Goodnight Aiko

4/19/10 mon.

She entered the tent, the flap brushed aside by her shoulder. Sighing, Phoenix knelt down on her sleeping bag and pulled her pack towards her, while he came in and zipped the entrance closed. As the dark priestess dug in her pack, searching for the only item she needed, Arca reached up and behind him to grasp at him shirt. Smoothly, he tugged it over his head and shook his head to get his hair out of his ears. Tossing the grey shirt down on his pack, he began working on his fly, when Phoenix suddenly pulled her hand out.

He stared at her, and offered her a blink in response.

She looked up at him, the packet of Danish in between them.

Her silence stretched on, and he continued staring.

Finally exasperated with the silence, or holding out so much as her patience would allow, she finally spoke. "Can I have the last Danish or what?"

"Oh." He blinked again. "Sure… Though you know we won't be in town for another three days or so…"

She simply shrugged, and closed up her backpack with the plastic of the snack caught between her teeth. He resumed undressing as she busied herself with putting things away. She didn't bother changing clothes, and simply chose to recline onto her back as she ate away at her food. By the time Arca had changed into his sweat pants and took out his latest book, she was mostly done.

The lamplight flickered warm orange onto the inside of the tent and all the things in it. It was peaceful at night, and they were already so used to the noise of the night things that it was mere background music to them.

Phoenix ate some more, and Arca jotted down some notes in his notebook, off by his side.

Wiping away any mess from her face, Phoenix slipped her arm beneath her head, were the other one lay cushioning her already. The only noticeable sound now was the soft swish of paper against paper as Arca turned the pages. His warmth, or perhaps just the warmth of two living bodies in an enclosed space, was warming her up. She had to admit, as she grew drowsy, that the hulking Nymph generated heat like a living furnace. She supposed, as she quieted a yawn, that it was because he was so large.

The dancing flames on the fabric wall of the room were slowly lulling her to sleep, and Phoenix blinked at her moistening eyes. Slipping her hand over her mouth, she yawned again and fell further into the arms of Morpheus. Vaguely, she was aware of his eyes on her, taking in everything she did. Maybe he paid more attention to her than to his books, but she wasn't really conscious enough of the thought to flesh it out and form an opinion. Instead, she closed her eyes and yawned again.

It seemed as though she were just getting ready to fall asleep, when she heard the woosh of the fire being blown out as it simultaneously grew dark. Goodbye to the flickering warm shadows and welcome to the cool of the night. She could heard in the background the sound of Arca zipping up and closing his pack.

Floating in and out of her daze of sleepiness, Phoenix barely noticed when Arca moved to lay down beside her. She was only alerted by the accompanying warmth that he always exuded. He was silent as death, and she would never really know when he fell asleep, unless she were to actually look. But observing him would have to be saved for a time when she was more awake…

Slowly, as though he were unsure, he pushed his hand across her waist and let the weight of his arm rest heavily on her stomach. To her tired mind, it seemed as though he were a bit sheepish, and wondering when she would scold him to remove his touch. But tonight, she simply didn't care.

Instead, she rolled over to her side and scooted back into him, her back against his chest. He seemed surprised, and she thought he held his breath. But then he shifted too, and pulled her against him, tucked her against his body. She yawned again, and smiled sleepily, safe in the knowledge that he couldn't see it. Tomorrow…

He nuzzled his nose into her short hair, and sighed deep and happily against the nape of her neck. He squeezed her with what she supposed could be longing.

Tomorrow, she would tell him that this meant nothing and that they were not together. This would continue no further.

But tonight… This could continue for tonight…

"Goodnight… Arca…" Phoenix snuggled deeper into her bedroll and pressed more closely against him. Before sleep fully overtook her, she thought that the sigh against her ear was a whispered phrase…

"Goodnight, Aiko…"

OWARI