It had been three weeks since they'd relocated to the new camp and Malin had been watching Adan exhaust herself to near death every day since. Between trying to learn magic, Veida's brutal training sessions and her insistence on attending every strategy meeting, it was clear that Adan was trying to distract herself and Malin worried, like usual.
He wished he could say it was out of character but the truth was that Adan had a habit of overworking herself whilst simultaneously avoiding all the icky emotions she refused to claim as her own.
He knew she missed home and she probably even missed her family at this point though it was them she was running away from in the first place.
"Adan?" He whispered now, opening his tent door. He had heard shuffling outside and soon after, an Adan-shaped shadow appeared through the thin material.
Sure enough, Adan stood outside his tent, fiddling with her fingers and moving her feet back and forth. Malin found her awkwardness amusing - more than 10 years of friendship and she was still hesitant to ask anything of him.
"You want to...come in?" He guessed, raising an eyebrow and letting out a chuckle when she quickly nodded and crawled inside.
She settled in quickly, making herself comfortable underneath his sheets but an air of anxiety remained.
She nodded again, beginning to rock back and forth. Malin assumed she was just on edge until a shiver ran up her spine and he realised she may just be cold so he quickly grabbed a blanket and placed it gently over her shoulders.
"Thank you." She whispered.
Some nights, she'd bring her own banket or even a stuffie to Malin's room and he'd know immediately that she was feeling small but since the move, it hadn't happened once.
Malin didn't want to push. Adan was a capable adult, after all and if she didn't feel like being little, that was completely fine and something he should respect.
But still, he worried. He worried a lot. Adan was an adult, yes, but she still had this little part of her and if that part was to be silenced or ignored, it would surely end in disaster.
"Do you need anything, bug?" Malin regretted his words as soon as Adan turned to glare at him. He really hadn't meant to use his 'caregiver voice' and the nickname (solely used with little Adan) just slipped out as well but with the way Adan was looking at him, you'd think it was the most maliciously calculated move in the world.
"I don't feel little, Mali." She deadpanned, resting her face on her tucked knees and refusing to meet his gaze.
He bit his lip and released a sigh of defeat. "Adan..."
He tried to shuffle his way closer towards her but this only made her snap.
"No! I just came here to talk like, like a normal person!" She huffed and then gestured towards Malin. "and you, you make it weird. I don't want to be weird! I want to be normal. I want, I want..."
"You're not weird." He soothed in that irritatingly calm voice which always lulled Adan whether she liked it or not.
"I am." Her words, barely audible now and muffled by her legs.
"Oh, Ads. Does it matter?" He sighed, familiar with this routine. Adan wasn't really angry - he could tell. "Hm? You've never cared what other people think before. Come on, what is this really about?"
"Malin." She let out a sudden sob and once the first tear fell, she could no longer contain herself. "Malin, I'm scared."
His arms already open, she let her head fall onto his chest, searching for the warmth and comfort she had sorely missed the past few weeks.
"Shh. I know, bug." Malin, strong and steady and prepared as always, made soothing circles on her back all while gently rocking the girl in his lap. "We're all a little bit scared right now."
"Veida isn't scared." He could tell she was slipping now, pouty lips accompanying the petulant words.
"I bet Veida is more scared than any of us. She just can't show it." He whispered the words, like it was a secret and the effect was immediate, Adan's eyes widening at the revelation.
"Of course." He couldn't help but grin, from both relief and genuine adoration for the girl in front of him.
Thank God. He thought. Thank God, his Adan was back. Perhaps by tomorrow, she'll be back to square one: avoidance and self-inflicted exhaustion but for the time being, Malin could take care of her and be able to sleep soundly through the night, knowing Adan would be safely tucked against his chest until morning.
The girl began to squirm on his lap so he grabbed the blanket and wrapped it tighter around her.
"Story?" She asked once warm and comfortable against Malin's chest, voice muffled by the thumb in her mouth.
"My little one should expect nothing less." He smiled and with a chaste kiss to the tip of her nose, began his story.
