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It was late and you were at Caleb’s place for the weekend. You both were fast asleep for a couple of hours now, but he started stirring in bed.
At first you didn’t notice but the mumbling became louder and he is getting restless as the minutes go by. Concerned, you quickly sat up in bed to check on him. There you noticed the beads of sweat dripping down his forehead and his hands gripping the sheets. There’s no mistaking it—he’s having a horrible nightmare.
“No.. Leave her alone.. Don’t take her away.. Please stop.” With his body moving slightly, lips in a frown, and brows turned down, you wanted to snap him out of it.
It’s been a long time since you’d seen him like this, but instinct took over—you gently shook him, hoping for a response, yet he only continued to mumble, unchanged. You switch on the light and put hands on his shoulders to get him to wake up, one hand moves to his cheek as you try to get him back to you.
“Caleb wake up, come on sweetie can you wake up for me please.” The shaking and talking to him seemed to get him back to you, he sat up abruptly gasping. He sits at the edge of the bed bare back towards you and head in hands, trembling slightly. He doesn’t give you a chance to look at his face.
Scooting towards him you reach out a hand to his back and rub slow circles to let him know you’re here. “Are you okay?” A few seconds of silence and a quick sniffle and you’re by his side immediately. You grab his face into your hands and he is now looking at you, his beautiful purple eyes now filled with tears and breaking your heart.
“Do you want to talk about it?” He shook his head no and that’s all you needed. You noticed his breathing was still shaky and you know that it kills him for you to see him like this. He wishes he could just hide away until he feels fine and no tears are in his eyes. He hates to show any weakness in front of you but at this moment he also needs you to help him get out of his head from that nightmare.
You slowly guide him back to bed with you. Resting his head against your chest so he can hear your heartbeat, his hands go around you and hold you close to him. One hand goes to his head and starts patting his hair, the other goes to his back to hold him closer.
You feel part of your stomach get wet, you realize he's crying. You move your hands to his face and turn him towards you.
“What’s wrong, my love?” You talk to him in a soft and gentle voice hoping he’ll open up and share what’s the matter.
He thinks for a little before speaking. “In my nightmare you were taken away from me again and I felt so helpless, I couldn’t bear to lose you ever again. I need you with me forever.” He buries his face back into your stomach.
“I’ll be with you forever, I love you and I’ll never leave.” You reassure him as you reach for him and kiss his tears away, kissing his cheeks slowly making your way to his lips.
You plant a soft yet needy kiss on his lips and he kisses you back with just as much need and a desperate moan escapes him.
He sits up and holds you in his lap. His face in your neck, both of you catching your breaths from kissing. His face coming back up and kissing you all over and then finally catching your lips in his again , but this time the kiss was soft.
You both look into each other's eyes and you see all his love for you in them. Hands reaching out for his face and running your thumbs against his cheek. He leans into them.
“I love you.” He says to you while staring into your eyes and holding you tightly against him.
You both hold each other all night and fall back into deep sleep and you hug him a little tighter and kiss his forehead in hopes that he feels your love for him and he won’t get any more nightmares.