A Million Roads to Nowhere

Sense of Purpose

During the night, Patrick wakes with a start. Beside him, Ivo is already awake, staring blankly into the black room. There's a thud, some colorful cursing, and then a wave of cold air washes over Patrick's face. He squints into the darkness, covering his mouth as he yawns. He hears something move, causing Ivo to hiss. Patrick mutters some colorful words himself, quickly lighting the candle on his bedside table as he scrambles to sit up.

"William?" Patrick questions in a puzzled tone. "Is that you?"

"Patrick?" William's voice answers. "I didn't know this was your room."

Patrick's eyes adjust to the minimal light and he notices the window is wide open. He sighs, unhappy from being awoken, and gets up to close the window in order to cut off the cold draft of air.

"What are you doing in my room, William?" Patrick asks, sitting on the edge of his bed.

Ivo sits in an unthreatened manner, licking his paws. He meets William's eyes, who looks at the familiar warily as it shifts into shadows. William looks anxiously around the room.

"I didn't mean to wake you."

Patrick shrugs. "That's quite a bit more odd, you know."

William winces. "Keep this between us?"

"Aye. Why would I go tattling?"

William frowns, taking a step forward and tentatively sits on the edge of Patrick's bed. Ivo materializes, padding silently on the wooden floor. He winds around William's feet, staring up at him purposefully.

"The door to my chamber is locked and I wanted to get out."

Patrick raises an eyebrow skeptically. "Locked."

"Yes, locked."

"Of course it would be locked," Patrick says with an edge of sarcasm, sounding more like Lena than himself.

William looks pale, and not in the way he usually is, not in the way the lighting would make him. Patrick reaches for the mug of water he didn't dispose of and hands it to William as an act of truce. William takes it gratefully, downing it.

"Thank you."

Patrick nods, sitting back on his bed. William clutches the cup in his hands. He looks ill and Patrick wishes he had kept the rest of that elixer. He wants to return to bed, but at the same time he sees that William needs a friend and he wants to be a good host, as it might be put.

"You can leave, if you want," Patrick points out.

William reddens, bringing a bit of color back to his cheeks. "My apologies. Uh, might I stay, actually? I'll take the floor."

"If you like." Patrick sees no reason why he shouldn't sleep on his floor, even though it's odd on so many levels that he doesn't care to analyse it.

William relaxes. "Thank you."

"What is it?"

"Oliver locked me in. He can get a bit... possessive."

"That's not right." Patrick can't help but feel that is a bit off.

"It is what it is." William disregards the matter.

Patrick arches an eyebrow, but that is all. He gives William his down comforter and one of the pillows. William thanks him and curls up on the floor, out of sight of the door. Patrick goes back to sleep, letting Ivo curl up under his chin.