Taming the Serpent

Chapter 14

Ominis barely registered the walk back to his dorm. He doubted he would have made it there at all, were it not for Silver's arm around his waist, guiding him more gently than anyone ever had. The castle was silent, and some innate feeling within him told him it was the middle of the night.

They made their way up the steps to the seventh-year dorms, and Ominis hesitated. He wouldn't sleep, not now. There was no point in going to bed and trying to rest, if all he would do is lie awake, too afraid of the nightmares that awaited him to do anything other than sit there and shiver.

But Silver opened the door, leading him inside, the air filled with Sebastian's gentle snoring. She guided him over to his bed, and he planted his feet, a new kind of fear thrilling through him.

"You need to rest," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

"I... can't," he managed, starting to tremble again.

"You need to," she murmured, and then her hands were on his shoulders, easing his robes off. Ominis froze, a startled gasp flying to his lips.

"I'm just taking these," she assured him. "You can keep your shirt and trousers. Lie down."

He was moving before he even registered the words, the subtle command in her tone leaving him free to wander as his body obeyed her. He settled on the covers, and he felt her hand on his shin, easing down to remove his shoes.

"S-Silver..." he forced out. "What... what are you..."

"Shh," she whispered. "I'm making sure you're comfortable. I'll leave them by the corner of the bed, okay?"

"I..." he huddled up, hugging himself. "I can't sleep. It's not safe."

There was a pause, and then he felt her crawl towards him, her weight shifting up past his thighs, his hips, his torso, settling down beside him as he heard the curtains around his bed swish shut.

"I'm not going anywhere," she murmured. "You're safe, Ominis. I won't let anything happen to you."

"We... can't..." he stammered. "If... what if..."

"Just try to sleep," she soothed, tucking a hand under his neck and turning him towards her. He tensed as she wrapped her arms around him, pulling his head to her chest, and Merlin, he could feel her heartbeat, fluttering like a bird, racing like his was. She sighed, softly.

"Ominis... I don't know what happened to you, and I'm not going to ask. It's none of my business. Please understand that I won't ever make you do anything you don't want to do, alright?"

"But..." he hissed softly and tucked himself closer, giving in, pulling her tight, craving the comfort that had so long been denied him. "I can't... what if I... Silver, I-I'm not what you think I am."

"I think you're extraordinary," she murmured. "I think you're much braver than what you give yourself credit for. You're kind, you're funny, and should the mood take you, you could charm the ears off a goat." She gave a tiny chuckle, her lips against his hair. "Ominis... whoever it was that did this to you to make you so afraid deserves the worst kind of punishment. You deserve good things."

"I don't," he mumbled, wishing what she was saying was true.

"You do," she insisted, pressing her lips to his forehead. He bit down on a low whine, overwhelmed by the tender affection she gave him, wishing it was real, and not some dream from which he would be forced to wake. He held on all the tighter, her blouse bunching under his hands, struggling to stay awake as months of snatched, inadequate sleep pulled at him, when she raised her hand and ran her fingers through his hair, the movement both soothing, and dismayingly arousing. He flinched, gritting his teeth as his body betrayed him once more.