Me And The Dark

Chapter 55*

Mattheo awoke in the darkness of the night, his heavy eyelids slowly lifting.

He rubbed his eyes, trying to clear away the haze of sleep and understand his situation.

His hands instinctively sought to explore his body, encountering the tight bandages around his chest. The sensation of pressure against his skin reminded him of the violence of the attack he had suffered.

Lifting the blanket slightly, he scrutinised the bandages with a certain fascination, recognising Valentina's work in healing him.

A movement to his right caught his attention, and Mattheo turned slowly, almost apprehensively. In the silvery glow of the moon filtering through the curtains, he saw Valentina asleep, her peaceful face lit by the soft night rays.

The room was plunged into a deep silence, broken only by the gentle murmur of Valentina asleep beside him.

Her hair shone with a silvery hue, and her steady breathing filled the room with a calm, serene atmosphere.

Mattheo stared at Valentina, captivated by her soothing presence. Despite the tiredness on her face, she still exuded that aura of strength and determination that had always intrigued him.

In the silence of the night, she seemed fragile and vulnerable, and Mattheo felt a pang in his heart as he realised just how much suffering she must have endured.

Straightening up carefully so as not to wake her, Mattheo took a deep breath, feeling Murlap's essence acting on his wounds. The pain seemed to have lessened, although the sensation of stiffness still lingered in his back.

Mattheo approached the door with the intention of leaving, but just as he put his hand on the handle, he heard the sheets moving behind him.

"Don't leave me."

He turned slowly, finding Valentina sitting on the bed, her eyes fixed on him in the half-light of the room.

"You need to sleep," he replied softly, trying to maintain some distance to protect his own heart from the pain.

During those days when they had been so close and yet so far apart, he had had to resign himself to this distance, even though it had broken his heart. But seeing Valentina at this moment, so vulnerable and yet so close, reminded him of how strong his own feelings still were.

"You're the one who needs sleep, Mattheo," she insisted, her voice soft and pleading.

He hesitated for a moment, captivated by the new-found gentleness in her voice. After the attack, Valentina's fear of losing him had tempered her resentment, giving way to a love that was stronger than ever.

Finally, he approached her and sat down on the edge of the bed, turning towards her.

In the moonlight, he could see the worried features of her face, illuminated by a few strands of her brown curls. He also noticed that she was still wearing her black clothes from the day before, a reminder of how intense the evening must have been for her.

"I... What happened?" he asked, his fingers brushing the bandages around his torso. "I just remember getting injured in the back and..."

He paused, cursing himself inwardly. If he hadn't been attacked, maybe they would have been able to get closer at last, maybe they would have been able to kiss.

Valentina sighed deeply before replying, her fingers playing nervously with the sheets. "We were careless and you were injured in the back by a manticore. I had to drag you to the protective barriers when you were barely conscious." she explained, her gaze avoiding his. "You lost a lot of blood and..."

"You saved me." Mattheo whispered, surprised by his own emotion.

"I did," she nodded, her breathing shaking as she recalled the panic attack that had overtaken her after she'd pulled him out of harm's way.