4. My Muse stretching their arms up, showing their midriff
@lamentinglewis
Arthur hadn’t really slept, and he was feeling it now. at least the energy drink was helping some, but honestly it just left him tired and buzzed with shaky fingers. Caffeine seldom did the trick except to get him to focus. But he willed himself to push through. He didn’t want to sleep. He didn’t want to.
But that left him drowsy and yawning, over and over to a point of just-- annoyance at the whole thing. Come on brain-- wake up! You have things to do and a while to go!
He’d been sitting with Lament in his library nook. It was just-- nice, to spend time with him, and this was his special sanctuary. So they could sit together while he pored over old notebooks, occasionally checking what Lament was up to with his own reading. They sat across from each other, one of his shoes touching Lament’s at the midpoint. Or more-- closer to him. Lament was a leggy guy. He was, too, but even he fell short to the sheer length of unnecessary height that was Lewis.
But sitting still and reading was...not helping him stay awake. He went as long as he could, but now he was fighting being awake more than he was reading, and he kept skipping time every time his eyes closed, dozing just light enough to snap awake, but aware he probably was dropping off by the jolt that pulled him back.
He needed something active.
“I’m thinking of taking a break. Maybe going outside for a walk.” Arthur nudged Lament’s foot for his attention, before standing up and stretching. His arms reached above his head as far as they would go and he ended up on his tiptoes from the l e n g t h of the stretch, coiling up tight at far as he’d go. His shirt rode up as he did and he felt it pull up an his stomach as his spine arched and curved until a sound escaped like a loud hum.
His body clenched into place for a beat, tightening until it just-- couldn’t anymore, before all at once loosening and nearly melting from the lack of tension. He rubbed at his face, balled fist running over a closed eye, before he heard the sound.
He glanced down at Lament and then tracked his eyes to where he was look, before making an embarrassed sound, and tugging his shirt down, hiding pale skin and the start of a happy trail down into his jeans. His face caught some color, and he was grateful for the nest’s dim lighting. “Oh-- sorry.”