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Red. Red as the roses that litter a pathway, red as the blood that all life seeps from. That’s all Inky remembered of the nightmare. Just sickening, horrifying red, everywhere and the lingering feeling of falling through a wormhole again and again and again. She still remembers how the red felt on her hands as she tried so desperately to stop it from flowing, still sees glimpses of it on her bathroom tiles. Multiverse travel isn’t for everyone. She knows that yet she still chose this life. But as her vision faded back from that mind-numbing static snow of jolting upright too fast, she remembered where she was. Who she was with. It was night, rain pounding softly against her window. The covers were strewn half over her legs from how fast she’d awoken. All she could hear for a moment was her own rapid breathing, then softly a voice faded into her hearing.
“... Inky? Inky can you hear me, sweets?”
Inky rubbed her eyes, turning to see Gabriel sitting up beside her in the bed. Although she could not see his gaze beneath that intricate gold and silver helmet of his, she felt the warmth of concern and compassion in his voice. She was home. Gone were the days of endless wandering through endless versions to death, doom, despair and dystopia. Here were the days of quiet book readings, late-night movies and gentle love.
“Yeah… yeah I’m hearing ya. Did I wake you?” Inky’s hand found his as she fussed over him as if she hadn’t been startled awake by a horrid nightmare.
“You were mumbling in your sleep, dear. Are you… are you alright?” Gabriel’s voice was soft as he tilted his helmet.
“... Did you have another one?”
“I did… the red one again.”
“Oh… c’mere sweetums..” Gabriel gently tugged her into his lap, leaning in to press a “kiss” to her temple (more like a nudge with the cross on his helmet). He gently ran a hand up her back.
“You’re alright… all that’s long gone. You’re home.”
Inky sighed, nestling her face into his neck. She gets these night terrors occasionally, but she always knew he had her back. It’s part of why she loved him so dearly. It had been some time since he was supposed to die, but by some sheer miracle of multiversal origin he’d been gifted a second chance. The only condition was that he was tethered to her now. Gabriel wasn’t complaining. It gave him the grounds to be as clingy and touch-starved as he liked. Inky didn’t mind it either. A life of flitting between universes does that to a person.
Inky quietly pressed a kiss to his neck, making his wings flutter in delight and causing one to settle over her shoulders. She hugged him gently, relishing into the gentle comfort he was offering.
“Thank you. Again. For being so stupidly understanding.”
“Ah… you do not need to thank me, dearest. Just knowing you’re alright is enough.”
Gabriel nuzzled her head gently, tugging her down next to him on the bed and pulling the sheets over them. She held his hand as she settled back down to sleep, snuggling close as his wings enveloped them in a warm embrace. It wasn’t long before she drifted into a far more peaceful slumber.
“Good night, my sweets.”