(June '17) Prompt #2 - "Wake My Dreams"

[.Karma.]

June's 2nd prompt is "Wake My Dreams"

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[ArtisticVicu]

He jerked awake, choking on a sob and a wave of nausea as he shoved himself upright. The room was cold and the bed felt even colder as he struggled to free himself from the confines of the blankets. The room was tiny, even smaller with a roommate in the opposite bed, and he tried to swallow down on the growing nausea.

It didn't work very well and he found himself panting over the toilet, his entire body shaking. He heard grumbling at the door as he quickly flushed the toilet, reaching for something to wipe his face off with.

There was a dull thudding against the door as his roommate knocked on the door. "Ya alright in there, sweetcheeks?" his roommate ground out, half asleep and irritated.

"Yeah, sorry," he responded automatically, cleaning himself up. "Must have eaten something bad last night."

There was silence on the other side of the door and he briefly wondered if his roommate had fallen asleep standing up. Wouldn't be the first time that-

"Ya sure it ain't yer dream?" The hesitant question threw him off and he stared at the bathroom door, not sure what to do. "I-ah, I woke up to yer sobbin'." Embarrassment burned his cheeks as he glared down at the towel in his clenched fists. His roommate wasn't done yet, it would seem. "For the-er, 18th day in'a row."

Self loathing washed over him as he glared at the door. "Mind your own business," he snapped, regretting the words instantly. Oh how he wanted comfort.

"A'right, A'right. Jeez." His roommate turned away and grumbled, "Was just try'n'a help."

The anger died rather quickly, leaving him freezing cold. Shivering so much his teeth were chattering, he clenched his jaw and returned to bed.

He couldn't get warm and apparently him trying to be quiet didn't work as his roommate grumbled, "You've gotta be kiddin' me."

There was the sound of movement but he kept his face towards the wall till he felt his mattress dip and strong, unfamiliar arms wrapped around him. He gave a squawk and tried to move away but his roommate was far stronger than he was and a furnace at his back. His body automatically relaxed into his roommate to his embarrassment.

"Good," his roommate seemed to growl. "Now go ta sleep, will ya? I have a early mornin'."

His roommate was out like a light, leaving him to stress it all even as sleep overtook him.

He woke up gasping. He threw the covers off, stumbling as he scrambled to get out of the bed. He hit the wall on his way to the door and the thud woke his partner.

"Baby?" a groggy call from the bed as he disappeared into the bathroom.

The sound of retching filled the small space.

His entire body was shaking as the last of the dry-heaving subsided. There hadn't been much in his stomach to begin with and he was grateful his body had stopped trying to expel something that wasn't there. He leaned against the toilet, his shaking body too exhausted to move much more than that.

Familiar hands gently pulled at his torso.

"Hey, sweetheart, come on. I need you to lean back for me."

He complied, flinching as the toilet flushed. He opened his eyes, looking up at his partner. Most would not be able to comprehend the concerned look on such a gruff face but he took total and complete comfort in it. He closed his eyes and leaned his head on his partner's shoulder. A warm washcloth passed over his face and he let it, too tired for much else. That and his partner seemed to be a wonderful source of heat to his suddenly frigid body and it was making it hard to even think.

"Sweetheart, are you ok if I move us back to the bed? You're freezing."

He hummed an affirmation, unable to nod or even voice that it was ok. Strong arms slipped under him and his partner lifted him with ease. The humiliation would come after he wasn't feeling so horrible.

The sheets were cold and he moaned in discomfort. He partner was beside him not a moment later, situating them so that they were in the middle of the mattress with the blanket pulled up so high around him that the only thing exposed was his face. He hummed in tired content as his partner's body heat filled the blankets with delightful warmth. Those same strong arms wrapped around him and he fell asleep engulfed in warmth.

He woke to his partner's soft touch rousing him. He blinked up at his partner's gruff face, watching as a soft smile pulled at the lips. "Hey, sweetheart. You feelin' up to some food?"

he blinked slowly, trying to wake up enough to process that question. When it registered, he nodded. His partner reached down and helped him sit up against the headboard, the blanket still securely wrapped around him. A tray was placed over his lap holding a light breakfast. His partner settled in beside him, a hardier breakfast on their plate.

Breakfast was a quiet endeavor till his partner inquired near the end, "Same dream?"

He froze, spoonful hanging over the bowl. It was telling enough as his partner seemed to deflate a little. "Damn," his partner ground out, though they were gentle with putting their plate aside. "Sweetheart, you've really aught to talk ta someone about it. You've been having that dream since we were roommates."

He lowered his spoon still full back into the bowl. "I can't."

"Why not?"

The question was soft, curious, and clearly allowing for him to choose whether or not he was going to answer. He answered it because he felt his partner needed to know. "Because I don't want to talk about what I've been dreaming. I don't want to have to explain to another person what I've witness and see the pity in their eyes. I don't want....I don't....."

He swallowed thickly. "I don't want them to wake my dreams into something worse because of pills or because of their words. They're already bad enough when they happen."

"But they're becomin' more frequent again, sweetheart," his partner pointed out. "And this time it ain't associated with a date or nothin'."

He rubbed at his face, not wanting to admit that his partner was right. He sighed, leaning sideways till his side was flush with his partner and his head was on the other's shoulder. A strong arm wrapped around him. "If this continues for a week straight, I'll go see whoever you want."

His partner relaxed. kissing his hair. "Thank you, sweetheart."