Aftermath

Naomi woke slowly, exhaustion so deep it felt stitched into her bones. For a few seconds, she didn’t move, didn’t open her eyes, didn’t even breathe too deeply.

Her body felt heavy against the mattress.

Then sensation crept in.

A dull ache lingered in her limbs, her skin felt warm, oversensitive, like she didn't really fall asleep after the night was over.

When she shifted slightly, a quiet hiss escaped her lips, as a reminder of everything her body remembered before her mind caught up flooded in.

She opened her eyes.

Morning light filtered through the curtains, stretching across the room in lazy lines. The bedroom was quiet.

Naomi turned her head slowly, half-expecting to find Damon already gone. The space beside her was still warm, the sheets creased where his body had been.

A flicker of disappointment surfaced before she could stop it.

She pushed herself up, the sheet slipping down her shoulder, and that was when she saw them.

Her breath caught.

Marks across her skin, unmistakable against her complexion. Faint reds and deeper reds traced her collarbone, her shoulders, the curve where her neck met her chest. She lifted her hand, fingers hovering before lightly brushing one.

They weren’t painful but they were visible.

She chuckled in disbelief mixed with a strange awareness of what they represented.

Damon.

It felt deliberate, the way they were scattered.

She pulled the sheet higher, she needed a moment to sit with what they stirred in her.

He was marking his territory.

She swung her legs over the side of the bed, standing carefully, her knees still unsteady. The mirror across the room caught her reflection, and she paused there longer than she intended to.

The door opened and Damon stepped in.

He was already dressed, hair slightly damp, the sleeves of his shirt rolled up to his forearms. He stopped short the moment he saw her standing there, wrapped in the sheet, sunlight brushing over her skin.

“You scared me.” She said, returning her faze to the mirror. “I thought you left me.”

He chuckled, "I couldn't even if I tried.” He walked closer, covering the distance between, "You just got up?”

Naomi nodded. “I was about to come looking for you.”

He crossed the room in a few strides, stopping in front of her. Up close, she noticed the faint tension in his shoulders, the way his jaw tightened as though he was holding something back.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

The question caught her off guard.

She blinked. “Yes.”

He didn’t seem fully convinced. His hand lifted, hovering near her arm, waiting rather than assuming. When she didn’t pull away, his fingers brushed her skin, gentle, tracing just beneath one of the marks.

“I didn’t mean to leave you alone,” he said quietly. “I thought you’d still be asleep.”

“I was,” she replied. “Mostly.”

His thumb paused. Naomi felt the tension inside her loosen slightly, as she stared into his eyes.

He was worried.

“You look…” He stopped himself, then exhaled. “You look tired.”

She gave a small smile. “You’re not exactly blameless.”

That earned a faint curve of his lips, but it didn’t fully reach his eyes.

Damon reached for her hand, lacing their fingers together, and guided her back to the bed. He sat first, then pulled her gently down beside him, arranging the sheet around her.

“I don’t want you to think…” he began, then stopped, clearly choosing his words. “Last night was…something. I didn't want to…” He sighed, “It wasn't about control..”

Naomi turned to face him, studying him closely. “Then what was it about?”

His gaze held hers steadily. “Fear.”

That surprised her.

“Of losing you,” he continued, voice even but honest. “Of watching people look at you like they’re entitled to you. Of pretending it doesn’t get to me when it does.”

Her chest tightened at that.

She hadn’t expected that answer. Damon wasn’t the kind of man who admitted fear easily, if at all. Hearing it now, was quite something.

“I know.” He nodded, “That's a me problem.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” she said softly.

“I know,” he replied. “But knowing and feeling aren’t always the same thing.”

She reached for his face, her fingers brushing along his jaw. He leaned into the touch, eyes closing briefly, the tension in his shoulders easing.

“You don’t have to mark your territory to keep me,” she said gently.

His eyes opened, searching hers. “I know.”

There was a pause, then he added, “But I needed you to remember how deeply you’re wanted. By me.”

Her throat tightened.

That, more than anything, unraveled her.

She leaned forward, resting her forehead against his, breathing him in.

“I had fun.” She muttered, “I don't know what the hell you're talking about, young man.”

Damon laughed, one that reached his eyes. “I was worried I hurt you.” He admitted. “That’s the last thing I ever want to do.”

Nomi nodded. “I know.” she smiled, “And I would do it again..”

Damon pulled her closer, earning a laugh from her. “You haven't learned your lesson have you?”

Naomi shook her head, “Remind me again. What was I being punished for?”

“You're a crazy woman.”

Naomi shrugs, “I agree but you married me. What's your excuse?”

Damon paused, “Fair point. I wouldn't change that for the world.”

He pulled her into his lap, wrapping his arms across her shoulders. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, grounding himself with her presence.

If anything ever happens to this woman, he wasn't sure what he would do with himself.

The thought made his heart ache terribly. He would give the world for her, he knew he would.

If he has to risk his life doing that, he would without a second thought.

Eventually, Damon shifted, pressing a kiss to her temple. “Stay here today,” he murmured. “With me.”

Naomi smiled, closing her eyes. “I was planning on it.”

For the first time since waking, her body truly relaxed, exhaustion giving way to something softer. Safer.