Elamin can’t sleep. He sleeps less than most people in these cursed barracks anyway, but tonight even his usual four hours don’t want to take him. He tries it with the blanket, without the blanket, changes his position for what feels like a hundred times until he finally gives up.
He gets out of his bed and walks towards the exit of the room that he now shares with over twenty people. Some of the other recruits are snoring, some are mumbling in their sleep, some are completely hidden under their blankets as Elamin makes his way through the rows of beds.
The air outside is cool and all three moons are visible in the sky. Elamin thinks about sneaking into the kitchens and finding something to eat, but a sound to his right catches his attention. He follows the sound along the corridor until he reaches one of the doors that leads outside to courtyard B.
Maybe he shouldn’t be surprised to see Finnian out there with his sword and his shield, sweat pouring down his face as if he’s been at this for hours. Maybe the universe is out to get him yet again.
Elamin leans against the door frame and he’s too tired to stop his eyes from wandering.
His traitorous brain provides him with the current count of their sparring matches. Finnian has so far won 25 out of 36 and even the ones that Elamin technically won felt like losses, simply because his body is suffering from some sort of malfunction whenever Finnian gets into close proximity to him.
He flashes back to his last win when he had Finnian pinned to the ground, his sword at his throat. Finnian is so much smaller than he is, but it’s surprisingly difficult to get him to lose his balance. Looking up at him with a stubborn look, his dark hair sticking to his forehead, mouth slightly parted while panting heavily from the exertion...
Elamin was off of him in a matter of seconds. He didn’t even stick around to gloat. Something about this tiny guy with freckles and a dimple in his left cheek just gets him riled up.
It’s probably frustration. Or anger about being beaten by someone so small. Or maybe it’s some sort of competitive spirit that he never encountered before.
Finnian beheads the training dummy and then stands there as the head lolls off and scatters away. Elamin can hear his heavy breathing and watches how his grey shirt sticks to the muscles in his back.
Elamin thinks about what he could say, but before he can come up with something witty and at least a little bit insulting, Finnian puts his sword and shield away and turns around.
His eyes are red and puffy and even for someone who grew up among elves who barely show any emotions it’s obvious that Finnian’s been crying. Elamin’s words get stuck in his throat as Finnian catches sight of him.
They stare at each other across the courtyard in the pale moonlight and Elamin swallows. He could say something about Finnian being a crybaby. He could ask mockingly if he’s homesick or misses his mom.
Damn, Elamin doesn’t even know if Finnian’s mom is alive.
He knows nothing about this guy except that he’s frustrating and always too happy and trains harder than anyone else and he keeps helping newbies who don’t know anyone and--
“What do you want?”, Finnian croaks and his voice is hoarse.
Elamin opens his mouth and closes it again. Finnian crosses the courtyard and shoots him a look that seems to dare Elamin to comment on his red eyes. But Elamin doesn’t find the words, or any appropriate words until Finnian has shouldered past him into the corridor, heading towards the showers.
“Can’t sleep?”, is what eventually comes out and he scolds himself internally for the dumb question. Finnian looks over his shoulder, his eyebrows raised.
“I only sleep four hours. Same as you.”
Elamin did not actually know this. He clears his throat, wondering if either the blind girl or the weird one would know what to say. Then he’s angry at himself for even thinking about that. It’s not like they’re friends.
Elamin doesn’t like Finnian. Finnian doesn’t like Elamin.
All they do is insult each other and hack at each other during training. This is ridiculous.
“If you get bored at night and want to get your ass kicked some more you know where I live”, Finnian says and leaves Elamin standing in the hallway.
