Hi, everyone! Here's a little one-shot fluff for the coolest show on TV right now! Prodigal Son! Give this show a watch if you haven't, it's amazing! Anyways, enjoy the story and leave me a fav/follow/review! (Set circa season 1 episode 5)
"Bright?"
Malcolm jolted upright with a gasp. He tried to focus on his surroundings, tried to calm the panicked breaths in his chest, tried to shake off the beginnings of a nightmare. His bleary, red-rimmed eyes focused on Detective Dani Powell standing above him. Thankfully she had woken him up before things got worse, but she gave him that look and topped it off with a raised brow and crossed arms.
"Sorry," he tried to laugh off his nervous exhaustion. It clung to him like a straightjacket, "must've dozed off there for a second."
"What is that now, three nights with no sleep?" she placed both hands on the hardwood desk, staring him down, "trying to go for the record breaker?"
"I'm fine," he lied through his teeth.
"You should be in bed. You're sleeping on the job."
It was true, his nightmares had been especially haunting as of late. He couldn't bear to close his eyes, to be alone with his thoughts, to see his father, to see her. He almost would have delved into that abyss again if Dani had not been there. He shivered at the thought.
She noticed this. She noticed everything, "That's it. I'm telling Gil you need a few days."
She started for the Lieutenant's office. Malcolm's eyes widened in alarm and he bolted after her, "No! Dani, please don't. I need this, you know I do."
He knew his desperate pleading only made him look even more manic, but he had to try. The case was the only thing keeping him grounded, keeping him sane. He needed this murder, as morbid as it sounded, to shut out the horror movie constantly replaying in his thoughts.
"Look at yourself, Bright," she stared him up and down sternly, "you're a walking bag of bones. You need sleep, not more of this," she gestured to the gruesome crime scene photos hung up on the tack board.
"I couldn't sleep even if I wanted to," he sighed, "little something having to do with being a chronic insomniac."
She rolled her eyes at his poorly timed joke, but didn't disregard the desperation written all over him. He was right, as much as she hated to admit it. She knew the heavy bags under the profiler's eyes were not done by his intention. The only thing keeping him tied from plunging to the deep end were the frequent cases Gil and the NYPD fed to him.
"I can understand that," she said with a tight lip, "but you can't keep going like this. You've got to do something, you've got to get some help."
He sat down in the nearest chair and rested his forehead in his hands. She noticed his shoulders were tight with tension.
"I know, I know. As soon as we solve this case, I'll-"
"No," she interjected, "now."
"How?" he looked up at her, worn out, "every night I go back to my place and I see it all over again. I tie myself down in bed and I wake up screaming an hour later. What's the point?"
A filled silence passed between them. Bright stared at the floor, mind racing. Dani shifted her weight between both legs, struggling to get her next words out.
"Isn't there someone you could call? Your mom? Your sister?"
"My mother would hound me with doctors till my deathbed and Ainsley…," he trailed off, "Ainsley would want to talk about my memories and the last thing I need to do is relive those in my waking hours."
"Okay. Any friends besides your family?"
He gave her a half-hearted smile, "Oh, yes. We manic depressive insomniacs have loads. I forgot to mention that the serial killer for a father is really popular with most people."
She smirked. He sighed after a moment and stared at the floor. He could feel his body screaming for rest. His muscles and brain felt overworked and the world seemed like one never ending fever dream.
"Alright. Well, what if you, uh, just came over for, like, a movie or something," she choked out the words, "at, um...my place. Only if you wanted to, I don't want you to feel like you have to-"
"Really?"
She looked up at him. For once, his exhausted face seemed to perk up slightly.
"Uh, yeah," she was taken aback slightly by his surprise, "Just to get your mind off things so you can sleep."
He seemed genuinely grateful, "I'd love that."
"Alright," she nodded, "one condition. I'm picking the movie."
Dani unlocked the door to her apartment and let them both inside. Malcolm swiftly observed the space. It was clean, simple, and organized. Neutral colors and expected furniture. Almost clinical - it completely radiated Dani.
"Nice place," he commented as she shut the door behind him.
"Compared to yours?" she huffed as she threw her keys on the counter, "It's pathetic."
