Hold Me:
She turned over in the bed, curled in a soft ball as the breeze from her open window chilled her. Her braided hair tingling her back as loose hair was blown against her. Pulling the blankets closer about her she closed her eyes and tried in vain to sleep in the cool of the summer night. Trying not to open her eyes, she let her mind wander, hoping to tire herself internally. Giving up after a few minutes she swung herself out of bed and stood up stretching. Sighing she reached for her glasses on her nightstand and placed them on the bridge of her nose. Looking at the clock on her wall it was three twenty- nine in the morning. Huffing in annoyance she straightened her orange nightgown and collapsed backwards onto the bed.
Laying there motionless for a few moments, she waited for tiredness to kick her in the butt and tell her to sleep, but no such luck. Quietly she heard the door to her bedroom creak open and she sat upright. In the doorway, half-obscured by the wooden door stood a tentative Shaggy. Nodding her head for him to come in, he opened the door fully and stepped into the bedroom. The door clicked softly shut behind him.
Immediately, she knew something was wrong. Standing slowly, she took his hand in hers and led him softly over to her bed, sitting him down beside her. Instantaneously he grabbed her in a hug, burying his head in the crook of her neck and shoulder. Slightly shocked and scared of what was going on with him, she carefully placed her arms around his shaking shoulders as he sobbed into her shoulders, her loose hair becoming stained and wet from his new fallen tears. Unsure of how to react upon seeing him like this, she softly put one of her hands to his head and softly stroked his disheveled hair, whispering into his shoulder that all was going to be ok; that she was here with him now.
His slender arms pulled her closer and she rested her own head on his shoulder as she comforted him, unused to someone so full of joy and happiness so full of tears. After a moment she gently pulled away from him, keeping the embrace while having him look her in the eye. His brown chestnut eyes were full of fear and sadness so much that she nearly gasped. "Don't..." he began to whisper to her.
"Don't what Shaggy?" She asked him, stroking some of the tears away from his face with her thumb, never breaking contact with his eyes. He put his own hand softly over the own cupping his cheek for her to do so.
"Don't leave." His eyes glistened with fear as he said this. "Please... just don't leave me." Velma nodded. She didn't know what dream he must have had, or what nightmare rather, but it had been enough to scare him beyond all she'd ever seen.
"I won't." She told him softly. He nodded, relief flooding into his eyes. Slowly he removed her arms from around her and released the hand he'd taken in his own from his cheek. Looking at her he wanted to stay. Wanted to be sure that she was going to be alright, that nothing was going to happen when he left. Without warning, he leaned forward. His lips met her own and he kissed her, a soft kiss for but a moment in time. He pulled away, looking into her eyes. Confused, she didn't know what to do. She didn't want to have him go back to his room alone, so she stood and pulled him to his feet. Nodding he followed her to the door, allowing himself to be led back to his room.
Laying down in the bed, he watched her turn to go. Not wanting her to be out of his sight he reached out and gently touched her hand. She stopped and turned to him. "Stay with me?' He asked, the innocent fear returning to his eyes. She nodded and crawled into the bed next him. Not knowing what compelled her to do so, she turned into him, nestling her head against his chest as he lay on his side. The steady beat of his heart comforted her as did the humble rise and fall of his chest as he took each breath and released it, softly blowing her hair. Whether she'd meant to say it or not, but the next words escaped her lips: "hold me." He did as she said, embracing her in his slender arms. She didn't know whether what happened next was the result of a dream or a hazy mind, but somehow their lips met again and this time she'd returned it with a lot more than comfort emblazoned into it.