Ailward Guard

Never one without the other. (Siobhan and Dominic)

Dominic sat in the worn plush recliner, slumped down in a fitful state of sleep if it could even be called that. The last four and half days had been equally the worst and best chaotic hours of his life. 

Seeing Siobhan wake again in his arms after most certainly breaching the afterlife had nearly made him pass out as the mix of adrenaline and relief rushed over his body like the flood of a broken dam. It was a good thing he'd already been on his knees otherwise he would've collapsed with her right then on the spot. Time had slowed enough that he drank in every word she'd whispered to him, his chest having felt like it split open at hearing her voice again. Seeing that familiar soul behind those blue-green hues. The one that somehow looked back at him and thought he'd be worthy of her love.

Then mayhem erupted. Everyone was suddenly sweeping in to check in on Siobhan when all he wanted to do was take her from that room and bring her home. She was slipping in and out of consciousness and it took a lot of coaxing from Billie Mae to relinquish his hold on her to let the diviners check on her vitals and whatever else they needed to do to make sure the affect of Discord was truly gone and done with. 

They hadn't been too sure. 

Two days had gone by and she remained asleep. Her pulse was getting stronger, but she only slumbered. Hardly moving. The others tried to tell him it was good that she rested, but every moment she remained unconscious had only made him more worried that she would never wake again. So as she slept, he stayed awake, pacing about her room, about the hall where they'd put her. Then through the thousands of bookcases before coming back again to her room where she continued to lay in bed with magical swirls of energy rotating around her which monitored a variety of things on her wellbeing. Or so he was told. 

On the third day they said she could come home with him and it had only relieved him slightly. Penelope had decided she would be okay without their spellwork, but to consistently keep an eye on her. As if it were possible to do anything else. Dominic had placed her in his bed and there she remained for the next day with no change as he constantly came in to check on her while texting the others with updates on her condition. 

Now it was the fourth day. Siobhan remained looking peaceful and he had watched the even rise and fall of her chest from the doorway where he leaned against the frame. His body was screaming at him to sleep and so he found himself in the recliner he'd taken from the living room to keep vigil, a cup of old coffee in his hand from early in the morning. Despite what his body wanted, his mind would still not let him pause, so though he was drifting somewhere between asleep and not, something seemed to be tethering him back to consciousness. 

His eyes lifted with great effort and he saw Siobhan sleepily looking to him from the bed as pale afternoon light cascaded over her. She was looking at him. 

Dominic nearly dropped the mug as he moved. Placing the drink down on the floor, he sat on the side of the bed and reached for Siobhan's hand, kissing her fingers, and putting them against his face. He stared quietly for a moment at the familiar eyes he'd missed before speaking, his voice raspy since he hadn't used it in over a day. "Hey, you."

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NephilimPermalink Reply by ✓ Siobhan Leslie ~Mod~ on February 17, 2024 at 4:26

✧ Never one without the other ✧
Siobhan hadn’t realized where they were in the moments she took that first breath in after visiting what she could assume was the afterlife. All she knew was the arms holding her were strong, warm, and felt like home. Those hazel eyes dark and stormy as she looked up into them she watched the range of emotions -Unbearable pain, shock, relief- ripple through them. Those tears streaking down his face that dripped onto her delicate flesh, the beacon that guided her back into her body. It hurt to speak, she wanted to say more, wanted to tell him so much, there was so much she had to tell him now that she was herself again.

Yet it would have to wait, as the chaos of the room rioted around them. As Siobhan pulled her gaze from Dominic to see what was going on, her eyes rolled back as the pain radiated down her spine, it was overwhelming for the young nephilim. If she had been awake still she would have fought to stay in his arms, with the warmth, with her light. She felt the movements of everyone yet her body wouldn’t allow her to wake up. Penelope came to the conclusion that since Siobhan had lost her wings that her Nephilim abilities had weakened to almost nothing. Making her healing that of a human basically. Yet since the diviners used their magic to help speed up her healing out of the danger zone.

