Disclaimer: I is not owning Reign
AN: I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR AN EXCUSE TO WRITE THIS SCENE FOR SO LONG AND NOW I FINALLY HAVE A VIABLE AVENUE AND MY FACE HURTS FROM SMILING SO MUCH BUT OH WELL HERE WE GO ahem. Enjoy the read.
The crash of her book against the floor startled the both of them, but it was the situation they were in that gave her a fright. Apparently, the hour had gotten away from them and they'd both fallen asleep on her couch as she'd read and he'd looked over recent documents she'd made notes on. All but jumping away, Catherine created a space between the both of them and felt colder without his presence so near. Doing her best to regain her composure after having been found in such a position, she went about adjusting her mussed hair. It was ridiculous that her heart was racing as it was, but she hadn't expected to wake on her couch and definitely not with her husband. Still, it would become more of a frequent thing, would it not? These intimate moments that couples often craved, moments that she'd been denied for the greater part of her life were going to become a large portion of her time. She should endeavor to not be so bothered by his continued presence in her rooms or even by her side. Still, to be found tucked underneath her husband's chin curled up like a cat nearly in his lap was more embarrassing than she'd care to admit. Not that she'd ever voice such things out loud of course.
Henry himself was lifting his body up and out of the reclining position he'd been in as he tried to orient himself as to what was going on. He'd been sleeping so peacefully before that sudden noise. A familiar, fragrant scent had surrounded him and for the first time in a long while he was relaxed. Scrubbing at an eye as the weight on the cushion that he sat on shifted, he realized that the sweet aroma he'd been privy to had been Catherine's signature perfume. From the way she was fussing around with her hair he could only assume he'd done something untoward when he'd been sleeping. Unfortunately, it was rather like him for such things to occur. Picking up her fallen book and the documents that had slipped from his hands in sleep, he passed her the tome with a bit of an apologetic look. He never meant to be so imposing when he slept. He'd change his ways if he could manage to do battle with his unknowing mind. It was still early for this renewed understanding and he couldn't afford to make mistakes now, not when they'd been doing so well. Taking a breath, he gave voice to sincere thought.
"I'm sorry." The two were taken aback as they spoke the words in tandem.
"What are you apologizing for?" Catherine asked with a furrowed brow as her fingers almost nervously traced the embossed pattern on her book.
"I was going to ask you the same." Setting aside the papers on her table, he turned to face her, folding a leg under himself. "I wanted to apologize for whatever I did to make you so flustered, I was sleeping and - "
Waving away his apologies, she gave light to his supposed misdeeds towards her. "You didn't do anything - I was apologizing for having woken you."
"That's a relief. For a moment, I'd thought you were apologizing for falling asleep on me." From the way she slid her eyes away from him, he couldn't help but be concerned. "Say that isn't the real reason."
"We said we wouldn't lie anymore." Her voice was small as in her trademark roundabout way she'd admitted her wrong.
"And yet you have." Slipping the book from her hands, Henry laid it beside his papers before entangling their fingers together. "Catherine, you needn't feel that you ought to apologize for such things nor do you need to lie about them either."
The Queen's gaze was trained on their hands, her eyes making a memory of how his fingers looked and felt with hers. "I fear it's become a habit for me to lie to you."
"At least I'm getting better at catching you in the act." Tenderly pressing a kiss against her brow he gently leant his head against her. "I know that being close to someone is difficult for you, but I want you to know you have free reign of me."
"Free reign? I wouldn't know what to do with such liberties." She smiled even as she made to pull away from him, but Henry held on to her.
Eyes as gentle as those she dreamt of in their past looked at her with every ounce of love they had to give. "Everything or nothing at all, Caterina. I'll be happy so long as you keep me with these hands."
AN: Yaaaaaaaaay you all came back! Welcome to this installment and I hope you liked this second chapter. Reminder that I take prompts and requests for future chapters, just leave me a review, comment on my Youtube channel, or hit me up on Twitter xo
