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The look is caught, noted, and he returns a brief knowing glance of his own.

Contrary to his own complaints about 'moving around', he shifts while reaching to pull the comforter over the two of them. Then, he settles into putting an arm around Hythlodaeus and pulling him into his chest. For the sake of warmth and closeness in one fell swoop.

Emet lay his head next to Hythlodaeus, close enough that his forehead comes to rest against his dear friends. "Good. Your promises worry me more than the contrary." He mumbles.

The tug pulls Hythlodaeus flush against him, and his cheeks take on a soft tinge of red even as he smiles. "Hardly my intention, but noted all the same."

He lets the light touch at Emet's back become more of a firm hold, eyes opening again to meet with his friend's. He's always been fond of Emet's eyes. Even as they are now, he can see the man he loves in them. He could drown in them, quite happily lose himself in them for days on end. They feel like home. They don't glow in the dim light the way Hythlodaeus' do, but he can see them. And when he focuses just right, he can make out that comforting aura of his, too.

There's an unspoken appreciation as he meets Hythlodaeus' gaze. This is something he's craved for so long - only attainable in those empty visits to Amaurot as he clung to the company of the shades of his own creation. The grief still remains but it feels as if peace is starting to eat away at its tarnished edges.

Emet closes his eyes and lets himself truly rest for the first time in so many years. It feels peaceful, drifting off in the embrace of the light of that familiar soul.

It doesn't take long for Hythlodaeus to doze off too, and when he wakes still curled about the other man he smiles and nestles back into the warmth of him. It's not hard to fall in and out of sleep after that, but once he does wake properly he gets restless. He chooses to map Emet's face with his fingers instead, only gently, before pressing a light kiss to his friend's forehead- fond and loving.

"Emet-Selch... it's five and twenty to ten." Certainly past time both of them would usually get up, but given how comfortable he is, Hythlodaeus hardly wants to move.

For being such a 'light sleeper', as he previously claimed, he barely stirs at the sound of Hythlodaeus' voice. Instead, Emet makes a guttural noise in the back of his throat, something that resembles 'it's too early', as he ducks his head into a pillow. Rising early has never been one of his favorite tenants.

"Emet-Selch..." He runs a hand through his hair, chuckling. But then he stops, sighing and smiling into his friend's neck.

"I'm still here, and I would like you to take some notice of that fact." He leans in to rest his forehead back against his friend's. He kept his promise, he stayed, for good or for ill. Though right now, he can't imagine anything bad having come from it. Either way, he just wants Emet to know that it wasn't all a dream.

Having a hand raked through his hair wakes him up enough to respond with the faint mutter of, "It is noted." Though he is still groggy and half-asleep through it all. He hugs Hythlodaeus closer in silent refusal of getting out of bed.

Hm... he ends up hugging Emet closer too, pressing a soft kiss to his neck. It's not supposed to be anything more than a gesture of love, happiness that they're together.

"I thought you were a light sleeper?" As if Hythlodaeus was under that impression anyway, he knows Emet likes his naps. He settles back down, cupping his cheek and looking lovingly at him. "Come on, Hades. Open your eyes."

Emet opens one eye as a clear and cheeky refusal to do exactly as asked.

He closes his eyes again and lifts one hand to drearily plop on top of Hythlodaeu's hand. "I am a light sleeper because I have not rested in an age." This is the first night of true rest he has had in some time, and still, he awoke as soon as something was said.

He sits up, unaware of his hair sticking up at all angles.

Giggling at the mess Emet's hair is in, he sits up too- his own is messy too, but he brushes it down with his fingers before pushing it back out of his face. Then he leans in and starts to fiddle with Emet's hair.

"Then you should rest more. We'll be making sure of that much." He's making no real move to get out of bed despite waking Emet-Selch up. "Might I ask why you don't sleep more often?"

Emet wrinkles his nose and he waves a hand in front of his face as if to 'shoo' Hythlodaeus' hand away. The mess of his hair is the last of his concerns. Surely, whatever it looked like was fine enough for now.

Although he does reach forward and takes a few wefts of Hythlodaeus's lavender hair in his hands and begins to twist them into his friend's signature braid.

"I sleep." He says indignantly. "But it is difficult to truly rest with the weight of my thoughts and obligations." The braiding continues at a pace. "Despite what some have come to think of me, I am capable of feelings."

Hythlodaeus hums contentedly as Emet starts braiding his hair, moving closer to make it easier for him. "I have never thought otherwise. For as much as you enjoy pretending that nothing rattles you, I can tell that isn't the case."

He reaches back up to continue messing with Emet's hair. Too bad, he's fixing it whether he likes it or not. "I can only hope that rest found you easier last night, and will continue to do so." He gives Emet a sincere smile.

There's a small smile given in return, even despite his nonverbal protests of his hair being fussed with. At least his hair sits out of his face and without the gravity-defying tangles now.

Likewise, the braid has all but finished. Emet reaches for the tie around Hythlodaeus' wrist so that he can fasten it at the end.

"What of you?" Emet asks, steering the conversation elsewhere. "It was your first night in the source. Were you able to sleep despite it?"