Three days waves of magic washed over her, she was fighting to wake up. Yet her body refused. Finally the magical waves stopped, breathing was easier and the pain had lessened. She knew the diviners were helping but she just wanted to be with him. What helped the most was the moment she was in his bed. His scent caressed her nose, lingering around her under the warmth of the blanket. The comfort of the bed she used to lay in with him, her body relaxed into it. She felt as if she could melt away finally feeling at home once again. Sleeping peacefully for the first time in a long time.

When the warmth of the sun kissed her pale face, she rolled her head to the side. Blinking a few times, before seeing him in her gaze. Her hues scanned his face, he looked like he hadn’t slept in days, and knowing him he didn’t. A faint smile touched the corner of her lips, taking him in. His hair was longer than it had been, his beard more wild, that rugged handsomeness that captivated her all those years ago in the woods when she hurt herself. She wasn’t looking at him through discord’s hateful fog, relief washed over her at that. As he opened his eyes as if he knew she was watching him, had to be the wolf senses.

Feeling his lips on her fingers caused a gentle blush to spread across her cheeks, the pureness of the affection. Her hand cupping his face when he placed it upon his cheek, her eyes bright and full of life once again. This was real, she reminded herself, she was with him. It felt like a dream, one she had held scraps of in her darkest moments with Discord so she wasn’t swallowed whole by it. “Hey, wolfy.” She spoke lowly. She let out a gentle breath before moving slightly to the side. She winced at the throbbing pain as she moved but it was bearable. “Lay with me?” She asked knowing he needed sleep, she was sure she would fall back asleep soon.

Her gaze moved around the room to see what had changed yet what caught her gaze was Pouli setting a top a shelf eyeing the pair, finally the snoring of Weuweu came from the floor beside the bed. She was sure that Dominic had to stop him from climbing in the bed with her several times. She wondered if Kiyaya visited still, if he got his daily fill of bacon. She had missed so much when it came to the animals, they looked so much bigger then she remembered. Her gaze drifted back to Dominic then as she looked deep into his eyes. “I’m so very sorry for everything.” Her gaze moved to the scar that was on the side of his head, just a peak of it from when she attacked him with the pool stick. She had hurt him. It made her stomach roll over, thankful she hadn’t eaten. That guilt gnawing at her brain sending her mind.

The pain she had caused him, led her mind down a miserable memory lane. All she had done in those two years with Discord, for Discord, what Discord had done to her. She swallowed hard as tears filled the corner of her eyes. Did she deserve this peace at that moment? When she had hurt him, and so many others. “I-Discord-I…” she pressed her lips together tightly trying to keep from burying her face in his chest sobbing. How would she express any of what happened to her? How could she tell him that she failed to keep a child they conceived safe? That Discord. Sio looked to the ceiling as the tears rolled down the side of her face in a silent cry.

Ailward GuardPermalink Reply by ✓ Dominic Howlett ~Mod~ on March 2, 2024 at 22:36

Dominic moved into the bed, carefully laying beside her as he leaned up against the many pillows beneath his back and placed his head against the headboard. He circled his arm around her, pulling Siobhan against his solid frame as gently as he could. Her scent nearly made him choke in pained relief. No longer twisted with the foulness of Discord, she smelled like wildflowers in the fields near the cabin and the heat of sunshine on a warm spring day. Like the fresh morning air that lifted her wings. She smelled like her. Like home. He let it fill his whole being until it became buried in his bones, a brand on his soul. 

He let his free hand drift to Siobhan's, wrapping his fingers through hers and putting them to his chest. Exhaustion began to take over now that she had finally woken and the fear that she wouldn't had finally quieted a bit. His heavy eyes closed as he let himself sink further into the comfort of the bed with her against him until he felt her shift. Dom's dark brow creased as he saw her pained expression which seemed to be searching for something in his eyes. An apology coming from her lips was the last thing he expected. 

