#just a husband and wife out in the Australian nothingness

[softquietsteadylove]

We know that Gil once said to Thena: "If you love something, you protect it. It's the most natural thing in the world". Can we have a scenario when Thena says it back to Gil? Tysm!! P.S. you are a delight and a very talented writer, I love all of your fics!

"Feels like the good old days."

Thena chose to ignore him as he joined her on the roof atop their little home for two. The more he said that the more she felt like snapping at him that there was no such thing as good old days anymore.

But he would not deserve that.

Gilgamesh sat himself next to her, legs over the edge, leaning back on his palms despite the heat the roof absorbed from the relentless sun. He looked up at the sky, showing symptoms of dusk.

"You're not sleeping."

She was, she could argue. She slept briefly when he went out to forage for food, or find a human outpost with trade. She slept when he was not around to fall victim to her. "I am."

"Thena."

"If you are not here to witness it, then-"

"Thena," Gilgamesh persisted, turning to look at her. She maintained her resistance to looking at him. "Hey."

She finally did, taking him in under the soft light of evening. Australia had very brief evenings after very long days. It made the slim sliver of soft light feel elusive and precious.

"You're safe here," Gil whispered - pleaded - as he raised his hand to her cheek. He brushed his thumb over the bone of her cheek. "You know that, right?"

Thena resisted the urge to lean into his touch with everything she could muster.

"I need you to know that."

Gilgamesh had worked tirelessly since they arrived on the continent. From walking them all the way out here, hand in hand, to preparing this plot of land to laying the foundation for their house, he did everything.

Houses weren't built overnight. They had been out here for some time now. How much exactly, she couldn't know. Sometimes days passed in a blur, sometimes she passed out for days at a time.

"Do you know that, Thena?" Gil whispered to her, pulling her hand up to cradle his cheek in the same way. He leaned into it freely, leading her by example. He looked at her with those soft, brown eyes of his. "You know that you're safe with me, right?"

He was so concerned about her feeling safe with him, without so much as a thought to how unsafe he was with her.

Thena lifted her eyes to his. "When you love something, you protect it."

They were the clearest words she had spoken in days.

Gil's face contorted, both melting with affection and pained as he did so. He moved closer to her, letting out a sigh. "Protecting me, huh?"

He always understood what she was saying, no matter how few words she had to spare. She could no longer protect him in the way they once had done for each other. This was her coming to grips with however she could protect him now. And that included - and in many ways was limited to - only resting when he wasn't around to suffer any potential consequences.

Gilgamesh leaned in, pressing his forehead to hers, their breath mingling in the dry air. "You don't have to protect me from you."

"Gilgamesh."

"I don't want that."

"Gil."

"Thena," he pulled back to look at her, the same resolve in his eyes as when he declared to their family that he would go with her, safeguard her, for however long they had, wherever that may lead.

She shook her head at him--stubborn man.

Gil's eyes slipped closed as she kissed him. This still felt the same. He remained the same, no matter how many times her world shattered around her.

He held her cheeks as they parted, just far enough. He smiled faintly, "I'm lucky."

She was the lucky one; she pinched him.

He chuckled, "I mean it. I have the Goddess of War protecting me."

As he always would. If she were to find the day on which she drew her last breath, it would be in his defense.

"But y'know," he continued, in such an elated mood now from such a small thing as a kiss. "I'm sure I can protect myself sometimes. Say, if you need some sleep every once in a while."

Thena rolled her eyes.

Gil pulled them back, swinging his legs up and pulling her with him so they could lie down properly on the roof of their house--their home. He looked up at the stars with her tucked into his side. "You can rest, Thena. I promise nothing will happen."

He couldn't promise that.

"I promise I'll be here."

She tightened her fist around a handful of his shirt. Of all things in the immutable universe, this one thing had held true for her. And she lived in fear of the day when it wouldn't be.

"I'm here," he whispered, pressing his heavier hand over hers on his chest, flattening her lithe fingers out over his heart. "I'm right here."

He was right here with her. His heartbeat matched hers and his form was made for holding hers. Thena pressed her nose to his shirt, her eyes fluttering.

"I'll be right here," he whispered to her, pulling her into sleep with a low, rough whisper.

"Bed."

Gil chuckled again, tightening his arm around her waist, "oh, now you want the bed?--the bed I so painstakingly built and assembled and make every-"

"Gil."

"Bed it is," he promised her, standing with her secure in his arms. This was the first time she had asked to be taken to bed since leaving, and he was ready.