Living alone in this house did a lot to your mind. With the constant goblin attacks and the screams of terror when the brownies would jump into your bed at night, Simon found himself paranoid of everything in the house and outside of it. The only one who kept him even the little bit sane was his twin brother, Jared, who was currently sleeping in his bed, while Simon was creeping down the hall to his brother's room, a nightmare having woken him up.

It was about midnight and Simon had tried everything he could think of to get back to sleep in his own bed, but the brownies kept scratching in the walls and the goblins seemed to be growling outside. Of course, he knew he was being paranoid again, but right now he didn't care. He wanted to be with Jared.

"Jared…?" Simon asked softly as he reached the boy's door. They had long since separated their rooms, when Jared had started complaining about them needing their own privacy. For a while, Simon had wondered why his brother had wanted so much privacy. He knew they were growing up, but he knew his brother didn't like to sleep in a room by himself, just like he didn't. Or maybe, this was just another part of being paranoid as well.

Simon bit his lip and stepped into the dark room, tiptoeing to the side of his twin's bed. He reached out a hand and shook his brother's shoulders gently.

"Jared?" he called softly, increasing his shakes and Jared gave a groan, his eyes opening in more of an expression of annoyance than tiredness.

"What do you want, Simon?" Jared asked, turning to face the boy and giving a frown.

Simon bit his lip and scuffed his foot on the floor.

"I-I was…I was wondering if I…" he started nervously, "Can I sleep with you?"

Jared frowned at the statement and Simon bit his lip, even more nervous than before. He had forgotten to mention that Jared had been moody lately and tended to snap at the most unusual times, which scared him even more than the house did.

"Why can't you sleep in your own bed?" the boy said, his frown in place and Simon pouted.

"I had a bad dream…" the boy said, "Please, can I sleep with you? I won't do anything, I promise."

"No."

Simon pouted at the flat answer and proceeded to plead once more, but Jared kept refusing, saying that he had to learn to sleep in his own room for once and that he couldn't come to his room every night, which was partly true. Yes, if asked, Simon would admit that he came to Jared's room almost every night because of a nightmare, but it wasn't his fault. The house just scared him at night.

"Go back to your room," Jared said, turning over and pulling the covers over his head.

Simon looked close to tears as he left the room and walked hesitantly down the hall, entering his room with caution. He got into his bed and pulled his knees to his chest, his mind getting the better of him. He could hear the brownies scratching and crawling in the walls and the goblins scratching and making noises outside. He could hear the fairies, fluttering secrets and the hobgoblins snorting and eating birds with crunching sounds. He let out a pained groan and put his hands over his ears, squeezing his eyes shut to block everything out, but the sounds only grew louder.

Simon bit his lip and pulled his knees tighter to his stomach. He wouldn't be able to sleep any tonight. He knew it. He was just too scared. Ever since, Mulgarath had attacked the house and Jared, he had been scared of everything. He imagined goblins coming in the night and eating them as they slept. He even imagined the friendliest of creatures eating them alive.

"I'm scared…" he whimpered, covering his ears once more with his hands and trying to will the world away, "Stop…Make it stop…"

"Simon?"

Simon gasped and his eyes snapped up to meet ones similar to his. He was more than relieved to see the face of his brother and his knees loosened a little.

"Jared?" he asked softly, "What are you doing in here? I thought you were sleeping?"

Jared sighed and walked over, sitting on the edge of the boy's bed.

"I came to apologize," he said, "For earlier…?"

"Oh…" Simon said softly; then he put on a small smile, "It's okay. You were just tired. I forgive you. I should get used to this anyway, right?"

Jared shook his head and moved to sit beside his brother, pulling the boy to him in a light hug that Simon instantly leaned into.

"But you're scared…" the boy said and Simon remembered the sounds from before and shivered.

"I-It's okay…" Simon said, trying to reassure both of them, "I'll be fine, promise."

"No, you won't," Jared said frowning, "You'll still be scared. I'll stay in here with you, okay?"

"R-Really?" Simon asked, putting on a grateful expression, "You really will?"

Jared nodded and lay with the boy on the bed.

"It's the least I can do for being so mean to you," he said, "Sorry…"

Simon smiled brightly, all fears gone as he hugged his twin around the waist and snuggled close, surprised when Jared didn't push him away or say something mean. He was glad for this and snuggled even closer, finding himself even sleepier than he had thought before. His fear had been the only thing keeping him up and now that it was gone…

Jared smirked as he heard the soft breathing of his brother as the twin instantly fell asleep. He blushed a little as he kissed his brother's head, making a smile appear on the boy's face and soon, he too fell into a deep sleep.

Everything was going fine, up until the storm started. Simon had actually managed to go to sleep without having a nightmare, but then the sudden boom of thunder and the flashes of lightening came and he was wide awake. He stared around his room at the shadows appearing on the walls and put his hands over his ears, bringing his knees to his chest as he had the night before. He wished Jared was here with him like he had been last night.

