Collab with art by @aszeah (posted with permission), ficlet by me! Also on AO3
[ID: Sketched artwork of Ikora and Eris from the waist up, standing close together with their foreheads touching. Ikora rests one hand on Eris’ jaw and neck, while Eris rests her hands on that arm at both the wrist and elbow. Both are wearing simple tank tops, which shows the scars on Eris’ arms and shoulders. Ikora has her eyes closed in a tender, aching expression. Eris is not wearing her blindfold and her three glowing green eyes are half closed and downcast in an unguarded, pensive expression. end ID]
Eris drew away from the sleeping form and stood in the dawn-silent room.
To her eyes, the dimness was enough to show her every crease of the sheets and every outline of the shape of a woman tangled in them.
Padding noiselessly across the room, she looked out the window. She watched the lightening sky until the horizon became almost too bright to bear.
By that point, Ikora had wakened and begun to stir. Eris watched her hand reach out and pat the empty place where she had lain. Only then did her eyes half open, scanning the bed and the room until they landed on Eris watching her.
"Eris?" she said in a voice gravelly with sleep. What a precious sound.
"I am here."
Ikora shrugged off the sheets and tipped her legs off the bed. Without her silken dressing gown, she was clad in a simple tank top and shorts. She stood and walked around the bed toward Eris at the window.
"What's the matter?" she asked from where she paused a few paces away.
"Nothing," Eris said truthfully.
"Then why are you making that face and staring out the window?"
"I am thinking."
"About what?"
Eris looked back outside. The crest of the east mountains was burning at the edge of their silhouette.
"I think, I am..."
"... Yes?"
"I think I am happy."
When Eris looked back, she was startled to see tears in Ikora's eyes.
"Oh, Eris," she said, and reached as if she couldn't help herself.
Ikora cupped Eris' face in one hand, stroking her thumb along Eris' jaw and tucking her fingers around the back of her ear to caress the tender join of her neck to her skull.
Eris rested against that soft, warm palm. She lifted both hands to cradle the arm that supported her. She caught the fingers of one hand loosely but closely about Ikora's wrist. The other, she curled around Ikora's upper arm just above the elbow, resting her fingers in the crook of its bend.
Ikora's eyes drifted closed. The sight of the haunting blend of care and sorrow and joy on her face was going to stay with Eris for a long time.
Eris sighed and leaned inward. Ikora's forehead rested against the side of hers, just clear of her eye. They hung there still in the balance.
"I'm happy, too," Ikora said in a damp whisper.
Eris closed her eyes against the finally breaking light. She pulled Ikora into a hug and hid her light-shy eyes in her shoulder.
Ikora held her close and absently stroked her back until the sun had warmed their skin.
Sorry for such a long break, but first I got overwhelmed with stuff happening and then felt embarassed about not being able to finish what I started, so I did a long damn woosh. With all the time gone I dont think I have it in me to continue the challenge daily, but I will hovewer try to finish it eventually with reasonable pauses between pictures. Anyways, feels good to be back :D
