Work Text:
The space around them is cramped but compared to how it was outside, the tiny room with everyone finding a place to settle in for the evening was a welcome sight.
Though they were planning to sleep, Laudna had insisted that FCG heal Imogen to help her start to feel a bit better, or to at least help with her pain. The moment the gentle light the healing spells caused had faded, though, Laudna had taken her hand and pulled her to a far corner, away from the rest.
Imogen watched as Laudna made a bed for them both with things dug up from the hole and what she could find, making sure the place for Imogen was extra soft. It was sweet and while a part of Imogen wanted to say she was alright with just sleeping on the floor, the look in Laudna's eyes that kept flicking to her every few moments, as if she feared Imogen would suddenly disappear, had her holding her tongue.
Instead, she let her remove as much blood as she could from her skin and clothes and then settled down onto the place Laudna had made for her.
"Is it alright? Does anything hurt? If you're still in pain, I can have FCG come back and do something more before he shuts down as well." The anxious twisting of Laudna's hands stole Imogen's attention immediately, her heart aching a bit. It was obvious that everything was crashing down onto the poor girl now that they had time to rest. "Should I do that? What am I saying, of course I should, you need to be healed all the way, let me just-"
"Laud." Imogen cut her off gently, grabbing her wrist and ever so carefully tugging so that Laudna settled down onto the makeshift bed next to her. "I'm alright. Letters fixed me up fine enough, I just have to get some rest. Stay here with me."
The last part was a soft whisper, basically under her breath, but she knew Laudna heard her when a shuddered breath rattled its way out of her chest.
"Alright." Laudna's voice cracked slightly, eyes clenching shut for a moment. When they reopened, she seemed a bit less lost. "I won't go anywhere, I promise."
Something in Imogen settled at those words, her expression warming as she found a way to lay down comfortably. Laudna just watched over her for a moment, eyeing the new people added to their group for the night for a moment before the dark suspicion that had flashed there eased when Imogen squeezed her hand. When she saw her settled as comfortably as she could be with her body still aching, Laudna curled up around her, putting her back to the group so that only she had Imogen with her.
A warm hand slid up along Laudna's jaw, cupping her cheek and holding there when she nuzzled into the touch. It helped to ground her, kept her there in that moment instead of lost to the images of claws raking Imogen apart, of her limp body held in the toothy maw that nearly consumed her life.
"How are you feeling?" She whispered the question into Imogen's palm before she pressed a reverent kiss there. The blush that slid across Imogen's cheeks was like witnessing something divine blessing the world, the slight quirk of her lips as she gave a tired smile both breaking and healing Laudna's heart.
"Tired, and sore, but I'll be fine. FCG healed me and you.." Imogen trailed her hand up, brushing her fingers through Laudna's hair, soaking in the peaceful expression that settled on her face at the sensation. "You protecting me, gettin' me off that tower and standing over me when I was out of it, that made me feel so safe that I don't think I really even had it in me to be afraid."
There was a moment of quiet where Laudna's jaw flexed, her mouth opening slightly before closing again multiple times. Eventually she furrowed her brow and raised a shaky hand, tapping the circlet while making a little questioning noise.
Imogen didn't wait, connecting their minds and rebuilding that bridge to one another that had been absent ever since she put the thing on. While she didn't want to rely on being within Laudna's mind anymore, while she wanted them both to say what needed to be said out loud as often as possible, this type of day was definitely an exception as it seemed like Laudna's fear and anxiety had stolen her words.
"I was afraid, very afraid." The thought echoed in their minds, alight with all of the emotions Laudna had when she envisioned Imogen's body on the ground, when she saw the blood and realized she wasn't reopening her eyes. "If I'd lost you, I don't think I would ever recover."
"I'm here, Laud, I'm not goin' anywhere. I know I can't promise things will always be safe but as long as I can be with you, I will be."
Laudna nodded, waves of familiar music easing into Imogen's mind as she relaxed a bit more at the comforting link between them. She was still tense, the chatter and movement of others around them keeping her on edge, even if they were trusted allies and their friends. Imogen could understand, a part of her had wanted to hide Laudna away when they brought her back, to keep her to be hers alone.
Her guilt and worry had kept that under control for her then but here, hidden away like this, Laudna didn't have anything within her keeping the feral need to protect Imogen at bay.
