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Darkest Night [DragonSong] [M]

Started by Zero, March 30, 2017, 12:12:18 PM

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Zero

It wasn't easy, but Cole did his best not to grimace too badly as she peeled the bandaging away from his side. The pain was tolerable, but definitely annoying. Fucking Jarvis just had to keep hounding them, didn't he? The bastard should have just left well enough alone and then none of this would have had to go this way.

Cole hadn't liked the human, but he still felt his mind guiltily replaying the death for his torment.

The drow had lost focus on Zahra again, drifting almost dreamily. His eyes closed as she gently laid her hand against his hot skin. The contact was soothing and he sighed softly even as she tried to offer him more water.

"No, we need to save it." Cole turned his head away, brow furrowing.

DragonSong

Zahra frowned at him. "Cole, come on. You need to keep drinking. It'll be a lot worse if you dehydrate and get really sick."

She'd figure out a way to get more water, she had to. Right now she was just worried about keeping him from slipping into a fever, or over-stressing his wound.

She sighed and moved to settle beside Cole rather than perch in front of him, leaning her shoulder into his to help prop him up and proffering the water again. "Please, drink."

Zero

Cole scowled softly as he felt his companion settle in beside him once again. It felt wrong to be leaning on her for support so much. How could he be so weak? The injury was just a nuisance of a scratch.

Despite his worry over not exhausting their supply too quickly, the drow forced himself to swallow a few more mouthfuls of the precious fluids before pushing the skin away again.

"No more, Sweetling. I don't want it." He mumbled tiredly, keeping his eyes closed as he struggled to keep from drifting back to sleep right away. It was hard with the steady rocking of the wagon beneath him.

DragonSong

She frowned, then sighed and relented, "Alright." She tucked the waterskin away and allowed her head to lull back against the side of the wagon.

It really was difficult to stay awake. Through a yawn, she murmured, "Sleep as long as you can, okay? I'l...wake you when we stop..."

If she was awake herself. Unable to keep her eyes open any longer, Zahra let her head droop to the side and closed her eyes with a quiet sigh, slipping quickly into the dark, vacant world of her dreams.

Zero

Cole didn't hear her tell him to sleep, because he'd already drifted too far gone into unconsciousness to pay attention. He felt exhaustion absolutely taking hold of his body and mind. The days leading up to all of this had put a great deal of strain and stress upon the drow, which was catching up to him with a vengeance now.

He couldn't even relax now that they were both away from the group. They could come after them, and even if they didn't, Cole had to find a way to keep Zahra safe until she found her own way outside of Essyrni.

That hadn't been part of the original plan, but now that he was here, still with her, he felt a responsibility to look after her.

DragonSong

Zahra felt herself drifting, though she wasn't sure if she was quite all the way to actually asleep. She could still vaguely feel the pressure of Cole's shoulder against her own, the distant rocking of the wagon.

But she was adrift in the blank emptiness of many of her dreams- so she must be sleeping, right? With a sigh she shifted against Cole, her thoughts turning to the drow unbidden.

"I'm sorry," she said softly into the blankness, unconsciously reaching out for him. "But...thank you. For staying with me."

She didn't think she could have done this on her own. Not to mention the thought of Kyandria's fierce eyes would have followed her for the rest of her life if she hadn't managed to convince him to come with her.

Zero

It was strange, hearing Zahra's voice but not really hearing it. Cole didn't know if it was real or not as it slid across his mind like water across stone. The drow stirred softly in his sleep before settling again quickly with the little she-elf still leaned against him. Or was he leaned against her?

Cole didn't know or care which, it was simply comforting to know she was still there despite how much he insisted she should leave him.

He felt himself drawn into that weird blackness again, that strange dream devoid of color or life. It was weird that he always knew that he was dreaming. Usually Cole never realized dreams were just dreams until he woke from them.

"Sweetling?" Part of him knew that she had called for him, and that was why he was there. The drow still didn't think it was real, but he was too tired to question it anymore.

DragonSong

"Cole." She blinked, just a little surprised that he had actually appeared. A small smile tugged at her lips and she moved toward him. As before, grass spread from her steps, forming an oasis around them.

It wasn't the oasis of her childhood, which she'd sort of expected, but rather a strange combination of that familiar scene and the oasis where Cole had fist encountered her.

