Stars coated the night sky as it came time for people to go to sleep. America came out of the bathroom got into bed with his husband, Italy. They smiled at each other before they kissed and Italy got in America's arms and fell asleep. America smiled and started to fall asleep when the bedroom door opened and in came their son, Sardinia, came into their room and ran to their bed while crying.
America hugged him as he cried and kissed his forehead. When Sardinia calmed down, he rubbed his honey-brown eyes and sniffed.
"Did my little hero have a bad dream?" Sardinia nodded.
"It was horrible Daddy! I got so scared!" America listened to him and reached over to the drawer and pulled out a dream catcher and held it in front of his son's face.
"Do you know what this is?"
"No. What is it Daddy?"
"Its called a dream catcher, like the one that I gave to Uncle Mattie for Marianne and Martin when they were babies and the one that's hanging over the bed." Sardinia looked at the dreamcatcher and tilted his head and poked it.
"What is it supposed to do?"
"You know, before dream catchers could be sold anywhere you could find them, bad dreams used to plague the people of Native America-"
"The time when Grandma was still around?" The boy interrupted.
"Yes, and please don't interrupt. Its very unheroic."
"Sorry Daddy."
"Back then, Native Americans believed that the night air is filled with dreams both good and bad. With a dreamcatcher hung over your bed, they swing in the air waiting for a dream to pass through. Good dreams were allowed to pass through because they know how to get through the holes. But the bad dreams don't pass through because they don't know how to get through the holes and pass through and are destroyed within the first light of morning." Sardinia poked it some more.
"Can a dreamcatcher really do all that?"
"Of course it can. Before you were born, Mommy used to have bad dreams and I had to put up the dreamcatcher Native America gave to me before England found me. Ever since, Mommy has never had a bad dream. When Mommy found out you were in his tummy, he made me make one for you so we could put it in your room."
"Why haven't you put it in my room before?"
"You always seemed like you were having good dreams so there was no reason for it but I guess even those with good dreams need to have a bad one. Come on, we'll hang it over your bed." America said as he picked up the small child and carried him to his room. When they got there, America put him on the bed and hung the dream catcher over his bed on a hook that was already there.
"There you go little guy. Maybe those bad dreams will get trapped in there." America was about to walk away when Sardinia grabbed his pants.
"Daddy, can you stay with me until I fall asleep?" America looked at his son and smiled as he turned around and laid on the bed with Sardinia in his lap.
"I love you Daddy."
"I love you too kid. Now go to sleep and no more talking unless it's about how much of a hero I am." Sardinia smiled and yawned.
"You're my hero." America smiled and kissed his son's forehead. After some time, Sardinia fell into a peaceful sleep and America, despite his best efforts, fell asleep too.
The next morning, Italy woke up to find the bed cold. He was confused and looked at the time knowing that America couldn't possibly be up this early. Doubt began to cloud his mind as he got up and went to find him. It didn't take long for him to find his husband in their son's room, asleep, and holding onto him as if he were a cuddly little teddy bear.
Italy smiled and got his phone out and took a picture. When he was done, America started to wake up and remember where he was. He yawned and smiled when he saw Italy. America carefully got up, remembering he had Sardinia in his arms, and walked over to him and placed a soft kiss on his cheek.
"Hey babe. What are you doing up early?" Italy smiled and kissed him back on the cheek.
"The bed was cold when I woke up. I was coming to look for you."
"Oh yea, sorry but this poor little guy had a nightmare and I had to put the dreamcatcher in his room and he asked me to stay with him until he was asleep then I went to sleep myself." Italy nodded and kissed him again.
"It's fine. Can you just come back to bed with me? I feel lonely..." The hero smiled and nodded as he took his husband's hand and the walked to the bedroom. When they got there, Italy laid down and America put their son in the middle as he laid down himself. They smiled at each other and kissed again before falling asleep.
Me: Hope you guys enjoyed that little piece of fluff!