4-7-15 Writing Prompt: Hold My Hand

Author's Note: Sorry about the delay, life has just got in the way of writing, but I think I'm back to my regular writing schedule for a little— I think. I wrote this rather quickly because I didn't want to keep you waiting. From now on I should be posting at least once a week.

Contains Pripper, not Slash

Anyways Enjoy!

Thunder roared, like a mighty lion. Rain fell to the Earth, like darts.

Skipper laid in his concrete bunk, he was wide awake. The ravenous storm kept him up, he stared at the ceiling of his bunk and thought intensely until a loud "BOOM!" of thunder interrupted. He turned and ogled at a clock across the room. He strained to read the time since it was dark. The chronometer read 3:17, he sighed and turned back around to face the wall.

Skipper closed his eyes and tried to go to sleep but before he could dose off he thought he heard sniveling. It was very vague, but he could still faintly hear it.

He began to turn his head to peek out of his bunk. While doing so a flash of lighting blinded him, he shielded his eyes from the bright light. When he moved his flippers away from his eyes, the lightning's light revealed the shadow of a figure.

Skipper, startled, leapt atop the figure and put his flippers around its neck. Then he heard it sob softly. The lightning flashed again, then Skipper saw who it was and he released his flippers from the poor bird's neck.

"Private?" He whispered nearly inaudibly.

Private laid under Skipper, he sobbed. "Y-y-y-y-ye-ye-ye-yes, Skipper," The young bird stammered.

Private was still just a hatchling, he didn't know how terrifying lightning and thunder could be, he had yet to experience it to this extremity.

"What's wrong cadet," Skipper questioned while offering a flipper up.

The cadet was shaking nervously, the thunder was frightening enough alone. His commanding officer tackling him and attempting to strangle him didn't help.

"Are the booms gonna get me, Skippah?"

Skipper glared at the little penguin blankly. The cadet cowered at Skipper's gaze which caused Skipper to notice that he shouldn't be so hard on the lad, he was the same way when he was younger.

"No, Private," Skipper answered, he ruffled Private's head feathers which made both of them simper a little bit. "Now get back to bed you little rascal." Skipper turned and laid down in his bunk. He glanced over to see Private still nervously standing in the middle of the room.

"Skipper? Are you sure they won't get me," Private inquired.

Skipper let out a sigh and inhaled, "I'm sure now go to bed. Ok?"

"But—

"No but's, only do's. Now stop being a Nancy cat and go to bed now," Skipper ordered.

Private reluctantly agreed, he climbed into and set there, shaking, soon enough his eyes began to tear up again.

Skipper was about to get to sleep until he heard a whimper. He got out of bed and waddled over to Private's bunk. He was curled up into a ball with his flipper in his mouth. He was scared stiff, "What's wrong solider," Skipper asked. "You trust me don't you?"

Private turned and eyeballed Skipper, "I do, but it's still scary… I'm sorry for being a Nancy cat sir."

Skipper gazed at him with concern, "I didn't mean that— calling you a Nancy cat and all. I'm just tired and I wanted to get some sleep."

"It's fine." Private mumbled.

"Well, are you ready to catch some shut eye?"

Private stared at Skipper nervously, he didn't want to prevent Skipper from sleeping, but the thunder hadn't ceased rumbling and he was still fearful. "Uh— no," Private answered shyly and shamefully.

"Well we can't stay up all night now, can we?"

"No, I guess not."

"So, what do you suggest we do to get you to bed and to stop worrying about those daunting thunder booms?"

"Would you, uh— mind laying down, ummmmm, with me," Private requested nervously.

Skipper swallowed hard and nervously rubbed the back of his neck, "Um, I don't know lad. I'm not really a touchy, feely penguin; if you know what I mean? Besides, we couldn't both fit in that small bunk."

"Oh, I suppose you're right," Private said glumly.

The Commander looked into his Private's eyes, he saw his fear and his gloom. The sight made Skipper sorrowful, he sat against the wall, "Come here." Skipper instructed.

The young Cadet ran to him and hugged him, "Thank you Skippah, Thank you so much."

"It's no big deal," the leader replied. "Now go to sleep, would 'ya?"

"Yes sir."

Private nuzzled Skipper's chest feathers and fell asleep within the minute. After a few more minutes the thunder stopped, Skipper glanced down at Private and smiled. "Goodnight young Private," he whispered, then moments later he to, fell asleep. There they slept for the rest of the night until the Sun hung in the sky in the morning.

I hope you guys enjoyed it. Please leave a review and I hope to get two more chapters out before Spring Break. :)