As we walked back, Cu sagged against me, proclaiming his need for sleep. Liam found us soon after entering the village, bringing us to our room. Upon arriving, my eyes landed on the two, narrow, separate beds. It was easy to imagine the kind of things racing through Cu's mind at that moment. Liam asked if there was anything else we needed, and as if he could suck the energy straight from the air and retain it, Cu's eyes lit up with life. Newly energized, he became quite passionate about the other things we needed. It didn't take long for us to be in another room, only one large bed this time.
Once we were alone again, that burst of energy Cu had seemed to have lost its power. Peeling off his hood, and shirt, Cu collapsed onto the bed, sinking into the plump surface. "You satisfied?" I asked, undoing the band at my waist.
"Not quite yet; you're not by my side."
The robe slipped from my shoulders. "Just a moment," I folded the cloth, and set it on the chest in the room. My body sank down next to Cu on the bed. "There." With slow movements, I rubbed his naked back., careful for his injured shoulder. His eyelids drooped more and more with each sliding touch. Me laying on my side, and Cu his stomach, he gathered up his remaining will to move, closing the last bit of space between us.
"Perfect," He muttered into the pillow, watching me through long lashes.
"Goodnight Cu." Placing a kiss on his forehead, Cu's eyes finally dropped shut, the long awaited sleep coming in. Even then, my hand never stopped gliding over his back. It wasn't until I could hear his long deep breaths of sleep, until I granted myself rest.
***
Morning brought me out of sleep, but wasn't enough to get me up. With Emiya's scent heavy in my nose, I hadn't the slightest wish to move. Eventually I managed to get an eye open, the surface of Emiya's skin coming into view. My head was laying on the curve of his side, the back of it pressed against his arm. Lower of my body tucked snuggly between his legs, the position wasn't all too bad; although my neck was a little stiff. Because of this fact, I eventually found it within myself to sit up, rolling my tight neck and shoulders. Kneeling up on the bed, I found Emiya still lost in sleep. I sorted through the different ways to wake him. Though it was tempting, I couldn't wake him, not while he looked so peaceful and beautiful curled up on the bed.
My feet hit the floor, and I forced myself up and away from Emiya. I slid the remainder of my clothes back onto my body, then worked some knots out of my hair, deciding upon leaving the blue strands hanging today. Morning preparations were finished up, leaving me to stare at the door. The prospect of leaving this room without Emiya was extremely undesirable. My eyes landed softly on the sleeping man, and temptation pulled me under. The edge of the bed sank under my weight, and I smiled down at Emiya.
Leaning sown, I sang softly into his ear "Emiya~?" My fingers brushed his cheek which resulted in a slight twitch on his end. "Emiya~ wake up." As my lips brushed over his eyelids, that allowed me to procure even more movement from him. "Emiya~?"
"Mmm?"
"Wake up~" His eyes fluttered open as I spoke. "Good morning, my love~"
A barely smile broke on his face as his eyelids fell back down. "Morning..."
"You going to get up?" My hand occupied its time curling white hair around its fingers.
"Do I have options with this response, or is my answer pre-selected?"
"What do you think?"
A sly eye peeked open at me, then closed again as he nuzzled deeper into the pillow. "I'll pretend like I don't know the right answer, and live in ignorance tucked away on this bed."
"Get up," I patted his cheek. "Or I'll foce you up." Turning my body, I moved off the bed.
"So do it." The comment took me aback, and I stared blankly over my shoulder at him. Emiya's head was turned slightly, eyes peering over his shoulder at me. They were narrow and soft, yet a fire bloomed in those silver pools.
"...Okay..." I walked cautiously over to him, unsure of what idea's swirled in that head. He laid there frozen, the only thing moving was his eyes on my figure. When I reached out to grab him, I wasn't sure what to expect, but being flipped over onto my back was not it. Back pressed against the mattress, Emiya didn't hesitate for a moment when climbing on top of me.
"Or," he kissed me hard and desperate, sending electric euphoria through me to mingle with my shock. With a small gasp he separated our lips, growling out the next words, "I could force you into bed." A long and low moan hummed through me as he sunk down into a second kiss. My hands rubbed up his legs, finding their way to his waist. Emiya's lips trailed along my skin, allowing me breathing time. With the situation I was currently in, a giggle bubbled up my through. "What?" I felt his smile on my neck.
