Who: Athena and Shiloh What: She’s afraid of the dark, and hasn’t seen her friend in a while When: During the blackout; just a few hours after sunset Where: Shiloh’s Apartment Warnings: Cuteness? Cuddles? Some kissing, and innocent touches.
When the lights went out around sunset, Athena had been tucked away in her lab. Everything shut off and it took a few minutes for the backup generators to kick in. During those few minutes, Athena had been completely still. She had never been a fan of the dark, especially after everything that had happened with the General. It just wasn’t something she enjoyed, and when she realized it was just the backup generators that were on, she gathered up her things.
She walked back to her apartment as quickly as she could, noting the dimmed lights. She hated it. Once inside her apartment, Athena immediately went about trying to find a flashlight. She turned it on and crossed over into the living room. She curled up on the couch with just a blanket and her flashlight, but she wasn’t comfortable for long. It took her all of two hours before she just couldn’t stand it any more. If things had gone better, she might’ve tried to find Adam. As it was, she could hardly think of him without becoming sad. So instead, she gathered her blanket around her, held tightly onto her flashlight, and made her way down to Shiloh’s apartment, knocking twice. He was on his way home from the museum when the lights in the city went dark, nearly causing him to get into an accident when people lost their minds at a darkened traffic light. Thankfully, Shiloh made it home safely, parked his car, and got into his apartment without breaking a leg or bumping into anyone. Somehow, he managed to remember where his lone flashlight was, and after lighting a handful of candles to stay safe on the kitchen counter, he settled down on the couch, reading a book by candlelight.
The knock on the door drew his attention, though, and he had to wonder who was knocking on his door during this sort of situation. Not Preston. Surely not Poe. And that left one person remaining. Marking his place in his book, Shiloh grabbed his flashlight and got up to his feet, moving to answer the door moments later. At the sight of Athena, he couldn’t help the small smile that graced his face. He wouldn’t say that she made an unlikely friend, but he hadn’t moved to Seattle with the intentions of forming any sort of remotely romantic relationship, but here he was with a ladyfriend of his own.
“Planning a sleep over, Athena?” he asked with a light note in his voice, pushing the door open and stepping back to admit her. When he opened the door, she offered him an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry to bother you, Shiloh,” Athena said softly, stepping inside as he allowed her into his apartment. She clutched the blanket more tightly around her and turned to face him. “I’m...afraid of the dark,” she admitted with a slight chuckle, though it was clear she was slowly loosening up in his presence.
“Do you mind if I stay until the lights come back on? I won’t be a bother, I promise,” Athena asked, with just a hint of desperation in her voice. After a moment, she smiled. “Plus, I haven’t seen you in a while. After those drunken texts, and phone call, I suppose I should explain,” she added, more warmly this time. Shiloh ushered her in, closing and locking the door behind her, keeping out whatever might lurk in the darkness of the hallways. “You’re not bothering me. Ever,” he said quietly. The room was cast in soft light with the flickering candles in the kitchen, casting shadows that danced over the walls. “And I think we both have a bit of explaining to do, don’t we?” He wasn’t shy as he edged closer, winding an arm around her shoulders and pulling him in towards his side in a friendly manner.
“Come on. Living room or bedroom? If the lights don’t come on for a while, you can spend the night, if you’d like. I’m good so long as you’re comfortable.” Athena leaned into him, feeling much much better once the door was closed and locked. “I do remember you telling me something about an issue you were dealing with,” she replied with a smile, looking up at him. The candlelight flickered across both of their faces, and she felt much more comfortable now. She knew that coming to Shiloh had been the right idea.
“Bedroom, if you don’t mind? I was curled up on the couch in my apartment, and that really just isn’t as comfortable as it used to be,” she answered, offering him a shy smile. Normally the thought of being in a bedroom with another man sent her running for the hills, but with Shiloh it was different. “Can we bring the candles?” she added, a faint blush tinging her cheeks. It was somewhat suggestive, perhaps, but she didn’t mean it that way in the slightest. Hopefully he knew that as well. “An issue with a long story attached to it. Maybe I’ll tell you tonight.” Shiloh gave a squeeze of her shoulders before releasing her as she gave her vote of the bedroom over the living room. He had to agree that it would likely be more comfortable, and he hardly thought anything of having her in there. She was a friend, and while he was fond of her, he had no notions other than friendship now.
