Everything had brown eyes. Every face or shade in Somna’a’s dream in that night had those warm brown eyes. It was the first night this week that he truly felt he got a good amount of true rest and a better mood besides. His apology to Aveen the day before had went better than expected and even if it didn’t revert anything magically back to how relaxed and close it was between them before, at least Somna’a didn’t have to dread the thought anymore that Aveen would leave without this chance to apologize to him. If he remembered correctly, Aveen still had 3 days left here before he would be on his way to Gridania. Somna’a didn’t want this time go to waste because if these last days full of self-pity and overthinking had had something good it was that they had shown him that he had to change something. That he wanted to change something.

He got up and started the day with a shower and short breakfast before he began to help with cleaning and sterilizing the healers wards and equipments. Marghi had made clear that Somna’a needed to make himself useful if he still wanted to occupy a patients bed. The Keeper had had more exhausting jobs in his life, so doing a little cleaning was more than fine for him. All was better than sleeping out in the open. Around noon he searched for Aveen and found him reading on the stonebench near the still burning fire place of the camp. Somna’a had to think about the last time they had sat there together. The evening before they had traveled to Ala Ghiri. It already felt so long ago.

This time the Keeper didn’t try to sneak up on the other Miqo’te and just approached him. ”The place next to you is free, Sir?” Somna’a asked with a smirk and was secretly delighted when he was greeted with a smile on Aveen’s face.

“Sure!” the Healer said, smiling up to Somna’a. ”Did you get some sleep?”

“Yes, Doctor, like I promised. You have a break currently?” Somna’a sat next to Aveen and briefly saw that he was reading some kind of Alchemy Book that propably belonged to the Au Ri woman he was helping. Some complicated charts, numbers and graphics were seen on the pages and he knew he wouldn’t understand half of it. He was glad he could read, write and count properly and knew a good chunk of geography regarding Eorzea but most science topic never had interested him. He had to admit he sometimes felt a little dumb next to an educated person like Aveen and the last days his darker moods had told him that, as educated as he is, he propably wouldn’t be interested in a man like Somna’a who didn’t even know what Artichokes looked like. He guessed Aveen being a person drawn to intellect. Maybe Somna’a was wrong (and he was definitely afraid to ask Aveen about such topic), but he had too much time these last days to think about stuff like that and the realization had dawned on him that he truly liked the kind blue-haired Miqo’te. That he felt something in his presence he had missed for so long. But after the scene in the canyon, Somna’a didn’t feel… worthy. He was glad that Aveen had accepted his apology, but what if it was just out of pity?

“Yeah… Ira doesn’t feel well today. We, or rather I, still need to lable all the Vials and Bottles until evening. You want to help me later?”

“Uhm…if you think I would be of any help?”

Aveen chuckled adorably. “I am sure you can put some Stickers on Bottles, Somna’a.”

The ears of the Keeper flicked proudly up. “I definitely do!”

Aveen still smiled. “It’s nice to see you’re already feeling a bit better. I hope Marghi and the others are nice to you?”

“I don’t talk much with anyone.” Somna’a shrugged. “Marghi said I can only stay when I at least help cleaning the patients tents and the stables, which I do of course. That’s the least I can do to help. And I saw no reason to leave so far.” Somna’a then shortly nodded towards the book in Aveen’s hands. ”You don’t only read such science stuff, do you?”

“No. I also like some folklore stories, historical things, adventure novels, poetry…If you’re still interested in borrowing a book from me, I should have something you like.”

“Yeah, I haven’t forgotten your offer. But I am not the fastest reader, I fear. Do you write on your own? Novels I mean. Or…. anything regarding healing stuff?”

“… I write poems. And Diary since my early teenage years” Aveen said a bit hesitatingly, as if it was something embarrasing to write poems and diary. Somna’a found that cute.

“Every day?”

“No, not everyday. But at least twice a week. It… all started after this…” he shortly pointed towards his forehead above his right eye which was always covered by his hair. “It helped me and I just continued.”

Somna’a’s gaze followed the point and knew that the scar was there. “You told of memory loss.” he stated carefully.

“Yes. After the incident in the tribe. I was in hospital some weeks and then it all came back slowly. I mean, I can’t tell if any days or details are still missing but I don’t care much for the memories of the tribe years.” he said calmly. Of course Somna’a was curious about what exactly had happened in his tribe, but these topics were not the ones he wanted to discuss with Aveen on their last days.

“I understand that. But then you must have a full library now with diaries of yours. Or do you not keep them?”

“I do. They’re important to me. Most are in my old room in my parents house. But, yeah… there are many now.” he chuckled, closed the Alchemy book and stood up. ”Come, let’s make Ira happy by finishing the labeling work.”