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[sleightofhearts]

His fingers were itching.

Aching, really. Not unlike the way that one's joints ached in the middle of the winter time, when the muscles restricted by bitter cold. It was a deep sort of ache, bone-deep. Alarming. If he focused on it long enough, it left him feeling rather on the urge of panic

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[dreams_are_mine]

Whatever visions danced behind Rhode's closed eyes when she slept, she'd never share with anyone. Her dreams were personal, and sleep her sacred realm. She was safe inside her own mind. But slumber didn't render her insensible to the world, and while, if she chose, or if she needed, she could sleep through anything, some senses are always tuned to wake when something is amiss.

Tyki slipping silently into her room in the middle of the night was one of those triggers--an earthquake or a tidal flood would have done little to rouse her interest. But the near silent and and almost undetectable presence of her uncle tickled her awake more surely than a blaring alarm. Within moments of Tyki's entering her room, she was sitting up and rubbing sleepily at her eyes.

If he was here at this hour, trying not to wake her up, than obviously she needed to be awake.

Stifling a yawn, she peered in his direction--going by general sense of his whereabouts. "Tyki?" Her voice was soft and inquisitive. "What's wrong?"

[sleightofhearts]

Tyki had barely finished slipping out of his coat in order to drape it over a nearby chair when he heard Rhode's voice in the darkness. It wasn't a surprise by any stretch of the imagination that she had managed to wake up; yet Tyki had certainly wished that she would stay asleep. Now there would be questions. Questions he didn't want to answer, and questions he didn't know the answer to; wasn't sure he wanted to know.

He settled for humor, instead. Maybe she'd get the hint, that he didn't want to talk, that he just wanted to reaffirm that it was better if he stayed here, with her, instead of make a foolish attempt to leave.

"My, my, it seems as though we're out of firewood to keep the place warm tonight," he slipped beneath the blanket beside her, snagging an extra pillow and hugging it beneath him.

[dreams_are_mine]

"Tyki." Rhode's voice gained a bit of sleepy exasperation at his silliness. But it wasn't very heated. She moved to give him room, waiting until he was settled before draping herself across him and the pillow. Folding her arms beneath her chin, her upper body relaxed across his like a cat, she gave him a curious look from a few inches away.

"If you wanted to cuddle you only had to ask." She pointed out, a slight smirk on her lips. "I'm sure Lero is lonely~"

Without waiting for his response to the teasing, she moved a hand just a little, to poke his nose, what could be seen of her expression in the dark turning a bit more somber. "I'm sorry I haven't been able to get us home yet." Away from here, this prison and all the sense of powerlessness, the walls closing in. She'd always known that he'd realize how limited his freedom was, in Adstringendum. But she wasn't going to peek, or cheat. He should talk to her, if he could. Some things were better said. Or left unsaid.

[sleightofhearts]

"Really, I'm quite sure that Lero is enjoying its time cuddling with the Squid right now; I'd hate to get in the middle of that." Tyki hadn't actually thrown the golem in the lake, but he'd be a liar if he said he hadn't entertained the thought at least once or twice.

His nose twitched slightly when she poked it, and he let go of the pillow in order to roll over onto his back. Get us home. Which home had she meant? Manor homes, and rose gardens, and nighttime galas? Or train cars, and coal mines, and soup kitchens? Tyki didn't say anything for a moment.

I can't breathe.

Instead, Tyki studied her gaze, bringing a hand up to rest on her cheek. His thumb brushed lightly over her lip, "You needn't apologize for something that isn't your fault."