Torn Between Two
Chapter 27
Reilyn woke when sunlight splashed on her face, making her wince. She buried her face into the pillow, growling lightly in annoyance, and felt an arm tighten around her.
We should be training, she thought, why are we still in bed?
"Mmmm," a voice mumbled, moving closer.
"Er?" she whispered.
"Nnnuh uh," the voice murmured, "other one."
The arm tightened further and pulled her close, nuzzling her neck. She tensed a little, feeling her heart beat pick up.
"Murtagh?" she breathed.
"Mmmm hmmm," lips touched her ear, "that'd be the one."
"What are we-?"
"Day off," he mumbled, "get to sleep in."
"Oh. . ."
Sleep in? she thought. How long has it been since I've got to do that?
Too long, she decided, relaxing into the pale boy.
She turned and hid her face from the blinding sun, using his chest as the guard. She could hear the smile in his sigh as she cuddled close and she smiled into his skin, lightly placing a shy kiss.
"Mmmm," he snickered quietly.
She laughed a little bit, hugging to him.
"You don't have to do that," he said, slowly growing more alert. "It's all right, really."
"I know," she sighed, "but I want to. You make me feel. . .safe."
"Just like when we were kids," he laughed rubbing her back.
This does feel very familiar. . .Wait, where's Eragon?
Reilyn tried to turn, to search for the boy, but Murtagh held her firmly.
"He's here, don't worry."
"But-."
"I'm right here, Rei," a sleepy Eragon whispered. "It's all right."
She felt him scoot closer and run a hand in her hair, proving to her that he was indeed there. Suddenly, this felt too awkward for Reilyn and she wriggled out of the bed.
"Hey, Reilyn!" Eragon called, startled.
Reilyn turned to face the two boys. Murtagh lay how he was, on his side, and didn't look her way. Eragon, however, was sitting up, the blankets pooling in his lap. He looked terrified.
"Eragon," Murtagh mumbled, "let her be. It made her uncomfortable, I'm sure."
"Did it, Rei?" he asked, pleading.
Reilyn slowly nodded and sat in the large chair, leaning back and getting comfortable. Murtagh gently pulled Eragon over to him, curling up to the boy.
"You're sleeping in the chair, I take it?" he murmured.
"Yes," she whispered.
"Enjoy sleeping in, who knows when we'll get this pleasure again," he said, cuddling into Eragon further. "The bed's open, if you choose. We'll keep our distance from you if it makes you feel awkward."
She longed for the soft bed, but planned to wait until she was positive both boys were sleeping soundly. The sun rose higher in the window as she watched them, telling that a half an hour had passed. Deciding they should be asleep, she crept to the bed and lie very close to the edge, drifting off quickly.
I wonder what he meant by 'just like when we were kids', she thought before sleep overcame her completely.
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Eragon woke slightly when he felt Reilyn slip back into the bed. He opened his eyes and stared at her. She lay on her side, back to them, on a very small section of the bed. Eragon went to move closer to her and Murtagh's arm tightened on his middle and his legs were pinned by the older boy.
"Don't," Murtagh grumbled in his ear.
"But-."
"Don't!" he growled. "I told her we'd keep our distance, now stay."
Eragon rolled to his back and looked into those hazel eyes, glancing to Reilyn. Murtagh watched the sleeping girl as well.
"Let her sleep, Eragon," he whispered.
Nodding, Eragon leaned up and kissed Murtagh's lips. He let the older boy push him back down into the pillow, he was usually submissive to Murtagh, rarely ever getting rough himself. Teeth grazed his lower lip as the raven haired boy nipped him lightly.
"Murtagh, no," he whispered, out of breath.
The pale teen looked at him with wonder, his head cocked to the side. His eyebrows were arched in question.
"Not with Reilyn right there," he murmured.
"Mmm," Murtagh nodded, "good point. That would just make things worse, wouldn't it?"
The pale lips pressed to his once more, then the boy lay next to Eragon, tracing patterns on his bare chest. Eragon shivered from the light touch, earning a smirk from Murtagh.
"Let's enjoy our day off," the older boy whispered, pulling close and resting his head on Eragon's torso.
