A Dig Site, On The Far Edges of the Known Galaxy, Wednesday Morning

[fewer_explosions]

Liara did not sleep in the same room as Yeul did - that was a privilege she had been more than willing to offer to Caius, whose protective instincts still slightly surpassed her own. But she always woke before they did, her biological clock ticking out a full half hour before either of them stirred.

She laid awake for a short while, attempting to convince her paranoid mind once more that there was really no reason to check on Yeul. Caius would certainly let her know if anything happened in the night, and this site... it was safe. It was very safe. Even if pirates ever turned up, they'd have quick warning through the alarm system, and...

...of course, Yeul could simply have had a vision in the night and passed.

She ran this over in her mind for another fifteen minutes, and then she gave up on fighting. She tip-toed out of bed and across the hall to one of the other sleeping chambers, and dipped her head in, searching for Yeul's small frame.

Was any of it moving?

[[ for yeul. ]]

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[pulseof_life]

Yeul did not tend to stir in her sleep and she did not do so now--being entirely unaware of Liara's peeking in on her--as she slept with her back to the entrance.

It was probably hard to tell if she was moving at all, thanks to the angles, though closer inspection would reveal that she was breathing.

[fewer_explosions]

Liara hesitated. She was being ridiculous, and she knew it. Most likely nothing was wrong, but...

She took a quiet step, her fingers lingering on the door frame, just-in-case. That was... she was breathing, wasn't she?

[pulseof_life]

It was hard to tell, between the lack of light, the way Yeul was sleeping, and everything.

(She was breathing just fine.)

[fewer_explosions]

Liara's fingers left the doorway and reached up to touch gently along her forehead. "Goddess," she muttered to herself.

She took another two steps into the room. Hopefully she would not wake Caius...

[pulseof_life]

There was no chance of that--Caius had already woken. But given that it was Liara, and she was no threat to Yeul, he remained as if asleep, content to observe and say nothing.

Yeul continued to sleep, entirely unaware of anything but her dreams.

[fewer_explosions]

Finally, she was close enough. She stared down at Yeul's flank, and watched it move.

Thank the Goddess.

She deflated.

And then she felt very, very silly.

[pulseof_life]

If Caius were a crueler man (and he could be) he'd snicker at Liara's obvious deflation. But her genuine concern coloured his amusement enough that he stayed quiet.

Yeul, on the other hand, stirred from her slumber. Not because she'd been disturbed by Liara, but because it was time for her to get up.

She blinked open sleepy eyes.

[fewer_explosions]

"...Hi," Liara said, flustered and immediately embarrassed. "I am sorry. I did not mean to wake you."

[pulseof_life]

That certainly answered the question of who it was looming over her, though the silhouette had made it fairly obvious too.

"Good morning, Liara," Yeul said, rubbing at her eyes and sitting up. Her hair stuck up in places, making her look rather ridiculous, not that Yeul minded.

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"Good morning," Liara said.

She looked up nervously to see if Caius had born any witness to this particular bit of ridiculousness on her part. "We should... go for breakfast."

[pulseof_life]

Caius had certainly witnessed it all. He might even tease her about it later. For now, though, he remained as if sleeping.

Yeul lifted her arms up to be picked up. "If you want to," she said agreeably.

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"It would seem logical, considering the time and your nutritional needs," Liara said. She picked Yeul up and hoisted her high enough that they could speak face-to-face.

[pulseof_life]

Yeul giggled, rubbing sleep out of her eyes.

"You and Caius fuss a great deal."

[fewer_explosions]

Liara frowned, though not too deeply, as she walked Yeul out of the room. "Making certain that you eat properly is not something I would consider fussing."

[pulseof_life]

She'd been awake for two minutes, Liara! Two minutes!

"I suppose so," Yeul conceded. "Was there something the matter this morning? It is usually Caius that wakes me."

[fewer_explosions]

So?!?

"...N-nothing," Liara stammered. "I was simply up early and felt we might go for a walk."

