Work Text:
Fandom: DBH
Prompt: “I can’t sleep.”
Sumo doesn’t remember much before he came to Home.
He remembers the little boxes they kept him in, the other dogs sniffing eagerly at the hands of the Keepers who came to look at them. He remembers the Keeper who wore a ring on one of their fingers. He licked it, curious, he’s never seen something like that before.
“Shit,” the Keeper cursed, twisting it off, “forgot about that.”
“Can I help you with something, ma’am?”
“Yes, I’d like this one, please.”
“Alright! You come up to the front, we’ll get your paperwork all sorted.”
The Keeper left, trailing one of the Friends to the big square near the front. He remembers the excitement of getting the lead clipped onto him for the first time, remembers the excited farewells and good-lucks from all the other dogs as he walked outside.
He remembers being pulled gently up a small set of stairs to a door.
“…what do you want?”
“I’m here with a peace offering, Hank.”
Sumo remembers sniffing at the new Keeper, sitting politely on his haunches and waiting. The new Keeper is taller, broader, had more hair. Well, hair in more places. The new Keeper extends a hand and Sumo sniffs at it, nudging it gently with his head until it gives him pats.
The Keepers are talking about something. Sumo doesn’t know what it is, all he knows is the new Keeper isn’t very happy. So he trots forward a little more and leans against the Keeper’s legs. He used to do this with the new puppies, who would cry and shake and be so afraid. It helped them, it will help the Keeper.
He looks up in surprise when the first Keeper turns to leave. They’re not taking him with?
“Guess it’s just you an’ me, buddy.”
Oh. He follows the Keeper inside, exploring his new surroundings. It’s not bad. There’s a few unfamiliar smells but there are soft things and warm places and a new Keeper to get to know.
“They didn’t give you a name, huh?”
Sumo plops his head down in the Keeper’s lap when he sits on the floor. He borfs quietly and nuzzles into the Keeper’s chest. He accidentally nuzzles a bit too hard because it bowls the Keeper over.
“Take it easy!” Sumo stands over the Keeper’s face, tail wagging. “I ain’t a sumo wrestler.”
Sumo.
“Sumo, huh?” The Keeper huffs and wraps his arms around him. “Sumo it is.”
The Keeper became Owner became Dad.
“Sumo?”
Dad would get home late some days. He wouldn’t be very happy all the time. This was okay, he was good to Sumo and let Sumo cheer him up. Sumo could nap during the day and go for little walks in the backyard. They would go for big walks later. He could curl up next to Dad and watch the lightbox or snooze with his head in his lap. He wasn’t allowed up on the couch but when Dad was upset he was allowed on the bed. He licked at the water running down his face and pressed himself against Dad when he had the bad shakes.
Sumo remembers when he came into the room one day to see Dad sitting on the edge of the bed.
“…Sumo? That you?”
Sumo borfs, trotting over to sit next to Dad’s legs. He looks up at him, cocking his head to the side. Dad doesn’t look so good. He looks upset. That’s never good.
Sumo nudges Dad’s hand and snuffles when he doesn’t move.
“Sorry, boy,” Dad mumbles, “don’t have much energy right now. Can’t go for a walk.”
Walk? Walk was earlier, it’s late now. Dad should be asleep.
Sumo walks over to the pillow and noses it gently, looking up and whining at Dad to please get some sleep.
“You want up?”
Not the original question, but Sumo likes up. He steps back, gives himself a running start, and lands lightly behind Dad who doesn’t even move. He lays down with his head in Dad’s lap and whines.
Is the ceiling leaking?
Oh. Dad is shaking again.
His fingers dig into Sumo’s thick fur and he bows low over Sumo in his lap, letting Sumo wriggle around until he’s pressed against his dad as much as he can be. He growls low in his throat, trying to scare away the bad things.
That’s the first night Dad couldn’t sleep. It wasn’t the last.
Sumo remembers the good things too. He remembers throwing the little ball and plastic disk back and forth in the backyard and the park. He remembers running through the hose and getting himself absolutely covered in mud. He remembers lazing on the back porch with Dad as the summer sun goes down. He remembers the treats, the pats, the walks, the playing, the hugs.
But nothing is more important than helping Dad sleep.
He remembers the first time the Boy broke into the house. The Boy knocked first, then he rang the doorbell. Then he came through the window.
Sumo knew Dad was on the floor and he wasn’t about to just let someone come and hurt him. But the Boy knew his name, helped Dad, so maybe the Boy was a friend.
The Boy works with Dad. He came over sometimes to talk about things, he would always pet Sumo. Sumo likes his pats. Sumo could sit properly in the Boy’s lap. The Boy was nice. Dad likes him too.
He remembers Dad in front of the lightbox one night.
“Sumo?”
Sumo perks his head up.
“How would you feel if someone else came to live with us?”
Sumo borfs.
The Boy came to stay with them. Now Sumo had two laps for sitting, two sets of hands to play with. The Boy spent lots of his free time with Sumo, giving him cuddles and everything. He heard Dad call the Boy Son.
The Boy became Son became Brother.
Brother doesn’t sleep. Well, he doesn’t sleep the way Dad sleeps. He sits on the couch and goes completely still, or he keeps working. Dad says Brother doesn’t need to sleep the way Dad needs sleep. That’s okay. Sumo likes going to sleep with his head in Brother’s lap.
He remembers what to do when Brother sits shakily next to him one night and says: “I can’t sleep.”
He knows what to do. He takes care of his family.