TW - Mentions of PTSD

Therapeutic Combing

Under the harsh glare, Nico gulped and sank back onto the bed, his hand slowly reaching out for the blanket that lay discarded next to him. Without breaking eye contact with her, he pulled the warm fabric across his legs and huffed.

"I don't see the point-" Nico started but was immediately cut of as Reyna growled and climbed onto the bed, almost knocking him off in the process. She ignored his squawks of protests and placed herself firmly behind the small boy, resting her hands on his tense shoulders.

"I want to, okay?" She muttered stiffly, unconsciously rubbing her thumbs in circles, trying to release the tension. After a few moments, he gradually relaxed , his eyes fluttering close against his will, letting out a small sigh of content.

Reyna then gently ran her fingers through his long, black hair, which brushed down to his shoulders. She brought out a comb and carefully untangled the knots.

Again and again, she brought the comb down, relishing the way his silky hair fell against his head. It was hypnotising, really. Again and again, she brushed at his hair. Once in a while, she would pause and let her fingers play with the dark locks, her eyes glazing over as she stared blankly at a spot on the wall. She wanted the screams to stop. Why were they so loud? She cupped her hands over her ears, and prayed that they would stop.

The room was silent.

She took measured breaths to match his. Slow and steady.

In and out.

In and out.

Sometimes Reyna would stop her actions for a second longer than usual and a reassuring hand would rest on her knee. She would blink and shake her head to rid the thoughts, and murmur her thanks. And she would continue combing his hair. She didn't want to think about the dark thoughts haunting her. She didn't want to think about the nightmares that kept her awake.

In and out.

She didn't like the voices whispering in her ears. She wanted them gone. Gone. Gone. Gone. She silently begged and cried for the murmurs to disappear.

Calming fingers drew across her leg, and the voices drowned out as she focused on the way his fingers glided and waltzed down her skin. She shivered and a flicker of a smile appeared when he unknowingly brushed past a sensitive spot on her leg, drawing out giggles. And she would forget about the dark whispers in her mind.

And she continued brushing his hair.

In…. Out….

In… Out…

It was okay. Everything would be okay.

Reyna shifted her position so that she was balanced on her knees. With the extra height, she placed the comb on the bed and instead, used her fingers to gather up his hair at the back of his head. She smoothed out the bumps and carefully looped the hair tie around, before pulling the ends outwards to tighten it. Delicate fingers ran down his head, like a final dance, until her arms circled around his small frame.

Nico, blinking out of his daze, gave a tentative smile at the girl wrapped around him, and leaned back into her. They sat in a comfortable silence, lost in their own thoughts.

"Thank you, Nico." Reyna mumbled.

"It's alright, Reyna. " He whispered back. They broke apart and he shyly lifted his hands to touch his hair, a look of admiration crossed his face. "Soft."

Reyna laughed, nudging him with her shoulder. Happiness shone in her eyes and he allowed a grin to grace his lips.

In the distance, a horn sounded.

"Come on, little brother, dinner awaits."

Nico considered crossing his arms and muttering out a little, 'make me', but he remembered the last time he had made such a remark and pink coloured his cheeks. She had smirked and hoisted him over her shoulder and marched towards the Dining Pavilion, much to his sheer embarrassment and horror. So he hastily agreed and followed the (scary) girl out the cabin door.

But he didn't mind too much.

They didn't mind at all.

They stood outside, breathing in the fresh air and absorbing the warm sunlight. They were soon joined by their friends, and together, they all made their way towards the Pavilion. They were okay.

In… Out….

In… out…

Everything would be alright, in the end at least.

AN - And Cut.

Well, um, hi?

Been a while. Sorry about that. I don't really have the best excuse, but I was going through some tough times and I needed a break from everything. Plus, school was a mess. So here is something I came up with and wrote in one go. Just a bit of Reyna/Nico platonic fluff and a post-war recovery drabble.

Sorry it's a mess but it can't be helped.

If you liked it, please review and comment on what I could improve on. Once again, if you have any suggestions, feel free to leave it below, and I'll be happy to write it.

Until next time, stay safe. Make sure to take care of yourself.