Goodnight - John Constantine

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Summary: When your partner is haunted by as many demons as John is, and carries too much weight on his shoulders, you learn to take the little moments as they come. Nobody ever promised love would be easy – in fact, it had been explicitly stated from the time that you were little that it took work. So, when you get a quiet moment, one where Constantine comes through the door before collapsing into bed, you cherish it.

Notes: Requested by @bellagomez-barriga (on Tumblr). I used Prompt #25, "good night kisses", from the prompt list "a hundred different kisses." It was just a request for some general fluff for Constantine – I tried, I do love this mess of a man, but I don't know much about him.

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The fleeting form of sleep was softly leaving your mind single file. The was no abrupt wake-up call, no banging at the doors and windows, or a crack of thunder. In fact, the room you had been sleeping in just moments ago remained as silent and lonely as it had been when you had finally laid down for a nap.

With a grumble you reached forward, bleary-eyed, before knocking the phone on the nightstand closer. You didn't think before clicking it on – quick to close your eyes and shield your head from the onslaught of white light. When a minute had passed you finally peaked at the screen. It was 10 at night. Well past sunset and well past the alarm you had set. You figured that you had silenced it one too many times, only thankful that you had nothing else to do for the rest of the day.

But that still left the matter of what had woken you.

It had not been your body, which argued against every movement of yours as you sat up, scanning the dark room for anything different.

Still nothing seemed to step forward from the shadows. No demon or apparition appeared before you. Not that it would feel too out of left field considering the things you had seen since Constantine had become a more permanent fixture in your life.

Your wondering did not continue for much longer when you heard the bedroom door creak open and a slouched body shuffled through the door.

John had certainly endured better days, you noted, before the man of the hour himself fell face first onto the bed.

A moment passed in utter silence before he shifted onto his side, one hand reached out to rest on your leg. Like he was making sure that you were really there beside him.

Gently you reached down and took his hand in your own, giving it a squeeze.

The cold outside must have been unforgiving, because you could feel how the chill of the air had sapped away any warmth he had. Something you made a note to remedy with thick covers and cuddles, if he was in the mood.

It was his voice that broke the silence that enveloped you both. "Did I wake you, love?"

"I'm not sure, something did – but I was overdue to wake up from my nap anyways," you cooed, reaching out to push shaggy blonde hair away from his face.

It was almost painfully obvious how the day had worn on him. It had been a rougher one then, though you were sure he would try to spare you the details instead. Skin still ice to the touch, fingers barely wrapped around your own. You could bet his coat was soaked through as well. Even his hair was damp from the slowly rolling rain that had been making its way into town for the larger part of the day.

But none of that mattered when Constantine seemed to melt under your touch, content to lay in the bed with your hands in his hair.

You didn't have the heart to chastise him for soaking the covers. You could always pull out another set, or bundle up together on the dry side of the bed when he was finally changed. Still, it couldn't be comfortable to be so cold, and warmth would make itself at home faster when he was in something dry. "John?"

There was a half-hearted grumble in response before he opened his eyes to look at you.

"Come on, let's get you into something warmer." Gently you stood, trying to pull the tired sorcerer up with you. It was a challenge, he certainly didn't want to move, but it wasn't anything that a few quick pleas and a pair of puppy dog eyes couldn't fix.

It seemed to work enough though, because once he was up and moving, John made quick work of changing into something more comfortable – even if you had interrupted him by throwing a fluffy towel directly at his head in a silent request to dry off.

Minutes later John made his way back into the bed, pulling you against his chest. His eyes were closed, and for a moment you thought he was asleep before he spoke once more. "You're staring."

"You're attractive."

You could hear the amused huff and see the quirk of a smile resting on just the edge of his lips.

You had gotten quite good at shooting back compliments. And while the first few might have caught him off guard, he had grown accustomed to the comments by now. Though he would never admit that in front of anyone else.

Moments like this – where the world was quiet, and you had John in arm's length without the weight of a life on his shoulder – when everything was finally still. They were a rare commodity. And one that you cherished greatly. And it wasn't always easy, John could be brash or a little too full of himself. The two of you still fought. You still woke up alone maybe more often than you wanted.

But minutes like this, where you could feel his heartbeat under your hand, and see some of that responsibility finally melt away. They made every challenge the two of you had faced seem minuscule.

Nothing worth fighting for was ever easy, but loving him was easy enough. At least to you.

You could hear his breathing beginning to even out – he wasn't asleep yet, but he would be soon. You could go for a round two of napping yourself, especially with him by your side.

Gently, trying your best not to startle him, you pushed forward, placing a kiss against his lips. He responded lazily, opening his eyes to look at you as you settled back into your spot. "Goodnight."

He paused for a moment before you felt his arm tighten around you. "Goodnight, love." 

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