At long last, Nyell fell prey to sleep, and his mind wandered off into unconsciousness, his uncertain thoughts finally put to rest. It wasn't a deep sleep, however. He was groggy and not as responsive as usual, yes, but not to the point where he couldn't tell when the mattress sank beside him. It startled him slightly and made him frown. Even so, it didn't send alarm bells ringing, and he didn't react much, only moving an inch closer to the edge of the bed to give more space to the man. Nyell tended to take over the whole bed when he slept alone, a tendency he'd need to correct one of these days, as he was now sharing a bed with someone else.
'So frigging cramped…' The fleeting thought crossed his mind, but it quickly disappeared into a bottomless abyss. Allen's distinctive calming smell had wafted inside the room the moment he entered the house, soothing Nyell's instinct and taut nerves. It wasn't a stranger, so there was no need to stay on high alert. And as such, Nyell allowed himself to fall into a deep slumber a few seconds later, now that someone he could trust was by his side. There was no need to sleep with an eye open.
Bad habits were hard to break; there was no way Nyell could fall into a deep, restful sleep in an unfamiliar environment, not without a trusted comrade nearby who could watch over his defenseless body. It was a survival instinct every werewolf developed in the jungle, for entrusting your sleeping self to the wrong person could lead to death. Unconsciously, Nyell had recognized Allen as someone he could trust with his life, whether he wanted to admit it or not. Whatever the case, he would at least get that much-needed rest tonight—his body was killing him, especially his legs, with his thighs throbbing in pain up to his spine. Climbing the mountain twice was hard enough on its own, but it was even more demanding after a hike throughout the jungle and a trip to the cliffs, which weren't exactly next door. Even Nyell had his limits! His stamina was impressive, but not endless, and it had been depleted entirely today, down to the very last drop. He needed rest.
.
.
The next time Nyell woke up, it was morning.
Still drowsy, he nevertheless opened his eyes, only to be greeted by the sight of Allen's back and silvery-whitish hair. Again, he had lashed onto the man during his sleep, snuggling against his back and wrapping his arms around his waist. He had even thrown one of his legs over his hip to keep him close, almost as if he was holding him hostage. But despite his over-the-top clinginess, which would most likely be uncomfortable for most people, Allen was sleeping soundly. His soft breathing could be heard throughout the room, steady and deep. It was a lulling sound that almost put Nyell back to sleep.
And for a moment, he was tempted. Everything had been so hectic these past few months, and he was barely managing to hold his sanity intact. His mother's slow death, the disappearance case, his destined mate being the guy he hated the most in the world, his uncle's twisted fate, the aftermath of dealing with the elders, and then, the journey and his arrival at the White Moon tribe. It was a lot to handle in such a short time, and he was still trying to absorb everything without his emotions overflowing and breaking down. At times, it was hard not to scream to the heavens and curse every god out there.
Nyell heaved a heavy sigh before deciding it was time to move and letting go of Allen's warm body. But by doing so, a certain part of his body, which had hardened during the night, pressed against Allen's buttock. It was unintentional. Really.
"Hm?" A sleepy humming sound resounded, and Nyell froze, unsure whether he should pretend to know nothing of his member currently well-nestled against the shaman's butt or if he should go along with what his morning hood wanted. His hips suddenly felt restless, and he might have followed through with his desire to grind against Allen if it wasn't for him whispering, his voice still sounding half-asleep, "I don't mind, but the kids and your uncle are there."
Well, there went the excitement. It was like a bucket of cold water was poured over his head, and rationality came back at lightning speed. Morning wood was one thing, but getting all bothered and excited at the mere idea of grinding against Allen's ass was another thing altogether! What the hell was wrong with him?! Since when had his lower half dictated his actions? Get a grip!
"I'll be borrowing the toilet for a bit," Nyell grunted before jumping out of bed and escaping to the bathroom, away from prying eyes. "It won't be long."
As Nyell fled, he could hear a stifled laugh coming from the bed, souring his mood a little more. If it hadn't been for the children, he would have veered on his heel back into the room and flipped Allen over. Didn't he say he didn't mind, anyway? He hadn't specified what he didn't mind, either, so Nyell might as well have his way with him. Unfortunately, it wasn't something he could do with kids in the room, and he would have to vent his frustration through his fantasies instead.
.
.
