Carry me if I sleep

Jacob shrugged and Aria put a hand under her chin. "I have no idea. I'll probably go to my room and go straight to sleep." she said.

"Oh don't be so old!" Jacob exclaimed and Joseph spoke with a chuckle, "Come on. Let's go into the forest. It's been so long since we all went together." "Please?" he added, looking at Aria through his lashes, looking so cute that Aria let out a sigh. "Fine!" she whined, "But only for a little while. And one of you is going to have to carry me up to my room if I fall asleep on the ground."

"Done." Joseph beamed as Jacob chuckled. "You guys are all going? It's so unfair! Why does it take so long for me to complete my homework?!?!" Helen let out a whine and pouted upon hearing that all her friends were spending time together. "I'll tell you what." Aria said, putting an arm across Helen's shoulders, "We'll work together tomorrow in the library together. I have only one class before lunch, and I was planning to skip it anyway. I'll help you and we can get both of ours work done by lunch." "You don't have a class before lunch, do you?" she finished. Helen tilted her head to one side and thought for a minute. "I have Professor Whitney before lunch, but Professor Thomas has sent him to a village or something." she said.

"That's perfect then!" Aria exclaimed, clapping her hands. 

And that was how the four of them ended up in the forest with just half an hour to go for bedtime. "We really should get going. Aria is still recovering, and all of us have a long day ahead." Helen said, running her hands through Aria's hair, who was lying with her head in her lap.

All she got in response was a whine as Aria turned on one side and closed her eyes. Helen sighed and called out to the boys, who had decided that the best way to spend time after dinner was sparring. The boys saw more sense in Helen's words than Aria. They came back and sat down to rest themselves for a few minutes before getting up to go back inside.

"Aria? Let's go." Helen called out, lightly tapping her head to edge Aria to stand up. She frowned in confusion upon sensing no movement from Aria, who had been unusually quiet during the past few minutes. "I think she's asleep." said Jacob, squatting down and moving the hair from Aria's face to check. Helen sighed and was about to wake her up when she was stopped by Joseph. "Don't." he said, "Let her rest. I promised to carry her back if she fell asleep anyway." He twirled his fingers before the words had completely left his mouth and Aria floated out of Helen's lap into Joseph's outstretched arms.

"Will you be able to walk back carrying her? You'll have to climb stairs too." Jacob asked, looking concerned as he helped up Helen. Joseph rolled his eyes and started walking. "I don't have to walk and climb stairs like normal people." he threw the words over his shoulder, walking ahead of the two who sighed and shook their heads at the cockiness in his voice.

Joesph said good night to Jacob and Helen in the entrance hall where they separated to go towards their respective rooms.