His body turned slightly to face her more and he watched as the tears slid down her face. "Nani." Dominic reached for her chin, taking it between his thumb and forefinger to angle towards him. What he wouldn't give to take that pain away. "You have absolutely nothing to be sorry for. Whatever you did under Discord's control is not your fault. I know that's easier said than believed, but you have to try and remember it wasn't really you behind the wheel." He reached up to brush away the tears with a scarred knuckle. "No one blames you for any of it."

His eyes glanced upward towards the scar that she was clearly remembering giving him. It hadn't fully gone away despite his aggressive therian healing, a pale blemish that would likely never go away. "I'm thankful for it." A sly grin tugged at the corners of his lips when he recalled that memory. "I'm thankful everyday I happened to come back in town from that mission and walked in that shit bar." He raked a hand through the strands of his hair framing his face and rubbed at the mark. "Of all the scars I've gotten over the years, this one I'll never regret seeing." He leaned in and kissed the top of her head, stealing another chance to breathe her in.

Dom found her gaze once he pulled back, a thoughtful expression on his features as he reached for her hand again. "Whatever happened, we don't have to talk about it right now. Or ever, if that's what you want. I'm here to listen if you want to tell me and you can tell me. No matter how bad it may sound." His hues dropped to their entwined fingers. "If you can't talk to me, that's fine too. I'm- I'm not expecting anything. Between us. I know I ended things and believe me, it felt wrong the moment you were gone. We might even be two different people now, I don't know." He looked to Siobhan again, full of vulnerability that he generally didn't show anyone. "I just want you to heal. Whatever happens after, if I'm a part of that or not in any capacity, it's okay either way." 


NephilimPermalink Reply by ✓ Siobhan Leslie ~Mod~ on April 28, 2024 at 12:49

✧ Never one without the other ✧
The safety cocoon enveloped her as his arms found their home against her healing body. Everything felt slower, the aftermath of her brush with the brink of becoming fallen. Though her feathers were gone, she held onto the belief that they would return. Yet, a part of her wrestled with the notion of deserving such redemption. She pushed the negative thoughts aside, focusing instead on his scent mingling with the aroma of coffee. Had he done anything besides watch her sleep and drink coffee since bringing her home?

His touch felt unfamiliar, almost foreign, and she wondered if she should retreat to the shower, hoping to wash away the stains Discord had thrust upon her. She carried a weight in her chest, doubting whether she deserved him or the tender touch he offered. Despite these doubts, the comfort he provided was too immense to simply pull away from. Sniffling, she allowed her storm-filled blue eyes to meet his, finding solace in the way her nickname rolled off his tongue, wishing to seek refuge in his arms and cherish the quiet moment.

As his larger hand grazed her face, her body responded, goosebumps rippling across her flesh at the sensation. "I…" The rational part of her knew he was right, but there was one thing she couldn't allow Discord to shoulder the blame for. "I know no one fully blames me, but Discord wreaked havoc in my name. I'm certain there's still a lot of anger and hurt directed towards me." Leaning into his knuckles, she found solace in their roughness against her cheek.

"You'd probably be the only being happy that your Discord-cursed ex bashed you in the head and stole your wallet. Perhaps a part of you even appreciated seeing a different side of…" She trailed off at the thought. "I'm thankful you walked into that bar that night. After two years of battling Discord, I was on the verge of giving in, letting Discord take over my body and resigning myself to internal oblivion. But then I saw that photo. It reminded me that you still cared for me after our fallout, after you broke up with me, and…" She touched her stomach softly. "It gave me hope, the spark to keep holding on, to keep fighting." Even amidst the pain of her past actions, being with him and feeling his gentle caresses on her hair made it all feel more bearable.

Swallowing hard, tears welled in her eyes as she continued, "I want, no, I need to talk to you about…" Her throat grew dry as she balled her fingers into a fist on her stomach before shifting them to rest on his chest again. "But I can't, not just yet. I need to process everything that has transpired, and I hope that you'll still want me home after all of it." As she raised her face to meet his hazel eyes, the pain etched on her features, she moved her other hand up to rest on his face. The hand on his chest pressed flat, feeling his heartbeat to assure herself she wasn't dreaming. Part of her believed she had died and this was her heaven, but the pain in her body told her otherwise.

