>>39843362
>..Yeah. You should get some sleep, even if you don't think you can.

>>39843362
>...Yeah. You should get some sleep, even if you don't think you can.

Also, why would companion glance suggestively in our direction while walking to her tent?

>>39843362
>>No. You're going to go for a walk, calm down.

Right, before I forget - I'm answering questions this thread! Feel free to ask!

Also, I only have until Sunday morning, so I'll try to keep this thread moving a little faster.

I'll call votes in ten minutes.

>>39843362
>...Yeah. You should get some sleep, even if you don't think you can
Baker! You're back!

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You consider the question. You...really don't think you'll be able to sleep, very soon, but... You sigh.

"Yeah. I should at least try to get a little sleep." Her eyebrows go up, and an ear twitches.

"Really?" She asks, a little doubtfully. "Not going to waste half the night worrying?" You shake your head, with a half-hearted grin.

"Not tonight." You reassure her. "I need to be well-rested for the morning, after all, don't I? I should at least try to get a little sleep." She smiles back at you, happily.

"That's the way, Hero~!" She disappears into the tent. You stare into the fire for a few minutes, considering tomorrow's many difficulties. But...your companion has always insisted that you should try and let tomorrow's worries wait for tomorrow, so... With an almost physical effort, you set those concerns aside, and follow your companion into the tent.

It's as you feared, though - you can't seem to find any rest. The stress of the upcoming day has left you restless, and you just can't seem to relax. But...well, your companion is a very light sleeper - when it comes to you, at least, somehow. She won't bat an eye at the sounds outside, whatever they may be, but if you were to try and go for a walk now, to clear your head...

Well, she'd know. And she'd give you this disappointed expression, and you'd just feel awful. She claims she learned it from you, and that you're even better at it than she is, but that's just silly.

>Brave her disappointment.
>You'll manage it somehow.
>Maybe she's still awake, though? You could chat, a little?

>>39844816
>Maybe she's still awake, though? You could chat, a little?

>>39844816
>>You'll manage it somehow.

>>39844816
>Maybe she's still awake, though? You could chat, a little?

>>39844816
>Maybe she's still awake, though? You could chat, a little?

>>39844816
>You'll manage it somehow.
Hot Milk/Hot Chocolate. Surely we can get some of that around here?

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Well, she might still be awake? Maybe?

"Are you awake?" You murmur, as softly as you possibly can. Those ears of hers aren't just for show, after all - she has truly exceptional hearing.

"...mm." She replies, softly. There's a quiet shifting of fabric - you guess she is.

"...It's weird, isn't it?" You wonder aloud to her. "I'm more nervous about tomorrow than I ever was about fighting the Demon Lord." You'd never been afraid to risk your life, or meet your fate head-on. Almost every Hero has died in battle, and the thought that you'd do the same never seemed like a big deal. But now that you have to go speak in front of a bunch of lords - which the patricians are, basically, even if they aren't 'nobles' - you're incredibly nervous.

"...nn." Your companion makes a soft noise. You think she was disagreeing?

"...Well, maybe not, then." You allow. "...Maybe this is just something I'm not used to, and that's why I'm...uncomfortable." You haven't spent a lot of time around very many other people - you can count the people you know on both hands, including the three orcs and the devils. The villagers back home didn't interact with your master, much, or with you.

"...nnn." She replies. There's some more sounds of shifting fabric.

"What about you?" You ask. "What do you think about tomorrow?"

You prop yourself up on an elbow, as a strange high-pitched sound comes from her side of the tent. You eye the fabric divider suspiciously.

>Is she okay?
>"...Are you...listening?"
>...Well, it's not important.
>Just try to go back to sleep.

>...?

>>39845521
>Is she okay?
>Take a look.

>>39845521
I know where this is going.....
....and I have no idea how dense Hero is supposed to be.

>...Well, it's not important.

>>39845521
>Is she okay?
>"...Are you...listening?"

>>39845521
>Is she okay?
>Take a look.

>>39845550
I hope he's not dense. Dense protagonists are terrible and overdone.

Are...are we back? Is everything working?

Excellent! Then with this, votes are called.

>>39845929
He's not dense per se. He knows how to put the moves, and he knows how to play the political game. But there's something there.

That, and even if he ISN'T dense, what are you SUPPOSED to do in awkward situations?

>>39845929
>>39846018
and, well, the first 3 options sound like different flavors of "dense protagonist" , while the 4th is just running away from the problem.

