Sylvia watched as Evania slept. Watched the peace that crossed over her expression. Relished in it's beauty. She was finally calm.
They were laying side by side in Evania's bed, surrounded by pillows and blankets. Evania had all but buried herself this night with pillows stacked on top of her back and legs along with a heavy blanket. Sylvia gently brushed fingers across Evania's cheek. She did not breathe, did not show any sign that she was alive. In fact she appeared to be a corpse, though the succubus knew better.
She leaned forward and brushed her lips to Evania's forehead getting the vampire to smile softly.
"Don't open your eyes." Sylvia whispered. "I want to keep looking at your face."
"You watch me sleep?" Evania answered, her voice still filled with tiredness.
"When I can." Sylvia grinned, running her thumb across Evania's cheek. "You look peaceful in your sleep."
"Only when you're near." The vampire confessed. "You keep my nightmares at bay."
"I do so without even trying then." Sylvia leaned forwards again, placing her forhead against Evania's. "I must be a good luck charm to you."
"You calm my heart."
"Your heart does not beat."
"Will it beat for you?"
"I don't know how it works." Sylvia grinned softly.
"Would you..." Evania's expression changed to one of sadness.
"Anything. Just ask me."
Evania's eyes opened slowly, almost sadly. Their glow illuminating Sylvia's face causing her to close her own eyes to avoid their light.
"Tell me my treasure. What do you need of me?" Sylvia asked, opening her eyes a little to allow them to adjust.
Evania reached up and gently placed her hand on Sylvia's chest, just over her heavy beating heart. "Would you let my heart beat again, in tune with yours?" The vampire asked, her eyes now filled with a glassy sadness. "I want to feel my heart beat in my chest again."
"If I can give it, it's yours. You already have it." The succubus answered. Evania went to speak but Sylvia covered her mouth with a finger. "But I want something in return."
Evania watched her, waiting for an answer with nervous eyes.
"I want you to link with me." Sylvia answered.
Fear.
Terror.
Horror.
No! No she couldn't! There was no way! Why would she even ask that of her!?
Sylvia closed the distance again, pressing her lips to Evania's sensing the panic that was welling up inside her. She pulled the vampire close, letting Evania feel of her own body. Letting her feel Sylvia's heart beat in her own chest.
She pulled back, putting her hands on each side of Evania's face as she spoke. "I want nothing more, than to share everything with you. I want to experience the rest of my life at your side. Is that not enough for you my treasure? Is there something more I can do to prove that I love you?"
"I-I-I Don't want- I don't want you to see what I did!" Evania whimpered. "The monster I was!" She gripped the front of Sylvia's shirt tightly in her fingers.
"I won't look through your memories Eva." Sylvia assured her. "I don't care who you were before. I only care about now."
"But you'll see them. You'll hear them!"
"I don't care about the person you were Eva. I love you now." Sylvia explained. "I want to love you forever, and I will do so. Please, let me in."
Evania whimpered, not trusting herself fully. Not wanting to let her in. Not wanting to let anyone in. It was too sudden, her walls weren't being peeled apart, they were being torn assunder. Ripped apart. It was too fast.
"I love you." Sylvia repeated.
Evania buried her face into Sylvia's chest and let out a panicked cry.
"My treasure. My world. Tell me what you need."
Evania raised her head quickly, pressing her forehead to Sylvia's as her own eyes turned red. The gold replaced with crimson as she tried to focus her energy. Tried to focus her mind into Sylvia's. Tried to push her thoughts into her. Tried to form that link.
It took effort. It took time. She couldn't focus enough. Couldn't force her way through. Sylvia gently ran her fingers across the skin of Evania's back and waist, waiting for her to finish. Letting her take her time.
Evania actually growled in her frustration. Trying to force it. Sylvia chuckled, and raised a hand to caress her cheek. "Breathe my love. It's okay, I can wait."
"If not now... then never." Evania answered.
"Then let me give first." Sylvia moved Evania's head so she could kiss her. Evania's eyes widened in surprise before shock overtook her. The taste of Sylvia's blood on her tongue, then again as Sylvia bit her lip. Their blood mixed in a concoction that both of them swallowed almost eagerly. Sylvia parted their lips only enough for her to speak.
"Evania Arthur, I give you my heart so it may beat for the both of us."
Evania blinked before her eyes widened in pure shock, both her hands coming up to her own chest. The first beat... the second... the third. Her heart went from silence, to a soft thud before it quickened in her chest. The thunderous roar of her own blood in her ears nearly deafened her. This worry, this heartbeat wasn't her's. It was Sylvia's.
Evania placed one of her hands over Sylvia's heart to match the beats. Sure enough Sylvia's heart was racing just as fast. Just as frightened and nervous.
"You're scared too?" Evania whimpered.
"Of course." Sylvia answered. "It's never easy to give yourself so freely to someone else. I'm letting you in on my own darkness too Eva. You aren't the only one with a haunted past."
"You'd let me see that?"
"My heart is yours." Sylvia answered, pressing her hand over Eva's. "My soul and memories come with it."
Evania gently pressed her forehead back to Sylvia's, a happy wheeze escaping her lips before she closed her eyes, focusing once more on her own memories. She pushed them forwards, finding that this time, with only a little effort, they passed through and into her partner's. Her memories and thoughts seeped into the Succubi's mind, before Sylvia's thoughts came flooding into her own.
I want to love you. I want to share everything with you. Please my treasure. Please give me this gift. Let me have you forever more. Sylvia's voice whispered in their shared mind. This was what she wanted.
