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Here's the thing about sharing a bed with a monster: it's not that much different than sharing a bed with a human. More limbs, maybe, but Arum's body is still fundamentally a body, and Rilla adapts to the new warmth and weight almost immediately. Damien, however, does not.
Arum voluntarily sleeps in the garden the first few days they're together, until they invite him inside. And it goes just fine until Rilla wakes up alone in the moonlit darkness, and hears her two former bedfellows arguing in the next room. Damien re-enters the bedroom after a few minutes. He gets in the bed, and Rilla turns over to face him.
"I forgot how difficult it is to explain myself," he says, sounding more frustrated than usual. "How did you ever put up with me in the beginning?"
"I liked you," she says, matter-of-factly. She pauses, but he is uncharacteristically quiet. So she continues, cautiously: "He likes you too, you know."
"I don't know if that's enough this time. I'm not sure he'll ever understand."
She wants to say of course he will because I did, but she knows Damien too well, and knows that will do absolutely nothing to assuage his anxieties. Instead, she says, "Let's try again tomorrow."
Damien sighs, and both of them are asleep a few minutes later, although she can already feel a strange emptiness in the bed next to them.
--
The next morning, she finds Arum in the garden, fiddling with a watering can, but not actually doing anything with it (as it is empty). She approaches him with a gentle, "Good morning."
He makes a noise of acknowledgement. "Doesn't feel very good."
She sits next to him and takes one of his free hands in both of her own. "It's not you. You know that, right?"
Arum looks out at the garden. "We could drug him," he says, sarcasm edging into his voice.
Rilla huffs out a laugh. "I think he'd notice."
They sit for a few minutes in increasingly comfortable silence before she squeezes his hand, stands up, and gets started on her day.
--
The three of them spend the day as they've spent the last few days: Damien inside, writing; Arum outside, gardening; Rilla moving between the two. Arum follows her inside a few times, carrying herbs and supplies. He and Damien don't exactly avoid each other, but they don't say more than a few words. She catches each of them cautiously glancing at the other when they're sure it will go unnoticed.
When they go back outside one time, Arum pulls Rilla close to him, and says, "Why do you do that?"
"Do what?" She hasn't changed her behavior at all, so she's very confused.
"You're...humming," he says, sounding slightly more judgmental than she knows he intends.
"Am I?" She thinks back on the last few hours, and realizes he's correct. "I suppose I am."
"He seems to like it," Arum says in such a way that indicates he's ruminating on the thought.
Rilla slowly smiles. "I suppose he does."
"Hmm," Arum says, releases her, and returns to tending his corner of the garden.
--
By dinnertime, the awkwardness has worn off. They all talk and laugh for a long time after the meal is over. During a brief lull in conversation, Damien inhales sharply and says, "I am dreadfully sorry, Arum."
Arum sits back and sighs. "I know, honeysuckle."
Damien glances at Rilla and then says, "I'd like to try again tonight, if you're willing."
Arum also glances at Rilla, who is trying her best to keep her face neutral. "I am."
Then Damien smiles, wide, and Rilla can almost physically feel the extra tension leave his body.
--
Rilla is a bit anxious herself, and so sleep alludes her for a while longer than usual. This time she notices Damien get out of and back into bed a couple of times. After the third time, Arum shifts slightly so his arms rest on Damien's torso, and he starts humming. Rilla can't quite place the melody, but before she can think on it further, she's asleep.
--
She wakes up the next morning with both of her companions in bed with her. Damien is still fast asleep, but Arum (arms still holding Damien) is mostly awake. They catch each other's eyes, and smile.
"Good morning," he says, quietly.
"Morning." She feels very well-rested. More well-rested than she has in a very long time. Suspiciously well-rested. She starts to ask, "Did you…"
"Music can be very powerful, Amaryllis. You of all people should know that."
She raises one eyebrow. "Magical, in fact, one might say."
Arum's face flushes. "Just an experiment."
"I'm sure he'll understand," Rilla says. It's not like this is the first time Damien has been a test subject for someone he's fond of, and she's fairly certain he won't mind.
"I'll let him sleep a little longer," Arum says and pulls both of them a little closer to him.
Damien, for his part, settles into Arum's side and snores softly.