Work Text:
We are not winnowing back.” Bitki said, trying to keep her temper down, of course the book they had been sent to retrieve was not there. Because why would it be? That would be too easy. It’s not like everyone back home was depending on it or anything.
“It is a three day walk.” Her companion had replied, managing to not hide his annoyance at all, while briefly looking just below her eyes for a simple second before looking back into her eyes. “It’s far too long a walk.” More annoyance. Fine, if he didn’t have to hide it.
“You winnow then. I will not.” Bitki responded, dropping all pretences of hiding her temper and began to walk. Once she was concealed by the forest, she dropped her illusions and felt the relief of doing so. The strain of magic she rightfully should not have not pulling on her. Her magic was far to much for a lesser fae as herself, but she had it anyway.
“I don’t know why you keep on insisting on glamouring yourself. I already know what you look like.” Bitki had heard the voice of her travel companion, quickly catch up with her.
She had then turned, and looked up at the red haired male. She would have used her wings and flown to be eye level with him, but he had mocked her for it the last time. “Because, while it may be true that you know how I truly look, a fact I wish did not happen, others do not. You do not feel the stigmatism there is towards lesser fae. You do not feel the judgement. I do.” Bitki spoke, her voice with anger at first, though by the end, her anger had mixed with the slightest hint of pain.
“I would not allow them to judge you.” The males voice had changed, and took on an uncharacteristic softness, gently reaching out, and placing a hand on her arm, as she kept looking up at him, feeling a change in the air around him.
“Then you are a fool, Eris Vanserra.” Bitki said slowly shaking her head, before beginning to walk backwards. She had quickly turned around though, before what she had said registered in her mind. A fool about what? For thinking he could stop people judging her? For thinking she needed help against High Fae believing they were superior? For believing she couldn’t manage herself? She had missed the look of confusion, and slight pain in the males face. “Why would they send us out to get this book anyway?” Bitki asked, wanting to switch to a less heavy subject.
***
They had talked for hours, surprisingly getting on well. Bitki had laughed at the face Eris had made when they were complaining of sore feet. She had said she had to walk twice as fast to keep up with him, and as he grumpily retorted that it was because she was so short, she decided she would simply start flying. The face Eris had made when she had begun flying had been priceless, because he had to keep walking as she had just stopped, yet kept moving.
It hadn’t taken long after that though, about an hour, before they had found a small inn to stop at for the night. Landing on the ground, Bitki put up her illusions on herself again, before following her travel companion into the inn.
“Two rooms.” Eris had spoken, smoothly, dismissively, with lack of interest.
The inn keeper, a beautiful High Fae with short blond hair, standing around a foot taller than Bitki, then looked down to Bitki, to which the latter responded in a shy smile, how she always did around High Fae. Bitki then nodded, and added softly, yet firmly. “Please and thank you.”
The male next to her took an incredibly small step closer to her, to small for Bitki to notice. The inn keeper however, then took her gaze off of Bitki, and looked back to Eris, which allowed Bitki to relax. Her illusions were perfectly believable, but being under the gaze of a High Fae like that still made her incredibly nervous.
“I only have one room available.” The inn keeper said.
Bitki thought for a moment. She was fine with that, the inn was in the middle of a forest. She could find a tree to sleep under, it wasn’t that hard. It wouldn’t be her tree back home, but she could find a tree for the night, she wouldn’t take the room from-
“We’ll take it.” Eris had responded, and Elain just looked up at the male, confusion and shock.
“Alright, here is the key, it’s on the far end of the right.” With that, the inn keeper seemed to be done with the two of them.
As the two stepped outside, and got in front of the room that the inn keeper had given the key for, only to see, when Eris had opened the door, a single bed.
“So, enjoy your night. I’ll see you in the morning.” Bitki had mentioned, before moving to walk towards the forest. Or she would have if the damned male hadn’t grabbed her arm.
“Where are you going?” The question full of genuine curiosity, that Bitki couldn’t help but look up at the male, to see he was looking at her as if she were a puzzle he just couldn’t figure out.
“To find a tree to sleep under?” Bitki had answered, though her tone sounded as if the statement was both obvious, yet also a question.
“No.” Eris had responded. It sounded automatic, and not like he had thought his response out. The slight shock reflecting in his eyes showed that he had not expected to react automatically either.
