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Garviel barley felt the bone deep exhaustion from the endless battles weighing him down or the countless bruises and wounds, that didn't manage to heal yet, scattered across his body, the feeling of tangled locks under his fingers and the beating, still beating, of Tariks twin hearts in his ear was so much more important in this moment.
Tarik whom he had almost lost, Tarik who almost turned into one of the endless unrecognizable body's on Isstvan V, Tarik who's head was almost separated from his body by Aximands damned power sword, had it not been for Tariks helmet. The hand in Tariks hair fell to join the other hand curled in Torgaddons borrowed tunic to pull the taller Marine even closer and Tarik let out a huff,
"Now, I'm not dead yet Garvi, you still have to put up with me." he said and Loken managed an amused snort.
When Garro found them their group of survivors had been reduced to Tarik, Saul and himself, Garviel was sure they made a sorry sight, in their completely ruined and bloody patchwork armour bodys drained from endless weeks of battle, vigil and malnutrition but they were alive and that's what matters. Now aboard Garros ship they could finally shower, eat and rest, but the shadow of Isstvan seemed to have followed Garviel on board of the ship, probably them all, if he was being honest.
That's how the two Luna wolves found themselves in Tariks designated sleeping quarters, after a shower and a meal, with Garviel pressed close to Tarik, his face tucked into the crook of his brothers neck, listening for the steady beats of his hearts and the sound of his breath, trying to reassure himself that this was real, that they were alive, that Tarik was alive.
Tarik hummed, the sound vibrating throu the both of them.
"I mean it Garvi, i am alive, we made it out" Tarik added, his voice unusual serious while his hands continued to rub circles on Garviels back.
Garviel whined miserably.
"I know, i just.... can't really believe it yet" he mumbled into Tariks neck.
"Would the bear joke be proof enough of the legitimacy of this situation" Torgaddon suggested and Garviel could feel the cheshire grin his brother, without a doubt, wore right now, even if he couldn't see it from his position. Despite his gloom he couldn't help but smile, more so at Tariks ability to lighten the mood then the actual suggestion.
"Anything but that, please" Loken mock pleaded and, not without some effort, pulled his face out of Tariks neck to look him in the eyes, his brothers grin grew a little softer.
"There you are, i was beginning to think you were planning on merging your face with my shoulder with how incessant you were pressing your face into me" Lokens smile was watery and shy, the sight of the angry red scar Aximands sword had left on Tariks neck and the unbearable thought of what had almost happened to Tarik on that forsaken planet was enough for the ball of anxiety, that had been sitting in Loken stomach since all of this started, to squeeze impossible tight, so tight that for a moment he thought he might throw up.
"Common Garvi, look at me" a gentle voice commanded as a hand under his jaw redirected his gaze to impossibly soft brown eyes.
"Don't get lost in what could have happened down there, what almost happened down there, it won't do you any good" Tarik added, slowly resuming his motion of rubbing Lokens back comfortingly. Garviel sighed.
"I know, i-i just-"
any words he could have said were smothered as Tarik suddenly squished his cheeks together, his usual mischief had returned to his expression as Torgaddon joyfully kneaded Lokens cheeks, for a long moment Garviel could just deadpan at his friends hijinks.
"You are unbelievable" he managed his voice slightly distorted throu Tariks messing around. Torgaddon just grinned.
"Maybe you're just too straight up and down" he suggested, this time Garviel laughed, still a little timid, but it was better than nothing in Tariks opinion.
Torgaddon let his hand fall from his friends face and made a show of stretching and yawning.
"I think we all deserve a little sleep after that throne awful campaign, don't you think Garvi?" he asked, more rhetorical than anything else, he could clearly see the weariness in Lokens posture and the effort it took his brother to simply stand, Tarik himself wasn't completely unexhausted either for that matter.
Lokens face fell for a second at Torgaddons suggestion, but he quickly tried to hide his discomfort at having to leave Tarik to his own devices, keyword, tried, Torgaddon had to resist the urge to fondly roll his eyes at Garviels clumsiness in everything lying.
"Right... I'll go then..." Loken trailed off, not moving an inch, clearly unwilling to leave Tariks side so soon after he had almost been taken from him. 'too straight up and down' Tarik thought
"You know, if i think about it, it would probably be better if you would sleep here tonight" Torgaddon offered after pretending to think about it for a moment, he pretended not to notice the way Garviels entire demeanor lit up.
"Just to make sure, there are no problems with my injury's" Tarik added, it was a flimsy excuse and he was entirely certain Garvi knew that as well, but he definitely didn't care.
"Of course! I'll go get a spare bed" Loken said, entirely too happy about not being separated from Tarik just yet, but Torgaddon had other plans. He grabbed Garviel by the arms and pulled him down onto his bed with him, to which Loken responded with an undignified yelp, the bed wasn't exactly made to fit two astartes but it was the most comfortable thing they had slept on in months.
"You're impossible" Garviel said with no real bite, he couldn't deny that being able to hear and feel Tariks hearts beat and breathing this clearly provided him with a sense of security that he desperately needed right now, so the closeness was more than welcome.
"Yeah" Tarik replied, "now hush I'm trying to sleep" Loken couldn't help but snort at that.
"I know you're not telling me to be quiet right now" that got a last hearty chuckle out of Tarik before they committed to falling asleep.