[ Her warning is met with a quick little smirk, something that says, Try and make me.
But she looks worn, he thinks. Tired. And given the hour, he’s none too surprised. He understands her reluctance, though, having experienced the same, time and time again. Nightmares grasping for him during his waking hours, just on the edge but close enough that he could feel coldness brushing against the back of his neck. He’d hate to return to them, just as much she would.
Still, there’s a certain structure and routine to Emma’s life that Faraday lacked in his. He made about half of his money hustling, the other half taking up odd jobs, which meant he could while away his sleeplessness at a card table. He wouldn’t make as much, granted, but it was better than hard labor. Not quite the case, here, where practicality reigns supreme, and he picks up the cards off the bed, moves to stand. ]
You ought to try and get back to bed. As much I’d enjoy seein’ it, you’ll be no use if you’re stumbling around half-drunk from exhaustion.
[ faraday admittedly has a point: she needs to be alert and ready for her day, and even if emma has gotten used to functioning after less ideal nights' sleep since the worsening of her nightmares, she could still use the rest. she has things to do, after all, and the opportunity to sleep isn't one she ought to pass up.
when he moves to stand, emma straightens slightly on the bed, and the word is out of her mouth before she can stop herself: ]
—stay.
[ it's probably the exhaustion that spurred her to say it, and her cheeks turn a little pink after she realizes she let the word slip. she glances away, partially from embarrassment, partially from a dislike of the small wound to her pride, but she keeps speaking, just to elaborate (or dig herself a deeper hole). ]
At least so you could wake me if I...go right back to dreamin' like that again.
[ having him around puts her at ease, oddly enough, and she thinks that may be enough to lessen the nightmares, to let her get some real rest. ]
[ He stops, if only because of the shock of it, that single, little word. Even without the dim light, he sees the way her face reddens a little, the way her gaze darts away (embarrassment, he decides), and every word she says after that – well, he can tell this is difficult for her, in its way. This small admission of weakness, magnified tenfold by her pride.
Part of him wants to tease, to grin and joke and lessen how serious this all feels, how earnest it is. And he very nearly does, the words forming on the tip of his tongue— but at the very last moment, he swallows them back down. Reconsiders.
(Because he remembers making the same request, remembers an impossible blue sky and the steady grip of her hand in his as numbness washed over him.
Stay with me. Please. Till the end.
What kind of man would he be to not return such a huge favor?)
For a second, Faraday hesitates and licks his lips, though at length he nods slightly. His voice is soft when he says, ]
Alright. I won’t go anywhere.
[ He smiles a little, something fond and reassuring in the expression. ]
[ emma had been near bracing herself for him to brush her off, to find some way to turn her down, but— he doesn't. she looks back at him with a flicker of shock crossing her face, like she can't quite believe that he's agreed to keeping watch while she sleeps (because she knows he's not going to be doing any sleeping himself, so it's not like it's much for entertainment, sticking there beside her). however, the shock gives way to that warmth in her eyes, even if she still looks mildly distraut over asking in the first place. ]
...thank you.
[ her tone is genuine, but with the reassurance that he'll be staying put, she pulls up the blankets and crawls back into bed properly.
she still sleeps on the same side she always did when matthew was alive, like she hasn't even thought to spread out in the bed or roll to the other half; instead, she's curled comfortably on one distinct part, and she just shifts onto her side, looking up at faraday from her pillow. ]
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But she looks worn, he thinks. Tired. And given the hour, he’s none too surprised. He understands her reluctance, though, having experienced the same, time and time again. Nightmares grasping for him during his waking hours, just on the edge but close enough that he could feel coldness brushing against the back of his neck. He’d hate to return to them, just as much she would.
Still, there’s a certain structure and routine to Emma’s life that Faraday lacked in his. He made about half of his money hustling, the other half taking up odd jobs, which meant he could while away his sleeplessness at a card table. He wouldn’t make as much, granted, but it was better than hard labor. Not quite the case, here, where practicality reigns supreme, and he picks up the cards off the bed, moves to stand. ]
You ought to try and get back to bed. As much I’d enjoy seein’ it, you’ll be no use if you’re stumbling around half-drunk from exhaustion.
no subject
when he moves to stand, emma straightens slightly on the bed, and the word is out of her mouth before she can stop herself: ]
—stay.
[ it's probably the exhaustion that spurred her to say it, and her cheeks turn a little pink after she realizes she let the word slip. she glances away, partially from embarrassment, partially from a dislike of the small wound to her pride, but she keeps speaking, just to elaborate (or dig herself a deeper hole). ]
At least so you could wake me if I...go right back to dreamin' like that again.
[ having him around puts her at ease, oddly enough, and she thinks that may be enough to lessen the nightmares, to let her get some real rest. ]
If it's— not a bother.
no subject
Part of him wants to tease, to grin and joke and lessen how serious this all feels, how earnest it is. And he very nearly does, the words forming on the tip of his tongue— but at the very last moment, he swallows them back down. Reconsiders.
(Because he remembers making the same request, remembers an impossible blue sky and the steady grip of her hand in his as numbness washed over him.
Stay with me. Please. Till the end.
What kind of man would he be to not return such a huge favor?)
For a second, Faraday hesitates and licks his lips, though at length he nods slightly. His voice is soft when he says, ]
Alright. I won’t go anywhere.
[ He smiles a little, something fond and reassuring in the expression. ]
Get some sleep. I’ll be here if you need me.
no subject
...thank you.
[ her tone is genuine, but with the reassurance that he'll be staying put, she pulls up the blankets and crawls back into bed properly.
she still sleeps on the same side she always did when matthew was alive, like she hasn't even thought to spread out in the bed or roll to the other half; instead, she's curled comfortably on one distinct part, and she just shifts onto her side, looking up at faraday from her pillow. ]
Goodnight, Joshua.