King Of The Skies

Chapter 6

Eva, Empty Lecture Room, Base Nidus, 1:15 pm

Eva drifted off to sleep the second Kage locked them in the empty classroom. She tried to stay awake, she really did, but the bright sun was just forcing her eyes closed. She zoned out of the conversation.

I'll just rest my eyes, and then I'll zone back in, she thought drowsily to herself. She heard Jasper go over his story, then her mind went blank. Eva dreamt of her home again, of what her life was like before her brother left; of the forest, of the treehouse, of the cold nights next to the fire with her brother.

She felt herself falling, her head smacked against the hard wood of the desk and she shot up. Eva rubbed her forehead with her hand and looked around wildly, "What happened? Where's Kage? Is Jasper okay? Are we done here?"

Lyn chuckled softly and held Eva's hands, "Everything's all right now, let's just get you back to bed."

The others watched Lyn hook arms with her and lead Eva out of the classroom. Eva tried to not let sleep take over her, but she had been awake and active for too long. She leaned heavily on Lyn and kept tripping over her own feet.

"Sorry, Lyn," she mumbled, trying to straighten herself.

Lyn chuckled softly, pulling Eva's weight onto her arm again, "It's okay Eva, just don't pass out on me, I'm not carrying you through this place."

Eva nodded and kept walking, keeping her eyes open was draining at this time of the afternoon. She let Lyn half drag half carry her to the dorms. Eva waved her arm weakly at the door sensor, the door opened to the empty room.

"Okay, easy there Tyto. Let's just get you comfortable," Lyn gently lowered Eva onto her bed.

"Wait, no," Lyn froze as Eva pushed her off. She grabbed the quilt and yanked it off the bed, she pulled an extra blanket out from under the mattress and handed it to Lyn. Eva untied her tie and unclasped her belt, she threw them onto her desk chair, she ripped at the boot laces and kicked them off and under the bed. Eva wrapped her quilt around her front and curled up on the bed, wings facing the rest of room while her face was at the wall. Lyn stood next to the bed holding the blanket.

Eva gestured to the space at the end of the bed, "Well? Make yourself comfy."

"What?" Lyn asked softly, standing still in her formal uniform; ears, nose, lips and eyebrows dotted with silver piercings.

"You're not staying?" Eva looked up, round black eyes wide.

"Uh . . . wasn't planning on it," Lyn shook her head. "Do you want me to?"

Eva pondered the pros and cons of Lyn's company as she slept, "Maybe? Do you have anything better to do?"

"Uh, no, no, no, absolutely not," Lyn loosened her tie and perched at the end of the bed, both legs tucked up to her chest and black wings forming a shell around her.

"Okay, Lyn," Eva snuggled her face into the pillow and sighed deeply.

The room was silent. Eva could hear Lyn's quiet breathing, she knew Lyn was still tense. Eva sighed loudly again, hoping to get a reaction out of her stiff squad-mate.

"You know Lyn, you would rest a lot better if you weren't so tense," Eva muttered.

"I am not tense!" Lyn cawed back, immediately looking caught off guard.

"A-uh, sure you aren't," Eva smiled, glad her point was proven.

Lyn huffed in her spot, "Whatever. Just get some sleep Tyto, I'll wake you up when it's time for dinner."