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Doctor Robotnik never stopped thinking. His mind was constantly racing with ideas and thoughts. Sometimes they were genius ideas. Other times, they were terrible horrible thoughts.
Nightmares plagued him like a disease. They took control of his unconscious body and terrified him to his very core. In his nightmares, everything he had worked so hard for was stripped away. He was not Dr. Ivo Robotnik, he was nothing but an empty husk.
The terrible scenes in his head would play until he was thrown back into consciousness. He sat up. Shaking like a leaf. The details of the nightmare already beginning to slip from his mind.
His vision blurred as tears slid down his face. He held his arms close to his chest as he shook violently. He closed his eyes and tried to steady his breathing, still trying to convince himself that it was just a dream.
Once his quick breathing began to slow, he started to process the hand that was rubbing up and down his back. He looked to his side to see Agent Stone looking back at him with a worried smile.
Robotnik could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He hated when Stone saw him like this. It made him feel so vulnerable.
Seeing that he was finally starting to come to reality, Stone smiled kindly and opened his arms, which Robotnik practically fell into. Stone continued to rub his back as he sobbed into Stone’s shoulder.
“Are you alright, dear?” Stone spoke in a soft whisper “you don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to”
Robotnik buried his head between Stone’s shoulder and neck. Squeezing him tightly but not saying a word, only letting out a small choked sob.
“Ok...” Stone sighed in understanding. Gently squeezing Robotnik in return.
Robotnik hated this. He hated being scared. He hated being so open and vulnerable. He hated showing this weak side of himself to Stone.
Stone clutched Robotnik tightly, slowly swaying back and forth, almost rocking the crying Doctor in his arms. He gently kissed the top of Robotnik’s head, which in turn caused Robotnik to squeeze his arms tighter around Stone.
Stone’s sleep shirt was soaked in tears at this point but he didn’t really care. He held onto his lover’s shaking body as if the trembling would stop if he could just squeeze him tight enough. All his focus devoted to bringing comfort to the man in his arms.
The details of the dream had faded. Now vague memories of colors and screams were all that remained. Yet the deep twisting feeling in Robotnik’s stomach still lingered.
He was shaken out of his thoughts by the feeling of Stone tugging on his shoulder. Robotnik looked up to face his lover.
“Do you think you’ll be ready to go back to sleep soon?” Stone questioned. His voice was soft. Love and worry dripped out of every word. Robotnik made an affirming “Mm” sound and put his head back on Stone’s shoulder.
Stone put his hand on Robotnik’s head and slowly lowered the two of them so that they were laying down.
Robotnik pulled himself closer to Stone. The warmth of the other’s body was calming.
Robotnik felt so safe in Stone’s arms. It was something he was never quite able explain. Something about the weight around him made him feel secure. It tore his mind away from any outside dangers. The heat of his lover’s body becoming his world
Stone held Robotnik in his arms until he felt the rise and fall of his chest slow down. Robotnik let out a small contented sigh before his breathing completely slowed, signaling to Stone that he had fallen asleep.
Stone softly smiled at his sleeping lover. He really did hate seeing him in pain. And knew how hard it was for Robotnik to be vulnerable around others like this. He was just glad that Robotnik felt safe enough to show this side of himself to Stone.
He gave placed one last kiss on Robotnik’s head before adjusting a bit so that he was comfortable and dozing off to the feeling of the love of his life safe and curled up in his arms.
The two of them stayed like that for the rest of the night. When the sun rose, the feelings that had so strongly overtaken Robotnik mere hours ago had completely subsided. He no longer felt fear and pain.
Now. He only felt warm.