She came to a stop when she stood before him, tilting her head back to look up into his face. "Hi," she murmured, not quite sure what else to say. Or rather, it was like she couldn't decide which of the thousand things she wanted to say should actually leave her mouth.

Sighing, she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his middle, resting her head against his chest. This was a dream, right? So she could do this without fear of scaring him off, or stressing his wound.

Zero

Cole barely even took notice of the changing scenery as the blackness morphed into a place he didn't quite recognize. The shifting setting was just something that happened here, wherever here was.

It wasn't worth questioning right now, not with Zahra stepping up to him and putting her arms around him in a gentle hug. Since this was all just some weird part of his subconscious, Cole didn't have to feel so bad about bringing his arms up and wrapping them around her in turn. He shouldn't entertain such notions, even in his dreams, but he found far too much enjoyment and comfort in the simple embrace not to indulge himself.

"I don't know why you keep calling for me, Sweetling." Cole told her honestly, because he didn't know why she kept appearing in his dreams, but he always felt like she called him to her in them somehow.

DragonSong

Zahra laughed softly and shook her head. "I'm not sure I know either," she whispered. A soft sigh was drawn from her chest and she tilted her head to rest her brow against his collar.

After a long moment, she admitted softly, "I'm scared." Her voice shook, but she didn't care. "I'm scared, Cole. I thought I was going to have to do this on my own, and I don't know how. And now you're hurt, and it's my fault, and I don't know how to fix it, and I just-"

She took a long, shaky breath, clenching her eyes shut. "I just want to make it better." She pressed one hand over her mouth, fighting back tears. "I'm sorry, Cole, I don't know how to make you better..."

Zero

Not even in his dreams could Cole come up with an answer to anything, go figure. It was uncomfortable in some ways, to have his dreams be so very realistic.

His arms wrapped around Zahra more firmly as she admitted to being afraid. Why was she still so fearful? He had gotten her away from that whole mess, just like he'd promised. Cole didn't know what else to do to make things as right by her as he possibly could under the circumstances - nothing could ever make it completely right.

"Hey, didn't I tell you to stop apologizing to me?" The drow frowned softly, even as he ran his hands gently up and down her back. "It's not for you to make better, Sweetling. You can't fix me."

DragonSong

"Yes I can." Her fist thumped lightly against his chest, then her fingers splayed out to rest over the beat of his heart. "I just...don't know how."

She sighed, swallowed back another wave of tears, and lifted her head to look up at him. A tired little chuckle rumbled in her throat and she shook her head. "I wish I could ask about your wound, but I don't suppose that'd make much difference here," she murmured with a little shrug.

She still had her arms around him loosely, a fact she'd almost forgotten. When she realized it, she flushed lightly and moved to step away. "Sorry, I- I shouldn't have...ahem. Sorry."

Zero

"I can't be fixed, Sweetling. I'm just...bad. Inside. There's something rotten in my soul and I doubt you could find a way to fix it." Cole didn't know how he could possibly fix something like that. He had been born to be a horrible person. That was just how the stars had aligned for him when he was birthed to a man like his father and raised in such a mercenary group.

It wasn't fair, but few things were.

Cole let his arms fall away from her when she pulled away, shaking his head at her apologies. How many times would he have to ask her not to do that?

"Forget the wound, let it take me for all I care. I think it would be a relief." At least if he was dead he could take whatever punishment his soul deserved and try again in another life, right? Besides, if he were dead he could never hurt anyone again.

DragonSong

"No!"

The ferocity of the shout honestly surprised her, but before she could stop herself she had his face cupped in her hands and was glaring up at him, eyes suspiciously bright with the threat of tears. "Don't say that," she hissed. "Don't you dare. You can't give up, you can't."

It was just a cut, she could fix that. If nothing else, she could fix that. But the possibility of fever, or infection...

No. She wouldn't let that happen. She would fix it.

"I'm not letting you go that easy." Zahra's voice was almost a growl as she looked up into his eyes, not caring that the tears had started to trickle down her cheeks. "I'm going to save you. I promise, I am."

Without thinking about what she was doing, she rocked up onto her toes and drew him down so she could press a kiss to his brow, letting the touch linger for a long moment as she swallowed back more tears. Then she slipped her arms around him again and buried her face in his chest. "Please don't give up..."

Zero

It surprised Cole too.

