It's Okay. I Couldn't Sleep Anyway
(5/31/23)

Waking up from the nightmare wasn't pleasant.

Neither was waking up making the sounds coming out of his throat, words unable to form, a constant frustration to a mind filled with words even when communicating with others in the past proved a struggle. The sounds were as pitiful as how he reached out in front of him, somehow managing to sit up in the guest bed the Granger family let him use. Tears also welled in the corners of his eyes while panic began to set in at the lack of familiarity.

A light in the hallway turned on, and Mrs. Granger peeked in, watching him as the sounds continued and he struggled to reach for something, not sure in his brain exactly what he wanted. She smiled before walking over, reaching her hands out for his that flailed at the darkness. "Sebastian?" His movement slowed. "It's alright sweetheart. You're safe."

She turned on the bedside lamp, smiling as she did so before sitting down at his side, slowly and gently reaching an arm around his back to pull him into a hug, his breathing coming hard as sweat soaked his hair, shirt and the bandages covering his broken body.

"I've got you," she said, pulling Regulus close, letting his ear rest above her heart, letting her heartbeat calm him down, his breathing slowly steading, although his body continued to tremble. She massaged his shoulder that was farthest away from her gently, unable to rub his back to calm him down as she rested a chin on the top of his head. "There, there. Everything will be alright, my lovely little boy."

Regulus swallowed, knowing he wasn't a lovely little boy, what with the scars, his size so similar to hers and his age, yet those words were something he ached to hear, no memory of Walburga Black ever lavishing any form of comfort on her two sons, which made Sirius running away make sense, now that Regulus managed to experience the love that came from familial affection himself. He took a deep breath, shuddering as he did so, tears still welling and threatening to pour out.

"It's alright, dear. You're safe," she said, continuing to hold onto him for what felt like hours.

"S-s-sorry," Regulus gargled out, one of the few words he'd managed to gargle out once he became a part of the Granger household, one he used to much they said as—

"There's nothing for you to be sorry for," she said.

He managed out a few more sorries, unable to say what he wanted to say, that he was sorry for waking her, his eyes drifting to the bedside clock.

Yet, despite the words not coming out, she noticed and she smiled. "Oh. Don't worry. I couldn't sleep either."

Regulus closed his eyes, letting out more of the awkward sounds, wishing he could say what he wanted to say, to thank her for everything as fingers reached up to ruffle the black locks on the back of his head.

Eventually, his breathing steadied, and she relaxed her grip, chin still resting on top of his head. "How about we check your bandages dear? I'm worried you sat up quickly when you woke up and might have opened an injury."

"Uh-huh," he said, muttering an appology.

"Not reason to appologize. None at all, love," she said, squeezing his shoulder, beore gently pulling up the shirt, checking the bandages, removing the one that had a level of seepage from his injuries, gently replacing it with fresh bandages as well as replacing the towel that lay between him and the matress before lying him back down and kissing his forehead. "Goodnight."

"Ma-ma," he started saying, before getting out, "ma-man."

"I know. It's okay." She said. "We love you."

He reached out, tugging her sleeve, trying to give her his best smile to communicate, " Me too. "

"I know dear. Try to sleep. If you've a nightmare again, I won't be far, as our bedroom is just across the hall."

"Love," Regulus said. Then, "Love you."

She paused, then smiled. "Love you too, Sebastian. Goodnight, my sweet boy."