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Sereina yawned fitfully and rolled towards the edge of the bed, pulling the blanket tight around her shoulders.
The restless movement draws Samuel's attention back to that which he is trying to avoid. He frowns down at the dark form of the girl for a moment, then glances quickly away, muttering under his breath.
Sereina murmured in her sleep, right arm swinging towards the side of the bed and dangling off, slender hand losely forming a fist. Her fingers tightened momentarily, and a flurry of emotions flew through the bond, fear, panic and shame foremost above all. A small whimper escaped her lips and she flinched in her sleep, arm coming over her head protectively.
Samuel lets out a pained sigh and turns back to look at the girl. Reaching out very tentatively with his right hand, he gently touches her shoulder in what he hopes is a soothing manner. That is unlikely, however, as he almost immediately flinches back from the contact. He inhales sharply, and lets the breath back out, slowly and raggedly. Then his expression slowly goes blank as he seeks refuge in the void. Reaching out again, he pats her softly on the shoulder and whispers,'
Sereina flinched again, her eyes opening to look around her. 'Wha? What happened?' she sat up, shaking her head.
Samuel slowly retracts his hand as he releases the void, normal expression returning to his face. Very softly, he says,'It sounded.. and felt.. like you were having a bad dream. Are you all right?'
Sereina shook her head and put her hand on her forehead. 'Oh, sorry..' she murmured, legs shifting beneath the blankets. 'Did I wake you?'
Samuel shakes his head slightly and turns to look out of the cabin's lone window, into the night. He says in a hushed tone,'I was already awake. Wasn't able to sleep.' Something about the last comment seems to make him uncomfortable, causing him to shift about nervously on the bed.
Another wave of guilt surges through Samuel as he gazes out the window. 'No,' he lies. He shrugs his shoulders and adds,'Just thinking, trying to figure out what to do. Trying to talk myself out of doing anything else stupid.' The last sentence is said very softly.
Sereina looks doubtful but doesn't say anything. Instead, she gets out of the bed and goes to the desk, getting a cup and filling it with some water. 'Figure out what to do? Well, you already know what I think, but I won't say it. There's no point to repeat myself. But about your er....sister....I have no idea.'
Samuel's flush is likely not visible in the dark interior of the cabin, but it can be easily felt through the bond. He finally turns to look away from the window, fixing Sereina with a contemplative look, although his eyes are conspicuously locked on her face. He chews his bottom lip for a moment before saying,'I have already told you that I can't just let you go. Besides, it would not solve anything for either of us. You'd still feel me.. and if it did solve the "sister" problem, I am pretty sure that would be annoying for you.'
Sereina blushed. 'I wouldn't know what you mean...' she murmured, downing her water and then filling her glass again. 'And there's no way to discreetly ask about breaking a bond, is there?'
Samuel shakes his head slowly,'No subtle way at all.' He lets out a loud sigh and mutters,'I should just get Ani to teach you how to bond, then you could just get even with me.'
Sereina squeaked and juggled the glass in both of her hands, trying to keep it from falling. 'What do you mean, get even?'
Samuel shrugs and says,'I'm just babbling. Frustration talking, mostly.' He sighs again and turns to look out the window some more.
Sereina shrugs and sets her glass down, bending over the chest. 'Can I ask you something?' she says softly, a sudden uneasiness coming over her.
Samuel chuckles softly, a strained laugh carrying little in the way of humor with it. 'You can feel every emotion I have. I do not see any reason you should not feel free to ask me whatever you like.' Throughout his little speech, his eyes never leave the window.
Sereina nods, pursing her lips. 'Well, uhh....what is it like?' she asks, blushing in the dark. Embarassment and curiosity run through the bond. 'I mean, have you ever....been with another...' she shook her head and bit her lip.
