Title: Delirious
Fandom: Free!
Pairings: Sousuke/Rin
Rating: T
Word Count: approx 700
Warnings: N/A
Summary: Post-Free! Eternal Summer Fic

"I couldn't save it," he cried.

A/N:

This is just a really fun short fic I wrote about Sousuke suffering something I sometimes suffer, sleep-walking/talking. It was kind of hard writing it from an outsider's point of view when, although I've been both, most of Sousuke's experience stems from what I remember after my own.

It's weird in how I can remember feeling like everything I was thinking and doing seemed rational even though when I really woke up I realized it just wasn't lol. It's all fun as long as no one gets hurt anyways. Dealing with sleepwalkers definitely isn't easy.

I hope everyone enjoys it reading it and if there are really bad spelling and/or grammar errors please let me know so I can fix them! :)

Delirious

"Sousuke?" Rin called out as he heard the sound of steps come down the stairs. He put his book down and walked out of the living room towards the noise. It couldn't have been his mom, she was away for the weekend, and Gou's steps were never so heavy.

"Sousuke?" He called again and sure enough there Sousuke was, standing at the bottom of the stairs, holding his head. "You okay? Do you want some water?"

Sousuke walked away from Rin and towards the kitchen. Rin followed him, but was instantly alarmed when he saw the vacant look in Sousuke's eyes. Sousuke was mumbling something and it was clear that he was still asleep. Sousuke didn't handle medication well and it wasn't rare for him to sleep-walk or sleep-talk while under their influence.

"Sousuke, Sousuke wake up," Rin cooed as he put his hand on his shoulder. Sousuke finally looked up at him and the anguish and frustration in his eyes shocked him. His face scrunched up into itself and tears started welling in his eyes before he slammed his hand back up on his head.

"I couldn't save it," he cried. "I couldn't, I couldn't save it. Shit."

"Sousuke, Sousuke you're sleeping," Rin assured. "There's nothing to save, it's okay."

"I couldn't do it," Sousuke continued on, wild eyes flickering all over the floor. He let out another angered groan before he started to walk back out of the kitchen, cursing the entire way.

"Sousuke!" Rin called with a bit more force as he followed him. He tried to grab him and stop him from storming off but he was merely dragged along. "Sousuke, it's alright."

"It's not, it's not alright, I couldn't save it. I was, I couldn't," he gasped between frustrated tears. When they had reached the stairs again Rin used all of his weight and power to stop Sousuke and make him sit down on them. Sousuke relented when Rin commanded him to. He was hearing him and understanding him but still didn't realize that he was dreaming. Rin grabbed his face between his hands, trying to get Sousuke's glazed over eyes to find him.

"Sousuke, wake up. There's nothing to save, you're sleeping. You're right here with me, you have the flu remember? You took some really strong medicine," Rin explained to exhausted and distressed eyes.

"No I, I couldn't save it. I couldn't," Sousuke continued and Rin pulled him into a tight hug. It was upsetting to see Sousuke so troubled, so upset, and looking so disappointed in himself, even if it was only because of a dream. Rin kissed his cheek and rubbed his back. "I'm sorry, I."

"There's nothing to be sorry for, Sousuke," Rin interjected. "Sousuke you are dreaming, everything is okay. You're okay, nothing is wrong."

Sousuke gripped onto the back of his shirt, as though he was trying to convince himself of Rin's words. He dug his face into Rin's shoulder and cried, deep, sorrowful tears over something he could not protect, something that didn't even exist. Rin wasn't even sure what the dream was about, but it was clear that it had tormented him greatly. He just rubbed Sousuke's back and combed through his hair, kissing his head and telling him that everything was alright and that it had just been a dream.

When Sousuke calmed down a bit Rin helped him up and led him back upstairs and to their room. Gou woke up from the noise and walked out to see what was wrong. Rin waved her off and asked her to turn off all the lights down stairs in a quiet voice so that Sousuke would not notice her. Once she gave him the thumbs up he continued to tug the delirious, exhausted bulk of a man to their room and into bed. He turned off the light and darted across the room, crawling into the bed with him before he could get back up. He wrapped his arms around the other, pulling him close.

"Let's go to sleep now, okay Sousuke? Everything's alright."

"Sorry," Sousuke whispered, and Rin let a tiny smile reach his lips.

"Go to sleep Sousuke, we'll talk more in the morning."