Chapter Text
Walking through her garden gate onto her plot, she notices two things immediately. One, there are footprints in the muddy path leading to her front door, and two, someone lit the candles on the window sill in her welcoming room.
She stops for a second, trying to remember if she would’ve been distracted enough to forget to blow them out before she left to visit the Phoenix Shrine. It’s not out of this world but it seems very unlikely. Which only leaves one possible explanation: Someone is inside her home.
Of course, there's also the slight possibility of someone breaking into her house but she guesses no uninvited intruder would light candles if they’re wanting to surprise her. No, there are only two people with the means to get into her house: Kenyatta…and Reth. As much as she loves her best friend, she definitely hopes for the latter since she doesn’t think she can take any more brutal honesty tonight.
Her heart jumps a little at the thought of Reth sitting at the kitchen table, in her home, waiting to wrap her up in his warm embrace. She smiles a little, hope blooming inside of her, as she imagines herself in his strong arms cuddling into his chest to listen to his steady, calm heartbeat.
The room is dimly lit by the flickering candles when she steps inside, the air smelling of smoke and melted wax. She quickly toes off her shoes, leaving them next to her front door then immediately takes off her socks to throw them in the hamper placed at the entrance to her bedroom. It’s the first thing she does every time she steps foot into her house. No socks when she’s home, it’s a rule she implemented for herself right in the beginning.
Her eyes fall onto her stove where a silver pot sits, seemingly waiting for her. With the golden-yellow star painted on the lid, it’s easy for her to recognize it as Reth’s lucky stew pot. Which means if the pot is in her house, so must Reth.
Intrigued, she takes a step closer, opening the lid to peak inside the still slightly warm pot. The smell of mushrooms and cooked vegetables fills her nose as soon as she lifts the metal lid, the strong, tingling scent of heat root making her mouth water. Her stomach grumbles, reminding her that it’s already been a while since she had her last meal. She didn’t feel too hungry after her conversation with Chayne, skipping her daily dinner date at the Inn. Guilty, she nibbles on her bottom lip when she remembers she didn’t send Reth a message telling him she wouldn’t stop by. He probably wondered where she’d been.
A soft snore pulls her attention towards the living area. The flame of the candle casts dancing shadows against the wooden coffee table and when she walks closer, she can make out Reth’s form huddled and curled up against the green sofa cushions. She puts the lid back onto the pot, following the sound of Reth’s snoring with a quiet chuckle.
Quietly, she walks around the sofa. The fluffy carpet tickles the soles of her feet as she steps closer towards her sleeping boyfriend, slowly sinking to her knees next to him, careful not to wake him.
His eyelids flutter a little as he breathes in and out softly, his face completely relaxed. He’s completely emerged in his dream world. Another snore breaks from him and his nose crinkles, face scrunching up a little and she can’t help but smile fondly at him. He looks exceptionally cute when he sleeps.
Looking down at him, she lets the warmth that fills her heart spread through her body. Every ounce of burning anxiety slowly melts always when her eyes roam over his relaxed features. His eyelids flutter a little and he mumbles under his breath, mind still lost in his dreams. He's not even awake and yet he manages to dissolve her fears into particles that vanish in the light filling her as soon as she looks at him. She wonders if this is how it feels like to love someone.
Giving in to the itching in her fingertips, she reaches out to softly stroke a loose strand of hair from his cheek, running her finger over his chiseled jawline with a wistful sigh. He's handsome when he's awake, especially when he smiles, but seeing him relaxed and sleeping adds another meaning to the word beautiful.
Another smile tugs on her cheeks and she presses her lips together, trying to keep herself from melting completely from the warmth filling her completely. It’s a strange feeling, especially after the night she had, but she can’t help but feel an overwhelming kind of happiness rush through her veins whenever she sees him. Something inside of her blooms and grows, like a flower stretching its head to bask in the sunlight when her eyes meet his.
Reth stirs a little in his sleep, nose scrunching up when her fingertips brush over his warm skin and she immediately jerks her hand back, pressing it against her chest.
“Mhhhh, Babe?” he croaks sleepily, blinking slowly against the flickering light of the candles.
Her heart swells when he looks up at her, eyes still half-lidded with sleep, his lips soft and open. She reaches out to stroke over his tousled up hair again. “Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you,” she whispers softly.
A yawn escapes him and he slowly sits up a little, stretching out his neck with a groan. “It's fine, I'm glad you woke me up,” he mumbles, rolling his shoulders before his eyes grow a little wider. “Oh Pearls, I am sorry. I just let myself in. I didn't even ask if that’s okay with you.” He scrambles into a sitting position, rearranging his clothes. His fingers reach out to grab his shoes, discarded under the wobbly, little wooden table she made. A first try at crafting furniture, barely usable at all. “I’ll just leave and-”
She wraps her hand around his, stopping him in his attempt to pull on his shoes, shaking her head. “Reth! I gave you a key. Which means I want you to come and go as you please. This is your safe space now, remember?” With her other hand she tilts Reth’s chin up, catching his gaze with hers. “You are always welcome at my house, no matter the hour. I am sorry I wasn't around to let you in but I am glad you used your key.”
