This fic is based on a wonderful, amazing comic that is my current obsession! 'Plume' by the awesomely talented K Lynn Smith! See more at the comic's webpage, !
The title comes from the song, 'Whisper Softly' by Chasing Furies.
It had been so long since they had taken a day and just, rested.
Vesper's mind had been so consumed with finding the man who killed her father that she had barely stopped moving since that terrible night.
Not that Corrick was tired, he was never tired. He had forgotten what tired felt like a long time ago.
It was a warm spring afternoon, and they had decided to take a day and stay in the small town they had rented a room in.
He was doing his best to keep an eye on Tegan who was shamelessly flirting with a man across the street. He sighed and shook his head, she would get herself into trouble one day. Vesper was reckless, too reckless most of the time, but at least he didn't have to worry about her encouraging the advancements of thoughtless men.
He had begun to drift away into his thoughts, his mind becoming lost in the sway of someone lost in time. Living for so long had its down sides, he had too much time to think and those thoughts had slowly piled up, creating a sea that could take hold of him and pull him away to float forever. A ping of warmth in his chest pulled his thoughts back to the present. The warmth spread quickly across his chest and down his arms. His hand reached up and gripped his shirt, trying to physically take hold of something inside him. Something was wrong.
Looking up, his eyes fell on Tegan, still flirting, she hadn't moved. He turned to call to Vesper who was only a few feet to his right, perusing a table of books the general store had set out for sale. The warmth turned to heated tightness when he saw her face. Her eyes were downcast, trailing over the covers of the various volumes, her lips slightly parted as she silently read each title, and her fingertips slowly trailing circles over the surface of the golden pendant that was strung around her neck.
The heat traveled up his neck and into his face and the tightness in his chest clamped down harder. He continued to watch her fingers absentmindedly trail over and over the pendant's surface. The weight of the heat in his chest was making it hard for him to breathe, and he wondered if he could die from what was happening.
"Ve…" his voice was soft, his lungs were unable to let go of the air needed to call to her. He jerked forward slightly, bumping the table, "Ves… per."
Her eyes slowly moved to his, and the moment seemed to freeze.
Another part of living so far beyond your intended lifespan is that time begins to move differently, almost as if it speeds up, the seasons rushing by and with them each year, one after another until whole centuries lie behind you. But not this bit of time, it seemed to slow to a crawl, and the heartbeat in which it took Vesper to realize there was something wrong stretched out like an eternity.
Her fingers released the pendant as her hand raised to steady him, and as quickly as it had come, the heat and tightness in his chest faded.
"You okay, Corrick?" She took a step closer to him, "you're flushed, is something wrong?"
"I…" his lungs pulled in fresh air, "I don't know."
"Maybe we should get back to the room," she looked around, trying to locate Tegan.
"That might be best," he was still feeling dizzy, "I don't know how well I can protect you while I'm like this."
"Would you think about yourself for once?" she frowned at him, "come on, idiot." She slipped her hand under his arm, giving him a little support as they headed down the wooden walk way back towards the inn.
"Hey!" a voice called behind them, "hey wait up!" Tegan ran across the street and joined them. "Were you two going to try and sneak back to the room without me?" she raised a knowing eyebrow at the pair.
Now Vesper's face flushed. "No!" she stuck her chin out, "there's something going on with Corrick and he needs to go back to the room and rest."
"Rest, huh?" Tegan eyed the man, "he looks just fine to me."
"He was flushed, and sounded like he couldn't breathe," Vesper looked at his face, not believing Tegan's analysis.
"And besides that, when was the last time ol' tight ass here needed to rest?" Tegan jerked a thumb at Corrick, "I think you two were trying to ditch me."
The two girls continued to argue as the trio walked back to their room, Corrick only stared straight ahead, his thoughts on the pendant, and the fingers that had been tracing circles on it.
Vesper stared out the window to the street below. It was quiet, so quiet she could hear her own heartbeat in her ears. She sighed and closed her eyes, fighting back the pressure that was building behind them.
"Catch you around, Grey," Dom's voice echoed in her head. Those same words that had haunted her dreams for months now.
Catch you around, Grey.
Each word filled her heart with dread as in her mind she replayed Corrick walking away with Dom, over and over.
At first her dreams were much like reality. She would watch them walk away, while all she could do was sit on the ground in disbelief.
"But, w…" she stammered as she fought back the choking feeling in her chest, "wait."
They would only continue to leave, ignoring her pleas.
After the first month Vesper would get up the gumption to push herself up and try to run after them.
"But, w…" she would run with all her might, but no matter how much she tried, they still only turned and walked away from her, "wait!" Her lead filled legs were useless.
