Bites of Dusk and Dawn (daycare attendant x reader one shots)

Nightmare

ARC 3

***

There's water rushing all around you, throwing you from side to side in a mass of black waves. You can't see the surface, and as you try and scream you feel the somehow thick water invade your lungs.

What's happening?! What's going on?!

You claw desperately at your throat, begging the water to let you breathe.

Your gaze flicks around the dark water around you, and despite the blurriness...

You see a huge mass coming at you from the darkness...

"AH—"

You shout, waking up with a loud start. You fly up on your bed, almost falling off it entirely. Next to you, you catch the quick flicker of red, Moon's eyes going wide at the sudden outburst.

He looks worried immediately, sitting up from beside your bed (a little creepy, dude) and leaning over, cupping your face in his hands.

"Hey, hey... it's ok... calm down, it's ok..."

He coos at you gently as you try and calm down your panicked breathing. His arms wrap around you, blue metal glowing a warm colour as his body starts to heat up... "shh... it's ok, it's ok... it was just a nightmare..."

"M- Moon..." you gasp, wrapping your arms around his. You pull him over to you, nuzzling your face into his chassis as his body warms you...

...a brighter red glow emits from his face as you do that, but you don't seem to notice. He hesitates at first, but then his arms wrap around you gently, stroking your hair.*

"Shh, I'm here... I've got you... you're safe..."

"Funny, a few months ago I wouldn't have felt safe in the slightest like this..."

"Hush"

Moon holds you for a while, even after your breathings calmed. You're the one who pulls away, resting your hands on his forearms."Jesus... adult nightmares suck..." you groan.

Moon makes a sound of acknowledgement, not taking his eyes off you for even a second. "Do you... want to talk about it...?" He asks softly, his fingers tapping in a fidget on your waist.

You give a little laugh, looking up at him with an eyebrow raised. "I didn't know you were my therapist, now?"

"I've always been your therapist because you refuse to see a licensed one"

"....got me there, Moon-man..." you sigh, your fingers tightening around his arms for a moment, "I... I was drowning, I think. There... there was only water around me, and I couldn't breathe. Then... I saw something swimming towards me, and I woke up..."

Moon listens to your story intently, tilting his head as you speak until it's completely upside down. When you finally finish, he gums. "You have Thalassophobia"

"...I have fucking what"

Moon grimaces a little at your language, but he doesn't correct you. "Thalassophobia. A fear of deep bodies of water".

"...oh yeah that actually makes sense"

Moon gives his trademarked low chuckle, his head turning back to its upright position. He shifts again, moving to sit beside you on the bed. You keep your eyes on him as he moves, but you don't stop him.

"You should go back to sleep. You're tired." He smiles, placing a finger on your forehead.

"Yeah, yeah... I know..." you sigh, letting him push you back down into your pillow, "goodnight, Moony..."

Moon falls silent for a moment... and then you feel something wrap around your waist. You open your eyes, looking over at him. His red eyes are right next to your face, and he's laying down right beside you. One arm his wrapped around your waist, the other has its hand gently stroking your cheek.

You can't help but turn a little red, blinking at Moon a few times. "...uhm... what are you doing..?"

"Keeping the nightmares away..." Moon mutters, tilting his head at you just slightly.

You give a little laugh, turning so your on your side and facing him. Moon blinks at the movement, but he's quick to settle into it, pulling you close to his chassis. "Goodnight... sweet dreams..." he mutters.