Asleep in the bed was Brinker and I, I was cuddled in his arms with my head resting on his torso, sleeping not so soundly. I was trembling slightly and was making whimpering noises. I wrapped my arms around Brinker's neck unconciously and began to tighten my hold on him. It wasn't long before he woke up and started shaking me, saying, "Leper . . . You're choking me." My eyes flung open and looked to his face. I stopped my chokehold and then laid to the side of him. "Leper, what's wrong."
I looked at him forlornly. "I had a bad dream." He looked at me with worried eyes then pulled me closer to him; back to the position I was in before I moved.
"It was only a nightmare Leper, it's okay." He assured me, stroking my hair.
"It was so real." I told him, my hands gripping his shoulders.
"Well what happened? Maybe talking about it may ease your tension." Brinker advised, his hand making my way to the side of my face. His thumb began stroking my cheek, trying to calm me. I looked down then decided that his suggestion may be the best thing to do.
"O-Okay but . . . it's . . . scary . . ." I stammered. He shrugged.
"It's okay, just tell me."
"Well . . . I-I was walking down the hallway outside of our door and I-I thought it was too quiet. I opened one door and saw Chet's and Bobby's b-bloodied bodies on the floor, d . . . dead. I quickly slammed the door shut and walked down further to Gene's and Finny's room. They were d-dead as well. At that point, I was terrified because I started to think that you were dead t-too . . . So I opened our door and luckily you were alive. But you seemed . . . scared . . . frightened of me being there. I started walking to you and then you cowered in the corner of the room. Suddenly you yelled out 'Please don't kill me Leper!' I realized then that in my hand was a knife with blood d-dripping from it, onto my blood soaked clothes . . . I looked back to you . . . and . . . and . . . I-I . . ." I couldn't choke out the rest, I just closed my eyes and buried my head into Brinker's naked chest.
"Sh-h-h-h-h-h-h, it's okay Leper." he said to calm me.
After many whispers to be calm and kisses on the forehead, I felt better and was not quivering.
We closed our eyes to continue sleep when I heard Brownie, on the bed to the side of us, crying. I looked to Brinker and with pleading eyes I asked, "Could you go make sure Brownie is okay." He sighed and looked irritated.
"Why?" Brinker asked me.
"Because you said you'd try to be more lenient with your room mate."
He sighed then gently pushed me off of him. He made his way to the bed, crouched down and shook Brownie lightly. Brownie awoke with a shriek. "What's wrong?" Brinker asked him. He stared at Brinker for two seconds then punched him in the face and ran out the door, screaming.
"Brinker!" I said, jumping to my feet. He kept his cool and did not run after Brownie to beat the crap out of him for what he did. I kneeled beside Brinker and turned his face to mine. His nose was bleeding. "I'm sorry." I apologized. We both got up off of the ground and walked to the rest room to clean off the blood.
"I try being nice and I get punched in the face," Brinker said when we got into the bathroom, "this is why I shouldn't change how I am and be stern with others." I glowered at him. "With the exception of you, of course." He said then kissed my forehead. I sighed. Now I have some blood on my forehead. "Sorry." He apologized, wiping the blood off of my forehead with one of the paper towels.