A year as a Narnian || 365 Narnia one shots (Part one)

87: Stress is a horrible thing

March 28th - Prompt: Stress

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"Ed, why aren't you eating?"

Peter looked up at Lucy's confused voice, turning to Edmund to find him pushing his food around his plate.

Edmund gave Lucy a look (that wasn't at all harsh) of "Thanks a lot lu." before preparing himself for Peter's questioning.

"Ed, you haven't touched it." Peter said.

"I'm - I'm savouring it." Edmund said hesitantly.

Peter raised an eyebrow. "It'll be cold in a minute." He pointed out.

Edmund sighed. "Fine, I'm just not hungry." He said.

"That can't be true." Susan stepped in. "You didn't have anything for lunch."

Now it was Susan's turn for the "thanks a lot" look, and Peter sat up straight in his chair. "Edmund why aren't you eating?" He asked firmly.

Edmund sighed and turned back to Peter. "I'm just not hungry." He said.

Peter stared at him. "You're looking rather pale." He pointed out.

"I'm always pale." Edmund shot back.

"Not this pale." Peter said. "What's going on?"

"Nothings going on." Edmund replied. "I'm perfectly fine."

Peter watched him closely, noticing he was bouncing his leg under the table, and drumming his fingers silently on his knee, almost as if he was anxious, and now he came to think of it, he'd been doing that a lot recently. "If you're fine, then eat." He said.

Edmund swallowed hard, before sighing and eating a fork full of his food, avoiding eye contact with Peter as he ate.

Peter though watched him like a hawk until all the food on the plate was gone.

Edmund placed his knife and fork down and pushed his plate away, taking a deep breath. "Happy?" He choked.

Peter frowned. "I-"

But he was cut off when Edmund stood quickly from the table and ran from the room.

Peter leaped up after him, running off and finding him in the nearest bathroom, leant over the toilet and throwing up what he'd just eaten.

He knelt beside him, brushing his hair back from his forehead and calming him as he threw up, until Edmund leant back against him, sighing.

"I knew you were unwell." Peter sighed.

But Edmund shook his head. "It's not that." He whispered.

Peter frowned. "What do you mean?" He asked.

Edmund sighed, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "I'm just so - so stressed recently." He whispered. "It's nearly been a year since Beruna, I have so much paperwork to do, I'm busy helping plan the celebrations for a year without the witch, I'm trying to settle a case and I can't for the life of me figure out who's in the right. I'm hardly sleeping because I'm so stressed, I can't keep any food down, everything I eat I throw back up again, and I just want it to end."

Peter was shocked. "Ed why didn't you ask for help?" He asked.

"Because you also have a lot of work to do." Edmund told him. "You just apparently handle it better than I do."

"Ed no." Peter said firmly, shaking his head. "I have a lot of paper work yes, but I'm not as anxious as you are, the anniversary of Beruna isn't affecting me as much as it is you, I don't have that case to solve, I've been relieved of any celebration duties due to other things, but you're having to deal with all that all yourself."

Edmund sighed, resting his head against Peter's shoulder. "It's just a little too much." He mumbled.

"A little?!" Peter nearly laughed. "Ed you're so stressed you threw up your food!"

Edmund swallowed hard, but didn't say anything.

"Come on, let's get you into bed." Peter sighed. "You need to sleep, and I'll figure out what to do about all your paperwork, I'm sure I can find some time to help you." He gave Edmund a firm look when he went to argue, and he immediately went silent again. "I'm sure Susan could help you in solving that case, and I'll get you out of party planning."

Edmund smiled weakly. "Thank you." He whispered.

"As for the anniversary of Beruna," Peter said slowly. "Ed, have you been having nightmares?"

Edmund hesitated, but sighed and glanced down. "I had one three nights ago." He whispered.

"Any before that?"

"Two before that." Edmund replied sadly.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Peter sighed. "You know I'm always more than happy to help you after a nightmare."

"I know, but everything I plucked up the courage to say something, you were busy." Edmund explained. "And by the time you weren't I didn't wanna say anything anymore."

Peter bit his lip, taking a deep breath. "Ed, stress is a horrible thing." He said. "Promise me if you're ever this stressed again, which I hope you won't be, that you will come to me for help?"

Edmund nodded slowly. "I promise." He murmured.

Peter smiled. "Thank you." He said gently. "Now come on, you need to get some sleep."

Edmund nodded, not bothering to argue, after all he was extremely tired. "Thanks." He murmured.

Peter placed a kiss to the top of his head. "You don't have to thank me." He told him, before pulling him gently to his feet. "I'm more than happy to help."

Edmund smiled, nodding slowly. "I know." He whispered. "But I still need to thank you."

Peter chuckled gently, brushing Edmunds hair from his forehead. "Alright." He breathed. "Come on then..."

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