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You sit up.

"Are you all right?" You ask, as a quiet whine reaches your ears. You pull the divider to the side, looking in on her. In the darkness, you can see her ears twitching, as she rolls over in her bed. You can't quite make out her expression, but... It doesn't look like a pleasant one - all you can really tell is that her eyes are screwed shut tightly. She curls in on herself, almost defensively, and whimpers softly, one ear briefly twitching back against her head.

Something's not right, here.

"Hey, are you okay?" She doesn't respond, and you reach over the gap. She must be having a nightmare. She doesn't often, but... you can tell, some mornings. She's not herself.

You lay a hand on her shoulder, and she flinches under your touch. You frown, giving her a light shake.

"Wake up!" You tell her, and she lashes out with a scream.

"No!" Her claw crosses the short gap as easily as your hand did, but you jerk back, out of the way. She shoots up, in bed, wide-eyed, glancing around and...falling off her bed as she tries to scramble away. You catch an outstretched arm as she falls, and pull her back upright.

"Careful, careful." You warn her, and she stares at you.

"...H-hero?" She murmurs, disbelievingly.

"You were having a nightmare." You soothe her. "It's all right." She quivers, for a moment, before launching herself into your arms. You catch her, surprised, as she buries her face against your neck and just shakes, like a frightened puppy.

>Just hold her, for now.
>Soothe her.
>Try to get her to talk about it.

>...?

>>39847001
>Soothe her.
>Try to get her to talk about it.

>>39847001
>Carry her into a more comfortable position

>Try to get her to talk about it.

>>39847001
>Soothe her.

>>39847001
>>Soothe her.

bump

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"I'm here." You wrap your arms around her soft, warm body, murmuring softly. "It's okay." You stroke her hair, gently, and continue to murmur quiet comforts. She doesn't cry, at least, which you're guiltily grateful for, nor does she sniffle. She just trembles, shaking in your arms, and all you can think to do is this. It doesn't feel like enough, really, but...

You shift into a more stable and comfortable position. She leans on you bit more heavily, and her hair tickles your chest.

It takes quite some time, but eventually her trembling comes to a stop - as she falls asleep on top of you, of course. Well, you won't be going for that walk, you suppose. But... this is kind of nice, too. It certainly keeps your mind off of tomorrow.

You yawn.

Maybe you will get some sleep, after all.

------------------------------------------------------

You awake with the dawn, like you do every day, but you're in no hurry to go anywhere. You're surprisingly cozy, right where you are. And warm, too. You hug the figure on top of you closer, and she nuzzles her face into your neck, murmuring softly.

This is very nice...

You begin to doze again, but...

Wasn't there something you needed to do?

>You need to train, don't you?
>You can take one day off.
>Just rest.

>...?

>>39848672
>>You need to train, don't you?

>>39848672
>>...?
I LIKE MYSTERY OPTIONS!

>>39848672
>Just rest.

>>39848752
I think that's actually the write-in option

Also, It's really late. I'll be continuing in about ten hours, or so?

>>39848672
>...?
Get up!
With an "Oh shit! I'm late!" moment.

>>39848756

In that case, changing >>39848752
To
>Cuddle with her to wake her up

>>39848985
Second

>>39848985
agreed

bump

bump

>>39848985
I wonder if this will end with a red-faced Hero apologizing for being late while he's trying to look more important than the Bey.

Bump shift! It's the bump shift!

bump. That was close.

Bringing this back up.

>tfw baker and I have opposite sleep schedules
also bump

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You hold your companion close, face in her hair, as you acknowledge that, well, as nice as this is, the two of you do need to wake up. You quietly speak into her ears, mounted on the top of her head for your convenience.

"Hey." You murmur, softly, "It's morning." The ear twitches, tickling your face. "Time to wake up, come on."

"Dun wannnaaa..." She whines, into your neck. One leg wraps around you as she hugs you tighter. "Five more minutes..." You run a hand through her hair, and she hums happily as she relaxes even further on top of you, until she's little more than a warm ooze, draped over you like a narrow blanket. That may be counter-productive, but she's incredibly cute like this - it's hard to resist.

After all, it's not every day that you get to be the one messing with her.

"Come on, now." You cajole. "Time to get up, okay?" She sinks further down onto you, pressing herself in.

"Nooo..." She protests, sleepily. "Too early..." You laugh, softly, prompting a flurry of ear-twitches.

