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Drake shot up in bed, vestiges of the dream echoing in his mind. Beside him, Coby shifted in his sleep, at peace for once. He was still fully clothed, minus the boots Drake had taken off of him, and Drake was loathe to wake him, just because of some nightmares.
The phrase “drunken bastard” flitted to the top of Drake’s thoughts, and he flinched violently, falling to the floor with a thud. He rolled from his side to a seated position, shoulders slumped and using the bed as a headrest. Closing his eyes, he let the little tremors from his nightmare slowly stop.
A hand petting his hair had Drake’s eyes snapping open. He jerked away, twisting around to see Coby sleepily reaching out to him.
“Drake?” Coby mumbled. “’vrything ok?” He pushed himself up a bit and rubbed tiredly at his eyes.
“Its fine, Coby, go back to sleep,” Drake soothed.
Coby shifted back and forth a bit, eyes squinting so he could pull Drake into focus. Finally he settled and reached out to cup Drake’s cheek in his hand. “Something upset you,” he stated. Clearly sleep had been banished from his mind, and Drake silently cursed. This was the first night in weeks he’d convinced Coby to come to bed before midnight and the other marine had basically fallen into bed and passed out there immediately.
“It’s nothing.”
“Drake.” Coby had a look on his face that was far too serious for ass o’clock in the morning. “All I’m reading from you right now is hurt. Come back to bed and let’s talk?” The mission had them both strung tight, the few hours they could get each night supposed to be a respite.
Coby patted the bed encouragingly, and Drake clambered into it. He let Coby manhandle him so that they were both comfortable. Coby threw the blanket over both of them, a sweet enough gesture even though they both knew that Coby would be wrapped up in it by full morning.
“Want to tell me what that was about?” Coby asked softly. He drew little patterns on Drake’s chest with a calloused finger.
“Just a nightmare. It’s nothing, Coby.”
Coby stopped moving. “Drake, how many times have I woken you up because of nightmares? It’s not nothing.” Drake finally looked at his eyes, blue meeting magenta. Part of their whole arrangement had started because Coby slept better when in contact with someone.
Drake sighed. Coby could be tenacious when he wanted to be, and Drake wanted to go back to sleep. “Just… My father.”
“Oh.” Coby’s expression softened. Everything about him softened. He leaned up and pressed a tiny kiss to Drake’s cheek, making the older marine flush. “I’m sorry.” Coby didn’t know details; Drake had never given them. All Coby knew was that Drake’s father had been a marine who turned pirate. Out of respect, Coby had never gone through the files he knew he could probably find with ease.
“I’m here, Drake.” Coby took one of Drake’s hands in his and gently pressed his lips to the scarred knuckles. “Try and get some more sleep.”
Drake curled a little further around Coby. Dawn was still a ways off. Coby slid off to sleep easily enough, still worn out from the day’s activities. Drake lay awake a while longer before he too drifted off, just as the sky was slowly working its way towards grey.