MHA #14, Sunday

[pocketpretzels]

It had not been the most restful of nights. Watts would drift off, only to have his mind replay the images he'd been forced to endure while trapped; sometimes mixed with other fears, the ones Midnight hadn't had the chance to delve into. So he would wake, shouting and pleading, and there was Steven, every time, holding him close and repeating soothing assurances. And then Watts would tell himself he'd not fall asleep again, he'd just lie here awake- but eventually he would close his eyes, and the cycle would repeat itself again.

Like it was just now.

"Please, please," he begged, his voice hoarse. "Don't. Don't leave me here. Please."

Comments

[hasaknightjob]

"I won't," Steven said, hoping it would get through to Llewellyn even as he was sleeping. His heart ached. He knew what it was like to gasp awake in fear and disorientation. He wished he could take it off Llewellyn's shoulders somehow, but at least he could still try to offer comfort. "You're mine. I won't ever leave you, Llewellyn."

[pocketpretzels]

"No, no, don't-" Watts pleaded, voice rising on that last word, eyes snapping open.

[hasaknightjob]

"It's all right," Steven said, moving so that he was in Llewellyn's field of view. "You're all right. You're here with me in my flat. It's Sunday morning. You're all right."

[pocketpretzels]

“Steven?” Watts said, frowning blearily at him. “You’re here?”

[hasaknightjob]

"Right here, Llew," Steven said. He reached to hold Llewellyn's hand if he was all right with that. "Never left."

[pocketpretzels]

“No, no, of course you wouldn’t,” Watts said as he threaded their fingers together, as much to reassure himself as it was in reply to Steven.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven brought Llewellyn's hand up to kiss it. "We're all here. Safe and sound."

[pocketpretzels]

Watts relaxed against him. “I know,” he said. “I do.”

[hasaknightjob]

Steven settled down beside him, lying sideways so he could face him. "Never hurts to have the reminder. I know it helps me."

[pocketpretzels]

“It’s nice to hear, regardless of the situation,” Watts admitted. He squinted over Steven’s shoulder, at the window where light was currently peeking in around the edge of the curtains.

“It’s morning?” Which Steven had said, yes, but… it had been a long night.

[hasaknightjob]

"Sunday morning," Steven confirmed. "The day after we got you back. 13th August."

[pocketpretzels]

“The 13th,” Watts echoed. “It was- difficult to tell how much time had passed while I was trapped inside. I couldn’t see my watch.”

[hasaknightjob]

"Poor love," Steven said. "No windows either, I'd imagine."

[pocketpretzels]

Watts nodded. “Just an endless, pitch-dark hallway,” he confirmed. “The only time I saw anything, they were- visions. Dreams. Of those who had left, those I feared would leave.”

[hasaknightjob]

Steven hugged him. "It sounds horrible. And you went through that for days."

[pocketpretzels]

“But you found me,” Watts said. “And I’m home now.”

And ‘home’ would soon be back in the very place that had tormented him, though it would be doing no more of that.

[hasaknightjob]

"I'll always find you," Steven said. "I mean - rather not lose you in the first place, of course. But if that does happen I'll do whatever it takes to get you back. I promise."

[pocketpretzels]

Watts frowned. “I don’t want you getting yourself hurt on account of me.”

As much as he had wished to have Steven- and Marc’s- companionship while trapped and alone.

[hasaknightjob]

"You're worth it, though," Steven said.

[pocketpretzels]

“I like that I am,” Watts admitted, pulling Steven in close for a slow, gentle kiss. “Even as I hope it does not come to that.”

[hasaknightjob]

"You are to me," Steven said. He caressed Llewellyn's cheek. "You're very dear to me. I'd be miserable if I lost you. So I aim to not let that happen."

[pocketpretzels]

“I was quite miserable without you, even though it was only a few days,” Watts admitted. “It was different than normal, where I might go days without seeing you, but that was all right, because you were still here.”

Though it had been a good while since they’d spent multiple days apart (kidnapping excluded), to be honest.

And once they were fully moved in together, days apart would be even more unlikely.

[hasaknightjob]

"It wasn't by choice," Steven said. "That makes all the difference, doesn't it? If you'd gone on holiday without me I'd miss you but I'd understand you'd come back. I'd even know when it would happen. Here neither one of us had any idea or how to fix it."

[pocketpretzels]

“I wouldn’t go on holiday without you,” Watts said, though he knew that wasn’t the point. “I wouldn’t have nearly as much fun.”

[hasaknightjob]

"Have to admit I'd be sad without you as well," Steven said. Yes, it wasn't the point. But Steven still remembered the early days when Llewellyn's wanderlust had made it a possibility. He hadn't liked the idea then either. "But that's just it, isn't it? Still our choice either way. This was you being taken."