By My Side
He buried his fingers in the mass of tangled chestnut hair that was piled along Duo's head and sprawling down the cottony, green, sheets to his side. Duo didn't wake up, even as he smiled his most delicate smile to his partner, his comrade, his friend, his love. His hand lifted from Duo's hair and rested on his shoulder blade, drifting over his shoulder and bicep, down his elbow and forearm. Duo's skin was moderately chilled, at the obvious fault of his preferred sleeping clothes; sweatpants and a beater.
Instead of pulling a blanket around him, he wrapped himself around Duo, entwining their limbs, letting Duo's head lull against his own warm shoulder. His long-sleeved silk pajamas would no doubt keep Duo's revealed skin warm. After all, it had been seven years.
He willed his eyes to shut, but he couldn't bring himself to rest any longer. He had brought too many thoughts upon himself, dark thoughts, and thoughts that didn't need to be remembered. Thoughts that weren't discussed often enough. It was okay, though; he was confident that as long as he held Duo close in his arms, nothing like that would ever happen again.
He could keep Duo safe by his side. Duo was happy with him.
There was a window on Duo's side of the bed, and snow was clinging to the glass like a soft curtain. Seven years ago, exactly the same morning, he had glanced out the same window in panic, wondering why Duo didn't lay where he should.
Shivering, he brushed a strand of dark hair away from his own eye and clasped his body tighter to Duo's. He would never let that happen again; Duo had promised, too.
Christmas morning, again, and they still didn't celebrate it. It hadn't been a happy day for seven years, now. It was a day of memories, of true and false, of second chances never taken. He pulled the heavy wool blanket over their embraced bodies, letting his warm breath tremble over Duo's neck. He didn't want to remember today.
"I'm fine, 'Fei. Promise," Duo whispered, his voice thick with restless sleep. He nodded his head against Duo's skin, but he wouldn't go back to sleep. He had to keep Duo by his side. No matter how many times Duo reassured him, he couldn't wash the blood out of his memory any more than he could wash it off of the kitchen floor.
He buried his fingers in the mass of tangled chestnut hair that was piled along Duo's head and sprawling down the cottony, green, sheets to his side. Duo didn't wake up, even as he smiled his most delicate smile to his partner, his comrade, his friend, his love. His hand lifted from Duo's hair and rested on his shoulder blade, drifting over his shoulder and bicep, down his elbow and forearm. Duo's skin was moderately chilled, at the obvious fault of his preferred sleeping clothes; sweatpants and a beater.
Instead of pulling a blanket around him, he wrapped himself around Duo, entwining their limbs, letting Duo's head lull against his own warm shoulder. His long-sleeved silk pajamas would no doubt keep Duo's revealed skin warm. After all, it had been seven years.
He willed his eyes to shut, but he couldn't bring himself to rest any longer. He had brought too many thoughts upon himself, dark thoughts, and thoughts that didn't need to be remembered. Thoughts that weren't discussed often enough. It was okay, though; he was confident that as long as he held Duo close in his arms, nothing like that would ever happen again.
He could keep Duo safe by his side. Duo was happy with him.
There was a window on Duo's side of the bed, and snow was clinging to the glass like a soft curtain. Seven years ago, exactly the same morning, he had glanced out the same window in panic, wondering why Duo didn't lay where he should.
Shivering, he brushed a strand of dark hair away from his own eye and clasped his body tighter to Duo's. He would never let that happen again; Duo had promised, too.
Christmas morning, again, and they still didn't celebrate it. It hadn't been a happy day for seven years, now. It was a day of memories, of true and false, of second chances never taken. He pulled the heavy wool blanket over their embraced bodies, letting his warm breath tremble over Duo's neck. He didn't want to remember today.
"I'm fine, 'Fei. Promise," Duo whispered, his voice thick with restless sleep. He nodded his head against Duo's skin, but he wouldn't go back to sleep. He had to keep Duo by his side. No matter how many times Duo reassured him, he couldn't wash the blood out of his memory any more than he could wash it off of the kitchen floor.