@dcay
. . .
Tomura was standing in front of the man’s bed, nodding his head when he was asked about a nightmare. There wasn’t a single night where he hadn’t a nightmare. He would wake up screaming, throat scratched raw. Sometimes he would throw up. Today he just woke up crying, tears still streaking down his cheek but he hung his head low not to show Sensei.
The child was wringing his hands anxiously, shaking a bit from the aftermath of what he had seen. Only when the adult allowed him to sleep in his bedroom, did Tomura raise his head, crimson eyes wide. Without hesitation he crawled inside, fingers reaching for the man’s shirt to hold on to it like a lifeline. He knew he should be strong. Knew he should just go back to sleep in his own bed and not show weakness like he was doing right now. But... He couldn’t. He wanted someone to confine in, to bury his face in someone’s chest and cry, to have an adult tell him that everything was going to be fine.
But they never did.
“ I’m sorry.. “ The boy mumbled in a whimper, curling up beside the other man like he was so small, the pillow could almost cover him up entirely. His tiny frame hiding underneath the blankets like he was trying to disappear and not be an annoyance to Sensei anymore. He just needed him. Tomura wasn’t ready to do things without Sensei yet, he didn’t know how to handle his emotions without the man to guide him.
This was his life now he grumbled internally to himself as he felt the tiny boy crawl his way over to huddle his petite form against him. He the practical devil in the flesh being clung to like some harmless teddy bear. If the others could see him now. Gruffly he grunted, dim wine red hues opening if only to look over and spot the bundle balled now under his blankets. This was very much not what he saw himself doing in the past...
Nonetheless would he gingerly tug the small tiny child closer to him in a secure and protective hold. These hands that could raise a small island off it’s foundation and cleanly fling it off the face of the earth, stain empires red like a biblical plague, massacare entire armies with one wave of his hand...but simply rose it to gently ruffle the boys messy ivory locks in an affectionate manner.
‘‘It’s alright, Tomura. Nothing can hurt you here.”
With that promised and assured blood red eyes shut once more with a flutter of dark lashes. If he was lucky he’d still be able to actually catch a bit of sleep for his long day coming. “One day soon, you will not need me to protect you from them. You’ll be just as strong as I am, mayhap even stronger. Dream of those days, my boy...let them chase away your terrors.” He’d advise with a sleepy yawn. Even in a sleepy stupor he was giving life advise. But if the boy heard his groggy musings, he didn’t know, for soon after saying that, the ancient kingpin was right back to sleep, except this time holding to Tomura in a one arm hug as he snoozed away.