Maybe Zahra really was just that kind and gentle of a person that she wouldn't wish harm upon even someone that truly deserved it. The drow still couldn't understand why she would be so set upon helping a man that deserved a fate worse than death. That's what he was, after all, a man that should be punished in the worst of ways for the terrible things he'd done.

He was irredeemable.

Cole didn't know what to do about any of this, though. He couldn't move or even breath as her hands cupped his face. Did he need to breath in a dream? For a moment he almost forgot that this was a dream.

His crimson eyes were wide as he regarded the face of the very petite and angry woman. Why did she have to cry over someone like him? It killed him to cause her tears and have her make such promises. Cole didn't deserve them. He didn't deserve such kindness from anyone, and Zahra least of all after what he had put her through.

The drow let his eyes slide closed as she pressed the kiss to his forehead. His arms hung limply at his sides when she embraced him again. Cole couldn't bear to hug her again right then, not even in his dreams where nothing was real.

"I can't do this anymore." Not even he was sure exactly what it was he couldn't do anymore, but he quickly blinked out of existence in the dream world as his eyes fluttered open in the waking world, a jagged gasp leaving him as tears blurred his vision. His skin was definitely hot and feverish now.

DragonSong

Zahra opened her mouth to protest, to beg him to try, not to leave her alone, but before she could he'd vanished and she was left holding empty air.

For a moment she was stunned, frozen and silent. Then the tears building in her eyes spilled over and she felt her knees beginning to shake, threatening to give out. "Please don't," she gasped through the tears. "Please don't give up."

"...Please, Cole."

She didn't realize she'd spoken aloud until she opened her eyes again and found herself back in the wagon, rocking gently. She drew in air in a ragged gulp and forced herself to sit up, swiping at her eyes. She didn't need to wake Cole with her hysterics-

Wait. Cole.

He was warm. Too warm, she could feel the heat pouring off of the body beside her. Her heart leaped into her throat and her stomach twisted as she suddenly whirled to face him, one hand going to his brow. "Cole? Can you hear me?"

Her eyes skated over his face, finally noticing that he seemed to be awake...was he crying?

Zero

Cole was vaguely aware that something was wrong with him not long after they had managed to get settled into the wagon. Upon waking up from that weird, feverish dream it was even more obvious that he was in trouble. The burning in his eyes was far more important to him than the burning in his head. He deserved to catch a fever and die.

Zahra's hand was cool against his brow, and he reacted more to it than he did her voice, jerking his head away from the touch almost desperately.

"N-no. Don't touch me. Please stop." Cole couldn't take any more of these dreams. They were a guilty torment on his soul, some conjuration of his mind seeking some kind of absolution that he hadn't earned. The tears rolled down his cheeks as he closed his eyes, head falling back. "Please just let it stop."

DragonSong

"I'm sorry." Zahra pulled back, wiping at her eyes again. She clasped her hands in her lap, head bowed. "I'm sorry, Cole. I- I won't touch you."

She sniffled and looked around, desperately searching for something she could do for him. "Can I...at least get you some water?" she whispered after a few moments.

He was sick. He needed help. But if he wouldn't let her help, what could she do?

Zero

Cole couldn't keep his eyes open, but he was terrified of going back to sleep. What other torment was lurking in his head just waiting for a chance to choke the life from him? The dreams felt so real and they were surely killing him.

His pale grey skin was paler than normal and he couldn't hold his head upright, letting it slump to the side even as his body was doing the same. The drow was really too weak to be sitting up against the back of the wagon. He was only vaguely aware that Zahra was speaking to him and didn't answer her offer of water.

"No more dreams, please. I don't want it. I don't want it. I don't want it." Cole's voice was a hoarse whisper as his eyes flickered open and closed, fluttering with the effort of trying to stay conscious.

DragonSong

Already reaching for him before she could stop herself, Zahra suddenly froze, her eyes going a little wide.

"Dreams...?"

No. No surely not. It couldn't be...could it?

Trying to shove the thought to the back of her mind, the elven girl set her jaw and leaned forward to grip Cole's shoulders, trying to guide him gently into a horizontal position. "Cole, I'm sorry, I know you don't want me to touch you, but I need you to let me help you. You're sick], and I need to help you."

She took a breath, mind whirling. "I-- we can talk about the dreams when you're better, okay? I'm not going to let them hurt you..."

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