“No.” Bitki responded though, shaking her head slowly. “Why no?” She asked looking up to him.
“Because…” It seemed as thought her travel companion was desperately searching for a reason to give that could be reasonable for his automatic outburst. “It’s cold.”
Suddenly, seeing how unhinged the normally pristine male was getting, Bitki saw the fun. The way he mocked everyone else, the way he mocked her for her height. Sure there had never been malice, but it would be her turn tonight. So with the smallest of smirks, she looked down at her sleeveless shirt, and thin pants, before looking back up at the red haired male, “No, because it’s cold?”
Even though it was dark, Bitki could see Eris’ face heat up a few shads lighter than that of his hair. “It gets cold at night.” Eris had corrected himself. She looked him straight in the eyes, wondering if he knew he still held her arm. She wondered if he knew how pink his face was.
Taking a deep breath, trying to keep her composure, she replied, determined to hold out longer than Eris. “I sleep on the forest floor, and have, every night of my life. Rain, shine, hot, cold. I’ve been on the forest floor every single night. I can handle the cold.” She didn’t mention that they were in Spring, and after being in the human lands, and experiencing what a winter could be like, any cold the Spring Court could offer was nothing.
Eris however seemed to be finding any words at all. “Just, just- Inside.”
An unfamiliar shiver made its way up Bitki’s spine, but she stood still, and only looked down at her arm, before looking back up at the male. Upon realizing he hadn’t let go of her arm, he quickly took his hand off of her, and held both his hands together in front of himself, as well as stepping aside, allowing for Bitki to enter first.
Upon stepping inside, she noticed the room was a fairly decent size. The bed was also large. Though moving swiftly, she went to grab some stuff around the room, to make an area for her to sleep in the open space in the corner in the room, when she was stopped by Eris behind her asking what she was doing. “Isn’t it obvious that I’m making a spot for me to sleep?”
“That’s ridiculous. There is more than enough room on the bed for two.” Eris shot back.
Standing up, Bitki started speaking before turning to face him. “Yeah, and I could sleep in the forest, bu-” she had not expected him to be standing just behind her, and she had certainly not expected to turn around only to be greeted with his chest. His bare, unclothed, chest. Hadn’t expected his scent of acorns, and rain filling her nose. She had lost all train of thought, as she just stood there, staring.
“Like what you see?” The male asked chuckling.
“Where are you’re clothes?” Bitki asked, unable to move her gaze elsewhere. She had closed her hands into fists as her thoughts wondered into wondering what his skin may feel like should she trace her hands over it. Would it be as smooth as it looked? She could not look away even as she felt her own face heat up,.
“What are you talking about? I have pants on.” Eris had responded, sounding as though he were having far to much fun than he had any right to.
Bitki, confused, looked down, only to immediately turn fully around again, only to hear Eris laugh behind her. “Those, are not- they go underneath- Where are you’re day clothes?” She asked, feeling her face burning even more.
“I took them off, to sleep.” Eris responded, after calming his laughing.
“You have clothes. Wear those.” Bitki said.
She felt a gentle touch on her shoulder, before hearing a softer, smoother voice next to her head, she closed her eyes. “I am not going to wear my, day clothes, to sleep.” Something about the way he said ‘day clothes’ had sent a shiver up her spine, she-
But then the words had sunk in, and she had realized what he had said. She then turned around, and looked up at him, though had not taken a step back. “Why not? They do the exact same job as your fancy night clothes.” Bitki replied.
“And what do you wear to sleep?” Eris asked, lifting a single eyebrow as if it were the most intriguing question he had asked in his life.
“My clothes. I didn’t have to distinguish between day and night when I was alone. I wear my clothes through the day, and then go to sleep under my tree wearing those same clothes, and change to different clothes the next morning. At the end of the week I take all the clothes I wore through the week to the stream to clean them and then put them in the hidden spot with the rest of my clean clothes.” Bitki began to explain, though when she saw as Eris was going to ask yet another question, perhaps make a joke she continued. “I live and sleep in the forest. I see no point in having a set of clothes specifically for sleeping, that will get dirty each night. That only doubles my work at the weeks end.”
