Sticks and Stones

Chapter Fifteen

She could sleep like this every night of the week. Every night of the month. Hell, every night of her life.

It should've been the most uncomfortable sleep of her night. With her ass to the sandy, hard floor surrounded by spiders, darkness and pornographic images, she shouldn't have slept a wink. But she did. Quite comfortably.

Caspian's arm was looped around her waist, his head ducked to her neck. She felt the blow of his intakes and outtakes of breath against her skin, the dusting of hair on his forehead tickling her nape.

She slept hours away feeling safe. Feeling warm. Feeling needed and protected. Scratch that—Sofia felt worshipped.

She turned to face him, though Caspian didn't wake up. She watched his face.

Cas' face didn't look stressed or anything in the day but it was a whole new level of peaceful when he slept.

She thought about the things he'd told her. About his life. About this world. About this career field.

She didn't want to think into it too deeply now. The conclusions she came to here and now were viable to change. She couldn't guarantee how she'd feel when she left these walls. When she was back with her brother seeing his life.

Caspian was a lot to take in.

She'd spent her entire life looking up to her older brother. At his way of living. At his attitude. At the way he chose to live his life.

Seeing the differences and the benefits of Caspian's was just too much.

"Hmm..."

He was waking up. She could feel it. It started with the grip he had around her waist. Slowly, gradually, it began to tighten.

Fully awake, panic hit Sofia.

No, no, no.

She didn't want the awkwardness that would come with her waking up in his arms. She didn't want his dreamy eyes focusing on her, full with sleep, and scattering her brain cells.

She scrambled, darting to the opposite wall whilst he was still coming to.

Damnit—but his arms were flexing. They knew something had left his embrace. Hurried, she lobbed his backpack at his chest. His arms tightened around it but—failure.

The oomph of it hitting his chest was evidence enough.

So much for stealth Sof.

His eyes snapped open, searching for danger. Searching for the cause of that fleeting pain.

They landed on her as she tried to look casual, playing carelessly with her crossbow.

Success?

Not in the slightest.

His eyes were narrowing, realising no dangers were present. Which meant the only place that pain could've come from was her.

"Good morning." Casual Sofia. Come on. You can do this. "You took your time."

"Hmm."

What did that hum mean? What was he saying? What wasn't he saying?

"You're a deep sleeper," She noted.

He shook his head, a dark smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. "Not normally."

"What?" She pulled her knees up to her chest. The look he gave her made her strangely self-conscious. Like he was peering into her soul. "Why are you looking at me like that?"