“Go in. Make yourself comfortable. I’ll grab a couple candles and something to drink and join you in just a moment.” He caught her gaze for a moment, the colour that tinged her cheeks, and he couldn’t help the smile that crossed his lips. “You’re lucky I just washed my sheets. Bachelors like me don’t usually do that regularly.” A wink then, joking as he headed to the kitchen to gather what he had talked about. “I think I should probably explain my own issue in a bit more detail. And perhaps with a bit less to drink,” she added with a grin as he gave her a squeeze. “Promise you’ll be quick?” she asked as he separated himself from her. She didn’t relish being alone, but at least she had the comfort of knowing he was just in the other room. “I’ll have to see about reminding you to do your laundry then,” she replied cheekily as she watched him disappear into the kitchen.
She turned and walked into his bedroom and shined her flashlight around the room. It was tastefully done, and the first thing she noticed was the abundance of pillows. She stood in the doorway for a moment, a smile playing on her lips, before moving to one side of the bed and climbing in. Athena tucked herself in under the comforter and propped herself up with a pillow, drawing her knees to her chest as she waited for Shiloh to return. Shiloh stared off after her as she disappeared into his bedroom, smiling to himself and giving a small shake of his head before he moved to the kitchen to do as he said he would. Several of the candles were blown out, leaving one heavy candle to take with him. From the cabinet near the fridge, he pulled out several bottles of water, and tucking those in between his chest and arm, he grabbed the candle and moved towards the bedroom to join her.
The candle was sat upon his dresser, the bottles of water on the nightstand next to his bed, and after that, he sat down atop the blanket and stretched out, legs crossed at the ankles. “Making yourself comfortable?” he asked, turning his head to look towards her. How long had it been since he had a lady in his bed, even in a platonic nature? Too long to be anything but embarrassed about it. Her eyes had been trained on the door, waiting for Shiloh to come back. His bedroom was quite nice, and the bed was very comfortable for what she assumed most bachelors had. When he did come in, laden with water and candles, Athena smiled. “You’re well prepared,” she noted, teasing him comfortably. Despite the fact that their friendship was somewhat new, Athena felt as if she had known him for a long time now.
“Of course, though it’s hard not to. Do you have enough pillows?” she asked him, turning onto her side to face him. She was slightly embarrassed by the situation, but Athena did her best not to let it show. She smiled playfully and tilted her head to the side, resting it on the pillow she was using to support herself against the headboard. “So, story time? Do you want to go first, or shall I?” Getting more comfortable, Shiloh rolled over onto his side, tucking his arm up beneath his head, the blanket keeping a comfortable barrier between them, keeping this from turning into anything that they might be uncomfortable with. “And no, I don’t have enough pillows. I think I’ll buy another half dozen if you don’t mind.” He let out a laugh then, and he had to admit that it felt good to relax, to wind down, to be in the company of someone who, even when she surprised him, did so in ways he could handle.
“And I think I’ll let you go first. I’ve still got to get my thoughts in order about my own,” he admitted, and then in a gesture that took him by surprise, Shiloh reached out to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear. Athena chuckled appreciatively. “Well if that’s the case, I might just steal one or two. They’re quite comfortable,” she complimented, adjusting herself so that they weren’t quite touching, even with the blanket dividing them. The laughter helped diffuse some of the awkwardness, so when he asked her to go first she didn’t object. She did pause for a moment as he tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, but she smiled and said only, “Thanks,” softly, before delving into her story.
“So, I know you think you’re old, but I’m actually about a thousand years older than I look,” she admitted with a self-conscious smile. Most people didn’t react well when she informed them of her true age, but they were both Creations. Hopefully he wouldn’t think it a bad thing. “I’ve...been through a lot over the years, but most of it was spent with Adam, hidden away in a castle on the French Countryside. I ended up leaving the castle because I was...because of what happened,” she explained, stumbling over being able to say she was raped again. “He just got to Seattle a little while ago, but I guess he just started to post on the forums a week or so ago. I just couldn’t help myself. I hadn’t seen him in nearly a hundred years. I missed him. But he...I hurt him. When I left. I’m just not sure what to do,” she admitted quietly, dropping her gaze to the small amount of space between them. Shiloh said nothing as she talked, just listening to her story, taking what he had learned about her that night on the telephone and merging it with this information. “Well, I think the first question is asking yourself what you would like to do. What you want. And then you find a way to make it happen.” Reaching out, he tilted her chin up slightly, urging her to lift her gaze.
