gooseberryhigh | (no subject)

A moment, then Iliya's face comes into view. His hair is messed up, like he's been rolling around for awhile.

"Mm. Cameron?"

"I'm sorry. Did I wake you up?" His hair is mussed, but he looks wide awake.

A quiet laugh. "No." Unfortunately. When Iliya's in one of these moods, he takes too long to fall asleep, but when he does, he's out like a light. "You are alright?"

"Mm... Yeah, I guess." His face disappears for a moment and there are the sounds of shuffling around. When he reappears, he has propped himself into a semi sitting position against his pillows and the headboard. "Had a nightmare, couldn't get back to sleep. Why are you still up?"

"Thinking too much. It happens." He rubs his face, eyes suddenly looking more alert as he realizes what Cameron just said. "Nightmare? What was it?"

"Uh, so. A mimic with my face had that razor from the play. The real one that they used as a reference that got mixed in." He rakes his hair back out of his eyes. "And I couldn't catch up to it. So I had to warn people, but I guess it stole my voice or something, because I couldn't make any sound, so it... I really don't like blood, you know?"

Iliya exhales. He can imagine how the rest of it went. "You are safe. We are safe." A difficult thing to be confident about, but nothing should be able to get into the cabin. Should. "That... That will not happen."

"Yeah, I know," he says, cutting his eyes to the side, a little embarrassed about needing to be comforted over a nightmare. "I have crazy dreams all the time, anyway. That's what I get for eating snacks before bed. But... they're just dreams."

Iliya frowns. This is the first he's been hearing about Cameron having nightmares. Or 'crazy dreams', as he's insisting on. "Are all of your dreams like that?"

"I have weird vivid dream a lot. They're not always... bad, like that, though. Sometimes just silly," he replies, then admits reluctantly, "But... More like that lately, though."

"Vivid dreams are a sign of an artist." Iliya has his chin resting on his folded arms as he watches Cameron through the little mirror. "Are you worried about something?"

"Better that than a seer," Cameron says. He laughs, without much of his usual humor. "What am I not worried about?"

"You could talk about it. If you want. If you do not..." He shrugs a little, and looks off to the side. "I am also afraid, yes?"

"I mean, there's all the normal high school stuff. The play, finals, senior project. Graduating, what comes after. Added Gooseberry bonus of, you know, mimics that can't just be hexed away and other weird stuff." His image in the mirror wobbles as he rolls onto his side, propping it up so he doesn't have to hold it. "You are?"

Iliya looks back at the mirror, and manages a smile. He never gets tired of looking at Cameron's face. "Razbira se. I almost lost you, last year." And Ulysses, and Kenzie, and so many others. Iliya sighs. "I wish I could promise..." He trails off.

Edited 2018-05-05 07:47 (UTC)

"But you didn't. I can't even imagine what you all went through to get us back, but... You did. You rescued me, and you were there when I woke up, and..." He shakes his head, remembering a field of glowing flowers and the way Iliya had thrown his arms around him. "I don't know if I could do that, if I had to. Lucky for everyone, I guess, I spent the whole time sleeping."

I didn't do anything, but Iliya bites back on his first response. Even he's aware of the irony. "I do not know why you think yourself so weak. You are clever and brave. You have been working hard. If it had been any of us instead... you would not have given up."

"Unless I saw blood or had to climb a tall ladder, then I'd just faint," he says, then shakes his head. What had sounded like a self depreciating joke in his head had come out too heavy in the dark. He hadn't meant to argue.

"I'm just... scared. I hope nothing happens. But even if it doesn't." He stops to yawn, rubbing his eyes with his fist. "I just don't want to lose you. Any of you."

"You won't," Iliya whispers. This late at night, his accent is soft, more boy from Sheffield than a Krum. "We are so close to graduation. If something was going to happen, it would have happened by now, yes?"

It's such a weak assurance. He's quiet for a moment. "Are you tired? You should sleep."

"Yeah," he agrees, but he doesn't believe it. He doesn't point out that what happened last year was at the very end, right before they were supposed to go home. They both know, anyway.

"I am, but I'm not sure if I can sleep anyway. You should, though. Don't let me keep you up, okay? You'll sleep through Transfig."

Iliya frowns. He could fall asleep now, but he doesn't like the idea of Cameron lying awake all night. "...Move over."

He disappears from the mirror. His intentions become clearer, as there's the faint sound of Iliya moving down his ladder, as quietly as he can manage.

"Iliya, what are you- Hey, don't," Cameron starts, but his boyfriend's face had already disappeared from the mirror, so he puts his own away. As Iliya climbs his ladder, he pressed himself backwards, as close to the far wall as he can. "You don't have to come sleep with me, I'm not a kid," he says, trying to look stern, but it doesn't come naturally to his features. His frown dissolves into a fond smile and he shakes his head, pulling back the covers so he can climb in. "Now we'll both sleep through Transfig."

Edited 2018-05-06 16:17 (UTC)

Iliya's eyes flick down Cameron's body, and he says, "I am very aware you are not a kid," which is as much innuendo as he's going to get into. He prays none of their roommates are awake, and settles in beside Cameron.

"So we will drink coffee." Iliya hates the taste of coffee, but he'll try it if it'll stop him from losing points. He leans in, dropping a kiss on both of Cameron's eyelids. "A magic charm, yes? Try to sleep."

Cameron laughs, turning his face into the pillow to stifle the sound. He nearly makes a similar comment in return, but thinks better of it, and just winks instead.

For a moment, Cameron plans to leave as much space between them as he can and not crowd Iliya, but it's simply not possible. The beds are too small and they are too big to comfortably lay side by side without touching. Instead, he gives up on the notion entirely, wrapping an arm around his middle and snuggling in close.

"Lotta coffee," he agrees through another yawn. He closes his eyes and smiles when Iliya kisses his eyelids. "Okay. You too, alright?" He kisses him on the cheek, eyes still closed, and says. "Thank you, Iliya. Goodnight."

Iliya grins when he's kissed, and slides an arm under Cameron so he can pull him in even closer. (If his arm goes numb, it will still be worth it.) "Nyama da pozvolya nishto da vi otvede," Iliya whispers. He exhales, trying to release all of his worry and tension, and closes his eyes. "Goodnight, Cameron."