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"If you wanted to read together my dear, you could just ask, you know?" Baizhu leaned away from a very curious Dainsleif, who then slowly backed away again.
"I'm not interested in reading. When you live as long as I have, every story ends up repeating itself. It gets boring quite easily. I merely wanted to know what topic you find so captivating it's getting so much attention from you."
"Jealous of a simple object, eh?" Dain was thankful Baizhu sat to his right, for his face turned just a little red under his mask. "Of course not. But it might be a topic I am familiar with. In that case I could tell you more than any book ever will." A smug look appeared on Baizhu's face as he inches just a bit closer to the other. "It's a love story." He said, smile growing wider. "Care to tell me about it?" His amber eyes glittered and met those of the Khaenri'ahn. Those star shaped pupils and the beautiful deep blue... They contrasted well with his now completely red face. The flustered mess tried to hide it by turning away, but he was just a little too late. Baizhu had already seen the effect of his words in full bloom. It took a lot of control to not start laughing.
“Well?” the doctor teased him, leaning forward to try and see the captain's face again. The blonde took a deep breath: “I… might not be the best mentor on that topic.”
“What a pity.” Baizhu sighed as he leaned back to the side and opened his book again. “Emotions are such an interesting topic.” Dainsleif crossed his arms. “If you say so. I find them quite irritating.” Baizhu didn’t like that statement, so he just pretended not to hear it. It got to him regardless of his efforts, making him unable to continue his reading session. Instead he just stared at the pages pondering the words he had just heard. A deep voice pulled him back to reality.
“And why are you suddenly so fascinated by the topic? I thought you only read books about medicine. At least there aren’t any others on your shelf.” Now it was Baizhu who grew a bit red, but he was a lot better at keeping his cool in such situations than Dain. “You looked through my shelf?”
“Of course, I basically live here by now.”
“What else did you look through?”
“Don’t try to change the topic.”
“Hmpf.” Baizhu had to think of something. I have no idea what it’s like to fall in love so I need to do research to find out if this is it or not just didn’t sound right. “I buy medical books to keep as reference because I might need to look a thing up or two after finishing it. Story books, on the other hand, I usually borrow from the local library since I don’t need to keep them around once I know the content. If I want to reread them, I can simply borrow them again.” Baizhu was very proud of that answer and gave himself a mental pat on the back. Even Dain seemed ok with the response as he just said “That makes sense I guess.” in return.
The next few minutes were spent in silence as Dainsleif stared holes in the wall and Baizhu continued reading where he left off. This grew increasingly difficult with time as soon as Dain started to lean over again. Not being able to concentrate, Baizhu broke the silence again: "'Not interested in books' are we?!" He said in a strong tone. They looked at each other again. The Khaenri'ahn let out a small grunt, then stood up from the couch. "I've got better things to do." He said as he walked away. "It's badly written anyway." The door shut behind him.
Silence filled the hole Dain left beside the doctor. He rests his head on his hand and lets out a deep sigh, still looking at the closed door, hoping it will open once more. For just a moment, everything felt right. With this realization came another:
Oh.
Oh.
- That Night -
“Do you never get tired?” Baizhu yawned as he looked into the room occupied by Dainsleif. The blonde was still up and going, making wild gestures with his hands that left behind bluish flames in the air. “Not really.” he responded, still mostly focused on his work. “Although in a way I always am, but no rest could fix that.” Baizhu rolled his eyes. “I could help you with that if you let me, you know?”
“I know, but you are already helping me so much…” He said so quietly it was impossible to understand. The flames surrounding him flickered and weakened a bit as his gaze wandered lower. Without Dain's mask, Baizhu could see the cursed veins on his face he often tried to hide, now glowing dimly in the dark room.
“What did you say?” Baizhu looked at him concerned, taking a single step towards him. Dain shook his head to sort his thoughts. The flames rose again as he resumed where he left off. “Nothing.” his voice rang softly, “I’m fine. Don’t waste your strength on an old fool like me. You should keep it for someone worth saving… Like yourself.” A wave of sadness and anger overcame the pharmacist as he heard those words. He bit his tongue as he decided to do something foolish. One foot after the other he walked towards the man dressed in black, even though he had told him not to touch the abyssal power. The doctor grabbed the others hand, who looked at him in shock, and cupped it between his own. “No, don’t touch…!” The knight tried to push him away, yet he did not let go.
