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Dreamie giggled as he watched the character on the show doing something he enjoyed. Sapnap smiled as he kept an eye on him on the other side of the couch, while doing more paperwork and stuff on his laptop. He caught Dreamie flapping his hands happily before clapping repeatedly, rocking back and forth on his seat before he abruptly stopped when he noticed Sapnap was watching him.
“Sowwy,” Dreamie mumbled, pulling his legs up to his chest and pushing his hands inbetween his thighs, face flushed in embarrassment.
“Little Cub, you don’t have to apologize for stimming,” Sapnap spoke with that everloving soft tone. “Stimming is a good thing. Most people, if not everyone, does it in their own way.”
“Bu’ts… bu’ts s-she says it annoy’in,” Dreamie mumbled, pushing his hands further into his thighs. “Says I can’ fi’git’.”
“Baby. She’s not here anymore, it’s no where near annoying. Do you wanna fidget? Do you want a fidget toy? Big you has some.” Sapnap offered, moving to set his laptop and paperwork aside.
“I dos?” Dreamie asked, and Sapnap nodded.
“Yeah, I’ll go get them, love,” Sapnap smiled, standing and quickly jogging to Dream’s room to grab the toys, which were just in the top drawer of his desk. He grabbed out the pop-it that he snagged from his sister, magnetic rings, and an infinity cube. He found himself fidgeting with the rings as he walked back out into the living room.
“Here, try playing with these,” Sapnap smiled, handing the toys over. Dreamie immediately became entranced with the infinity cube. Sapnap sat back down, smiling as Dreamie got entranced with the toys. He’d giggle to himself while popping the pop-it or hearing the magnets click together.
Sapnap wondered how anyone could ever be mean to a cute guy like him. Dreamie played quietly for a while, giggling to himself every once in a while as the buttons popped on his toy. Sapnap actually got most of his work done, not that he wasn’t watching Dreamie at the same time, but the little was a bit too entranced with his new toys and the TV to care too much about anything else.
Patches hopped up next to her boy, sniffing at him gently before curling up against his leg, purring gently as she closed her eyes in content. Dreamie giggled petting Patches gently. “Hai, Pa’chie,” Dreamie whispered, scratching gently behind her head. Sapnap looked up when he heard Dreamie talk.
“I wove you, Pa’chie,” Dreamie whispered, and Patches meowed in response, getting Dreamie to giggle as she batted very gently at his hand. He yawned softly, laying down around Patches.
“Darling, do you wanna cuddle with me?” Sapnap asked, and Dreamie perked up as Sapnap moved his laptop and papers onto the coffee table, opening his arms.
“Weally?” Dreamie asked.
“Of course, c’mere,” Sapnap smiled, as Dreamie carefully moved away from Patches and scooted over, curling up into Sapnap’s side. Dreamie arm came over his stomach while Sapnap’s arm wrapped around his shoulder and held his other arm gently, running a hand through his hair.
“Lavender's blue, dilly, dilly, Lavender's green. When I am king, dilly, dilly, you shall be queen,” Sapnap sang gently, rocking Dreamie back and forth best he could to help lull him to sleep.
“Who tol’ yous so, dilwy, dilwy
Who tol’ yous so?” Dreamie whispered with a small giggle, knowing the tune
“'Twas mine own heart, dilly, dilly; That told me so,” Sapnap sang back before they both giggled and Sapnap kissed his head.
“Call up your men, dilly, dilly, set them to work. Some to the plough, dilly, dilly, some to the fork,” Sapnap sang softly, and this time Dreamie just listened, eyes shutting.
Roses are red, dilly, dilly, violets are blue. Because you love me, dilly, dilly; I will love you,” Sapnap finished singing when he realized Dreamie was out, and smiled, resting his head on Dream’s. “Alexa, turn off the TV and the lights, please,” Sapnap said, carefully not to wake Dream.
“Okay. Turning off the TV and living room lights,” The female AI voice said.
The TV shut off as the lights dimmed to nothing, and with the darkened curtain in the living room, it was almost like it was nighttime again. Sapnap grabbed a blanket from the back of the couch and tossed it over them both, laying back and soon falling asleep with Dream curled up on him.
Yeah, this was nice.
(-8-)
“Clay, darling,” A feminine voice, smooth and beautiful. Luring. Untrustworthy. “Come here, love. You’ve been a bad boy. This is the third mess you’ve made.”