Eragon sighed and ran his hands in the raven locks, tracing the neck and was rewarded with a shuddery gasp. Murtagh laced their fingers together and settled into the boy, kissing their interlaced hands. Eragon relaxed completely and went back to sleep.
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Murtagh woke to the sound of pouring rain. He pulled the blankets up around him and realized that he was completely alone in the bed. He say up, eyes darting around his darkening room, his breath picking up, and searched for signs of life.
"Eragon?" he called nervously.
He jumped and yelped when Reilyn emerged form the bathroom, toweling her hair dry. She was dressed in a pair of Murtagh's sleep pants and one of his shirts. No matter what she wore, she always seemed enticing to him,as if she were some foreign creature.
"He went to go get something to eat for us all," she said, tossing her wet hair over her shoulder.
Murtagh laughed loudly and fell back onto the bed with relief. Reilyn gave him a puzzled look, discarding her towel, and leaned back on the wall, rubbing her neck and wincing, jaw clenching. He watched her try to work out the tension in her body, then slowly slipped out of the bed and walked to her.
"Tense?" he whispered, standing in front of her.
She looked at him warily, her hand freezing on her neck, and she shrank farther into the wall.
She's jumpy all of a sudden. . .just a few hours ago she willingly got closer to me
"Hey," he breathed, stroking her cheek, "it's okay, I'm not going to do anything. . ."
She looked at him, then away shyly. He looked her up and down, worried, then walked into the bathroom to wash up.
Leaving the door open, he splashed the freezing water on his face and the back of his neck. He heard Reilyn sit on the bed and when he walked back out, she was lying on her stomach, head resting on folded arms. She was facing away from his, breathing steady, and shifted her body as if stiff all over and not getting comfortable.
He sat next to her and she lay still, still looking away from him. He gently reached out and set a hand on her back, she shied away from his touch and whimpered.
"She doesn't really like her back being touched," Eragon whispered form the doorway. "It's rare that she lets anyone even rub it while hugging."
Murtagh pulled his hand back and let it drop in his lap, turning to face the younger one. The brunette held a tray with three bowls of steaming soup and a large loaf of bread. Murtagh inhaled the smell and felt his hunger scream at him.
How late did we sleep?
"What time is it?" he asked, standing to help the boy.
"Mid-afternoon," Eragon said, smiling. "You sure took advantage of the day off, we all did!"
Murtagh laughed and sat on the ledge of the fireplace, eating his food. He was ravenous, training and exhaustion had often led to them not eating and just trying to get a little rest.
"I forgot the water," Eragon mumbled, "I'll go get it and see if I can get a pot of that soup, a loaf of bread too, by the looks of it." the young boy laughed.
"Good thinking," Murtagh laughed around his food.
Eragon snickered in return, bending down. The young brunette kissed Murtagh passionately, pulling his head back by a handful of hair, then just stopped suddenly. Leaving the room, he glanced back at a breathless and slightly confused Murtagh and chuckled. Murtagh questioned the boy with a look, which was answered with a simple shrug.
"Reilyn," Murtagh whispered, after Eragon had left. "You need to eat something."
He got up, putting her bowl on the tray, and sat next to her. She didn't look at him or even move, seemingly lost in her mind.
"Reilyn?"
"Hmmm?" she murmured.
"Eat something," he commanded gently.
"I will. . ."
"Now," he touched her back, felt her tense and then relax.
"What did you mean by 'just like when we were kids'?" she whispered, turning her head to look at him.
"I thought you wanted to remember things on our own."
"Murtagh, I can't! No matter how hard I try, the memories just stay buried, just out of my reach," she whimpered.
He put the tray on the floor and pulled her to him, leaning up against the headboard. She shivered and curled to him, holding his bare sides with shaking hands.
"What do you want to know?" he breathed, carefully tracing lines on her back, earning a shiver from her. He felt the knotted muscles in her back and slowly started to work them out, waiting to see if she'd protest. She didn't, moving her shoulders trying to direct his hands there instead. He smiled and moved to her shoulders, causing her to sink into him farther.
"Everything," she whispered in his ear.