...Okay, Leareth has no idea what to do with that - it's not unwanted, it's sort of nice, he's just confused by it. He sets the confusion aside, though, he's not supposed to be doing lots of thinking. For now he can lean against Levris and feel very cozy and warm and safe.

"...m'I supposed to be staying awake?" he mumbles at some point. 

"I think you can sleep as much as you want. No thinking."

Then Leareth is going to fall asleep on him shortly after.

Awwww sleepy Leareth.

(Levris is maybe somewhat touch-starved.)

At some point the Healer comes back. :Goodness, I really need to catch him at some point while he’s lucid. Thank you for getting him to eat. You should sleep too:

Levris will go back to his cot and stop leaning against Leareth and go to sleep in a few minutes. He is so warm and cozy right now and he doesn't want to move. But in a few minutes he is absolutely going to zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Leareth sleeps pretty solidly through the night, half-wakes up a few times just enough to notice that he’s comfortable and warm.

The footsteps of the day shift Healers in the hall wake him fully. He turns a little. :Levris?: They’ve ended up very smushed together, the bed isn’t exactly huge.

"Yeah?" he says sleepily. "Talk with your mouth so you can rest."

It’s true that Mindspeech makes his head hurt a bit but talking out loud is still more work. He sighs. “Were you here all night? I hope you were not too uncomfortable.”

"I guess I fell asleep? Um. I don't really get to... touch people... much."

(Mild distress.)

Aww. Maybe Leareth can fix that by hugging him? If so it seems sort of like cheating, being able to fix a problem that easily and in a way that's so pleasant for him. (Leareth is maybe not totally awake yet.) 

Levris thinks this is an excellent solution.

Then the day shift Healer will come in to both of them cuddling. "Aha! Leareth, finally managed to catch you awake. How are you feeling?" 

Leareth instinctively starts disentangling himself, his current position isn't very dignified, but then stops. Nothing about the last few days has been dignified anyway, and it's not going to affect any of his longer-term goals at all if some random Healers in Baires see him cuddling the person he's lifebonded to. 

"Better, I think?" he says. "I am still a little dizzy when I move but the headache is mostly gone, at least right now." 

"Good, good. Today I'd like you to get out of bed for a bit - we'll take it slow, no long walks yet." He addresses Levris in Mindspeech. :Did he have a good night? No setting anything on fire?: 

:Yes. He did very well.:

Then the Healer will help Leareth put on a robe and stand up and walk about four steps to a chair. He's still kind of unsteady, but makes it there without incident. The Healer makes him promise not to try to get up alone, which Leareth isn't going to do anyway because it's stupid - well, unless there's an emergency, he thinks he could probably fight with magic if he had to at this point, although he really hopes he won't have to, it would probably set his recovery back by days again.

"Am I allowed to think now?" he asks Levris, once the Healer has left them with privacy again. 

"The Healer says a little bit is okay if you're feeling better but don't push yourself."

Sigh. "Am I allowed to Mindspeak a little? I could do it sparingly. I want to answer any questions you have but some of the answers will be sensitive." 

"My curiosity can wait a couple days for you to get better."

"If you are sure." He switches briefly to Mindspeech. :Are you willing to leave with me? If I become able to Gate again, or if my people arrive to give me a lift out of here before the Heralds decide to come calling: 

:...do I have another option? We're lifebonded.:

Leareth recognizes that Levris has limited good options here. :This is most of why I am opposed to lifebonds on principle: he admits. :It is inconvenient for you as well - probably more so - and reduces your options, which seems unfair for the gods to do to you. I am sorry. I will do my best to make it up to you, I promise: 

This feels VERY IMPORTANT, which is probably another lifebond mind-affect, but going around trying to ignore and compensate for lifebond-related feelings feels maddening, so he'll go with it for it. 

:--This is frustrating to explain and when you're better I want to just. drop my shields and show you my entire brain.:

Huh. He's not sure what is so hard to explain but he's not opposed on principle. :All right: And he should probably stop Mindspeaking now because, while it doesn't actually hurt yet, he can feel it getting more effortful.

"Anyway. Do you have a topic of conversation that will not require me to think too hard? Otherwise I am going to be very bored."