I hope you don't object to a multifill, but I really enjoyed this prompt. ___________
"Boone?" The voice is small and shaky. His name is spoken so quietly that it would not have woken anyone else, but Craig Boone is not a light sleeper. Once, it had been a matter or survival, but now it is just a remnant of his past.
Wordlessly, he rises from the bed. He recognizes the voice, and the emotions in it, knows that he could ignore it, but that he wouldn't be able to forgive himself. He's already failed the most important woman in his life, and he can't bring himself to let another one down. Even the passing thought of Carla makes his heart ache, but this isn't about his wife. This is about the girl standing at the door, needing someone to distract her from herself.
He opens the door just wide enough to allow his body through, then closes it gently. Arcade and Raul are both still asleep inside, and he doesn't think they need to know about this. The sadness of midnight is a private thing, not something to be shared.
Gently, he wraps her in an embrace. She sniffles, and presses her damp cheek to his bare shoulder. Her arms slide around his waist and hold him there as she calms herself. They are silent. He gives her the minute she needs to steady herself, and allows her to draw away when she's ready. Her lower lip still trembles, but he's helped her through the worst of it.
"I'm sorry," she begins to apologize, but he stops her with a finger pressed against her lips. When her eyes lift to his face, he simply shakes his head at her. Apologies aren't needed. They've gone through this before. Every time she tries to apologize for disturbing his sleep, or being stupid, or... the litany of self-criticism goes on. He doesn't want to hear her cheapen their midnights. She's worth it, and she deserves it, and her apologizing to him lessens it.
"Veronica," his voice is a low rumble as he once more pulls her close. "It's alright." She shakes her head, but doesn't argue more.
She's bared her soul to him in the past, told him everything. He simply held her and let her speak. The words had poured out, like a dam had broken. She hadn't been able to stop herself, but it had been cathartic. Now, she doesn't feel the need to speak, when she's with Boone, she can just be.
They don't place demands on each other. He could never be with another woman, and that's alright. Neither could she. It keeps things from getting complicated, makes it easier for them to bare their souls. No, he hasn't talked to her about Carla. Not really. He's a man of few words, but that's okay, too. Sometimes, words just confuse the issue.
He releases her long enough to sit, and leans back against the wall. She crawls into his lap, and tucks her head under his chin. His hands trace small circles on her back, not demanding anything of her. She likes that the best about him. Other men might try to take advantage of the situation, might imagine she was someone else. With Boone, it's clear he always knows it's her, and he doesn't want anything from her.
They stay like that for a while, until she drifts to sleep. When she wakes, she'll be in her bed, carefully tucked in, a teddy bear tucked in beside her. It always happens like that. And that's okay, too. It's part of what she likes about him.
Midnight -- Boone/Veronica -- 1/1
___________
"Boone?" The voice is small and shaky. His name is spoken so quietly that it would not have woken anyone else, but Craig Boone is not a light sleeper. Once, it had been a matter or survival, but now it is just a remnant of his past.
Wordlessly, he rises from the bed. He recognizes the voice, and the emotions in it, knows that he could ignore it, but that he wouldn't be able to forgive himself. He's already failed the most important woman in his life, and he can't bring himself to let another one down. Even the passing thought of Carla makes his heart ache, but this isn't about his wife. This is about the girl standing at the door, needing someone to distract her from herself.
He opens the door just wide enough to allow his body through, then closes it gently. Arcade and Raul are both still asleep inside, and he doesn't think they need to know about this. The sadness of midnight is a private thing, not something to be shared.
Gently, he wraps her in an embrace. She sniffles, and presses her damp cheek to his bare shoulder. Her arms slide around his waist and hold him there as she calms herself. They are silent. He gives her the minute she needs to steady herself, and allows her to draw away when she's ready. Her lower lip still trembles, but he's helped her through the worst of it.
"I'm sorry," she begins to apologize, but he stops her with a finger pressed against her lips. When her eyes lift to his face, he simply shakes his head at her. Apologies aren't needed. They've gone through this before. Every time she tries to apologize for disturbing his sleep, or being stupid, or... the litany of self-criticism goes on. He doesn't want to hear her cheapen their midnights. She's worth it, and she deserves it, and her apologizing to him lessens it.
"Veronica," his voice is a low rumble as he once more pulls her close. "It's alright." She shakes her head, but doesn't argue more.
She's bared her soul to him in the past, told him everything. He simply held her and let her speak. The words had poured out, like a dam had broken. She hadn't been able to stop herself, but it had been cathartic. Now, she doesn't feel the need to speak, when she's with Boone, she can just be.
They don't place demands on each other. He could never be with another woman, and that's alright. Neither could she. It keeps things from getting complicated, makes it easier for them to bare their souls. No, he hasn't talked to her about Carla. Not really. He's a man of few words, but that's okay, too. Sometimes, words just confuse the issue.
He releases her long enough to sit, and leans back against the wall. She crawls into his lap, and tucks her head under his chin. His hands trace small circles on her back, not demanding anything of her. She likes that the best about him. Other men might try to take advantage of the situation, might imagine she was someone else. With Boone, it's clear he always knows it's her, and he doesn't want anything from her.
They stay like that for a while, until she drifts to sleep. When she wakes, she'll be in her bed, carefully tucked in, a teddy bear tucked in beside her. It always happens like that. And that's okay, too. It's part of what she likes about him.