Nullified

Chapter Twenty Four

"Aren't you going to sleep?" His wife's voice drew Herobrine's attention away from the door, where he had been gazing through the crack between it and the doorway.

"I will." He promises. "Just not yet."

"Worried?" Y/N is perched on the edge of the double bed, her sling removed for ease of sleep. The lack of the sling reveals the bandages on her left arm. They make her look so fragile.

"Something like that," Herobrine turns back to the door. Night has fallen, but there is no sign of any hostile mobs thus far. The golems are doing a good job keeping them away from the village. "We need to stay out of sight, of course, but someone should keep watch in case Null arrives. If he caught us by surprise..."

"Yeah, but you're not going to stay up all night, are you?" Y/N wanders over to join him, and he puts an arm around her, careful to avoid her injuries.

"No." He promises. "But I'm too worked up to sleep anyway, so I'll take the first watch."

"Who's taking the second?"

"I'll wake Steve. Then, after, Alex." Herobrine suppresses a sigh, glancing through the crack at the building that Notch and his minions slept in. "Because obviously, Notch will need his beauty sleep."

"Mm." Y/N exhales slowly, leaning against him. "What are we going to do with him?"

"I've half a mind to tie and gag him, and throw him over the back of his horse."

Y/N scoffs loudly. "Why do I like that plan?"

"A sign you're getting as fed up with him as I am?" Herobrine finally turns his gaze on his wife. "There's no need for you to stay up."

"Well, maybe I want to spend a minute alone with my husband." She wraps her arms around his chest, tipping her head back to meet his eye. "When no one's trying to kill us." Herobrine smirks.

"I suppose I can understand that." He rests his hands on her shoulder blades, mindful of her injured arm. "Hello."

"Hi." Y/N stands up on her tiptoes to kiss him. Herobrine tightens his arms around her as she does so, holding her against him for a few moments, and she rests her forehead against his collarbone. "I love you." She murmurs.

"I love you too." Herobrine shuts his eyes, concentrating on the feeling of Y/N's body against his. She has changed so much from the frightened teen he had met almost five years ago, into a beautiful woman and a competent queen. How lucky was he that she had chosen to keep him around?

"You should sleep." She whispers in his ear. "Null won't be able to sneak past the golems, not without making enough of a racket to wake us." Herobrine huffs into her hair.

"I would rather be safe than sorry."

"We're going to be riding all day again tomorrow." She counters. "Out in the open, much more likely to be spotted. You'll need your reflexes." Herobrine considers this for a few moments, then sighs.

"Fine." He lowers himself just enough to sweep her legs out from underneath her, cradling her against his chest as he straightens.

"Hey!" Y/N hisses, grabbing his arm as he carries her towards the double bed. "Jerk."

"I thought you wanted to go to bed."

"I told you to go to be-" Y/N shrieks as he drops her onto the mattress. She tries to glare at him as he lays down beside her, leaning over her, but can't suppress a smirk. "Now what are you doing?"

"Going to bed with my wife." Herobrine rests his arm on her other side, keeping her from sitting up. "How's that scar looking?" She cocks a brow, lifting her good hand to trace a finger along his cheek.