Sleep On My Lap

Circlecraft is a very hard ability to learn.

Vastarael sat cross-legged on the floor of the living room, his eyes narrowed with intense concentration. The glow of his two previously created circles—the Healing and Plasma Circles—flickered softly in the dim light around him, remnants of his past work.

The runes that made up the circles floated faintly in the air, their energy humming like the tension before a storm. But today, it wasn't those circles he was focusing on. Today, it was the third: the Water Mystic Circle.

Three weeks of nonstop effort had led him here and still, it felt like there was so much more to do. The air around him shimmered with the raw power of his essence, but it wasn't enough.

The Water Circle eluded him. Each time he almost completed the complex arrangement of runes, they would dissipate, like an illusion, before he could lock them in place.

His forehead was slick with sweat and the steady stream of his essence being consumed by the process made him feel like he was running on fumes.

Circlecraft was brutal. Unlike other forms of mysticism where the mage has to channel their essence in a constant flow, Circlecraft was more refined, more intimate.

The circle that a mage creates is an extension of their very being. It's like drawing a door to a different realm of power, a realm where they were in control. And once the circle is perfected, it becomes a part of them, requiring far less essence to use.

But the price of that creation was steep.

A single misstep in the design, a single error in the runes, could lead to a total collapse, draining the mage of all their essence.

But Vastarael wasn't about to stop. He couldn't. The impending Epoch Cycle was looming and he needed to be prepared. He needed this third circle.

"Come on…" he muttered through gritted teeth, his fingers moving through the air, weaving the intricate patterns of runes that would form the Water Mystic Circle.

It wasn't like the Healing Circle, which used Healing Runes, or the Plasma Circle, which converted his essence into plasma. Water was fluid, constantly changing, and that was what made this circle so difficult.

His fingers traced the final rune on a floating blue mystic circle and for a fleeting moment, the circle shimmered into existence. A perfect Water Circle, its radiant blue light swirling with immense potential.

But then, it flickered.

The circle's light faltered, wavered, and before he could stabilize it, it collapsed with a soft pop, leaving only a faint ripple in the air.

Vastarael let out a frustrated growl, slumping back against the couch, his essence running low. He had been trying to create this damn circle for nearly three weeks, and each failure drained him more than the last.

The fatigue was starting to show, and his body ached from sitting in the same position for hours on end.

He rubbed his face, feeling the weight of exhaustion pressing down on him. He hadn't even had time to eat properly. Lunch and dinner had become quick, half-hearted affairs, too distracted by the work at hand to focus on anything else.

Breakfast was a blur, and sleep was more of a brief, restless nap than actual rest. His entire world had shrunk down to one goal: complete the Water Circle before time ran out.

But then, just as he was about to try again, he heard a voice.

"Vastarael! You've been at this for weeks without a break! You're killing yourself!"

He turned slowly to look at her. Elyonari stood at the doorway of the living room, arms crossed, a disapproving frown on her face. Behind her, Chainless was standing quietly, her expression neutral, but it was clear she was concerned too.

Vastarael opened his mouth to respond.but before he could say anything, Elyonari continued.

"You've been obsessing over this damn circle for three weeks. We're about to go on a life-or-death mission in less than a week and here you are, playing with your circle like it's the only thing that matters."

"I can't just sit around and do nothing," Vastarael muttered, his voice hoarse from the exhaustion. "I need to be ready. This is the only way I can stand a chance."

Elyonari's eyes softened a little. She understood his determination. She had seen what he had been through, how much he had suffered while making it, and how hard he had fought to push forward. But even she couldn't ignore the toll it was taking on him.

"You don't have to do this alone," she said softly, walking over to him. "You've already accomplished so much. You're going to be fine. We'll face whatever comes together, okay? But you need to rest now."

Vastarael stared at her for a long moment, the words sinking in. He had been so focused on his own Tethers, on getting stronger, that he had forgotten why he was fighting in the first place.

"I'm sorry," he finally said, his voice quieter now. "I guess I've been a little too... single-minded."

Elyonari smiled, her usual cold demeanor slipping into something warmer for a moment.