"I love you." Evania admitted. "I love you now till the end of time."
"And I love you." Always and forever.
Forever and always.
Sleep came easy for the both of them. Their shared dream was more than either of them could ever ask for.
---
Eva? Are you awake?
Evania grumbled in her sleep. She clearly wanted nothing to do with the voice calling to her, as sleep seemed far more entertaining. But it persisted.
E-e-e-va? Wake up! I'll make breakfast!
She opened one eye to glare at the succubus in front of her. The same one that was smiling like the idiot that she was. How dare she wake her. How dare she pluck her from her world of dreaming.
This is awesome. I don't even have to open my mouth! Oh my god, that means I can use it for other things and still talk to you! Sylvia's grin stretched even wider if that was even possible and Evania just rolled her eyes.
You're far more entertained by this than you should be. Evania told her.
I've never been able to telepathically communicate with someone before. Does it have a range? How far is the range?
We have to be in the same world, but otherwise I don't know if there is a range. I've never done this before either.
But you send your thoughts to people all the time. I've never been able to do that before! She leaned forward and kissed Evania happily. I can kiss you and still speak with you! This is amazing!
Evania couldn't help but laugh. Her Sylvia was far happier than she ever would have thought over something simple like being able to communicate in thought. There's more to our bond than speaking in our thoughts. Evania called.
Sylvia reached forward and placed a gentle hand over Evania's chest, just over her heart. She smiled brightly, looking deeply into the vampire's eyes as her smile reached her own lips. A gentle smile that expressed how impossibly happy even she was, though she did not express it as outwordly as Sylvia did.
"My heart." Sylvia whispered, her eyes staring at where her hand was before gently looking up at Evania's face. "Beats inside your chest the same as it does mine. We're connected. I'll always be here for you, forever and always."
"Always and Forever." Evania repeated, placing her hand over Sylvia's and leaning forward at the same time. Pressing their lips back together in a happy, passionate kiss. This was what they both wanted. They both wanted someone else to share their burdens and their happiness with. They wanted to heal the scars placed on them long ago, and they finally found the person able to do it. Able to save them.
We can talk shit about people without them knowing! Sylvia grinned again.
Evania leaned back and shook her head with another chuckle. "You would talk behind someone's back rather than tell them to their face?"
"I meant more like, 'Did you see the hickey on Zali's neck!? It is huge!'"
Evania narrowed her eyes before putting a hand over her own neck as if to search for the hickey that Sylvia spoke of.
"Zali's neck. You're not Zali." Sylvia laughed.
"No. But I do know it's absolutely something that you'd do."
"Well I have to make sure people know you're taken. Wouldn't want them getting the wrong idea."
"I don't let people have the wrong idea. Plus, there's not many people that have any interest in me. Just you really." Evania answered, running a thumb across the succubi's flawless skin.
"You just haven't been looking hard enough yet. I'm sure I could find you a few play things if you really wanted to." Sylvia smiled, obviously being sarcastic.
"I don't need play things." Evania rolled her eyes. "I want it to mean something. Plus, I have everything I need right here with you."
"I'm glad to hear you say that, but I have so much more planned with you."
"Planned?"
"Of course. There's a whole bunch of stupid cupple-y things we have to do Eva. Like, go out to dinners, movies- I've never gone to the movies, we don't exactly have them in Exodious- hikes and stuff. We can explore Exodious too, and see cool ruins or something. We can get a puppy! Or a cat, or even a snake. Pets are pets."
"You want pets?"
"I love animals! All kinds! And it never hurts to have a pet in a relationship. If anything its like a furry - or scaly - kid we have to take care of."
Evania chuckled. "You've given this a lot of thought."
"I've never done anything like this before Eva." Sylvia confessed. "Like I've told you, I've had a lot of bed mates and friends, but I've never had anyone who makes my heart soar when they're near. Who makes me throw all my desires to the wind so effortlessly. I don't want to just have my way with you Eva. I want to love and cherish you-"
Evania laughed again. "Stop."
"What? Are you interrupting my compliments!?"
"You always do! You always compliment me! I don't know how much more nice things about me I can hear."
"You want me to make fun of you?"
"Please. If only for some interesting conversation."
"You're feet are cold." Sylvia answered, quickly and without hesitation. "Would it kill you to wear some socks?"
Evania couldn't hold back her smile, clearly seeing through the succubi's overacting.
"And you're room! Everything's too perfect! Just throw some things around once in a while. Lighten up! Can you do any better with your grades? Save some good luck for the rest of us miss Overachiever!" Sylvia's hands moved to Evania's sides though she didn't think anything of it until it was too late. "I bet you'd read all day too if I didn't distract you!"
"Oh?" Evania asked, not even realizing as Sylvia's fingers slowly spread out at her sides.
"Yeah! Cuz you're a nerd." Sylvia nodded, agreeing with her own statement. "Do you know what I do with nerds?"
"Hmm?"
"They...get... Punished!"
Tickling.
Sylvia was tickling her.
Evania couldn't hold back the surprised scream that escaped her lips before laughter took over as Sylvia continued her assault. Even so much as to roll so she was straddling the vampire as her fingers tickled at her sides and stomach while she tried and failed to swat her away. Sylvia was grateful that Evania did not have to breathe, making sure Sylvia could tickle her as long as she felt the need to without any worry of sofocating her.
To that end, Sylvia just laughed as she relentlessly assaulted the love of her life with her very talented fingers. All the while listening to the musical laughter of her greatest treasure.