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Tinker woke to the sound of heavy, uneven breathing beside him. The room was still dark, it couldn't have been later than one in the morning, and in the darkness Tinker had a hard time seeing but it took only a moment to realize who the breathing belonged to.
He sat up and looked over to the sleeping assassin beside him, worry quickly welling in his chest as he focused through the darkness to see the other. Runaan slept on his side facing Tinker, his long hair falling freely down his back from where the simple hair tie he usually wore to bed had fallen loose and, eventually, fell out completely. The assassin's eyes were shut tight, and while one arm was placed beneath his head as another makeshift pillow, then other was placed in the space between them, balled into a tight fist. Not once did his breathing calm, and Tinker didn't dare admire the other at a time such as this.
He knew Runaan was having a nightmare, it wasn't hard to tell and especially after the two had been together for quite some time. He didn't want to leave Runaan like he was, of course, despite how much the assassin hated it when Tinker woke him from nightmares or sleep in general, so after a moment of working up his courage he took a breath, released it, then reached forward.
He placed a hand on Runaan's shoulder and shook lightly. He didn't have a chance to draw in another full breath as, with lightning quick reflexes one could only admire in a moonshadow assassin, Runaan had jolted awake, grabbed onto the arm Tinker had touched him with, reached for a knife on the bedside table with his other hand, then pulled Tinker just a fraction closer and held the knife to his neck.
Tinker gasped in the rest of his breath, but didn't let fear show in his eyes and instead only portrayed his worry as light brown met deep lagoon. Runaan's lips were drawn back in a slight snarl, and his eyes practically glowed in the darkness, shining with defensive anger, and only Tinker could pick out the sliver of fear in them as well. Of course. This was an automatic response.
"Runaan," He said softly, not moving but to swallow, feeling the cold metal at his throat. One simple movement and it would be over. But Tinker knew Runaan wouldn't make that move. So he stayed put, again speaking up and saying "You were having a nightmare, I worried." In a soft, soothing voice as recognition filled the moonshadow's eyes. Any trace of tension left Tinker's body as the hand on his wrist loosened, and allowed Tinker to pull his hand back, then reach up and slowly push the knife away from his neck, Runaan made no move to resist, and soon the knife was resting loosely in Runaan's hand.
Runaan sat up with a sigh, haunted traces from the dream still showing in every detail of his face, his movements, even his hands as he visibly forced himself to calm down. "Sorry." He said softly. Tinker, of course, didn't mind.
"It isn't something you should have to apologize for, it's not something you do on purpose, you're barely conscious when it happens." He argued, making sure to keep things at a whisper. Little Rayla was sleeping in the other room, and so now was not a time for Tinker to wake the whole house up because he was just like that. The whispering also helped trying to soothe Runaan as well so of course that was Tinker's first goal. "Do you want to talk about it?"
A shake of the head was all he received.
He sighed. "Okay, then would you like a distraction instead?"
"...Yes.." Came the silent response.
Better than the times when Runaan had shut down completely.
Maybe tea would help...
Tinker got scooted away with a hum, then got off the bed and came around to Runaan's side, grabbing his scarf in the process. "Come on." He said softly, leaning down to land a kiss on one of Runaan's horns whilst wrapping the scarf around the moonshadow.
He took note of the forming smile, and smiled back as Runaan shook his head. "I don't need your scarf." He commented with a small laugh, an actual laugh so soon from a nightmare, and reaching up to take it off, but being stopped by Tinker's hand placing itself over Runaan's. Tinker pressed, trapping the appendage right over Runaan's heart. Again, their eyes met, yet this time instead of fury in one set and worry in the other, both were more at ease. Tinker loved seeing Runaan's eyes, even if the look did follow so close to something Tinker wished Runaan didn't have to experience.
"Keep it." Tink said before taking Runaan's other hand and offering to help him up. He knew full well that the assassin didn't need the assistance, but it was more of a thing for the sake of companionship than anything. Runaan didn't have any issue and let Tinker practically pull him out of bed.
