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Beneath the Eyepatch
A dim, warm haze filled the room, emanating from the string lights draped across the wall that Charlie had grown so fond of.
Vaggi sat on the edge of their bed, her fingers worrying at the frayed edge of her eyepatch. The fabric had seen better day, as now it was smudged with dust from reorganizing the lobby, a streak of something that might've come from when she washed the dishes earlier, and general grime from another exhausting day of keeping the Hotel from falling apart.
To be fair, it's not as exhausting as before anymore, now that Niffty and Alastor are actually helping. But the increasing number of the new sinners still means more chores to be done, more duties to fulfill.
"Vaggi, you know you don't have to wear that to bed, right?" Charlie said softly, emerging from the bathroom in her pajamas, her hair down and cascading over her shoulders, looking just as tired as the fallen angel. She approached with that gentle smile that always made Vaggi's chest tighten.
"I know, I know. It's just- I'm already used to it, feels weird to take it off." Her hand was still touching the eyepatch, tracing the "X" mark on it.
"You don't have to do anything you don't want to." Charlie gently replied, "Not with me. I just thought your eyepatch looks kind of... dusty." Charlie knelt on one knee in front of her, resting her hand on Vaggi's shoulder. Her eyes were impossibly soft in the dim light. "I can help you get new one, if you want to."
She did. Want to get a new one. It sounded easy, as it should be. Simply taking her old patch off and putting on a new one. But even after all these years, it's never easy to reveal her left eye to anyone- not even Charlie, who had already seen it countless times.
It was cut out by angelic steel, meaning that it would never truly heal, and the area around her eye still required cleaning from time to time, since she wore the eyepatch all the time. She could just do it herself, she mostly did it alone anyway, it was easier. But she also knew that it always hurt Charlie not being able to help her, to reach her.
If she'd learned anything from all these years with Charlie, it was that sometimes being able to do things by yourself doesn't mean you have to, even if it's just the simple things. And she trusted Charlie more than anyone.
"I do. It's about time. But you really don't have to, sweetie, I can manage myself." Vaggi sighed a bit, hand reaching out to caress her girlfriend's cheek, knowing how Charlie would respond.
"I know. I want to. " She quickly put a kiss on Vaggi's hand before getting up, heading to their bathroom. "I'll be back soon!"
Shortly after, Charlie emerged with a clean eyepatch in one hand, a small bowl of warm water and some soft cloth in another. She settled back onto the bed beside her, crossing her legs and setting the bowl carefully on the nightstand.
"May I?" Charlie gently asked, hand resting on her left cheek. Vaggi nodded, unable to speak.
Charlie's fingers were impossibly gentle as they found the knot at the back of Vaggi's head. "Tell me if you want me to stop."
"I won't, but thanks." Vaggi whispered.
The fabric loosened, and Charlie carefully drew it away. The cool air hit Vaggi's ruined eye socket immediately, and she had to fight every instinct to turn away, to hide. The scarred tissue was puckered and sunken where her eye had been, the lid sealed shut over the hollow space beneath. It couldn't open, wouldn't open- just an empty reminder of what she'd lost, what had been taken from her.
Vaggi's remaining eye squeezed shut. Even after all this time, she still couldn't watch Charlie look at her when she was like this. Couldn't see the moment when reality hit, when the pretty words gave way to-
Soft lips pressed against the scarred tissue.
Vaggi's eye flew open in shock. Charlie had leaned in close, her eyes closed, pressing a tender kiss above Vaggi's damaged eye. When she pulled back, her expression was so full of love that Vaggi felt something crack open in her chest.
"See?" Charlie whispered, her hands coming up to frame Vaggi's face, thumbs stroking gently across her cheekbones. "Nothing scary. Nothing wrong. Just you. Just my Vaggi."
"You're so cheesy," Vaggi said, but her voice broke on the words, and suddenly she was leaning forward, burying her face against Charlie's shoulder. Charlie's arms came around her immediately, holding her close.
"Maybe," Charlie agreed, pressing a kiss to Vaggi's hair. "Just for you, though."
Vaggi laughed wetly against her shoulder, "That was terrible."
"Hey! You love my terrible jokes!"
"I love you," Vaggi corrected, pulling back just enough, watching Charlie reach for the bowl of water and the cloth. "but your cheesy jokes? I have my doubts."
Charlie chuckled as she gently tucked Vaggi's hair behind. Her left side left exposed, feeling the vulnerability of it like a physical weight. Charlie's expression remained soft as she brought the warm cloth up to Vaggi's face.
"Ready?"
Vaggi nodded, again.
The first touch of the warm, damp cloth against her left eyelid made her flinch slightly, but Charlie's other hand came up to steady her cheek.
"I've got you," Charlie murmured, and began cleaning with careful, gentle strokes, avoiding actually touching her socket.
The cloth moved along the scarred edges where lid met cheek, wiping away the day's accumulated grit and sweat. Charlie worked with a kind of reverent attention, taking her time with each motion. Vaggi could feel warmth soothing in a way she hadn't expected.
"Does this hurt?" Charlie asked, her voice barely above a whisper, as she grabbed another dry cloth to wipe away the water.
"You really need to stop asking that question now, babe." She joked, but still smiled at the princess's worry for her. "No, it doesn't, not as it used to."
"Sorry, I can't help it." Charlie smiled back, "I actually think about this sometimes. About taking care of you like this."
"You do?" Vaggi's voice came out rough.
"Mhmm." Charlie said, continuing the gentle movement. "I think about all the ways I get to love you. The big romantic gestures, sure, but also... this. The small stuff."
Vaggi swallowed hard. "Charlie..."
"There." Charlie set the cloth aside and picked up the clean eyepatch, but she didn't immediately move to put it on. Instead, she leaned in and pressed another kiss to the now cleaned area, her lips lingering for a heartbeat. "All better."
When she pulled back, Vaggi caught her wrist. "Thank you," she said, and meant it for so much more than just the cleaning.
Charlie's smile was sincere and warm. She finally secured the fresh eyepatch in place, "Anytime, Vaggi. I mean it." Her fingers gentle as they tied it behind Vaggi's head. "And I love you too, so much."
"Cheesy." Vaggi said with a grin. She leaned in, pressing her lips on Charlie's. "Wanna get some rest? I know you had a long day, too."
"Yeah, we really need some sleep if we want to survive another day like this. Not that I'm complaining." Charlie yawned, then took Vaggi's hand in hers.
Vaggi let herself be pulled toward the pillows. Charlie crawled under the covers and opened her arms expectantly, and Vaggi went to her, settling against her chest with a contentment that felt almost foreign in its completeness.
"Good night, Vaggi."
Charlie's fingers traced idle patterns across Vaggi's back, and in the quiet dim light of their room, Vaggi finally let herself relax. Charlie saw her, all of her, and loved her anyway. In that tender silence, there was no need for words, only the steady rhythm of their breathing, weaving the night into something safe, something whole.
"Good night, Charlie."
Maybe that was enough.