𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭 ~ 𝐄𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧

𝐓𝐞𝐧

A scream. Harsh, throat rawing, scream interrupts Chris's train of thought and he freezes. He listens for another, to make sure he wasn't hearing things. Another. This time louder than before, cutting the persons throat.

Seb.

Chris throws the covers back and swings his legs over the side of his bed, walking at a fast pace towards the living area. The screams wouldn't stop, and Chris was beginning to feel tears well up in his eyes, fearful of what he was about to see.

He walks through the doorway, finding Sebastian on the couch, thrashing in his sleep.

"Pl-please-" he mumbles softly, Chris almost missing it. "D-Dont.. n-not again.."

Chris grabs ahold of his shoulders, giving them a gentle shake in attempt to awake the sobbing boy. It doesn't work and Chris opts for something different. "Seb?" He whispers, rubbing his hand up and down Sebastian's side. "It's just a nightmare, Seb. You're okay. I'm right here."

Sebastian seems to calm at the words and cracks open his eyes, releasing a small sob. Chris gathers him into his arms, rocking them back and forth.

"Shh." Chris mumbles, rubbing circles in Sebastian's back, biting his lip at the harsh wrack of sobs and hiccups that echo throughout the room. "Shh, your safe, your safe."

Sebastian shakes his head against Chris's shoulder, gripping tightly at the fabric of his shirt. "N-no." He whispers. "N-no- I'm n-not."

"Sebastian, listen to me." His voice is stern, no shake, no crack. It frightened Sebastian. "You are okay. It was all just a nightmare, yeah? Your here with me, in my arms, safe. Nothing can hurt you."

Sebastian sniffles. "O-okay." He says it to please Chris. To help ease his panic. He doesn't believe it though. His dad was going to hurt him when he goes home. He wasn't safe, nor was he okay. Chris is going to forget he spent the last week with him. Is going to leave him behind. Make him suffer once more.

Chris pulled him onto his lap and wrapped his arms around his waist. For a moment Sebastian stiffened and tried to pull away, and Chris thought he may have taken it too far, too soon, but then Sebastian was sobbing into Chris's neck.

"I'm sorry— I'm so sorry-"

"Shh." He whispers softly, rubbing gentle circles on Sebastian's back. "It's okay. Everything's okay. I'm not going to leave you."

They stayed like that until Sebastian's sobs quietened into small sniffs. Chris pulls away, his face softening at the wide eyed expression on Sebastian's tear stained face. "I'm going to pick you up and take you over to the bed, okay?" He says softly, doing just that once Sebastian gave a small nod and fell into him.

Chris carried him carefully toward his bed, pulling back the covers with one hand and holding the trembling boy with the other. Sebastian allowed himself to be slipped into the covers, grabbing tightly at Chris's wrist as he pulled Sebastian into his chest from behind.

"Your okay, I'm right here." He soothes, gently combing his fingers through Sebastian's hair. "I'm not going anywhere."

Soon the air was filled with Sebastian's calm, easy breaths, his eyes fluttered shut and lashes still clamped with tears. Chris gently brushed his thumb across Sebastian's red cheeks, ridding the tears and sighing.