“I’m horrible at advice. But you just... have to do what makes you happy, even if it doesn’t make other people happy. Thousand years of life or nearly 40, it doesn’t make a difference. Happiness is what matters, seeking it out, making it happen.” Shiloh smiled a small little smile, resisting the urge to touch her face again, instead pulling his hand back to let it rest on the comforter, relaxing. Athena brought her gaze up to look at him as he guided her chin up. She offered him a half smile and shrugged. “I’m not sure what I want,” she admitted quietly. “I don’t have...any experience with relationships. Adam and I, it was just a connection. We worked together, played off each other. And then everything changed, and I don’t know if I can be Sophie again. And I don’t know if he’ll want me as Athena,” she replied, biting her lip.
He dropped his hand, and Athena found herself missing his gentle touch. It was comforting and friendly, and even though she was sitting here, talking about her relationship with another man, Shiloh didn’t find her childish or revolting. “I want to be happy,” she said softly, reaching her hand out to rest over his. “You also deserve to be happy, Shiloh.” Her voice was soft and it was obvious that she cared about his well being. “The only way to get experience, Athena, is to try.” That smile turned warmer as the charm was ramped up, not to impress or dazzle, but simply a reaction to enjoying her company. “Talk to him. Tell him these things, if you can, or if you can’t, do an abbreviated version. If you care for him, then attempt a relationship with him.” Shiloh let out a breath as she reached out to touch his hand, keeping her gaze as he turned his hand around and gripped hers lightly in his own.
He was quiet for a while, just rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand, shifting how he lay on the bed ever so slightly. “You can be happy. I’m sure you can.” The comment about his own happiness was passed to the side for the moment. Shiloh continued on, rubbing her hand, and then he paused.
“Wait. Who’s Sophie?” “Talking to him might be...difficult. He has always had a bit of a temper,” she explained softly. “But I will try. I used to be able to...calm him. Or at least remind him to not be needlessly cruel.” Athena smiled then, as he took her hand in his. She was about to comment that she was content with him now when he asked who Sophie was.
She couldn’t help it. A giggle escaped her. “I was born Sophie Martineux all those years ago,” she informed him. “I’ve changed my name a handful of times, and when I crossed the portal, I chose Athena as my name for the Greek Goddess of Wisdom. A fitting name, I think, because of everything I’ve learned over the years,” she expanded. “Should I tell you all of my aliases?” It was a teasing question, but somewhat serious. She remembered them all. His hand gave her a squeeze in a quiet show of support. “If you need help, I’m only a phone call away. I’m sure you’ll find your stride with him in time. Sometimes... it just takes patience and perseverance to find the calm within what seems to be a raging storm. But I’m confident you can do it.” Shiloh very much enjoyed Athena’s company, but he was not a jealous nor a possessive man, and while he worried inwardly about this Adam’s temper, his reactions to Athena’s words, he also did not want to be the sort of person to hold her back from that which she so clearly cared for.
As the conversation turned to lighter topics, that of her name, Shiloh couldn’t help but let out an exasperated sigh, dramatically releasing her hand and rolling onto his back to stare up at the ceiling. “What is with it, I have to wonder, with the people nearest and dearest to me having more than one name?” Turning his head to the side, Shiloh gave her a grin, the light in his eyes bright. “First my brother. And now you. Or perhaps the other way around, considering our relative ages.”
Rolling back onto his side, he ignored the nagging voice in the back of his head that told him to keep his space, to not cross any invisible lines, instead reaching out to touch her cheek, her jaw, the side of her neck. “I rather like Athena, but yes. Tell me all of them, oh Goddess of Wisdom.” Athena nodded at his offer, knowing she could count on him for anything she could need. He was a wonderful friend, one she knew she’d do whatever she could to keep him as a close friend. She followed along with his playfulness, arching an eyebrow dramatically and a smile teasing at her lips. “I’m fairly certain I’ll win most aging match ups,” she teased. His touch sent a shiver down her spine, the kind that she had never experienced before.
She focused on listing her names for him, saying, “Well like I said, I was born Sophie Martineux. When I left the castle, I took on the name Josephine Bordeoux and became a field nurse in France during World War I. After the war was over, I moved to Paris and became Sophie Bordeoux. I stayed until after World War II, when I moved to England and became Kathrine Merrow. I applied for citizenship with the EU, and worked as a nurse still. I got caught in the glass ceiling, I suppose, so I moved to the states and became Margaret Bradshaw. I was a feminist for a while, but then I decided to move out to California. I became Sophie Henderson and studied at Stanford. Close to two years ago, I went back. To find him. He was gone, so I packed up, changed my name to Athena, and crossed over. And now I’m here.”
