Please, Take It.

~Part 9~

Dark wanted to kiss him but resisted. Instead he gently moved Shawn onto his lap and held him. Rubbing his back he felt Shawn's muscles relax.

"I know you can't speak at the moment but I can't wait for you to tell me where you've been. I was sick with worry." Dark took a deep breath and released the nerves and panic he had been holding. "But I never gave up hope you'd return to me."

Shawn gently placed his hand on Darks knee and squeezed. His body was weak but he wanted Dark to know that he was listening.

Dark places his free hand over Shawn's and laced their fingers together. Shawn's fingers were as cold as ice; a strange sensation given that the temperature down in the basement as well as the ink was anything but cold.

Lifting his hand carefully to his lips he gently kissed Shawn's hand and whispered, "Never leave my side again, My Love."

In his chest his heart twisted at Dark's words. The warmth of his lips on his cold hand was a little overwhelming but he didn't want to pull away. That small gesture proved to Shawn that Dark truly did love him. He could feel his love and devotion that Dark was starting to have for him. The fact that he hadn't taken the opportunity and escaped this ink infested hell and waited for him to return with no certainty that he would was another. It frightened Shawn. He was starting to feel the same for the man holding him; but was it safe? Would The Voice use that devotion against not just him but Dark?

'Your lack of trust in me is hurtful.'

Shawn winced at the sound of the familiar voice echoing inside his head once again. His action caused Dark to squeeze his hand and ask, "Are you alright? Are you hurt, love?"

Dark again looked over Shawn, fearing he may have missed an injury. Shawn squeezes his hand, still unable to use his voice to respond. He felt Dark relax a bit as he went back to just holding his hand.

"Maybe we should find a way out of this basement and back up to your office. You'd be able to rest easier up there away from this ink."

'If only he knew.' The Voice laughed in his head.

Mentally he scolded The Voice. 'You could at least shut up and let me have this time with him before I let you take over.'

He could feel The Voice rolling their eyes at him.

'You make it seem like you will cease to exist. I need you. Just as you need me.'

'But it won't be the same...'

'No it won't.' He felt The Voice smile wickedly, 'It's going to be so much better.'

Shawn wanted desperately for their words to be true but he was still unsure. The Voice had briefly explained what the plan was but it seemed risky. Melding together so that they could share one body seemed like a maniac magic trick. But they had managed to convince him it was the only way to make it out of the studio alive. The Voice had agreed to Shawn's request to wait until after he reunited with Dark. He now realized that the reason they agreed to it so easily was that his body wasn't fully ready to deal with anything too strenuous. Surfacing out of the ink had felt like he was breaking through solid ice. He was amazed that nothing had physically broken in the process. Thankfully Dark was there to help him out of the ink. Had it not been for him he'd probably still be in the ink.

Shawn desperately wanted to say something to Dark. Warn him. Explain to him what was going on. But he also just wanted to stay the way they were for as long as they could. It was selfish and dangerous but the feeling he got from laying on Darks lap with his arm around him and his other hand holding his made him forget about the situation they were in.