"If you can just be patient with me, I just need to take things one day at a time right now. Live in the moment and stop thinking so much about the future. All I'm certain of in this life is my love for you. You are my home." Leaning closer with a groan of pain, she placed a gentle kiss on his shoulder before releasing a tired yawn against the exposed flesh of his neck. "We could both use some healing, and that starts with some sleep, holding each other," Siobhan softly muttered before drifting off to sleep with her head on his shoulder, eventually snuggling down to use his chest as her pillow.
-
When Siobhan woke again, it was dark outside, the peacefulness of the night enveloping the cabin, away from the bustle of the city. Her head still rested on his chest, and he seemed deeply asleep. The grumble in her stomach reminded her of her hunger. When was the last time she had eaten? Slowly shifting out of his arms, she replaced her position with a pillow, knowing she was only leaving his embrace because he was utterly exhausted. She watched him sleeping, ensuring she wouldn't disturb him just yet, before silently making her way to the bedroom door.

Once in the kitchen, she found there was still plenty of breakfast food in the drive. As she began to cook bacon, a whine came from the back door, and she opened it to see Yaya. Yaya licked her arm affectionately, sniffing the air at the scent of bacon. "Glad to see you missed me too," she teased, tossing him a half-cooked piece. As she surveyed the cabin to see how much of her was still around, memories flooded her mind, causing an ache in her chest. Shaking her head, she pushed the memories away, focusing instead on making pancake batter to encase the bacon. Leaving a few slices out for Yaya and Fluffy, she made a fresh pot of coffee, addressing her furry companions with a heavy sigh. "At least we'll have our fur babies," she said, beginning to cook the bacon pancakes, taking solace in the simple act of preparing a meal.

Ailward GuardPermalink Reply by ✓ Dominic Howlett ~Mod~ on August 9, 2024 at 18:24

Dominic gently squeezed her and breathed into her hair. He didn't deserve Siobhan. He never did. Especially now when he had been adamant the years before that they couldn't be together anymore when Evermore had taken a turn on a path for the worse and he had pushed Siobhan out of his life. "I'm not going anywhere. Take whatever time you need. I'll be here for you as long as you want me." He didn't want to fall asleep then. The fear that she wouldn't be here when he woke up again made his chest tighten, but he forced himself to relax and oblivion took him in only a few short moments.   

Somehow, it was always his nose that woke him up. Or so it used to be when there was someone else in the house besides him. Usually it would be his alarm that had to drag him from sleep when he was able to get a few hours and that was because the liquor was holding him under with an iron grip. It was one of the only ways he could get any rest. Now though... 

The sudden thoughts had him forcing himself awake. A shiver of panic had him looking down to the pillow that he clutched which should've been Siobhan and he was suddenly wondering if it had all been a dream. Those terrible hours raced through his head of watching Siobhan battle her way back from death. What if she hadn't made it? What if he had made it all up in his head to cope after passing out from exhaustion? Maybe he was finally losing his fucking mind. It was about time too, but no. The scents of everything suddenly slammed into him like he'd run into a wall of sensory overload as he spiraled. Bacon, coffee, Yaya, and... her.

Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Dom moved through the doorway, though every step felt heavy with the expectation of disappointment. Then, relief made his knees nearly buckle. Seeing Siobhan in the kitchen again, cooking as she loved to do with the animals surrounding her and looking for any scraps like they hadn't eaten in days, felt like he'd fallen into some dream. It was so normal. At any moment he expected to actually wake, but he made himself move.

He wanted to reach out and touch her as he neared. He wanted to keep Siobhan wrapped in his arms and safe from the world, but smothering her was not going to help her through any of it. Especially since they both needed to figure themselves out again. So, instead of caging his arms around her waist, he flexed his hands to shake out the need and moved to the cabinets instead, opening one to pull mugs down. "You would be cooking instead of resting," he murmured enough for her to hear and smirked, pouring the coffee into the cups. "How are you feeling?"


