#sh**

"How's being captain of the guard treating you, Drew?" He asked, leaning leisurely on a tent pole, before adding in an undertone, "I see you're getting friendly with your prisoners."

He chose to ignore it.

"Treating me fine, sir." He smiled, as relaxed as he could, and took another step off to the side. "If we could just-"

Manfred also chose to ignore it.

"And you?" He directed at Hector. "How's it like being on the other side of a cell door?" Bitterness entered his voice as he sneered at Hector.

Hector didn't get a chance to reply, and he wasn't sure if he planned too anyways, before Drew left him leaning on a pole to stand in front of Manfred.

"You were in a cell for less than a week, Manfred." He said flatly, trying to keep his face neutral.

You don't win arguments off of bias.

Manfred just snorted, not taking him seriously.

"Bergan told me what he's been up to, boy." He said, dropping his voice low and bending over a bit so only Drew could hear.

He hoped he didn't notice his breathing hitch.

"And how does that matter to you?" Drew asked, standing a little straighter. Would bringing out the Wolf to make himself taller be provoking Manfred?

"In Icegarden, I told him I'd be there to keep him in check." He said, dropping his voice more so he was barely audible among everything else, "Besides, Bergan and I are friends. Helping him get rid of unnecessary stress is what I'm here for."

Suddenly, he didn't care whether or not he was provoking Manfred. He let the Wolf in, giving him an inch or two, making Manfred back up.

His gums ached with the threat of fangs, but when he spoke he found his teeth to be normal. For the moment.

"What do you mean to do, to keep him in check?" He didn't bother masking the threat, bright yellow creeping into his grey eyes. It stung, and he struggled not to blink it away or tear up.

It made Manfred pause, eyeing him with caution instead of judgement.

"I mean to do whatever I need to." He finally said, not bothering to elaborate. He didn't need to.

Drew clenched his fists, willing his gums not to break. He wasn't sure if he could beat Manfred based off brute strength, but starting a brawl wouldn't help him work with Bergan.

Before he could say anything, Manfred glanced past him, at the pole he'd left Hector leaning on.

"Looks like your prisoner made an escape, Captain." He said, gesturing to the empty space. "I'd go find him, if you want to spend anymore nights in his room."

He walked away before Drew could respond, leaving him to find Hector.

The Wolf didn't recede until he did.

And now he was laying down in his own bed, with Hector asleep curled into his side.

He couldn't find sleep himself, not yet. He struggled to most nights, but for the most part he was wondering what Manfred thought he knew.

And if he was right.

Were they closer than a prisoner and his jailer aught to be?

Was this good, for either of them?

If Hector didn't need to rely on him for social interaction, would he want to be around him? Would it be good if he did?

Drew had cut his arm off, after failing to kill him.

He'd been afraid to leave the room with him.

The first thing Drew did when they met was start risking his and his family's lives.

When Baron Huth died, he'd been mad at Drew, just for the boat ride.

He wondered if he still was.

Maybe he'd be right if he was. If Drew had done something different, maybe Huth would still be alive. Or at least have lived longer.

If he'd agreed to go with them and figure something else out, if he'd warned Huth sooner, if he'd started fighting first. He'd never know now.

Maybe nothing he could've done would've saved Huth's life, and his own.

But then, comparing the pain of losing someone you've known for a month against the pain of losing your father, how much would it matter if he'd saved Huth at the cost of his own life?

He sighed, trying to find something else to think about. He spent enough time running himself in circles wondering about the past.

So he looked down, at Hector's head on his chest.

When they got to the room, he'd intended to give Hector the bed, not wanting to make him uncomfortable.

When Hector insisted he lay down as well, he'd laid on top of the blanket, not wanting to crowd him.

When Hector ignored that and curled up against him with his head on his chest, he wrapped his arm around him again, deciding he was comfortable.

There would be no getting under the covers now, not without disturbing Hector. But he didn't think he'd be needing it.

It was warmer inside, with Hector laying on him.

Whether or not it was good for them, he thought he could enjoy a warm summer night with him.

Just one wouldn't hurt.

Starting to run his hand through Hector's hair, listening to him breathe, he didn't think it could. Something so simple, so calm and pleasant, couldn't hurt either of them.

Things would be alright, if he could convince Bergan.

And even if Hector never wanted this again when given other options, at least he'd have the memory to look back on.