#although lbr

- 7 AM Anon, just as excited about all your other WIPs as I am with SotF

Gavin isn’t the only one who has sleeping problems, and that night the relief of unconsciousness escapes Hank for many, long hours. It’s much less common when Gavin is in his arms, wrapped around him like an extra blanket, but some nights are just made for restless ceiling-staring. 

Well– he has something better than the ceiling to stare at, these days. He’s content to watch Gavin sleeping all night long, if his mind never settles enough to let him rest, and he’s doing just that when the small fit draws the other man nearer to him. He’s in the middle of watching the wrinkles in Gavin’s forehead deepen and smooth out with the phases of whatever night terror he was going through when the detective’s body pushes flush against his. There’s temptation to wake him, but even fitful sleep is preferable to no sleep and too often Gavin follows the no sleep path instead. 

So, once the fidgeting settles down, Hank brings his arms more securely around Gavin’s torso. Gentle kisses ( Gavin may not be aware of them, but they help to soothe Hank’s nerves, too ) find various spots across closed eyes and parted lips, finally resting at the most available temple. 

“You’re safe here. I won’t let anything hurt you.” 

If those words were to be spoken to an alert and active mind, they’d probably be ridiculed or shown skepticism. He doubts Gavin is up for being promised the impossible, but Hank couldn’t have meant the words more. He can’t help the next train of thoughts that come; the ones that remind him of Cole and everything he was unable to protect in the past. Everyone he was unable to protect, and how unexpectedly their damages came. He could be the most prepared, observant, trained man in the world and still life will take from him if it wishes. He knows this, and still he wants to mean those words– maybe even spoken to himself more than Gavin. Because Gavin isn’t stupid enough to believe that Hank can save him from everything; knows the world does what it wants to, just like Hank knows. 

But when as much has been lost as Hank has lost, the only way to respond to something precious being held in his hands is to defend it to the death. And if he has to stake his life on the promise of keeping Gavin out of harm ( even if only while in that shared bed ), then he’ll be damned if he’ll value his own life over that of his lover’s. 

He’ll do everything in his power to never be the reason someone he loves is taken from him again. 

Roxas feels a lot of affection for his friends but is really bad at saying it. Granted, spending your entire life around people who are convinced they don’t feel emotions and having no recollection from how Sora felt is a uh, pretty good reason to be bad at them.

holy shit i can’t believe i am with my own two eyes looking upon the product of my ability to convince alistair to sleep with someone he hates