@fcssilized asked: He knows his dad needs to get up early in the morning, and hesitates outside of his parents’ room as a result. However, the images from that nightmare - his father getting hurt on Iron Island and never coming home - won’t leave the little boy’s head, and so he slips into the room, hoping not to wake his mother, too, and lightly shakes his father. “D-Daddy- I had a really b-bad dream about y-you- Are you o-okay?” He’s trying very hard not to cry.
Bastiodon, who’d been stretched out on the floor at the foot of the bed, had been woken up by the soft voice and moves to stand by the bedside next to Roark. Pokemon don’t have vivid dreams, so he can’t quite understand what’s got the little one feeling so upset, but a lack of understanding doesn’t mean he won’t do everything he can to provide comfort. He nudges Byron’s arm (just to make sure that he had been woken up) and reaches up his stubby little legs to clamber up onto the bed.
Byron, after having his arm shoved around by his well-meaning pokemon partner, sits up carefully, making sure not to disturb his wife still sleeping soundly next to him. He checks the time: it’s the early hours of the morning and only has a few more hours before he has to get up for work, but he can sacrifice some sleep for his son’s sake. Roark was still young and easily affected by the horrible images his sleeping mind could conjure up, and no father worth his salt would send him away while he was in such a state.
❝ Yes, Roark, I’m okay. The things you saw were only part of a nightmare. They weren’t real. ❞
Byron pushes back the covers, silently inviting the child to climb into bed and spend the rest of the night nestled between his parents. That way, if he was bothered by any more bad dreams, he wouldn’t need to go very far to reassure himself that nothing horrible had happened.
❝ I know it can be scary, but it’ll take more than a nightmare to break through your dad’s defense. As long as I’ve got the strong and sturdy iron on my side, I’ll be alright! ❞
As he speaks, he tries not to let himself be too visibly winded by Bastiodon finally managing to get on top of the bed and lay directly on Byron’s stomach. He was even heavier than his steel typing would suggest.
❝ Now, come on. Get some more sleep, and know that we’re all here to watch over you. I won’t let any bad dreams hurt my boy. ❞
