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Omen was always very good at reading people. He had to be in order to get into their heads. But you don't have to be a monster to tell that something was wrong as Sova was racing across the base like a madman. He had noticed earlier that week but decided to pay no mind, after all they had just come back from a mission and everyone was a little antsy.
But there were those messages. An anonymous jackass leaking everyone's information as a threat. He had gotten his own message, of course, the same spiel that he hears from everyone else. Everyone but Sova. He can't imagine that the message Sova had received could've ruffled his feathers that much. It made him realize, though, that he doesn't know much about the Russian man's past. In this line of work you don't pry into such things, it tends to be a heavy load for everyone. But right now, he wants nothing more than to be able to help his sweet owl.
–
The sound of the door creaking is the only thing that manages to break Sova from his working spell. He looked up to see a clawed hand grasping the door frame and Omen's face peeking through the crack left open.
"Omen-"
With that, the shadow lets himself in and closes the door behind him. The warm lighting from the single lamp illuminating his figure.
"Nobody has been able to reach you, Sova"
- "I've been right here"
"No, your mind has been somewhere else"
Guilt begins to flood into Sova's veins, sending a quick heat through his body. He'd been so caught up in trying to find anything on the blackmailer that he had neglected his team, his Omen. He closes the laptop he had been zoned in on and stands up from his desk, making his way towards the other man.
"Where have you been, Sasha"
The void whispers as he reaches his hand towards his waist bringing him into a close embrace, the other hand resting on the back of his neck as Sova leans his head down on the other man's shoulder.
He hesitates to answer, Brimstone had told him that all information learned goes to either him or Cypher. That part has not been resting easy on his conscience. Honesty and openness has always been very important to him, it felt criminal to hide something so crucial from his team and his lover.
They weren't criminals, right? That's what they've been trying to prove this whole time.
Noticing the silence, Omen angles his head to get a glimpse at him.
"How long has it been since you've slept?"
He's grateful for the change of subject, but it may be even harder to admit that he has neglected taking care of himself as well.
"I'm not sure, I haven't been keeping track"
"Well that isn't going to work"
The shadow begins to walk backwards, sitting on the bed on the other side of the room. He grabs his hand and draws him in to sit next to him.
"You aren't going to get any closer to finding him if you are on the brink of collapsing"
"But-"
"You know I'm right Sasha" the man interjects. He's right, and Sova does know it. But the situation at hand is so much larger than himself. It's affecting everyone he loves and he needs to protect them at any cost.
"I can practically hear you thinking, do I have to knock you out to get you to rest? Is that it?"
He lets out a breathy laugh at that and brings the other man's clawed hand to his lips, kissing the side of his palm.
"No, you're right, you're always right. I've just-"
He takes a shaky breath, not exactly knowing how to get his thoughts across.
"Brimstone is relying on me, I can't let him down"
Omen hums in response, a deep rumbling vibrating out of him.
"Maybe it has been taking a toll on me. I can't lose this, I can't lose all of you"
"I don't plan on going anywhere" Omen says as he reaches to the back of his hair and undoes the clip holding his bangs back.
"Not till' the end of the world"
–
Omen's heart aches for the man sitting beside him. Sova is so pent up about something he can't even disclose information about. He knows he can't ask about it, but he doesn't intend to sit idly by and do nothing about the stress practically radiating off the man.
"Can I braid your hair?"
He asks as he tucks a piece of the blonde's bangs behind his ear. He looks into his mismatched eyes as he waits for a response, pleased when he nods gently. The lighting in the room makes his hair appear golden as he runs the strands between his fingers. The hunter leans into his every touch, practically purring at the sensation. He leans closer to his ear in a whisper
"Ease your worries, my heart"
At some point the hunter closes his eyes and visibly relaxes, his breath steadying. He leans over to the nightstand next to the bed and grabs the hair tie resting there and uses it to hold the braid into place. Once he's entirely finished he leans his forehead on the other man's and only barely holds back a snort when he hears the blonde's displeasure that it's over.
"Do you think you can rest for me now?"
"Only if you stay"
"I wouldn't have it any other way"