Just a fluffy DillxScout oneshot because I ship them REALLY hard not sorry
Nights for nine year old Jean-Louise Finch have been the worse ever since that fateful Halloween night. For the past half year, Scout's dreams were overrun by images of dead, bleeding mockingbirds, and Bob Ewell's drunk face full of rage. Her night terrors cursed her with horrendous insomnia and overall panic in the night. Even when Dill, her best friend, came down for the summer, the terrors still didn't fade away.
It was a fairly cool night for the first week of summer, and Scout was dreaming of the chase last Halloween brought. She was kicking and squirming in her sleep, an occasional cry of panic slipping from her lips. It wasn't too surprising when her episode ended up waking someone in the neighboring room.
"Scout?" Dill whispered as he creaked open her door, being sure to close it softly behind him. He rubbed his tired eyes as he approached her bed.
"Scout." He spoke this time, his calm voice cracking with sleepiness. The girl groaned softly and began to open her autumn eyes.
"Dill?" She called out into the darkness of her room, the sleep blinding her. She felt her bed move, and concluded that her friend had sat himself down on the edge of her bed. With a soft yawn, Scout sat herself up, brushing light brown hair away from her face.
"Ya havin' another night terror?" Dill's soft voice pondered in the darkness. Scout's vision focused, and she saw him sitting cross legged on the edge of her bed next to her legs. The dim moonlight shone down from the night sky and gently placed itself against Dill, its color illuminating his duck fluff, white hair. A smile pulled on Scout's thin lips as she caught sight of his atrocious bedhead.
"Yeah," She replied softly, crossing her legs as well, "This'un wasn't as bad as they normally are, though."
"But still, Scout, nightmares are pretty scary. 'Specially when they're based off of things and such'um that have happened before…" He let his voice trail off into silence. The silence wrapped around the pair for a moment. Jem's snoring could be faintly heard from the neighboring bedroom, and Scout was sure that if it somehow got even quieter, then she'd be able to hear Boo Radley's shallow breathing…
Suddenly, small arms were flung around Scout's petite body. She jumped slightly, before returning Dill's embrace. She balled the back of his shirt with her fists and hid her face into his soft neck. He held her close to him and rested his head onto her boney shoulder, breathing somewhat heavily.
"You know that everythin's gonna be just fine, right Scout?" He whispered to her reassuringly, "Ya got Atticus, Jem, me of course, and I'm sure that even Boo Radley is still lookin' after ya!" Scout smiled softly as she felt Dill's body shake with a small laugh. He pulled away from her after a moment and averted his gaze elsewhere sheepishly.
"Hey Scout?"
"Yeah, Dill?"
"Would ya mind tellin' me about 'em again?"
Dill's light blue eyes focused back on Scout innocently. A stray cloud passed over the moon, dimming the soft glow around his body. Scout smile softly and gave him a small nod.
"Boo's not scary at all. In fact, he's really nice, Dill! He's gotta be at least eight feet tall, and he's a skinny as a twig!" Scout exclaimed, exaggerating a bit for the fun of it. Dill's eyes were bright with interest as she continued, "His eyes are real light, and so is his hair… He actually kinda looks like you a bit!" The pair giggled softly as Scout moved herself over on her bed more, making room for Dill to place himself besides her. She slouched down onto her pillow as Dill crawled besides her. The two were silent once again until Dill spoke up.
"Scout?"
"Yes?"
He turned his head to look at her, and she looked back, their eyes both dull with sleepiness.
"When we get us a baby, can we name 'em Arthur?" Dill asked sheepishly, a small yawn escaping his throat. Scout returned the yawn before replying.
"Of course we can, Dill. He'll be just as great as Boo is, I tell ya…" Scout trailed off with a small yawn. She closed her eyes off to the room, Dill's voice catching in her ears before she escaped to dream land.
"Thanks, Scout, an' goodnight…"
It didn't bother Atticus the next morning when he found Jem alone in his bed, limbs spread out like a ragdoll. He wasn't even bothered when he peeped into Scout's room, and saw the pair lying on top of Scout's bed sheets on their sides, one of Dill's arms drapped over Scout's small body, their fingers still somewhat entwined. In fact, her father closed the door with a small smile, because he knew that for the first time in a long while, Scout had slept soundly through the night.