* NECTAR / SWEET .

@ichorveincd​

        HE FELT LIKE CRYING but swallowed the urge , a childlike ache tightening his chest as he had just woken up from another nightmare . it weren’t scary images , those who make actual children cry , it was the lack of memory forcing his vocals to shut and prevent a sob . details taken from him , some ordinarily small and others important , like the name of the person he was looking at . post-it notes all around the place helped with the important stuff . he had written down her name and the favor he’d asked her for - staying overnight to monitor his ‘ sleep walking ‘ . and he was thankful she stayed , so thankful . tired and broken he stumbled through the living room and crawled on the couch with enough space for five . he decided it would be best to lay on her instead , though , head on her stomach and arms wedged somewhere between couch and juliette .  “ what day is it ? “ , he finally found his voice again .

while worry diminishes somewhat at genuine enough response, it doesn’t fully put him at ease either. at least, not until she gives explanation of her visit, insistence that she has a gift for him and he can’t help but chuckle gently at that. she’s too good to him. ❝ that good that you couldn’t wait til we were home? ❞ he questions playfully, not that he minds one way or another. her presence has never been anything less than a highlight to his days. no matter just how sick he felt. there’s always been something about her that manages to sooth him, even when the fear of death takes hold and leaves him absolutely terrified. he doesn’t know how she does it, just knows she’s the only one who can.

peace of mind seems short lived, however, as harry untangles himself from around her as she stands, setting off all too familiar beeping of her watch. a simple gift shouldn’t coax any semblance of stress for her and he almost bypasses the gift altogether as blue eyes gaze into her own, lips parted in questioning, but it never leaves his tongue. box manages to capture his attention and harry finds eyebrows furrowing in confusion. idea crosses his mind briefly, silently curses himself for not getting to it first, but as box is opened and vial is revealed to him, he swears he feels his heart stop for a moment. 

words fail him, eyes glancing back up to her own as he tries to process what’s even happening. it all feels so surreal. never once did he doubt her capabilities, but he admittedly thought it would take years, not just one. if it happened at all. after all, his father had plenty of funding for the research - and relied on it himself - and still couldn’t get it right. his throat feels tight and it takes some effort to actually croak out a single word. ❝ … you… ❞ pause. he doesn’t doubt the authenticity, but he admittedly never even believed this day would come before he met her. corners of his eyes sting and he blinks them tightly in an effort to prevent tears. ❝ you’re serious? ❞ of course she is. and of course he can’t stop tear that spills from his eye. ❝ jules - you saved my life, ❞ he breathes, relief as corners of his lips twitch upwards despite glassy look in his eyes. ❝ i love you, ❞ he comments as he simply holds her, mindful of box in hand, and can’t help but sob. 

she exhales something akin to a faint laugh , mahogany curls shifting as she nods in reply to his questioning . it threatens to break her heart , the look on his face , muscle beating out a painful rhythm behind rib cage . perhaps she ought to feel something like pride , some resounding sense of accomplishment ; but the reality was , all that washes over her now is relief . because she had done her job . she was going to make him well again . 

box snaps shut in hand , and juliette reaches behind to slide it back onto desk . ❝ — and i love you more . ❞ she chimes in reply , and she imagines he won’t be able to argue it with her ,  just this once . petite forms wraps around his , steadying as fingers stroke soothingly through hair . his tears have always elicited an impossibly strong reaction from her ; of worry , hopelessness , terror at the thought that she wasn’t doing enough , fast enough . yet now , he sobs , and she simply presses lips fondly against temple because she knows , she knows , she knows he’ll be even more elated than she to watch the possibility of an ending they’d both dreaded crumble into nonexistence at the feet of a single , glass vial .  

❝ harry . ❞ doctor breathes , name like a prayer , rolling easily off honeyed tongue . she allows him this , content to merely support him as she always has . she’d told him , once , in that very same corridor he’d come in through that she was betting in his favor . and while juliette banner had never been the gambling type , she counted herself lucky to have run the risk just once , for him . forehead presses briefly to his before she draws back a touch , quickly swiping tears away from lash line before they can make their presence apparent.

