Thunder (G/T P!Septiplier)

Autochthlon

By the time the lavender bloom of dusk set upon the mountainous horizon, the village huts were all deftly set up, and everyone settled in for a good night's rest. Amy and Mark kept their fire pit on a low glow as rosy purple turned to inky blue; not bright enough to burn the whole place down while smoldering them, but just strong enough to make the shadows dance and warm tongues lick the cold air, so that Jack could rest safely tonight. There was no storm expected, only a clear night sky with the glittering spirits of the ancestors, and the scalding eye of the moon beaming upon the glistening snow. It was a peaceful, soothing night, the perfect weather to cuddle up under a blanket or with your mate.

So Mark was confused when he found himself waking.

At first, he lay there in the quiet darkness, hearing only the chirrups of nighttime birds and bugs, and of course a melodic howl far off in the echoes of the crystalized woods. But then he heard a more immediate sound, which roused him from his sleep. He sat up and turned to Jack's nest, and sure enough he saw the human fidgeting under the covers. The warrior let out a soft sigh. Poor thing. He scooted over to the nest and reached in, sushing softly as Jack whimpered again and shied away from his touch.

"It's alright, it's okay... shh... câlmé, câlmé..." He stroked the small man's head as Jack trembled and panted with fear. His chest heaved faster, and then his eyes suddenly flew open as he sat up with a sharp gasp. Mark quickly retracted his hand, but only so the human could take a few seconds to wake up. His little lithe shoulders shook as he looked around with wide frightened eyes, clearly unsettled by the surrounding darkness.

"It's alright, líten häna," Mark took a chance and whispered comfortingly. His hand approached again, but stayed at the edge of the nest when he noticed Jack flinch. He sighed sympathetically, remembering his troubled nights when he was younger; it was hard to wake up and remember your father was gone, and that you'd never get to hear his voice or feel his touch or smell him ever again. How he missed him...

Perhaps the same had happened to Jack. Mark wasn't sure, but clearly this was more than just a nightmare. His Harmony was unbalanced somehow, plagued by evil spirits that taunted him of past events. How much had the little guy gone through before he fell from the stars?

Mark gently shook his head and moved his hand. The whimpery breaths only got faster as he carefully scooped Jack out of the sea of blankets and pulled him up into the air. He used two hands to transport the human and leaned back, resting him against his chest. Initially, Jack squirmed in protest, fighting weakly against the movement, but after the rollar coaster ride stopped he seemed to settle down. Mark exhaled, letting his thumb ruffle through the human's messy mop of hair. He slowly rocked side to side, moving his thumb down lower to rub circles into Jack's back as he continued to softly hush his whimpers. It took a few minutes, but eventually the shaking and gaspy breaths subsided. Mark smiled a little, relieved to sense these bad signs taper off, and he tilted his hand back a little to check on the human himself. Jack was leaning into the plush flesh that made up his fingers, rubbing his eyes tiredly with one hand while the other was folded tightly against his chest.

"Better?" Mark rumbled. Jack looked up at him, and the giant realized that his eyes were red and puffy, and his cheeks glistened with salty water. His huge heart fluttered with sympathy, and he held the little guy in a gentle huggle again. "It's okay," he murmured quietly. "You don't have to be afraid... It's alright... I've got you." He didn't have to wait long to hear more virulent whimpering from his cupped hands. He sighed and continued rocking, murmuring softly into the chilly darkness of the hut. The fire was getting really low, but he wasn't going to risk removing a hand from Jack just to relight it. He needed it more than the firepit did anyway.