"You may want to rethink its appeal," he argued with a laugh, "my mother is my landlord."
She did have to admire the fact that Bright still kept up appearances despite his crippling insomnia. Even with days of no sleep, he was wearing a freshly pressed expensive three piece suit and leather Oxford loafers. However, she wasn't a detective for no reason. Dani could see the cracks in his facade: the tremor in his hand, the frequent twitch in his eye, the purple rings hollowing his cheeks, the growing mania.
"You're okay with frozen pizza?" she opened the fridge, "It's all I've got."
"That sounds delicious," he politely seated himself on the sofa, "Just what the doctor ordered. Besides antipsychotics of course."
She didn't bite at his joke. Malcolm kept his gaze to the carpet, not wanting to seem intrusive. Dani was always on guard, always putting her strongest self forward. He didn't want to invade her privacy.
She placed a plate of frozen pepperoni pizza on the coffee table. He couldn't remember the last time he had eaten, but he wasn't hungry.
Dani grabbed the remote and sat down at the far end of the couch, putting a sizable gap between her and Malcolm. He could tell she was tense with this advancing level in their newfound friendship. She cleared her throat and clicked on the first channel.
Godzilla played on the screen.
"So, uh, have you seen this?" She tried to make mild conversation.
Though Malcolm could tell Dani was still getting accustomed to his presence in her home, he was more relaxed than normal. Usually, at this time, he'd be back in his place. He'd stare at the ticking hands of the clocking, dreading as time passed and brought with it night. He'd anxiously prepare for bed, hoping for a mild terror and at least a few decent hours of sleep. At Dani's place, his mind didn't have to focus on this realization. Instead, he occupied himself with observations of the furniture, the lighting, the decor, the film, and pleasant company.
"I have," he nodded, "Did you know that the original Godzilla movie was actually the first ever film to use someone in a suit to portray a monster? It was called suitmation."
"Fascinating," Dani replied in a deadpan voice, staring boredly at the screen.
Malcolm smirked, "I'll spare you the details."
"Very kind," she huffed.
As the film droned on, the sky darkened. Dani ate a slice of pizza, but he silently remained on his corner of the couch. The cushion was extremely comfortable against his aching muscles and he felt his exhaustion rapidly creeping up on him.
I'll just close my eyes for a second…
"Bright? Hey."
Malcolm jolted upright. He could tell he only nodded off for a second or two.
Dani gave him a questioning look, "You were sleeping. Let me drive you home so you can get in bed."
A pang of dread flared through him, "Sleeping? No! I was just, uh, taking in the movie. I concentrate better that way."
"Mmhmm," she clearly didn't look convinced.
"Trust me, Dani," he insisted with a smile, "I'm fine. I'll head home once the movie's over."
The longer he could stay away from his home, alone with his thoughts, the better.
"Alright," she shrugged and continued the movie.
A few more minutes passed. Dani kept watching and Malcolm tried his hardest to keep his eyes open, but it was a losing battle.
The security of Dani's apartment made his guard fall and his eyelids were drooping in a matter of seconds. He felt that black blanket of sleep smother his fears and anxieties. His body caved into the couch's comfort. Malcolm was out like a light.
Dani was too focused on the movie to notice Malcolm until his head drooped against his chest. His body weight slowly dragged him to the side, until his head lay uncomfortably on the couch cushion. He was in a half horizontal, half vertical position.
"Bright?" she called.
No response.
"Hey," she placed a hand on his shoulder and shook, "Bright, you still with me?"
A light snoring gave her the answer she was looking for.
After a few days of no sleep, she knew the profiler was going to stay out. There was no way on heaven or Earth he'd wake up now.
Godzilla kept playing in the background as she placed the rest of the pizza back in the fridge and dimmed the lights. She reached for the quilt in her cabinet and draped it over him. After a moment of thought, she moved some of her breakable items out of his reach. She was fresh out of restraints to protect some of her home items.
"Concentrate better that way, huh?" she gave him an amused shake of her head. He was dead to the world.
"Night, Bright," Dani went to her bedroom and closed the door with a smirk.
Leave me a fav/follow/review! And don't forget to show your love for Prodigal Son online!