After taking care of his morning problem, Nyell returned to the bedroom, where Allen was getting ready for the day. He was a little drowsy, and his actions weren't very smooth. It seemed like he was the type who took a while to wake up completely, and his body acted on muscle memory until then. It was the first time Nyell had seen him right after he got up, as every other time, he was awake before him. His clumsiness was a sight to behold.
"Do you need help with brushing your hair…?" Nyell asked after a moment, looking at the sorrowful braid with a bit of pity in his eyes. So many strands had been left out, and the sorry excuse of a braid seemed about to loosen up at any given time. "I've taken care of my sister's hair for ages, so I should be able to do something with yours."
Allen didn't say much, only handing over the wooden comb, which Nyell swiftly took before indicating to the shaman to sit on the bed, his back toward him. Allen complied in a heartbeat and appeared to be dozing off as he sat cross-legged on the bed. The somewhat childish act left Nyell speechless for a moment. It soon stirred up his mischievous side, however. Since Allen was so out of it, he certainly wouldn't notice his little payback for earlier, would he? And to be honest, he was also genuinely curious. How would this man look with milkmaid braids? Somehow, he felt like it'd suit him.
"Come to think of it," Nyell spoke up, deciding to make small talk to distract Allen from his little prank. "I didn't see Myur yesterday? It hadn't accompanied Dangu?"
The shaman seemed to hum a 'no'.
"Why?"
"Because," was the curt answer. And before Nyell could pursue the matter further, Allen added, "Stop trying to distract me and continue working on your odd braid."
Ah. So, even half-functional, Allen couldn't be fooled. That was good to know. It was also good to know that he let him do whatever the heck he wanted without resisting. For some reason, a warm feeling spread inside his chest at the thought.
"It was also a genuine question, though," Nyell grumbled under his breath while working on Allen's hair. Just as he was about to turn around and search for ribbons, a box with all the necessities floated to his side. Considering the height it hovered at, it was most likely one of the children. "Thank you."
A milkmaid braid took longer than a regular braid as it had to be wrapped around the crown of Allen's head. Since his hair was so long, Nyell decided to let the ends freely fall on his shoulders. It looked like a veil. He had to admit that he was pretty proud of his little work of art. Just as he had thought, the delicate hairstyle enhanced Allen's beautiful facial features. It gave him a harmless air, too, even though he was anything but harmless.
"So? What's on the agenda today?"
"It depends," Allen shrugged as he stood up, gesturing to Nyell to follow him to what seemed to be the kitchen. It was time to eat breakfast. "Do you want to take it easy, or do you want to be so busy you'll feel like dying?"
"Do I even have a choice in the matter?"
"No, not really," Allen admitted with a wry smile, while bringing out jerky and handing a few slices to Nyell. "You made yourself too noticeable yesterday, and rumors have been flying about. You won most of my people's hearts overnight, thanks to your participation in the rescue effort. The sailors you saved had been busy singing your exploits all night."
"What exploits?" Nyell rolled his eyes, biting into the jerky. His eyes widened at the taste. What kind of spice was that? "Anyway, I just jumped down the cliff and helped pull them up, nothing noteworthy there."
"It might not be an impressive feat in the jungle, but it is here. We're also a tribe of werewolves, but we have grown complacent over the years. Not many train anymore. Although we're still more fit and stronger than most species that frequent the harbor, and our shamanic knowledge gives us an edge, we're far beyond the Black Moon tribe regarding everything that requires using our muscles for anything other than the basics. Only our hunters still go through rigorous training, and most people give up halfway through."
"You say 'we', but I'm pretty sure you're not included in that. You've shown me too much prowess these past few weeks for me to believe that crap."
"I'm an exception," Allen raised his hands in defeat. "Anyway, all that to say that you're the talk of the town for many reasons."
"And I bet some people are anxious to get in touch with me," Nyell snorted, a vicious light flashing in his eyes. "Do some of them have something to do with the children and women I found shackled?"
"Oh," Allen smiled, but his smile was so icy that Nyell felt a shiver run down his spine. He was angry, very angry. The cute, delicate hairstyle did nothing to attenuate his fury. "I bet they are craving the chance to get their hands on you. We showed everyone in the council yesterday just how close we supposedly are and how important you are to me. It makes you the perfect weakness."
It looked like the hunt would begin today. Not like Nyell would complain. The faster they were done with the pesky flies, the sooner Nyell's nerves would be able to relax. He did not want to cohabit with monsters that wore human skin. If there was one thing he could not pardon, it was beasts going after children. And for that, he'd gladly play along with Allen's scheme to draw them all out.