"When did you decide to start acting like me?" I asked, the light tone still on my tongue. Emiya found his way to my ear along a road of kisses. His tongue played around with my earlobe and the piece of jewelry that hung from it. My eyes rolled back, closing to better acute the senses of touch.
"I decided upon it the moment you started acting like me. Honestly, what were you thinking being responsible like that?" To close the statement, he began nibbling on the rim of my ear.
I chuckled warmly, "You're right, what was I ever thinking!" Cupping his cheek, I forced him back down onto my lips.
We ended up leaving the room much later than I'd anticipated. Walking out, an erotic grin was still on my lips acompanied by a soft blush. Emiya trailed after me, now fully dressed. As we exited the room, I turned back to sag Emiya's hand, a touch he invited, entwining his fingers with mine. With warm sun beams striking in through the fresh spring leaves, it was a pleasant day, and the company more so. There existed within me absolutely no intention of leaving Emiya's side, and judging by the way he stuck close to and talked to me, I could tell he felt the same.
The company in the grove was one I typically enjoyed, but with Emiya around, everyone else just seemed to fade into the background. It was odd to think he'd be leaving soon, and almost impossible to derive from my imagination a life without him in it. Shooing away the unsettling emotions, I focused all my attention on him. The way his soft deep voice sounded leaving his lips. The way he sat in that relaxed pose, arms propped up on bended knees while he leaned against a tree trunk. The way his eyes would linger on me for long moments at a time, then hurry off to the woods as if afraid of being caught. The way his lips curled up into a slight smile, one invisible to any who didn't know him well. It was all too much for my heart. I couldn't tell if he was a gift meant to bless my time, or a curse meant to leave me hollow when he's gone.
Unable to restrain myself any longer, I slid myself between Emiya's legs, pressing against his chest, and resting my head on his shoulder.
"Tired already?" He questioned while his large arms moved around me into a soft embrace.
"No... just wanted to be near you."
"Hmm..." One of his hands found its way to my hair, stroking softly. I melted with the touch, somehow falling deeper into him. "What's wrong Cu?"
The words formed on my lips, a plea to beg him to stay, to become part of my life forever, to not leave my side. But I already knew it was a useless argument, and I could ask him to run away from his own duty. It wasn't right. "Nothing's wrong, you're just very comfy." The words came out light and carefree, hiding my pain perfectly.
A small hum vibrated through Emiya made me believe the fake answer I'd handed to him, which somehow injured me worse. "Do you want to talk about it?" Emiya's words took me off guard. "Is it about me leaving?"
I pressed my lips together then clicked my tongue. "Why is it you seem to see through everything I say?"
Emiya's proud scoff made me smile. "You may be the Emiya expert, but I'm the Cu expert."
Now I laughed, "So you're admitting to me being the Emiya expert?"
"Don't change the topic Cu, and tell me what's wrong."
A heavy sigh released from my chest, which turned into a frustrated growl halfway out. "You were right, it is about you leaving, but there's no need to say anything! You already know what I want to say, and I already know the answer I will get. There's no point in talking about it anymore."
"Cu..." Emiya was concerned.
"Emiya... just for right now, let's not talk. Please... just hold me." The words fell broken against his chest, desperate and thin. Emiya's arms moved tighter around me as the tears came rolling down my cheeks.
"Alright." He whispered with a soft kiss to my forehead. His cheek rested there after his lips were gone, hand still massaging my scalp as his fingers intertwined with the blue hair. I shook with silent sobs in the cocoon he'd wrapped around me. My vulnerability was seeping through me, so he covered it back up, hiding me from the world within him. After a long timeless bout of crying, the sobs came to an end, my own breath calming as I focused on the rise and fall of Emiya's chest. Within the dark warm world Emiya had wrapped me in, I drifted off into a soft sleep.
When I woke, I was no longer outside, but laid in a bed. Emiya had moved me back to our room, though he wasn't with me when I awoke. Sitting up, I stretched, my head still drifting around in sleepiness. It had been a good sleep, the rock in my chest not nearly as dense as it'd been before. Warding my mind clear of bad thoughts, I wanted to keep it that way for as long as I could. Moving my arms behind me, I leaned back on them, enjoying the relaxed moment. The door creaked open, presenting Emiya to me.
"Hey," He said with a smile leaning against the door frame.
"Hey," I replied, enjoying the view.
