Work Text:
Knock knock knock
Dave jolted awake, wincing at the way his spine cracked when his back straightened. His joints and muscles ached from having to sleep on the cold metal floor of his cell in the brig. He gently yawned before quietly calling out past the door
“..who is it..?” Dave’s voice was groggy. He forced his eyes open, on the verge of passing out again. The person on the other side didn’t seem to notice Dave’s tone.
“Dave! It’s me! Sven!” The person on the other side of the door pressed their face against the glass window of the cell, becoming visible to Dave who was still sitting on the ground. True to his word, it was Sven.
Despite how tired he was, seeing Sven brought a smile to Dave’s face. And to make things even better, he looked so happy today. Sven was hardly ever this happy. It was nice to see him smile.
“Hey Sveny...” Dave mumbled as he sleepily rubbed his eyes. “Why are you up so late?”
Sven, now practically bouncing on his heels, pressed something in front of the glass to show Dave. It looked to be some sort of slip? Dave stood up on wobbly feet to get a closer look. Upon closer inspection in appeared to be some sort of keycard.
Dave looked at Sven with confusion, before the sound of beeping hit his ears. Sven was scanning the card near the cell. Dave’s breath caught in his throat. It almost seemed like Sven was trying to open the door. But that couldn’t be-
Sure enough, the door of the brig flew open. Dave was in shock. The door was open. He wasn’t trapped anymore. Sven-
Sven.
Dave wasn’t one to cry often, but he was on the verge of it now. In an instant, he tackled Sven to the ground, clinging tightly around his partner’s shoulders. Sven yelped in surprise as they hit the floor but smiled when he saw Dave burying his head in his neck.
“We gotta be quiet. As far as the other higher ups know, I don’t have access to the brig” Sven whispered before quietly giggling with excitement. Dave looked up at him, amazed. He was breaking the Toppat rules? All for him? Dave felt warm and fuzzy at the thought. Or maybe it was because he was touching another person for the first time in months. Either way, Dave was practically on cloud 9.
Sven happily grabbed onto Dave and held him tightly, happy to finally be able to hold him. They weren’t in the comfiest place right now, but that didn’t matter to him.
Ok maybe it mattered a little, and plus, Sven had other plans. He stood, grabbing Dave and gently pulling him up.
“You wanna take a walk with me?” Sven asked. Dave nodded enthusiastically, clinging tightly to Sven’s arm.
Dave could hardly contain his excitement as the walked out of the brig. He pulled himself closer to Sven, smiling widely. The warmth of the other’s body felt so good.
The two of them explored the airship. Sven was unable to keep his mouth closed as he explained every inch of the ship. As always Dave listened very intently. Hanging on every word.
Sven’s cheeks hurt from how wide he had been smiling. Dave was keeping a tight grip on his arm. As if he’d fall if he let go. They walked all throughout the aircraft that Sven called home. Dave seemed to be enjoying himself quite a lot. But Sven had one more plan for the two of them.
They stopped outside of a door. Dave looked up at Sven questioningly, tightening his grip on the toppat’s arm. Sven took his keycard out and struggled with the scanner for a moment before the door flew open. Revealing a ledge on the side of the airship.
Dave gasped as the cold night air hit his face. The two of them stepped out onto the ledge, surrounded by the star-filled night sky. The prisoner looked around in disbelief. It had been so long since he had seen the sky.
It was beautiful. An endless expanse of light. The airship was so high up, somehow it made the stars feel closer. Dave felt as if he was going to cry again. Even though he was technically still a prisoner, being here, feeling the cool night air with Sven at his side, it made him feel free.
Sven found it hard to focus on the stars above them, instead focusing on the prisoner tucked into his side. Dave snuggled against him as the cold wind flew by them. It was cold, but the fresh air felt unbelievably nice.
For a long time they stood in silence. Simply comforted by the warmth of each other. Until eventually Dave broke the silence.
“Th-thank you.. so much.. Sven.”
Sven smiled. He opened his mouth to speak, but Dave continued.
“I love you.”
Any words that Sven had thought to say before quickly left his mind. It wasn’t the first time Dave had told him that, and yet those three words managed to catch him off guard every time. He looked down at Dave, who was leaning against Sven with his eyes closed, feeling the cool fresh air hit his face.
“.. I love you too. I love you so much.” Sven forced out. It was truth. Sven did love Dave. He loved him with his whole heart. He just wanted him to be happy. And he was glad he was able to make that happen.
The comfortable silence continued on for a while, before Sven heard a yawn escape Dave as he pulled himself closer into Sven. He supposed it was quite late.. and he had woken Dave up..
“You tired?” Sven questioned, adjusting himself a bit to support Dave as he leaned against him.
“Mm.. no..” Dave lied. He didn’t want to go back in his cell. He wanted to stay by Sven’s side for as long as possible. Sven laughed, clearly not buying it.
“C’mon Dave. Let’s get you to bed.” Sven gently pulled him inside the ship. Dave whined in response.
“Mmmm- no-.. don’t wanna go back..” he mumbled into Sven
Sven sighed. He didn’t want Dave to go back either. It felt wrong to put him back in that cell. He stiffened as an idea hit him.
“What if you came to my room with me?”
Dave looked up in disbelief, forcing his eyes open. Come to Sven’s room? Sleep in a real bed? It almost didn’t feel like a real request.
“C-can i?” Dave looked up at Sven with glossy eyes that he was struggling to keep open, desperate to hear him say yes.
“I mean- no one ever checks your cell. So as long as no one knows you’re there, I don’t think it’ll be an issue.” Dave couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face. Still too sleepy to properly express his delight, he buried his head into Sven’s shoulder. Gripping onto him tightly. Sven responded by gripping on tighter as well, bending down to scoop Dave into his arms.
Dave nuzzled into his lover’s hair as Sven carried him down the hall, practically falling asleep in his arms. The still-new feeling of human contact bringing him enough comfort to lull him into sleep.
He barely processed Sven laying him down on the bed, sighing at the feeling of the soft mattress underneath him. Dave shifted as his lover’s warm arms left him, but stilled as he felt Sven lay down next to him, once again pulling Dave into his arms.
At that, Dave was out like a light. Nothing but bliss filling his mind. Sven looked down at the sleeping prisoner in his arms, smiling at how peaceful he looked, before drifting off himself.