, and it seemed most of everything had a fine layer of dust from her work on the gems and cutting them.
Realizing that she might not have much longer before the healer would arrive, Areai picked up the pace and quickly began to try to shove things in their correct spot, having faced enough embarrassment for one day.
Soft, white light. Like a fog, so thick you could not see, yet thin enough that you could still breathe. These was nothing else; no sights, no smells. Not much reached him where he was, but he could hear the sounds.
Off to the left, there were children laughing and screaming as they played some sort of game. A cart's wheels creaked as it passed by, the driver muttering under his breath to the horse that pulled it along; farther away, there were the sounds of people moving about, of vendors shouting their wares to those who had the coin and those who did not. Under it all, the sweet sound of cicadas echoed in what he thought to have been a forest.
It all sounded so familiar, yet the memory of it was distant like a dream.
Then, he heard movement close by. Soft footsteps followed by a giggle, and a hand gently lay upon his shoulder as a feminine voice spoke beside him with a teasing tone.
"Animus, just how long are you going to sleep?"
Eyes snapped open as consciousness flooded back all at once. Animus bolted upright as he felt the sense of panic and disorientation try to smother him; his chest felt tight and his breath came in and out quickly, hands gripping the fabric below him tightly as he looked about to try and see where he was.
An alarmed squeal gained his attention, and he looked to see a very startled Areai looking at him with wide eyes and a hand on her chest as she too looked surprised. The sight of her sitting in a chair next to the bed he lay upon eased his sense of alarm enough for him to gain a grip on it, and he calmed his breathing bit by bit as he again looked around to see himself in a small, rather comfortable room. His body remained tense, however, the tightness in his chest not releasing just yet.
"...Where am I?" he asked.
The draenei seemed to have recovered from her scare, and one hand reached up to rub at her eyes as she sat back down in her chair. The rogue realized she must have been dozing in her seat while keeping an eye on him.
"You are in my room, in the Greyfang Enclave," she said softly. "A man helped me carry you here after you lost consciousness."
The man nodded, his long hair flowing with the motion as he forced his muscles to slowly relax. He sensed no danger, and his body released the tension within bit by bit as he made to adjust himself more comfortably on the blankets as Areai spoke.
" A healer also came in and looked at you as you slept. They said you would be fine after they healed your wounds, but you would still need rest afterwards."
A frown tugged at his lips, and Animus cocked his head as he looked to the woman next to him.
"I should probably go then. I do not wish to be a burden," he stated, shifting himself in preparation to rise from the bed.
"No, don't get up yet," Areai said as she quickly moved closer in her chair and motioned for him to stay still. "You are not any burden to me."
He gave her a look that spoke of his doubts before shifting once again, only to be blocked by the woman once more. She shot him a desperate, almost pleading expression, and her words came out much more softly when she spoke.
"If nothing else, please stay for my sake?"
Animus paused, taking in his companion's tone and face while he carefully weighed his options. He did not want to bring more trouble to the young woman than had already happened, but he felt a part of himself wanting to give in to her request. He averted his gaze to the closest wall and sighed deeply, more to himself than anything.
"As you wish."
The swiftness of the change that overcame the huntress was quite amazing; within a second, she went from giving him a begging look to a shy, kind smile as her eyes glowed in happiness. Pleased that he had relented, she scooted back away from the edge of the bed before standing up and motioning towards the door.
"In that case, I will go fetch some food and some spare sheets; it has been quite some time that has passed, and I'm sure that you are hungry," she said, a noticeable bounce to her step as she moved towards the door.
She paused before she placed a hand on the knob, seeming to think of something before she turned back and pointed at him with a finger.
"Stay."
A black brow raised as she left the room, and Animus wondered what had prompted that. Shrugging to himself, the man adjusted himself so that he was sitting with his back to the headboard of the bed; his blue eyes glanced about the room, taking note of his current accommodations. He was minorly surprised to see that it was a bit cluttered - bows were stacked against each other hurriedly in a far corner of the room, a pile of armor in the shadows of the nearby desk in a clear effort to hide it. On the desk itself was many pieces and chips of different colored gems, with tools gathered together in a pile while a small magelight sat on the edge to offer illumination. He fought back the twitch of his lips and instead focused on himself, not wishing to appear a nosy guest.
