Chapter Text
“If I fall asleep...you’re not going to leave me?”
Noé was almost embarrassed by the neediness of his question, but at the moment he was too exhausted and paranoid to care.
Vanitas just stared at him for a moment, a long second that made him want to squirm, before distinctly turning away.
“I’ll wake you when you’re there.”
The vampire perked up, pleased at hi- the human’s response. Smiling brightly, the Archiviste tried to tell himself that it was confirmed: Vanitas wasn’t going to try and leave him behind.
Leaning back into the seat, Noé closed his eyes and tried to breathe.
Still, he couldn’t help but sneak a couple of peaks at the human sitting across from him. The train was loud enough that he couldn’t hear Vanitas unless he focused extremely hard. Something that was impossible while trying to sleep.
Peering at the human didn’t exactly help his slumber either, but he had been so tense for hours, straining to keep Vanitas within his senses and to make sure the doctor didn’t leave without him.
Half opening his eyes, Noé watched Vanitas move around in his seat, making adorably grumpy noises.
“Damn it, Noé.”
He flinched, not expecting to be addressed so suddenly.
“Well. Spit it out.”
Oh no, he must have disturbed the human from his own rest by looking at him. He didn’t know Vanitas’ past but his senses were extremely sharp for a man and he must have been put on edge by the eyes on him.
“Sorry, Vanitas-”
Noé meant to apologize but interrupted himself by yawning. That was embarrassing, not only being unable to finish his sentence but to prove so obviously that he was tired.
He didn’t understand, Vanitas hadn’t slept the previous night either, too busy sulking on the rooftops. Noé understood that the man was secretive about his past, and many people were uncomfortable with his abilities. But he couldn’t help that the doctor’s blood smelled so good!
Since he had left home, he hadn’t had very many opportunities to feed regularly.
“Sorry, I just can’t help but think…”
Still, asking Vanitas like that to drink his blood had been uncouth. Their partnership had been a lot steadier recently, but he knew very well that the human was a private person.
He had been out of line, and honestly, maybe Vanitas deserved to leave him behind, but ...he was selfish and didn’t want that to happen.
“Puppy has separation anxiety.”
“Pardon?! Vanitas!”
The words had been said quietly, but in a marvelling way, and Noé had still heard them loud and clear. Aw, that was just humiliating at this point.
The vampire could feel his face burning as he squirmed and fought the urge to curl up and hide. Domi liked to joke sometimes about pets needing their collars and it had always caused a strange feeling in his chest, but they both needed the comfort enough that off-colour jokes were rare between them.
Noé was so caught up in his own thoughts that he barely registered Vanitas’ sigh before the man moved towards him.
When the human pushed his side, he moved automatically, following the unspoken directions.
He had moved over a seat, but it still took him by surprise when Vanitas sat in the now-unoccupied spot.
Noé watched as Vanitas brusquely , but still gently, reached up to pull him down, and barely restrained a yelp as he fell all the way down.
He was now laying on his back in Vanitas’ lap . Noé sat stiffly for a moment, but looking into the human’s bright blue eyes was enough to relax him.
When Vanitas huffed, he worried but it wasn’t long before the doctor settled too, bringing a warm hand down to support him while the other soothed his scalp.
“Go to sleep, Noé.”
At first, Noé was too caught up in noticing the uncharacteristic vulnerability the man was showing him, before the true meaning of their new position sank in.
Like this, cradled up against Vanitas there was no way the human would be able to get up without him noticing. It also had the added benefit of Noé being able to hear his human’s heartbeat close up.
“Yes, Vanitas!”
Noé smiled at the sight of Vanitas drifting off above him, hopefully, the man would also be able to get some rest now.
His heart ached a little, at the kindness he was being shown by a person who tried very hard to keep his distance usually. By now, he could at least know Vanitas’ past hadn’t been kind, and that he wasn’t the type to easily let people past his walls. But at this moment, for him , Vanitas was here .
“Thank you.”