She could remember the sight of her, her form of dread protecting her and making sure nothing else would touch her. The feel of her ever so carefully taking her off of the tower, getting her away and always, always making sure Imogen would be as safe as she could.
"Laud." The moment she sent the thought, Laudna's eyes locked onto hers and her arms encircled Imogen's waist. She turned, tucking into Laudna's chest and pressing her face into her neck. She smelled like blood from the fight but beneath it, she could find the earthy scent of the ichor that flowed through her. It soothed her, made her feel safe as she pressed even closer, erasing any space between them. "Can you do something for me, darlin'?"
"Anything."
"Do you remember when we were with the Gorgynei and they escorted us and you... used your form of dread to hold on?"
"I wrapped the bark around him, yes."
"Can you do that... now? I mean, it'll go away when you sleep, which is fine, but it might just help both of us feel better if you're holding onto me like that."
"Oh. Yes, I think I could." Laudna seemed a bit surprised at the idea but as she cracked and changed, ignoring the mumbles from behind them, Imogen could feel her relaxing into her.
The branches of her tree hitched onto the wall around them, encasing them in a bough of solitude as Laudna's arms around her waist became sturdier, thicker, encompassing her so entirely. Branches curled down, curving and grasping until Imogen was tucked into Laudna's front so entirely that she could feel the slow thud of her heart throughout her own chest.
A shadowed face peered down at her, Laudna's neck bent to see her. Half of her was covered in a bark-like mask that replaced the veil she used to have, while the rest seemed darkened by feather like leaves. Black eyes shimmered, head tilted as if to ask if this was right, if this was what she wanted.
Imogen beamed up at her, giving an affirmative answer through her mind as she leaned up to press a kiss to Laudna's fanged mouth. A little garbled gasp of surprise left her at that but Imogen didn't mind, soaking in the feel of her and the taste of the ichor staining her tongue.
She wanted more of it, craved the little bite to her lip that Laudna gave her when she settled more against her and the slip of her lengthened tongue as it swiped pleasantly across the reddened spot.
A low growled purr seemed to rumble from Laudna's chest as they kissed, quiet enough that no one else would hear but absolutely surrounding Imogen with how closely she was held. The sound made for her, the sound just for her and only her. It filled Imogen with pride and a smug satisfaction to know that only she would ever have it, that only she would ever get Laudna to make it.
What if she'd never heard this? What if she'd never felt this? The closeness of Laudna's form, the taste of her, all of it was nearly lost before and now she'd nearly lost herself.
Laudna's thoughts became a bit chaotic as she seemed to think the same, that she'd nearly lost all of this but Imogen soothed her with a hand on her neck and her nails scratching along her hairline.
"I'm here." She whispered it against her lips, words trembling with every emotions that roiled between them, an ocean of them and only them, mixed into one being.
"You're here." Laudna's voice echoed slightly, aloud and in her mind. "I'll never let you go, not if I can protect you. Not even death can have you, I won't allow it."
"I won't let anyone have you either." Imogen pressed their foreheads together, closing her eyes as she let her mind press gently closer to Laudna. "Not death, not Delilah, not anyone. Together, Laud, always."
"Yes." Laudna's own eyes closed, soft rivulets of black tears slowly dripping down her face. "Always."
In the silence around them, Imogen shifted enough to press her head back to Laudna's neck, feeling her form shift and settle to keep her held comfortable and safe within her branches. She smelled like newly tilled dirt and preserved flowers, an incense of natural smells tinged with a graveyard that was soothing to Imogen, that eased her entire being as the now well known scent overwhelmed her.
The taste of ichor still rich on her tongue, the black sweetness that filled Laudna's being was now within her as was her mind, the gentle hum of her music lulling her to a much needed sleep.
Laudna simply watched over Imogen as she slowly slipped into her rest, her body relaxing and her mind wavering along the bond in a way that told her she was no longer awake. The connection was still there, a flickering pressure of dreams that she'd become used to over time when Imogen needed her to help her sleep, and while she couldn't see what Imogen saw, she could almost follow the waves of her mind, like a conductor in an orchestra.
She supposed in that way, Imogen gave Laudna a way to compose her own music.
"I love you, Imogen." She spoke gently, nearly silent as her form shuddered and grew smaller, her own need to sleep finally overtaking her need to be protective even in a safe space. "Always."