it was late in the night in the Addison apartments. everyone was laying in their bed sleeping away, except one person. Sal held his chest, panting slightly from the nightmare that had just awoken him. this wasn't a strange occurrence, it happened quiet often actually. often enough his walkie talkie laid on his pillow just in case he needed it. this was one of those times he did. he grabbed his walkie talkie and wiped the tears from his cheeks.
"L-Larry?"
it was quiet on the other end and Sal became more desperate.
"Lar-Larry?"
he winced as his voice cracked and he sniffled softly before letting the talk button go. Larry groaned softly and shook his head, grabbing his walkie talkie.
"Sally face? you okay?"
he rubbed his eye's, unaware Lisa, his mother was listening in on a walkie talkie she'd bought. she was worried. Larry had disappeared in the night several times and she woke up to him trying to sneak back in. he never gave her a real answer other than he was out. it surprised her to hear Sal this broken.
"Sal?"
"I... can you...*sighs* I-I had another nightmare."
Larry sat up and rubbed his eye's.
"how bad was it?"
he could hear Sal's shaky breath.
"th-the dogs Larry. I-I couldn't fight them off. th-they kept... I couldn'... the blood was everywhere..."
Larry pulled on his pants.
"hold on Sal. I'm on my way okay? I'll be there in a second."
"but I... what about your mom?"
"I'll just tell her I got up and went for a walk like I always do. I promise I won't say anything to her, until you say its okay."
it was quiet a moment.
"okay... the doors unlocked... I'm sorry. I know you're tired."
Larry rubbed his eye's again and walked out of his room.
"not as tired as you are Sally. I'll be up in a few."
it was quiet as Larry headed for the door.
"Larry." Lisa said, walking out of her room.
"oh hey mom, I'm just-" Larry started. Lisa held up the walkie talkie.
"going to Sal's. go. stay with him and make sure he's okay. just stay with him, pour kid, his dad's not even there to stay with him." Lisa said softly. Larry smiled slightly.
"don't tell him you know." Larry said.
"don't worry I won't." Lisa said. Larry walked out.
"Larry?"
"I'm in the elevator Sal."
"no... I just... thank you. dad used to help... before he left."
Sal's dad had been gone 3 weeks because of his new job, but he would be back next week.
"I know Sal. he'll be back soon."
Larry stepped out of the elevator and headed for Sal's apartment. he locked the door behind himself, heading straight for Sal's room. seeing Sal curled up on his bed, clutching the walkie talkie like his life depended on it, was not a new sight for Larry, but it didn't make it any easier. his heart still throbbed in pity when he saw it.
"Sal?" Larry ask softly. Sal looked up at him slightly, he didn't even bother to grab his mask, Larry had seen him so many times without it, it didn't matter anymore. Larry sighed and curled up beside him, hugging his friend tightly.
"I'm sorry Larry. I know I'm being stupid." Sal sighs.
"no Sal, it's fine." Larry murmured. Sal hugged Larry tightly, burying his face into Larry's chest. Larry held him tightly. "have you been taking your medicine Sal?" Larry ask.
"you know I haven't. dad keeps them locked away so I won't try and kill myself again." Sal replied. Larry kisses his forehead gently, holding him closer.
"I'm going to break into the cabinet and get them for you. you need them." Larry said, getting up.
"no!" Sal said holding tighter. Larry look down at his friend. now he was worried.
"Sal?" Larry ask softly. Sal let out a shaky breath.
"please, I don't want to be alone." Sal muttered. Larry tightened his hold on his smaller friend.
"okay, I won't go." Larry murmured softly, pulling him closer. "I'll get it for you in the morning." Larry said. he felt Sal physically flinch at that, knowing he'd wake up in the morning from another nightmare and he'd be alone, again. terrified, though the light from the sun would soothe him slightly. "don't worry, it's Friday night. I left my mom a note for her to find when she wakes up and told her I was getting up early to hang out with you." Larry said.
"huh?" Sal ask.
"I can stay all night, I don't have to set an alarm and leave early in the morning." Larry murmured. "I can stay with you all night." Larry added. Sal relaxed slightly hearing that and Larry gave a small smile, running his fingers gently through Sals hair.
"I'm sorry. I should be used to these stupid nightmares. I've had them on and off since the accident, but... they just keep getting worse." Sal sighed. "maybe I should get a light or something." Sal muttered, groaning softly.
"nah." Larry said. "night lights are for whimps and you're one of the bravest people I know. nightmares happen, relax Sally Face. it's okay." Larry murmurs softly. Sal sighed softly and cuddles closer.
"I dunno. I need something. I can't just keep calling you at all hours of the night and basically having a panic attack until you come lay with me and talk with me until I calm down enough to sleep again." Sal sighed. "maybe I need a stuffed animal to curl up with." Sal thought aloud.
