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Rolling thunder shook the windows yet again, and a shock ran down Azrael’s limbs. He shifted closer to the man he was laying against at the noise, squeezing his eyes shut all the while.
Andrew paused in his reading with a hum and ran a hand up and down Azrael’s torso, slowly drifting under his shirt to soothe over his spine. The tiefling all but melted at the feel of his warm, calloused hand, then he heard the pillowcase shift as the man next to him tilted his head.
“This helping?” Andrew asked quietly.
Azrael only shrugged in response.
Andrew shifted again, setting down the book he’d been reading on top of their shared quilt to place a hand under the tiefling’s jaw, gently angling Azrael to face him. He pushed back the long strands of hair that fell into his forehead, before the pad of his thumb smoothed the skin underneath one of his eyes in an effort to coax them open. When he finally did, Andrew’s emerald gaze met him with a soft concern Azrael was still unused to seeing even after all this time.
“Hm?” Andrew prompted once again.
Azrael’s face flushed, and he averted his eyes. “A-A bit.”
Andrew always had a way of disarming him by doing that, the tender appraisal made him feel exposed. Every time it happened, it was as if Andrew was trying to look into him, like there were great answers within the depths of his eyes that would help him understand exactly what he was thinking.
“I’m alright now. I…” He moved to sit up, reluctantly pulling away from Andrew’s warmth.
“I can go back to my room.” Azrael’s nightmare had mostly faded, only tendrils of unpleasantness and shaky hands remained as any evidence of it. Well, that and the fact that he was still lying in Andrew’s bed. The tiefling didn’t know what strange feeling compelled him to seek the man out– he just didn’t want to be by himself. Now though, the realization that he’d overstayed his welcome crept up his neck. Do you think any of us wanted you here? Idiot creatu-
“You don’t have to leave.”
Andrew followed him up, his hands trailing down his arms and pressing their hands together. His tone was kind, as though calming a skittish animal. Azrael’s heart surely thudded like a wounded rabbit’s. Andrew must have noticed the way his shoulders tensed, how he hesitated to lean into his touch. “If you don’t want to, I mean.” Andrew added after a pause.
Azrael felt the decades-long urge to shrink away yet again. If not for Andrew’s warm hand keeping him grounded, he would have given in. “It would be nice to stay, I just… You really don’t mind me being here?” His voice was no louder than a whisper, the words almost lost to the sound of the torrential downpour pounding at the windows.
Andrew gave him a long look. “Do you want to be alone right now?” He asked seriously.
Azrael hesitated, before slowly shaking his head.
The admission made Andrew huff a fond laugh. He leaned back into the pillows, making himself comfortable again.
“Then no, I don’t mind.”