Waking Up in Your Arms

Petal was screwed. She was really, really screwed. She was so screwed that something deep in her brain told her that everything was actually perfectly fine, and that she could go back to sleep and not worry about a thing.

The more rational part of her, though, realized she was in a pile of trouble.

The arms around her waist were heavy, and even if the other's body always ran terribly cold, it felt rather warm. Petal wondered if this was something she would grow fond of in the future, being cuddled up with a handsome man in the early hours of the morning, but bit down on her tongue at the thought. There was a war on the precipice of starting, and she was getting butterflies over the idea of a hopelessly romantic future? How selfish.

She looked up, as she couldn't move her head in her current position, and found a peaceful face sleeping soundly. His white lashes seemed so much longer when they were fanned across his tanned cheeks. Without the stress of everyday life, Luciel looked incredibly peaceful. His face was free of wrinkles and worry, and when he moved his lips in his sleep, his dimples appeared and disappeared. Petal felt the back of her neck grow warm.

She had never been held so sweetly before.

Lu moved, and Petal held her breath. His arm fell away, and he rolled from his side onto his back. It was such a simple movement, but it was enough to make Petal feel cold all over. It was as if she finally realized she was sleeping on the ground, atop a blanket without anything to cover her from the air of the forest. Lu's other arm was still weighed down by her head against his shoulder, but even so, Petal wished she could reach over and bring herself back into that warm grasp.

Instead, she jumped to attention and sat up. Immediately, she was on her feet, and tending to the dying embers of the campfire. The flames awoke, but it wasn't enough to mask the blush overtaking her skin. Her friends all remained still, sleeping soundly. Aspen and Dillon curled up together, huddled a way's off from the group. Petal picked up a twig and tossed it into the flames, wondering how she found herself being jealous of a bird.

Shuffling behind her made the hair on the back of her stand up straight, but Petal feigned ignorance. Perhaps she should have stayed for a little while longer. She turned her head slightly, finding Lu's messy head of white head, and his arms stretched high above his head. Petal immediately turned back to the orange fire. "Good morning!" she exclaimed, but it was hushed so as to not wake the others.

"What time do you reckon it is?" Lu asked, his voice deeper with sleep. Petal pushed a hand into the pocket of her dress without a word. 

"Almost six in the morning," she answered curtly. She bit the inside of her cheek when she realized just how bitter she sounded in her reply, especially when she was met with silence from Lu. "Sorry!" she sang, "I must have woken you up. Go back to sleep. We don't need to leave yet."

"It's okay," the man replied, shuffling closer to the fire. From Petal's peripheral, she could see him cracking his knuckles. It must have been uncomfortable wearing gloves and rings to sleep, she assumed.

"I've always meant to say, I like your style a lot," Petal said, dragging her hands over her tights. She couldn't help herself from talking.

Lu looked down at himself, as if he had forgotten what he was wearing. He seemed bashful thanks to the compliment, nevertheless. "Thanks," he said softly.

"It seems fashion in Betronix and Axonis differs a bit. We tend to wear more casual clothes here. You three seem dressed to the nines compared to me," she giggled slightly. "But I guess that just proves the stereotype of Axonians being too relaxed compared to the rest of the world." Then, Petal laughed out loud, and covered her mouth slightly with her fist. "I say that as if we aren't on the brink of a war!"

It was silent for a moment, but Petal knew it was simply because Lu was trying to find the right words to say. "People always judge by appearances," he said.

Petal hummed and leaned back on her hands. "That's true. I'm sure we all made some pretty outrageous assumptions upon meeting each other. I was certain Akio would be… at least a little refined. All I ever hear about Kitakami is that their people are poised and perfect and polite. He's anything but that."

Lu sighed and shook his head. "Tell me about it."

"And Procyon… Well, I guess I don't know much about Verdun. But I never thought…" She lowered her voice and leaned closer to Lu's ear. "I never thought someone as nerdy as him would fall for a girl as exuberant as Lyanna Chilly Lake."

Lu shuffled, but he didn't move away from Petal. She didn't move, either.

"And Reverence," she continued, "Tieflings get a terrible representation. He's not evil. He's just stupid."

The white-haired man laughed, and Petal followed suit.

"But, you, Lu. I don't really know what I expected with you."

For a moment, his expression faltered. His smile dropped, and the one that reappeared seemed forced. "Yeah?"

"Gartnik is an agriculture giant. They are the largest exporter of produce and dairy in the entire world. Hearing you're from Gartnik… Well, I guess I wouldn't expect a dark and mysterious man like you."

"What… would you have expected?" Lu asked, almost like he was nervous to hear her admit it.

Petal grinned, and pinched his cheek, which earned a help from the man. "A country bumpkin. You do have a little bit of a twang to your voice, sometimes. It's very cute."

Immediately, Lu turned his head away, his hand lingering on his cheek to rub away the pain of being pinched. He was nervous, as Petal had seen him get this way after a compliment a multitude of times. She couldn't help but smile at the sight. "You do have the complexion I'd expect from a man working in the fields, though. And you're just muscular enough, too!" Petal was talking without a filter, as she did far too often. As the words were leaving her lips, even she wanted them to stop. She just couldn't help herself.

"Petal," Lu seemed exasperated.

She immediately shut up, sitting up straighter and bringing her hands to her lap. She was used to being told to shut up. Hearing it from Lu after their months of traveling together wouldn't be surprising, but it was still going to sting. It was going to sting really, really bad. Petal braced herself.

"You're… cute, too."

Her face burned so much she was almost positive she had tripped and fell head first into the campfire. She almost couldn't hear the shuffling around her, but something must have alerted her friends to wake up. Lu turned back to look at her then, and his eyebrows shot up to his bangs. After a moment, he squinted his eyes. "Are you… glowing?" he asked.

Petal grabbed her shawl from her makeshift bed, and threw it over her head as quickly as she could. She heard a little chuckle escape Lu, and a pressure atop her head. His hand.

Petal only hoped her light wasn't emanating through the fabric.