Skyrim One-Shots (FT: My Travellers Of Tamriel)

Miraak has a Nightmare

Erlirria awoke with dreary eyes, looking up to Aetherius to glimpse the stars. Around her, the group slumbered peacefully, dreaming.

All except one...

To her left lay the shivering figure of one of her companions.
Miraak.

His body convulsed and twitched, legs drawn up into his arms in a foetal position.
He had yet to remove his mask, sleeping with it on.

Though if Erlirria had to guess...
She would say he was likely crying under there.

She sat up, approaching his side and kneeling.
Erlirria reached out a clawed hand in an attempt to wake him up, though it was quickly caught.
Miraak stopped shuddering as his grip tightened on her wrist, his breathing ragged and uneven.

"Hey- hey, it's ok." Erlirria comforted. "It's just me."
Miraak seemed to regard her for a moment before turning back over.
He let go of her wrist, letting her check to see if he had injured it with how tight his grip had been.

No, she was fine.

"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked.
Miraak sighed, curling up on his bedroll further.
"No." He said firmly.

Erlirria furrowed her brow.
"Can I ask why?"
Miraak seemed to relax, turning his head back to her.

"Do I need a reason?"
"No, no. Of course not, it's just Khajiit curiosity I suppose."
Miraak yawned and sat up, looking around at the rest of the group.

He turned back to her.
"Why aren't you asleep?"
"I've always been a light sleeper, plus you looked like you were having a nightmare."

"So... you got up to check?" He asked.
Erlirria raised one eyebrow.
"Yeah? Is that so hard to believe?" She asked.

Miraak seemed to choke on his own breath for a moment before turning away.
"I-I mean..." he stuttered.
Erlirria simply smiled.

"Look, I won't force you to talk about it. But I'm gonna move my bedroll a bit closer, just in case you have another one."
Miraak watched as the Khajiit did just that, pushing her bedroll ever so closer to his and laying down on it.
She turned to him.

"If you need me, shake me, and I'm up." She held out a hand with her pinkie extended.
"Promise you will if you have another?" She asked.
Miraak looked at her hand for a moment, then reached up his hand.

But, instead of locking pinkies with her, he pushed his fingers into hers, interlocking them.
He simply nodded his head, without uttering a word.

That was enough.