Athena felt like it was a lot of history, but given his occupation, he might not have minded listening to an old relic like her, she thought a bit self deprecatingly. “It’s a lot, but then again, it has been a thousand years,” she tried to explain away, feeling shy once more. Shiloh’s first reaction was a smile. “You should write a book about your life. Market it as fiction and Humanity won’t bat an eye at a century-old girl with a dozen names traipsing through history.” That smile turned in to a grin, and he boldly let his hand come to rest against her arm, his touch light. “You make my own life seem so insignificant. It’s one reason I love history. There’s so much out there, so much time that has been spent by people bigger and greater than I; one can’t help but feel a sense of awe in it.”
Rubbing her arm, he thought for a moment. “Do you think Adam came here because of you? Because you were in Seattle?” Athena snorted at his suggestion, clearly amused by it. “I’m no writer,” she countered with a smile. “Though I suppose it would be an interesting idea, to chronicle my point of view of history,” she added, a bit more thoughtfully. His hand on her arm was comforting, and she seemed to completely forget the darkness that surrounded them. Shiloh had this uncanny ability to be able to comfort her and put her at ease. It was something she had been missing over the years.
“Your life is very significant, Shi,” she said softly, bringing her gaze to his eyes as she added, “especially to me. You are a wonderful man.” A warm, soft, affectionate smile graced her lips, and she unconsciously leaned just the smallest amount toward him. The candle on the dresser cast dancing shadows all over the room, flickering, playful shadows that gave a certain magic to the room. Her words that he was significant, of the meaning playing behind them, were important to him as well. Shiloh shifted slightly closer, mimicking her movements, the hand that rested against her arm lifting for a moment. A breeze tickled through the room, impossible with the closed windows, but it existed nonetheless to ruffle her hair, darkening the candle and stopping the shadowdance.
“You’re significant to me, as well, Athena,” Shiloh murmured, and as the breeze settled, his hand resting against her arm once more, the history professor closed the distance between them and kissed that smile that had been calling to him all evening. The distance closed between them and it didn’t register at all for her. It didn’t bring about that usual sense of fear that accompanied an invasion of personal space by a male. Especially in the type of setting they were in. The bed was soft and comfortable, and with the candle lit, there was a comfortable aspect to the lighting. It was as if they had chosen to turn off the lights, if only to enjoy each other’s company.
The candle flickered out, and it caused only a moment’s panic before losing herself in the soft press of his lips against hers. A warmth spread through her that was unfamiliar, but not unwanted. She leaned forward into the kiss, bringing up her hand to rest against his chest, maintaining some distance between them, but not pushing him away by any means. There was no demand in the gesture, no pressure, no movement to take it any further than that. Her lips were soft, and it was hard to keep his composure, to refrain from pushing this in a direction they could no longer ignore. So Shiloh kept things peaceful, pulling back after a handful of moments only to move, leaning upwards, a kiss pressed to her brow.
Sinking back down, he reached up to cover her hand with his own, squeezing her fingers lightly. “Sorry about the candle. I was trying to be... dramatic. I forgot you said you didn’t like the darkness...” Her eyes had fluttered closed at the first touch of his lips on hers, and remained that way even as he pulled away, pressing a kiss to her brow. A soft smile played on her lips, and she slid closer to him, despite the comforter still acting as a physical barrier between them. His hand was comforting, and she sighed contentedly.
“It’s okay,” she said softly. “I...forgot about the blackout, actually,” Athena admitted, blushing as she looked up at him. “Thank you,” she added warmly, entwining her fingers with his. She didn’t want the moment to become awkward, so she chose to press forward with their previous conversation. “Now, will you tell me about what was bothering you before?” As the conversation drifted back towards him, Shiloh had to let out a sigh, still unsure, still uncertain as to what he was doing with the events that had unfolded in front of him. “It’s...” A mess, is what he wanted to say, but he hesitated, lifting his gaze to hers, trying to smile. “Uninteresting. I’m sure you don’t want to be bothered about my problems. They’re boring. You’ll fall asleep listening to them, I’m sure.” Athena offered him a knowing smile and pressed a soft kiss against his cheek. “I’m sure it’s quite interesting,” she countered, “but if you don’t want to talk about it, that’s okay too.” The last thing she wanted to do was make him uncomfortable, especially given the events that had just transpired.
