#there's like...

How many, many turns had it been?

The heavy head that rested in her lap, snowy hair spilling across her thighs and splashing across the cornsilk of her tail had become such a familiar piece of her day. Her life. Proud ears that were relaxed in sleep had heard so many of her secrets, her hopes, her sorrows, her dreams. Clawed fingers smoothed over the scarred canvas of his pale cheek, tracing over those marks that lingered from another lifetime.

Watching him sleep so peacefully, her mind wandered through the past, recalling other times her fingers had grazed him.

The first that sprang to mind was easy, that moment which had come from such a silly, careless occurrence. How could anyone have imagined that fixing a broken window would have forged a connection so unbreakable? How she had been so terrified of what he would think of what he saw when she peeled away the glamour over her hands so she could see the glass embedded in her flesh. How he had peeled his own protection away, stripping his glove and let his hand hover there, not touching her, but waiting. She'd closed that distance, taken his cracked and rough hand in both of her own, spilt tears upon their joined dark digits.

Looking back on that now teased a smile across her lips, settled a small laugh in her chest that she muffled with fingers against her mouth as she tried not to disturb her sleeping companion.

Stepping into his touch the first time they joined, cupping his face when he had once more bared himself to her... That experience still stirred a heat in her core and trailed the most delightful shivers down her spine. She would never get over how he managed to ignite fire in her that could melt away the chill of death even still, but that first time by the lake... She wasn't sure if she had ever felt so alive even when she had a heart.

The waif dipped her head, pressing a fond kiss of cold lips to Ezekiel's brow and murmured more to herself than him, "I still think you are beautiful."

There were other moments though, other touches she was not so eager to remember. They were in the past now, of course, he was fine, but...

When she had pressed herself too far, stretched too thin on her hunger. When she'd been blind to everything, reckless in her actions, gotten wounded and needed. Need need need. She'd tried so hard to take from him, to consume him. She'd nearly killed him in her savagery and snapped out only when his fingers brushed her cheek tenderly, his voice mumbling that he wasn't upset. That he was sorry he had failed her. When her eyes had focused, seen her hands slicked and stained with his blood. She had been so afraid to touch him after that, and yet her fingers had still reached for him, brushing the barest of whispers across sundered flesh before drawing him into her embrace, clinging to him while snarling over her linkpearls to summon aide. She'd not been able to bring herself to relinquish her touch of him after that for suns while he recovered, refusing to part from his side until he was stable and mended enough to reassure her.

Could she pick a single favourite of them all? Ears slanted askew as she pondered, curling her tail about him like a cool shroud.

She could.

The first time he brought her back, the sudden lurch from the dim nothingness of her existence without body into something solid. Something real. A body that heard, felt, saw. When air had been sucked into her lungs with a rattle and she snapped open eyes to find him hovering, worried and fraut. She'd known then what she felt, could taste the name for it on her tongue and for all the bitterness it evoked she had wanted to tell him. Show him. Before he could even ask if she was alright, if he could do anything, she'd reached for him, tangled her fingers at the nape of his neck and pulled him down atop her to crush herself against him, to kiss him with ferocious urgency, to tell him every awful, beautiful word in her heart that could never be voiced.

She had never asked him if he understood. There are no lies in a kiss, after all, and she'd poured her heart into it. He always seemed to understand the important things, at least. A yawn stretched her jaws, ending in a tired, contented smile as she settled against the rock she leaned on. Ezekiel's warmth would keep the worst of the chill of night away, his presence would abate the terrors that oft lingered in her dreams. Tonight, she hoped to dream instead of him, of the touches and moments they shared.

(Requested by @light-yagami88)

C Support

Roy: So it’s true. You’re here, too.

Narcian: Are you speaking to me, worm? I should cut you down where you stand.

Roy: You can’t. I have direct orders from Kiran that we’re to work together.

Narcian: What? Inconceivable. I, Narcian, refuse to fight alongside anyone, certainly not a mere child.

Roy: I see you haven’t changed.

Narcian: You can’t improve upon perfection.

Roy: Look, we may have to fight together on the battlefield, but I think we can both agree to keep it to that.

Roy: No need to deal with each other anywhere else.

Narcian: Hmph. For once, you may have a good idea. I hope you revel in that compliment. There won’t be many others.

Roy: Uh-huh. See you later.

B Support

Narcian: Nngh... Argh! Who is touching me?!

Roy: Calm down! It’s the healers. You’re going to hurt yourself worse.

Narcian: *huff* What happened? Speak quickly and I may spare you for your involvement.

Roy: You were attacked from behind by an Emblian sword fighter. I managed to fight him off, but you were pretty beat up.

Roy: I got you here as fast as I could. You’re lucky to be alive.

Narcian: Impossible. Me, Narcian, nearly killed by an enemy soldier? More likely you tried to get rid of me yourself.

Roy: Whatever you want to believe. But since you’re awake, I’d better get going.

Narcian: Wait! I’m not finished with you, traitor!

Narcian: Ack--! *wheeze* Nngh...

A Support

Narcian: ...

Roy: Narcian? Can I get through, please?

Narcian: I spoke with Kiran. Turns out the little tale you told is true.

Roy: ...Okay?

Narcian: Next time I act that foolishly, do me a favor and let me perish. Better than to live with your pity.

Roy: ...Hahaha!

Narcian: You dare laugh at me?!

Roy: Sorry, it’s just... Look, you don’t have to make it sound like a threat. You can just thank me.

Narcian: Me? Thank you? For what? I’ll have you know that I owe you nothing.

Roy: Heh, okay. But you’re welcome anyway.

Roy: To be honest, fighting alongside you is pretty nice sometimes. You’re a reliable partner. I hope I can be the same for you.

Narcian: ...Hmph. Doubtful.

Roy: Well, if that’s everything, I’m supposed to meet Alfonse and Sharena.