Work Text:
Daine woke up in a room that was not her own, without the animals that usually slept in her bed to keep her company. And yet, a comforting weight settled around her middle. She looked down, an arm held her. A swarthy, long arm. Numair. She turned her head, and through her tumble of curls, she saw the sleeping form of the mage. He was sleeping soundly, his mouth slightly open. The sleep took years from his face, and the small lines around his mouth and eyes had smoothed. He was gorgeous. Suddenly, his breathing changed, he was waking up.
Daine turned back around and curled closer to him, settling so her back was pressed against his chest. With a start, she realized he was shirtless. Evening out her breathing so she seemed still asleep, she felt him wake up. The mage came awake slowly, his arm tightening around her middle instinctively. She couldn’t help the small sigh of contentment that escaped her. She could stay like this forever. The arm tensed, and she felt his whole body stiffen as he realized he was not alone, and, presumably, realized who was in his bed. She sighed again and snuggled closer to the mage, trying to keep the smirk off of her face. Numair relaxed and shifted into a more comfortable position, taking care not to stir Daine too much. The arm left her middle to brush a curl from her forehead. She let her breathing change, and stirred a bit before cracking open a clear blue eye.
“Good morning, Magelet.” Numair drawled, sleep still heavy in in his voice.
She resisted the urge to roll over and snuggle closer. As much as Daine loved waking up like this, this was not their norm. A late night at the palace and a few too many wine glasses had led them stumbling up the stairs, too reliant on one another for balance to find separate beds. Oh, how the servants would talk.
Numair seemed just as reluctant as her to move however, so they stayed curled together. Daine rolled over until her head was resting on Numair’s chest, she ignored the quickening of his breath and instead listened to his heartbeat under her ear. He wrapped both of his arms around her. Daine let herself truly relax for what felt like the first time in months. The Immortals War, as it had come to be called, still raged in the form of sieges and night raids, helped in no small part by their recent trip to Carthak.
Now, there was less than a week before midsummer, and they had been traveling and helping small cities and generally running themselves ragged for over a month. They had had a week’s rest at the castle, and Daine had savored that week. Being close to him when they weren’t in mortal peril was nice. She tilted her head up, and met his eyes. She became more aware of his arms wrapped around her, and just how good it felt to wake up curled together with him. Numair’s eyes fluttered closed, and he tilted his head slightly toward her.
He’s going to kiss me, Daine thought giddily.
She closed her eyes and leaned into him, but just before his lips met hers, someone knocked briskly on the door and flung it open. In strode King Jonathan himself, followed by Alana and Queen Thayet. All three of them instantly reddened once they saw Daine and Numair. Alana turned around, and shoulders shaking with laughter, swept from the room. She managed to get the door closed before everyone heard the roaring laughter of the short knight.
Daine and Numair sprang apart like children caught doing something wrong, and Numair yanked up the heavy duvet to cover his shirtless chest. Somewhat indignantly, and obviously blushing under his swarthiness, Numair said, “Mythross, Minos, and Shakith, Jon! What is so important that you couldn’t send someone to fetch us?”
The Queen’s well trained look of impassiveness broke, and she swept from the room to join Alana in the hallway, still snickering with mirth. King Jonathan cleared his throat awkwardly, and said, “It's the immortals, we wanted your advice, but if you’re... busy, I could come back later-”
“Odds bobbs!” Daine said, crawling out of bed and immediately regretting losing the warmth of Numair’s arms around her. She crossed the room to wet her hair down, “You’d think we got caught doing something unseemly. Jon, what do you need from us? Quit dancing around the issue if you would, please.”
This remark was met with a fresh wave of snickering from the door, behind which Alanna and Thayet were obviously listening to their conversation.
Jon cast a hesitant look at the door, behind which is queen and best friend were still snickering like school children. No help was coming from either of them. The King of Tortall was not proud of what happened next, but, the man completely lost his nerve. Daine later noted that even his ears turned red.
“I want to see you in the war chamber in twenty minutes,” he said, already turning to make a hasty escape from the room.
Daine sat on a stool beside the vanity, sighed, and put her head in her hands. It had been so peaceful five minutes ago.
“Are you alright, Magelet?” Numair asked, climbing out of bed.
“I’m fine,” answered Daine, “I was just enjoying myself before everyone came in and decided to be loud first thing in the morning.” The mage smiled. Daine was notoriously grouchy in the morning.
“I was enjoying myself as well.” he said, blushing and somewhat embarrassed.
Daine lifted her head from her hands, and looked at him. He had gotten out of bed, and was standing at the foot of it. He was still shirtless, and his hair was a curly mess, but just then, Daine ached for him. She wanted to go to him, to have him wrap his arms around her, she wanted him back in bed with her. The knowledge of what it felt like to wake up with him was distracting.
Numair pulled on a red shirt and pulled his hair back into a ponytail; he didn’t bother to pull the last turn of hair all the way through, and it stayed in a curly loop near the back of his head, the result was ridiculously attractive.
“See something you like, sweet?” Numair asked with a smirk.
Daine turned beet red and spun to straighten her shirt in the mirror. She’d have to wear the clothes she wore to the party last night to the war chamber meeting, there was no time for her to run all the way to her rooms to change. Numair came up behind her, wrapped his arms around her shoulders, and rested his chin on top of her head.
“When we get done with whatever Jon wants us to do, I would like to talk to you for a minute.” Numair said quietly.
Daine hugged his arms to her, and enjoyed the feeling of his body pressed against her for a moment.
“Alright,” she answered, “but it’s nothing bad is it? You seem grave suddenly.”
Numair smiled, and kissed the side of her neck swiftly before striding to the door. “It’s nothing, Magelet.” he said, “It just seems we never have much time to spare for each other when we’re at the castle. I miss seeing you as often as I do on the road.”
Daine blushed, she agreed with him. They were always being pulled this way and that at the castle. She missed traveling with her mage. She brushed her hand over where Numair had kissed her, and followed him to the war chamber.