Work Text:
You woke with a start.
Voices, you thought.
You woke to voices. A woman’s voice. Whispering above you.
Your eyes opened. You were immediately awake. But you couldn't quite move your body.
It took just shy of half an hour before you worked up the courage to wake your husband. The world was still asleep, the sun with it. You spent the half hour mentally debating your next course of action. Should you search the woods? Or just the near vicinity? Was someone in the hut?
As a healer, you knew that it wasn't uncommon for people to hear voices when they were falling asleep or waking up. However, when it was happening to you—for the first time, no less—it was pretty scary.
It was damn scary.
You tried—as gently as possible—to wake your sleeping bear.
He woke calmly and immediately.
“S’wrong?” he tried to ask, sleep still heavy in his voice and eyes.
“I heard a voice. Right above my face. A woman. Whispering.”
With the fire still roaring softly, he looked around the hut. The small hut. With no hiding spots.
He looked at the window. It was closed.
He looked to the door. It was locked.
He looked to you and softly asked:
“Were you awake when you heard it?”
Your answer was immediate: “Yes.”
“Mm,” he grunted in acknowledgement. Then he wrapped his arms around you and pulled you tightly to his chest, hoping what always happened would happen.
That you would stiffen for a moment, then sigh and relax against him. That you would slump back into sleep once more.
It was a fool-proof method. You always relaxed when he held you like this. It was his secret weapon to lure you to sleep when you were working too late. His secret weapon to calm you when you were spiralling.
However, this time was different. You were sure that you had heard something. You couldn't relax no matter how safe your husband made you feel.
You were in danger.
And after exactly 38 seconds of you still being stiff in his embrace—yes, he counted—Sylus moved to stand up.
He lit a lantern, sat back down next to you, and stopped himself before putting his hand on your shoulder.
He hated being touched when he had a nightmare. So he decided against it.
“I’m going to search the perimeter, I’ll be right back,” he said. He kissed your head as softly as he could, his bedhead wild and his boots on the wrong feet.
Oh.
That was a good idea.
If the protection wards hadn't been breached, then nothing with ill-intent could enter the forest.
You shot out of bed to dress yourself and you glued yourself to his side.
Once outside, he tried to walk in front of you. To be your shield. The forest was not a place you wanted to be alone at night, but you felt unsafe behind him. You insisted that you walk side-by-side.
The two of you slowly made your way around the perimeter, and Sylus was sure to make a show of reinforcing each ward if only to make you feel protected.
He would always do everything in his power to make you feel safe. As you’ve always done for him.
When you got back to the hut, the two of you undressed and settled back into bed. You didn't find anything in the forest—all of the wards were at full power before Sylus reinforced them. The two of you also took the path—the only path—back to the hut. If someone was around your home, Sylus would have heard them.
The sleeping Mephisto was still sleeping. Once settled, Sylus turned to spoon you. To cover you entirely with his body. He was careful to move slowly lest he scare you in your already heightened state. If he couldn't comfort you by finding the source of the mysterious voice, he would make you feel safe by acting as your human armour.
“We should sleep back-to-back,” you started, yawning mid-sentence. “Just in case there is someone in the hut. That way we’ll be able to see them better.”
Sylus couldn't argue with that.
It would be smarter from a surveyance standpoint to sleep back-to-back. If the two of you were on a mission, he wouldn't hesitate to take your suggestion and readjust his position.
But he also knew you. And he knew what you needed.
“Alright. Or, you could tuck your head into my chest. That way, I could see over your shoulder and you could see over mine.” His words were slurred and lazy. He wasn't even sure if he had said most of them aloud.
“Mm,” you agreed. Your crashing adrenaline lulling you to sleep after the relief of not finding anyone in the forest. You wanted nothing more right now than to feel the warmth of your true love pressed against you.
So you turned. And he held you.
The sun was rising now. Sylus should have been stirring; preparing to take on the day’s chores.
Instead, he stayed with you. He would pretend to be asleep until you woke again, if only to offer you the comfort of his warmth.
And if you woke from another nightmare, he would be sure to do whatever he could to make you feel safe once again.