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Bigby reminded Dismas of a beaten dog — timid, jumpy, baring his teeth when others got too close. Considering the tortures the Order put him through, it was an accurate comparison.
Much like a beaten dog, Bigby flinched when Dismas tossed his coat onto the nearby chair. The highwayman paused mid-motion, fingers still curled around the worn leather. "Easy there," Dismas murmured, keeping his tone low and steady as he might with a skittish horse. "Just getting comfortable."
"Mmh. The beast is restless." Bigby's eyes darted to the locked door as if expecting inquisitors. "Don't want to hurt you." He sat cross-legged on the double bed, shoulders hunched and arms wrapped around his skinny frame.
"You're too scared of yourself." Dismas kicked off his boots slowly, deliberately, letting each thud land soft on the wooden floorboards. "You need to unwind 'fore you snap."
"I have good reason to be scared." Bigby glanced up at Dismas. "The beast doesn't distinguish friend from foe... it's all prey."
"Never seen you attack a friend, though." Dismas pulled his bandana off as he sat on the other side of the bed.
The mattress dipped beneath his weight, and Bigby instinctively scooted an inch away. "You think I’m scared of teeth?" he chuckled. "Got bitten by worse than your beast before."
Bigby watched Dismas stretch out beside him, his guard lowering by a fraction.
"Your hands are shaking," Dismas murmured.
He reached over to cover Bigby's free hand with his own, tracing his thumb over the rough skin. His body was cool to the touch, thanks to the eldritch blood in his veins, but Dismas kept his grip firm.
Bigby froze at first, then leaned closer, pressing his forehead against Dismas' shoulder. The chains around his body dug into Dismas' arm as he shuddered. Warmth seeped through Dismas' shirt from Bigby's shallow breaths. "Still think I'm harmless?"
"Wouldn't be here if I thought otherwise." Dismas's thumb kept its steady rhythm across Bigby's knuckles, feeling each ridge of scar tissue beneath the chill skin. He shifted his weight, letting the mattress dip them closer together. Bigby's forehead stayed anchored against his shoulder, breaths shallow but slowing.
One of Bigby's dark eyes peered up through the long hair fallen across his face. Dismas couldn't see the white of it, just black pupil and brown iris.
Dismas raised his free hand and pushed the tangled locks away from Bigby's temple. His fingers caught on a knot, worked it loose, then slid through strands surprisingly soft beneath the grime.
Bigby scoffed. He pressed harder against Dismas’s shoulder, his chains clinking softly as he angled his head slightly into the touch. "Careful," he said, but it lacked any real warning. "You'll make me think..."
Dismas continued combing his fingers through Bigby’s hair, undoing another stubborn knot with deliberate patience. "Think what?" he traced the tip of Bigby's ear, just a little more pointed than it ought to be.
"That... I don't know. I'm your lover?" Bigby’s voice held a tinge of disbelief. "No one's been brave enough to touch me like this." His chains shifted as he unconsciously leaned into Dismas' fingers.
"Maybe you are." Dismas let his thumb brush the sharp angle of Bigby’s jawline, rough with stubble. "You could be. I wouldn't mind."
"Didn't take you for a masochist. Haven't you seen the beast in battle? You know what I'm capable of, yet you're still here..." Bigby's free hand rested on Dismas' wrist, not quite pushing him away. "This isn't one of your morbid jokes, is it?"
"No jokes." Dismas slid his hand further down Bigby's neck. "Just wanna be sweet on you. You're always so closed off... never let anybody close."
"I know. It's just strange. Someone wanting... this."
Dismas slid his fingers under Bigby's chin, tilting his face upward to press their lips together. He pulled away after a beat, settling onto his pillow. His hand still rested on Bigby's cheek, thumb tracing circles.
"But I'm glad," Bigby said quietly, "that it's you." He closed his eyes, allowing the tension to bleed from his body.
"Get some sleep. You're safe." Dismas felt Bigby's breaths slow into an even rhythm. "I'll make sure of it."
"Mmh." A rare smile tugged at Bigby’s lips. "If you say so."