MY SPRING, BEGINS

42. Fear of the Unknown

"No! Stop! Daddy!!! Stop it!"

"Baby? Baby, wake up. It's okay. It's okay. Daddy is here. Shh... calm down, na. Daddy is here."

It has been a complete week since the incident happened. The junior was traumatized and he has been having nightmares every single night after that day. The first time he got it was when both he and his lover were at the hospital. The junior was screaming and trashing on bed, waking up the poor injured senior that was suffering from some abdominal pain.

When the first time it happens, the junior begs his lover to not telling his father about it. However... when it happen the next day and the day after that, the senior make a firm decision to let his father-in-law know about those nightmares. Since then, a senior named Phana has become a semi-permanent member of Panitchayasawat household.

Being lovers, there are nothing wrong for them to share a bed together. It wasn't like they haven't done it before. In fact, the senior has spent a few sleepover with his junior inside that house.

But waking up to a screaming boy next to you can get pretty hard over the time. The senior and his father-in-law are worried that the junior would not get much sleep due to his nightmare and has summoned a psychiatrist to help him.

Doctor Rangmongkul is the the doctor that have treated the junior before, even if the latter can't remember him much. Well, the last time he met the doctor was when he's in his berserk state.

The junior agreed to get some treatment, only after realizing his nightmares has also taken a toll on his lover's health. He tries to sleep by himself and asks his lover to sleep at the guest bedroom after he notice the heavy eye bags that the latter have sported every morning, but the junior soon realized that he can't even get a wink of sleep without the comfort of his lover's embrace.

Tonight, is the second to last night before they both were scheduled back to school. The senior's injuries have already healed, minus some faded bruises along his abs. The junior, not having much injuries at the first place apart from some swollen knuckles, have long been healed with some timely compress.

They both were sleeping soundly until the junior start struggling and trashing the bed, movement constricted, as if something holding him down, crying, begging to whomever in his nightmare to just stop. His lover can't do much except from hugging him close, whispering comforting notes, urging the junior to calm down, ensuring that everything is alright.

It didn't take long before the junior slump away, limp within his lover's embrace. The senior keep him within his hug for a few minutes more before slowly releasing him, wiping away his tears and tuck him close to him.

A low knock sounded on the door. Wary of waking up the finally asleep junior, the senior slowly crept out the bed, and open the, only to see his future father in law.

"Did I wake you up?"

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Phana's POV

"No, dad. I'm already awake. He's-"

"He's having another nightmare?"

I can only nod as I step out from Yo's bedroom. I close the door as close as I can be leaving a small gap, just enough for me to see my lover on his bed.

"Come, let's have a drink downstairs."

"But Yo-"

"Don't worry, he usually have those episodes once a night, right? Come."

I glance behind at the slightly ajar door before following my future father-in-law down to the dining room.

Uncle Sun is already there, with a pot of hot coffee, waiting to be served. I guess he wants to have a long talk with me tonight.

"How are you doing, son?"

"As usual, dad."

We both held our silence do a moment more, nurturing the freshly brewed coffee. Unlike me, where I can still hide the strain away from my features, my future father-in-law looks so drained.

Wrinkles are starting to gather more and more with white hairs started to grow every single day. His dark circle are getting worse as his eyebags widen. Like me, he's worrying about Wayo.

"Dad, you should take a rest. You look worse than ever. What would Wayo feel if something happen to you?"

"I can say the same with you, son. You might be younger and stronger than me, but your body will succumb to if you staying up."

Another pregnant silence fill the dining room. It's not that we both are intentionally torturing our body. It's just that... We both are worried about the little one upstairs.

Ever since that incidence, Wayo have been having those nightmares, keeping him awake most night unless me or his dad is beside him. In most days, he only wants me.

"Dad, should we take another leave for Wayo? I can bring away for some time. Maybe, seeing new thing, at a new place, might calm him down."

I throw out a suggestion. I don't think my baby is stable enough for school. He can't even get inside my car for god sake, as he keep remembering how he was attacked on the way to it!

"I've asked him, son. But as you know, he can be so stubborn, when he decided on something. He wants to go to school. So I'm counting on you, Phana."

I lift up my head hearing the desperation in my future father-in-law's voice. I no my head firmly, agreeing to the said responsibility.

"I will take care of him with all my life, dad. I love him. He's my life now."

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It wasn't long until the boy that was left alone woke up, realising nobody is beside him. Tears starts to flow down, fast. But within seconds it stop, the features that was crying was now replace by a sinister look.

"Stop being a wussy, Wayo. You are a grown up. Your man is away? So fucking get up and find him!"

The empty room carries the low whisper away as the boy wipe away his tears and starts to make his way out. He make his way downstairs, following the light that was being lit somewhere. He stops before the hallway, listening to the discussion between his father and his lover.

"See, you are being pathetic and making them worried! Control yourself or I will do it for you!"

The boy is mumbling by himself again, but, again, it doesn't sound like himself, if one cares to listen.

"No, you are scary. Don't take my body, please."

Still talking to himself, his whisper now sounded like himself. He begins to cry again, sobbing softly by the dining room hallway, with both hands covering his mouth as an effort to keep his voice down.

"Then stop crying! And man up! Or I will take over again. This time, it will be for good!"