Work Text:
Prompt: Person A braiding Person B’s hair
For Holyfandomsbatman on Tumblr
*Dirk’s POV
Most people wouldn’t think that Equius is the one who needs protection between the two of you. You thought the same thing at first, after all he’s very physically strong, almost intimidatingly so. Now you’ve gotten over his stature, and gotten to know him better though, you realize he does need protection. A lot of it, but not physically.
Physically he’s strong, far more so than yourself, and under different circumstance you could see him as a proper adversary. But he’s just so emotionally fragile that the fact he trusts you this much almost makes you scared until you remember how utterly incapable you are of using it. He bends to your will easily, and you imagine that he would bend just as easily to your fists which makes you frown.
It’s the most unpleasant image you’ve had the displeasure of dreaming up, and your hands smooth over his half-braided hair protectively. He’s asleep for once, though he’ll probably wake up a few hours from now. There’s a lazy little noise that you’ve learned is contentment and you gather his hair in your hands again, braiding carefully so you don’t disturb him.
He’s sweet. You grimace. it’s a stupid word to use in relation to Equius but it’s true. He’s just so unfaltering affectionate, stumbling over his words a little when he gets nervous and a little blue to his cheeks. He’d been scared at first, of hurting you, hurting himself, and reasons you really can’t explain because you aren’t sure what they are.
He’s beautiful like this, with the calmness to his expression for once. You pet his hair and hush him at the soft whimper coming from his throat “It’s okay, go back to sleep. I’m here, i’ll keep you safe,” you murmur, surprised at the little relaxing of Equius’s shoulders. You smile, going back to braiding his hair.
He sighs contently, lolling his head back onto your shoulder after you finish the braids, and you curl your arms around him “Get some sleep, ponyboy” you murmur against his cheek, and he quirks a little smile “...Sorry I woke you,” he replies, voice thick with sleep. You laugh quietly “I don’t mind, Equius.”