Chapter Text
SIMON
The nightmares have been more and more frequent.
Almost every night I wake up in a cold sweat and my throat raw. I don't remember much, only the feelings and the sticky blood on my hands.
Only my eleven-year-old face with that goddamned smirk that looks so evil.
Only that bouncing red ball that haunts me still.
And only the smell of smoke lodged in my nose when I awake, trembling and sobbing and biting my lip to try and stop it all.
It's gotten to the point that I'm absolutely terrified of going to sleep, of my own bed. Penny has been spending a lot of her time trying to find a spell that can help without ruining my health even more.
And Baz. Baz doesn't seem to even care. When I look over to him he's either facing away or telling me to shut up, and each time it sends a jab through my chest.
I don't know why, but I thought maybe Baz would be nicer when I've just had a nightmare. Hoped, even. But of course, it's Baz, so what am I even expecting? I sigh, running a hand through my hair. I'm in bed with the light on, just staring at the clock as it changes from 01:56 to 01:57 to 01:58-
The minutes tick on and my eyes start to droop and fear starts to awaken in my chest.
I blink sleepily when the clock beeps quietly that it's now 2 am, then realise: Baz isn't back yet. He went out a few hours ago without a word, and I'm pretty sure it's to hunt. He'll never admit it, but I just know that he's a vampire. I know it.
I yawn rubbing my eyes a little. I really don't want to sleep. I've been staying up every night just to stay away from it, and Penny isn't happy. She's been like a mother hen lately, picking and nagging.
The door suddenly opens with a quiet creak, making me jump a little. Baz enters, his hair slightly windswept and his cheeks a little pinker than they usually are. He kicks the door shut.
I watch him take his jacket off and hang it on the back of a chair. He sighs.
"What are you looking at, Snow?"
I scowl. "Nothing. I'm just wondering why you're back from plotting so late."
Baz rolls his eyes so hard he looks like he's in pain. "Okay."
He grabs his pyjamas and goes to the bathroom to change. I lean over to my desk and flick off the light, something tugging at my chest when it goes dark.
Baz walks back into the room and quietly slides into his bed. I feel sleep clawing at my eyes so I open my mouth to say something (anything) just to stay awake.
"What do you do when you're gone?" I ask.
Baz stays silent, and I'm about to give up on the whole 'talking' thing when he replies, "none of your business."
I nod even though he can't see me.
"Why are you still up?" he questions after a moment, and it surprises me slightly- Baz isn't one for small talk.
I clench my fists into my sheet, scrunching it up.
"To avoid my nightmares," I grit out, a sudden swarm of bloodied swords and curses and him fill my mind and I bite my lip. "T-they're getting.. worse, I think." I shift so that I'm facing Baz, who's not even watching me."I'm sorry if I- if I'm loud or anything. I can't really help it."
Baz sighs loudly. "It's fine. Like you said, you can't help it."
I wonder why Baz is being so... not awful. He could have sniped back with something like ‘just keep it down’.
The silence hangs in the air, and the conversation (was it even that?) is dead. I look over to Baz’s bed, but it’s too dark for me to make anything out. I really want to ask. But is it too weird? I need someone tonight. I should ask. I close my eyes tightly when I do.
“Hey, Baz,” I whisper. He tenses, not moving.
“What.”
“Can you…” I can feel myself blushing in the dark. “Can you sleep with me tonight..?”
BAZ
“Can you sleep with me tonight..?”
My eyes widen in the darkness, and I’m so glad that Snow can’t see me because I’m probably gawping.
“W-what?” I try to stay calm. I watch Snow’s face in the sliver of moonlight that’s gotten through the curtains. He covers his face with his hands and turns away.
“Nevermind I- that was-”
I shush him. “Okay,” I say, begrudgingly.
“Okay?”
“Yes. But only if it’ll shut you up.” I say the last words with as much venom as I can. My heart wrenches when I do that, but I have to. (I have to.)
“Thank you.” Snow’s voice is so soft I could just bathe in it.
Leaning up on one arm, I slink out of my bed and tentatively crawl into Snow’s (holy fuck, I’m in Simon Snow’s bed.)
I clench my fist by my side as I turn, getting as far away from Snow as possible (can’t be giving into any of those urges, can we?)
But Snow is having none of that. He deliberately moves closer so that we’re almost touching in the small bed. Almost, but not quite. I can feel the heat radiating off of him, and now I don’t really mind that the window is closed.
Simon gives a small little snuffle and I feel his hand come down onto my waist, feather light at first. His touch is still like fire (hah.)
Tensing, I hold my breath (how is this happening? Maybe it's a dream..) I then relax, I tell myself to relax, that this is fine (it’s fine.) (How am I even in this situation?)
I don’t think I’m going to get any sleep tonight.
Crowley, I’m living a charmed life.