Change Of View (049xReader)

Chapter 10

After 049 had finished bandaging you up, he proposed the idea of staying here for you to recharge. You tried to object, but there was no good reason against his. Especially after a yawn had escaped your mouth. 049 could get quite stoic.

"Get some sleep.", he advised. An uneasy feeling settled in your stomach at the mentioning of that. The nightmares had turned any attempt to sleep into a restless night of terror and jolting awake. It was something not easy to talk about. Every time you thought about speaking up, you suddenly felt quite stupid for being afraid of dreams.

Despite your guts having query second guesses, you slid towards the edge of the table. The pain from your injury crept back into your consciousness again. You were too exhausted to get up and gave 049 a look he knew how to decipher. One of his hands moved to your back, the other under your knees and he heaved you up. You clasped his shoulder tightly. The time would probably never come where you would become accustomed to being carried.

"I can't sleep.", you chimed in timidly, a last attempt to prevent your awaiting nightmare further.

"Are you not tired?"

There was no denying that you were tired. Mouth shut tight, you let him walk you to the nicest looking place to sleep at. With every step the knot in your stomach twisted tighter.

Come on, it's just sleep. Those nightmares are just dreams. You tried telling yourself over and over.

Sudden panic overwhelmed you as 049 was about to place you down. Instinct took over and your fingers dug into his shoulders before you touched the ground.

"Don't!", you pleaded. The desperation in your voice made him stop immediately. His expression turned soft.

"What is wrong?", he asked gently.

There it was again. His soft tone he used whenever he knew there was something up with you. If only he knew how much of an impact that soft voice had on you. You had gotten to know him that well to be sure of that he already had a hunch of what was up with you. Denying everything would only lead to him observing your every movement under his watchful gaze.

"...Nightmares.", you finally mumbled after an eternity of thinking up the best response, only to scrap it all last second. Immediately afterwards you hid deeper in his arms embarrassed by admitting that.

"They really are that bad, hm?", he asked sympathetically. Hands still over your burning face, you hesitated then nodded carefully.

He hummed thoughtfully. The familiar sound eased your anxiety slightly. "I see..."

He didn't want to push you into telling him anything, but after todays happening you knew he would take it personal. Not against you, but against himself. You didn't want to damage the fragile new bond that you two had formed. Didn't you say yourself that you trusted him?

Quietly you spoke up. "I... am being chased by a creature."

Now it was his time to nod and listen. You were reluctant to continue, but did so anyway. "And there are mutilated corpses. Blood. So much blood.  A gruesome scene unfurling itself further with every step I take." Words were gushing out of your mouth before you knew it.

"I wake up as soon as it reaches me." You paused, unsure if you should say more.

049 took that burden of your shoulder. "That does sound very vivid from your description, almost as if you have seen it."
He said it as a statement but the question he actually wanted to ask was unmistakable.

The ensuing silence was tense. You fought back and forth whether to say anything or keep quit. "You see..." You hesitated. But not for long. "Before I ran into you, I encountered a group of survivors..."

Your gaze focused on your hands. "A specimen was after them. The creature hates being looked at and goes into a frenzy if somebody takes a glance at its face. They did. And they all died. The MTF units bullets proofed useless. I was present at that time and got away luckily."
Huh. Talking about it... did kind of feel relieving.

"I am sorry that you had to witness something as terrifying as that." The compassion was genuine. "If I may ask, is that where you got hurt?" 049 shifted your weight around.

You confirmed his question with a bow of your head.

"This does explain a lot."

You gave him a puzzled yet tired look.

"My apologies, I meant your nightmares. Dreams are the time we process what happened. I suppose you did not have time to deal with the situation awake and simply pushed it away. Your injury being a greater problem than what you had witnessed... So the neglect of that trauma manifests in your dreams."

049 readjusted his grip on you. You were listening with half an ear. He continued talking, but all you could focus on was his velvety voice and warmth. The combination lulling you to sleep. A yawn managed to fight its way out of your mouth.

He paused his monologue.
"There we go.", he whispered. "There is nothing to be afraid of, I am here keeping watch. If you are experiencing another unpleasant dream, I will wake you up."

He made a move to place you down again. You clutched his arm.

"Don't leave me."

"I do not want to sound rude, but carrying you gets exhausting over time."

You didn't let go of him.
"You said you'd stay...", you muttered.

"Figuratively speaking. I was going to take a seat at that desk."

"Then just sit down now."

He hesitated.
"Would that really be fine by you?", he asked. The way his voice sounded, made your heart wrench. So unsure of himself. He was still convinced that he was untrustworthy.

"It most certainly is.", you said sleepy and smiled warmly, which was broken by yet another yawn. 049's gaze lingered on you longer than usual. As soon as you met his eyes he broke eye contact, instead glancing to his left. You didn't bother to think about it more. Tiredness was getting the better of you. You slumped back in his arms.

He sat down as you requested of him. You were seated in his lap while he put an arm around your shoulder to prevent you from falling. You leaned your head against his chest. He pulled you closer. That was enough confirmation you needed. You nestled closer to your comfiness, loosely draping your arm around him to use his chest as a pillow. His other arm rested on your stomach. You sighed contently.

For the first time you felt secure in this facility. It was by no means more comfortable than the corner full of cushions but laying in 049's arms gave you a feeling of safety. A feeling you had desperately craved ever since everything went down. You really meant it when you said you trusted him.

You nuzzled deeper into his chest.