-o0o-
Summary: Jack has a nightmare but this time he's not alone
-o0o-
Jack couldn't breathe.
His hands groped blindly through the water as large pieces of ice chipped off and swirled around him. The hole in the ice mocked him with how close it was, how close he was, but he just... didn't have the energy to pull himself up.
And all the while, while he struggled to get to the top. The Moon stood over him. Watching him as he sunk. Doing nothing.
(Its okay. Its okay, I've got you.)
The murky water sung sweetly to him as bubbles floated sedately around him. Mocking him in their calm trip towards the surface while he stayed behind and thrashed.
It felt like the ice had betrayed him. Slush floated alongside him in the dark murky water while a thick barrier of ice kept him down.
And it was cold.
Never in his life had Jack ever feared the cold or the ice that it brought. He feared the ice now though. He could feel it eat at his fingers, his toes, and start to move upward. The sharp daggers crawling up his limbs, covering him in frosted patterns that he usually took such delight in. It weighed him down, held him still, slowly killing him. Desperately, Jack looked upward, hoping to see a means to an end. If he could just get his limbs to move then he would be able to swim to the top. But what he saw only sent him into another spiral of despair.
The ice had betrayed him yet again.
(Shhhh, shhh. You're okay.)
It curled and edged over the hole he had just fallen through, blocking his only way out. It moved mockingly slowly and when it was done there was nothing left but smooth ice and the visage of the smiling moon. Watching him as he died. He fell further and further away from the moonbeams of light and into the dark depths of the water. And so...
Jack screamed and allowed the darkness to take him.
-o0o-
Jack woke up to strong arms curled around him. One hand gently carding through his hair while the other held him in place. They kept him there while he hyperventilated and struggled to figure out why he wasn't under the ice any more. Somebody was talking to him, saying things-
"Shhh, little spirit. I've got you. You're okay. I've got you."
-over and over in his ear. A constant stream of words. Spoken softly, never shouting or rushed and incredibly soothing. Jack looked up through watery eyes to find Yato. His saviour from the horrible icy depths that tried to kill him. He sniffled and tried to calm down but really only succeeded was sucking in a hiccuping breath.
"Don't worry, little spirit, I've got you. Your safe now. Nothing's going to get to you now okay?" Yato hadn't stopped his stream of comforting whispers. The constant flow of sweet nothings was honestly the best sound Jack had ever heard but even when he felt more safe and loved than he ever had before, there was still a well of Panic-Hurt-NeedsLove sitting snugly in his lungs that he just couldn't take it.
So Jack wept.
Jack cried big fat tears into the dark material covering Yato's shoulder and relished in the hand that ran soothing circles on his back. At one point Yato leaned his head gently onto Jack's and started humming. The gentle vibrations of his chest rumbled through Jack's bones and made him feel sleepy.
Slowly, his sobbing slowed to a hiccuping cry and Jack gripped tightly at his foster-father's yukata. He never wanted to leave Yato's shoulder ever again.
"You feeling a little better now?" Yato whispered and used his sleeve to wipe the corner of Jack's eyes and cheeks. Jack hummed listlessly and felt Yato nod.
"You wanna sleep with me tonight?" he asked softly and Jack felt like crying all over again. He nodded.
"Okay." Yato settled himself back down and started to hum again, never stopping the soft movements of his fingers through Jack's hair.
And Jack was glad. So, so glad that Yato had found him curled up under a tree all those many months ago because even though the dream was scary and he never ever wanted to have another ever again!... though he wouldn't mind that much if he woke up to having Yato there to take care of him.
-o0o-
Inspired by my own bad dream I had the other night that my little brother came to soothe over.
