Noa & Jeroen - during the season 2 finale

After everything that has happened, Jeroen feels utterly exhausted. Mentally, physically, emotionally. Maybe "exhausted" doesn't even begin to cover how he feels. Barren, perhaps. Wrung-out, maybe. But none of that matters. The only thing that matters right now is the warm body pressed to his side. The quiet sound of her breathing is the only sound breaking the silence that has wrapped around them.

Noa is safe. The thought spirals inside his brain, taking up all the room there. Jeroen's fingers are splayed across her hip, afraid that if he lets go for even a second, she will be gone. He tries to hold back the flinch at the thought of Noa disappearing again. And he imagines himself searching endlessly. Jeroen tastes the bitter tang of despair at the back of his throat.

"Jeroen? Are you alright?" Noa pushes herself up a bit sleepily, cheek resting in her palm, dragging Jeroen away from his roaming thoughts.

A soft chuckle escapes him. His eyes find hers in the dimly lit room, shadows playing across Noa's beautiful features. "Yeah, of course." And then maybe a bit too frantic: "I'm here." His palm finds the side of her face, fingers twisting into her dark hair. She sighs.

"You're tense," Noa observes, laying her hand on his. She squeezes softly. "I know we've not yet talked about everything that happened, but if you need to talk-"

"I'm fine." The words come out clipped, harsher than intended, and he winces, recognizing the abrasiveness in his tone. He bites down on the inside of his cheek. "Sorry."

Noa hums. "It was not your fault, Jeroen," she says after a moment, her warm hand touching his neck. The contact is grounding. He leans into it a bit despite himself.

Jeroen shakes his head. "Everything that happened with Wolf, with you... it was my fault. I trusted him and failed to see who he really was. And then later- I was stupid and naive." Jeroen moves to sit up completely, the covers falling away. He's staring at her a little. He's a bundle of emotions - all bottled up tightly, coiled tensely. It hurts to witness. "It doesn't matter how I feel, Noa. You almost died - I almost lost you. You've been having nightmares, and if I hadn't gotten involved with Zeno and Wolf in the first place-"

"And don't you realize you've been going through the same thing?" Noa interrupts.

Jeroen blinks at her, some of his hair falling into his eyes. It makes him seem younger, she muses.

"I mean... I almost lost you, too, seeing you on the ground, with Wolf looming over you." Noa bites her lip. "And the nightmares... You've not been sleeping well for a long while, even before I arrived at Anubis. Looking back now, it's so obvious."

They both have trouble sleeping. And that's why they are both in the same bed, looking for warmth and a steady presence.

Jeroen has been so worried about her and is so very sorry. It's overwhelming, suffocating, almost. But after what they went through together, it's also nice. The times she awoke in tears and panic, he was there, a gentle reassurance. She wants to do the same for him. He's not letting her, however. Too consumed by his guilt and regret. But Noa wasn't one to give up easily. Tonight, though, they need to rest. Tomorrow is an important day for Jeroen, even if he doesn't know it yet.

"Let's go back to sleep," Noa says, pulling Jeroen back down and close, tugging the covers back up. "We both need it." Then, a tiny grin spreads across her face. "But if you snore once more, I'm kicking you out. It's my bed, after all." Jeroen rolls his eyes, mutters something about taking her with him if she does so, and leans his forehead against hers, closing his eyes.

He falls asleep silently.

For a while, Noa stares at Jeroen's face through the semi-darkness, eyes tracing his features, slack with sleep. Like this, he appears younger, yet his exhaustion is unmistakable, cheekbones sharp with the lack of appetite and stress. She knows Jeroen blames himself, tormenting himself more than anyone ever could. He's convinced it's necessary, a belief Noa has never shared. But Jeroen hasn't understood that yet. Noa snuggles closer and kisses the tip of his nose. She's been working on something, a little secret that finally will be revealed tomorrow. She was able to pull some strings and ask the right people. Jeroen's dad will be free soon. And Noa hopes it will help erase the bags under his eyes, relieving him of the guilt and anger simmering under his skin.

Noa shuts her eyes, curling up closer to the warm body pressed close. Jeroen may not know it yet, but he's loved. And tomorrow, she will remind him once more.