He doesn't object at all to her staying the night, dozing off not long after she does with an arm curled around her.
His nights are more often restful than not, but occasionally memories of much darker times surface in his unconscious mind. He dreams of fire raining from a pitch dark sky, blood and destruction and fear, and his arm tightens around Istradez as his breathing shudders in his sleep and his features pinch.
She is a light sleeper in the best of times, and she wakes almost immediately when she feels his arms tighten around her. For a moment, she's lost, but the feeling of his touch reminds her.
She nearly goes back to sleep, thinking it is a simple dream, but the sight of his face in the dark worries her.
"Hythlodaeus," she murmurs, sliding her hand along his arm.
He makes a little noise in response to his name - tense, held in the back of his throat, and his frown deepens slightly, a faint sheen of sweat springing up along his hairline.
It's only a few moments later that he wakes suddenly with a small jolt and a sharply indrawn breath. He props himself up on one elbow, his other hand closed around Istradez's arm, then he exhales slowly and closes his eyes. A second later and he's pushing forth an apologetic smile.
She slides an arm around him, protective over him for once. Normally, he is the one to hold her, but she wants him to have that now. He needs things to be uncomplicated.
Normally he would be dealing with this alone. He would shake it off, perhaps get up to read for an hour, and then go back to bed. Having comfort is pleasant, even if it means he sits in the unpleasant aftershocks of it for a bit longer.
"I was present for the beginning of the calamity that ultimately led to the destruction of my world. It goes beyond any words I have to describe it accurately."
He decides to rest his head to her shoulder.
"But it was..." Hythlodaeus trails off. "We couldn't have imagined it."
Time could be a balm, true, but perhaps not in the face of such horrors. It's difficult to explain what happened to somebody who wasn't there... and he's not even sure if he would want to.
"Normally I would avail myself of a hot drink and distract my mind with something else until it settled."
They push themselves up and pluck their robe from the nightstand. "Then come along. I'll make you something warm to drink and we'll find a suitable distraction," they say, holding out their hand to him.
He chuckles slightly at that, only hesitating for a moment before he pushes himself out of bed to follow her. His own robe is tied loosely, then he takes her hand.
She shakes her head. "No one likes nightmares. And no one should suffer them as intensely as you do," she says. "So you get a moment's peace at least."
Istra is a trained caretaker. Not in the way of the Andan, who were trained as courtesans, but because she spent so much time around her brother, who she felt, could not care for himself without her. She took care of him, took care of Niath, their nephew, and now she can take care of Hythlodaeus. It's a role she is completely comfortable in, and one that she takes seriously.
She pulls out a chair for him.
"Sit," she encourages gently. "I'll make some tea."
It's always difficult for Hythlodaeus to simply allow himself to be doted on because of the kind of person he is. He's always looking for something to help with, something he might be of use for, despite his proclivity towards slacking off when it comes to work.
When it comes to people, his priorities change.
He does sit, though, and there's a touch of doting admiration on his face as he watches her move about his kitchen.
"It is because I am beautiful and you are so smitten with me."
She places her hands on his shoulders once, then returns to making the tea
for him. "I am the youngest in my family, but I am forever taking care of
them. When I can."
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2025-10-16 11:49 pm (UTC)His nights are more often restful than not, but occasionally memories of much darker times surface in his unconscious mind. He dreams of fire raining from a pitch dark sky, blood and destruction and fear, and his arm tightens around Istradez as his breathing shudders in his sleep and his features pinch.
no subject
Date: 2025-10-17 02:37 am (UTC)She nearly goes back to sleep, thinking it is a simple dream, but the sight of his face in the dark worries her.
"Hythlodaeus," she murmurs, sliding her hand along his arm.
no subject
Date: 2025-10-17 11:40 am (UTC)It's only a few moments later that he wakes suddenly with a small jolt and a sharply indrawn breath. He props himself up on one elbow, his other hand closed around Istradez's arm, then he exhales slowly and closes his eyes. A second later and he's pushing forth an apologetic smile.
"Did I wake you?"
no subject
Date: 2025-10-17 11:02 pm (UTC)"No," she lies easily, kissing his forehead. "You were having a nightmare."
no subject
Date: 2025-10-17 11:09 pm (UTC)"Mm. That I was."
He thinks she's lying, but it's a sweet, harmless little lie.
"Some things haunt me too deeply to be kept at bay when my subconscious is unguarded."
no subject
Date: 2025-10-17 11:25 pm (UTC)"Tell me about it," she mutters.
no subject
Date: 2025-10-18 05:37 pm (UTC)"I was present for the beginning of the calamity that ultimately led to the destruction of my world. It goes beyond any words I have to describe it accurately."
He decides to rest his head to her shoulder.
"But it was..." Hythlodaeus trails off. "We couldn't have imagined it."
no subject
Date: 2025-10-18 07:40 pm (UTC)"Is that what you dream of?" she wonders.
no subject
Date: 2025-10-21 08:36 pm (UTC)Even if his mind lingers where he would rather it wouldn't, the comfort is nice. Waking up alone in a cold sweat is never something he enjoys.
"When something is seared so deeply across your memory..." A sigh. "Twelve thousand years couldn't erase it."
no subject
Date: 2025-10-21 08:52 pm (UTC)She presses a kiss to the side of his mouth. "What helps you? In these times when you're alone and you wake from them?"
no subject
Date: 2025-10-25 11:32 pm (UTC)Time could be a balm, true, but perhaps not in the face of such horrors. It's difficult to explain what happened to somebody who wasn't there... and he's not even sure if he would want to.
"Normally I would avail myself of a hot drink and distract my mind with something else until it settled."
no subject
Date: 2025-10-26 01:48 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-11-01 12:52 pm (UTC)"You're spoiling me. How sweet of you."
no subject
Date: 2025-11-01 03:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-11-05 09:33 pm (UTC)"Have you been monitoring my sleep, to know when I have nightmares that don't wake me?" he asks her, his tone gently playful.
no subject
Date: 2025-11-06 01:59 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-11-09 01:16 am (UTC)"I see, I see."
He pulls her back gently against him, looping his arm around her waist and kissing the curve of her neck.
"How sweet of you to want to dote on me."
no subject
Date: 2025-11-09 01:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-11-15 08:25 pm (UTC)"That is something I have no objections to at all," he says, meaning it quite genuinely. "And you should know that I want the same for you."
no subject
Date: 2025-11-16 01:18 am (UTC)Istra is a trained caretaker. Not in the way of the Andan, who were trained as courtesans, but because she spent so much time around her brother, who she felt, could not care for himself without her. She took care of him, took care of Niath, their nephew, and now she can take care of Hythlodaeus. It's a role she is completely comfortable in, and one that she takes seriously.
She pulls out a chair for him.
"Sit," she encourages gently. "I'll make some tea."
no subject
Date: 2025-11-23 03:30 pm (UTC)When it comes to people, his priorities change.
He does sit, though, and there's a touch of doting admiration on his face as he watches her move about his kitchen.
"You do make it difficult to say no."
no subject
Date: 2025-11-23 09:55 pm (UTC)"It is because I am beautiful and you are so smitten with me."
She places her hands on his shoulders once, then returns to making the tea for him. "I am the youngest in my family, but I am forever taking care of them. When I can."