Samuel's gaze seems riveted to the window. His blush is easily felt through the bond, although the feeling of guilt is much stronger than any embarrassment. He sighs softly and mutters,'Well, I did tell her she could ask.' Then he raises his voice again, but still very pointedly avoids looking in her direction as he stammers out,'I..I.. yes. I have..' The sentence seems somewhat incomplete, as if he had been intending to say more, but that is all he gets out before he stalls completely to a stop.
Sereina nods, still quite embarassed at the question. 'Oh...' she says softly, sitting back down on her side of the bed.
Samuel adds very softly,'So far, it has always been pleasant..' The feeling through the bond is that his words are a strong understatement of his feelings. A wave of guilt and embarrassment follows strongly on that statement.
Sereina squeaks and huddles beneath her blankets. 'Oh...Um....thank you for answering, I guess..' she says. 'Um....what are we to do about my....channeling? I think?'
Samuel sighs softly, a wave of relief flowing over him for a moment, then another wave of guilt, not as strong as the previous one. He turns to look at Sereina, a slight frown on his face and says in a contemplative tone,'It could be very ... deadly for either of us if you channel near enough for any of the others to feel you.' Then he sighs again and reaches out to place a comforting hand on her shoulder,'But if it is anything for you like it is for me, it must be a hard thing to be kept from the Source. I do not know... first we need mother or Ani to see you and make sure that you won't become sick from it.'
A wave of distate ran through the bond, gone before it could even be felt. 'I think I'd rather have your mother test me, no offense, of course.'
Samuel peers oddly at Sereina for a long moment, then shakes his head slightly and says,'Well, I suppose you have a right to know...' He stalls out for a moment, then, before mustering up the will to continue, although his voice is barely above a whisper,'I have not.. she and I.. we.. oh, ashes! We just haven't. I don't think I need to spell it out any more than that.' The feelings through the bond start off as embarrassment, then frustration at that embarrassment which builds almost to the point of anger.
Sereina smirked in the dark. 'You've already said that, and I believe you, somewhat. I just don't want to deal with her. My own reasons.' Sereina carefully forces down any telltale emotion, mostly radiating the barely noticeable distaste that pulsed through the bond earlier.
Samuel begins to chuckles softly, although it quickly turns into an almost hysterical giggling, through which he gasps out,'So I guess *giggle* that I shouldn't *giggle* bond her, too.' Then he breaks down into a fit of giggling too severe to speak through, although the feeling through the bond is not one of humor, but hysteria.
Sereina edges away from him, huddling against the corner of the bed. 'Riight....' she says, tucking her legs beneath her. 'I think this has all finally gotten to you. Or are you going mad?' the last was said in an almost panicked tone.
Samuel just lays there quivering with silent giggles for a long moment, until the rising panic finally cuts through his own feelings and gets his attention. As he calms down, panting as he tries to catch his breath, he reaches out tentatively to touch her on the shoulder again. After a long, long moment, he finally catches his breath and says very softly,'I'm sorry. Didn't mean to frighten you. No, I'm not mad.. it .. it is all just.. a bit much.'
Sereina sighs and relaxes, stretching her legs out again. 'Yes, I can understand that. I sometimes feel like I'm about to lose control..' she sighs again and yawns, laying down and pulling the blanket over her shoulder.
Samuel sighs softly, an odd feeling flowing through him and mutters,'Will you stop... nevermind.' Another wave of guilt flows through him, mixed with embarrassment. He turns his head back towards the window and grows very silent.
Sereina yawns again, shutting her eyes. 'Stop what?' she asks sleepily.
Samuel mutters softly,'Um, nothing. It was nothing.' He finally slides down into bed and turns his back to her, curling up on his side of the bed, not even bothering to complain about her hogging the blanket.
Sereina leaned up and pushed one of the blankets his way. 'If you say so...' she says, voice drifting off.
Samuel mutters softly,'Sweet dreams, Sereina. It will all work out, somehow. I'll see to that.' Then he yawns quietly and slowly fades off to sleep.
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