The problem with learning magic that justified not sleeping was that it made it much harder to fall asleep. Especially with all the thoughts in his head, and all the images he wished weren’t saved in his head.

Theo was already starting to learn all the nuances of Eternal Motion. The way it removed exhaustion and the need for sleep was tied to how long it had been active, so it wasn’t something he could flick on every day or so to feel himself back at full.

He would need to keep it on for a significant amount of time, and that would mean a wave of emotions and feelings that would drown him just long enough to be overwhelming.

Still, that wasn’t enough to make him hesitate to use it. Especially given how it was a near miracle how his sleeping habits, or lack thereof, hadn’t gotten him killed on the battlefield yet.

Which is why he was staring up at the moon between knitted vines, alone with his back against the outer walls, one arm rested on a raised knee. Everyone else was sleeping, or at the very least trying to.

Another benefit of Eternal Motion was the way it freed up his mind. His worries and anxieties were still there, just…not as urgent or important. They were muffled, and that let him enjoy the moment without the weight of all the bloodshed that was and will be on his shoulders.

“I like these quiet hours.” Theo turned his head around to see Eva, sitting down next to him.

He studied her in the moonlight.

It might have been the hour, it might have been the circumstances, but it was more evident than ever that she was not human. Her eyes glowed faintly, and her skin was almost textured like bark.

“Normally, there aren’t many who are around at this time that are good company. Most of the time, it’s just drunks who don’t know when to stop. There are a few mercenaries who are used to taking shifts, but even then that’s being alert and not necessarily being present. The only people who truly appreciate this time of night are those that don’t need to sleep.” She rambled on, less organised and tidy than normal.

She paused. “That is to say, congratulations. And if you ever need someone to chat to in these hours, you know where to find me.” And with that, Eva gave him a wan smile before departing, unbothered by the fact he hadn’t said a word, disappearing into The Woods.

Theo turned his attention back to the moon, a slight smile on his face.

---

“Are you ready for another day of horror and tragedy?” Jenny asked, between mouthfuls of bread. There was an impromptu bakery that had been set up near the front lines, fuelling the fighters from furnaces powered by magic fire. Theo didn’t feel hungry, even though he hadn’t eaten in yesterday. He wondered if that was also because of Eternal Motion.

“Good morning to you too.” He replied, deadpan.

“Well, you definitely sound chipper for someone who didn’t sleep at all.” She joked, gently punching him on the shoulder.

Well, it was gentle for two people with internal magic strengthening their bodies.

“What’s your excuse then?” He teased back.

Their dynamic was still tense and uncertain, like trying to balance on a tightrope. But it was starting to flow again, and while Theo wasn’t going to say things were going to be perfect, he’d had some time to process things.

And of course, that wasn’t the only source of tension. Every day brought with it the promise of Etol finding novel ways to horrify and traumatise. And this was on top of the fact that war had overstayed its welcome (which was true the minute after it started, frankly) and had been making a mess of the place since it got here.

Jenny hesitated. When she spoke, it was the uncertain tone of a girl her age with none of the magic or battle experience. It was a fragile sound, one he had only really heard once before.

He saw echoes of that moment now, her dejected eyes as she realised he hadn’t asked her to meet up to go on a date, standing smaller than she should have been, at the College of War.

“I…miss you. We haven’t been spending much time together, and yeah we have a war to fight, but we didn’t really talk through everything or process what we discussed. I guess I just wanted to make sure you were doing alright.” She looked away from him, eyes searching the churned mud beneath their feet, fingers tightly grasping each other.

Theo pulled her into a gentle hug, but even so he heard her gasp, before leaning into it and burying her head in the nape of his neck. He had made up his mind on how he felt a while ago, but wasn’t sure how to bring it up or if she felt the same. In some ways, he felt as uncertain as he did when they hadn’t started dating.

“I don’t know.” He confided, sincerely. “And I don’t think I’ll know until I’ve had time to process this whole war business. But I know I miss you too, and I still like spending time with you. So I’m happy to enjoy things while we still can.”

Neither of them had to mention the way Fet had touched so much of their lives with death recently. Death really made it clear how precious life was. The twin gods worked together as without one there was no other, and only in the light of one could the other be understood.

The kiss came naturally, both leaning in before they closed their eyes and enjoyed it long enough for others to holler or groan.

They separated, cheeks turning red.

“Are you ready for another day of horror and tragedy?” Theo asked, with a grin.

“Hmmmm…” She leaned in for another quick kiss. “Now I am.”