"J-Jared?" Simon called, but his call was blanketed by the booming of thunder and he shivered fearfully, "I don't want to be afraid…"

Simon gave a small whimper and covered his ears, but a loud boom of thunder made him scream out shrilly and he covered his mouth, hoping Jared hadn't woke up from it. He was scared, but he didn't want Jared to have to stay with him all the time.

Simon groaned and jumped as another boom sounded. He felt the tears coming and held them back.

"Please make it stop…" he cried softly.

Simon covered his face with his hands and started to cry. He wanted the storm to stop. He gasped as a hand was placed on his shoulder and jumped in surprise, looking up in relief to see Jared.

"Jared…?" he asked softly; then he looked up at him sadly, "I woke you up…"

"No, it's okay," the boy said, sitting on the edge of the bed, "I heard you scream, but I was already up before that…"

Simon pouted and laid his head on the boy's shoulder.

"I'm so weak," he said softly, "I'm scared of everything…"

A loud boom sounded and Simon jumped into Jared's arms, gripping on the boy's arms for dear life. The boy sighed when a flash followed and started to sob into his brother's shirt.

"I'm sorry I'm so scared…"

Jared sighed heavily and hugged his brother to his chest and Simon relaxed a little, tensing when another boom of thunder came.

"It's okay," Jared said as he rubbed the boy's back in an attempt to calm Simon down, "It's not your fault. It's just this house…You're okay…"

Simon sighed heavily and lifted his head to look up into his brother's face.

"I don't want to be scared anymore," he said, "I want to go home…"

Jared sighed heavily and ran a hand through his brother's hair.

"This is our home now…" he said and Simon pouted, "There's no way we can go back to New York, not after being here for so long, after everything that's happened to us…"

Simon looked at the boy sadly and bit his lip, giving a slight nod and Jared sighed, placing a hand on the boy's cheek.

"I know you don't like it here," Jared started, "but there's nowhere else…You'll just have to get used to this…"

Simon looked about ready to start crying all over again and Jared shook his head, putting the boy's cheeks between his hands and putting his forehead to the other's.

"Don't do this, Simon," the boy said softly, "I'll be here with you, right? Whenever you're scared just come to me…"

Simon sniffed and placed his hands over the boy's, feeling his twin's breathing become staggered.

"Promise?" he asked softly, "You promise you won't leave me?"

Jared ran a hand through the boy's hair, going against the voice in the back of his head that told him to leave. Simon was strong. He knew it more than anyone. Simon just needed to see it and he needed him for that.

"Simon…" he said softly, pulling away a little and Simon grabbed his hands, before they could pull from his cheeks.

"Please promise!" Simon cried, tears falling down his cheeks and Jared sighed, leaning in again.

"I promise," Jared said softly, before their lips met and Simon's eyes closed instantly to it, not caring as long as Jared stayed with him.

It was about this time that Jared's brain started screaming at him, telling him to pull away from his brother and leave the room, but as he slid his tongue along his brother's lips and entered into the warm cavern, he found himself stuck.

This had been why he had wanted separate rooms, why he had wanted Simon to sleep by himself, but he guessed his judge of things had backfired. He had thought that by separating himself from his brother then he would get over these feelings, the feelings that were corrupting him now. He had thought that if he didn't get too close, then he'd be okay, but he was wrong. Separating himself from his brother had only worsened the feelings and had made them even closer, as close as they were now.

"Jared…?" Simon asked and Jared's senses caught up to him and he pulled away, mere seconds away from leaving a hickey on his brother's neck. He had to get away.

Jared instantly tried to get out of the room, but was grabbed by a strong hand that seemed strange coming from his brother. He turned back to see a pleading look on the boy's face.

"Please don't leave me…" the boy said softly and Jared looked at him in surprise, thinking his brother would rather be eaten by goblins than be close to him, "You promised…"

"But I…" Jared started softly and Simon shook his head, pulling the boy down to him.

"It doesn't matter…" Simon said, his hands reaching to caress his brother's cheeks and Jared was more than surprised when his brother's lips touched his, but his eyes closed almost as instantly as the shock that went through him from the kiss.

Jared let out a groan and pressed closer to his brother's lips, his hands moving to cup the boy's cheek. Simon wrapped his arms around the boy's neck and pressed closer as well, his tongue slipping between the other's lips and stroking the other muscle inside. The two moaned softly and Simon felt himself fall back onto the bed. The two were separated and Simon looked up as Jared looked down at him, both of them panting.

"Jared…?" Simon asked softly, reaching up to run his fingers through the boy's hair, "It's weird…"

"I know..." Jared said softly, "but...are you going to sleep for me now?"

Simon gave a smile and nodded, but wrapped his arms around the boy's waist.

"Only if you stay with me..." he whispered, "Just for tonight..."

Jared sighed and laid the boy down on the bed and lay beside him, while Simon pressed his back into his brother's chest, grabbing the boy's hands to wrap around him and holding them at his middle. This action caused a annoyed, yet content sigh to escape his brother's lips, but soon neither could do anything as they both fell asleep and Jared soon found later that Simon would be staying in his room for many nights to come.