Reth’s shoulders visibly relax as his shoe slips from his fingers, tumbling onto the carpet with a soft ‘thud’. He sinks back into the cushions, softly tugging on her hand to make her get up from her kneeling position on the carpet. She follows his call, lets herself be moved by him. His hands settle on her waist as he pulls her closer.
With a surprised giggle she falls into his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck to keep her balance. His fingertips are warm against her skin where her shirt has risen up a little, a welcome contrast to the cold air outside that cooled her body just moments ago. Somehow, Reth is always warm.
It’s one of the first things she noticed about him, even before they started their relationship. Whenever their fingertips met when he handed her a bowl of soup, his hands were warm. Every time he pushed a strand of hair from her face, his smile was warm. He radiates warmth like the sun, the one that reaches even the darkest creaks inside her body and banishes every splatter of darkness.
“I missed your laugh,” he mumbles, planting a little kiss against the side of her head. “I missed you , today. You said you’d come find me.”
She brushes her thumb over his skin, following his sharp cheekbone up to his temple. “I’m sorry, Reth. I…I got lost...kind of,” she sighs heavily.
“Where were you?” Reth blinks at her curiously, tilting his head a little in curiosity before he reels back a little. “I mean, you don't need to tell me if it’s a secret, you can do whatever you want. I would never-”
She puts her finger against his lips, softly shaking her head. “It's not a secret,” she says, putting a little peck on his lips. “And besides, even if it was, you are the one I will gladly share all my secrets with.”
Magenta spreads on his cheeks, swallowing his freckles as a relieved sigh falls from his lips and he relaxes under her touch. His eyes sparkle up at her, curiosity still written on his face but he doesn’t push her or ask her again when she takes a deep breath.
“I was at the Phoenix Shrine.” The words feel heavy on her tongue, the weight of them making it hard for her to speak. “Trying to find answers.”
“Oh…” He studies her face, furrowing his brow as he lets his eyes roam over her features intently. One of his hands finds hers, easily lacing their fingers together, a silent gesture of comfort. “Did you find any?”
“Not the ones I was hoping to find.” She lets her gaze fall to where their fingers are tangled like their embracing. Following the line of the prominent veins on his strong, big hands with her fingertips. Seeking to find patterns in the mosaic on his skin, she sighs, then swallows against the tears trying to spill over the corners of her eyes.
He lifts up her chin, making her look at him. With a concerned look on his face, he puts his free hand against her cheek. “Hey, hey, what happened?” He whispers against her lips, stroking his thumb over the side of her face calmingly.
“I don't think I’ll find a way out of this any time soon.” Holding his gaze, she gives in to the burning in her chest. She takes a deep breath, lets the first tear fall as she finally says the words she refused to accept as the truth for the last hour or so. There’s no easy way out of this mess. “I think…I think this is gonna last for a while.”
Reth blinks at her, confused. “What do you mean?”
“I met another Human,” she continues. “Her name’s Addy. She said she's been having dreams for months, nightmares that only get worse. And there’s other Humans, too. I am not the only one. So I was hoping…” She takes another deep breath, struggling to force the words out of her mouth. “I was hoping they would know what to do, how to stop these nightmares. But they are completely lost, just like I am. Nobody has any idea what's going on or how to solve it.”
Her body shakes as she finally allows herself to break under the weight of the truth she found, falling apart in the safety of his embrace. She buries her fingertips in his shirt, holding onto him. “Things will only get worse and there’s nothing I can do to stop it.”
“Oh Rosie, I am so sorry.” He wraps his arms around her tighter, pulling her against his body. She can feel his breath on her neck, his nose nuzzling into her hair as he rests his forehead against her temple. His hand glides over her back, up and down, in a calming motion. “It’ll be alright, we’ll figure something out. I won’t let you do this on your own.”
She curls into him, tucking her knees against his body. Searching for something to ground her, she presses her toes into the firm cushion of the sofa. She lifts her head to look at him through her tears, pursing her lips. “I don't think this is something you can help me with. I think I need to figure this out with the other Humans.”
He gives her a little shrug. “That's fine, too. I’ll be around whenever you need a hug. Or a kiss.” A little grin plays on his lips. “Or you know…something else.”
“You are impossible.” She rolls her eyes but shakes her head with a soft smile at his attempt to lighten the mood. Curling into him again, she feels a little better knowing that, even if he cracks silly jokes sometimes, he’ll be at her side whenever she needs him.
"Sorry, I don't know why I said that. So not the right time,” he says with an apologetic smile. “But I mean it. I’m in this with you. You’re not alone.”
She looks up at him, studying his face. There’s no hesitation in his eyes and she knows he means what he says. He’ll be there whenever she needs him, come what may. It fills her heart with a mixture of relief and guilt. She wonders if it’s unfair to take that promise from him when he has plenty of his own worries to take care of. It feels wrong to burden him further, adding her stones to his package.