"It’s not wasted!” Baizhu interrupted him, voice strong and determined. Dain had never heard him like this, so instead of scolding him he stayed silent, losing himself in those amber eyes like an old ship sinking towards the bottom of the ocean.
“It’s not wasted…'' the doctor repeated, this time a lot softer. “Not for me. Not if it’s you.”
As those words left his lips, the fire stopped its dance, dissolving into sparks that lit up the room like stars in the night sky. In the darkness it seemed as if Baizhu’s eyes were glowing, like the sun illuminating a precious stone. His light made Dain grow weak. It called to him, made him inch closer, just a bit, close enough to feel the warmth of the other. Time seemed to stop, right here, right now, it was just them, every worry they had vanishing with the flames. And again, Baizhu wanted to do something foolish. For a fraction of a second he glanced at the others lips before their eyes met again, getting closer and closer. Then Baizhu had to move away, overwhelmed by a sudden feeling of pain, then having to cover his mouth as he had to cough. Archons dammit, why now?! He thought as his condition worsened again. Dain hesitated to touch him again, afraid that he had been the reason this had happened in the first place, but then placed his hand protectively on the others back, padding him gently as he leaned down.
"Are you alright?" all the worries returned in an instant, his concerned eyes watching the doctor struggle to catch his breath again. His chest aches at the sight. "I told you not to touch the flames!" His word came out more angry than he intended as he was mostly angry at himself, feeling as if he failed to protect him.
"Sorry…" was the only answer Baizhu could give him. "Please don't be…" the other responded. I should be the one apologizing. Those words were left unsaid. "You need to rest." It only took one skilled swoop to pick up the pharmacist. He was scarily easy to lift. Without much effort, Dainsleif carried him to the room next to his own, carefully placing him on the bed. The noise woke up Changsheng who had already fallen asleep some time ago. "What happened? What did you do?" She asked, still half asleep, but still as harsh as ever. "His condition worsened." Dain had to admit with a heavy chest as he kneeled down next to the bed.
"Top right shelf." The white snake responded as she slithered onto Baizhu's chest to balance his Qi again.
"What?" The blonde looked puzzled.
"Top right shelf." She used her tail to point towards a small shelf in the corner of the room. "It's where he keeps the medication for himself." The blonde man stood up and walked where he was directed to, then looked at the vast variety of bottles, pills and herbs. He needs all of this? The realization made him feel uneasy.
"Which one?" He asked as he examined the assortment. "The brown bottle with the yellow label. Bring it here." Dain did as instructed. A rare sight to see them work together like this, without one of them throwing snarky remarks at the other. He carefully put everything he looked through back in its place, then returned to Baizhu's side. "Now fill the cap with the liquid. He needs to drink it." Only as the blonde tried to pour the medication in the little cup he noticed he was shaking. Not much, but just enough to be noticeable for Changsheng. "Don't worry, he will be better in no time." She tried to reassure him. He sighed to steady himself. Once finished, he placed the bottle on the nightstand next to him and held the cup towards Baizhu. "Can you drink this, please?" Dain whispered, trying not to wake him in case he already fell asleep. But his golden eyes opened just a bit, looking into nothingness as if there was something far in the distance. He took a deep breath to gather the strength to sit up, and as he did a helping hand was placed on his back. After finishing the shot he laid back down, turning to the side facing Dainsleif. For a moment their gaze seemed to meet, right before Baizhu closed his eyes again. The knight stayed beside him, watching his chest rise and fall. It calmed him like watching a pendulum going back and forth, just that in this case, he was worried for the movement to stop.
After some time his breathing slowed down and his body relaxed. He fell asleep, Dain concluded, smiling softly as his fear slowly died down. If something had happened today… He would have never forgiven himself for failing once again, like he has done so many times before.
Every time you think you can avoid repeating the mistakes of another, fate will come knocking on your door.
Carefully he stood up again, doing his best to not make any noise while placing the bottle back on the shelf and leaving the room. As he closed the door he decided he was in desperate need of a nighttime walk after all of what happened today. He's not going to be able to sleep anyways. Another deep sigh escaped his lungs as he started heading towards the front door. As he passed the couch in the living room, he noticed the book Baizhu had been reading all day and haltered. After some pondering if this was an ok thing to do or not, curiosity got the better of him and he took it. It's never too late to learn, right?
