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Oz did ride with Daphne.
They don’t talk much on the drive back to her place. Oz stares out the window, and Daphne struggles with what to say to him.
“You look stunning, by the way.” His hoarse voice breaks the silence as she pulls into her apartments parking lot.
Daphne glances over at him and sees his face crinkle into that smile he always seems to wear. She smiles back.
What would she have done without seeing that smile everyday?
Oz frowns suddenly.
“Hey…it’s okay….”
Daphne realises that her eyes are quickly filling up with hot tears. She rubs them quickly, but they keep coming.
She hears Oz unbuckle his seatbelt, and the car door on her side opens. She looks up and he’s there, a question playing on his lips.
Daphne nods, and he wraps his arms around her. He’s still a little damp, but his hold is firm, and warm and real.
Eventually they pull away. Daphne pretends not to notice the glistening in Oz’s eyes either.
“I’m okay. I’m here. Because of you.” He murmurs.
That nearly sends Daphne crying all over again, but she holds it together, sucking in a breath.
They walk up to her apartment. Oz is swaying on his feet now, and it hits Daphne that while she may be tired, he must be exhausted.
It’s why she leads him over to her bed as soon as they get into her apartment.
“Let me get you something more comfy to wear.” She says, rummaging in her closet. She finds an old pair of sweatpants and a hoodie an ex had left years ago. She throws them Oz’s way, and lets him use the bathroom to change.
As he changes, Daphne grabs a glass of water for him, alongside a granola bar and a couple of crackers. She doesn’t think he’d be up to eating anything huge at the moment.
Oz comes out, and it hits Daphne that he may want to shower. Get the pool smell off.
“You can shower if you like.” She says. He shakes his head no.
“Maybe tomorrow. I’m so tired.” He says simply.
Oz hesitates before getting in Daphne’s bed.
“I can take the couch.” He says, voice wavering a little.
“No. Absolutely not. You’re having the bed. I figured I can camp out here with you? Or I can take the couch.” Daphne’s voice comes out in a rush.
“No, no, you should have the bed as well.” Oz says, sitting down on it. “It’d be nice to have the company anyway.”
Daphne sits beside him, leaning against the headboard. She offers him the crackers, granola bar and water.
Oz drains the water immediately, but only nibbles on a cracker.
Daphne keeps an eye on him as he eats, catching the crumbs in his hand. It’s only when his eyes close for a couple seconds too long that she gently grabs the cup and food from him.
“You should sleep.” She says, gathering up things to take back to the kitchen.
He doesn’t argue with her, simply laying down fully under the covers. Daphne moves to take the glass and food to the kitchen.
His voice stops her at the door.
“Daph?”
“Yeah?”
“You’re uh…you’re coming back right?”
Her eyes soften as she glances at him in the bed.
“Of course.”
She sees him swallow, and tries to ignore the tear that trickles down his face.
“Great.”
Daphne gives him a gentle smile, and quickly goes to dump the crackers on the table. She refills the water.
By the time she’s back, Oz is asleep. She switches off the light, puts the water on the bedside table, and climbs under the covers with him.
She watches the slow rise and fall of his chest.
He’s alive.
He’s alive.
He wasn’t.
Hadn’t been.
But he is now.
Daphne has noticed throughout the years, that whenever Oz sleeps, he’s never really still. Not completely. He’s always rolling over, or sighing or bringing a hand up to curl against his chest. He talks too. Whenever he falls asleep during their movie nights, he always seems to murmur to himself.
That was one of the scariest parts of seeing him on the pool deck. Other than the fact that she thought she had lost him, seeing him so still had made her feel sick. He’s not meant to be still.
He’s still now, sleeping next to her.
Daphne feels rising panic at the fact that he hasn’t shifted once in sleep. She takes a deep breath, chalking it up to sheer exhaustion on his part.
Still though, she grabs his hand, fingers finding his pulse point. The thump thump thump of his pulse plays on her fingers, relaxing her a little bit.
She feels safe, lying there, next to her partner. Her best friend. Perhaps one day her something more.
Daphne closes her eyes and listens to the slow sound of his breathing.
In.
Out.
In.
Out.
In.
Out.