"Oh, I know what I -," Eric's words cut off, sensing something welling up and it made his stomach turn.
As Arioch started crying, Eric clenched his eyes shut, a hand coming to press against the back of his brother's neck. "Ari," he said softly. A part of him didn't want his brother to stop crying. It was cleansing for Eric as well. It meant something to him. He felt the tears drip onto his skin and slide down to the pelts. It was the unfamiliar scent that Eric couldn't place, but everything fit together, suddenly.
"Should I be forced away again," Eric said softly, his hands petting down his brother's muscular back, "you will simply need to follow the blood spill." Eric pressed his palms against Arioch's head, forcing him to look in his eyes. "We never part for more than a week." Fingers slipped up into Ari's hair, pushing his brother's head back into his neck.
"We're both exhausted. We shall sleep and see who waked whom up tomorrow." The edge left his voice and Eric felt his body relax against the bed. "Hold me?" It was a plea, a weak one at that, but it seemed mutually beneficial.