David Xanatos (![]() ![]() @ 2021-07-14 15:12:00 |
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Entry tags: | gargoyles: david xanatos, tvd: caroline forbes |
Who: Xanatos and Caroline
What: Caroline winds up at Xanatos' hotel room
When: Evening of June 19th
Where: Xanatos' hotel room in Lexington, VA
Rating/warning: Low/discussion of parental death
Status: Complete
Caroline couldn’t sleep. Being in her childhood bedroom was too much. She couldn’t handle all the memories of the life she had here. The life she had with her dad. Without Caroline even realizing what she was doing she was out of bed packing a bag. The clothes she had here were nothing like her wardrobe back home. But it would do for now. She’d have to buy a new dress for the funeral.
The funeral.
Caroline fought back the tears that stung her eyes, continuing to throw clothes in her bag. She threw a coat over her pajamas and then she was ordering an Uber.
Next thing she knew Caroline was at David’s hotel, standing outside his door. Bag in one hand, she knocked with the other.
Xanatos hadn’t wanted to leave Caroline alone, but she was amongst her friends and her family now so he hadn’t felt so bad when he’d taken his leave after the tour of her childhood home, knowing that she’d be safe on her own and knowing that he had business to attend to.
His first stop was to buy a week’s worth of suits. He’d spent almost a full twenty-four hours in the tuxedo he’d been wearing when Caroline got the call, and he was grateful to get out of it. The suits were off the rack, but they were the nicest ones he could find in Lexington and more comfortable than his tux. They’d do for now.
His next stop was to a local computer store, and the employees hadn’t been able to keep the surprise off their faces when he’d dropped several thousand dollars on equipment, and offered them a further $500 to deliver it to his hotel room as soon as possible.
He’d spent most of the evening setting everything up, ordering a sandwich from room service when he couldn’t ignore the hunger anymore. It was late when he’d finally finished, and he was glad for the chance to take a shower once it was all done.
He’d just stepped out of the shower and was towelling off his hair when he heard a knocking at his door, and he frowned. He wrapped a towel loosely around his waist, and draped the towel he’d been using on his hair over his shoulders, the ends of hanging down over either of his still-glistening pecs, the red X of his mark covered completely.
He shouldn’t have been surprised to see Caroline on the other side of the door when he opened it - it wasn’t like he knew anyone else in Lexington - but he was. “Caroline!” he exclaimed, stepping to the side so she could come in. “What are you doing here?”
Caroline hadn’t been expecting David to answer the door practically naked. Even in her despair she couldn’t help but notice how attractive he was. Her eyes wandered over his muscles, those abs, and the way his skin was still glistening from the shower.
“Oh,” Caroline finally began. “Uh, hi,” she said. And for the briefest of moments she forgot that her dad died. All she could think about was David and what it would be like to run her hands over those muscles.
But his question brought her back to reality. Back to the moment. “I couldn’t sleep,” she finally said as she stepped inside, bag still in hand. “There’s just too much to remind me of…” her voice trailed off, lump forming in her throat. “Do you think I could… stay here?”
Xanatos paused at the question, not just because he wasn’t dressed yet, or because he hadn’t thought to purchase pyjamas - something he’d have to rectify in the morning, unless he got the concierge to run out and get him unobtrusively. But because there was only one bed in the bedroom. He could have a cot brought up, but he wouldn’t suggest that Caroline would sleep on it, and he wasn’t especially fond of the idea himself.
Sacrifices would have to be made, he supposed. When his mother had died, he’d slept in his father’s bed for a week.
“Of course,” he said, closing the hotel room door behind him. “Make yourself comfortable. I’ll go get dressed.”
“Thanks,” Caroline said, walking further into his room. If she was in a better state of mind, one where she was up for their usual banter she would have made some sort of comment about him not needing to change. But the words weren’t coming to her.
“Okay,” she finally said, setting down her bag. While David went to change she removed her coat, revealing a pair of old gym shorts that were a bit too short for her now, and a ratty t-shirt. It was the closest thing she had to pajamas herself. She set her coat on the back of the couch before taking a seat on the couch while she waited for David.
Xanatos grabbed one of his new suits and his cellphone on his way to the bathroom, and while he slipped into his clothes he placed a call to the front desk to ask for a pair of pyjamas to be delivered to his room at their earliest convenience.
