She wasn’t sure what happened, and quite honestly - despite his instructions she couldn’t stay conscious herself. Eteri slumped over his unconscious form. Unlike he, however, she awoke a few minutes later. Feeling incredibly nauseous. Her head pounding. She grimaced as she shifted out from underneath Nevin, with a great deal of effort. She padded to their room and pulled up a pile of blankets and pillows.

“This should help.”

Eteri made a little blanket cocoon around them booth and with a great deal, and we are talking about a GREAT deal of effort she managed to lift up Nevin’s torso so she could rest his head in her lap. “Is better Nevin?” She asked, gently pulling his hair away.

A voice, soft, he opened his eyes - to see a paste covered face peering down at him, asking him if he was alright. Nevin let out a weak smile and reached up with a trembling hand. “Honey?” His voice was weak, strained, and just speaking took effort. If they hadn’t had some time to sleep, he wouldn’t even have been able to open his eyes.

“Still think strange.” Eteri said as she pushed his hand down. “That you call honey. Like Eteri calling you fish.” He laughed, and the motion shook his body.

“Then, just Eteri. My Eteri, I hope?”

She gave Nevin a small smile, it wasn’t as bright nor as cheery as hers usually were. She knew what had happened, and she needed to process it. She knew she had treated Nevin poorly and that she had so easily walked into a death trap because she was too trusting. Even now she felt remnants of whatever that man had done to her tugging at the recesses of her mind.

“Your Eteri.” She finally said, squeezing his hand tightly.

“Am so-” She cleared her throat, trying very hard to speak properly. It felt as though the situation called for it. “I am sorry.” She murmured. “You did life force thing again?”

Nevin forced himself up with a lurch, into a seated position, and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her to his chest. The hold was weak, but there. “You don’t need to be sorry, Eteri. I did, and I would do it again without hesitation. That man… that man found you because I tried to be adventurous, and was stupid. I am the one who is sorry.”

There was no winning here, each one felt as guilty as the other. “Am...was too trusting.” Eteri pried him off of her and forced him to rest back into her lap. “Not thinking of conse---conse..uh….bad things that can happen with Eteri’s actions. This no happen again. Can no have you do this to you.”:

“Consequences, Eteri. That’s what you needed there. And losing you, even if you didn’t really want to leave, hurt far worse than giving up some life force to heal you.” He burrowed his head into her lap, pressing his face into her stomach, and breathed in deeply. “I’ve missed your scent…” His voice was a weak mumble.

Eteri gently ran her fingers through his hair, not saying any more. If she had, he’d continue to respond and he needed rest. The ordeal shook Eteri. More than she let on. If Nevin hadn’t said those words...she would have considered leaving with her sister. The empty and heavy feeling inside of her chest ached and tugged at her very core.

Nevin shifted, wrapping an arm around her waist and hugging her as his eyes drifted closed. “I think I lied.. I don’t want you to leave, I just want you to stay…”

Eteri furrowed her brows. Still running her fingers through his hair. Just how long could they keep this up? All she seemed to do was hurt him. If he kept this up wouldn’t he die? HIs soul weaved slowly back and forth, weaker than its usual current and that unnerved her. Some parts grew brighter than others. The red that shone through the cracks...it was almost pulsating. She wasn’t sure what to make of it. She couldn’t tell if it were good or bad.

“Am here.” Eteri said. “Am here….” His fingers tightened against her before he fell unconscious once more.