Raising his arms, the rogue flexed his muscles gently to test for any kind of injury or soreness; the healer had done their job well, and as he further inspected himself he could detect no traces of extensive wounds other than a sense of fatigue. Pleased and assured he would be fine by morning, his leaned back as he awaited Areai's return and let him mind wander for a moment.
Almost unbidden, he recalled the strange dream he had before awakening; the soft light around him, the sounds of a village and children in summer. What stood out to him most, however, was the female voice that had been the last thing he had heard. He felt a weight appear in his chest as he recognized it, and a hand drifted up to a length of leather that tied around his neck. Tugging gently, he removed a small pouch from its hiding place under his armor and looked down at it thoughtfully; his thumb caressed the soft cloth, feeling the contents within shift to accommodate the action.
Why does your voice still haunt me... Though so many years have passed, I can still recall like it has been only days.
Areai hurried down the carpeted halls of the inn, feeling both happy and nervous. She was surprised that Animus had relented to her request to stay the night, but was beyond elated at the same time. However, she was nervous because she had never exactly spent the night in the same room with any man; she only prayed that it would not become insufferably awkward to either of them.
Her thoughts were interrupted as she neared the tavern section of the inn, so lost in her own mind she nearly ran over the high elven woman proprietor. A squeak left her as she jumped back to avoid a collision, and both women looked at each other with startled expressions before relaxing and offering tentative smiles to the other.
"Ah, Miss Areai. I was hoping to run into you again before it became late," the elf said primly.
Areai cringed inwardly, her former embarrassment creeping forward as she recalled the conversation before the Horde party had interrupted. Her body tensed as she braced herself for what was to come, but shifted to surprise as the innkeep spoke again.
"I never got the chance to thank you and that young man for helping with the...earlier situation. I was also curious to know how he has been?" she queried, her long ears twitching ever so slightly as she looked at the huntress.
Relief almost had her sagging, but Areai managed to resist the urge as she offered a more genuine smile.
"He is doing well. A healer tended to him and he has just woken up. He will be staying with me tonight, actually; I was going to fetch dinner and a spare blanket for him."
Upon hearing this, the woman narrowed her sharp blue eyes at the shorter woman. She seemed to deliberate for a moment before pursing her lips.
"Well, as you know the meals here are not free...however, after what you did today, I am inclined to let it slide this once. But I must discuss the topic of your rent with you at once; it has been two weeks since you have been able to pay, Miss Areai."
The draenei winced at the turn of the subject, but nodded to the innkeep respectfully.
"I apologize for the delay in pay. I do have good news, and have hopes to sell my goods on the morrow to get the coin. If I may ask, might I have just the one more day, so that I have the time to sell and return with the amount you need?" she asked, fighting to keep herself from begging like a child to their mother.
The elf clicked her tongue, once again eyeing her tenant with a strict expression. Areai felt her hopes dying inside of her, and prayed fervently that she would at least be allowed some respite from her bad fortune.
"...One more day, Miss Areai. I implore you to remember that while I am thankful to you and your companion, I still have a business to run; we are not a charity. Now go claim your meal and sheets; I will send word to the cook of the exception for tonight."
This time the huntress did sag her body as she gave the woman a grateful look. She bowed politely to her as way of thanks, the turned and quickly scurried down the corridor towards the laundry room where the inn's bed supplies were kept. The elven woman watched as she went and clicked her tongue once more, shaking her head as she turned to head for the tavern.
Animus was still deeply in thought with his pouch in hand when he heard the click of the lock being turned. He quickly gripped it and shoved it back beneath his shirt and out of sight as the door flew open with surprising force, and glanced over to see the rather interesting sight of his draenei companion doing a precarious balancing act with two platters of food held by each hand and a large fluffy blanket draped all over herself. She stumbled under her load, managing to make it inside of the room before turning to kick at the door, attempting to shut it with her hoof.
She succeeded after a moment, the loud bang of the wood hitting home punctuated by her triumphant grunt as she twisted about and began to head towards the small table. Noticing the small fruits that were beginning to fall as well as the bowl of hot soup that threatened to tip over at any second, the man began to raise himself up to help the clumsy woman.
"No, you stay there," Areai said quickly, noticing his movement. "I have this!"
"Are you quite sure?" he queried, eyes flicked over her as he noticed her center of gravity rapidly shifting as she tried to move about with the blanket binding her.
"Y-yes, just give me a moment!" she said, right before squeaking as another fruit escaped the platter.
