#don't @ me...

@emptyvictory asked: “  are you watching me sleep?  ”  

despite rumors that seemed to say otherwise, mercy didn’t regularly invite anyone to stay with her. she had far fewer ‘guests’ occupy her bed than she was given credit for, so now that she did have someone to share her intimate space with, and that someone was niko, a man she deeply cared for, there was a bit of anxiety that settled in the pit of her gut now that things had calmed down and the reality of the situation emerged. mercy knew she wasn’t the easiest person to get along with, and where would she be if that didn’t extend to her behavior even in sleep? 

the woman was under no illusions. she knew she snored like a freight train when she could actually get rest. she also knew from what she’d been told by the few partners she’d taken to bed with her that she was inclined to steal the covers and the majority of the bed, and to make matters worse, she put off a lot of heat all the time. toss in the occasional night terror that would crop up thanks to years of unresolved emotional trauma and it made her a less than ideal partner to stay with. with as little as she knew niko slept, and just how peacefully he seemed to be dozing, mercy knew she couldn’t do anything to jeopardize that for him. he deserved a chance to get some decent rest. so with a soft sigh she resigned herself to another evening with no chance to recharge, despite how heavy her eyes were starting to feel.

staying awake did give her a bit more time to reflect on everything that had happened between them that evening, or all that had happened prior to their surrender to one another, or even all that could happen in the days to come... though the latter didn’t occupy much space in her mind for too long; mercy had never been the type to plan that far into the future, at least when it came to matters of the heart. it was such a new and foreign concept to her that it was still a little difficult to process just what it was that she was feeling, but she at least knew that she liked it. quite a lot, in fact. for the first time in... well, ever, the woman wasn’t concerned with shoving this man out first thing in the morning, or constructing some excuse as to why she needed him to leave. in fact, as unlike her as it might have been, mercy probably would have been fine with niko staying in bed with her all goddamn day. 

well.

the sentiment was there, but the both of them were too restless to ever consider doing something so absurd. either way, mercy knew that this was a feeling that she couldn’t ignore like all the others she’d tried to deny before last night’s events came into fruition. and besides, she could clearly see just how effective trying to shelve her emotions actually was.

and so she allowed herself a moment to reflect on many things, though she always found that her mind would circle back to her first meeting with niko and how unassuming it all had been. she’d done a little research before making a move to contact him and she liked what she’d heard. it was an added bonus that his involvement in another job had royally fucked with some shipment her mother considered critical, so mercy knew that she wanted to form some kind of alliance with the man; she would need all the help she could get once all her planning and scheming finally reached its peak and niko seemed like a reliable and efficient operative. and, as much as she would try and deny it, mercy wasn’t completely unsympathetic to his plight and the troubles she’d heard his cousin had gotten himself into and knew that she wanted to help. all of that seemed innocuous enough, right? yet somehow all of that progressed into something so much more. it had been confusing, frustrating, and more than a little awkward at times, but it was also, strangely enough, one of the most satisfying experiences she’d ever had.

she’d do it all over in a heartbeat if she could.

time marched forward and mercy stayed silent, the sound of niko’s rhythmic breathing next to her the only thing that she cared to pay much attention to. maybe she should have gotten up and found something to do, but she had been so afraid of waking him that she couldn’t bring herself to move. besides. it wasn’t as if this was uncomfortable or unenjoyable. it just felt a little strange was all. her regular wake-up time had come and gone, and soon the faintest hint of light began to filter through the curtains. she squinted as that light hit her squarely in the eye, causing the woman to roll over onto her side and face niko. she could see him more clearly now that it wasn’t quite so dark, and what she saw made her lips curl into a soft smile as she let out a tiny and appreciative sigh. she was always so accustomed to seeing him look so tired, perhaps a little haunted, and always alert and on edge. seeing how tranquil he looked in sleep was such a refreshing and joyous contrast to all of that.

she wriggled just a bit closer to him, taking care not to shift the mattress too much, and reached out to gently caress niko’s face, unable to resist the temptation any longer. she would be brief, though. no need to wake him. she just... wanted to be sure that this was all real, that these feelings, the incredible night they’d shared, all of that... she needed to know that it was all anchored in reality and that it wasn’t a dream or particularly vivid fantasy. mercy still didn’t trust that maybe something good could actually happen to her, so she just needed to be certain.

but maybe she should have kept her hands to herself, since he shifted and woke up almost immediately. mercy jerked her hand back and, before she could apologize, he asked her a question.:

“are you watching me sleep?”

what awful phrasing. it made her feel more than a little creepy, though she supposed saying that she’d laid awake in bed next to him all night long didn’t sound any better. maybe it wouldn’t be too bad though; he was as familiar with insomnia as she was after all.

“i really wish you wouldn’t say it like that ‘cause it makes it all feel weird. but sure. i guess i was watchin’ you sleep. but not for, like, a long time or nothin’. it’s just... nice to see you have a chance to rest.”

now that he was awake though, mercy was going to be as hands-on as she could be. so with that she hiked a leg over him and straddled his hips, then leaned down to press her lips against his in a brief kiss.