Chapter Text
Bertie jolted into the land of the living, gasping brokenly. A sob was wrenched from him on the exhale, eyes flying open. They cast about wildly as he struggled to get his breathing under control, panic exacerbated by the total darkness that met his desperate gaze. He gulped down the cries which were vibrating high in his throat, abdomen tensed and jumping with each tamped down whimper. His cheeks were wet.
The pillow beneath his head shifted, and the weights around his shoulders constricted.
“Hm?” There was a low hum resounding under his ear.
The moment Bertie realised both that the warm pillow was Jeeves, and that he was safely tucked up in bed next to him, he gave a cry and buried his face hard into Jeeves’ chest. His fingers tangled into Jeeves’ pyjama shirt and gripped it tightly, worrying the soft fabric.
“Sir?” Jeeves’ voice was deep and laced with sleep. It resembled the surprised mrrp of a cat whose nap had just been disturbed.
“I’m sorry to wake you.” Bertie said.
Or that is what he meant to say. In reality, the sentence became so mangled by his stuttering, heaving breaths that it was almost unintelligible. Jeeves began to rub his back firmly with one hand. The other came up and scratched through his hair, sifting through golden-brown strands. Bertie gasped over, and over, hugging him tight.
“I thought I’d lost you!” He sobbed, muffled by Jeeves’ chest, shuddering.
“I am right here.” Jeeves assured, sleep-warm and pliable, “Breathe for me. Everything is alright now.”
Bertie drew in great lungfuls of air, squeezing his eyes shut. Tears leaked from their corners, soaking into navy-blue fabric.
“I dreamt…” Bertie choked out, “You had left me.”
The movement of the fingers in his hair quickened, and a thumb pressed down against the curve of his spine.
“I- I had made a- an unforgivable blunder. I never found out what it was. And… you just- just packed your things and- and walked out the flat. I couldn’t go after you. I c- couldn’t move. I couldn’t…” Bertie trailed off here, swallowing hard. His chest spasmed with how hard he was holding in a sob, which was threatening to tear out from him.
“I am here, Bertram. I will never leave you.” Jeeves rumbled, “I love you.”
“Oh!” Bertie said, in relief.
He lifted his face to push it into Jeeves’ neck like an affectionate cat would. Bertram. The way his name fell from Jeeves’ lips felt like a kiss. It felt like home.
“I love you.” He whispered.
Their legs gradually tangled together, until they were entwined like a loving pair of octopi. Bertie relaxed slowly, soothed: they were pressed together as close as two human beings could possibly be. Their hearts beat soundly, in time with each other. The tear-tracks on Bertie’s cheeks were now dry and the claws that the dream had dug into him eased: the awful memory of it begin to fade and slip away.
“Sleep, my darling. I will be here when you wake up.” Jeeves stroked his hair.
Jeeves hadn’t left. He was here, underneath Bertie in this bed, and he loved him. Jeeves’ hand in his hair remained even as his breath evened out, and his eyes fell shut.
Bertie fell asleep, finally reassured that Jeeves was his, and that they would never be apart. Not ever again.