Baizhu usually wakes up before the sun rises, but today he was greeted with the warmth of light passing through his curtains. Birds already sang their songs and little particles of dust glitter in the air. He stretched, then put on his glasses that were carefully placed on his nightstand. "Good morning Changsheng." He said, voice still a little husky.
"Morning" the white snake responded. She had already been awake for a while, just enjoying some more time in bed. "Did you sleep well?" She asked, knowing what transpired at night. "I think so." he answered, trying to remember the moments before he fell asleep. I was in Dain's room… Then I touched the flames and started feeling awful… But not right away. And then? He rubbed his face in his hands as his memories grew hazy. He decided it was best not to dwell on it for too long. He would remember when he least expects it.
After standing up and getting dressed, putting Changsheng around his neck again, he wanted to check if Dain was awake yet. He doesn't sleep much, he found out, but when he does he sleeps for a long time. He knocked on the door: "Dain, are you in there, dear? It's quite late already." No response. Changsheng raised her head "He probably already left for some commission or something. Just check if he left a note somewhere." Baizhu nodded and headed towards the door leading to the living room, where he was met with quite the surprising sight:
Dainsleif was, in fact, still asleep, yet not in his room, but here instead. He had laid down on the couch, his head placed on the armrest. One arm hung down on the side, while the other held something on his chest: the book Baizhu had read yesterday. Baizhu couldn't help but cross his arms and chuckle. Unbelievable. He shook his head, then decided to just let him sleep a bit longer. Waking him up now would only end up being awkward for the both of them, so he left silently through the door. Just before he closed it behind him, he stopped. "What's wrong?" Changsheng asked, surprised. "I can't leave him like that."
"I'm pretty sure you can."
"No…"
"Do what you must."
He reentered, walking silently towards the couch. Carefully he took the book from under Dain's hand and placed it on the table beside him, then went ahead and got a blanket to cover him a bit and spend some warmth. Surprised by the fact none of this woke him up, he quickly left to not overdo it. "I can't remember when you last put a blanket on me." Changsheng scoffed, earning a confused look from Baizhu. "I thought you didn't like sleeping with one?"
"Yeah, I don't."
"Then… Why…Should I?"
"Forget it." Baizhu shook his head in confusion, then left to head to the pharmacy.
- a few hours later -
The silence in the living room was broken by a rustling noise, accompanied with tired grunts as Dainsleif finally woke up. "How late is it?" He asked, his mind still foggy and his back and neck aching from the not so pleasant position he chose for his "nap". It was already the middle of the day, he could tell as he looked out the window to see the world shining brightly as the sun beamed down from above. He rubbed his eyes that weren't used to the light yet as he recollected his memories. As he did, he remembered what had transpired the evening before. A deep sigh left him as he thought about it. I hope Baizhu is feeling better. His gaze wandered towards Baizhu's door and he realized it had been left open. I guess he is. A soft smile appeared on his face. More memories came back to him, and among them was what happened before Baizhu started feeling ill. Wait a minute… His face turned red as he imagined what they almost did, rubbing his head into the blanket. A blanket? He only now acknowledged its presence. I don't think I took one… I… he remembered the book he was reading and searched frantically for it, then found it at the table beside him. Putting the pieces together he realized Baizhu must have done all this, which also means he saw him like this. Dammit. His hand met his face with force. I guess I have to think of an explanation for this. Not wanting to waste even more time of this already halfway passed day, he went to his room to get ready, then left to go to the front of Bubu pharmacy.
As he arrived he did not find Baizhu, but Qiqi at the counter serving a customer. He waited for them to leave, then entered. "Morning Qiqi."
"Morning…"
"How are you feeling?"
"Qiqi… Feels fine." Dain would always check in on her like this. Her state of being was just as worrying as Baizhu's, the immortality forced upon her reminding him of his own. Although he could never tell if her "I'm fine" is said genuinely or not. "Do you know where Baizhu is?" He asked. "Doctor Baizhu is…" She thought for a moment, then reached for a little note block on the table to see what she had written down. "...shopping" Talking to her required patience, but if Dainsleif had something on mass, it was time. He actually enjoyed these slow conversations. Shopping... I could have helped him with that. he thought. "How long has he been gone?"
"Qiqi… doesn't remember."
