description: a quiet evening turns sleepy when you play with joost’s hair, lulling him into sleep in your arms.
a/n: i’m tired today and fade to black part 2 is a million miles away so have this from the drafts
joost sat cross-legged on the floor in front of the sofa, picking at a small bowl of sweets, while you sat up on the sofa behind him, your legs sitting either side of his shoulders. he liked knowing you were there. it eased his mind.
“your hair’s so soft when you wash it,” you mutter, letting your fingers run through the longer white hairs at back of his head. he turned his face towards you, just enough.
you threaded your hand through the white strands, slow and gentle. “yeah… it feels soft. and fluffy…” you murmur contentedly.
joost gave a small shrug, eyes drifting back to the harry potter marathon that was playing. by now he wasn’t even focusing on the story, even though you’d been begging him for weeks to sit and watch these with you. but you didn’t mind.
“can i like… play with it?” you asked softly, stopping at the ends of his hair.
joost’s chest tightened, warm and hopeful. “you’d want to?” his voice came quieter than he meant it to. you nodded.
he set the bowl aside and shifted until he was comfortable, leaning into the weight of your presence. “please,” he whispered, almost laughing.
you combed through his hair with your fingers, light at first, just scratching across his scalp, making his shoulders loosen. then slower, parting it and smoothing it down, undoing little tangles as you went. softly braiding sections, and undoing them with soft pulls. parting his hair in different places. each pull sent small sparks down his skin, making him melt into the moment. he closed his eyes, drifting, lulled by the steadiness of your hands.
“you’re falling asleep,” you teased, lowering your voice as you bent closer.
“no…” he mumbled, opening his eyes a little, lids heavy. you only smiled, shifting on the couch so he could see you better.
he blinked at the sudden loss when you pulled your hand away. “come here,” you said, stretching your arms out.
slowly, he turned, pushed himself up onto his knees, and climbed into your embrace, putting his weight onto you as you laid on the sofa together. his body melted against yours, head buried into your chest like he belonged there. listening to your heartbeat. your hand returned to his hair, stroking as he clung to you, fighting to keep awake.
“love you,” he murmured into your shirt, half-asleep already.
your lips curved against his temple. “i love you too. slee….”
he lifted his head just long enough to press a lazy kiss against your cheek before giving in fully, sinking into the warmth of your arms, listening to the sound of your breathing.
“zo mooi.” he whispered, stroking your side as he fell asleep.
