Vanitas × Noé

Scared

Set well after 54.5, guaranteed to be not canon compliant when more chapters come out but oh well.
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Vanitas pushed the window open, chambering back inside from the roof.

"You're still awake!" He said in surprise, noticing Noé sitting upright on his bed, Murr curled up in his lap.

"Yes."

"Well, good night." Vanitas casually swept a hand in Noé's direction, meaning to tap him on the shoulder. Only, his hand met thin air. Noé had flinched away. Vanitas turned his eyes properly on his roomate. "What was that about?"

"What was what about?"

"You know what."

"Vanitas, do I... scare you?"

"Huh?" Vanitas blinked at him.

"I hurt you..."

"What are you talking abou-? The amusement park?! If I recall correctly, I nearly sliced you open. Do I scare you, Noé?"

"No. But that's not the same. You weren't fully in control of your actions, it was hypnosis, right?"

"Self-imposed hypnosis."

Noé pursed his lips. "I know an argument could be made that I only acted in self-defence against you, and in the end I didn't do any permanent damage. With Mikhail... I didn't need to rake my claws across his face. I could have pushed him, punched, or kicked, something other than what I did."

"Do you scare yourself?" Vanitas leaned a little closer, curiosity beginning to take up as much of his expression as concern.

"I don't know." Noé sighed. "I just find myself unsure in situations when I'd usually not have to think much at all."

"Situations like?"

"When I'm around you."

Vanitas raised an eyebrow. "I'm going to need you to be more specific than that."

"I want to reach out to you, I can't bear it. I feel as though you'll disappear the moment I take my eyes off you. But I can't."

"I'm not going to disappear. Even if I did, we both know you'd just track me down anyway. But why can't you reach out? Afraid of how I'll react?" Vanitas smirked.

"No. The events at the amusement park at least confirmed that you care about me in equal measure to how much I care about you."

Vanitas's expression soured a little, uncomfortable with that particular truth being spoken aloud. Closeness with Noé was fine, acknowledging it was irritating. "If that's the case, what's the problem?"

"If I let my affection grow for you any more, intentionally or otherwise, I don't think I can be an effective shield anymore. If I lose myself like I did against Mikhail again..."

Vanitas grabbed the hair at the top of Noé's head roughly, ruffling it in a facsimile of affection. "Stop saying such embarrassing things! Your affection for me!? Really!? Christ, Noé. Look, if you're this worked up about it I think you're more liable to fail to exert your strength than you are to use it unnecessarily. Relax, okay?"

"Vanitas," Noé looked up at him, pulling the hand from his hair and holding it gently in his, enough that Vanitas could pull away easily if he wanted, "I'm afraid."

"You're an idiot. I'm not going to let you destroy your soul. You worry about shielding my body, I'll worry about shielding your heart."