Synopsis: Vessel contemplates what you mean to him while you're laying together.
Warnings: Maybe a little self-deprecation on Vessel's part, but besides that...?
Word Count: 599
A/N: This one really came out of nowhere. The first half is part of this dream I had, then I filled in the ending. Short, kinda fluffy, but in a serious way. If you've read "Sun Daze," "Morning Blue," or "Found You," it's that vibe.
You felt his presence before you were truly conscious. Sitting on the edge of your bed, he watched you. You’d gotten used to it by now. It was reassuring. His constant vigilance—a protective bubble that embraced you.
His nimble fingers grazed your side, trailing to the small of your back. “Rest, my love.”
Humming, your eyes remained closed, enjoying his feather-light touches. You had shoved the blankets off you in your sleep and were rewarded when his skin caressed yours.
The bed shifted, then his lips brushed the side of your head.
“Lay with me?” Though it escaped as a statement, you meant it as a question. One you knew he’d never refuse.
He slipped behind you, one arm sliding beneath your head, and the other around your middle. You threaded your fingers through both of his hands, needing to be as close to him as possible. With his exposed chest pressed against your back, you relaxed into him, head resting in the crook of his shoulder.
This was your safe place. Nestled in his hold where no one else existed.
You took in every part that connected to him and wished you could stay like this forever.
“Ease now, beloved. I am with you.” He pressed his mouth to your shoulder, lingering to feel more of your skin.
He would stay like this until you woke next. Until you had to move. Until you indicate otherwise. He would remain.
He could not follow you into blissful unconscious, but this almost seemed better. The trust you put in him, the way you let him embrace you, how openly you received every part of him—he witnessed it all in these moments. As you drifted, your walls receded. He saw you for who you were and vowed himself to you. Even if you didn’t know the extent of his allegiance to you, it didn’t matter. You belonged to one another. He would ensure your happiness, your safety, your peace—because they were his own.
The scent of your hair enveloped him. You were home to him. He could not determine the last time he had a home, but the word was fitting. In all his travels, in all his life, he had glimpses of reprieve, but with you he had gained more than that. You had given him more than he ever had in the centuries before you. And for that he owed you his existence.
Every time he looked at you, spoke to you, touched you, was like the first. You did not want anything from him—like so many others—you simply wanted him. So, he gave you all, every piece of darkness within himself, every memory from before, every task he was given, because he wanted to make sure. Was this what you wanted? Was he what you wanted?
In response, you showed him all of you. Your regrets and failures, your hopes and dreams, your fears—and they were beautiful. You were...everything.
For that, he had pledged to be yours. He had proclaimed his love, and you returned it.
So, he would remain by your side, in every sense of the word. In ways he could not explain.
He matched his breathing to yours, steady and deep. Once your fingers had slackened, he curled his a little more to keep you connected. And his eyes closed, letting your skin warm his and your scent fill him.
This was as close as he could follow you, but it was enough. You were with him. This was all he needed. His greatest treasure. His love. His meaning.
Taglist: @steph-speaks, @themultiverseofmars
Let me know if you want to be tagged in future fics!