NephilimPermalink Reply by ✓ Siobhan Leslie ~Mod~ on August 20, 2024 at 0:48

✧ Never one without the other ✧
Siobhan stood in the kitchen, a place that once felt like her sanctuary, her domain. The air was filled with the familiar sizzle of bacon, a sound that brought back memories of quiet mornings and shared smiles over plates of breakfast. This was the room where so many moments between them had unfolded, both the tender ones and the ones that tore them apart. Her eyes drifted to the small touches that still bore traces of her presence—the apron hanging from the cabinet door, the wood carvings she had meticulously placed on the walls. Each piece was a remnant of the life they once shared, a life that felt so far away now.

Her hand instinctively moved to her stomach, a ghost of a gesture she had made so many times before, though now it only served as a reminder of what had been lost. If she had known then, maybe things would have been different. But those thoughts were a dangerous path, leading her into the endless spiral of what-ifs that she couldn't afford to fall into. She swallowed hard and focused on the task in front of her, flipping the bacon with a practiced hand, trying to push the haunting memories aside.

She was so lost in her thoughts that when his deep voice broke the silence, it startled her back to the present. She turned to find him watching her, those hazel eyes she had missed so desperately. They had been her anchor, the light she clung to in the darkest moments when Discord had tried to consume her completely. "Wolfy," she began, a soft smile tugging at her lips. "I rested for two days straight. Food was the only thing that could pull me from your arms." The truth was, she would have stayed in bed forever, just to soak in the sight of him, to memorize every angle of his face, to see what had changed during the years they had been apart. The scar he bore from Discord's rage was a painful reminder of what they had both endured.

She moved to plate the food, preparing a dish for him even though she wasn't sure if he wanted it. It felt like such a simple act, but it was one that connected her to the time when things were easier between them. She joined him at the table, where he poured coffee, the rich aroma mingling with the scent of the bacon. "Asking the heavy questions already?" she teased, her fingers trailing gently over Fluffy's head as the dog nestled it in her lap. The warmth of the fur beneath her fingers was a small comfort in the overwhelming sea of emotions.

"I'm better in the sense that I'm me again," she continued, her voice softer now, more introspective. "No more battling for control, no more struggling just to be present." But as she spoke, she couldn't ignore the reality of her situation. Her body was weak, frail even. The clothes she wore hung off her frame, two sizes too big, a stark reminder of how much she had lost. "I don’t even know the last time I ate," she admitted, taking a cautious bite of the food. She wasn’t sure how her body would react after so long without proper nourishment. "Discord kept me weak by barely letting me eat. Alcohol was its favorite… I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to drink again." She shrugged, but the movement sent a sharp pain through her shoulder, a stiffness that reminded her she was healing at a painfully slow human rate.

Her thoughts drifted to the idea of a hot bath, something that might ease the ache in her muscles, but the thought of undressing filled her with dread. The scars that marred her body were not just physical; they were a testament to the horrors she had endured. Last time, she had been perfect in his eyes—soft, unblemished, angelic. Now, she felt like a shadow of that person, a woman broken and scarred by unimaginable pain.

She caught her reflection in the window, and the sight nearly broke her. Her once vibrant purple eyes were dull, sunken, and her skin had lost its healthy glow. She reached up, touching her cheek lightly, feeling the roughness of uncared skin beneath her fingers. The memories flooded back, unbidden—Discord's cruel games, the drugs, the fights, the strangers who inflicted pain on her, the knives, the whips. Her body had become a canvas of suffering, and she couldn’t bear the thought of him seeing her like this.

"I…" she began, her voice faltering as she tried to find the words. How could she even begin to explain what had happened? She turned to him, her gaze dropping to the table as she spoke. "I’m not sure I can undress to bathe, but I don’t want you to undress me and see…" Her voice trailed off, and she bit down on her bottom lip, the fear of his reaction gnawing at her insides.

