Metanoia.「skephalo」

19 | Cafuné.

"I'm here, little muffin. Everything is okay." the older boy softly whispered, hugging Zak and caressing his back, trying to calm him down after another panic attack caused by the umpteenth nightmare.

The short boy let out small and suffocated whimpers, clenching his hands on Darryl's t-shirt, his watery eyes wide open and his heart racing.

"You're safe now. Follow me and take deep breaths with me, okay?" he asked, without stopping caressing Zak's back.

After a nod in reply, Darryl broke the hug and hold both of the younger boy's hands, and looking at him right in the eyes, he started to slow and deepen his own breathing, followed right after by Zak, who struggled at first but managed to calm down after a few tries.

"You're doing good, lil muffin, you're doing good." he reassured, bringing both hands on his face and carefully wiping his tears away.

Zak looked away from him and let out a long shaky breath, then glanced back at the blonde boy with a mortified and tired look.

"I'm sorry..." he murmured with a hoarse voice, moving his eyes back down.

Wrapping an arm around the short boy waist and slowly leading him back down against his chest, Darryl sighed silently.

"Don't be, everything's okay." he reassured, tenderly running his fingers through Zak's raven hair. "It's not your fault, PTSD is really rough, and I want to help you through it." he continued, smiling at his torso getting wrapped by the Junior's arms. "But I can't do it alone, you need professional help, Zak."

A moment of silence followed his words, and before the short boy spoke up, he adjusted his head on his chest in a more comfortable position, accompanied by a long sigh.

"When Callahan calls, I'll ask him about it." He quietly replied. "But still, I'm sorry i kept you up all night..."

Darryl stared at him without stopping his hands, one still through his raven hair and the other reaching Zak's one, then smiled by himself tiredly.

"Alright, it's time to be honest with you, little muffin." He murmured, sighing quietly. "I have really, really bad insomnia, I barely sleep at night and mostly pass them studying or... Thinking."

The firsts rays of sunshine from the sun peeking in the between of the distant buildings, slowly lit up the surroundings with a pleasant yellowish color.
Letting Darryl's words floating in the air for a pair of seconds, Zak turned on the other side so he could face him, laying his head back down on his chest.

"Really? Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

"It's... stupid." replied, shrugging and restarting to run his fingers through his raven hair.

"It's not." he retorted, his voice peaking and cracking.

Darryl couldn't help but smile at Zak's cuteness, risking to giggle at his voice peaking everytime he talked back at something that wasn't of his liking.

"Don't even try to laugh at my voice cracks!" the short boy squeaked right after noticing his expression altering.

The older boy was now laughing at his tender reaction, so Zak got up from his chest and crossed his arms, forcing a pout, ending up to giggle quietly carried away by Darryl laughter.
It was strange how fast the mood changed, but its was nice it did in a positive way.

"Come here, you muffin!" he exclaimed, wrapping his small body in his arms and laying back down with him, still slightly giggling.

The two were now facing each other, one in the other's arms, Darryl smiled tenderly and gave a small kiss on Zak forehead.