"You better be, handsome prince. Now, get off your ass and sleep on my lap. You're useless to us if you're dead on your feet."

He chuckled weakly, knowing she was right.

"Right. I guess one circle can wait—wait. What?"

"Get here and sleep. Now."

Elyonari watched as Vastarael settled onto the couch, his head gently resting in her lap. He had no energy left to argue, too exhausted to even protest.

She smirked slightly as she felt the weight of his body relax against her.

He simply lay there, his breathing slow and steady.

"Now sleep."

"..."

"I'm not joking," she said dryly, her voice gentle. "Now, stop thinking and sleep."

He shrugged, a little reluctant, but too drained to argue. Finally, he sighed and settled himself fully onto her lap. Elyonari adjusted slightly, leaning back against the couch, still keeping her gaze on the prince who, despite all his charm and regal presence, appeared so vulnerable now.

The silence between them stretched on for a while. She absentmindedly ran a hand through his hair, feeling the soft texture of his curls between her fingers.

It was such an intimate gesture and in that moment, she couldn't help but reflect on how much had changed.

How much he had changed.

He had an indifferent attitude towards her when they first met. Now, they were very good friends.

"Hey, you asleep?"

"No."

"Then let's talk for a while. Then, maybe you'll sleep."

"Okay..."

And so, they talked.

They talked about their studies was interrupted by the eclipse, the preparations for the Epoch Cycle, how the academy was reacting to the neverending eclipse...

She continued talking, though her words were barely for him anymore. Instead, she simply spoke to fill the silence, her mind working through the plans, the strategies, and the inevitable danger that loomed ahead.

But her words gradually slowed, her attention drifting to the peaceful sight of him. His soft breathing, the way his brow relaxed now that the weight of his burdens had lifted, even if just for a moment.

It wasn't until her words fell silent that she realized how deeply he had fallen into sleep.

He was completely unaware of her gaze as she studied him, the prince of Anqerise, heir of Dynasty Richinaria, the handsome figure she was friends with.

The faint glow of the circles still hovered around him in the dim light, but now he appeared almost ethereal. She couldn't help but gaze at him for a long while, an unusual softness in her eyes. His light brown skin, the curls of his white hair falling just slightly longer than usual, framing his face in an almost careless, disheveled way.

There was something impossibly captivating about him, even in this vulnerable state.

"You look ridiculous," she muttered under her breath, though the words weren't laced with her usual excitement. More than that, there was an unexpected tenderness.

"I should've known you'd be this much trouble. Handsome idiot."

The truth was, she'd never been one for flattery or unnecessary sentiment. Yet, in the quiet of the room, with only the sound of his breathing filling the air, Elyonari couldn't help but appreciate how strangely drawn she was to him. She found herself softening in ways she wasn't used to. She was surprised at how comforting it felt to have him there, close to her.

"Why do you have to be so… so…" She paused, searching for words that didn't come easily to her. "So handsome? It's annoying."

It was a soft confession, spoken in the quiet of the moment. But it was one she wouldn't have said aloud had he been awake to hear it.

Shifting slightly to make herself more comfortable, Elyonari let out a soft sigh, before glancing at Chainless, who was standing behind her.

"Chainless, go ask Iona to come and prepare something for dinner," Elyonari ordered quietly. "I'm going to let him sleep for a bit."

Chainless gave a silent nod as she turned and left the room without a word, leaving the two of them alone in the quiet stillness of the apartment.

Elyonari, with her usual guarded demeanor, now found herself alone with the prince she had spent the last five weeks with, the prince who had become more than just a teammate in the coming Epoch Cycle.

She didn't know what exactly it was about him that drew her in so much. Maybe it was his resilience, or his care, or his unintentional charm. All she knew was that in this moment, as his chest rose and fell with peaceful slumbers, she didn't want to think about it too much.

Instead, she just let herself enjoy the unusual quiet, the only sound the gentle hum of the air in the room. The prince of Anqerise was, for once, at peace. And for now, that was enough.

"Maybe I should sleep too..."