"Uuup we go." You lift her bodily as you sit up, swinging your legs off to the side to stand, settling her on her feet. "There we are." She wobbles unsteadily, yawning widely enough for her jaw to crack and giving you a wonderful view of every single one of her terrifyingly sharp teeth. It takes a moment of you steadying her for her to find her balance, and then she looks up at you blearily.

"...It's morning?" She asks, almost pitifully.

"Time to get up." You confirm.

>There's still time to train, if you start now...
>Take the day off, clean up, get ready for the meeting.
>Breakfast would be nice.

>...?

>>39864488
>>Breakfast would be nice.
Eggs and Bacon?

>>39864488
>Take the day off, clean up, get ready for the meeting.
Maybe find a mirrior to do that analyze spell in front of

>>39864488
>>There's still time to train, if you start now...

>>39864488
>Take the day off, clean up, get ready for the meeting.

>>39864488
>>Take the day off, clean up, get ready for the meeting.

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You think you won't be training this morning - instead, you'll focus on looking your very best, and being prepared fro the upcoming audience that you'll be having with the Councils.

"I'm going to clean up for the meeting later." You inform your drowsy companion, as you bundle up what possessions you'll need for a bath down at the stream, "Try not to go back to bed, okay? I'm going to be relying on your help later." She almost immediately begins to brighten, and you match her radiant smile with a more subdued grin of your own.

"I'll be..." She breaks off, briefly to yawn again. "I'll be ready, Hero." She reassures you, patting your chest. You hiss, softly, as the innocent action draws pain, and she glances down at your chest in surprise.

The two of you boggle at the four neat lines gouged into your chest for a moment, crusty with dried blood. It takes you a moment to connect the dots to her strike last night - you must not have dodged as completely as you'd thought.

She sags, apparently just as capable of figuring out the source of the scratches as you are, even if she hadn't yet woken up for the event.

"...oh." Her voice is very small, and her ears are plastered tight against her scalp. "...Um."

>It's nothing.
>It's okay.
>Don't worry about it.
>Do you want to talk about it?

>...?

>>39865840
>pshh, I can take it *flex muscles*
>But really, we have a bit of time since I won't be training. Do you want to talk about it?

>>39865840
>Do you want to talk about it?

>>39865840
>>It's nothing.

>>39865840
>It's okay.
>Do you want to talk about it?

>>39865840
>It's okay.
>Do you want to talk about it?

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"Don't worry about it." You reassure her, taking her hand in your own. "Would you like to talk about it?" She won't look you in the eyes.

"...About what?" She asks, instead, ears flat and tail limp. "...I don't think there's anything we really need to discuss, right now..." It's not an unexpected response, but it is a bit disappointing. You sigh, and nod, giving her hand a soft squeeze.

"If you're sure." You accept her decision. "But I'm always here if you want to talk, okay?" She glances up at you, eyes cutting away after only a moment.

"...Yeah." She agrees. "...I know." You nod again, and finally allow her hand to slip from your grasp. She slips away almost immediately, pausing at the tent flap, taking a breath as though to speak...

And then deflating, and fleeing out into the morning light. Maybe she even will talk with you about it, someday. Maybe.

You gather your things back together, and, hands full, set out for that stream from before. It's still the most convenient option for you, in the end. You worry about your companion, sometimes - those nightmares, from the way they affect her, they must be bad. It would only help if she would just talk about it. It can't be good to keep it all bottled up like that.

As you're washing up, your eyes are drawn to the stand of trees straddling the water, not far away. That's where you found the Knight, slowly dying of her wound.

What a morbid train of thought that is.

But then, you don't even know who attacked her and her company, do you? Or why? Something you should think about, you reflect, sometime in the future.

>What was that, over by the treeline?
>You should think about heading back soon, or you'll miss breakfast.

>...?

>>39867484
>>What was that, over by the treeline?

Well, that'll have to do for this run - I need to turn in early, there's a busy busy day tomorrow. And the day after, and so on.

It's a tight tight schedule for me these days, but I can at least run you every week, every friday into saturday into sunday. Whether it'll be the full length, who can say, but it'll be at least a thread a week. Depending on how things work out, with work and my schedule, I might be able to extend the threads like I used to, but no real promises - my speed has been and seems to remain my weakness.

>>39867484
>You should think about heading back soon, or you'll miss breakfast.
>I'll send someone over to investigate later. Whoever attacked the Knight probably won't want to mess with an orc.

>>39867484
>What was that, over by the treeline?

>>39867484
>What was that, over by the treeline?