Doubtful but realizing she would be stubborn in arguing, the rogue eased himself back and watched as the huntress managed to stumble her way to the table and eyed it carefully. Muttering to herself quietly, she began to twist about as the blanket constricted her movement like a snake around its prey. She moved with care, shifting first one platter down as she wriggled about in her personal trap to ensure that it would gently slide onto the flat surface.
"Good, now this one," she said while turning.
Surprisingly, she also managed to slip about inside the bindings enough to set the second platter down without spilling anything else. Once her hands were free, Areai quickly released herself from the large blanket and tossed it onto the chest at the foot of the bed, her expression very pleased as she turned once more to Animus.
"See? All under control."
Unable to help himself, Animus let out a quiet snort and shook his head. She elected to ignore it, instead still smiling as she turned and fetched the few pieces of fruit that had rolled away during her struggle. Setting them beside the rest, she grabbed the bowl of soup she had somehow managed not to spill and offered it to him.
"Here. The innkeeper sends you her thanks, by the way."
Nodding, the man accepted the soup and accompanying spoon as the draenei sat herself back down in the chair beside the bed, grabbing a pear and biting into it with a hungry murmur. He watched her for a moment before scooping up his first spoonful, blowing on it gently to make sure it was not too hot.
As both of them settled into their meal, a rather awkward silence fell over the two. He could see out of the corner of his eye as Areai nibbled on various fruits as she too watched him, seeming to hesitate in speaking to him again. He would not be the one to speak, however, and contented himself with his hot soup.
"...How are you feeling now?" she finally asked, apparently having found something to actually say.
"Better," he stated simply, taking another spoonful into his mouth and swallowing the broth. "I do want to thank you for helping me, Areai."
A deeper blue tint appeared on the woman's cheeks, and she quickly glanced away as she attempted a casual shrug.
"I-it's no trouble at all, really. I want to help you," she said earnestly, opting to take another bite of her meal of fruit. Again he saw her hesitate, and patiently waited as he dipped his spoon for another go.
"I do have a question…" she stated slowly.
Blue eyes flicked to her position in the chair, silently telling her to go ahead. She understood, and took a breath before continuing.
"Why didn't you fight back? You let the troll do that damage to you. I've seen you in battle before; you could have easily handled the situation. So...why?"
Animus pressed his lips together as he paused in his meal, looking down to the mostly empty bowl in quiet contemplation. Areai noted his hesitation and rushed to speak, her words coming out quickly.
"Ah, it is fine if you do not wish to talk about it! There's...there isn't much I can say in turn anyway, after I froze on you like that…" she stated, her expression quickly turning despondent. Not knowing what to say to that, the human stayed silent and merely watched her from the corner of his eye.
A moment passed and Areai physically shook herself, snapping out of whatever thoughts she had and instead motioning to the blanket heaped noticeably on the room's chest.
"I did manage to get a spare blanket, though. I thought it would be a good idea; you should have the bed for the night, since you were the one injured."
"The blanket will suffice; I do not want to displace you," he said, placing his spoon into the now empty soup bowl and moving to stand.
He did so before she could protest any farther, though she did sputter out some sort of rebuttal that he didn't pay attention to. Placing the bowl down on the table nearby, he turned and walked to the wall to pick out a suitable spot; it would be fine, he had slept in much worse conditions before. His hands drifted up to the ties on his armor before he remembered he was not alone and turned to face the draenei huntress, noticing that she too had finished her meal and was watching him keenly.
"If you do not mind, I would prefer to remove my armor," he said simply. "That way I can better relax."
Areai's eyes suddenly widened greatly, and another blue stain appeared on her face as she gave a soft squeak. Her legs moved quickly to lift her out of her chair, and she gathered the dishes left with surprising speed.
"That is fine. I will, um, take the dishes to the kitchen!" she said, her tone high pitched and rushed.
Before he could ask what the issue was, the woman had spun on her hoof with the plate ware and flew out of the room with haste. Confusion filled him as he watched the closed door for a minute, wondering what had gotten into her before shrugging and reaching up to untie his tight leather armor.
It was a bit later that Areai finally got up the courage to poke her head back into her room, hoping that Animus was finished undressing into whatever he considered comfortable enough to relax in. Relief filled her as she noticed him leaning against the wall he had chosen earlier, and stepped quickly inside to shut the door as carefully as she could in order to not disturb him.
