Titus, Aladdin, and Sphintus (despite plenty of opposition from the latter) found themselves among the crowd retreating into the city. Their professors shooed them along like small children, ignoring Titus's objections and Sphintus's tired whining about how they could help. But as they drew closer to his home, and Marga, Titus began to think a good night's sleep would be the best thing right now. The Kou had backed off temporarily and magicians, no matter their aptitude, eventually needed to rest.

Titus sighed deeper than he ever had, not fully willing to admit that maybe Lady Scheherazade was right and this was the best plan for now. He couldn't help smiling as Sphintus leapt off into another delusional rant in his exhaustion and leaned deeper into Aladdin's side as they moved together.

After a few minutes, Sphintus's rant turned into mumbling and he joined Titus in leaning on Aladdin. Despite being the smallest of the three, Aladdin managed to support their combined weight just long enough for them to stumble the rest of the way to Titus's house. They were barely across the threshold when someone's foot slipped and they ended up a mass of exhausted limbs and magicians robes on the floor.

"Maaaargaaaa~" Little footsteps were running to greet them even before Titus finished calling her name.

"You're back!"

Whump. Titus barely managed to catch her and Sphintus grunted when he slammed backward with the force of Marga's flying hug.

"Just in time to go to bed," he heard Aladdin mumble underneath him, and Titus realized he had managed to work his way to the top of the pile. Thankfully, standing up without the use of his arms (usually taken by Marga) was a skill he'd picked up quickly.

"But you just got here!" Marga wrapped her arms around Titus's neck, pulling his full attention to her. He tried to look as stern as possible while she scrunched her face at him.

"It's pretty late..." He felt torn. Lady Scheherazade's voice sounded in the back of his mind, putting a number to the time he had left in this world. Titus smiled sadly at the girl in his arms. He wanted to spend his last days playing with her, laughing and crying, learning how to be human.

He glanced at Aladdin, finally managing to push his way to his feet, and Sphintus, nearly asleep on the stone floor. Titus slowly set Marga down, and put both hands on her shoulders.

"Let's go to sleep." To protect them, he'd have to fight.

Marga's cheeks puffed and she made her favorite pouty face as she took his hand. Aladdin was already making his way to the spare bedroom, mumbling his "please excuse the intrusion" as he went. Titus nudged Sphintus with his boot until the boy got up and stumbled after Aladdin. The sound of him planting face-first into the waiting mattress, not even bothering to remove his jewelry, was clearly audible.

Titus let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding in a long sigh. After a moment, he smiled down at Marga and led her to the bedroom they shared. The covers had been thrown everywhere, detailing how she'd launched out of bed to greet them a few minutes earlier.

"Did we wake you?" Titus asked, suddenly worried. The little girl shook her head as she climbed in, throwing herself at her favorite pillow, easily twice her size.

"I was waiting for you to come back." she said nonchalantly.

Titus paused pulling the blankets up. He didn't know what to say. This was one of those moments Lady Scheherazade had never prepared him for.

After another silent moment, he went with a simple "thank you" and finished tucking her in. He leaned in when she reached for him and smiled sadly when she kissed his forehead, her nightly ritual.

"I'll be back in a moment."

"Good night!" Marga seemed satisfied with his promise and snuggled deeper against her pillow.

In the next room, Titus found a familiar scene: Aladdin and Sphintus completely unconscious, sprawled inelegantly among their blankets. Nothing like he'd originally pictured the son of a noble family, or a fellow magi, but it was comforting.

Titus busied himself for a moment, straightening up the small room, just in case someone started sleepwalking. He had heard tired humans sometimes did that and the two other boys were utterly exhausted from casting magic all day. He managed to nudge Aladdin into a relatively normal sleeping position and tuck him in, before turning and barely missing a punch in the face from Sphintus's flailing arms. Kukulcan's jewel-bright eyes watched him as Titus tried in vain to wrap a blanket around his friend.

"Would you-would you just-WAH!" he couldn't help the sound he made when Sphintus suddenly reached out and grabbed him. Either the boy was a lot stronger in his sleep than when awake or Titus was too stunned to break his grip. Kukulcan flicked his tongue lazily at Titus before curling up and going to sleep.

"You're no help," he mumbled, struggling to get up. Titus only managed to free one leg before Sphintus rolled halfway on top of him, wrapping both arms around him. He let out a panicked yelp when the other boy threw a leg across his lower body as well.

Titus tried one more time to get up, failing when Sphintus tightened his grip and buried his face in Titus's hair. He's using me as a pillow!

No escape plan came to mind, but the mattress was comfortable...

"I guess I won't be back in a moment." Titus mumbled to himself, letting himself sink further into the mattress. At least he'd be able to rest here…

There was something about being held like this with Sphintus snoring lightly into the back of his neck that was comforting. He didn't quite understand why. He just knew he wanted to remember this feeling.

Unfortunately, Titus couldn't help squeaking every time Sphintus moved in his sleep. and he could swear he heard Aladdin giggle once or twice.

At one point, after a particularly loud squeak, Titus heard a small voice whisper from the next room: "Sleep tight. Don't let the bed bugs bite."

He smiled again to himself, what must have been amazingly goofy expression melting from his face instantly. The warmth of being held, Marga's goodnight kisses, Aladdin aura of happiness. Yes, these were feelings he wanted to remember.