Chapter Text
Sensing the sleepiness approaching, she tenses up her muscles and takes in a deep inhale.
Breath in. Breath out. That manges to hold back a yawn, though she doesn’t now how effective it will be by the next time.
The Grand Library of Rhodes Island opens at all hours. Of course, anyone wants to stay pass light out will have to register, and due to the new rules on energy saving, only allow to use adequate light source.
At the moment, the sounds that can be heard in the dim room, are from the electric table lamp, from papers being flipped, and from someone’s soft breathing.
Finding the information she’s searching, Ho’olheyak turns to check with the record laid opened on the table. Even the act of changing her field of view alone was enough to cause a light headache. Curving her lips into a faint smile, the Liberi drops everything she’s doing and sinks into the cushion of the chair, hand moves up to massage her eyes.
A little bit more.
Countless nights without sleep have trained her to be able to continue working on an exhausted mind. And if it’s not enough, well she has prepared something in advance, but that will be for later.
Slowly reopens her eyes, Ho’olheyak then reaches for the pen in her pocket.
-Mhm…Nng…Fueh?
-Hmm? Welcome back, sleepyhead.
And what an interesting noise. The humorous thought helps clears her foggy head to some degree.
Still half-awake, Muelsyse slowly turns to look left and right, eventually stops at the person sitting on the opposite side of the desk.
-…How long was I out for? -The Elf asks between the yawn.
-About 15 minutes. You dozed off not long after getting to the end of the third page.
Ho’olheyak points her tail towards the scattered papers, which are now all creased up due to the Elf resting her body on the table during her nap. An uninterested “Hmm”. Ho’olheyak doesn't know what she was expecting, but it’s definitely not such a nonchalant reaction.
Up until now, she has only caught Muelsyse sleeping twice, one of which was when she’s completely wasted. They have spent many nights working together, but the Elf usually doesn’t let herself be seen so vulnerable. It’s probably the same treatment for everyone, more so for Ho’olheyak.
Or at least, that’s what the Liberi had originally thought.
Is it okay to act so carefree? The question feels pretty pointless, so she decides not to ask.
If there’s anyone who needs to be more mindful between the two of them, it's definitely Muelsyse. And since Muelsyse herself doesn’t bother, it’s not Ho’olheyak’s turn to play the worrywart.
Pushing back her chair, Muelsyse then stands up and starts stretching. A night worker can always use a few tips and tricks to keep themselves awake. Ho’olheyak would have taken note of the exercise, had she not found what the Elf’s doing to be so entertaining.
The tightly shut eyes. The occasional grunting noises. The barely passable balancing work on the tippy toes. Muelsyse honestly looks more adorable like that than she is exhausted, and Ho’olheyak certainly doesn’t mind a show like this.
-Working hard again. -The Liberi can give decent praises when she actually means it. This, however, is not one of those time. -Why not call it a night? You have a big task coming up, no?
-The reason I’m still here right now is for that task. A good speech isn’t going to speak itself.
-Have you never heard that a good sleep is better than studying the night before the exam?
The remark got a glance out of Muelsyse, although not a long nor fiercing one.
“Besides, I don’t think a little talk is worth all this trouble.” The Convalescent Garden will be reopened tomorrow, after having successfully undergone an expanding and upgrading process. In Ho’olheyak’s humble opinion, you don’t need a master degree to understand why reserving and replanting rare plants are both necessary and important for the environment. And because of that, it’s kind of redundant having to explain why a bigger and better greenhouse is a good thing. At least not worth spending multiple days and nights reviewing the speech like this.
-How cold, -Muelsyse packed quite a bite in her voice. -especially when you also played a large role in the redesign.
-To make sure every equipment implemented is to the utmost efficiency, yes. That I can do just fine.
Actual loving and caring for the greenery though, Muelsyse can have that crown to herself.
The tiredness sneaking up again, and Ho’olheyak reaches for the container nearby. The “prepared” mentioned earlier was in fact, just some coffee that she’s been keeping hot. She would have taken a few sips earlier, but held back at the thought of the smell waking up a certain sleeping Elf.
-Anyhow, I don’t see any reason to be so on edge. –Her smile turns sharper as the Liberi pulls out a paper from the mess. Each words written there, she reads them with roughly half a care. -Most of the participants are those who’ve voted in favour of the project since the beginning. They’ve probably been keeping track of the renovating process no less than me and you. And for that, I wager there won’t be any difficulty explaining things.
-Bold words. Must be pretty easy to say for someone who won’t even bother showing up tomorrow.
-Since I don’t really have anything more to add. And, don’t you think it will be easier, not having me there to steal everyone’s attention?
Even after working together for weeks, many of Rhodes Island’s personel still keep a watchful eye around Ho’olheyak.
There will also be couples of names from Columbia attending the grand opening, some of which won’t take seeing her face as a good sign. The idea of a modern self-sustain conservating garden, along with a lasting cooperation with the pharmacy company may have outweighed the fact that those paperworks have her name written, but there’s no guarantee it will be a peaceful encounter.
-Even if things are to go smoothly as you said, -Muelsyses begins arranging the battlefield in front of her, leaving only a printout of the speech she’s prepared beforehand. –it’s only a reason to put more effort into this, to make sure I won’t have to turn around in my sleep remembering some dumb mistake years from now on.
-That’s the spirit, isn’t it?
No cost is too great when a scientist is working on something they cares about. And if it feels like putting in all the efforts is not enough, they are fully ready to double that amount. In this sense, it’s no wonder why people who work in researching field are usually workaholics.
-Still, if I’m this tired already, then maybe getting some sleep in is a better choice.
Halts the movements of her hands, Ho’olheyak snickers quietly and shrugs her shoulders.
-Finally making logical thought with that smart little head of yours for once~.
An angry rain is incoming. The Liberi puts back her unopened bottle and turns to face it with a joyful smile.
In a future where the Elf actually gets some rest, she wasn’t reminded about the existence of coffee.