She would jerk awake, sweaty and filled with heartache. Why didn't she chase after them? Why didn't she try harder?
She clenched her teeth, fighting back a deep shame at letting Dom take Corrick from her. Her hands balled into tight fists as her shame and sadness began to morph into anger.
"I will find them," she muttered to herself, "and when I do…" her voice faded away as she watched the family consisting of a mother, father, and small boy walk down the street before turning into the post office.
Again, the quiet settled in around her, reminding her of the vast loneliness that Corrick's absence had left her with.
"Alright, we gotta pack up," Tegan swung into the room, "management won't give us another deal for the night."
She was a flurry around the room of words and packing.
"Y'know," her voice fell flat, realization that Vesper wasn't listening setting in, "like dance lessons."
"I just can't get used to it," Vesper wrapped her arms around herself.
"What?" Tegan's brow furrowed.
"The quiet," Vesper's voice was low, her thoughts still far away, "being alone in a room."
She had cried everything she had to cry, and had fallen asleep. Corrick lifted his arm and reached for her face, pausing a brief moment before allowing his fingertips to brush her bangs from her cheek. His touch lingered on the soft skin on the edge of her face.
He felt a familiar warmth in his chest, but it was different this time. It was soft, and grew slowly, like a gentle flame coming to life. He pulled his fingers from her skin and rested his palm against his chest, feeling the heat of his own skin through his shirt. The heat continued to slowly grow, spreading to his arms, up his neck and to his face.
His eyes searched her face. Underneath the dirt, the dried tear streaks, and the ever present sense of rebellion, there was something about Vesper Grey that called to him. Up until now he had felt tied to her through the necklace she wore, he felt an overwhelming, undeniable urge to protect her. There was no pendant now, nothing for him to be connected to her anymore, and yet he felt as though he could never pull away from her, his need to protect her was stronger than ever.
Again he reached for her, this time allowing his fingers to run lightly over her hair. She stirred in her sleep, her face contorting in pain and her hands gripping the blanket.
"But, w…" she mumbled in her sleep, the words faintly audible, "wait."
The tightness in his chest rushed in, holding his breath captive in his lungs. Those words, he would never forget those words. They were the words she had called softly to him as he had followed Dom away, leaving her alone in the dirt.
He wanted to shake her awake, to tell her that he was here and he had hated having to leave her alone and vulnerable. He wanted to hold her close and feel her beating heart against him, to remind himself that he was really here, he was able to touch her.
He settled for smoothing down her hair. She relaxed in her sleep, allowing some of the tightness in his chest to release.
He was so tired. He couldn't remember ever feeling this tired.
Shifting in the bed he laid down next to her and continued to look at her face. There was no more pendant, no more reason to feel as drawn to her as he was, but he knew that he needed to protect her in what was to come, even if it meant returning to what he was.
He leaned in so his face was inches from her, his lips hovering over her forehead. The smell of lilacs filled his nose.
"I am yours," he whispered softly, a confession and a promise.
Light pouring in from behind the curtains called Vesper from her sleep, the light sounds of birds preparing for the day pulled her from the restless dreams that filled her mind. With a groan she sat up in the bed.
She furrowed her brow, something was wrong. She was still fully dressed, and this wasn't the room she had paid for the day before.
A soft snore came from behind her on the bed.
Startled she spun around, her hand reaching for her hip where her revolver would be.
Her breath caught in her chest. Lying on the bed was Corrick, asleep.
Vesper could feel her cheeks burn with blush as the events of the night before began to return to her. They had finished drinks with Dom and Hunter, and tried to retire for the evening. As soon as the door to her room had closed behind her, the vastness of their loss creeped in and gripped her tight. She fled from what felt like a prison of loneliness and found herself in Corrick's room, weeping in his arms for the second time that day.
She relaxed, looking at his sleeping figure. This was the first time she had ever seen his face look so peaceful. She leaned back on the bed, feeling the weight of her sorrow settle in. She laid down and curled up as close as she could get to the sleeping man without disturbing him.
The warm residual scent of leather from his jacket, mingled with the natural smell of his own sweat helped her relax. Being with him felt so natural, and so safe. She reached out, letting her fingertips trail along his shirt and down his side. Despite everything that had happened over the last twenty-four hours, she couldn't help but feel at ease with Corrick back beside her.
"I never told you before and I think you should know how safe you made me feel," she paused, her cheeks burning as her blush deepened, "I am at rest here, with you."
Corrick grunted softly and rolled onto his side, so that he was facing her. His eyes were still closed, but she could detect a faint smile on his lips.
"There's no way for anyone to take you from me anymore," she bit her bottom lip before whispering softly, "you are mine."