She was terrible at lying. (Now, at least.)

[pulseof_life]

Who was hungry two minutes after they woke up?!

Yeul studied Liara with serious green eyes that looked incongruous given her size and apparent age. "Are you alright?" she asked.

[fewer_explosions]

"I am fine," Liara said.

Most people would find the eyes unnerving. She liked the fact she could see her friend staring back from that otherwise youthful face. "I am sorry. I am being ridiculous."

[pulseof_life]

"I don't know what you're being ridiculous about," Yeul said easily, resting her head against Liara's shoulder. "But there is no harm in being ridiculous, is there?"

[fewer_explosions]

"I woke up worried," Liara said quietly, "About you."

[pulseof_life]

Yeul considered that carefully. She did not need to ask what, in particular, had worried Liara.

"It may be a small comfort," she said, after a moment. "But it is rare indeed that my lives end while they are this young."

And if they did, it was usually from outside sources, not from her visions.

[fewer_explosions]

"I know," Liara said.

She reconsidered that response.

Then amended it. "But it is a relief to hear it none the less. That is what is so ridiculous about it."

[pulseof_life]

"Is caring so ridiculous?" Yeul wondered. "It surprises me still that you do, but it is not amusing that you care."

[fewer_explosions]

Liara smiled a little. "I suppose not," she agreed.

Yeul's matter-of-fact ways always had a habit of calming her, and so they did this time. "I suppose I am too used to feeling as if I am being judged."

[pulseof_life]

"Do you rather be judged?" Yeul asked curiously. "Or is it better to not be?"

[fewer_explosions]

"I do not enjoy it," Liara said quietly. "This is one of many reasons why I have always enjoyed your company."

[pulseof_life]

"I do see little point in judging," Yeul agreed.

Though, of course, she did not mind that other people judged either.

[fewer_explosions]

Liara smiled a little. She would hug Yeul, if she were not already carrying her. "Then let us forget all about it and sit in the dining room until we are actually hungry. Perhaps Caius will join us."

[pulseof_life]

Yeul giggled.

"You are not hungry yet either?"

[fewer_explosions]

"I may have been ridiculous again," Liara admitted, setting Yeul down in front of the dining area.

[pulseof_life]

And down she went! She wobbled a little on the landing, but was steady enough after that.

"We all are at times, I suppose," she said serenely. "We could decide what to make, if that would make it less ridiculous."

[fewer_explosions]

"You still have three different kinds of cereal to choose from," Liara said. She sounded fond as she added, "I assume it will take you as much time to decide as you did yesterday."

And the day before that.

[pulseof_life]

... It was true that breakfast generally took a while, when it came to Yeul.

"Probably," Yeul said, smiling. "Unless you had a preference, of course."

[fewer_explosions]

"Not particularly," Liara said, knowing full well what process she was now setting herself up for. She did not particularly mind. "Shall I put you in your chair?"

[pulseof_life]

"Yes, please," Yeul said, bowing to the inevitable.

Deciding what to have for breakfast didn't take most people long, especially when there were only a few options, but Yeul, with her eons of struggling to make no choices, found it a trial.

[fewer_explosions]

Liara picked her up again and set her gently down in the chair, then opened a few cabinets until she tracked down the three separate packages of cereal and set it down in front of her.

Then she sat down opposite her. "There we are, then. You had the blue one yesterday."

[pulseof_life]

"I did," Yeul agreed, since that was true. She studied all three packages (blue, yellow, and orange) with a seriousness brought about only because Liara expected her to try and decide.

"I don't dislike any of them," she offered.

[fewer_explosions]

"But do you like any of them slightly better than the others?" Liara prompted.

She was not attempting to prod Yeul into showing more preferences in life, at least not consciously. She simply did not want to be so presumptuous as to make all of her choices for her.

[pulseof_life]

Yeul giggled.

"Not really," she admitted.

[fewer_explosions]

"Really?" Liara said. She pursed her lips. "I will be right back."

She walked back into the kitchen and picked up three bowls.