[Shadowhunter] Imagines

Sleep is toxic - Raphael Santiago

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You are a vampire and live at Hotel Dumort. Your nights consist of constant nightmares.

Characters involved: You, Raphael Santiago

Triggers: Nightmares, Insomnia, Anxiety

Request: anonymous

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You were standing in front of the big window in one of the living rooms. The first rays of sun lightened the city up.

You sighed and covered the glass with the thick curtains. Sun wasn't something to experience for you. But you got used to it over time.

All the vampires went to bed... or to their caskets. It was about midnight for them. For them, not for you.

You barely slept. And if someone would think that vampires don't need sleep anyway: They are wrong. Vampires don't need as much sleep as mundanes, but at least every third night is definitely necessary.

But of course it's better to sleep once a night... or day. Because also a vampire needs to have a little break of their thoughts.

You didn't have so much luck. The last time you slept was a week ago. You were restless, afraid, tired and sad at the same time.

Whenever you fell asleep the weeks before, you woke up to terrible nightmares. The topics went from yourself dying, to your family dying, to war, to monsters, blood and pain.

So you simply avoided sleeping and you already felt the effects on your body. You couldn't feed anymore and your body began to get weaker. You had a constant headache and well... actually your whole body ached.

"It's late. Why don't you go to bed?" You turned around when a voice appeared behind you. It was Raphael Santiago, the clan leader.

Not knowing what to answer you decided to give the question back. "Why aren't you in bed?" You rose your eyebrows.

He smiled. "I had a lot of paper work to do. But that doesn't explain why you are still up. What's wrong, Y/N?"

He came closer and laid one of his hands onto your shoulder. You simply shook it off.

"I was actually about to go to bed. Excuse me." You simply said and went back into your room.

You sat down onto your bed and grabbed a book from your nightstand. Well, at least nobody would question in here, why you are still up.

After some pages your eyes began to get heavy. You shook your head and tried to stay awake but it had no use.

Some more pages and you fell into a deep sleep.

"Here we are to say goodbye to a person, who was too young to die. Y/N, a loving daughter/son, a caring sister/brother and a loyal friend. She/He was taken away from her loved ones way too early."

You awoke in darkness. Not able to move. All you heard was the soft sobbing of your mother and father and the crying of your little sibling.

"And so we came together, to guide them on their last way."

You felt like in an elevator and it was going down. You were buried alive.

And then you started the scream but the thick wood of the casket kept your screams in.

"Y/N, hey, come back."

You cried out for your parents, screamed after Mom and Dad.

"Y/N, I'm here."

You cried after your best friends who were watching the casket disappear.

"Y/N, WAKE UP!"

With that you startled and expected your head to bang onto the wood of the casket. But nothing was there.

You found yourself in your room at the Dumort, the light on your nightstand being lit, and Raphael sitting right next to you.

You were panting. The way Raphael looked at you. He seemed to be so worried. You just started to cry.

"Hey, it's okay. Come here." He said softly and embraced you, wrapping an arm around your waist and using his other hand to stroke your head.

"I heard you screaming, so I just had to come over. Sorry that I woke you up. But it's probably better that way." His deep soothing voice calmed the cracks in your soul.

You nodded and pressed your head into the side of his neck, enjoying the feeling of protection.

Just now you realized that he didn't even wear a shirt. You probably woke him up. But he wasn't mad, just worried.

"What was the nightmare about?" Raphael asked calmly.

"I've been buried alive. Once again. Sleep is toxic." You whispered.

"You have those nightmares often? Why haven't you told me? I could have helped you. It's not too uncommon as a vampire. We have a lot to process."

You just nodded once again. By now you were calm again. The presence of Raphael made everything better.

"I'll stay for the night, okay? I can sleep on the sofa over there." He nodded into the direction of the sofa that stood in the corner of you room.

You shook your head no. "Stay here." You said and clung onto him even more, probably looking like a toddler.

He chuckled. "Okay. I'll stay here. I'll protect you of all the bad thoughts and dreams."

With that you both laid down. You put your head onto his warm chest and listened to his breathing. No heartbeat.

"Try to fall asleep again. I'll be there when you wake up."