"How do you feel?" It was odd to be asked that on an emotional basis rather than a physical.
My eyes fell sheepishly to the bed. "Fine." I heard Emiya's footsteps click against the hardwood, then he sank into the bed next to me. My eyes moved back up to his reassuring smile.
"Trust me when I say that it's going to be alright."
"I do trust you."
"Good." His hand moved to my cheek, pulling me into a soft kiss. "Now, I know this is not what you want to hear right now," Emiya's face twisted into a sorry expression. "But it's time to talk to Cathbad."
With a big quick sigh, I rolled my shoulders. "Might as well just go in and get it over with. Then afterwards, lots of snuggles?"
He pressed his forehead against mine, an amused smile on his lips. "Do you even have to ask at this point?"
"I'm just being a kind man, and giving you options."
"I highly doubt there was any option you were giving me."
"You're right, there was none."
"Come on," he chuckled while getting up. "We don't want to leave Cathbad waiting."
"If you insist." I followed him out the door.
Cathbad was hunched over his desk, chin resting on his intertwined fingers as he listened intently to Emiya's story. As Emiya's voice came to a stop, we both waited patiently, as Cathbad stayed quiet with unresponsive eyes. The moment of silence was nearing uncomfortable when Cathbad spoke. "I see, so you've come to me hoping I can send you forward through time."
"Can you do it?" I spoke up.
"It's difficult to say. It'll certainly need a lot of magical energy to pull something like that off. Honestly, I find it quite shocking that a man was able to send you here with his own power."
Emiya grunted in agreement, old memories playing past his eyes. "Is there any outside power source we could pull from?"
"I think I may know a place we could pull from. Though the spell itself might hold complications. You don't remember the spell used?" Emiya shook his head, and Cathbad muttered something to himself. "Well then, I can see what I can do."
"How long do you think it would take?" I asked with all hope for a large number.
Cathbad waved a finger. "I think I may have something, but I'll have to look. It shouldn't take long, if it works with what I have in mind that is."
Leaning back, I tapped my foot against the hard floor, anxiety creeping up my leg, ready to take my stomach. Emiya glanced to me, a light of concern and absolute willingness lighting up his eyes. Reaching over, I rubbed his knee warmly as if to reassure him that I was alright. "Once I have the opportunity to look through my books, I'll get back to you. For now, you're excused." My hand fell from Emiya's leg, gripping the rim of my chair to jut it back. Walking out with Emiya, an idea came to mind, one that hopefully would sedate my hyper anxiety.
The door closed shut behind us, and my feet came to a pause. Emiya glanced back, a white eyebrow raised. Thinking for a quick moment, I cleared my mind and affirmed my goal. I reached out and tugged Emiya's hand, guiding him in front of me.
"You alright Cu?"
My lips automatically flashed him a quick smile. "Yes, I just remembered there was something I needed to talk to Cathbad about."
"You want me to come with you?"
I shook my head. This was something I didn't necessarily want Emiya knowing about. Not that it was bad or anything, but... "It's okay, it should be quick. Besides," I grined, grabbing fistfuls of his robe so that I could hold him that much closer. "I am giving you the important goal of getting us some food, and guarding my plate with your life."
He matched my grin, looping his arms around me. "That sounds like quite the task, and what exactly am I protecting it from? The woodland creatures?"
"Hey, you never know what could jump out at you. Some of those werewolves' friends could come at you for revenge."
"Yes, and your food would be top priority in that situation."
"Of course! I never said this job would be an easy one."
He broke into a chuckle first then I followed. "Alright, I'll see you out there."
"See you." My lips brushed lightly against his, then parted with our hands from one another. Emiya turned, walking away, and I listened to his footsteps a little while, until I headed back into Cathbad's office.
Cathbad looked up at the sound of the door, then looked back down after his eyes met my face. "Hmph, I shouldn't be surprised, you always seem to have something to say after the conversation is over. What do need Cu Chulainn?" I scuffed a foot across the floor, not wanting to sit as the words formulated in my brain. Honestly, only Emiya could make me this nervous, and even with him not here, he still manages to get to me. Cathbad's eyes finally took the time to settle on me, and not rummage through his papers. "Is something wrong? You seem destressed."
"Well... that's what I came back here for."