“Would a hug make you feel better?” she suggested, already moving to wrap her arms around his middle. It was insanely easy to grow comfortable around her, Shiloh was finding, as her lips pressed to his cheek, her arms winding around his middle. Shifting slightly, he untangled her from him for a moment, long enough to pull the blankets aside and slip under the covers with her, and only then did he pull her back into that hug. “Hugs make everything feel better, Athena,” he murmured, getting comfortable with the position, his chin coming to rest against her crown.
A few silent moments passed on before he released a breath, deciding to tell her for what it was worth. “I found out several weeks ago, that...” He paused, and in that moment, as his emotions went a little haywire, a breeze rustled through the room. “...I may have a son. A boy. His mother... I knew her back when I was still in college. Twenty years ago, now. And he shows up here, looking for his father.” Shiloh let out a long sigh and he closed his eyes, rubbing her arms, her back, as much for his own comfort as her’s. Athena was confused at first, when he pulled away, but once he was under the covers and holding her again, she was at ease again. “I know that, Shi. I’m a doctor after all,” she teased him, resting her head comfortably on his chest.
The breeze that rustled through the room alerted her to the fact that he was somewhat nervous about saying whatever it was. She gave his hand a comforting squeeze, though she stilled when he said he thought he might have a son. It didn’t necessarily change how she felt about him, but it was certainly something to consider when exploring whatever kind of relationship they might have. “Have you met him?” she asked softly, hand carefully tracing delicate patterns on his chest. Shiloh let out another sigh, the tension starting to return to his muscles despite how Athena’s touch tried to keep it at bay. Unwrapping one arm from around her, he wiped it over his face, a sound of an affirmative nature escaping him. “He’s one of my students. We’ve... had a couple of absolutely disastrous meetings. I’m just going to disappoint him if this keeps on. I’m not cut out to be a father.”
He released a long breath, arm falling to the side as he closed his eyes. “He has expectations I don’t think I can meet. Questions I’m not going to be able to answer. It’s an impossible situation.” Athena sighed softly, pressing herself closer to him in an attempt to comfort him. “It’s okay,” she comforted quietly, “I’m sure it’ll get better, once he comes to know the gentleman you are.” It was true. Athena couldn’t picture anyone dislike Shiloh after getting to know him. The man was perhaps the most welcoming individual she had ever met. “And in the mean time, I’ll be here to hug away all of your tension,” she added with a smile, pulling away slightly so as to look up at him more clearly. “I want to hope that you’re right. I... really do. I’m just having a hard time seeing a happy ending out of all of this.” Shiloh tried to relax, tried to focus on the welcoming feel of Athena pressed against him, warm, soft, accepting. His arms wrapped back around her, fingers rubbing her back, both to calm himself and her. “Can we not talk about this anymore? Go back to hearing the history of the mysterious and wise Athena, instead?” Athena offered him a comforting smile before snuggling in closer to him. “Of course,” she said softly. “When would you like to hear about? World War I and my experience in the field, or World War II as I helped my community? Or maybe during my studies in England and California?” She offered him a number of options, if only to make sure she could successfully distract him, even though she thought cuddling might be sufficient enough to comfort him. Shiloh laughed quietly at that, some of the tension draining away as he listened to her talk. “Something... Hm.” He looked out towards the window, the city beyond that lay in such eerie darkness. “Tell me your happiest memory. Something you never want to forget.” Athena pondered his request for a moment before she began. “I’ll always remember the day I got my library,” she said softly. “It was around my birthday, though I forget which one now. All the years blended together back then. I had been reading from one of the smaller rooms in the castle, and at the time I thought it was the library. After lunch though, Adam led me to these giant double doors and told me to close my eyes. I heard him open the doors and he led me inside, and I thought for sure he had led me clear across the room. He told me to keep my eyes closed until he told me to open them, and then threw open all the curtains, lighting up the whole place.” Her voice took a bit of a whimsical quality to it, lost in the memory.
