Remedy for nightmares? Cuddles and Animal facts of course!
"Ahhhh!" Joe awoke screaming his eyes wild as he frantically took in his surroundings shaking with the horror of a dream he had just had. His whole body shook and once he was satisfied that he was indeed in his room and there was no threat he tried taking deep breaths to calm himself. The shaking continued though, and it took a good 5 minutes before it finally slowed down to a fine tremor that coursed through him occasionally.
Joe froze when he heard floorboards creaking and then the door to his room slowly started to open. The door slowly inched open wider and a hand felt up the wall and flicked on the light switch making Joe yell. a startled sound came from the person at the door then a small yelp of pain as a smacking thump echoed throughout the room. "Frank!" Frank came fully into the room holding his head in one hand and looking a bit dazed.
"Who did yah think it was Bigfoot?" Frank quipped while he closed the door after checking the hall to make sure their ruckus hadn't awoken their parents. Thankfully, it hadn't so Frank sat down on the end of Joe's bed and giving his right temple one last rub looked up at Joe. "You, okay? I heard you yell earlier."
Joe avoided his eyes and his question by asking "Is your head, okay?" Frank half smiled and sighed in frustration before saying.
"Your yell spooked me, and I jumped and kind of… hit my head against our door." Frank blushed slightly as Joe snorted in laughter. Frank didn't really mind though if it helped ease what must have been a really bad dream to make Joe wake up screaming. "Anyway, you didn't answer my question, Joe." Frank shifted on the bed and leaned back against the wall Joe joining him by his side a moment later. "Was it a nightmare?"
Joe had his gaze glued to his hands while he twisted and intertwined his fingers with each other. Frank was going to ask again when Joe gave a small nod which surprised Frank. Not because Joe had a nightmare but because when he usually did, he was really talkative trying to get distract his mind from what had frightened him. Frank opened his mouth to ask him if he wanted to talk about it, but Joe beat him to it. "It was about me. I-n-In my dream I woke up and when I opened my mouth to speak nothing came out. And-and"
Joe's eyes started to tear up, but he hurriedly wiped them away before putting his hands back together, interlocking, pulling, and waggling his wingers back and forth trying so hard to keep it together. "When I tried to talk to you Frank you just stared at me confused. Then we were o-on a case and some things happened and a guy was coming up behind you with a crowbar and I tried to yell, scream, make a grunt to get your attention but I couldn't, and I was too far away to push you out of the way and the guy swung the bar and…"
The tears flowed a bit unsteadily as Joe pulled his knees up to his chest, dug his head into his knees and tried in vane to make the tears stop. He only succeeded in sobbing quieter than usual which broke Frank's heart even more. he hated seeing his brother suffer but he wasn't sure what to do. should he tell Joe that he would never lose his voice? Frank shook his head he couldn't tell Joe that because Frank didn't lie, and it could happen no matter how horrible that would be.
"Do you think you can go back to sleep?" Joe's head shot up and he manage to say through his tears.
"I don't want to be alone Frank." Frank nodded his head in understanding and scooting closer he put his hand on his brother's head and rubbed it as Joe wiped his eyes again and managed to calm down somewhat.
"You want to grab a pillow and head for my room or stay here?" Frank pretty much already knew the answer because every time Joe had a really bad dream and didn't want to eb alone they cozied up in 1 bed and slept Joe comforted by Frank's reassuring presence. Joe grabbed his pillow and stood up Frank cracked a smile as it was always his room, but he didn't mind. They walked quietly down the hall and entered Frank's room.
Frank slid in first shoving himself up against the wall and moving his pillow over. Not waiting for the customary invitation Joe dove under the covers, placed his pillow under hid head and popped back up. They lay there in silence for a minute and Frank was drifting off when Joe's voice floated over to him "There are like 50,000 spiders in every field." Frank mock shivered and mumbled.
"Otters hold hands when they sleep so they don't get separated." Frank could practically see Joe's eyes go wide even though his own eyes were closed.
"I told you otters were the cutest animal. Puppy's, cats, turtles, lion cubs, and koalas come after." Frank just rolled his eyes beneath his lids and mentally smiled at Joe's obsession with animals. Joe continued to ramble on listing random animal facts like an Ostrich male can roar like a lion, baby elephants suck on their own trunks just like a human baby sucks on their thumb and a bunch of other ones that Frank didn't hear as sleep called to him.
Hearing Joe start to taper off Frank drifted but came back when Joe jerked and started up again. Frank silently groaned before giving into the inevitable. Without saying a word, he switched to his stomach and threw his right arm over Joe's chest lightly. He felt Joe's heartbeat accelerate for a second before calming down and Frank smiled with success. Joe stopped talking and they both drifted off into pleasant dreams.
Frank awoke the next morning blinking and trying to figure out why he felt so heavy. He looked down and somehow Joe's head had ended up snuggled against his chest, his arm lung across Frank's chest. Frank chuckled at how crazy Joe was even in sleep and gently woke him up. Joe lifted his head sleepily and yawning asked.
"What are you doing in my bed Frank? Have a bad dream?" Frank snorted and said gently.
"No goofball you did and your in my bed Joe not yours. Could yah get off me please I think my leg's asleep." Joe's eyes widened with remembrance and he hurriedly scrambled off his brother.
"Oh, ah, sorry about that Frank." Frank looked at him amused as Joe seemed almost embarrassed.
"Joe its not your fault you got a nightmare. I don't mind staying with you and not leaving you alone. I'm your big brother after all that what we do. And besides I could never leave my bro alone when he's scared." Joe hung his head but after getting an admonishing look from Frank he smiled and said.
"Well, thanks then Frank. For yah know letting me sleep with you big bro. I know you can't promise that something in my dreams wont happen. but I feel a lot better." Frank got out from underneath the soft covers and putting both his hands on Joe's shoulders he looked him in the eyes and said.
"anytime little brother. And nothing like your dreams will ever happen. because their just dreams and we are way tougher and smarter in real life than in our dreams. Besides if dreams really did come true, I'm sure you would have a girlfriend by now." Frank let go of Joe and ducked as he playfully swung at his head. "Now scram Scrappy Doo, Mom is going to get worried if we don't go down to breakfast soon. Joe nodded and headed for the door.
Reaching it he pulled it open and turned round the door in hand and said with a mischievous sparkle in his eyes said "Frank if I'm Scrappy Doo then your Velma." Joe closed the door laughing at Frank's face and narrowly dodged the pillow that collided with the door instead.
"I'm glad your feeling better smart mouth" Frank smiled and shook his head before turning back to his task of making his bed and getting dressed for the morning.