Shuffling forward, she noticed that he had grabbed the blanket she had procured and wrapped it around himself; his eyes were closed, and his breathing was the calm and even one of a sleeper. A huff passed her lips as she shook her head, her white hair swaying in her ponytail with the motion.
"Just as stubborn as always," murmured very softly, unable to resist the affectionate smile that appeared on her lips as she spoke.
Not wishing to disturb him from his rest, the woman made her way over to the bed and sat down comfortably. Her gaze returned to Animus, flicking them over his form carefully as she noted details. He still looked slightly battered from the bout with the Horde, but overall he was much better than he had been. She was pleased that he would recover quickly, no doubt back to full strength come morning.
Deciding it might be best if she too got some rest, Areai reached up and gently began prying off her armor, occasionally glancing in the rogue's direction to make sure that he stayed very much asleep as she undressed. It seemed he was more exhausted than she thought, and he did not stir a bit as she removed her mail armor as quietly as possible before laying it on the chest at the foot of the bed. Clad in her leathers, she lay herself down atop the blankets and got as comfortable as she could, waiting for sleep to arrive.
It seemed, however, that it would not come. She shifted about, rolling to her sides in an effort to find the spot that would allow her some shut eye; but a restlessness inside of her kept sleep at bay, irritating her as her mind raced with thoughts she did not wish to deal with at that moment. She lay an arm over her eyes and sighed deeply, finally allowing the dam to release what it had been holding back.
The soft sound of his breathing drew her attention, and she mulled over the noise; for a few weeks now, she had been alone with only her animal companions to keep her company after she had fled the group she and Animus both had once been members of. She bitterly regretted abandoning the friends she had made behind, but she knew that leaving was the right thing to do. The huntress never expected him to have been the one she came across first in her travels, though she was far from displeased at their reunion; or at least, the start of it.
That reminder turned her mind back to the scuffle that had taken place in the tavern, and her thoughts darkened as bitter disappointment in herself welled from inside. The first friend she had found, and instead of protecting him as she should have, aiding him when he needed it, she had allowed him to become injured. She forced that train of thought away as hard as possible, knowing she would never forgive herself if she dwelt on it for too long.
Instead her traitorous brain pushed the reminder that tomorrow was her last day of reprieve, and that she had to come up with the gold required to pay her backlog of rent. It required her to stay more and more around the city, and as used to it as she should have been Areai could not help but long for the freedom she once had to roam as she pleased in the wilds of Azeroth. There was quite a lot of the world out there she had yet to see, so many creatures yet to discover; and yet here she was, trapped because of her inability to make coin.
All at once, Areai felt a strange emotion well up from within that threatened to drag her down; it took her a moment to realize that it was, in fact, loneliness. It mixed with her depressed thoughts and constricted her throat, nearly overwhelming her as she realized she had missed having her friends dearly; she suddenly dreaded the next day, knowing that after morning came Animus would be on his way.
She didn't want him to go.
Groaning in frustration, the woman rolled over and stood up with a heavy scowl. Clearly, she wasn't going to get any amount of sleep that night even if she tried. Her eyes cast about in an attempt to find something to do, anything to keep her mind and hands busy. They landed on her desk where the gems she had gathered and waited to be set lay for her to finish them.
Realizing that it would be the best use of her night, Areai quietly made her was over to the desk, taking the chair from beside the bed with her and sitting down to begin her work, letting her mind go blissfully quiet with the repetitive motions of her hands.
Consciousness was slow to come to him the next morning. Sleep was something he did not often have the luxury of, but when he had a safe place, Animus knew he could sleep like the dead. He woke slowly, his senses coming awake and testing the area for any signs of danger. Nothing triggered his interest other than a very quick, methodical set of tapping coming from close by. It was a delicate sound, one of someone deep in their work with an item; curious as to whom was making it, he opened his eyes and looked around while trying to blink away the blur of sleep.
Surprisingly, he saw Areai sitting in a chair with her hands working quickly as she fiddled with something in front of her. She had dressed down during the night, wearing soft leather instead of her mail armor. Her shoulders were hunched in concentration, but he could also see the way they slumped.
"Have you been awake all night?" he asked, breaking the quiet.
The draenei jumped violently at his words, letting out a very shocked "Meep!" as she jerked upright and released whatever tool she had held with a clatter. She whipped her head around to see a bleary eyed Animus looking at her, and placed a hand over her rapidly beating heart as she breathed.
"Light, you startled me," she said as her body relaxed.
