Unexplored Lands :CRACK: - Private

[Lolita no Hime]

Bobby could certainly see the way Xanth's mood dropped, and he frowned again. "Uhm... w-well, I can stay up... for a little while. Since yo came to see a-an' all... b-but I... I-I shouldn't eat. If I do and go to sleep, then if it makes me nauseous later... i-it'd just be better not to... t-take a chance."

In a way, Bobby had a point. Getting sick in the middle of the night, especially if he's going to be sharing a bed with Xanth, would be extremely unpleasant for the both of them. But, as good as an excuse as being sleepy was, he did still want to see Xanth for a little bit! Really, he hadn't noticed before because he usually spent the day keeping to himself when he wasn't helping Xanth, but the elf did work an awful lot... all day, it seemed! "H-hey... uhm... a-are you done for the day yet, o-or...?"

[Little Pastry]

Suddenly Xanth felt guilty. Bobby was tired so he should be sleeping, but instead Xanth was keeping him up. Xanth just nodded to Bobby and twiddled his fingers. That would make it two days since Bobby had eaten anything... or even had anything to drink! Come to think of it, Xanth did bring some water in with his meal...

He was broken out of his thoughts when Bobby asked a question. Xanth frowned and shook his head, sinking lower on the bed. "Mm... n-not until sundown. Th-That's when most of us a-are done... b-but we take sh...shifts. E-Except not me, cause... th-there's o-only one cabin b-boy. J-Just like there's only o-one captain, a-and first m-mate."

[Lolita no Hime]

Bobby frowned again as Xanth explained, still not finding a good explanation for why Xanth should have to work so hard. It wasn't fair of them, expecting Xanth to put in so much work! It made Bobby want to get well even faster so he could help take off some of the workload for Xanth...

"W-well... then when I get better... w-we should work in shifts! Th-that way you... d-don't have to work all day." He bit his lip as he finished, realizing that while that would take the work load off of Xanth, it would mean Bobby would have less time to himself and neither of them would get to see each other as much if one o them worked whenever the other rested... but he felt as though this was something important he could do to help Xanth and maybe help him to really smile more often...

[Little Pastry]

"Ah!" Xanth straightened up, looking at Bobby with wide eyes, "I-I couldn't make you d-do that..." He relaxed against the headboard and looked away again, "I-I mean... I d-don't wanna m-make you work... cause, well... I-I can handle this. I've b-been... handling it s-since I started work o-on the ship."

Not that this was completely true. He didn't have to work this hard and he had been told this by both K'lai and the Captain. But still, he wanted to make sure he kept everything as neat and clean as he could. Even if they said he didn't have to, who else would? Those jobs were Xanth's responsibilities. Although, having someone to do them with didn't sound so bad...

[Lolita no Hime]

"...but you wouldn't be making me... I offered." Bobby said with a slight frown, unable to understand why it seemed as though Xanth wanted to keep working this hard by himself. "And I... didn't say you couldn't... h-handle it. It's just..." He leaned forward a bit, a frown still on his face, "...you always... look so stressed. I-I know I haven't known you for very long, b-but I'm always watching people, so I-I can tell..."

He bit his lip and shrank back a bit, not generally used to trying to convince people of things... he generally gave up or never mentioned anything in the first place. "If you... d-don't want that then... m-maybe I could just help you m-more often? That way... a-at least you won't be... by yourself."

[Little Pastry]

Xanth frowned when Bobby mentioned that he looked stressed. It was like Xanth was an open book and Bobby was reading all of his pages... or maybe he was just easy to figure out. He reached up and rubbed his eye, really unsure of what to say. Sure, he was stressed, but there wasn't anything he could do about it! Stress was just a part of his life, something he had to deal with.

Then Bobby practically read his mind, suggesting that they work together. A little smile appeared on Xanth's face and he looked up at Bobby. "I-I... I'd like th-that. I-I mean, if... y-you wouldn't mind. Y-You could still t-take off whenever you wa-wanted though! Cause... I-I know you like t-time alone."

[Lolita no Hime]

Bobby's frown disappeared and in its place was a tiny smile as Xanth agreed to working together. "I'm glad... I-I really don't mind working, since I'm already... staying here for free. A-And being in the way and stuff..." He placed his hands together in his lip, taping his fingertips together as he seemed to be thinking of something to say. "Besides... i-it won't really be work... I-I mean..."

He blushed lightly, keeping his gaze downwards as he struggled to find the right words. "...w-what I mean is... I-I... I like being a-alone, but... I-I..." He looked back up and took a deep breath, looking into Xanth's blue eyes and saying in a completely steady tone, "I'd rather spend my time with you."

[Little Pastry]

Xanth's smile waned when Bobby said that he was in the way. He was the exact opposite of in-the-way! Storms were harsh, destructive things, and if he got rid of them, that was an incredible help. But he didn't get to say as much, since Bobby launched into further explanation of why he wouldn't mind working with Xanth.

A blush slowly developed on Xanth's face, starting on his cheeks and eventually creeping over the bridge of his nose. As Bobby finished, Xanth blinked a few times and glanced away, speechless. He pulled his legs closer, curling up as though to shield himself from... something.

He stayed like this for a few seconds - he didn't even know why - and then he finally responded with a mumbled but no less sincere, "I-I-I... I l-like spending m...my time w-with, w-with y-you... t-too..."

