Game of Thrones - One Shots/Imagines (Completed)

Sandor Clegane X Baratheon!Reader - Zombie

A/N - Following the death of Dolores O'Riordan of The Cranberries the song 'Zombie' has been in my head non-stop. It has some really powerful lyrics when you stop and listen, and Dolores was an incredible lyricist. This is a super short imagine but it was what came to mind when listening to the song.

You shifted slightly in your bed, turning over to look at the empty spot where your husband was supposed to be. You had always known that most nights Sandor would disappear from your bed whilst you slept but you were still unsure of why he struggled to sleep beside you. You quickly slipped out of the covers, grabbing your robe and pulling it tightly around your body before crossing the room as quietly as possible. He had left the door slightly ajar and you managed to slip through the gap, pausing when you saw him slumped in a chair at the dinner table. His head was pressed into his hands and you could hear nothing but his ragged breathing as you stood in silence watching his unshifting form for a moment.

"Sandor?" you started, finally taking a few tentative steps towards him and causing him to sit upright at the table. "What are you doing up so late?" you continued and he shrugged, not turning to face you. Instead, you closed the distance between you and moving to sit in the chair opposite him. "I miss having someone to share my bed with," you muttered, reaching across the table to take his hand in yours.

"I won't be long; go back to bed," he uttered, but his voice wobbled slightly as he spoke, causing you to furrow your brows as he pulled his hand from under your own.

"Will you please tell me what is going on?" You watched as Sandor's eyes fluttered closed for a moment before opening to look at you.

"I can't help but see them all," he muttered, his rough voice turning to that of a child.

Your face contorted with confusion, eyes still focused on him. "Who?"

"The people I killed," he paused for a moment. "I can hear them crying for mercy." You felt your heart falter as he spoke. Sandor had lived a very different life when he had served your family, but he had always refused to speak about it with you, no matter how often you had asked him to.

"Father used to have night terrors after the war," you murmured softly. "He said that the worst wound you could get in battle was a mental one," you added and Sandor nodded at you. "Do you want to tell me about it?"

"You don't want to hear about my night terrors; they'd give you terrors of your own," he grunted, moving his hand back to yours and giving it a gentle squeeze. You nodded slightly before getting to your feet and crossing around the table to stand behind him, your hands playing gently with his hair.

"No stories then, perhaps we could just sit together?" Sandor nodded, leaning back so that the back of his head pressed against your stomach. "It never rains forever, Sweetness. We'll get through this," you hummed to him and you saw a small smile grace his lips as your fingertips ran softly over the scarred skin of his cheek.

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