Virgil loves Kay's hair.
Those rare times she leaves it down are magic. It signifies she feels comfortable, she feels free.
She feels safe.
God, he wants to keep her safe.
Her early life before she had joined his family is a blank to him, but he knows there were bad times. The bruise on her face the day he met her as a child was proof enough of that. Her guarded sense, the way she keeps everyone at arm's length, even him at times, speaks of a soul hurt so very badly.
He can't change the past. But, if she lets him, he will keep her safe into the future.
In the meantime, he values every stolen moment, every relax of her guard, every time she lets him run his fingers through her long and beautiful hair. He curls up with her at night and falls asleep with the scent of her shampoo.
He brushes sweaty strands from her face after loving her, when her gorgeous green eyes look up at him at their most vulnerable. When his emotions overwhelm him and he just can't express how much he cherishes her.
He washes blood and grime away. Soap suds and tears in their shower, fingertips caring but tentative, never sure she will accept the comfort he is offering and always fearing she will flee. He holds her close, ever so close, skin on skin, kissing her hair and hiding the fear on his own face, for the near miss it was this time, how final it might be next time, but knowing that this is the life they choose.
He watches her every morning tie that hair up into its ponytail, sometimes a bun, like she is donning armour for the day. He mourns it every morning, yet knows he shoulders on the same with his own uniform.
He styles away his own dark curls in the mirror beside her.
The life they choose.
That pony tail bounces across her back as she walks ahead of him and his eyes follow it. She moves like a cat and that is her tail teasing him.
But behind closed doors when those strands fall free. He draws her close, his fingers at her temple brushing her hair gently aside.
His fingers tangle in soft strands as she smiles up at him.
Virgil loves Kay's hair.
Because he loves Kay.
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