"Apologies; I didn't mean to scare you," the human said calmly, shifting about in his spot to get more comfortable.
"It's fine. I'm not used to having company is all," she said, giving him a soft smile as she set aside her tools before turning to look at the window that was high up on her wall, above the place where her bed was pushed against.
Areai hadn't realized that the entire night had passed, she had been so engrossed in her gems and jewelcrafting; the morning sun shone in cheerily to illuminate the room instead of the mage-light, and she found her eyes following the beams down to see where they ended near where Animus sat. Her attention focused to him, and the draenei took in his appearance; his long black hair had come slightly loose from its ponytail, looking mussed up and rather cute when paired with his deep blue eyes that accentuated the handsome features he normally hid behind a mask. Flushing at her train of thought, she quickly averted her eyes back to the safety of her gems.
"I am glad you are awake," she said quickly, attempting to get herself back on track. "I have a few things I would like to discuss with you over breakfast."
To her disappointment, Animus shook his head before speaking.
"Please, I cannot keep taking advantage of your hospitality. You have done more than enough for me already."
"I've barely done anything. Please, I would love your company for just a bit longer," she persisted, feeling her hands ball up tightly.
'Don't go, not yet…' she pleaded silently.
Lips thinned as he eyed her carefully, clearly not wanting to impose. Her back straightened and she bit her lip, gnawing on it as she tried to will him with her gaze and mind to change his mind.
"I really shouldn't," he said calmly, though Areai swore she heard the edge of relenting she hoped was real.
"Please, Animus?" the woman asked, feeling the breath still in her chest as she waited for his answer. She prayed that he would change his mind, stay and listen to what she had thought of during the night when her mind was clear.
After a pregnant pause, she saw him draw in a deep breath to release it as a sigh, shifting once more in place before looking back at her.
"I will stay on one condition. You have already provided food last night; allow me to pay for our meal this morning."
Elated that he would stay, Areai quickly nodded and leapt to her hooves as her eyes brightened in joy. She made to walk closer, but stopped when she was about a yard from his position against the wall as he dropped the blanket from around his person. He reached for the personal items he had close to him, armor included, but that was just a small fact in her mind as the draenei suddenly noticed with a dry mouth and darkened cheeks that the man was currently sitting there shirtless before her.
"Will this be enough to cover for it?" Animus asked, pulling out a few gold coins from a pouch before turning to offer her the money on an upturned palm.
The motion made his well toned muscles shift, and Areai swore it was suddenly much too hot inside her small room. Mind whirling as she tried to process what he had said, the huntress jerked herself back to the present and nodded rapidly. Deciding it would be best before she embarrassed herself any farther, she darted forward and took the money as quickly as possible; she noticed that his hand was rather warm, but fought back any other thoughts along that line as she turned and scurried towards the door as fast as she could manage.
Once she had made it to the relative safety of the hallway, her steps slowed till she was at a slow walk. Feeling her face hot like a flame, the huntress took several deep breaths to regain her train of thought; she had most certainly not expected to get an eyeful of a bare chested man that morning, especially not one she had harbored quite the interest in since first meeting him. On the other hand, she was not going to complain.
Scowling at herself for acting like an idiot, the woman shook her head to clear it as she walked down the hallway that led to the tavern. Her eyes lowered to her hand that had taken the money from Animus, drifting away only to snap back a moment later when she beheld the gold pieces that rest in her palm; what the man had given her was much more than necessary for a simple breakfast! Five round coins gleamed in her hand, and for a moment she wondered if he had even considered what he was handing her.
"I could buy a quarter of the kitchen with this," she murmured to nobody, her head tilting as she paused in her step to consider what she should do.
Her mind turning over different options, Areai resumed her walk down the carpeted hallways till she reached the stairs that would take her down to the main hub of the Hero's Rest. From outside, she could hear the early calls of vendors shouting to the morning crowd; straining her ears, she could pick up certain words that pertained from general goods to foods to specialty sorts. An idea pricked inside her brain, and with a quick turn she headed towards the streets to pick up some foods that were not served by the inn; she knew a particular place that made delicious pastries that would be perfect for breakfast.
The morning sun was bright and cheery, warming the woman's back The crowd of adventurers was still relatively thin this early, and the draenei had little problem finding her way to the particular stand she had thought of. A quick glance over the selection and her order was made, with barely a minute passing before she was handed a bundle of freshly baked goods and the change. She hadn't even been able to spend half of the amount Animus had given her, and she carefully slipped it into her coin purse on her belt before making her way back to the Greyfang Enclave.
