When she did wake it was slow. A gradual regain of consciousness that began with the puzzled realization that she wasn't in her own bed. A thought that probably should have worried her, but the all too familiar scent of smoke that clung to the pillow was a comforting one. Taym. She'd gone to see Taym after leaving the horde, and he'd pulled her into a hug and brought her into his room to take care of her.
She remembered the burn of whiskey and how it'd dulled the pain. She remembered lethalogical, and cheville, and knew she'd never use them in conversation, but appreciated the knowledge of them all the same. She remembered a thin hand tucking a curl behind her ear, and a comforting touch along her back.
All at once Peyton sat up, then regretted it immediately as pain lanced through her shoulder and left side. She whimpered, folded over herself, then very slowly, very carefully, straightened up. The grinding pain was back, and seemed sharper today then it had last night. Like most injuries.
She half expected to see Taym asleep, tipped back in his chair with his ankles propped up and crossed, but he was gone, and somehow that seemed right, normal. He was going to be annoyed when they ran into each other later and she didn't have a hangover.
The thought made her smile as she slid to the edge of the bed and got to her feet.
The bottle of whiskey they'd shared was empty, and she grabbed it off the table before letting herself out of his room and crossing the hall to her own. It was placed almost absently on the edge of her desk. She'd probably throw it away later, but for now she'd keep it. A reminder of a hard night, of her first real experience with being drunk, and of friendship.
The growl of her stomach propelled her back out the door, with only a short pause to pull her boots on. She needed breakfast. Even if breakfast was was a pale imitation of food. So she made her way out of the dorms and towards the cafeteria, and she pretended like she wasn't on the look out for Evan.
Everything was fine. It would be, if she just pretended hard enough.
rejam