“I sowey! I sowey! Don’ huwr’ mes!” Dream cried out, curled up in a ball as her beautiful, sweet voice filled with love was saying such painful things. He was surrounded by darkness, though. She wasn’t even there.
“Clay. Clay. Clay. Dream. Dream. Dream. Cub. Cub. Cub-“ her voice slowly distorted into one of a man’s. “Clay!”
Dreamie woke up with a screaming cry. Already engulfed with warm, sturdy arms, Dreamie sobbed. “Alexa, turn the lights on low!”
“Turning lights on low…” Her voice filled the room as the lights brightened slightly.
“Baby, baby,” Sapnap spoke softly, trying to calm him. “It’s okay. You’re okay. You’re so safe, love. So, so safe.” Sapnap rocked him as Dreamie sobbed uncontrollably.
“Baby, baby breath. C’mon breathe with me,” Sapnap tried, rocking his boy back and forth. “Dreamie, can you talk?”
“H-h-he-help-“ Dreamie tried, and Sapnap pulled back just so he could look Dreamie in the eyes.
“Baby, tell me 5 things you can see ,” Sapnap whispered. “Take as long as you need. But I need you to say 5 things you can see.”
“Wa-wal-wall,” Dreamie gasped, “Ni-Nicky. Po-pop. Bw-bwank-bwankie. H-hat.”
“Good boy, what a good job. So good,” Sapnap whispered, kissing his head. “What’re four things you can touch? Repeats are perfectly fine.”
“Ni-nicky,” Dreamie breathed, “C-couwch. Ho-hoo’ie. Pa’chie.”
“Perfect, my little cub, perfect. What about listening? What can you hear?”
“Ni-nicky. Air bl-bwlowin. Pa’chie purrin,” Dreamie’s speaking and breathing were slowly getting better. He sniffed, clutching onto Sapnap’s arm. His eyes were focusing and unfocusing. Crossing and uncrossing.
“Two things you can smell?”
“Fwowers,” Dreamie whispered, inhaling deeply. “Nicky smewl wike woo’ds toos.” Sapnap’s cologne.
“Here, take a sip of this, love,” Sapnap said softly, holding up the cup of cool apple juice. The ice inside had melted, but the cup was still cold enough so it wasn’t unpleasant. Dreamie sucked it down almost instantly. “And one thing you can taste.”
“App’e Ju’ce,” Dreamie whispered with a small smile. He was still trembling, and tears were still falling, but he was breathing normally again, and verbal.
“There we are. Perfect, baby. You did so good. Nicky’s so proud of you,” Sapnap said, setting the cup down. “So good, Cubs. Nicky loves you so much.” Sapnap kissed his head.
“Woves Nicky toos… can I sweep ag’ins?” Dreamie asked.
“Of course, my dear. Do you want me to hold you again? I’ll protect you from everything,” Sapnap promised, and Dream nodded, falling back into Sapnap’s arms. Sapnap hummed him back to slumber, exhaling softly. His heart was racing, he’d helped Dream through panic attacks, hence knowing the coins down method worked on him, but a regressed Dream who could barely breath was scarier than anything Sapnap could’ve imagined.
“She’s never gonna hurt you again, baby. Never ever,” Sapnap promised, knowing Dreamie couldn’t hear him.
(-8-)
“Sapnap,” Dream said, sounding shy and small (not regressed wise).
“Hey,” Sapnap said, looking over at him from his place in the kitchen. He was making a late dinner a couple hours after the incident. “You okay?”
“I wanna say yeah… but no,” Dream sniffed. “But I- I wanna thank you for earlier. I was in- like- a middle ground mentality in- like- every way shape and form. I was regressed, but I also wasn’t, but I wasn’t here, but I was- it’s so confusing. Just- thank you.”
“Dream. You do not need to thank me for something like that,” Sapnap said gently, setting the spoon he was making the Mac and cheese with down and pulling Dream down into a hug. Dream pushed his face into Sapnap’s neck, crying softly no matter how hard he tried not to. “That’s what I’m here for, Dream. To take care of you. To help you. And definitely to protect you. It’s okay. You’re gonna be okay.”
“I know I will,” Dream’s voice cracked as they swayed back and forth in the kitchen, just holding each other.
It’d take time. But Dream will be okay again.