She paused before her door and took in a deep breath, hoping that the man inside had taken the chance to dress himself; otherwise she wasn't sure if her brain would work again. Turning the knob and stepping inside, her eyes cast about till she saw him sitting casually on her bed, back in his normal crimson and black leathers and looking much more like himself than he did previously. She let out a quiet sigh of relief before smiling at him while placing their meal on the table.
"You look better than you did last night; it is amazing what a good healer can do," she commented lightly.
"I suppose."
Animus glanced to the fare she had returned with, reaching over to grab a plump pastry that caught his eye. He pulled down the mask he had placed over his lower face, sniffing the baked good before taking a test taste; Areai watched him in amusement before plucking one of her own from the small pile and taking a seat in her chair. They both stayed quiet for a moment, eating comfortably before the rogue glanced in her direction.
"What was it you wished to talk about, Areai?"
The draenei paused, stopping herself from taking a large bite out of her breakfast. She instead let her hand down and cleared her throat, praying for the nerve to actually be able to speak her ideas.
"I had been thinking during the night, and I wanted to ask you if...if you would be able to train me, to take me with you on your travels?"
The man paused in his meal, giving the woman opposite to him a mildly curious expression.
"What brought this about?" he inquired, raising a brow.
"I...I have nothing here, no reason to stay," she said slowly, trying to place her thoughts to words. "I have not been on top of myself as I used to be; even you have said I lost my edge in battle."
Areai shifted in her seat, eyes cast down to her lap as she wrung her hands together tightly.
"Not only that, but...I have missed being with my friends, the companionship we shared with each other. We were close, despite our faults, and I sorely miss each and every one of them."
'But I have missed you most of all,' she thought in the back of her mind. She kept that to herself, instead continuing on as her voice wavered from how nervous she was.
"So I thought perhaps we can travel together, and you can train me so that I can regain my skills to how they were, and maybe even better. That way...we do not have to be lonely."
Heat warmed her cheeks as she finished speaking, and she squeezed her eyes shut tightly as they could go as she halted her breathing. Silence surrounded them, and she dared not move or breathe in case it would make him deny her. Her heart pounded loudly, picking up as she finally heard the man across from her move.
Quiet footsteps approached her, and Areai nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt a firm hand place itself on her shoulder. She tensed as her head started to spin from the lack of air, but kept her stony stillness as she prayed harder than she ever remembered. A moment later, the hand slipped from her shoulder, and a few moments later she heard the sound of the door opening before closing a moment after.
Shocked, Areai let her eyes fly open as she looked about the small space; there was no sign of the rogue anywhere. Feeling the sting of rejection beginning in her chest, she quickly stood upright to better peer about. A pastry was left half eaten on the plate before her, the same one he had just been eating. Hoping that what had just happened wasn't real, the draenei hurried to the door and opened it to look outside; to her grief, no one stood outside, not a soul to be found in the hall.
He really was gone.
The stinging sensation turned to a steady numbness, spreading from her chest to the rest of her limbs as she slowly closed the door. Her glowing eyes stared blankly at the wood grain, her throat tightening as she bent forward to press her forehead against the smooth surface as she had the night before. This time, she found herself sliding down to her knees as she could not hold herself up any longer; she felt hollow, empty as she realized she had been completely denied. Her hands trembled as they rested against the wood, and she barely could breath from the tightness inside.
Knowing that she shouldn't stay there, Areai forced herself to push off from the door, made herself stand as she turned and dragged her hooves in the direction of the soft bed. Her vision blurred before clearing, a wet feeling dragging itself down her cheek; reaching up and touching the skin, she realized that she was crying and that the wetness was her tears. That seemed to be the catalyst for the rest of them to begin falling, and she did nothing to stem it as she let herself collapse upon her bed.
Her hands automatically found the pillow and gripped it tightly, her face burying itself into the plump softness as she fought back sobs. Her limbs trembled quietly as she hugged the soft object to herself tightly, the numbness slowly being replaced with a deep sadness and an intense sense of exhaustion; the rejection she had just faced was the last thing her tired body could take, and she felt herself quickly succumbing to it. She allowed it to drag her down, the salty tang of her tears the last thing she knew before surrendering herself to a fitful sleep.
Reposted this chapter after noticing a few inconsistencies :P Hopefully now it shall flow better!
