Exhausted as he was, the split-second sight of her asleep in bed with the open book half-sliding out of her hands was enough to make him smile, though he did flinch reflexively when she startled awake.
“Best not,” Tybalt advised faintly, the corner of his mouth a little taut. He was quite convinced nothing he could say would make her any less worried... and he was, admittedly, not entirely certain how to possibly condense all that adrenaline and triumph and guilt and terror and frustration into one sensible feeling that was not merely tired. He strengthened his own smile for her as he began trying to get his shoes off, though every muscle in his body protested as he leant down to do it. If Elsie hadn’t woken up Tyb suspected he might well have passed out without a moment’s notice, still fully clothed.
Since she was awake, he half-straightened up, pausing to look over at her in lingering concern. “Should I be afraid to ask how you are?” Tyb returned mildly, though even if the match had flown by without mishap he thought she would have suffered through it all the same just in fear of what might happen. Come to think of it, Tybalt wondered how much of this match she had actually seen. Regardless, his gaze softened to a knowing, teasing look. “I see you made it through.”
“Best not,” Tybalt advised faintly, the corner of his mouth a little taut. He was quite convinced nothing he could say would make her any less worried... and he was, admittedly, not entirely certain how to possibly condense all that adrenaline and triumph and guilt and terror and frustration into one sensible feeling that was not merely tired. He strengthened his own smile for her as he began trying to get his shoes off, though every muscle in his body protested as he leant down to do it. If Elsie hadn’t woken up Tyb suspected he might well have passed out without a moment’s notice, still fully clothed.
Since she was awake, he half-straightened up, pausing to look over at her in lingering concern. “Should I be afraid to ask how you are?” Tyb returned mildly, though even if the match had flown by without mishap he thought she would have suffered through it all the same just in fear of what might happen. Come to think of it, Tybalt wondered how much of this match she had actually seen. Regardless, his gaze softened to a knowing, teasing look. “I see you made it through.”