"Like a baby." He readjusts the braid into its usual place and leans against Emet's shoulder in silent thanks.

"Though perhaps it was simply your presence that calmed me enough for restful slumber. Alone, I imagine things might have been different."

And Emet-Selch would have gone on continuing to bear such a heavy burden, with Hythlodaeus none the wiser nor able to reach him. But as he looks back up at Emet, he focuses just enough to see the hue of his soul, and the sight is enough to make his chest grow tight with how much he loves his friend.

Different for them both.

"Rested enough to explore the outside world?" He asks with some optimism in his voice. Perhaps with company by his side, he could see beauty for the first time in those places he's visited many times before.

"I think so, aye." He slips out of bed and stretches, then looks for his clothes. He only has those ones, he'll have to purchase more... but at least he's not stuck in a robe in a world where robes are outdated.

Playfully, he puts on Emet's coat instead. "Hm, what do you think? I feel I can't quite furrow my brow in the manner you can, but I can surely try if asked."

Emet purses his lips in disapproval at such blatant mockery.

"I do not furrow my brow." He sulks, while coincidentally proving the point by furrowing his brow.

Emet reaches into the air and whips his wrist around in a sharp arc. The coat blinks out of existence around Hythlodaeus' shoulders and appears again in his hands.

Hythlodaeus sighs, shaking his head. "My dear Emet-Selch, the proof is in the lines upon it."

It's said about as lovingly as you can tell someone they're wrinkly. He thinks for a moment, before wandering off to look at the rest of the boat. "Now where did you put the bathroom..." He might as well be clean for their little excursion.

The fact that he knows Hythlodaeus is right makes him want to frown all the more.

When the subject of a bathroom aboard the vessel is brought up a mood-appropriate response seems in order. "I'm not sure. Perhaps I've forgotten to create one in my 'aged' state of being." Emet says with all the finesse of a petulant juvenile.

He kneels down to collect the mountain of fabric that is his clothing, then makes a B-line for the bathroom with all clothing in hand.

Hythlodaeus snorts, but he soon makes an equally petulant sound when he realises what Emet-Selch is doing. He has no choice but to let the Ascian into the bathroom first, at which point he gives a loud, melodramatic sigh.

"Well, I suppose I'm going out to find a bathhouse on my own. Have fun!"

There's the distinct sound of him getting changed again, and then walking past the bathroom door to the exit. He is absolutely going to find somewhere to bathe with or without Emet.

He isn't going to leave.

... is he?

Emet continues his work of getting cleaned and dressed before stepping out into the cabin. It only takes a few short minutes, but when he emerges there is no Hythlodaeus in sight. He'd actually left.

He breathes in deeply and lets his breathe slowly leak out into a prolonged sigh. Hythlodaeus actually went out into the city - a city that he had no knowledge of - to accomplish gods knew what. Now he would have to make a point to find him out there. Emet pinches the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "...Of all the trouble."

The boat is abandoned as Emet makes his way to the docks. Hopefully he couldn't cause too much trouble in such a small amount of time.

Luckily, Hythlodaeus hadn't gotten far. He's sitting on a crate with a group of female Miqo'te dancers, braiding one's hair for her and having flowers weaved into his own by another. He's regaling them with tales of his best friends- his latest tale is about how he was almost eaten by a land-walking shark, but his friend Venat swooped in just at the last moment to save him.

When he spots Emet-Selch, he waves with a smile. "That's Emet-Selch, right there. The one with the terribly unimpressed frown." The girls all wave and giggle. "Come now, friend. Did you really think I'd leave you behind?"

"I wasn't concerned about being left behind." Emet insists with displeasure in his voice. "I was concerned that you'd wandered off into a city you've never been in. You've no concept of the trouble you could get into."

Even so, he doesn't shoo away the dancers that Hythlodaeus is chattering with or insist that they leave. Instead, Emet sits down on a crate right beside him and will remain there - arms folded - until he's finished his business.

Why does this feel so reminiscent of the same exasperation he used to feel when Hythlodaeus did something he disapproved of so long ago? Being frustrated, but ultimately refusing to leave his side.

"You were worried about me?" Grinning, Hythlodaeus leans in. "I'm touched."

He looks just as, if not more, impish with flowers in his hair. It's a little ridiculous. He holds a hand out to pat at Emet's shoulder.

"Lest you forget, I am a grown man." He stands after he's done with the dancer's hair, and gives the ladies a twirl with his arms outstretched. "How do I look?"

Despite the question being directed towards them, his eyes are on Emet-Selch. And now the dancers all wait for Emet-Selch's reply with him.

"Now you're wanting for my opinion?" Emet responds with a scowl. Although it very much seems that each of them looks to him for the final approval.

He stands and usurps one of the flowers that the dancers have in their pile to pin to Hythlodaeus' jacket. There. Now it's worthy of approval.

"Fetching, dare I say." He says concisely. The topic is redirected before they get a chance to dwell on it too much. "Were you intent on staying here with your new friends or did you prefer to explore the city?"

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