Midnight Dew and Promises
Pairing: Jeremiah x MC {reader}
*Tosses this out into the wind*
After a long week of strategizing with your fellow Lightseekers and finally receiving a quiet moment, you find yourself unable to sleep. With Jeremiah being your constant companion for 200 years, you've begun to see him differently.
Since @hirayaea asked, although this is expanded on something I originally wrote to pester @caisjunlis.
Jeremiah sits next to you on the grass where you're sat under the moonlight. The wet grass beneath you soaks into your skin making you shiver but you can't seem to move. In the distance you can hear critters rustling and bugs chirping, creating a soft midnight lull. You barely look over at him while he moves his hand over to yours, gently grazing his thumb over your own. In 200 years and being your constant companion, it was a familiar form of comfort whenever you got that lost look in your eyes.
"I'm tired, Jeremiah." You say after a moment.
He doesn't speak. Then a sly smirk you've grown accustomed to starts to form on the tips of his mouth and you immediately regret speaking up.
"If you ever committed to sleeping at all-" he begins, "You might not be."
Because of his proximity, you can feel him stretching forward, fingers laced together as if he's straining to soothe a muscle.
"Gracious, my shoulders could really use the weight of- oh! what's this? Yes, indeed!" He pretends to be examining your head with his fingers, framing your facing while squinting through them. "Incredible! Your head is just the correct size and weight."
You burst into a groan, but you're giggling too. "You're impossible," you say.
He chuckles. "Impossibly dashing if I do say so myself."
You indulge him, for once, leaning your head into the crook of his shoulder. For once you take in his scent. It's crisp, refreshing, but different from the scent of the dew soaked grass beaneath you. It's familiar, comforting. He pulls his arm around your shoulders to pull you a little closer.
"Ah, see here? Your head fits just so. Will you rest now?"
"Only a little. If you ever shut up."
"Shutting up."
For a while neither of you speak, so when he does, you almost think you imagine it.
"I'm tired too," he breathes, "but not of you."
It's not like him to be so earnest, but you're grateful for it. Grateful for the stability that his companionship has granted you. He's grown now, matured in ways that only war could bring. You have to admit, the light touches of humor he shares are a breath of fresh air. He knows when to hold his tongue when it counts.
"And will you ever tire of me?" You ask quietly. "What will you do?"
He's leaning his head against yours now too, pondering your question.
"Tire of you? I'm not sure that's possible. You have a way of keeping things interesting. Even if that means at my expense."
You snort. "If only you were a lesser target."
"If only? You wound me."
"You should carry a salve."
"Trust me, with your constant battering, I do."
With his free hand, he fishes through the pouches on his pockets and reveals a small vial of healing salve. "See! It says here, the instructions in fine print. Take one drop for every instance of blows received from Miss [y/n]."
You smack his arm playfully.
"Careful! For a blow such as that, I might need to administer the whole bottles' contents."
"You've made your jest, yet you neglected to provide an answer."
He places the bottle back in its pouch and lifts his head to look at you. The moonlight catches the blonde flecks of his curly hair so that it looks like he's glittering. It's not a windy night, but the coolness of the air still catches your cheeks as his warmth pulls away from you, making you keenly aware also of your wet clothes.
"[Y/n], if I ever tire of being your companion, it will be because I no longer possess a sane soul."
Satisfied with this answer, you smile and hold your hands out to catch his, rising as he lifts you to your feet. You shake the dew best you can away, but know that it's useless.
"See? Always an interesting day with you," He says, already lifting his outer coat off to wrap around you, pinning your arms against your body as he wraps you tightly. He really never had a problem with these gestures of physical closeness. "Today's occurrence of interest is," he continues, "My companion leads me to be soaked to the bone with wet and cold in the middle of the night. Will we grow ill and die a most painful death? More tomor-" Since you can't move your arms, you cut him off with a blunt headbutt to the chest. He yelps in surprise, not in pain.
"Alright, alright. I'm serious! You cannot be outside like this at your own leisure like this again."
You groan again, leaving your head where it landed on his chest.
"Well! I couldn't sleep. I wanted to see the stars."
"You and your stargazing..." He shakes his head, pulling you tighter, somehow, into him. "You leave me no choice here."
In one motion, he scoops you up in his jacket bridal style so you have to throw your arms around his neck to hold on.
"Jeremiah!" You holler in surprise, not knowing yet that he just does these things because he likes it when you say his name the way that you do.
He laughs as he begins trudging through the field with you in his arms like you bear no extra weight to him. Despite knowing his physical strength by now, knowing it and experiencing it are two different things. You can feel the strength in his arms and you feel strangely secure and relaxed.
"Apologies. It was time for bed, Miss."
"I see. You're tired of me already."
"Never. But somebody needs to keep you in check."
He carries you the whole way and for the remaining duration of it you don't speak. His footsteps and the lull of the night noises begin to make you sleepy. You suddenly realize how tired you actually are.
When he sets you on your feet at the entrance of your current military base, you thank him but don't necessarily let go of him immediately.
"Jeremiah?" You start timidly, tiredness seeping into your vocal chords.
"Hmmm?" He answers, his curls sticking to his forehead from the sweat of carrying you.
"I'll not tire of you either then."
"Is that so?" He grins, tiredly too, but looking a little too cocky. You smirk, glad for the playfulness to ease your pounding heart.
"Just one thing..." You continue, reaching up with one hand to brush the curls away from his brows. He almost leans down into you as you do.
"Another request? Free of charge I assume?"
"Jeremiah..."
"Fine, let's hear it then."
You pause.
"You're not allowed to leave me."
He grows serious at your words, something flashing in his eyes that settles into understanding, arms curling around your waist as if you're made of delicate glass. You can feel him breathe against you as his head draws closer. Something has changed, he is meek, yet there's a strength and confidence in his tone. He doesn't waste another second pulling you into another tight embrace.
"Consider it done."
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