She could feel the weight of the silence between them, the tension of all the unsaid words and unresolved emotions. Finally, she continued, her voice barely above a whisper. "Discord was always seeking ways to gain full control—drugs, fights, sleeping with strangers, having them hurt me… knives on my skin, whips on my back, and it wouldn’t let my body heal as a reminder of the pain. Unless I handed everything over to it." A small snarl escaped her, a flash of anger at the memories that refused to let go.

She couldn’t bring herself to look at him, afraid of the expression she might find on his face whether it was horror or pity. Fluffy's head was still in her lap, and she stroked it gently, unsure if she was trying to comfort the dog or herself. After another long moment, she finally lifted her gaze to him, trying to shift the mood, even just a little. "I see you kept a lot of the things I made," she said softly, a tentative smile on her lips. It was a small thing, but it was something—proof that some part of her had remained in this space, in his life.

Ailward GuardPermalink Reply by ✓ Dominic Howlett ~Mod~ on November 12, 2024 at 2:20

Dominic followed to the small table for two and sat across from her. Though the plate was there and he hadn't eaten in the blur of days that all melted together, he kept to the coffee he'd poured for them, lifting it to sip and still being unable to keep his gaze off Siobhan. It still didn't feel real that she was here let alone alive after everything. He expected the shoe to drop at any moment, proving to him that the hope he had clung too was nothing but a joke to the universe as it inevitably ripped her away from him again. 

He remained quiet as Siobhan scratched the surface of the years she was being manipulated by Discord. It made a flurry of emotions break over him, not one lasting long enough for him to really hold onto. All he wanted to do was reach out and wrap his arms around her again. Hold her to ensure she didn't shatter into pieces that he knew he probably couldn't put back together again. It was something Siobhan had to work through on her own too, but Dom would always be sure to be there for her when she faltered and needed someone to lean on. Scream at. Whatever it would take to find her way out of the darkness. So, he clasped his hands around the mug in an effort to not smother.

It was hard to listen to, but she didn't need coddling either. Time had proven that given the extreme circumstances Siobhan had endured in her life. She had always been and still was the strongest person he knew. Her resilience had always been astounding because if it had been him in her place, he knew he would've broken. Pieces of him were breaking now even when she actually thought he cared about the physical change her body had taken from the varying forms of abuse she endured. Dom instantly shifted from the chair he sat in, to kneel on a knee before her.

His hand gently took hers in his, resting them on her lap as his thumb brushed softly against her skin, his other hand cupping her face, his fingertips sliding into her hair. "Sweetheart," he started, finding her gaze. "You will always be beautiful to me. Nothing will ever change that. Nothing." His voice was low, but also resolute so she understood he meant it. "If you don't want me to help or aren't ready to see yourself just yet, that's okay. Maybe the best option is the outdoor shower. Privacy and no mirrors." He stroked along the edge of her sharper cheekbone for a silent heartbeat before dropping his hand and pulling away.

His eyes swept over the cabin and a wry smile formed. "Yeah, I just left them up. Decorating is not really my thing and some of that shit in the shed is too heavy to load in the truck and donate." They both knew perfectly well he could lift pretty much anything she made given his therian strength. Dom had tried to pack it up. More than a couple of times. It never worked out as planned. "The rest of your stuff is still there. Tools. Wood. Everything I was going to hang onto for you till you found your own place. I'm not sure what Rissa did with the things at your apartment since you've been gone though. I think she put it all in storage."

Dominic slid back into his chair and grabbed a piece of bacon to fold entirely into his mouth. It was time he began taking care of himself again too and eating was a good start. A small groan of pleasure rumbled through his chest as he grabbed for another. "I've asked for a small leave from taking anything on from the Ailwards. Only if it's an emergency or meetings will they call me in. But.. don't think you can't ask for some alone time too. If you want it to just be you, I can head out. Work or stay at the manor. It's not like there are many places to be alone here, so I can find somewhere else to be if you want space."

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