it's been harder for you to sleep , lately . as if there's something hovering over you , some kind of evil just waiting to strike when the moment is right . the only time you truly feel at ease , the only time you feel safe enough to close your eyes , to sleep , is when the two of you are wrapped in each other’s arms . ( he feels like peace . he feels like home . ) ( he feels like love . )
which is what makes it problematic that he has been staying up later and later every night . ( you understand why he is , understand that he’s only trying to help . ) ( you understand what the stakes are , understand that your goals are of utmost importance . ) ( but . . . you miss his presence by your side . ) this is what brings you to search him out — and your eyes are sharp enough that you don’t miss how he instinctively reaches for his knife . you also see the adoration in his eyes when he sees that it’s you . ( and you know that it matches yours , for him . ) ❝ i could ask you the same question , robin . ❞ underneath the love in your voice is a hint of teasing . ( only a hint , for it could never overtake your love . ) ❝ it’s been so long since we’ve gone to bed at the same time , i’m starting to think you’re going to leave me for some maps . ❞
a soft, tired laugh escapes your throat. you say that you stay up because of how much work you’ve yet to do but that’s only a half truth. the full extent is something you’d not told him about yet, not when you first met, and not now. besides, there’s far more pressing matters than a stressful dream. ( your hand twitches nervously when your eyes meet his. )
❝ i could never leave you for maps, ❞ said with a slight laugh as you set your pen to the side and begin to roll up the map of valm you’ve had splayed out for the past few hours. ❝ i already get lost in your eyes as it is. ❞ it’s cheesy and silly to say but you’ve not felt embarrassed about some of the things you say to him in a very long time. you love him, and you love being with him, and you know you’d be a different man if not for him. you stand up and stretch, then place a hand on his cheek as you give him a quick peck, ❝ alright dear, since you’re up how about you help me clean up my work space? you know how messy i can get . . . then i just MIGHT join you in bed. ❞ you don’t know if you’ll actually be able to sleep tonight. the dreams have been particularly insistent and stubborn. ( you wonder if it’s a dream borne from stress, or if it’s something deeper. a memory that uses the face of someone you know and love in the place of someone you can’t remember. ) ( that thought alone scares you. )
