Control | Moon Knight

7.0

Cleo's mind is far too preoccupied to find even an ounce of sleep, a reversal of how the dynamic was just months ago. Now Cleo is the one who stays up late and refuses to close her eyes, whilst the boys sleep peacefully. Though, the night before their departure, Steven finds his girl wide awake, sitting at his desk, wearing his sweater and using his glasses as she reads over his books. It warms his heart, as if it's being hugged from the inside.

He smiles and just watches her go. Her mind becomes completely entranced by the books as her eyes read over the stories she now knows are real. What were once fairy tales are now a reality. Cleo reaches over for her glass of water to bring it to her parched lips, and in doing so sees one of her boys hovering over her.

" Sorry, sorry!" Steven exclaims as his eyes go wide like a doe, " I-I'll go, didn't mean to stare."

" It's fine, hun," Cleo softly expresses as she sets down the glass, then pats the chair next to her, " Sit."

Steven's head nervously bobs as he musters up a gentle grin. His knees bend as he takes his seat in front of her darling gaze, one slightly covered by his own wire-framed glasses.

" I didn't know you need glasses," He keenly observes.

" Oh... I don't, really," She sighs, " My eyes are just tired."

The archaeologist goes to remove the glasses but is stopped by Steven, who jumps at the opportunity to grab her elbows and stop her. Cleo's eyes meet his gaze once more, and all of his nerves flare up and create panic in his bloodstream.

" Sorry... it's just... You look so beautiful," He expresses with his sickly sweet grin.

Cleo mirrors the man in front of her as her lips curl up into a smile as well, her eyes getting lost in his own as she feels the weight being lifted from her shoulders, her back naturally fixing its posture as a soft fire is lit inside her chest to warm her dwindling heart.

" You should get some sleep," She notes as she curls her hands around his, " Big day tomorrow."

" I'll be alright. I'm quite used to not sleeping, y'know," Steven amusingly remarks with a subtle chuckle.

" Get her to bed. She hasn't been sleeping for days," Marc sternly adds as he appears in the mirror behind Cleo, where he inevitably catches Steven's gaze.

Steven's brows furrow, a frown forming along his face as his eyes depart Cleo to move over to the mirror, where he then meets her gaze yet again, with a more solemn and somber exterior.

" Have you been sleeping, love?" He ponders.

Cleo's breath gets hitched in her throat. She's been caught. Her tailbone curls as the muscles in her body tense.

" Yes," She nods.

" That's a lie."

" Marc says you're lying."

" I'm not."

" Yes, she is."

" But Marc says--"

" Steven."

Cleo interrupts her wonderful puzzle piece by removing her hands from his and placing them on either side of his face, forcing him to meet her gaze as she deeply inhales to give herself a sense of calm, even if her eyes show anything but.

" I'm okay," She affirms, smiling as if to prove her own words, " Promise."

Steven remains utterly unconvinced. He can see it with his own eyes and feel it in his soul. He knows the woman in front of him is struggling, yet she absolutely refuses to let him in and help. She wishes only to pretend as though her problems are nonexistent, a very similar coping mechanism to Marc, making it the slightest bit peculiar when he notices this fault in Cleo, and not in himself.