for the Recurring Dream challenge on HPFC
Sacred and Agonizing Proximity
He wakes up, gasping, panting.
He's clutching at the sheets, which are soaked with cold sweat.
Releasing the sheets balled up in his fists, he screws his eyes shut and takes a deep breath. He opens his eyes, and his room comes into focus, safe and comforting.
"It's okay. It was just a dream, James." He whispers to himself. His voice is hoarse, he must have been shouting what he had said in the dream.
He hates this- everything about this.
He hates when Teddy has to go away on "classified reconnaisance" missions for the Ministry. Teddy is the best at disguise (naturally) but the flat seems empty without his flatmate's vivid hair to brighten it up.
He hates the dreams- that Teddy is tortured by an enemy agent, that Teddy is hit by a lethal Dark curse, that Teddy is gone.
Teddy doesn't know about the dreams-and James would like to keep it that way.
He rubs his eyes, and realizes that there are dried tear tracks on his face. Could he be any more pathetic?
And the scary thing is, deep down, he is even more pathetic.
Because the truth of it is, he hates that when Teddy is home, he's constantly reminded of this longing, one that stabs at him when Teddy's arm brushes his at breakfast, and he wonders if Teddy feels the same sensation of electricity coursing through his veins as he does.
Or those times when Teddy looks at him directly, and Merlin, it's hard for James to wrench his gaze away.
James decides that he's sat in bed long enough, so he gets up. And freezes, because standing in the doorway to his room is Teddy.
He's looking somewhat worse for wear, hair messy, clothes disheveled, a gash running down his cheek. But his eyes illuminate his pale, drawn face as they meet James'.
James feels his body prepare for fight-or-flight. Flight, of course, and as the adrenaline builds up and his heart pounds, it doesn't kick in because he's being held in place by those eyes.
He swallows. How long has Teddy been there?
And quickly, so fast James barely sees him coming (Teddy is a spy, after all), Teddy's in front of him.
James opens his mouth, about to ask Teddy just how much he saw, when Teddy lifts James' chin up gently and his touch is electric, and this time he knows Teddy feels it too, and that Teddy has seen and heard James' dream and he understands, doesn't think James is pathetic.
And then Teddy kisses him, and James doesn't care how pathetic he is.