✦ . ˚ @alwaysbecontaminated​  sent — “   i   look   over   at   you   and   see   sunshine  .   you’re   so   warm ,   and   bright  .   ” (Vic to jules. She may or may not be drunk)

       LEO WOULD UNDERSTAND and laugh at those words of hers . hotshot . he would have enjoyed an armed woman talking back but reality was very different . 26 did not enjoy the banter and snarled , creasing his forehead all the more . was she thinking all this was nothing more than just a big joke ? hidden tv camera’s everywhere , waiting for the assassin to drop his weapon ? the man controlled by all evil didn’t say a word , there was no need to do so . instead he simply followed , red dot sight continuously hovering around her head but slowly moving down to a shoulder - a chance to survive . before entering another room , he looked left and right as if passing a street just to make sure her lowering defenses wasn’t a conspiracy against the shooter .  “ don’t remember asking “ , he poked juliette with a rifle to remind her wasting time would not cost money but lifes . despite the reminder he still figured it would be fine to lower the weapon . at the very least enough to stand comfortably . his eyes darted from her doing her thing to empty hallways . armed security had a lousy response time , not a sign they would be getting company anytime soon . all the better for 26 . “ done yet ? “ and as if the building had heard him it went quiet , no more beeping . finally . “ now the files . get going and no more life stories . “ and as if the loud noises had been sending electric shocks through his body to keep him going , he could now feel his head spinning . it was only for maybe half a second that he swayed and sidestepped before clutching his gun and coming back to his senses . “ the files “ , unaware he’s repeating himself .

peach painted lips press into thin line as she’s prodded with metal muzzle , trembling sigh exhaled as she tries to focus upon the task at hand . it’s easier said than done , metallic taste upon tongue as she bites back a wave of panic . they should be here by now , someone , anyone better equipped than the doctor to resolve the threat . she’s left alone with him .

juliette turns carefully as sirens cease , umber hues trained upon him once more . ever an observant creature , his faltering hardly escapes her notice , and a dent forms between brows as he echoes order . ❝ i heard you . ❞ banner replies , petite form sidestepping  his broader to slip out through doorway . heels click across once polished flooring , sound seemingly amplified in the eerie quiet that has settled over the hall . her office seems startlingly pristine in comparison to the carnage further down the corridor , a bright expanse of glass and glittering trinkets . ❝ make yourself comfortable , ❞ she murmurs , habitual phrase almost soothing as she bypasses couch of a dove grey velvet . it’s a pretty space , well kept and inviting as its inhabitant . she takes a seat at her desk , and computer hums to life , displaying upon monitor and a larger , floor to ceiling interactive panel so typical of stark tech . 

head cants into her touch the moment he feels it upon his temple, eye closing once more with a deep inhale as he nods his head. holding it for a moment, he exhales a shaky breath, heart beat feeling somewhat less erratic though his body and mind still feel on edge. she helps though, hand giving another gentle squeeze to her own as though silent assurance that he’s fine. or will be, at the very least. he knows how much her own anxiety takes a toll on her. the last thing he wants to do is worsen that. his eye opens hesitantly upon feeling the bed move, but his gaze remains on her. 

❝ okay, ❞ he breathes after a pause, however quiet he is. the thought of operation doesn’t help ease his panic even if he had been aware it’d be necessary even before he arrived, but he does his best to prevent that fear from becoming evident along his features. he’ll be fine, he knows. ❝ take a break after this, jules, please. aren’t you late for your sixth cup of coffee for the day? ❞ he teases lightly even if neither his tone nor expression shows any signs of such due to current state of mind. still, he tries, wants to ease her mind in any way he can.  

there’s an ache in her chest that threatens to steal the breath from her lungs , and it’s a sensation she’s never once had to associate with diego . he was her sun , soothing and warm and constant . even now , he tries for her . she’s yet to figure out what she did to deserve something so good , so pure as him . grip upon his hand tightens for a moment , just managing a smile in reply . ❝ eighth , ❞ juliette corrects , mock offense lacing next few words . ❝ honestly babe , it’s like you don’t know me at all . ❞

❝ i picked up this massive photography manual when i was in town the other day , and the entire first chapter was just about the rule of thirds . which is basically everything i need to know , right ? ❞ juliette teases , grin alighting delicate features . a snap taken , brows furrowed as she gazes at display screen . she emits a huff . ❝ fuck — god , how do you do it ? ❞ she whines , though there’s a playful edge to pouting .