In Sleep - Gemma x Kartik
Of all the places I could have gone with my share of the magic, my own backyard is where I chose. Rather silly of me, really, for I know I'd likely be harangued for my lack of discipline and seriousness and how I should be spending my every waking moment searching for the Temple. But for now, there is only silence, for my lecturer is fast asleep.
Instead of leaving and dazzling some or none with my magic, however, I perch on the chair across from his bed, watching him. Kartik sleeps peacefully, and for that I am grateful. I cannot imagine what a day must feel like for him, waking at dawn and working all day, sometimes until one o'clock at night. But tonight there were no balls or dinners to attend, so he is able to catch more than a few hours of sleep. My heart pangs with pity, for it appears that he just walked in and collapsed on his bed, fully dressed, and hasn't moved since.
In my hand, a borrowed pocket watch ticks away my hour of freedom. Ten minutes have passed since I've been here, and yet I have no desire to press on. I'm right where I want to be, but I can't really understand why. In sleep, Kartik is beautiful. His face holds an innocence that he lacks in daylight. In sleep, he is not plagued with belittlement because of his race, or the unfair requests – demands of my family. In sleep, he is free to dream, and I can only hope he dreams of me.
It's funny how anyone can look pure and angelic in sleep, no matter what they do when awake. I wonder what sort of things Kartik has done in life, the places he's visited, and the people he's seen. I wonder if he has ever taken a man's life or a woman to bed. Though he is nearly my age, his experience is great, but in sleep, he is just like everyone else.
The room is so still that I can hear each minute sound perfectly – the ticking watch, Kartik's steady breathing, and my own bated breath. It is so infuriatingly intimate that I have the urge to crawl into bed with him, just because it seems like that's how it should be. But if I ever did that, God forbid, I can imagine perfectly his reaction.
"Miss Doyle, I know it seems a daunting task to find the Temple, but surely I had thought you'd know the way to your own bed," he would say, sitting up and staring at me angrily.
But then of course there is the part of me that hopes that if I ever did do such a ludicrous thing, he would pull me close to him so that I could feel every inch of his warm body against mine. His mouth would find mine in a heated kiss, and the bed would be a furnace on this cold December night. Of course, I would never do anything of the sort, and neither would he.
Glancing down at the watch I see that it is nearly half past the hour. I have just wasted thirty minutes staring at my sleeping tormentor. And yet, I still have no urge to leave. It is most ridiculous of me, to care for Kartik so. Once I find the Temple, he will have finished his business with me and move up in the ranks of the Rakshana, leaving me as lost and confused as before.
I stand up, unsure of my intentions, but I feel the need to do something. I could place the blanket over him, yes, and then leave. He must be cold, if nothing else, in his peaceful sleep. He is sleeping so deeply that I doubt anything could wake him now, so I lift the blanket and carefully drape it over him.
He wakes with such a start that I nearly fall over. In my intentions to be caring and thoughtful, I had completely forgotten that as he was trained for fighting and such, he'd sure to wake up at the snap of a twig, or something even less offending. I freeze as he surveys the room before settling his wild eyes on me. They soften a bit, and then the confusion sets in.
"Miss Doyle, what on earth -,"
"You're dreaming," I blurt out. My heart beats so frantically I fear it might stop working. Kartik looks away, appearing to consider this.
"No I'm not," he says slowly, as if to convince himself that he isn't lying. He turns to me and cocks his head slightly. "You look different."
"I've been to the realms tonight," I say, fairly certain he will ask of the Temple. However, I do not wish to speak of it.
"Have you heard any news of -,"
"I can make myself invisible," I say, changing the subject quickly. What invisibility has to do with anything is beyond me, and I mentally berate myself for sounding so silly. Kartik surprisingly looks intrigued.
"Can you?" he asks with interest.
"Yes," I say, disappearing before his eyes. His mouth opens slightly in awe. "See? Well no, you can't see, but I'm over here now, but I'm heading over there. Ah!" As I attempt to cross the room, I trip over the chair and stumble to the floor. Kartik leans over the bed with a smirk.
"Well I can see that even magic cannot improve upon your grace."
My face burns in embarrassment and I am thankful he cannot see me. When I don't respond, the stupid smile falls from his face.
"Miss Doyle, are you alright?" he asks, mildly concerned. Without a sound, I rise from the floor and creep to a spot just behind him. I lean in close, close enough to feel the heat radiating from him, and close enough for his unique scent to feel me with longing. However, I feel a stronger need to fulfill.
"I'm fine," I whisper into his ear. He jumps away with a sharp intake of breath. Laughing, I reappear. He scowls at me.
"That's a dirty trick," he says angrily.
"And yet, it was just what you deserve," I respond. His lips purse and I can tell he is suppressing the urge to smile.
"What else can you do?"
"I can do anything," I say, creating a ball of light between my hands. His eyes follow it in amusement as I make it dance across the room, creating shadows that jump and wiggle. "I can fly, I can turn my hair blue, or je peux parler français parfait."
"Je peux parler français parfaitement," he corrects me.
"Yes, that," I say, embarrassed.
The ball of light hovers near him and he touches it lightly with one finger, making it disappear, so that there is only darkness. His voice lowers considerably. "What else?" he asks huskily.
I blush at the sound of his voice and the things it seems to suggest. "I can hear your thoughts," I whisper. Even in the dark I can see the look of panic cross his face. "But I won't," I say quickly, remembering Simon's thoughts and knowing that Kartik's were sure to be less…chaste.
There is a moment of silence and the only sound to be heard is the persistent ticking of the pocket watch. I hold it up to catch the light of the moon so that I can read how much time I have left. Only five more minutes.
"I must be going," I say. "I am sorry to have disturbed you."
Kartik's waves away my apology. "I am thankful to have been treated to a late night magic show," he says with a smile.
"Well," I say awkwardly, unsure of how to depart.
"Well," he echoes.
"Good night to you," I say quickly, using the last of my magic to turn invisible again.
"That's creepy, Gemma," he says.
It isn't until I am safely outside and out of sight that I realize he called me by my first name. Before I can stop myself, I let out a giggle and start running towards Felicity's house, thankful once again that no one can see the smile on my face.
Squee! I don't really have much to say, other than I hope you all liked it!
Simicity is next,
LunaEquus
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