“Reth, will you come to bed with me?” she whispers, deciding to be selfish just for tonight. Just until this is over. She doesn’t know how to handle her own feelings without him right now. All she knows is that she needs his arms wrapped around her, to keep her safe. She’s afraid she might freeze tonight in the icy cold of her thoughts, even with the blanket tucked underneath her chin, if he’s not next to her to warm her up.
“I…now? I’m not sure-” His eyes grow wide with surprise as he splutters, mouth opening and closing, trying to find his words. “I was joking. This isn’t the right moment to-”
“To sleep!” She hits his chest, playfully, but can’t help but laugh a little, taking in the surprised look on his face.
“Oh, right, of course,” he huffs, letting out a relieved chuckle. Reth gestures towards the pot still waiting for her on the stove in the kitchen. “You wanna eat something before we go to sleep?”
She shakes her head. “No, I just want you to hold me. Please?”
“Whatever you need,” he mumbles, pressing a kiss to her hair.
Quietly, she wiggles out of his embrace, tangling their fingers as she gets up. He trails behind her, their hands joint between them. She stops in front of the bed, sheets still undone from the morning where he set her on a journey to explore the constellations. She swallows. The memory seems so far away now, so deeply tucked into the back of her brain. As if months have passed and not just a single day.
“Come with me, babe.” Reth slides past her, their arms brushing. He tugs on her hand, pulling her along softly, towards the bed waiting for them. He looks back at her, an unsure look on his face, his fingers grazing the hem of his shirt hesitantly. “Is it okay if I take this off?”
She nods, quietly, reaching for her own shirt. Sleeping in their clothes doesn’t sound too comfortable. With a deep breath, she brings the fabric up, slipping it over her head. It tumbles to the ground soundlessly. Watching as Reth does the same, she notices how different this feels to their heated undressing in the morning. Where there was urgency, a rush to discover each other in the light of the morning sun, there’s no need to hurry now. It’s not sexual but intimate instead. This time, there’s no heat rising in her belly, just a calm and gentle flame of comfort and trust flickering between them as they shed their clothes.
Reth holds out his hand to her and she takes it, letting herself be pulled closer by him. Brushing his other hand over her arm, he gathers hers and brings it to his lips. Softly, he kisses her knuckles. Shivers run down her spine at his loving, gentle gesture.
She climbs onto the mattress with Reth following her noiselessly and as soon as they slide under the covers, she turns to face him. Finding his lips in a kiss, their bodies touch for the first time, skin on skin as she curls into him. They’ve never been this naked before with each other but it doesn’t feel like a new sensation. Something about it feels so familiar, so perfectly right, like this is like it’s supposed to be.
Finding her place against the side of his body, she rests her head on his chest, focusing on his steady heartbeat. She breathes in his scent, the heat root from the soup sitting on the stove still remnant on his skin as well as the scent of salty sweat and the ocean breeze in his hair from his nightly errand run. Sighing against his skin, she lets herself be engulfed in the warmth radiating from him.
“Are you comfortable?”
She smiles. “Yes. Your chest makes an exceptionally good pillow.”
Reth chuckles a little and she presses a kiss to his skin, right over his pounding heart, wishing she could make an everlasting imprint on it so he can always carry her with her, wherever he goes.
They lie in silence, the comfortable kind, slowly getting lost in the haziness of sleep lulling them in. Reth’s eyes are closed, his breathing steady and relaxed as his fingers trace invisible patterns on her back, drawing mosaics on her skin. She tries to keep her heartbeat calm but whenever her eyes threaten to fall closed, she blinks, forcing them to stay open just a little longer. If she sleeps, she’ll dream and if she dreams…
“Reth?” Her voice breaks through the silence, loud even though she’s speaking quietly, almost shyly.
“Hm?” The sound rumbles in his ribcage, where her ear is listening to his heartbeat.
“Can you sing for me?”
Reth blinks down at her. A curious expression, one she can’t quite place, flickers over his face. For a moment she thinks he’ll deny her wish, that maybe it would bring up too many memories from when Tish was still bedridden. Instead, after what feels like an eternity of the question hanging between them unanswered, he plants a kiss against the crown of her head with a soft sigh.
“Of course, babe,” he whispers. “Whatever you need.”
Call it magic, call it true
I call it magic when I'm with you
And I just got broken, broken into two
Still I call it magic when I'm next to you
His voice strokes her ear, wrapping her in an invisible embrace that shields her from the outside. With every word he sings into the silence of her bedroom, quietly and softly, she feels herself slip further into sleep’s territory. Her eyes close, her limbs losing tension. The sun rises outside, the day begins as she gives in the pull of tiredness. With his arms around her, it’s easier to let go, knowing she is safe.
She can’t be sure but she swears she hears Reth’s voice, whispering ‘I love you’, just before she drifts into a dreamless state of sleep.
