The driver was starting to recuperate from his own shock now.
"I... I'll just make sure we're safe..."
He left and closed the door behind him. The rain was still beating hard upon the cab with a loud thrumming, lightning still lighting up the sky, but the carriage and it's occupants were safe enough now.
Grayell was shaking all too badly which at least was a good sign, it was when that shaking stopped that it could be all too late. But he hadn't the thought process to warm himself, his hands had lost their dexterity and means to even lift a blanket anyways.
He was in pain, his eyes fluttering and closing if opened, teeth chattering as much as he tried to stop it. But she climbed behind him, wrapped him up. The only heat just yet was her body against his back and so his hands snatched her arms and held them greedily, him curling forward with the shiver. It was only colder though, it let air in the cocoon around him, so he pressed back to her and pulled her arms up. His head turned at her cheek, skin ice cold and clammy, his breath still chilled. His shoulder curled in to try and cover him which ever way he could, turning him into her a little where he could curl tighter. His hand clutched to her in his need for warmth, her now draped about him in the rocking cabin, the dark and noise of the rain only punctuated by the startling flashing in the sky.
She felt him spasm a bit and try to warm himself, and she felt a pang of fear and...guilt. For some reason. She wasn't good at this. She nuzzled her head against his, his cold breath on her cheek, worrying her further. She held the blanket to his chest, holding his hands and whispering to him softly, comfortingly.
Shh...shh...stop. I got you, Gray.
One of her hands went to his head, running her hand through his hair, half in a gesture to calm him in some strange, childlike way, half because she thought it might have helped.
Be strong, Grayell. Stronger than the storm. You can do that. You have to.
He wasn't all there at first and it was the warmth that made him cling to her so, the need to be warm and prevent the danger that chilled in his bones. His head was dizzy with tiredness, fatigue sapping any clear thought from him...
... and then her words whispered through the dark that held him, awakened something that knew to survive. She was still the key, the warmth against his body starting to build in the blankets. He was still ice cold but starting to warm if only slightly against her.
But he knew enough that he was grateful. His hand lifted and snaked around her neck, his arm following. He hugged her then, his face rolling to her shoulder and still buried in her neck. His shivering was less vicious and whilst his voice was still slow, hushed due to the tremble in his jaw, he whispered.
She let out a long sigh of relief, shaking her head a little. She tried to smile, but it was worried.
You...you need to stop doing that, Gray. She held him close, like a doll. She tried to calm the shivering in his arms, feeling like she wasn't doing a very good job.
You're gonna kill yourself one day. And then I won't have anyone to bitch at.
Grayell managed a laugh then, as best someone so cold can manage of course; and he closed his eyes. He was slowly beginning to warm which was good, but the touch of a dear friend giving him that warmth calmed him, fought back the shock to his system. His breathing slowed, came closer to normal and she could feel his heartbeat slowing. He sighed and didn't speak for a moment, he didn't want to. He didn't want to move... he didn't want to think.
You can bitch all you like if I die saving your life.
Grayell smiled then and his head flooded with beautiful imagery. He was warming and his body was calming, but only to reasonable levels after the shock. He was tired though and his voice indicated as much. He did not move still but laid against her now, quite a heavy weight on her front really.
Mmm. I adore her with everything that I know. She is my world.
Good, good...stay awake for me. Just a little while, okay? Until I know you're okay. She brushed hair out of his face, trying to think of other questions to keep him talking. In the back of her mind, the jealous, bitchy part of her wanted to use this opportunity to find out about the two of them...and she didn't know why. She swallowed that guiltily and whispered to him.
Tell me what she's like when it's just the two of you.
Grayell smiled when she dragged the wet hair from his face. It was strange that she would... to him it was always an affectionate gesture between he and Kiko. And Marg had no affection for him. He was too tired to consider how surreal this situation might be though he would likely be quite confused later.
But right now he did feel cared fore. Like he mattered. And well... Grayell cared for Marg moreso than her for him. Hugging her, even for warmth; it felt good. Like the stress, the drama, the anxiety and the hurt in their past... well like it just never happened now. for the first time in maybe forever - he felt comfortable with Marg. Entirely comfortable.
But her question was a large one.
She... she sees me. She knows who I am. I know who she is and together well...
He smiles and a huff of breath escapes his nose like a laugh.
Well together we're perfect. I can be myself and so can she. That's a rare thing. She loves me for who I am and alone, when it is just her and I.... it's wonderful. Incredible.
That....hurt, for some reason. A little. It made her even more jealous. Why? She didn't need it, she knew she didn't. As much as she liked Serenity, it was...different. Wasn't it? Confusion bubbled up in her brain, through the cracks in her walls. She faltered, kept her smile, and nodded softly.
That's good. That's...great. Just keep awake for me. Can you....move? Try and move something for me.
Grayell said one more thing on the matter, one last thing ever so quietly.
I loved her before I knew her. I loved her before we even kissed.
Grayell lifted from her then and his arm let her loose as he rocked back, groaning. He rolled though, the blanket simply wasn't big enough and he wasn't ignorant enough to uncover her. She had been in the downpour too. So he rolled his back to her and tucked his hands to his chest, possessively clutching the blanket to his shoulder. His feet pulled up and he yawned.
She let out another relieved sigh as he rolled over, letting the tension out of her frame. The questions still...bothered her, but she pushed them aside, glad that Gray was all right. She leaned back a little, stretching.
Good thing you can move yourself. I'd hate to have to explain to Kiko how you died.
Last Edit: Oct 29, 2011 23:40:06 GMT -5 by Margrett
Grayell didn't say anything, he was too tired. Again, he'd pushed his known boundaries and still had no training in blood arts. Each time he learned something more of his abilities but each time, he had to overcome the fatigue it brought. That was a strange thing.
He thought about Kiko now and imagined her curled to his spine, her fingers playing with his hair, her warm breath on his neck. That filled him with more warmth than the blanket could hope to lend and he smiled. The rain sounded wonderful.
He was silent for quite some time. He didn't have much to say and was drifting toward sleep, but knew soon enough he would have to move again. But he was very aware that Margrett had refused to let him die. He wasn't planning on it... but maybe he had pushed himself too far. He had more to live for than that too, if Blueberry was not here well....
I think we're even now. But then....you've almost died twice...I think you do owe me. We'll figure that out later. You're making this a habit. She got up, finally trying to shrug off her own wet clothes. She tucked the blanket around Gray and took his clothes and laid them out, letting them dry. Then she looked out of the carriage to see if they were moving yet.
The carriage had stopped actually and she could see they'd drawn into a patch of trees, likely for the night. The driver wandered toward the door with a tired look.
"We'll be holding up here for the night then, let the horses rest. If you'll just move over..."
He stepped on the stoop and reached for the handle.. and then caught a glimpse of her bare shoulders. His eyes widened and he dropped from the step bashfully.
"Oh, I am sorry then miss, I will leave you two alone. You two are a fine pair if you ask me."
He tipped his hat with a smile and grabbed a ruck from the back of the carriage to go about pitching his own tent for the evening.
Grayell laughed a little in the dark behind her. He rolled onto his back and his head looked over, seeing her in the window, lightning setting fire to the sky and illuminating her frame.
Well. I agree about the fine pair part. Don't catch a cold though, I'd hate to see what blue turns to when it's freezing.