“When I finally opened my eyes, there was a room larger than anything I had ever seen before. Floor to ceiling, the entire room was covered in books, with free-standing shelves filling the floor space. There was a fireplace too, and the most comfortable reading chair I’ve ever sat in. I used to stay in there for days just reading,” she went on, a happy smile on her lips. “I wish I could show you. There was a whole section dedicated to history, and another dedicated to art. I read as many books as I could get my hands on.” Shiloh closed his eyes as she painted a picture of her memory, wondering what it had been like being her so long ago. He couldn’t help the smile that pulled at his lips, the tone of her voice guiding him along, the wonder he could hear in her words. “I must say,” Shiloh started as he opened his eyes, catching sight of the smile on her lips, the way it practically lit up the room. “I’m almost jealous of this library of yours. It sounds positively fantastic.”
One hand touched her cheek then, tracing her lips, the shape of that smile that was pure happiness. “You’re beautiful. Though I’m sure hundreds of men have told you the same thing.” Athena was lost in the memory, that warmth from that day similar to the warmth that had spread through her when he kissed her. Being so close to Shiloh didn’t startle her as much as she had expected it to. He was kind and gentle, and not forceful like the General had been. Even so, she couldn’t recall a time where she had been this comfortable with another man. Perhaps it was because they had their clothes on, but Athena suspected it was because she was comfortable with him as a person.
“A few,” she admitted, blushing and tucking her head into the crook of his neck. “But it hasn’t meant quite as much as it does now,” Athena murmured against the warmth of his skin, her eyes closing as she inhaled his scent. “You’re just saying it to flatter me,” Shiloh countered with a teasing tone in his voice. He tilted his head down slightly, watching the way she curled in against him, and he responded in turn, his arm settling comfortably against her waist. “You just don’t want me to kick you out into the blackout, don’t you?” Another tease, a dance of his fingers against her lower back to punctuate the light tone to his words. Athena chuckled, the action causing her body to shift slightly toward him and he could no doubt feel her lips ghosting along his skin. His arms wrapped around her only served to make her feel more protected in his embrace, as if he alone could ward against the evils of the dark. “You wouldn’t kick me out, would you?” she asked, only half serious as she pulled back, looking up at him intent on hearing the answer. Her own hand was resting comfortably on his chest, though the loose patterns she was tracing over his shirt were slowly migrating her hand south. She wasn’t aware of it in the slightest, too absorbed in hearing his answer. “Not without feeling so horrible about it that I’d drag you back in half a second later.” Shiloh settled back in the mattress as she lifted herself slightly, fingers shifting, slipping up beneath the hem of her shirt to just touch bare skin, the gesture warm, friendly and undemanding. “But I don’t think there’s a thing you could do that would make me want to kick you out.”
He released a breath as her hand moved further down, and in a move that seemed completely natural, he caught her fingers in her other hand. No, he wouldn’t turn her down, but the news about Poe had made him aware of how his actions could and would affect other people. Some things you did not do on a whim; if something were to happen between he and Athena, it would be with thought, with good intentions and a lasting dedication. Athena smiled, pushing herself up to give him a quick kiss on the cheek. “You’re very sweet to say so,” she commented softly, not noticing the goosebumps that erupted along her skin as his hand connected with her bare flesh, innocent though the touch was. It felt...good to be this close to someone again. She entwined her fingers with his when he caught her hand, and found herself yawning. “Sorry,” she said softly, though she was already settling in comfortably against him. “Tell me about China?” she asked, closing her eyes as she prepared to listen to his story. “You’re fine. Nothing to apologise for,” Shiloh murmured to her as she settled back in, fingers straying to more chaste places for them to rest, recognising the line they were toeing, even if it was almost invisible. “As for China...” He trailed off, closing his own eyes as he started in with a story about his first time to the country and the excursion he had taken to the Great Wall.
“It makes you feel so small. So... inadequate, when you stand on top of it, looking at it stretching out for eternity, and for just a moment, you can swear you can hear the sounds of the stonesmiths building the wall, the soldiers on patrol.” A shiver coursed through him and he tightened his hand in hers. “It’s amazing. It made me feel amazing.” Athena felt herself drifting off into a peaceful slumber as he spoke, and by the time his hand tightened over hers, she was lost in a dream. She slept peacefully, curled into Shiloh and holding onto him as if he was all she needed to ward away the dark and the nightmares. She slept better than she had in weeks, and didn’t wake up until well into the late morning the next day. When he finished his story and received no response, Shiloh craned his neck to take a look towards Athena, laughing softly to himself at the sight of her sound asleep. Feeling no need to rouse her by shifting on the bed, Shiloh instead pulled the blanket up around them both, guarding them from the dark night. When he finally drifted off, it was with an arm around her, protective, and the sleep he had that night was peaceful and perfect.