YP – B3: QtnoWLM – Chapter 30 (Chapter 127)

167 Days Until Tedium And the Uncertain End  

Kim had said not to wake them. That neither of them had slept through the night for a while. Zeydar since starting the trip and Evester far longer, that he had not even when in Valaria. The two were lying ontop of each other in their own slumberland as Heia was tasked with watching over them. Deeply, thoroughly, completely asleep. The noise of the outside could not wake them and the look of it made Heia sleepy herself. As the two slept the rest of the party moved on and did more tasks.

Rayda and Phil, checked on the vehicles and started patrols. Shawn, Trace, and Robee worked with training with Crass and Lynx. Onyx worked on food with Karla. Kori helped Kony with his studies, popping in with everyone else to see if they need anything. Uly made the plan on when the group and where the group, would start searching for Evester’s father.

It was midday when Zeydar woke, followed shortly after by Evester. Heia noticed it only when she noticed the change in their breathing. Zeydar was the first to move and shift.

“No…” Evester groaned to him. “Sleep more.”

“What time is it?” Zeydar asked him in an equally hushed voice.

“Afternoon.” Heia called to them. “You look real comfortable there.”

Zeydar sat up immediately, looking back to her in a panic. He cleared his throat in order to speak a bit louder. “How long were we asleep for?”

“Its midday.” Heia answered picking herself up from the ground and walking towards them. “The others are already training and working.”

“Sorry Heia.” Evester sat up second, far more apprehensive to do so. He did not move far from Zeydar’s side. “Thanks for watching us.”

“Do you not sleep at all?” Heia squatted down in front of them, starring at them both and eyeing their closeness. She realized too suddenly that it was too intrusive as Zeydar pushed Evester away. Evester did not react in any way, propping his leg up and leaning against it with a yawn.

“How can you?” Zeydar asked her. She heard the way his voice held power to it. It reminded her of the young man she’d met back on Star campus, the one that demanded attention be drawn to him. She had thought him lost in their detoxing, but the remnants remained. How different he’d be when this was all over.

“I’ve lived in danger for far too long. You learnt to take the best sleep you can when you can.” She answered before looking to Evester. “Zeydar gets a pass, but you Evester?”

“I’ve been watching him.” Evester shrugged. “To make sure he didn’t do something stupid.”

Zeydar shot him a glare before he looked to his shaking hand. He then looked outside and sighed more dramatically. Heia was tempted to ask about why they were so close. She was tempted to ask why Evester cared so much. She wanted to know more, but asked not a single question.

“Do you need the dose for today?” She went on ahead with the other question of importance for them.

“I’m cutting it for today. I’ll be fine.” Zeydar stood up. “I’m going to get cleaned up and help Kony.” He said nothing more as he got a change of clothes, his Staff and then left.

When Zeydar was out Heia was focused back on Evester. Zeydar maybe she would not ask, but Evester she would. Zeydar was not the type of person to cuddle. She knew that. Evester cuddled with everyone. How had Evester… No, what had Evester said to Zeydar, to have him clinging to him? To make Zeydar look as if he’d disappear if he let go? “You two were real close.”

“I sleep with everyone like that.” Evester feigned confused. “Ask Kim.”

“Come off it Evester. We all know him. We’ve all seen him. He was not close for body heat. He was letting you cuddle him. Why?”

“He needed my heart beat to focus and stay asleep.”

“Your heart beat.” She repeated the words feeling the heat rushing to her cheeks in second hand embarrassment. Up until this point, she … She was not sure what she expected. She saw how close they were, but she knew Evester did that with everyone — still Zeydar was not everyone. She had assumed that Zeydar had panicked at night, but hearing the words seemed more than what she had thought. Feelings were involved.

“Something else to focus on, what are you implying here Heia?” He asked her and she was not sure if he heard himself or not. She knew he certainly hadn’t seen himself while sleeping and couldn’t see himself now. However there was a longing about him that she could recognize now. The initial shock wore of and all that began to form was anger.

“You kissed him.” She spoke as calmly as she could.

“Years ago. Not last night.”

“But you wanted to?” She watched as his expression tightened, him realizing what she was implying, and he released it. “No?”

“Perhaps. It doesn’t matter for it wouldn’t help the situation and it won’t help the one we are in, but I also just like kissing people. You can ask Kim.” He was deflecting. He was avoiding it. And that was where her anger grew. She just knew. Evester’s reputation proceeded him in a hundred different cases. She would not let him play with Zeydar’s heart, if Zeydar had even started to give his heart to Evester.

“I did ask Kim.” She had not. Kim had only told her, had warned her and had told her to ask. She had told Heia that Evester was a fiend, a great best friend ,but he broke too many hearts. EverDanger had a strict non-love rule because of Evester specifically. Kim had looked so worried when saying the words, as if she would hurt Heia by saying them. Heia had known that Kim didn’t like Evester in a way beyond friendship. “She loves you.”

“Of course she does. Kim and Uly have known me forever. They are my best friends.” Evester knew, which meant he knew he was deflecting and that meant…

“This isn’t like that Evester.” She accused him and he looked away not admitting or denying it for the longest of moments.

“I don’t know what it is.”

“And when we survive and this is all over? Then what?” Heia asked him knowing it was a question he had not wanted to think about. That he didn’t want to think about his attraction to Zeydar. That there was a possibility of him hurting Zeydar far more than any of them ever could. She would never let him.

“We’ll have saved the world and I think that’ll warrant me to be able to seduce just about anyone I want.” He smirked at her sending chills down her. He was deflecting again, towards her this time, which made her know that his confusion towards Zeydar was deep. Evester was attractive, but she swore to herself then that she’d never let anyone fall for the devil before her. Not while he was unable to be serious.

“Too bad EverDanger is forever.” She smiled back, her eyes narrowing, reminding him of the rule to which he rolled his eyes. She then helped him stand. “One Hundred and sixty seven days.”

Evester crudely nodded and Heia left to go work with the others.

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