When Emmett had first asked him to sleep with him("I can FEEL that glare, Seb. I'm talking about just sleeping, love, I promise."), he hadn't really thought much of it. The younger man was rather cuddly and a bit of the vanity left in Sebastian enjoyed the attention and so long as Emmett respected his vow of chastity, there was no real reason to deny him. As he lay in bed with the mage, who's arms were lightly wrapped around him and face was buried in his hair, Sebastian found himself smiling. The bed was much softer than the one in his little Chantry cell and the sheets were a deep red, a color that fit his champion well. As he basked in the warmth and the rhythmic breathing of his lover's heart, Sebastian was soon lulled to sleep.
When he awoke some time later, though, he found Emmett missing from his side. Rolling over, he found the other sitting on the edge of the bed, back taught and hands over his ears.
"Hawke?" Sebastian called worriedly as he sat up. "Emmett." He called as he scooted over and gently put a hand on his shoulder. Emmett jumped before calming, his hands leaving his ears but his back still tense.
"Emmett, what's wrong?" He asked as he scooted over more, resting against the other's back.
"it's nothing, love." He tried to reassure but Sebastian wasn't buying it.
"If nothing was wrong, you wouldn't be covering your ears. Please, what's wrong?"
At first Sebastian wasn't sure if the blind man was going to answer him, the silence stretching on for what felt like forever, before Emmett let out a sigh.
"I had a nightmare is all." He replied finally. Sebastian frowned sadly before turning to fully embrace the other.
"Was it about Leandra?" He asked quietly. It was no secret that her death had devastated the poor man. He had promised to protect her, to make sure he didn't fail her like he felt he'd failed Bethany and Carver, but in the end he couldn't do it. Most of the group tried not to bring her up as not to hurt the other man but not talking about it might have been just as bad. The mage let in a shaky breath and Sebastian knew he'd hit the mark.
"It's just…I can still hear it all so clearly. That shuffling gait of the body she'd been trapped in, that bastard's words….maybe if I'd just paid a little more attention or stayed home with her more often…" Sebastian hugged him tighter as the other male started to shake. He wasn't crying, not really. He had cried and cried and cried until he had no more tears to shed but that didn't stop the painful stabbing in his chest or the guilt that ate at him every time he thought about it.
No words would comfort the mage so Sebastian simply stayed quiet, planting butterfly kisses on his shoulder, neck, and cheek before pulling him back onto the bed. He didn't bother with the covers, opting instead for simply curling against the other's back. Soon the shaking stopped and Emmett's shoulders dropped, tension leaving him as he soaked in the warmth of his lover's embrace. It was times like these that Emmett thanked the Maker for introducing him to the Chantry brother and it was in the quiet of the moment that he promised that this time, he wouldn't fail. He would protect Sebastian with all he had.
