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“Captain! Guard my Cousin!”
Kurt shot up covered in a cold sweat, his heart racing. The encounter had happened a week ago and Gabriel had completely healed save a few bruises from the battle with the foreign beast, but every time he closed his eyes he watched it play out again in slow motion. It should have been Constantin he worried for, being the only son of the prince and all, being the more delicate of the two nobles, being...well, Constantin, but it was Gabriel who had ordered him back and who had fought alone against something the size of a building.
Stupid, brave, brilliant, infuriating Gabriel de Sardet who dared to tell him to stay back and protect Constantin which was absolutely the right thing to do and Kurt knew this in his head but in his heart he couldn’t justify it at all.
At any point Gabriel could have stepped wrong. The beast could have found a bit more strength and turned the tides. He could have rushed forward at any point to help so why hadn’t he?
Because Gabriel had ordered him not to, and where Kurt was a soldier and prone to following orders, it wasn’t as if he was some mindless sheep who always did as he was told. He was a Captain for a reason. Because he knew when to break rank and break rules and used his head and the fight at the docks was absolutely one of those moments he should have because Gabriel de Sardet was just as important as Constantin d'Orsay
The bed shifted beside him and creaked. The ones on the ship weren’t quite what they were used to sleeping in though still nicer then any Kurt had ever used on his own. “More nightmares?” Gabriel asked, his voice soft with sleep still, his hair nicely tousled but his blue eyes were bright and awake in the pale moonlight that managed to sneak in through the windows.
Kurt reached up to take Gabriel’s hand that had come to rest on his shoulder and brought it to his lips. “Sorry.” He apologized, kissing the fingertips, then the palm. He hadn’t told Gabriel what they were about, and his lover hadn’t pressed. Gabriel never did because he was perfect like that. So perfect at times Kurt hated it because he knew he absolutely wasn’t worthy of this man.
The moonlight caught Gabriel’s soft smile and the man beside him moved closer, pushing Kurt back to the mattress, laying wrapped around him, his head on Kurt’s shoulder. “I’m fine you know.” Kurt could have cursed. Of course, Gabriel would know what he was on about. He always did. “Do you ever not know what I’m thinkin?” He asked, his voice a little gruff in comparison.
Gabriel chuckled softly. “Well, we’ve known each other for half my life Kurt, I imagine you always know what I’m thinking as well.” Well, that was probably true too. Kurt often knew what Gabriel was thinking by the look on his face. The same could be said for his cousin. Constantin was in fact, even easier to read. “We can talk about it if you want. I had read about what we were likely to encounter on Teer Fradee but until I saw that beast at the docks, it hadn’t hit me that there would be real monsters there...it made it real I guess.”
Frowning, Kurt turned to lay on his side, keeping an arm draped around Gabriel as the man was rolled onto his back. When Kurt didn’t speak up, Gabriel continued, speaking for both of them. “My only thought at the time was keeping you and Constantin away from it...but there is no doing that now. We’re sailing there to that island where this is a reality and...its frightening to think I can’t be with you both all the time.” He let out a sigh and Kurt finally found his own voice on the topic.
“What do you mean you wanted to keep me safe? Aren’t I the one who trained you?” He asked, his tone full of annoyance. “That’s what killed me you know...not seeing that monster...not having to fight it. Watching you fight it alone…” Kurt wasn’t prone to emotional outbursts unless they were of the angry, aggressive kind. Hearing the hurt in his lovers voice, Gabriel turned startled blue eyes to the mans face. “Kurt I…” He was cut off when Kurt continued. “Don’t do it again. Don’t tell me to stay back like that why you try and handle something on your own. Didn’t I tell you this wasn’t going to be some kind of one sided thing where you use me for my good looks and I get to sleep in a bed that cost a years salary?” He asked, cupping Gabriel’s cheek.
Gabriel’s face, which had been rather serious looking, softened now and he smiled before giving Kurt a nod. “You’re right...I shouldn’t have stopped you from helping me, and I won’t do it again. We will fight all manner of monsters together henceforth.” He promised, and Kurt wondered if it was a promise he could actually make and keep. Kurt closed the distance between them, kissing Gabriel as their bodies naturally pressed closer together, rolling with the rocking of the ship till Gabriel sat straddling the larger soldier. He looked down, now looking as impish as his cousin often did.
“Can I still use you for your good looks though?” He asked and Kurt grinned in response, nightmares forgotten for now as he pulled Gabriel back down for another passionate kiss.