Still holding onto Runaan's hand, Tinker guided the assassin down the hall, careful around Rayla's room, then downstairs into the kitchen. He took note of how Runaan still held onto the knife, but didn't call attention to it. It happened like that sometimes. It usually ended up just becoming more of a fiddle-toy than anything else.
Tinker walked into the kitchen, poured some of the water they kept into a pan, then set it on the makeshift stove he used. He started the fire and let the water boil, then opened the cupboard to look at all the options for tea, taking note of their various abilities. He wasn't quite as talented at farming or growing things as Earthblood elves were, but he knew enough to grow a few things. Especially tea leaves.
"Let's see... White tea, heart..." He murmured, reaching up and running a hand over the label, then moving onto the next. "Oolong, sharper thought... Black, heart..." Little did he know his assassin was leaning on the back of the little stove, watching with a pleasant smile as Tinker focused so hard on choosing the right tea for the moment. So endearing. "Peppermint soothes... Rooibos for allergies and hair... Chamomile also soothes... Lavender, can calm by smell..." It wasn't hard to pick the three that would be most useful. He reached up to grab the jars filled with each, and looked between them, trying to decide.
"Your water's boiling." Runaan commented, catching the sunfire's attention.
Tinker looked over as if to confirm, then sighed and nodded. He put the Chamomile and Peppermint up, then placed the lavender down on the counter. He took two cups and placed them down, then filled them with the boiling water, finally taking note of how it already seemed to work as Runaan seemed to relax by just watching Tinker work. The sunfire looked up, then tilted his head curiously. "What?"
"Nothing." Came the hummed response. "I just enjoy watching you. You may want to keep on." He nodded to the cups and the boiling water.
Tinker rolled his eyes lightly, smiling and setting the pan down. He placed one spoonful of lavender in each cup, then stirred and watched the water spin and change color inside the cups. He hummed and distanced himself from the counter, then came back over to Runaan with a soft sigh. "Ten minutes." He said, placing a kiss on the assassin's cheek, right on the tip of the upper nose marking.
Runaan nodded, and Tinker took the assassin's hand then guided him into the living room. He sat down, practically pulling Runaan down with him on the sofa, then nuzzled into the moonshadow happily. The moonshadow only hummed and hugged him close.
They sat in silence like that for awhile, just enloying each other's presence and warmth. Even without the lavender just what was happening was soothing, almost to the point where Tinker fell asleep against Runaan. It was rather late, after all, and while the moonshadow was practically nocturnal, the sunfire could not.
Still, his dozing was interrupted by a soft nudge on his shoulder. He looked up, only for Runaan to say with an amused smile "Ten minutes." Then lightly nudge Tinker's shoulder again.
"Can't you just..." He whined softly, nuzzling into Runaan further, but being stopped with a hand on his shoulder.
"You started it, now you have to finish it."
Tinker sighed, then slowly got up and slumped into the kitchen, straining the tea, then bringing it back into the living room with a sigh.
Runaan took his with a happy chuckle and a soft 'thank you' while Tinker sat down, and their silence began again as Tinker tucked his feet into the cushion and leaned against his assassin. He liked the peace, so different from when Rayla was up... He took a few sips of the tea, warming it with his hands even as Runaan tried to cool his down a fraction, then rested his head on Runaan's arm.
He wasn't sure when he had begun to fall asleep again, but he was roused to the feeling of something being removed from his hand. Runaan was still there, but now the almost flame in the living room was out, and the same knife as earlier was now lodged into the wall above the candle, Runaan probably threw it to blow the candle out without moving. Tinker spared a tired smile at the thought, sparing a purr as Runaan set down the cups.
"Do you want to go back upstairs, or sleep down here?" Runaan asked, though he already seemed to know the answer as he wrapped his arms around Tinker and laid down on the couch.
Still, softly, Tinker softly whispered "Here."
Here With You