Vanitas × Noé

Relief

Based on the chapter 53 raws so beware spoilers. God, this chapter.... Mochijun feeding me so well. The angst, the love, everything was so perfect. I'm way too attached to these characters.
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Vanitas dropped his dagger and let his head fall onto Noé's chest. He was crying and Noé could feel Vanitas trembling while he slammed his fist into Noé's chest a couple of times in abject frustration. It didn't hurt, rather, that pounding fist was a comfort, as was Vanitas's trembling. He cared. Just as much as Noé did.

Noé felt tears springing to his own eyes in response, relief washing over him along with so many other emotions. The anger was washed away so quickly it was almost miraculous, though he couldn't quite claim he was happy either.

Noé covered his eyes with his arm to hide the tears and to give himself some form of comfort. He didn't know what to do with himself. He wanted to hold Vanitas closer, wrap an arm around him, but his other arm was still useless from when Astolfo had cut it off and he wasn't certain Vanitas would even want to be hugged.

Vanitas didn't seem to have any plans of getting up soon, his near hysterical trembling and gasping along with the hands clutching just a little too tight to Noé's coat said that much. Noé couldn't bring himself to push him away. But Domi - she was still in trouble. Even if Jeanne had arrived, and bless her Noé was going to have to thank her later somehow, it didn't mean he could relax.

Nonetheless his and Vanitas's injuries would almost certainly make them both hindrances should they get involved in the fight. For now he had to trust Jeanne, and though he didn't know her that well he found himself grateful she was with Domi. Domi seemed to like her and Jeanne was really amazing. She was the one who snapped him out of his rage and made him understand what he needed to do after all. Besides, Vanitas was in love with her so that had to count for something!

Oh. Vanitas was in love with her. It was strange how much that thought hurt him. He was starting to realise why. Noé wanted to laugh at the situation. Now really wasn't the time to be thinking of such things. He was just glad Vanitas was safe, that he was safe and that Domi had someone looking out for her when he was incapacitated like this.

Yes, they would need to have a long discussion later. About everything. About Mikhail, Domi, their fight, everything. For now though, Noé was relieved just to be able to cry with Vanitas.

Maybe they didn't understand each other perfectly, and they probably didn't even understand themselves, but Vanitas and him were partners now. They didn't want to hurt each other. Whatever lay between them, amid all the heartbreak and fascination and  warmth, could only be described as a form of love.