"Where was the sun when he left?" He said, gesturing to the window. Qiqi thought for a moment. "Higher" was her answer. So he went sometime between midday and now…
"Thank you." He nodded towards the girl. "I'll try to find him now. Will you be alright on your own?"
"Qiqi… Helps patients."
"Very good. I'll be back soon." He gave her a small smile, then approached the front door. Before he left he looked back once more and saw her write down a note. He waved her goodbye before heading down the large flight of stairs. He hated them with a burning passion. They might be no problem for him, but for Baizhu it was always a struggle to get up and the same goes for his patients. He made a mental note to try and think of a solution.
Before he could even reach the end of them he already spotted long green hair among the others on the path towards the pharmacy. Dainsleif jogged the last steps and Baizhu greeted him with a small wave. In his other hand he carried a basket filled with groceries and other necessities.
“Good morning!” the blonde exclaimed, reaching to take the basket. Baizhu laughed: “Morning? My dear, it’s almost evening!”
“Time is a human made concept, so a human can reinterpret it whenever they see fit.”
“If you say so… Anyway, did you sleep well?” Baizhu’s signature smug look appeared again. It always means trouble. The moment Dainsleif understood why it was there, his cheeks gained a nice reddish tone.
“I did, in fact, sleep well. The story was so boring it even made me fall asleep.” He lied. He had actually quite enjoyed it, just didn’t like the ending. After finishing the book he had thought about what he would change and do better. It made him forget everything else, and so he fell asleep without his worries disturbing him.
“Ah, yes, of course.” He is a terrible liar. Baizhu chuckled. “Well maybe this one is slightly more to your taste.” He reached for the basket Dain was holding, pulling out a book from underneath the vegetables and giving it to him.
“Legend of the lone sword?” He read the title out loud, examining the outside carefully.
“It’s quite popular around the harbor. I thought if you fall asleep reading, that might be better than me giving you some medicine to force it. The natural way is still the best after all.”
A wide smile spread across Dains face. What a considerable gift. “Thank you.” he said with a soft, sincere voice.
There it was again: One of those moments. One of those moments that have gotten more and more frequent these past few weeks. One of those moments where every sorrow is taken away with the flow of time as they just stand there, in their little bubble, protected from the world and its problems.
Dain was the first to break the silence. “So what about you? How are you feeling now?”
“You probably ask because of yesterday… Well I feel a lot better now, thank you for asking. You helped me get back to bed, I take it?”
“I did. You were barely able to stand, let alone walk, but… don’t you remember what happened?”
“Not really… at least not all of it. As my condition worsens it becomes harder to retain information, just like you can’t think with a high fever. Sometimes the memories return, but… not all of them.”
“Oh.” Dain went silent. Just my erosion, in a way. But does that mean he doesn’t remember that… that we almost…? He shook his head to push the thought away before his face told his friend what he was thinking about.
“Why?” Baizhu asked, “Did something happen?” The blonde man grew a little nervous. “Not really.” Was the answer he chose. “But Changsheng and I worked together for once.” He had to tell him something to not raise suspicion. Now it was Baizhu who smiled brightly. “Really? That’s fantastic news! I knew you two would get along some day!”
“We did.” spoke Changsheng, who had raised her head a bit to join the conversation. “But don’t count on it happening again anytime soon.” She gave Dain a death glare.
“Well, a beginning was made, and that’s all that matters to me.” Baizhu said happily, petting the white snake's head. “Well then, let’s head inside. The air is getting a bit cold.”
As he looked up the large flight of stairs, he sighed deeply at the thought of climbing them. The man beside him noticed. “Let me help you.” Dain offered his hand as if he was inviting Baizhu to a dance. How peculiar… I thought he hated physical contact. He thought as he started to blush ever so slightly. “Are you… asking me for a dance?” He regretted his words as the knight moved his hand back by an inch. “No I… I just…” he stuttered, “... I just didn’t want you to feel like an old man needing help while crossing the road. I thought using royal etiquette might have a better effect.” His gaze wandered towards the ground as he reflected on his mistake, only looking back up again as the other took his hand. “I like it.” Baizhu assured him. Even though I do hope you might ask me one day. Having these kinds of thoughts was new to him, so they were left unsaid.
As they climbed up the stairs together they heard little footsteps from above. “Qiqi… help.” She took Baizhu’s other hand and held it over her head as if she was carrying a trophy she just won and proudly walked with them.
