crossmyheartandhope | Overflow post

[He nestles in closer, soaking in the gentle feel of fingers through his hair]

[The hand at her back takes hold of the fabric there, loose; one of his wings, the one on top, spreads out from where it's tucked against his back, settling over her like a warm down blanket]

[Tangling their legs is not necessary to fit under his wing, but is a nice bonus as she presses into the warmth. She noses against his cheek, soft and familiar, and just listens to his breathing, the lights low]

[His breathing is soft and even - growing slower, as he settles in. He hasn't opened his eyes again]

[She keeps her hand going, steady and gentle, attempting to watch him as long as possible--remember what he looks like, this private and relaxed. A soft glow rises over her cheeks, but it's probably not too bright to disturb him]

[Not much, anyway. He murmurs softly and then settles in again, nuzzling into her hand a bit more - unselfconsciously, too close to asleep to second-guess himself]

[Excellent--sleepy Hurricane is too much of a treat to miss. So drowsy or no, she continues the gentle movements; selfishly edges in closer to him as well]

[He definitely doesn't seem to mind, tucking himself in closer in that same barely-awake instinctive sort of motion]

[When he settles, this time, his head is tucked in against her collar bone, breath warm against her]

[She flushes even more brightly, bringing up her other arm to curl around him as well. And then she just stays there, indulgent, attempting to keep him there as long as she can]

[It isn't difficult; he nestles in closer, warm and soft, and within a minute he's asleep - peaceful for now, at least]

[Good]

[She does her best to keep it that way for as long as possible, keeping her own breaths long and steady and her touches gentle. She does not actually know if it's a thing ghosts can do, but she attempts to shield his soul as well, in the hopes of warding off hauntings or other nightmares.

Regardless of if that's even a thing, the ability to actually see his soul is, and it's as breathtaking as the rest of him, pale green and shimmering and absolutely not lost somewhere in her bedroom (and despite having been fairly certain that was the case it still leaves her shaky with relief to know for certain).

Careful, she cradles it towards her same as his head under her chin, attempting to protect its warmth. In either case, she probably hasn't got the power to actually make any sort of difference--but she'll try her best for him nevertheless.]

[If she can see his soul, surely she can see where it is, as well, the soft green glow of it centered in the pendant that dangles habitually around his neck]

[And perhaps there's some truth to old story about night mares being outside forces that affect dreams - or perhaps it's just for today, when there is strange Halloween magic in the air - but she thinks she can see the change, when he makes a soft, unhappy sound in his sleep. There is a strange, dark cloud that has begun to creep in around him]

[Forget that. She attempts to wave it away--to curl in closer around him like some sort of living armor. If she can toss books and move ouija planchettes, perhaps she can create some sort of spiritual barrier against this darkness as well]

[There certainly seems to be something to that theory; it retreats backward, a little bit, curling on the outskirts like it's prowling to find a way in]

[Usually she might falter, or give up. She knows how weak she is; how powerful the nightmares that have consumed him for so long are. She knows that logically, it's only a matter of time before she fails (again) and loses him (again).

But with the steady warmth of his soul at her back, for a moment it feels like there's nothing she can't do. So instead of defenses held together with wishes and string, she can feel her meager powers bolstered--feel the cracks filling in and their barrier grow stronger and higher, not just holding against the darkness but pushing back at it.]

[The dark wisps of smoke seems to thin, and then withdraw entirely, pulling back out of range of the barrier. It hovers there, for a moment, before it disperses - off to other places, perhaps, to find easier prey]

[The barrier around the both of them seems very sturdy, indeed. Perhaps sturdy enough for her to take advantage of its protection, as well]

[Yeah, gtfo, shit dreams. She flips some ghost birds at the smoke, don't even think about coming back.

Immensely pleased and humming with victory, she circles another few times before settling back down around him, somewhere between possessive and protective. She's still a little too alert to manage to doze--still not convinced all threats are clear, either. What she can do is attempt to send back as much warmth to him as she can. This isn't even intentional, but why wouldn't she? How could she not?]

[With her in ghost form, he's much warmer than she is, anyway - but perhaps she's sharing something with him, because some of the residual tension seems to leave him, relaxing his shoulders and the line of his jaw. He looks very peaceful, in a way that may put her in mind of him curled up asleep in a secret room at the center of his heart]

[Just like in his heart, she can't do anything but settle beside him and watch, something twinging in her chest at how peaceful he seems, finally getting some decent rest. She drinks in the sight, glowing with a warm, gentle yearning from the apples of her cheeks to the tips of her toes.

Maybe she should be a ghost forever??? Certainly seems worth it if it means she can have this.]

[He's not awake enough to argue that, though surely he would if he was]

[As it is, he only murmurs in his sleep, again - reaches out, muzzy, to find her arm and drag it nearer to hold on, loose and close like a teddy bear]

[Maybe he should've been awake. Except he shouldn't, he should sleep forever, he deserves this]

[Her arm is easy enough to drag; the rest of her too, and she leans closer, still smiling softly]

[Once he's got her there, he doesn't seem to have any inclination to let go]

[He just nuzzles in nearer, murmurs again softly, and then subsides]

[Presses a kiss light over his eyelid, and curls up beside him]

[With her in this form, he feels very warm beside her. The light of his soul is steady and present, warmer even than the rest of him - as warm as he ought to be]

[He shows no signs of ever letting her go]

[Canting in towards that light like a plant reaching for the sun, she does her best so that he'll never have to.]

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