Back by request ;)

Hungover

Rydia stumbled away from the ballroom doors as if she were sleepwalking. Thoughts were tumbling from her head like rocks in an avalanche and her heart was still racing, even though her feet hadn't touched the dance floor.

So are you, his words still tickled her ears.

Beautiful—her? She refused to take his words at face value—not when she had been standing in the same room as Rosa, a true beauty. Her doubts hardened to loathing as she stormed away.

But the way he'd looked at her…

She recalled the stormy look in his eyes, and the uncharacteristic sincerity she'd seen there. It raised goosebumps on her arms to recall it. She kept on walking, propelled really, and turned the corner on her retreat to her quarters. But once she was standing in the next hallway, she realized she didn't know which direction to go. She swayed to and fro for a moment and stumbled forward again. Was she supposed to have turned left or right? She faltered and tried to orient herself, then thought she heard someone calling out her name. Her heart stopped beating as she strained to listen, hoping he hadn't followed her. She reached out to grip the closest wall for balance.

After a few minutes, with her head still swimming, she plunged through the nearest doorway and found herself in one of Baron's small courtyards. There were several small gardens tucked into nooks in this part of the castle with flowering vines that climbed the columns there. During the day, the scent of the flowers was like that of honey, but Rydia's mind couldn't wrap her head around sights and sounds just now—everything was starting to lurch uncomfortably.

She walked over to a stone bench set between two columns, intending to sit down. Instead, she missed the seat and slid to the ground beside it. She rested there for a moment, trying to gain some clarity again before trying to stand, but she was tired—so tired—and rested her head against the cool granite.

It was a warm night, and she could still hear strains of music drifting through the air and bouncing against the rooftops. It was soothing and she felt she could fall asleep here in this courtyard. Perhaps if she was lucky, no one would notice she was here until late morning. The thought of sleeping under the stars was intoxicating, powerful, and it was becoming harder and harder for Rydia to keep her eyes open. Whatever rush she had felt a short while ago had worn off to a deep sort of compulsion. Sleep. She had to sleep.

At first she thought she was dreaming when a warm hand came to rest on her shoulder, and another on her forehead. She heard someone mutter something quietly and felt herself being lifted to her feet, a strong arm tucked around her waist and supporting her at the elbow. She was led like a small child out of the courtyard and into the castle corridor. She dragged her feet, and if not for the support of this person, would have fallen to the floor. She wasn't sure why she felt safe, so safe she barely bothered opening her eyes. Somehow she knew she would be taken care of and allowed herself to be half-carried down the hall.

The walk felt like an eternity, but at last a door opened before her and she was led inside. The room was dark, and a cool breeze streamed through an open window. Rydia sighed, the cool air bringing her senses awake. She was assisted to a chair near a small table in the center of the room, and once she was deposited into it, she took a moment to discover the identity of her companion.

It was hard to distinguish features in the dark, and her eyes still weren't entirely reliable, but when he kindled the lamp in the room and handed her a cup of water, she saw him plainly enough.

"Edge?" she forced out, surprised and embarrassed all at once.

"Drink that," he instructed, nodding to the cup of water in her hand.

She glared at him, unsteadily lifting the cup to her lips, sloshing water on her chin when she went to sip.

Edge's hand suddenly covered her own, helping her not to spill all over herself. She felt her face redden involuntarily with more embarrassment.

"You've never had alcohol before, have you?" he asked with an exasperated smile.

"I'm—fiiine," she said, almost waving the cup in the air along with her hand until Edge gripped her wrist and helped her set the cup safely on the tabletop. "I can—handle," she tried again, and then groaned. "Feel terrbul," she said with a sigh.

Edge was studying her. Always studying her. "What?" she asked.

He shook his head. "I've never seen you like this," he answered.

She raised a brow and tried to look at him evenly, and then laughed. "Of course it'd be you," she said, thinking each word through very carefully. "First you won't speak to me, and now you're—now you're here—helping me."

"Come on," Edge said, standing up, and stepping closer to help her stand as well.

She brushed his hand away. "No," she said vehemently. "You—you ignored me!" she said.

"Come on," he repeated, lifting her by the elbows despite her struggling. He helped her walk over to her bed and when he let go of her arms, she fell onto the mattress in a graceless heap.

"After everything we went through—we faced down—faced down death together, and you couldn't even—what are you doing?" she asked, suddenly noticing he was doing something to her feet.

"Did you really want to fall asleep with your shoes on?" he asked with a pointed look, holding up one of her delicate sandals for her to see before setting it beside the bed.

Rydia decided she didn't care about that overmuch. "I thought we were friends," she went on. "I spent months—months—thinking about what you were doing, wond-ring why…" she trailed off. "Why did I never hear from you? Did you decide I wasn't worth your time?"

"Rydia—" Edge tried to interrupt her.

"Do you have any idea how many times I wondered if—if you were thinking about me as much as—as much as I was thinking about you? That I—cared for you," she murmured, starting to lose focus and feeling tears on her cheeks.

She felt blankets being pulled over her, and having said everything she had wanted to say earlier, she now felt empty, relieved, and content to let the day end and allow all of this embarrassment to be over.

She hoped deep down that he didn't think she was insane. She was nestled against her pillows, very close to unconsciousness, but she sensed him draw near.

"I was," he whispered, as he leaned over to kiss her forehead.

"What?" she mumbled, briefly opening her eyes to see him smiling.

"Thinking of you," he told her, brushing the tears from her cheek with his thumb. "Get some rest," he said quietly and then left her side.

She watched his retreating form, feeling warm in the face. Had she really? Had she admitted her feelings to him? She pulled the blankets entirely over her head, smiling like a fool. Perhaps this was all a dream. Perhaps in the morning she'd wake up and none of this would have happened.

Part of her hoped that to be true. But as she raised a hand to her cheek where the feeling of his touch still lingered, she hoped that all of it had happened, that all of it was true. She closed her eyes and felt the last of her reserves give out and the unconsciousness take over. But she fell asleep with a smile that never left her lips.

0-0-0-0-0

A few of you requested a sequel. Who am I to resist? I mean…it's only taken four years, lol.

Rydia and drunk-speak…definitely reminds me of New Years and a certain case of double vision, peculiar drawings on a backseat window, and a fascination for bright and colorful lights. No, that wasn't me ;)

I couldn't remember if I'd ever seen an Edge/Rydia fic where it's Rydia who confesses instead of Edge, so I decided to go with it and spin everything around. Who knows, maybe if I'm feeling really adventuresome I'll write a third chapter, lol…but this is me. You probably wouldn't see it for another three years ;)

Thanks for reading—hope it lived up to part one :)

~Myth