The Age of The Masrui

"Ah shit... Marlowe I - I didn't even think." Maddox frowned deeply. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, you weren't to know." She whispered. Hesitantly reaching beneath the covers to take his hand gently, interlocking their fingers and squeezing his hand. "Are you going to get some sleep too? You look exhausted."

"We'll see." Maddox hummed, squeezing her hand gently before resting his palm on her cheek.

"Please try..." Closing her eyes at his touch, she scooted a little bit closer to him, angling herself so they were sharing a pillow.

Maddox was silent then, just brushing his thumb across her cheek before closing his own eyes a few minutes later.

Marlowe remained silent then, breathing softly - trying not to fall asleep until he had.

"This isn't gonna work if we're both doing the same thing." Maddox mumbled after a few minutes, opening his eyes to watch her.

Marlowe snorted in response to that, bursting into a fit of giggles as she brought her hand up to cover her mouth to muffle them. Opening her eyes to offer him a grin, "I don't trust that you'll sleep," she laughed.

"I didn't come in here to sleep, I came in here to help you sleep." Maddox grinned at her laugh. "I have enough time to grab a few hours at my apartment once we land. Don't worry about me."

"And that was all part of my intricate plot to try and coax you into bed where you would just naturally drift off," Marlowe smirked, tilting her head forward so their foreheads touch. "Too late, I am worried about you. I have been for a while, it comes hand in hand with caring."

"Knew you had ulterior motives." Maddox laughed quietly. "It's not gonna happen Marley, give it up."

"You're so frustrating," She joked, letting her eyes slide close once again as she added, "How haven't you gotten yourself a girlfriend yet, hm? You're the right mixture of adorable and kill-able."

"Read a magazine, check the blogs. I've had dozens. You're the latest one, we discovered that last week as you romantically passed coffee outside the hospital" Maddox shrugged, quoting an article they'd laughed about previously. "What's the point in getting attached to someone? Once I've got my MD dad will pick out someone and I'll do what's expected of me. Why hurt myself by getting attached? If it's not casual then.... I dont want it."

"Oh yes, that was such a magical moment - I'll certainly never forget it." Marlowe hummed with an amused grin, "They say it is better to of loved and lost though, no?'

"I told you about what they did with my brother when he thought to get a girlfriend didn't I?" Maddox shook his head, disagreeing with her. "He's broken. I'd rather never love and never lose than have to lose something and spend the rest of my life completely fractured."

"Mm, yeah, yeah I remember you telling me." Marlowe whispered, "Well, maybe whoever it is your father finds for you... maybe you'll learn to love them."

"There's every chance. That would be nice. Caius adores his wife completely, poor guy threw up before his wedding he was that nervous. I was 15 at the time, I was already feeling shit because I thought I could drink with the big boys the night before, then he starts and that was it. The amount of work that had to be done on the photos after to make us all look somewhat well rested was ridiculous"

Marlowe laughed quietly at that, humming as she began to grow sleepy, "Sounds like a photo editors worse nightmare,"

"Same one had to edit Karsi out about a thousand times because she kept grabbing peoples champagne's left over from the toast and necking them. Not really appropriate." Maddox smiled softly, moving to resume brushing his hand against her face to help.

"Mm, I really like your sister. I can see us being friends, and not only so we can steal each others clothes." Marlowe mused, relaxing further at his touch.

"I'm sure you will be..."

"Mm," She hummed drowsily, a few seconds later sleeping soundly.

Maddox lay next to her, not falling asleep himself, though he did close his eyes and relax.

Marlowe would of slept undisturbed throughout the entire flight, almost alarmingly still - barely moving at all expect to mumble something inaudible and scratch at her nose after a strand of her hair tickled her skin. Beginning to stir a few minutes before they were due to land, stretching her arm out at an angle to stretch her body out.

Maddox was already up and dressed having got up around twenty minutes earlier, leaning against the window as he looked out.

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Karsi awoke early the next morning, breathing evenly as she opened her eyes, staring silently at the wall.