Plurk paste

The recent changes had forced people to come together and share their homes, houses being destroyed by the weather and whatever else was going on right now—no one could really tell what these events were going to do with the lower level.

Naturally, rooming with familiars was much more sensible than getting together with strangers or even enemies, and so it happened that Citrine had come to stay in the same house as Graham—the same room, even. The shabby house had a few rooms, but as so many people had been forced to evacuate, most rooms were filled by two or three people sharing it. She didn’t really know how she had landed in the same room as Graham, whether it was some strange coincidence or actually someone’s arrangement; it would make sense to have fellow White Fang members stay together, but who really ever thought ahead that much?

“You can have the bed. I’ll just rest on the floor… If I can fall asleep at all.”

She glanced over to where Graham as settling with a blanket, leaning against the wall.

“Are you trying to insult me?” she asked sharply, well aware of the injuries he had suffered a little while ago and not about to let him sleep on the cold floor when he obviously needed the bed more than her.

She moved from her spot near the door and walked over to her roommate, hesitating only a split of a second before she pulled the blanket away from him and threw it onto the bed.

“A soldier is used to the floor,” she said calmly, holding up her hand as soon as she saw Graham open his mouth, “And I am very well aware that you’re a soldier as well, but,” and she glared at him, hoping that she was going to make it clear that he had to take the bed. “An injured soldier needs as much warmth and comfort as he can get. Therefore…”

She sat down beside him, leaning against the wall and drawing her legs close. She could handle the cold and she certainly wasn’t going to let Graham stand this.

“I appreciate your concern, Citrine, but I’m not going to be sleeping in that bed if you have to stay on the floor instead.”

Stubborn, she thought, heaving a sigh and debating whether she should really waste her energy arguing with him.

“So you prefer to harm your body even more and risk dying? What will I do in those three days until you revive?”

Graham shifted beside her, looking at her—and she knew that she had lost this one.

“Sleep in a warm bed, of course. You won’t have to worry about an injured comrade, then.”

If she hadn’t been disciplined enough not to hurt him while he wasn’t completely recovered, she would have… smacked him for this comment. Really. She hated getting into traps like this.

“Fine,” she huffed eventually, shifting again and settling closer to the wall.

“Do as you wish. I’ll stay here.”

“Same.”

They stayed like this, silently, for a few minutes, both stubbornly sitting on the floor when the bed was—really inviting, warm and soft—a really good bed for lower level standards.

A few minutes later, Citrine stood again.

“You really are hopeless,” she muttered, moving to the bed and reaching for the blanket.

When Graham opened his previously closed eyes and looked at her, she moved back to him and put the blanket over him, sitting down shortly after.

“Then this bed will go to waste. And it’s all your fault.”

Although he offered to share the blanket, she refused sternly and closed her eyes quickly. “Rest. And shut up.”

“Yes ma’am,” she heard him chuckle, and it annoyed her a little but she didn’t bother saying anything.


It was only a few hours later that she woke up again after apparently drifting off. Something was warm against her arm and shoulder and she moved closer to it, slowly realizing that part of the blanket was covering her, and that Graham was closer to her than he had been before.

“That isn’t going to earn you any points… just so you know,” she murmured absently before the inviting warmth took over and lulled her back to sleep, her head resting comfortably on his shoulder, their arms pressing together for warmth.

The soreness from staying in this awkward position all night would hit her in the morning, but that was all right. She would blame Graham for it.