Tezzeret discovered two very important things when he finally found the strength to open his eyes. That Ailis wasn't lying beside him and that he should never have drunk most of the bottle of wine she had shared with him.
Pushing himself up to a seated position he rubbed a hand over his face, trying to ignore the pounding headache he'd woken up to.
"I would have liked to have woken up with Ailis and not this headache." He complained, finding the strength to climb from the well-worn couch before he stumbled towards the bathroom.
Standing in the kitchen I stirred the contains of a small bowl resting on the table, wincing each time I heard Tezzeret vomiting into the toilet. Sighing to myself I started to hum trying to ignore the noise and concentrate instead on the medicine Tezzeret would need to shake off his obvious hangover.
Once I finished the medicine I poured it carefully into a cup grabbing an orange and as I sliced it I heard someone stumbing into the room. Picking up a slice of orange in one hand and the cup in the other I turned around in time to see Tezzeret rubbing at his eyes, letting out a low groan as he made his way towards the couch.
As soon as he lowered himself onto the well-worn cushions with another audible groan I held the cup and orange slice towards him, which he lightly batted away. "Come on. You'll feel much better when you drink this." I promised, leaning over him as he ran a hand over his face.
"I very much doubt that, Ailis." Tezzeret muttered, sweat beading his forehead. When he noticed me staring at him with a tiny smile he snorted at me too afraid to roll his eyes at me instead due to his pounding headache. "You're not going away until I drink it are you?"
"Just trust me alright? It'll get rid of that hangover you're feeling before you know it." I insisted and he sighed reaching for the cup and I gently pushed it into his hand, watching as he tilted his head back. He drained the cup grabbing for the orange slice as soon as the bitter taste of the medicine hit his tongue.
Tezzeret shoved the whole piece of orange into his mouth, loudly chewing on it and I gave him a smile taking the empty cup when he thrust it at me. "Good boy." I teased and he just snorted again, taking the chewed orange slice from his mouth before he dropped it into the cup. "Hah hah." I added, returning to the kitchen where I washed the cup under the tap discarding the chewed orange in the bin.
Leaning back against the cushions Tezzeret swallowed, running his tongue over his teeth before he closed his eyes. Drying the cup I set it on the sink walking back to Tezzeret who had shifted over. Now lying on his side he sighed and I reached over lightly brushing his forehead with my fingertips. "Get some sleep okay? By the time you wake up from your nap that hangover will be a bad memory." I whispered as I left the room returning a few minutes later with a blanket from my bed and once I covered him with it Tezzeret unconsciouslly snuggled into it.
Now completely sure that Tezzeret wouldn't wake for several hours at least I ventured out into the streets of Ravnica, taking a deep breath which I knew I didn't really need but enjoyed it anyway. I spent a couple of hours just wandering around no destination in mind just enjoying the sunshine and the fresh air. As the day wore on my stomach made its presence known and I grinned to myself, making a stop at my favourite combined noodle and coffee shop.
As I headed back home now holding two boxes of my favorite noodles and two coffees I wondered if the mixture I'd given Tezzeret had cured his hangover.
That's one nice thing about being undead. No hangovers to worry about if i get drunk.
After sone careful and creative manovering I managed to open the door, scolding myself for not remembering to lock the door when I left. Pushing the door closed gently behind me I carefully walked over to the couch letting out a slow breath when I found that Tezzeret hadn't moved from his spot on the couch. Noting that he had taken up the whole space I moved towards the table instead, depositing the food and drinks I'd thought to bring back before I slowly lowered myself onto the couch.
Tezzeret cracked open an eye to find me standing there and my lips curled into a smile when he raised himself up, rubbing at his eyes with a yawn. "Afternoon, Tezz. How are you feeling now?"
Tezzeret stayed perfectly still for several seconds until he realized with a slight smile that his head no longer felt like it was going to tear itself apart. Judging from the growl coming from his stomach he was hungry and once he saw the food I'd brought back his smile grew. "I thought you'd be hungry so I..." I didn't get to finish when he reached for the box and I smiled at him, pleased when he started to eat.
Swallowing the first mouthful Tezzeret leaned over and I blinked when he pressed a quick kiss to my cheek, returning to his meal as my cheeks burned. I ate in relative silence looking up when Tezzeret set down his own box of noddles, the box picked clean. As he sipped at his coffee he fixed me with a raised eyebrow and I sighed, setting down my own box not as empty as Tezzeret's before I leaned back.
"First of all I'm not mad at you." I told him and he blinked, both eyes on me until I grimaced. "To be clear I'm upset and not angry. They were my parents but I know why you destroyed them. They would have torn me apart if you hadn't stepped in."
"I didn't realize they were your parents, or what they used to be, until after you cried out. But there was no other way. Ailis, you must believe me when I say that." Tezzeret said, reaching up and he drew out a breath when I didn't flinch away. Cupping my chin in his etherium hand he leaned in close his lips warm and tasting of coffee. Once he broke off the kiss he sighed noting my lack of response.
"Tezzeret, I do still love you but I still need time to recover. It's not everyday you see you parents raised from the grave." I answered, swallowing the lump in my throat as he reached over wrapping his fingers around mine. "I promise I won't disappear like that again. I was just angry and I let my emotions..."
"Trust me. I know all about being emotional. I never thought I'd care about someone so much but you changed that when you refused to leave me bleeding and semi-conscious on the ground. Even after Jace warned you not to interfere." Tezzeret commented and I stared at him as he chuckled softly. "Yes I did hear everything that day and I am glad I did."
"I couldn't leave you injured and possibly dying. I might be dead but I'm not heartless, Tezz. Besides I am the one who slashed you open." I replied and he chuckled as he leaned in to kiss me. This time I kissed him back, feeling his fingers stroking my hair as his lips moved to my throat.
"You know I never meant to hurt you, Ailis. You're the last person on Ravnica, the whole Multiverse that I would intentionally hurt. But those undead...weren't you parents." Tezzeret whispered, burying his nose in my neck.
"You saved my life...well unlife and I'm always going to be grateful. Thank you for putting them to rest." I muttered as he drew in a breath. "Tezz, are you feeling alright?"
"Yes just a little more tired than I thought. What did you give me?" Tezzeret stammered, lifting his head and I sighed reaching up to stroke his cheek. "Still a little woozy."
"It was just a medicine to help you feel better. But you're still tired from planeswalking right?" I pointed out and Tezzeret nodded, yawning as he ran a hand through his dreadlocks. "How about you take another nap?"
"What about you, Ailis? Where will you go?" Tezzeret mumbled as the urge to lie down and sleep started to overwhelm him and I smiled at him, staying still when he rested his head on my lap.
"I'll stay here in this house. I promise I won't planeswalk either." I told him and he let out a sigh, closing his eyes. Reaching down I ran my fingers through his hair my touch gentle and after letting out one more much quieter yawn Tezzeret finally slipped into a doze.
Now unable to move without waking the artificer I rested my head back against the well-worn cushions and with a faint smile on my lips I closed my eyes.