no chill at all

“And you’re so drunk,” he says, laughing a little. He looks to Teb for help, but the stitcher is busy handling his partner. “Let’s get you some water - and put you in bed.”

“Bed sounds good,” she agrees, still leaning into him. Then she goes still, squinting at the room. “Where is bed, again?”

“I’ll see you in the morning,” Teb says, trying to sound exasperated but mostly looking amused as Balahn presses sloppy kisses across his partner’s shoulder and cheek, mumbling words of affection under his breath. Of all the possible results of their meeting, indulging in entirely too much wine is almost the best they could have hoped for. “If you need help with her, let me know – I’ll get Balahn settled and come back down.”

“I think I can manage,” Avad replies. “But likewise.”

“It’ll be ok. He’ll probably just fall asleep.”

True to what Teb says, Balahn’s head is drooping, eyes barely open. “'Night, brother.”

“Yeah. Yeah! Brother," she mumbles. "Pleasant dreams.”

The whole thing is so surreal that it takes a serious effort to keep from laughing out loud. What he wants to do is help her down the hall to her room, but in the time it takes him to get her a glass of water she’s pitched forward onto the bed, face-down. She sighs deeply, then rolls over to look up at him through ginger eyelashes. Her gaze is just a little out of focus, but she’s peering up at him, smiling.

“Here, have some water,” he quickly says, sitting on the edge of the bed and offering her the glass. It’s mostly a sense of self-preservation that keeps him stoic. She ignores the offered water entirely.

“Had plenty to drink already.” She frowns. “Need to take my boots off. Help.”

This time, he does laugh. She raises her leg, wiggling her foot at him. Her lips thin into an obstinate frown when he doesn’t immediately help her with her boot. She wiggles it again – but more violently, like she’s kicking the air. He stares at her for a long minute, and her frown deepens.

“Let’s make a deal,” Avad offers, kneeling beside the bed. “You drink this, and I will take off your boots.”

For a few seconds, Aloy seems to consider the offer. Then she reaches out and takes the glass. A good amount of water drips off her chin and all over her front, but the rest she manages to swallow. Then she wiggles her feet at him again, both of them this time, and he relents. With her boots off, she then tries to undo the metal plates that cover her shoulders and elbows and gets stuck halfway. She makes a frustrated noise, but before she can hurt herself, Avad is there, too – he undoes the clasps, lets her take them off.

That apparently takes more coordination than she can manage, because she pitches forward, directly into him. He catches her, holds her gently. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah. S’all. Bed’s moving a lot is all,” she mumbles grumpily into his chest. She grabs at his shirt and he sits very still while she grasps a handful of cloth, pressing it into her face. “Why’s your shirt so much softer than mine?!”

Avad bites back a laugh at the absolutely offended tone of her voice. “The perks of being king.”

“I want it.”

He pauses, mid blink. “What?”

“Your shirt. I want it.”

Before he can really process her demand, she’s crawling out of her own top, and he quickly jumps up the moment his eyes catch sight of freckle-dusted shoulders.

“By the Sun!” he gasps, staring very pointedly at the ceiling and covering his eyes with a hand just to be certain. He feels her tugging at the hem of his shirt again.

“C’moooon,” she whines.

Backed into a corner and seeing no other escape, Avad sighs deeply, shrugging his top over his head and passing it to her. She makes a little delighted noise, and it’s only once she stops wiggling into the fine silks does he look down.

“I’m the king now,” she proclaims. She looks ridiculous in the oversized men’s top, but she’s beaming at him. “Mmm. Smells nice.”

For just a moment, his eyes linger on her. “Let me get you some more water,” he finally says, gently. She nods. By the time he turns around with a full glass, she’s curled on her side on his bed – mouth open slightly, apparently fast asleep. He very quietly sets the glass of water on the bedside table, bringing the whole pitcher over as an afterthought, then breaths out a little laugh. He shakes his head, wondering if she’s ever actually had the kind of quantities of wine he knows Balahn is capable of drinking. From her current state, he sincerely doubts it.

“Well, I suppose your room is fine,” he mutters, because he knows there’s no way he’s going to be able to wake her. Not when she looks so comfortable, so peaceful. It’s a small price to pay, for her.

He’s not prepared for Aloy to reach for him, grasping his hand. His heart stops for a second because she’s looking at him with clear eyes. For just a second, there’s her usual fierceness. Then, the comfortably intoxicated smile comes back. “You’re – you’re so good,” she mumbles. “So good. Make sure we have lots of tea. So much tea.”

With a gentle squeeze of her hand, Avad smiles. “Of course. Get some rest. And drink that water.”

“Mmn. Sure thing, Your Lumi-Radiance.”