"Sit down if you would, and stop moving like that. It's making me feel anxious just watching." I did as he asked, intertwining my fingers in my lap. "Now, what do you need, Cu Chulainn?" There was almost a fatherly tone in his voice now.
The words settled in my mind, and my tongue brought them out. "You have the power to see the future in a person's life, yes, and see the good and bad of it. The question I have though, is how far into someone's future can you see?"
Cathbad stared at me, then closed his eyes and groaned. "If this is about seeing when you die then I'm not--"
"No, no, I don't care about that, this... is something else."
Cathbad's eyes opened and narrowed. "What?"
"Can you see into my future after I die?"
It was a silent moment where I got a full view of surprise on Cathbad's face, but then that moment was broken by laughter; Cathbad's laughter. "What are you trying to get at, boy?"
"I'm not looking for how the afterlife is, or a detailed description of how it will be like, there's just one thing I need to check. So, can you do it, can you look that far ahead?"
With a sigh, Cathbad leaned back. "Hypothetically so, but it's not something I can just do. I need something to look for, something I know."
My expression lit up when it hit me. "Emiya! Look for Emiya!"
"The request itself was odd, but now you're just getting ridiculous. Is this your idea of a joke?"
"No, I'm being serious. When I met Emiya, he already knew me. He met me in my afterlife. Besides, what I'm looking for involves him."
Cathbad leaned back forward, soaking in my words. His expression was a mix of concern and curiosity. "What exactly is it you're looking for?"
Biting my lip, I stayed silent for a moment, then spoke slowly. "I want to know... how much I have to do with Emiya in my afterlife."
"How very specific of you."
"Just... will you look and tell me what you find?"
Cathbad grunted a stiff laugh looking at me in thought. "You know, you are the last person I'd ever expect to come to me, begging to have their future told."
"I'm not begging..." I muttered, but Cathbad never heard it, or at least pretended not to.
"It's highly uncharacteristic of you, but people tend to do odd things when they get desperate. So the question is, what is Emiya to you, and what about him would make the great Cu Chulainn desperate?"
I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out, so I resorted to snapping it shut. Honestly, Cathbad could be scary accurate sometimes.
A small amused smile curlded on his lips. "I spend my life solving problems and solving people as well. Don't be so surprised that I can read you too."
"I don't see how my relationship with Emiya matters for this." My voice was sharp and a little irritated. It was uncomfortable being read like an open book.
"Oh? You care for him that much, do you?"
"Cathbad, with all due respect can we get back on topic."
"But this is the topic. How am I suppose to know what you want from me without first understanding whats going on with you? Now, judging from the bits I've seen of you two, the relationship is in fact romantic, and serious, as seen by your desplay during this meeting."
"Are you finished with your analysis of me."
He opened his mouth then clamped it shut. "I suppose I'll keep the rest to myself."
My tight fingers uncurled from around my robe. "Thank you. So... you'll do it?"
Cathbad's amused smile dropped, and I could see behind his pale eyes that he was debating my words. "Tsk, I guess I'll do this for you."
"Really!?" Relife fell in my chest.
"But one thing, remember that I can't change the future, I simply tell it." He stood from his chair. "Don't get angry at me if you don't like the answer I give."
"Of course." I swallowed thickly, the nerves creeping back up.
"Though..." my ears perked up. "If you wanted to know of your future, why not just ask Emiya?"
Emiya... I couldn't help but feel somewhat guilty for coming here in the first place, as if it somehow desecrated my trust in him, but this was something I needed to learn for myself. He knows I'm frightened, but he doesn't know how utterly terrified I am, and I don't want him to know.
"What I want to see is something even Emiya hasn't experienced yet so I can't ask him."
"Hmm, I see. Come sit here," he pointed to a spot on the floor. I did as he asked, sitting criss-cross as he drew runes in a circle around us. "So you want me to see how the two of you last, so to speak?"
"Yes."
"Hmph... I don't think I've ever seen you so desperate with anyone like this, what makes Emiya different?"
It truly annoyed me how easy it was for Cathbad to see into me, but he was right. I've never reacted this way with anyone but Emiya. All my life, those around me have died, those I care deeply for, but none have I tried so hard to sustain like I have Emiya. He was just... him. The thought of losing him seemed so distant and impossible, that it scares me what would happen if that day came.
"I just... can't lose him..."
"Hmm..." Cathbad drew off the last rune. "Well then, shall we begin?"