It was a few hours before daybreak when Thaeserys couldn't take it anymore. She hadn't been sleeping much since she last saw her brother, instead spending many a long hour pondering over how to talk to him and convince him that she meant nothing of it. He was just her brother and she loved him; as a brother, surely. She forced herself to stop there, unwilling to venture any further.
Thaeserys felt lost. She had no one she could talk to. Daenerys had her own burdens and Thaeserys didn't want to load unnecessary stress on her sister, not when her problems could inadvertently hurt her in the process. Viserys, well, she was currently avoiding, and he didn't seem to particularly want to seek her out either. It stung, actually. While she didn't want to contemplate the strange outburst she had, and in front of her brother, no less, she wished he did care enough to ask her if everything was alright, or even to just pretend that nothing happened.
Garnering every last drop of courage, she stalked out of her room, fully intending to confront her brother who was probably deep in his slumber. She doubted anyone would be awake at this ungodly hour, but she had to talk to him, do something, anything to go back to being close again. Dallying any longer would just make burst like a water balloon that had slowly built up enough pressure with all the emotions pent up inside of her.
Creeping into her brother's room, her apprehension melted into worry as she spotted the floor littered with bottles. Perching herself on the edge of his bed, she gently pried a bottle from her brother's grip. She instantly wondered what had happened that caused her brother to frown even in his sleep, guilt seeping in for her self-absorption in failing to realise her brother's misery.
Viserys stirred as he vaguely felt a warm hand caressing his cheek, his mind still groggy from liquor consumption as he struggled to open his eyes. His eyelids felt heavy, being riddled with sleep, but the voice softly whispering his name reminded him of her. It must be a dream. He instinctively grabbed the hand on his cheek, bringing it down to his chest and held it there, his eyes still closed. Thaeserys flushed red, unsure of what to do. Finding no resistance apart from a small jolt, he smiled in his sleep. It must be a really good dream. The voice grew stronger as he childishly kept his eyes shut in silent protestation against waking up.
Thaeserys attempted to manoeuvre her hand out of her brother's iron-tight grip before giving up, choosing, instead, to snake her only free hand to his shoulder, nudging him to get up. Slightly irritated that his little flower was leaving him even in his dream, he grunted and pulled her towards him so that she couldn't leave. This is my dream, after all. Surely, I could, at least, have her next to me in my dreams…
Thaeserys squeaked at the sudden movement which caused her, inadvertently, to fall on top of Viserys' chest. Her blush darkened, the room suddenly feeling very constricted as her heart pounded wildly. It was only then when Viserys felt something solidly real weighing down on him when he fully awoke from his reverie. His eyes snapped open, wide and alert as he contemplated the situation before him, contorting his features into one of confusion and apparent disbelief at this impossible situation.
"Will you let me go now?" she whispered, not trusting her voice any louder for fear of it breaking.
He remained still as a statue, the whole situation taking its time to sink in slowly before he startled, letting go of her hands.
"Are you alright?" she asked, her brows furrowed with concern, the absurdity of the scene prior now passed. Stony silence ensued.
"Viserys?" she nudged, a slight pang of anxiety gripping at her. No answer.
"Can we… Can we talk?" she hesitated, that piercing anxiety now holding her ransom like a knife to her neck. It was getting difficult to breathe and whatever courage that possessed her to walk into this very room fled her like a thief in the night. He blinked, still not talking.
"Well, fine then, just… Just listen to me, alright? Look, I'm really sorry about the other night. I didn't mean to accuse you of anything. I understand that you're beyond upset about Daeny having to leave us, to leave you, especially since, you know… I'm sorry for being selfish. I should've been there for you. I'm sorry, I mean, I know what you're going through. She's my sister too…" she was ranting, frantically. "But you're my brother, and I love you. I know I haven't been there for you these past couple days, but I'm here now, you know if… If you'd let me. I just wanted to say I'm sorry," she finished softly, exhaling, some pressure lifting off from her meaningless confession.
"No," he said, firmly, resolutely, as if he had made up his mind about something.
"What?" she whispered, now horrified at the thought that she had made things worse. A million what ifs crossed her mind as they sat in awkward silence, neither knowing exactly what to say.
She muttered an apology, getting to her feet clumsily as she started to race for the door.
"Thea," he breathed out, his strong grip effectively stopping her from running away from him, trapping her, "I want you." His grip loosened slightly, stunned by his own sudden confession. She was stunned, unbelieving and incredulous, and although she wanted to run, the shock of it left her rooted to the ground, shaking slightly like a leaf in the wind.
"You have me. You're my brother and I love you," she assured weakly. He doesn't want to be alone. No one does.
"Is that all you see me as?" he asked, a tad harsher than his original intent. Why can't you see me the way I see you?