"you trying to replace me with a stuffed animal?" Larry ask with a smile. Sal gave a soft chuckle. "I don't mind laying with you Sal. you're my bestfriend and I'd do anything to help you." Larry said softly.
"thanks Larry." Sal murmured, his eye's slipping closed.
"hey Sal?" Larry ask. he knew if he stopped talking to Sal before he fell asleep, Sal would keep himself awake.
"hmm?" Sal ask.
"you didn't call me last night did you? because... I didn't hear my walkie talkie go off." Larry said.
"well... I did... but you didn't answer. I knew you were tired... so I went and talked to Megan. I actually fell asleep up there." Sal said.
"I didn't answer?" Larry ask, sounding guilty. "I'm sorry Sal. I can't believe I actually slept through it." Larry said.
"no it's alright Larry. like I said... I knew you were tired ad I shouldn't depend on you. I'm sorry." Sal sighed. Larry simply hugged him tighter, that guilt would get him for a while. he rubbed gentle circles in the small of Sal's back while the other played with his hair.
"hey Sal?" Larry ask softly.
"hmm?" Sal murmured tiredly.
"thank you." Larry said.
"huh? for what?" Sal ask, pulling back some to look at his taller friend.
"trusting me enough to see the real you instead of some stupid mask. I like your mask and all, but I love your real face more." Larry said.
"I don't understand why you like my face, but I don't really like to sleep in my mask." Sal muttered, digging his face into Larrys chest again. he was drifting off again already. Larry muttered triedly about random things, trying not to fall asleep until he was sure Sal was asleep. once he was sure Sal was asleep, he sighed and cupped his friends cheek. he ran his thumb gently across one of Sal's scars.
"I love you Sal. I really do and I'd do anything for you." Larry murmured, holding him tighter. he rested his chin on the top of Sal's head and closed his eye's. as he relaxed and fell limp, snoring. Sal peeked an eye open and looked at him. he gave a small smile, blushing softly and cuddled closer to him. closing his eye's, Sal fell asleep.
*next morning*
Sal muttered softly. he was warmer than normal and it felt like someone was holding him. that was unsusual. he muttered tiredly, slowly opening his eye's. he was met with a dull brown shirt. he relaxed and cuddled closer, realizing it was just Larry. the arms around him were still limp, not tight as they had been last night, so Larry must've still been asleep. it felt nice not to wake up to another nightmare. he didn't want to wake Larry, his best friend had only gotten very little sleep for the past two weeks and Sal didn't want to keep him from getting anymore. besides, Larry looked peaceful and relaxed. aparently Larry didn't get that memo and yawned, his hold immediately tightening his hold on Sal. Larry grumbled and Sal looked up, realizing the sun was coming through his window and was on Larry's face. Larry probably wasn't used to that since his room didn't have a window for the light to get in. Sal gave his window a dirty look for waking his tired friend.
"stupid light." Larry muttered. "where is it even coming from?" Larry hissed.
"uh, thats the sun and it's coming through my window." Sal said. Larry pulled him closer, burying his face into Sal's hair.
"I hate windows." Larry muttered. Sal smiled slightly.
"I can go cover it up, but you'll have to let me go." Sal said. Larry grumbled and pulled the blanket up to cover his face, covering Sal's face as well.
"uhg." Larry muttered. Sal chuckled softly.
"I can go cover the window." Sal repeated.
"I know but you're warm and I don't want to let go." Larry said. Sal wanted to bring up that him being warm wasn't the only reason Larry didn't want to let go, but that would end up with him telling Larry he'd heard him last night and he didn't want to embarrass his friend.
"Larry?" Sal ask.
"yeah Sally?" Larry ask.
"why do you care to help me?" Sal ask.
"because you're my best friend." Larry murmured.
"yeah but you risk getting in trouble with your mom to stay with me because I call you in the middle of the night." Sal replied.
"my mom's too cool. I won't get in trouble." Larry shrugged. "besides, I care about you." Larry added.
"but why?" Sal ask. Larry shrugged.
"I dunno, I just do." Larry muttered. his cheeks were getting red at this point.
"we should get up, you still going to break into the medicine cabinet so I can get my stuff?" Sal ask. Larry nodded and let him go.
"yeah." Larry said getting up. he got up and headed for the bathroom, coming back with Sal's medicine. "here come on Sally. we can head down to my place for some food." Larry said. Sal nods and follows him after taking his meds. he grabbed his mask and slipped it on quickly.
"hey Larry face?" Sal ask as they stepped into the elevator.
"yeah Sally face?" Larry ask, getting in to stand beside him.
"thanks." Sal replied, hesitantly slipping his hand into Larry's. Larry's face lit up bright red at the action.
"uh yeah, anytime." Larry muttered quietly.