He didn’t even want to think about how godawful he would feel tomorrow.

As for today, he was more than happy to sleep while the opium allowed, and push everything else out of mind. As much as he could, that was.

Malachi got beneath the blankets with only slight reluctance, allowing her to do as she pleased. He felt like a child, being tended to and put to bed like this, and he didn’t like it one bit – but he went along with it without protest for her sake.

“No, what you’ve done is enough,” he said, eyes struggling to stay open before his head even hit the pillow. For all his life, he’d struggled to keep them shut.

“I’ll be alright. I-… thank you. Thank you, Nettie.”