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The thin curtains are pulled shut over the little window, as they should be. With every passing moment, pale light grows on the other side of the curtains, painting more subtle shades of gray over the rough planes and threadbare curves of the room. A bird sings outside, as if it has built a nest right on the window ledge.
The room is quiet, save for three pairs of lungs—the only available room on the ground floor had just a single bed, but at least it's a pretty peaceful one. Four isn't exactly a kicker, and at this point, Legend finds Wind’s kitten snores more endearing than annoying. Those steady sounds, and Wind’s bear hug on Legend’s arm, would normally be enough to send Legend right to sleep. He had slept, earlier.
A little.
Not well.
Legend can't help it. He squeezes his eyes shut as they begin to sting, again, an ache in his skin that reminds him just how well he'd slept. There's a longing in his bones and a frothing in his muscles, and his body just wants to rest.
He's sitting here. In bed. Cuddled and not too warm, a slight breeze combing through his bangs from the crack in the window. Nothing expected of him for a (dwindling) number of hours.
He is resting, damn it.
A frustrated, small sob slithers out of Legend’s throat. He's resting. He's fine. He isn't in any danger. Why is he still so tired?
He loses strict control for just a moment. He brings his free hand up to his face to shove his long sleeve into his mouth, but either it isn't enough, or his shaking does it, because Wind’s kitten snores stutter to a stop and he picks his head up to rub at his face.
“Ledge?” he yawns.
Legend has to take a moment so his words aren't choked with frustration. “Just a nightmare,” he manages.
They all get those. It's somewhat normal, even. Legend doesn't have to admit how awful he feels, even if mentioning a nightmare is a smaller sort of humiliation.
Wind clearly isn't really that awake. He grunts in his throat, then readjusts his hold on Legend’s arm as if waiting for Legend to throw him off.
Legend does no such thing. He does move out of the way of Wind’s head a little, though, which makes Four turn his head.
“What?” Four asks, more awake than he has any right to be. If Legend hadn't seen how dead to the world he'd been just a few seconds ago, he wouldn't have believed it. Such is the life of a hero, always alert. “Everything okay?”
“‘Course it—” Legend begins, only to be cut off by another sharp sob.
Four doesn't even hear an excuse. “Mm… Water? Breakfast? I have some willow bark you can chew on…” He shakes his head as if to dislodge water, then leans over the edge of the bed to grab his crutches.
“I don't—” Legend tries again.
“Well, I need some,” Four says, in that early-morning volume. He yawns as he wobbles over to the stand and pours some water. “Wind?”
“‘M good.” Wind is not as awake as Four is. He's already half-asleep again, his head bundled into Legend’s shoulder in a way that clearly shows he's not just snuggled for himself, but for Legend, too. It's one of the ways he comforts.
Legend’s breath shudders. He pinches the hem of his sleeve between his curled fingers and uses the wrist to wipe at his eyes. He hates crying. He's just so tired of being tired, and in pain…
Four makes his way back over, without a cup but with a bit of willow bark in his hand. He rips it in half, then offers one portion out to Legend. “Sorry, couldn't really figure out a way to carry a cup.”
“I'm fine,” Legend says, and it isn't even a lie. He's just… “Just tired.” He hesitates, then takes the bit of bark and sticks it between his teeth. He tries not to use this stuff too often, out of fear that it won't be usable any more someday, but when Four looks at him like that, how does he say no?
“I get that.” Four sets his crutches to the side, then tucks himself under the covers again and inches a little closer, also his way of showing that he wants to help without overwhelming.
“You just woke up,” Legend accuses—obviously Four would still be tired.
Four turns his head, up on his elbow, and gives Legend a look that says that he knows what Legend really meant. “Sometimes one night doesn't do it for me. In fact, maybe I need another while we're here in town.”
Legend’s eyes narrow.
“Yeah, I think I might,” Four says, his evil smile curling as he settles back down. “I'll tell everyone… in the morning.”
“If you need it.” Legend sighs, comfortable again with Wind and Four tucked up beside him. He watches the brightening glow behind the curtain. It already is morning. While he's been known to nap, he doesn't do well sleeping in too much…
The weight of Four and Wind, and the eventual calm of some spikes of pain Legend had barely noticed, along with the rhythm of the inn getting to work echoing through the timbers, lulls Legend to a deeper sleep than before.