"Hey, hey, there was nothing you could do," Cicada comforted him pushing down all of her own emotions. She was terrified and her body threatened to start shaking on its own, but she kept herself calm for Phe. So he didn't know and so he wouldn't worry about her.
"But… but I could have done better on what I had done. I-I should have known he wouldn't really leave you alone." Phoenix mumbled, burying his face in her shoulder. As much as she was trying not to worry him, he was worried. There was no changing that. "I'm sorry… I don't know how I'm going to protect you from him…"
Cicada went quiet for a moment. He, he had a point and that was what scared her. Despite her tough guy act, she would freeze the moment Cicada saw Brecken again, or worse, lash out with her flames. She didn't say anything instead pulling Phoenix close to him.
Phoenix figured her silence was a bad thing, but was honestly too tired to say anything about it. He only mumbled tired apologies over and over, growing limp in her arms. Why now was he so tired? Why couldn't he have crashed the night before, to be more calm when he delivered the news?
Cicada thought for a moment as she felt him growing heavy in his arms. She still didn't know what to say in response to what Phoenix said earlier, so instead she eventually said, "Why don't you go to sleep?"
"No, I want to be here for you… I don't want you to be alone…" Phoenix insisted, holding on a little tighter to her. He wanted to be able to protect her, but clearly couldn't do that running on so little sleep.
"You can't do that if your this tired," Cicada insisted in return looking at the state he was in. she paused for a moment, "You'll still be here with me, just sleeping. I'm not going to be alone."
"B-but I want to be able to comfort you…" Phoenix insisted, burying his face in her shoulder. He kept close to her, trying not to fall asleep in her arms. "I'd feel really crappy if you needed me, and I was just sleeping… please…"
"And I would feel like shit knowing I was keeping you up," Cicada replied softly holding him closer. She let out a little sigh before going to kiss the top of his head, "So please, please just get some rest. I'll be fine. I promise."
"Promise you'll wake me up if you need me… I won't go to sleep otherwise. You have to promise me." Phoenix insisted, eyes growing heavier. He was doing all he could not to fall asleep. "Don't lie to me. Please, just promise me. Wake me up if you need someone to talk to. Just- please."
"I promise," Cicada repeated. She had no intentions of actually keeping that promise, but her voice sounded sincere enough that he would hopefully believe her. Otherwise, he would never fall asleep.
After the 'promise' he had received from Brecken, he clearly didn't want to believe her. But he was growing too tired. "Please… please wake me up…" He begged, nodding off in her arms.
Cicada held him close to her as she let out a slight sigh. She pulled up a soft smile as she said, "I will. Now sleep okay? I'll be here, and I'll be fine."
Phoenix didn't say anything else as he went to sleep in her arms, body going limp. He lost his grip on her, head resting on her shoulder. He had given up trying to wake up, and clearly was desperately in need of sleep.
Cicada waited a moment to make sure he had actually fallen asleep. Once she was sure she manuvered so that he was more or less lying on the bed, still decently in her arms though. Not that she didn't mind being used as a pillow, but at the moment she needed some space.
Phoenix continued to sleep, seeming almost dead. He wasn't moving, or reacting. The only thing was his stomach heaving up and down to show he was breathing.
Cicada watched him for a moment before standing up leaving him on the bed. She needed to, she needed to… She needed a distraction, so her thoughts didn't start spiraling down a path she didn't want them to.
((I'm guessing we'll want to skip?))
Phoenix didn't stir, not seeming to register that she was leaving. If he had, he would have been up in a matter of seconds to follow her. His exhaustion was keeping him asleep on the bed, not going to wake up any time soon.
(Yeah.)
((Later in the evening, I'm guessing? When Phoenix wakes up, or Cicada possibly bumps into Brecken?))
(Probably when Phoenix wakes up, cause Cicada ain't leaving her dorm now.)
((Right, aha. It’s technically your post, but I can, if you’d rather have me do it.))
(I got it.)
Cicada had thrown herself into her school work trying to distract herself from everything else going on. She didn't leave the dorm, as much as she hated to admit it, she was too scared to leave. Letting out a soft sigh she glanced over to where Phoenix was.
Phoenix stirred some after a couple hours, but didn't seem to be waking up easy. He was on the verge of going back to sleep, but was attempting to wake up despite the pull. He groaned softly, starting to rub at his eyes. "Cicada..?" He called out, trying to reach out for her. Though she wasn't there.
Cicada heard her name and glanced over to Phoenix. She reached out and grabbed his hand when she saw it reachign out for her, 'Hey, I'm right here. Have a good nap?"
Phoenix sighed softly when he heard her, lacing their fingers together. "Mm… yeah… how long have I been asleep?" He mumbled under his breath, waking up more as he spoke.
"A couple of hours," Cicada replied moving over to the bed where Phoenix was. She did it so hopefully Phoenix couldn't tell she had ended up moving.
Phoenix looked up at her, a slightly annoyed look on his face. "Why'd you let me sleep that long?" He asked softly, sitting up as he rubbed at his eyes.
"Becuase you needed it," Cicada responded looking over at him. She let a little side smile on, "Plus you looked too peaceful for me to wake up."
"But I told you to wake me up if you needed me," Phoenix insisted, stretching and yawning before continuing. "You really didn't need me? I know you can handle yourself… but I um, I kind of dropped that on you before crashing… and, well, I didn't give you much time… to process things."