Mark Me Yours [Omegaverse]

Strengthening Bonds

Even fast asleep, Michael wasn't letting him go. Edwardo shifted slightly to get more comfortable, and Michael changed positions too. They were in the master bedroom, and Michael had refused to lay down until Edwardo was in the bed with him.

Eddie didn't mind. Cuddling was a great way to spend an afternoon, and if it helped Michael get the sleep he so desperately needed, then all the better. Essie had joined them too of course, making the three of them a 'Michael Sandwich.' He couldn't tell how long they'd been laying there, but Edwardo knew that he and Essie had chased away a few nightmares already. He alternated between rubbing Michael's back and stroking Michael's hair, and when Michael started to get restless he'd give him a squeeze and hum a few bars of a lullaby.

Edwardo couldn't let himself fall asleep yet, either. Cozy as things were, if he took a nap now, he wouldn't be able to get to sleep later, and he wouldn't be as rested as he needed to be for work tomorrow. Still, despite circumstances, this was nice. Michael smelled like his shampoo, and was practically stuck to him like Velcro. In his arms, Michael was getting restless again.

Edwardo tried soothing him again, but it wasn't working this time. Michael started making whimpering noises as he desperately tried to fight off... something.

"Stop..." Michael mumbled, struggling against Edwardo's embrace. "Stop...! Stop... laughing...!"

"Michael.. Mi Dolcito wake up. It's just a dream, nobody's laughing at you. Wake up."

Edwardo tried shaking Michael's shoulders gently, trying to snap him out of the nightmare. Even Essie was getting worked up, woofing softly at the commotion.

"Stop... laughing...! STOP!"

Michael sat bolt upright, struggling to catch his breath as beads of sweat formed on his brow. For a moment he couldn't figure out where he was. It was dark. Warm... Soft... Was someone calling his name?

"Michael, you're okay. It was just a nightmare, I promise." Edwardo reached out and pulled Michael into his chest. "It was just a bad dream. You're safe here. You're okay."

Slowly Edwardo's words soaked in as Michael finished waking up. It was just a dream, that same nightmare he'd been having since Ryan's accident. He was in Edwardo's bed, not in a warehouse. There were no piles of boxes with shoes sticking out, no puddles of blood, no laughing bystanders... He was in Edwardo's bed, with Edwardo. Essie was here too. He could feel her licking his hand. He wasn't in that warehouse anymore. He wasn't trapped in that moment right now.

Edwardo started stroking Michael's hair. "Mi Dolcito, it was just a dream. Do you want to tell me what's wrong? Do you need to talk about it?"

Michael yielded to Edwardo's embrace, letting himself relax. He shook his head. It wasn't like Eddie could magically make the bad dreams disappear. Sure, when they first started dating he was distracted enough they went away most nights, but it was stupid to think he was still bothered by what happened when he wasn't even the one who got hurt. And in a few days when the court case started, he would have the opportunity to make sure the people who did it end up behind bars for a very long time...

"Michael, I can tell this is bothering you a lot. It's clearly bothering you enough to affect your health. Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?"

Michael shook his head again. "You'd think I'm crazy..."

Edwardo tilted Michael's chin up so he could look him in the eye. "I have never once thought you were crazy and I'm certainly not going to start now. It hurts me to know that you're hurting. If there's anything I can do to help, then I want to do it. Even if it's just you telling me what's bothering you. If you don't want to tell me, then I have no problem paying for a therapist, but you have to talk to somebody. You can't possibly handle everything on your own all the time."