Both of them had to laugh out loud. Both. Baizhu couldn’t believe his eyes as he looked to the side to see the usually stern man laughing with him. He had never seen him like this before, but he could definitely get used to the sight.
“Good job Qiqi!” The pharmacist complimented the girl as they arrived at the top. “And you too dear. Thank you for your help.” He cupped Dains hand in his own, just like he had done the day before. As the blonde recognised the scene, he retreated his hand quickly and looked away to hide his face, but Baizhu just gave him a confused look.
“Don’t mention it.” the knight spoke after a short pause. “Although it would be wise to do something about these stairs. This can’t continue.” The doctor nodded. “A fine idea, but not today.” He turned around towards the pharmacy. “I want to read for a while. Care to join me?” Dain followed him through the door, then looked at the gift he got earlier. “With pleasure.” As he moved towards the living room he stopped in his tracks. “But maybe you should choose a different book to read.” He added.
“Why?”
“The ending is terrible.”
“You already finished it?”
“I’m a fast reader.” Silence, then Dain spoke again: “Speaking of that book…” As the words left his mouth, a smug look appeared on his face, sharing some similarities with the one Baizhu usually has when he is about to make a cheeky comment. “There was no library stamp in it. I thought you borrowed it?”
Fuck. was the only thought Baizhu had in his mind as his face turned red. Think of something, quickly! “This one I… got recommended by a patient. They were the ones to give it to me… as a thank you for helping them.” Dain didn’t believe a single word he said, but he got the reaction he wanted, so he didn’t push him any further. “Sure.”
—
“You were right, this is boring.” Baizhu huffed. A few hours had passed since they started reading. The pharmacist had decided that he would continue reading the love story, mostly because he didn’t have any other story books around. Seems like he now regrets his choice. Dainsleif on the other hand has already finished the book he got that day and enjoyed it quite a lot. So much in fact he is now reading it for the second time, writing little notes into the pages, marking passages he liked and those he would rephrase. “I told you it isn’t good.” the blonde responded while scribbling something.
“There are only a few pages left and so far they haven’t done anything romantic! What kind of romance is that?” the doctor complained.
“A slowburn.”
“A what?”
“A slowburn. It means the relationship in the story builds up really slowly. It’s a popular trope, but it’s only bearable if it’s well written.”
“How come you are suddenly an expert on the topic?”
“I am far from being an expert. I merely know about the most popular tropes in literature. They have existed for centuries, it’s hard to not hear anything about them.”
“Sure.” Baizhu chuckled.
“Think what you want.” The sound of Dain’s pen scratching on the paper filled the room as their voices stayed silent. Then the noise stopped. The blonde looked over to the other to see how far he was. “Didn’t they hold hands by now?” He asked after checking. “They did, but that doesn’t have to mean anything. Could be just a gesture really.”
“Hm. If you say so…” Dainsleif thought back to the day before. The way he felt in his room. The way Baizhu’s hands had warmed his own. And those amber eyes, glowing just for him, shining light into his soul. Just a gesture? He sighed, just loud enough for the other to hear. After putting his pen into his book as a bookmark, the khanri’ahn stood up and stretched. “Well, I think it’s time for you to get some rest.” The pharmacist did not like the idea the other proposed. Usually he enjoyed going to bed early, but today he would have rather continued talking, asking why Dainsleif was reacting in weird ways today, and if it had something to do with what happened the night before. But seeing him change the topic so fast, he decided to leave it for now.
“What about you?” the doctor asked instead.
“Remember how I used abyssal power yesterday?”
Baizhu nodded in response. “Of course, how could I forget?” He thought about how it made him feel sick. Dainsleif gave him a look that screamed “Are you fucking kidding me right now?” Baizhu was reminded of how much he didn't remember. “Right. Sorry. You were saying?” An annoyed sigh left the blonde's lungs. “Through it I found out the abyss order had tampered with the ley lines again. It’s nothing serious, but I should examine it regardless. Given how I’ve slept almost all day and wasn’t really productive throughout the rest, I should be fine.” Baizhu now stood up as well, placing his hands on his hips. “I bought that book so it would help you fall asleep, not to be an excuse to do night shifts. You can still do that tomorrow.”
“Don’t tell me what to do.”
“What are you going to do about it?”
“You’re going to get me out of shape.”
“Good, that means you’re healing.”
