damned_institute | Nightshift 31: M21-M30 Hallway

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Nightshift 31: M21-M30 Hallway

((Specifically in room M22))

This night was shaping up to be another long and tiring one. Adelheid mentally ran through the checklist of things to do: give a spear to Yukari Takeba, create the sakabatou for Himura Kenshin, sharpen Kenren's blade... and then, if he found a moment to breathe, to do something to let off some of the anger he still felt. At least he wasn't powerless tonight; that was the only good thing for him to look forward to. It had been too long since he'd gotten to fight something that wasn't a patient.

He kept one ear on the radio, still wondering if Jack was honestly gone and convincing himself that such could not be the case. Besides, he was too busy to feel grief now. He had to focus, or else this night was going to be just as frustrating as the previous one.

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"I'm not pouting," Shadow replied and grinned widely. "See? Not a pout on my face. And I still say that resting is overrated."

"You're pouting internally." Valyn returned the smile and reached out to brush Shadow's hair out of his face. "And it isn't. You'll feel better for it in the morning. And while you're here, resting, I can be sure you're safe."

Valyn's touch suddenly brought Shadow's mind to a new direction, not that it was very far from that particular direction to begin with. "I'm always safe lying next to you," Shadow said softly, moving closer so that their bodies were touching. "And if I'm pouting it's only because we've been alone for practically a half hour and you haven't once kissed me."

Valyn chuckled a bit, leaning his head to press his forehead against Shadow's. "Only because I don't want to start something we can't finish. Kissing isn't conducive to resting."

"Sure it is," Shadow argued, keeping his voice soft as he placed his good arm on Valyn's waist. "Some of my best rests came from kissing and what usually follows after."

"Not when you're wounded," Valyn argued, lightly. There was no real anger or annoyance in his voice, however. It was nice, to just lay here together for a little while. It had been too long since they'd been able to.

"I'm not that wounded," Shadow pointed out. "Just my arm. My lips are still fully functional."

He was laying it on thick, he knew that, but it was all he could do to keep from pushing Valyn back on the bed and kissing him like he wanted. He still remembered their argument and Shadow didn't want to push Valyn too forcefully. He would seduce him, which he knew he was good at.

"But your arm was rather seriously wounded." It was mostly teasing, really. "And you never stop at just kissing. What if Shana were to walk in, hmm? Or Keman?"

"Then they could take a seat and wait until we are finished to speak to you," Shadow grinned. "Besides, they could take notes on what they see. It wouldn't hurt for either of them to learn how seducing you is really done."

"And neither Keman nor Shana need notes on how to do that," Valyn pointed out, running his fingers lightly through Shadow's hair.

"No?" Shadow snickered, closing his eyes as Valyn's fingers were soothing. "They do a fair job seducing you already, is that it?"

"Keman doesn't want to seduce me, and you shouldn't encourage that behavior in Shana." That was an issue Valyn would deal with when he could. Perhaps with the help of his therapist.

"Shana doesn't need encouragement. Besides, I can't help but find the way she hangs off your every word endearing. Not many get the luxury of having a girl like Shana climbing all over themselves to make a good impression on you. You should feel lucky."

"Shadow..." Valyn turned his head, not wanting this to turn into a fight. "I don't want to talk about Shana. Not now."

Shadow sighed and leaned back on his pillow. "Sorry," he apologized. "I'll stop talking about her. Now isn't the time to be trying to push you to do something you're not comfortable with anyway... especially when I should be trying something else entirely."

He put his good hand on his forehead and rubbed his eyes in frustration. "I really need to stop doing that entirely. Playing matchmaker has gotten me punched in the face once today. The last thing I want to do is start a fight when you're lying in bed next to me."

"No, I don't want to fight." Valyn sighed and settled in beside Shadow, cheek resting on the pillow.

"We've had enough fighting lately. But... you're right, you know. You need to stay out of other people's affairs. I've learned there aren't many societies where interference in things like that are appreciated. It's rather more encouraged for things to take their own course."

And much as Valyn knew Shadow only wanted to help, not everyone was appreciative of the help.

"I didn't think it could hurt," Shadow replied with a slight shrug. "This place can be so serious. Wouldn't it help to have something a bit more fun to focus on?"

Romance and sex was always a fun escape for Shadow. It was the one area he was completely confident in. He could be as sensual as the best girl in the harem and it was comforting to know that no matter how bad a day he could have Shadow had the evening to look forward to. Why wouldn't anyone else want the same?

"I'll stay out of others business," he said, turning his head to brush his lips against Valyn's. "Our business is much more interesting."

"It's a serious place because we're in a serious situation." Valyn wrapped one arm gently around his cousin's waist. "You remember how it was in the woods. It's the same here. We're frightened and hunted and in danger. People's minds aren't on romance." Though he did have to agree that perhaps it would be better if people did take more time to find something to take their minds off everything else.

"Is it now?"

"I remember a few times in the woods when we did think about romance," Shadow reminded Valyn, running his fingers through the elf's hair. "During the day it's serious business but at night... well, there's more important things on my mind."

Shadow smiled softly at Valyn, running his fingers down Valyn's cheek and across his lips. "Wouldn't you say the same?"

"I suppose..." Valyn couldn't help but press his lips against Shadow's finger, softly. "But night is just as serious, you know. Perhaps moreso. At least here. Not back in the woods. At least then, even our pursuers needed to rest as well."

"Monsters can't come into the rooms, can they?" Shadow asked having a pretty good idea what the answer would be. "So we're safe here at least for tonight. We can rest together."

"No, they can't come into rooms." Valyn shook his head. "We're safe here, for now." At least there was that. They could rest here, without worry, at least for one night....

"Then, let's pretend for a moment that we're not in some mad hospital. This isn't a rough bed but your own with the softest comforter," Shadow murmured, speaking softly before kissing Valyn, finding that there weren't anymore words that needed to be said between them.

Valyn found there was nothing he could say to protest. What would it hurt to pretend, for just a small while, that things weren't horrible? To try and relax? And to enjoy the fact that Shadow was here, and they were both alive....

He closed his eyes and moved into the kiss, for a moment just letting himself be happy he had his cousin with him again.

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