Work Text:
Their little home was as peaceful and quiet as can be.
Polnareff was in the kitchen, humming an old French song to himself as he began to prep dinner for him and his love. The two of them finally got to have a lazy weekend and they have spent the whole day lazing about the house together with Iggy by their side. Polnareff had finally peeled himself away from Avdol after the call of his stomach convinced him to finally get up and a cook them dinner.
Taking a break from his cooking, Polnareff peaked back into the living room where he had left Avdol. The Egyptian man was reading when Polnareff had left but it seems that he's now fallen right to sleep on the couch. His head is cocked to the side, mouth hanging slightly open with his book laid out on his lap. By his side, Iggy is laid out, making his gross little sleepy snoring noises that Polnareff had reluctantly became fond of. Polnareff blows his sleeping boyfriend a kiss before returning to the kitchen with a pleased hum.
These days after the Egypt trip have been so much calmer than the hectic lives they all lived while helping the Joestar family beat Dio. It left them all with scars so deep and painful, both physically and mentally, that they will never fully heal. But whenever Polnareff asks Avdol if he regrets it, Avdol always smiles and says he never regrets meeting Joseph and all of the chaos that his life gained from befriending the man. He's also grateful that the trip brought Polnareff to him. That comment always makes Polnareff turn bright red and feel all soft and gooey inside.
Polnareff doesn't regret the trip either. It was hard and rigorous but being apart of that group, being able to avenge his sister, he wouldn't trade that experience for anything. He was able to avenge his dead Sherry and kill the son of bitch who ended her life. He found friends in the wildest places and made bonds he would never want to replace. He met his beloved Avdol because of the insane adventure. Despite all the pain it caused, Polnareff is still able to appreciate the good times they had and the positive things that came from it.
As Polnareff cooks and reminisces on the trip, his thoughts are thrown off by the sound of a strangled yell from the living room and something falling onto the floor with a thunk. The sounds immediately makes Polnareff's heart start pounding in his rib cage as he runs into the living room with a racing mind. What happened? Avdol was just sleeping. This couldn't possibly be a stand user attack, right? They left all of that behind in Egypt with the pain and hurt as well.
Polnareff skids to a halt in the living room, Silver Chariot already out and by his side, rapier at the ready. His eyes scan the room and sees no immediate danger but it seems like Avdol's yell had also alerted Iggy into wakefulness as well. The dog is up on his paws and growling at the air, a bit of sand kicking up around him. The only person not on alert seems to be Polnareff's sleeping boyfriend who is tossing in his sleep, face pinched up in fear and unrest.
An achy feeling comes to Polnareff's chest as he realizes what's happening. The trip may be an experience that they would never regret but that doesn't mean the scars from it don't linger and fester sometimes.
Polnareff looks at Iggy as the dog seems to settle as he also realizes what's causing Avdol's distress. Iggy stops growling and lays down, glancing at Polnareff, then at Avdol, and back at Polnareff. His eyes almost scream, 'fix this'.
Polnareff swiftly crosses the space in the room and stands in front of his sleeping boyfriend. Avdol is drenched in sweat, eyes moving swiftly under his lids. He huffs out something that Polnareff can't quite catch before tossing his head to the other side. "Please..." he mutters softly, his voice sounding so weak and broken that Polnareff's heart weeps for him. "Come back Polnareff..."
That makes Polnareff reach out towards Avdol, wanting to stop his boyfriend's torture once and for all. But before his hand can even touch Avdol his wrist is immediately grabbed in a vice like grip. Polnareff looks at the hand holding him and traces up the arm to see Magician's Red hovering around Avdol. The stands eyes aren't sharp and steady like usual, instead mirroring Avdol's panic as they look around sporadically, wide eyed and afraid. Not wanting to get third degree burns from doing something too risky, Polnareff chooses to keep still and summons Silver Chariot again. His stand moves closer to Magician's Red and reaches out his own hand, gently pressing the cool armor to the side of the bird's head. Magician's Red stops looking around and seems to focus onto Silver Chariot.
"It's alright, Red. It's just us," Polnareff says softly, trying to sooth Avdol's troubled soul.
This isn't Polnareff's first time dealing with Magician's Red in a state like this. The first time he did, Polnareff made the stupid decision of trying to fight away from the grip, causing not only Magician's Red to consider Polnareff as a threat but also causing Avdol to wake up in fight mode. His boyfriend's eyes were unfocused and he could barely see Polnareff but he still attacked with a flurry of a flames. That night ended with tears and apologies as Polnareff tended to his burns.
Now, as someone who is far more experienced with the intricacies of Avdol's nightmares, he knows it's best to diffuse Magician's Red before waking up Avdol. Polnareff watches as the stand leans into the touch on it's face, it's eyes falling closed as it drops its grip on Polnareff.
"There there, we're okay..." Polnareff mutters as he watches Iggy climb his way into Avdol's lap, making room for Polnareff to sit by his boyfriend. As the man settles into his seat, he slowly drags Avdol into his arms, wrapping him up in a gentle embrace as he begins to rub his upper arm, trying to gently wake up his restless boyfriend from his nightmare. Iggy lays himself down on Avdol's lap, looking up at the man expectantly waiting for him to wake up.
Avdol shakes against Polnareff's hold until he wakes up with a gasp, Magician's Red disappearing with a solemn nod. Polnareff leans back from Avdol a little so he can cup his boyfriend's face in both of his hands to try and ease some of Avdol's initial panic from waking up. His eyes are wide and full of tears as he stares at Polnareff before he softly mumbles, "Jean..?"
Polnareff feels his heart break a bit in his chest as he nods before pressing a kiss to the scar on Avdol's forehead. Proof that he survived, proof that this wonderful man is still here. "It's me, I'm okay. We're all okay."
Shaky metal hands reach up for Polnareff's arms, the fingers clicking and whirring as they grasp at his arm and hold on tight. Avdol dissolves into sobs, his breathing quick and tight. "I didn't... I didn't make it... in time..." He says in between harsh breaths of air and sobs.
Polnareff shakes his head as he gently pulls Avdol's head to his chest, letting Avdol lean his weight onto him as the panic and sadness overcomes him. "Come on, Momo. Breathe with me a bit. It's okay," he mutters to himself before he begins to take deep breaths. Avdol trembles in Polnareff's hold and Polnareff gives him a reassuring squeeze. "We're alright, Mohammad."
Polnareff holds his distressed boyfriend through the emotional turmoil until his body begins to relax against Polnareff's. His breathing slowly begins to settle and Avdol adjusts to bury his face into Polnareff's neck. Slowly Polnareff rubs his hand up and down Avdol's back and begins to hum softly. It's a song his mother used to sing to him that Polnareff in turn began to sing to Sherry whenever she had nightmares. Polnareff is happy to bring some parts of his past and entwine them with the life he has now.
After a moment, Polnareff can feel the grip on his shirt loosen as Avdol's hands unclench as he fully seems to relax into the comfort of Polnareff. At a later time the two will sit and discuss the nightmare that haunted Avdol's nap. Polnareff will kiss his worries away and thank him for all the times he saved his life. Tell Avdol about how strong he is. How Polnareff could never thank him enough for protecting him. For befriending him. For loving him.
But for now, they just sit in relative silence besides Polnareff's humming. Avdol slowly lets one of his hands fall from his hold on Polnareff and drops to his lap where he gently begins to pet Iggy. The dog grumbles and seems to relax a bit as well, pleased that his owner doesn't seem as distressed anymore. Polnareff feels a smile come to his face as everyone seems to settle themselves back into peace.