Dainsleif scoffed at that remark as he was reminded of the reason he was here in the first place. “Fine.” he huffed. “I shall rest as well.”
—
Tonight, Baizhu was the one who couldn’t sleep. Not because he felt ill, or because pain was plaguing him. It was just him and his thoughts.
What is it that I can’t remember? What happened after I broke Dain’s rule? The whole day he had reacted in weird ways, avoiding certain topics or getting flustered easily. Sure it was fun to tease him about it, but why was it happening in the first place? What linked it all together? Has it something to do with Khanri’ah? He pondered all those questions as they did not leave him in peace.
Dain had been incredibly vague about the topic, only telling him the bare minimum of what he needed to know to understand why a 500 years old immortal man was walking around Teyvat hunting the abyss order. He promised to tell him more once the time is right, but hasn’t done so yet. Still, if it was possible to transfer the curse or some sort of knowledge through his powers he would have probably told him, given that he uses them rather frequently around the house. Sometimes even to grab things from high shelves if he is too lazy to grab the latter.
No it must be something else. Something about touch itself. First he looked weird as I told him I don’t remember everything, then pulled his hand away at the top of the stairs, and lastly when we talked about the book… He turned around in his bed, now facing towards the door to Dain’s room, retracing his steps.
I went in, we talked, he said something self-deprecating again, I got angry, I grabbed his hand and… His memories got clearer. And I saw his eyes. Those blue eyes in this dark room… just us, and we…
That was the moment the fog in his mind lifted and he remembered. It all came back: the way they almost kissed, how Dain carried him to his bed, him working together with Changsheng to get the medicine ready, and how he stayed beside him until he fell asleep. Baizhu rubbed his face in disbelief. What a fool I’ve been. It all made sense now. How could he have forgotten a moment like that?
That is why Dain was shocked he didn’t remember, and also why he pulled his hand away. And, most importantly, why he looked so disappointed as Baizhu told him hand holding was “just a gesture”. Now he cursed himself for those words.
It was far more than that… It was a promise. A promise that he wasn’t alone. A promise this wasn’t only his burden to bear. A promise that no rule or danger could stop him if he set his mind to something. It was… Love? His heart started to heat up as he thought about it and his chest felt heavy. Then he quickly got out of bed and put on his glasses.
He opened the door to the living room as quietly as he could, grabbing the book placed on the table, then went back to his own room to sit down at his work desk. With a match, he lit a small candle placed there to begin reading. The silence didn’t last long as Changsheng woke up from the suddenly lit room. “What the fuck are you doing?” she asked him, clearly annoyed by the whole situation. “Language.”
“Timing for archons sake, it’s the middle of the night! What. Are. You. Doing.”
“Reading.”
“Reading?”
“Reading.” Baizhu flipped the page.
“Why? Why now?”
“I couldn’t sleep.”
“You? Couldn’t sleep?”
“Yes.”
“Pff.” The white snake buried her head inside her bed to cover her eyes from the light. Silence.
“Changsheng?”
“No.”
“Please.”
“What do you want?”
Baizhu took a deep breath: “... Thank you.” The reptile lifted its head again, squinting its eyes. “For what?”
“For helping me yesterday.”
“So you remember now?”
“I do." he sighed. “I am thankful that you are here.”
“Aww.” She smiled. “Well, I’m glad to be here too. You’re not half bad sometimes.” It was her way of saying “I love you”. A tiny laugh escaped her small mouth. “The old man turned you into a softie.”
“I guess he did…” Baizhu had to chuckle, then paused for a moment. “Changsheng?”
“Yes?”
“Could you do me a favor and… not tell Dain I remember that night?”
“The less I have to talk to him the better. Don’t worry, he won’t hear it from me.”
“Thank you.”
“You could thank me by going to sleep. Are you done with your lightshow yet?”
“Not yet.” he said.
“Why not?”
“... I need to know how this ends."
The next morning, Baizhu was again woken up by bird songs and sunshine. He opened his eyes, barely realizing where he was as the world around him still looked fuzzy. His head felt heavy as he lifted it from what appeared to be his working table. I guess I must have fallen asleep while reading. He thought as his mind cleared. His body ached from the weird position he fell asleep in. He also felt cold, so he wrapped his blanket tighter around himself, burying his nose in the fabric. Wait a minute… a blanket? I didn’t…?
Every time you think you can avoid repeating history, fate will come knocking on your door.