Bittersweet Heart (Ominis Gaunt x James Sharp)

Possession

Ominis' knees were still numb, his face has only begun to return colour. He was warming up the body after a fly, the hot jets of water were bringing it back to life. The arms, the legs, the face. All was still here. His mind should reacknowledge this.

He stepped out of the shower, rubbing himself with a towel, repeating internally: "I am whole, in one piece."

Pile of clothes was neatly folded on the corner tabouret. Ominis was getting dressed, when his fingers found the leaves, sticking out of it. A smile touched his lips, he couldn't remember carrying this twig up here. At long last, it was not all about horror.

He went down to the kitchen, got a glass of water, and turned to James' room. It was completely quiet, except rustling paper.

Ominis passed James, sitting on his floor bed, and leaned out the window. Rain was coming. He was told so by the smell of the air, the birds' silence, and the chill wind. His fingers ran through the roses, one small thorn pricked the skin.

He licked it, tasting the metal notes. James suggested cutting all thorns since Ominis has enjoyed these flowers so often. He could be uncompromising sometimes. But Ominis felt pity for them. They're already beautiful, so what if they can't be perfect?

The wind once more climbed up Ominis' shirt and he closed the window. Twig left to sway in a glass of water.

The sound of paper rustling went on. Ominis sat near it, hiding the wand. His hand stretched forward, making some quiet taps while he was examining his way around. James was used to it. 

Recently Ominis discovered a need to feel alone. His wand replaced the sight, yet felt like a living being, constantly present in his inner self. When he felt overwhelmed, it seemed right to navigate only with his natural senses.

"What are you reading?"

"Nothing. These are my drawings. I can't leave feeling like I missed something."

Ominis found free space between the drawings and James. He crawled in, tightly cuddling him. There was a spot behind James' ear, the one and the most comfortable to be nuzzled in. In there Ominis could breathe the soothing smell of his hair and skin. That was his escape place.

James pressed his cheek to Ominis. He became used to it too.

"Today showed they don't need any improvement. You should listen to me on that one." Lips gently pressed behind the ear.

"I'm listening", James thoughtfully drew out. "But if there is anything I can enhance- I should do it. It's your basic safety we're talking about."

Pine needles, wood, and moss. Also a bit of salt from the summer and something tart-sweet. "A herb? A berry?", Ominis inhaled the scent deeper, tasting it. "A lemon peel." He was trying to divide, which notes were from the skin and which were from James' hair.

"Tell me something."

"What would you like me to tell you?" James lowered the drawings.

"Anything at all."

Ominis' hands climbed under James' cotton sweater, he wasn't trying to catch the words, only this pretty honey voice murmuring above him. "The touch, the smell, or the sound. Which is closer to me?" They all filled Ominis' presence, streaming through his cleared senses.

He moved his fingers, the veins felt sparkling with James' essential. It was flowing through all the body channels. Ominis clenched the fist, streams locked in his palm. One by one his fingers straightened, setting the energy back to its original state, freedom.