"What do you want me to see you as?" she questioned, not really understanding where he was going. He sighed in frustration, a slight twitch of his brow, searching her eyes for some sort of answer. He relented, carefully placing his hand on her cheek as he wiped away her tears with his thumb. Thaeserys blinked. She hadn't even realised that she had cried.
He held her close, a comforting gesture, murmuring, "As mother once said you would. I want you to see me as mother once said you would."
"And what is that?" she asked, curious now. He didn't reply. Viserys used to tell her many things about their mother, how beautiful and kind she was, but he never once told her about this.
"Does Daeny know what mother said?" she persisted.
"No, not really," he replied vaguely, sounding a bit distant now.
"Well, if you're not telling me and Daeny doesn't know, what am I supposed to do?" she cried out, indignant, suddenly feeling like a lost child, perhaps a tad spoilt at that. He sighed.
"You were made for me," his voice airy, as if he were somewhere else. Oh, look at how beautiful her eyes are. Lilac. Take good care of her, Viserys, she was made just for you. Even now, he could hear mother's words clear as day. He held her by her shoulders as she looked at her, scrutinising her slowly, barely able to hide his grin as he took her in. She has and will always be. Mine.
"You were made for me," he repeated slowly, carefully. Thaeserys remained still, like a porcelain doll, her eyes barely flickered with an emotion he couldn't read. She was beautiful, fragile, a crimson rose to protect and cherish. And she was supposed to be his; his other half.
"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" she asked, unsure of what she should say.
"I wanted to let you choose," he replied, softly adding after much hesitation, "Although I do wish you would choose me."
"Are you only saying this because Daeny is… Because Daeny is getting married?" she felt sceptical of everything. She didn't want to question him, because those five words that he said so easily had been what she had always wanted to hear. You were made for me. She hated herself for acting this way, but she didn't want to be second-place, regardless of how much she loved her sister. She didn't want to be a replacement, because that's how she really felt inside, the extra one, despite her siblings' constant worry and affection.
"No," he cried out, his agitation increasing exponentially. What can I say to make her understand? "It's you, Thea, it has always been you," he confessed. Thaeserys' heart leapt. It has always been you; another five words that pushed her towards the edge. She lunged forward, embracing him as her body was flush against his, crying in his chest. Viserys was flustered, gently patting her back to soothe her. He hated seeing her cry. It hurt him to see her upset. It hurt him even more when the thought of her rejection crossed his mind and stayed there, lodged in his head.
Thaeserys was tired. It was close to daybreak and she hadn't slept a wink all night, her worry and frustration pumping adrenaline, keeping her awake. But now, relief and hope from her brother's words broke through her like a flood, releasing her of all her worries pent up over the years, and she suddenly found herself drifting off into sleep, blissful and content.
Viserys exhaled softly as he felt her grip slacken and her breath even out, his hands running through her hair. She had to be exhausted, the slight purple tinge under her eyes betraying her lack of rest. He puffed out his chest, preparing himself before he carried her back to her room, setting her down on her own bed, tucking her in. She was light, as expected, although lack of regular exercise left him panting slightly as he sat on the edge of her bed to catch his breath. He watched her sleep, a small smile matching hers, as he caressed her cheek, lulling her further into sleep.
When he finally gathered his resolve to leave, he was shifted slightly, about to get up, when he found his sister clutching the edge of his shirt. She was probably still asleep. He gently held her hand, meaning to somehow pry the fabric out of her fingers. She probably wanted him to leave after everything he had told her.
He hadn't meant to tell her in this way either, leaving her trapped with him because of what she now knew was expected of her. He gulped. Would she want to leave now that she knew? So that she could escape everything that was planned from her since her birth? He didn't want to think of her leaving. He didn't know if he could even let her leave if she wanted to. It pained him to even think of it. He wanted many things, like revenge, like his ambition, like her. He wanted her by his side as he sat on the Iron Throne, proud that she was with him, of what he would've accomplished, willingly, with him.
"Stay." Viserys barely heard her; it was so quiet, barely above a whisper. But with that single word, every worry and every disappointment faded away, like a coat of paint peeling away to reveal white walls, untainted, pristine. He could hardly believe that she wasn't angry or upset as he had expected, although he still remained unsure as to her acceptance of the information he had told her moments before.
He slunk into bed next to her, keeping his distance, so that she wouldn't feel uncomfortable. He could hear his blood pump, his heart beating erratically as he felt the familiar blend of vanilla and rose on her pillow. He didn't think his heart could beat any faster, until she cuddled up next to him, snug under the blankets, but it did. Her small action made him courageous as he held her close, feeling the warmth of her skin, careful to shift his lower body away so she wouldn't feel uncomfortable, although he wanted nothing more than to feel her close to him without any space between. His last thoughts before he finally drifted into sleep were that she felt like home, his mouth curled up into a satisfied grin as the night's conversation sank in. She was made for him. She was his; his other half.