Bitki slowly looked down at her hands. “I didn’t have parents who lovingly doted on me or spoiled me and would clean unnecessary night clothes at the end of each week. They left me when I was ten. Waited until I could take care of myself and abandoned me. I was completely alone for ninety years until your brother fount out about another fae in the human lands and insisted I meet with him.” Bitki continued.
Unable to see the look of anger not directed at her she was shocked when the subject was changed slightly.
“Put this on.” Eris had said, holding out his obscenely large shirt.
“That is your day shirt.” Bitki replied, looking up to the male, holding out his shirt.
“You should experience the comfort of sleeping in night clothes for at least one night.” Eris had responded, looking earnestly.
“Comfort,” Bitki whispered. While looking at the offered shirt, which was more a sweatshirt, still hesitant. “My wings would have no room to move. They would be stuck.” She said more confidently that time.
She then watched as the red haired male had done something she had not expected one bit. He had held his shirt up to her, before turning it around and ripping it, twice. He had ripped it twice, before holding it back to her. “Not anymore.”
“You ripped it.” Bitki commented.
“Yeah, you needed space for your wings to come out the back.” Eris responded with ease.
“You ripped it.” Bitki said again, stunned. “Earlier you said not to even touch it, because it is your, and I quote, ‘favourite casual warm shirt.’ And you just ripped it.” Bitki commented.
“Yes. You’ve mentioned that. Now don’t make me regret it, and go put it on.” Eris said, lifting one of Bitkis hands and putting the shirt in her hand.
***
By the time Bitki had come out of the bathing room, she had to admit, she felt exposed. Even though Eris’s shirt was massive on her, and was more like a dress, she had felt massively exposed. She had also walked out without any illusions, and was her true vulnerable self.it wasn’t helping how his shirt was filled with his scent, and how his scent was surrounding her.
She noticed that Eris had put his day pants back on, and she had to secretly admit to herself, the very small amount of disappointment that he had.
“There is unfortunately one blanket. You may ha-” It was now Eris’ turn to stare as he turned around, hyper aware of everything, Bitki noticed how his pupils had grown, as he continued to stare.
With far less confidence than he had earlier, Bitki repeated his words back to him. “Like what you see?”
“Would it be so wrong if I said yes?” Eris responded, his voice lower than usual.
Bitki standing there, staring back at him, shocked with his answer, her breath catching could only shake her head. No, it would not be wrong at all. But then, as she was exhausted she moved forward to the bed, and had lied down. “I cant breath.” Her voice muffled by the pillow.
“How do you normally sleep?” Eris asked, looking down at the female.
Lifting her face up, Bitki sighs. “I have my tree at home. A large tree root, that I have my cloaks to cushion the touch painful aspects of the tree root. But it keeps my face up so I can breath. I cant sleep on my back, because of my wings. I cant sleep on my side, because my antlers make it uncomfortable for my head. I have to sleep fully facing down. This pillow is too, fluffy, squishy, and I cant breath.” Then she takes the pillow out of her eyesight, and throws it behind her, placing her face down again. It wasn’t comfortable, but, it would do.
There was chuckling beside her, before Eris told her to lift her head. “Why?” Bitki asked, looking up at him, but then the male had just reached his arm across the bed. “Now thats just rude. You wont let me sleep in the forest, you insist I sleep on the bed, and now you don’t give me anywhere to put my head?” Bitki asked, looking up at Eris.
“You said you use a tree root as a pillow. I’m sure my arm is far more comfortable than a tree root. Use my arm so you can sleep and be able to breath. I will be killed if I return and you have died by being unable to breath while sleeping.” Eris commented.
“Well, at least you’ll have gone out shortly after me.” Bitki muttered, before placing her head on the males arm.
Sleep had found her far faster than normal that night.
***
The next morning, Bitki woke up, to find Eris holding her, something she was not expecting. “Eris.” Bitki whispered, with no use. “Eris, wake up.” She tried again, this time with a poke to the cheek. It still wasn’t working. Growing frustrated, she tried once more. She took a deep breath, before shouting loudly. “Eris Vanserra! I need you to wake up right now before there is an accident in this bed and it would be entirely your fault!”
Having been right against to him, thanks to him pulling her close in his sleep, she had shouted in his ear. This had caused him to jump strait up in a sitting position. Bitki wasted no time before hurrying into the bathing room, hearing behind her as the male had been grumbling at being woken up from a peaceful sleep.