Can't sleep in the dirt

Laughing, singing, the faint sound of a lute being played. I had only spent a single night in it's boisterous halls but even that had cemented itself in my memory. A warm and touching feeling of closeness that brought a wave of excitement over me. Strange as it was to feel. Like I'd found something familiar. Something right. What kind of feeling is that to have over a glorified bar?

Shaking the strange feeling aside I press my palm to the door and push it open. A twinge of pain in my leg that decides to stick around for a bit. Even as the door opens and I'm met with the stench of sweat, mead and beer, and slow cooked roast. Cutting through uncomfortable stink was something different. Something I didn't remember. Almost floral. A welcome addition compared to the world around me. Could use more baths...

The next thing to hit me was a set of hands. Sharp and soft. No, it wasn't a slap. Least not one set out to cause pain. Instead, as my eyes focused on hers, I was met with the tesry gaze of a familiar elf. Her flowing golden hair draped behind her as she looked me over. "Yura, I'm alright. Little beaten, little bruised, but I'm alright."

She wiped the soft tears from her eyes before speaking. Her cheeks glistening from the dampness. Soft yellow light against her grayish blue tone. "A few days, that was the deal. A few days there and back. I... after a week I got scared. After you didn't send word or anything I... what in the hell happened to you? It was just to help a sick kid. Nothing more!"

"Turns out it was... a little more. I promise, im alright." If our relationship were a little different I might have kissed her. Have attempted to calm her down with more than words. But I seriously doubted that would have been welcomed. Risky enough for her to just accost me like this. Kissing her would have sent the rumor mill into overdrive and neither of us could be tempted to deal with that.

She let loose a long sigh before finally speaking more. "Fucking man... come! You're in no state to drink or to waste time. You're going to bed and you're going to tell me what happened. Everything! Understand?" Her voice was stern and gentle all at once. More akin to the time spent in her home than the smartass that I had originally met in this tavern.

"Everything. I promise." And despite Eros, I did. Yura spoke with the owner once again and we made our way to my room. The same room I'd stayed in previously despite my reservation being past due. As we walked Yura explained that he expected payment in the morning but at least understood that I wasn't in good shape.

Escaping into my space I fell back on the bed and rolled up my pant leg. What was left of it at least. Yura stared at the sucker marks for a long while as I explained what happened. A sparknotes version, but I included the important bits, save for Eros. Even some of the less important ones where I could. At the end she stood up and unbuttoned her shirt. Not removing it, but getting some space to breath, as she put it. Afterwards she shood be towards the wall before climbing into the bed next to me. Her leg over mine as she clung to my arm. Despite the scene it felt... sad.

"You came back. That was the deal. And from the sound of it you had one hell of a short adventure." Her nails dug into my arm as she spoke. It wasn't painful, not thanks to Eros' gift. But I doubt it would have been normally anyway. She wasn't trying to hurt me. No... she was desperately clinging to me. "I'm not about to hold up the other half of the deal. Not right now. Not like this. Just... explain what happened that you're not telling me. It's... I can feel that it's not the full truth."

"The full truth... that's a complicated thing to go through, but... alright. Full truth." No more sparknotes. She already got the gist of the actual adventure. Now I just had to close the gaps and give some more background for myself. This time the explanation came much easier. Maybe it was the silence other than my voice. Maybe it was the week telling the truth to Miss Loroni. At the end of my speech Yura laid mute. Unable to find a way to respond. Unlike the others, she was too shocked for a long while. What must have been several minutes.

"I fucked a Forerunner..."

"Yup."

"I fucked a Forerunner."

"Indeed you did."

"I fucked a Forerunner."

"I'm almost offended by the way you're acting about it."

"I... I'm sorry. It's just that's a lot to take in."

"Thank you."

The laugh that broke free was an immediate mood changer. "Fuck off." This time I did lean down and kiss her softly. Falling back into the bed. "It's... why didn't I see it? The way you speak, way you act? It should have been obvious. What.. you better not be lying to me Leo!"

"I'm not, I promise! This isn't something I could lie about. I'm having enough issues being human when most people see me as a threat or a problem. Eros' warned me that the news would be risky to share. That some people would take it as a potential threat to their power or that I was dangerous. So far only five people know. You, The Hux, and three others. That's it."

"Only five, huh? And I suppose I only got told because I spread my legs?" Despite her tone the subtle laugh that followed calmed my concern. She let go of my arm after a few minutes and swung herself over me. Laying on my chest as she spoke further.

"I never told you why I quit adventuring, did I? Only two people know, the owner, and my mother. Would be... would be selfish to not mirror your trust."