#coroika aviators

Avi was... a heavy sleeper, to say the least. He could sleep through anything. Just... not this.

He heard yelling, much louder than the screams of Army or Mask when nightmares plagued them. He jolted awake, and instantly turned to his side. "Babe?"

Skull was tossing and turning, muttering and even yelling somewhat in his sleep. "N-no, please... p-please get me out of h-here..."

Avi's eyes widened, and he turned on the lamp before placing his hand on Skull's shoulder. "Skull. Skully, wake up!"

Nothing happened for a moment, and then, with a scream, Skull sat up, eyes wide and his skin shimmering with sweat. "W-what..."

"Hey, Skull, everything alright?" Avi asked, hugging him tightly. "You woke up screaming..."

"I d-did?"

Avi nodded, kissing his forehead. "Yeah... Did you have another nightmare?"

Skull nodded. "Y-yeah... about, a-about my leg but... w-worse."

"Can you tell me about it?"

"Just, I s-slipped into that puddle b-but fell into this ocean instead. I c-couldn't see the bottom or the surface, a-and I felt my whole body start to dissolve..." Skull brought his knee up and hugged it, letting his stump stay on the bed. "I-it was s-so painful, a-and I couldn't wake up u-until you helped.."

Avi tightened his embrace on his wife, speaking so softly. "Oh, love... You're safe, here. There's no water here to drown you, you're okay..."

Skull sobbed quietly, leaning into his husband's embrace, "J-just... just hold me..."

"Got it... want to try and get back to sleep?" Avi asked.

Skull shook his head. "D-don't wanna... I d-don't want to face the n-nightmares again..."

Avi kissed Skull's forehead, gently rubbing his back. "That's okay... You wanna watch a movie?"

This time, Skull nodded. "...C-could it be The P-Princesses Bride..?"

"Yeah, we can watch that..."

A few minutes later, Skull was laying down in Avi's lap, the other man's hands gently stroking his tentacle-hair, and a laptop on his chest, playing the soft romantic movie.

"Better?" Avi asked.