[Lolita no Hime]

As Xanth curled up, some how a part of Bobby had expected it and he made no move to try and pull the elf away from his little secured shield. Instead, he just gave a bright smile, his mood suddenly elevated, "I... I-I'm glad."

After a moment, he leaned back against the pillows and sighed. "...nnn I'm still so tired... I wanna hurry and get better..." A small smile spread over his face a she looked up at Xanth. "...it's strange... usually... I don't mind being sick. And being alone. That's how I've always... had to deal with this. B-but now... I-I actually... w-wanna get better... faster..."

[Little Pastry]

Xanth stayed in that curled-up position, but after a few moments, he relaxed. His head remained low, though his eyes trailed over to Bobby as the eleman spoke.

"Th...that's good," he said, his lips twitching into a tiny smile. "O-Once you're better, y-you can... g-go back to your room. U-Uhm!" The smile dropped off of Xanth's face and his body once again became rigid, "Not that-- I-I don't mean th-that I d-don't like sleeping w-with you--" Xanth's face flushed as he realized what else that could mean, "O-Oh no that came out s-so bad! I just, I mean, I-I-I'm not a-a, a good b-bedmate cause, c-cause I toss a-and I turn and I-I wake up a... a-a lot..."

With a sigh, Xanth flopped his head down onto his knees, wishing he could shrink until he was invisible. Eventually, he murmured, "...m-maybe you should j-just... g-go back to sleep b-b'fore I say something else s... s-stupid..."

[Lolita no Hime]

Bobby just stayed quiet as Xanth babbled on and tripped over his words. When the elf finished, appearing much more flustered than he was before, Bobby shook his head. "No... you never say... anything that's stupid, Xanth. A-And I like... hearing y-you talk, s-so..." He smiled shyly, glancing down, "...a-and I... don't think you're a bad b-b-b... b-bedmate. I-I mean, you h-help keep me w-warm... I-I mean..."

He blushed again and shut his eyes, shaking his head as his hands flew up to his cheeks. He looked far more cute than actually upset, though. After a moment, he glanced up through his fingers and gave another shy smile. "...b-but... when I get better, I... I-I'll give you b-back your room... o-okay...?"

[Little Pastry]

Bobby's first comment rolled right off of Xanth's back (how Bobby couldn't think some things Xanth said were stupid didn't seem possible, and who could enjoy his stutter?) but the next one sunk in. Bobby always was so cold; maybe it was good for him to have someone there to act as a hot water bottle at night. He certainly didn't need to waste any more energy on keeping warm when he was so thin already...

But then Bobby went quiet, prompting Xanth to lift his gaze, and then Bobby said that Xanth would eventually have his bed to himself again. Xanth found himself just a tad disappointed by that. Sharing a bed was nice sometimes, especially when Xanth's dreams turned sour... but if this was what Bobby wanted, that was that.

Xanth offered Bobby a soft smile. "Th...thanks." He paused a few moments and then added, "B-But if you do... w-wanna go t-to sleep now, that'd b... be okay. I-I mean, y-you need your rest."

[Lolita no Hime]

At Xanth's suggestion that Bobby go to sleep, Bobby gave a sleepy nod. "Nnn... I-I think I will... I'm real tired..." He shifted on the blankets so that he could crawl under them and pull them up to his chin, leaning back against the pillows and shutting his eyes. Letting out a small sigh, his body relaxed into the mattress and almost instantly, he seemed to fall asleep.

However, right before that, he cracked open his eyes and looked up at Xanth, "G-G... G'night... Xanth." With that, his eyes slipped closed and in seconds, he had fallen asleep.

[Little Pastry]

Xanth watched, with as much subtlety as he could, as Bobby nestled down under the covers. Only when he slept did he look so peaceful... It made Xanth wonder if he looked that peaceful during slumber. Probably not, Xanth decided. On some nights, sleep was less rest than it was another trial to overcome.

"Goodnight," Xanth whispered in return, though he knew Bobby couldn't hear him. He lingered just a few moments longer before he finally started on his dinner, and when he was done with that, he took his leave to finish work.

--

When Xanth returned no more than an hour later, one could tell just by the look on his face that he was upset. He wordlessly stepped inside his bedroom and closed the door, silently sighing. He rubbed his eyes and then walked over to his dresser. But when he got there, he just stood there and stared at his drawer. He knew sleep wouldn't come easily tonight, no matter how tired he was, so even trying seemed futile... but maybe if he just laid there and closed his eyes, he'd get some rest tonight.

He changed out of his day clothes and into his pajamas before he folded his day clothes and set them inside the drawer once more. Then, he turned around and padded quietly across the floor to the bed. He pulled back the covers and, hoping not to disturb Bobby, laid himself down under them as carefully as he could.

[Lolita no Hime]

Though Bobby had fallen asleep so quickly, it was by no means a deep nor restful sleep. When the blankets were pulled up, he shivered and instinctively curled up to try and keep warm. However, once Xanth had laid down and covered himself up, Bobby was pulled in the direction of the newest heat source. Still totally asleep, he rolled over and cuddled up closer to Xanth's side, his skin ice cold despite having been under the blankets all this time.

Still asleep, he even wrapped an arm around Xanth and pulled the elf into a light hug, burying his face into his shoulder. His felt so warm... it was comforting.