He emerged again a moment later, shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows, took a moment to admire Caroline’s long legs, and then sat down next to her on the couch. He raised an arm, giving Caroline the option to settle in underneath it. “Have you managed to eat anything today?” he asked.
Caroline took a moment to take in David’s outfit. She missed practically naked David already. But this seemed like an odd choice. “Do you alway sleep in suits?” He had that night at her place too. When they had slept on the couch. Granted, that was all Tom had brought over for him after his kidnapping but still…
Then she remembered he had been in a tux earlier. And it wasn’t like he was at home. Where had the suit even come from? It hadn’t occurred to her that he had gone shopping since she had last seen him. A lot of things hadn’t occurred to her.
Caroline curled up against David, tucking her feet under her as she settled into his arms. “I’m not hungry.”
“Only when I have nothing else to wear,” Xanatos said, brushing a stray strand of her hair from her forehead once she’d settled against him. “I’ll hopefully have a set of pyjamas before we turn in.”
He frowned at her answer. She might not have answered him directly, but what she said answered the question well enough. “Your choices are soup or sandwich,” Xanatos said, pulling out his phone. Partly because he hadn’t memorized the room service menu, and partly because he didn’t think Caroline would accept a heavier meal or a full entreé. “I had their turkey club earlier this evening and it wasn’t bad.”
“You looked pretty good in that towel,” Caroline replied, attempting a grin, though it was half hearted. And even in her grief she knew he couldn’t sleep in a towel. She couldn’t handle being so close to him when he was practically naked for an entire night.
Caroline didn’t have it in her to argue with David. “That’s fine,” she replied. Nothing sounded appetizing to her right now, but she supposed she could least try a bite of the turkey club. Her stomach did growl now that they were talking about food, but she also felt nauseous.
“I’m sure you’d look better,” Xanatos said. No, if he’d had to remain in the towel next to Caroline all night, he’d get very little sleep.
He was on the phone with the front desk again, this time ordering Caroline a turkey club, and once he hung up his attention was on her. “Did you get to see many of your friends today?” he asked her after a moment. “Or was it mostly just family?”
“You’re probably right,” Caroline replied, this time managing a full grin this time. It was definitely the right choice coming to see David. He knew how to take her mind off of things.
“A few,” Caroline replied looking up at David. “The rest called. They’ll be in town for the funeral though,” she paused, swallowing the lump in her throat at that thought. “So I guess you’ll meet them then?” she asked her eyes questioning. “I mean, if you can stay?”
Xanatos couldn’t help but grin at her. He supposed he couldn’t blame her for her lack of observation; she had a lot on her mind just now. He gestured behind them at the elaborate set-up he’d spent the afternoon putting together. “I’ve already made arrangements to spend as much time as you need me to here. I’m afraid I’ll have to do some work in the evenings and the afternoons when you can spare me, but I’m prepared to spend some time here.”
Caroline pulled away from him for a moment, adjusting her body so she could see what he was referring to. “You did all that?” she asked, eyes wide. “How did you even know I would want you to stay?” she asked, right back into teasing him as usual. Her life may be a complete mess right now, but at least being around David she felt somewhat like her usual self.
“It hadn’t even crossed my mind that you might ask me to leave,” he said, easily, the implication clear enough: she didn’t have to ask him to stay; she’d have to tell him to leave. “Have I worn out my welcome already? I suppose I could return all this…”
He wouldn’t. That seemed like a hassle, and it wasn’t like he’d even noticed the cost. The hotel could do with this equipment what it wanted once he’d left.
“Don’t you dare,” Caroline replied, settling back against him. “I need you here,” her voice softened, the lump forming back in her throat. All this felt unreal. How could her dad be gone? But the one thing she knew was that she didn’t want to be here, dealing with all this, without David.
Xanatos wrapped his arm around her again, pulling her close against him. “Then here I’ll be,” he said softly.
He frowned when there was a knock at his door, before he recalled his earlier order for the sandwich and his clothes. He gave Caroline’s shoulder a squeeze before he got up, making his way first to his wallet, then gave the concierge at the door a $50 tip for the pyjamas - soft cotton, navy blue and pinstriped - and the room service. He brought the sandwich to Caroline, placing it on the end table beside the couch, instructed her to eat, and then went into the bathroom to change.
