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She'd fallen asleep laying against Magnus in his bunk, bickering with Taako on the other side about who was jetpack and who was little spoon. Because it was easier than facing having their works accepted by the mysterious Mountain and yet unable to get to the Light inside.
When she woke, still in the middle of the night, she was alone. The room was warm but she felt cold. She wrapped herself up in her robe and went out to the deck. Get a little fresh air at least.
Taako was already there, sitting with his legs dangling over the side, heels banging against the hull.
Without looking at her, he said, “He went for a run. Couldn't sleep, I guess.”
She sat beside him. “And you?”
“Elves don't need sleep.”
“Hmm.” She looked sidelong at him. That bleak expression had been gone lately, lost in his enjoyment of his students, but now it was back. He’d picked out a spot on the side of the Starblaster facing the mountain. She frowned at it off in the distance.
“Lulu's no good to talk to now.” He sighed. “ Barrold .”
“It's okay. At least they have each other.”
“Sometimes that's enough,” he said, and she knew he wasn't talking about Lup and Barry. “You hate getting so close, and then….”
“I'm sorry about your students.”
“Well…. At least they'll have a positive attitude, right up until….”
“Yeah. We tried, though, right?”
“Yup.” The word popped, but mournfully. “I hope he's getting a good run.”
“I mean, as coping mechanisms go….” Her voice trailed off. The mountain loomed over the ship.
“Sure.”
They sat in uneasy silence for a long time, shoulder to shoulder, until her head drooped and she slipped in and out of sleep.
“Let's get you to bed,” said Taako, standing and hauling her to her feet.
“Magnus back?” she mumbled.
“Not yet. Promise I'll come get you when I see him.”
“Thank.” She fixed him with bleary eyes. “You're a good friend.”
“Yeah, and you're a sleepy human who needs a bed.”
He walked her back to her cabin and fluffed her blanket after she lay down. She fixed him with a fierce gaze.
“If we'd gotten it,” she said, “you'd have done a good thing, giving them all that wisdom.”
He scoffed. “Aren't you supposed to be asleep?”
She propped herself up on her elbows. He tried to push her back down, but she continued, “I'm serious. You acted like you were goofing, but you gave those people good advice.”
He made a face at her.
“Just the easiest thing I could think of,” he said with a shrug.
She lay down, pulled up the covers, and said, “Don't sell yourself short.”
“Uh-huh. See you in the morning.”