Elias didn't realize he was leaning until Cassian shifted. His forehead was pressed lightly against Cassian's chest, breath ghosting over the fabric of his coat, body tucked in close like it had always belonged there. The realization hit him all at once, embarrassment ached and he stiffened and he pulled back.
The absence of contact was immediate and awful.
Elias wrapped his arms around himself, fingers digging into his sleeves as a shudder ran through him, hard enough to make his teeth click. The air felt cooler without Cassian's body blocking the wind, without that brief, terrifying sense of safety.
Cassian watched him closely.
"Are you okay?" he asked. His voice was low, careful, like he was approaching a skittish animal. "Do you need help?"
"No," Elias said instantly. "I'm fine."
Another shiver betrayed him, this one deeper, curling unpleasantly in his gut. His skin felt tight, overheated and wrong.
Cassian frowned. "You don't look fine."