Caroline managed a few bites of the sandwich before setting it aside. She really didn’t have an appetite. But she knew David wouldn’t leave her alone until she ate something.
“You know,” Caroline said, setting he barely eaten sandwich aside when David came out of the bathroom. “This might be the first time I haven’t seen you in a suit or tux,” she paused briefly. “Other than the day I convinced you to wear jeans.” Her face flushed for a moment at the memory of that day. Because damn he was hot. But not just that, there had also been a few moments that day.
Xanatos’ gaze fell immediately to the sandwich, and he frowned. Appetite or not, Caroline would need what energy she could get for the coming days and he debated telling her to finish her meal. After a moment, he decided that it wasn’t an argument to have this evening, but he’d make sure she’d eat a full meal in the morning.
He let himself process what Caroline had just said.
“You’re one of the few who has,” he said, shooting her a smile. “You’re definitely the only person who’s seen me in cotton pinstripe in the last twenty-or-so years. It’s not my typical go-to sleepwear, but I suppose it’ll do in a pinch.”
She couldn’t ignore the warm feeling she got knowing that she was the only one that got to see him in more relaxed clothing. Not to mention the implication that there wasn’t anyone he spent nights with that saw him in his pajamas. Even if he mentioned it wasn’t his usual sleep attire. The fact that no one else saw him in anything other than a suit still implied the no one sleeping over thing… unless he slept naked.
Now that was a thought. And something Caroline tried her best not to picture.
“Oh?” she asked, raising a brow. “And what is your typical sleepwear?”
Xanatos did typically sleep naked. He spent a lot of money on his sheets, and what was the point of doing that if he wasn’t going to take full advantage of it? But he did have a few sets of pyjamas for when that wasn’t appropriate.
“I’m sure you’d like to find out,” he teased. “I have a few sets of silk pyjamas,” he added after a moment. “They’re quite comfortable.”
He frowned at her plate, the teasing over. “I wish you’d finish your meal,” he said after a moment. “You’ll need the energy. But if you can’t, we should probably turn in. You’ll have a long day ahead of you tomorrow.”
Caroline didn’t have a quick response. Because well, she would indeed like to find out. Plus her brain wasn’t exactly at one hundred percent at the moment to come up with her usual quips.
She also ignored the comment about eating more. She didn’t have an appetite and it seemed like David was going to drop it anyway.
“I guess I am pretty tired,” Caroline replied. It had been over 24 hours since she last slept. Probably the same for David too, unless he took a nap that afternoon while she was busy with family.
She got up from the couch, stretching her arms over her head, her shirt rising up exposing some of her stomach in the process. “What side are you sleeping on?” It really didn’t matter much to her. Plus she had crashed his hotel room. He should at least get to choose what side of the bed he wanted.
Xanatos hesitated. He’d slept side-by-side with Caroline before, though then they’d been sitting on a couch, and this felt different. But he wasn’t about to demand that she sleep on the couch, and he most definitely wasn’t going to sleep on the couch, so he walked to the bed, pulled down the sheets on the left side, and climbed in.
It wasn’t nearly as comfortable as his own bed, and the sheets were definitely not up to his usual standard - his staff would often bring his own sheets when he travelled somewhere and would make the hotel beds before he’d arrive - but as far as hotel beds went, it wasn’t so bad.
Caroline followed him over to the bed, climbing in next to him. She started off facing the wall, her back to him. But after awhile of not being able to sleep she rolled over and without hesitation she rested her head on his chest.
Xanatos was likewise having troubles sleeping. Caroline may not have been touching him, and there may have been space between them, but he was still hyper-aware of her presence there beside him. He had his head pillowed on his hands and was staring up at the ceiling, half-convinced that Caroline was already asleep.
And then she rolled over and her head was on his breast, and he could feel his chest tighten at the sensation, his heart skipping a beat even if his expression didn’t show it. He glanced down at her, and then after a moment, removed his right hand from under his head and wrapped it around her shoulders.
Even if it had shown on his face, Caroline wouldn’t have seen it from the darkness of the room and where her head was placed on his chest. She did hear it though. This time she didn’t mention it, she knew what it was and why it was happening. Her own heart skipped a beat at the thought. Once his heart started beating normally again Caroline listened to it. The sound, along with David’s arm around her, finally soothed her to sleep.