how about gil, lovi, arthur & ludwig comforting an s/o after a nightmare?
These ended up being a lot longer than I had anticipated, so I'm answering this ask in two parts.
First up we have the German Bros, and the tsundere boys will follow hopefully in the next day or so. Hope you enjoy!
Update 13 May 2020: Arthur and Lovino here, darlings!
The rhythmic ticking of the cuckoo clock pendulum was among the first sounds to greet you, a grounding familiarity that quickly eased away some of the lingering fears from your dreams.
You sighed quietly, closing your eyes as you steadied your breath, hyper-aware of the room around you-
The clamminess of your skin, the faint scent of pine, the wall of warmth just beside you, the steady repetition of his breaths.
You longed to pursue more sleep; the moonlight trailing across the duvet told you that it had to be just past midnight, perhaps even one o'clock. But sleep was a finicky mistress, slipping away from your grasp with each passing tick of that damnable clock.
You sighed in agitation and moved to stand. There was no point remaining in bed if you would be staring listlessly at the ceiling for the next few hours; surely you could get some work done.
You were just toeing on your slippers when you felt the mattress shift, a groggy voice giving you pause. "What're you doing?"
You felt a sting of guilt, turning your head to face him, frowning. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to wake you."
He was mid-yawn, tousled hair falling into his face. "It's okay." Tired eyes opened once more, the hints of concern marring his features. "What's wrong?"
You let your head hang, shoulders drooping in defeat. You hadn't wanted to bother Luddy with this, not-
"It's just this stupid nightmare I keep having; it's nothing."
You hoped he'd let it drop, your tone intentionally dismissive. Instead, his lamp clicked on, and soon a familiar figure was before you, kneeling to meet your gaze at an equal height. "Clearly it is something; you wouldn't keep having it if it wasn't bothering you."
Your gaze drifted away, floating down to where his hands were now gently holding onto yours, shadows playing on the patterned rug beneath him. Sensing your hesitation, he offered a gentle squeeze, bringing your attention once more to his eyes.
They were haunted, frantic. He was worried for you, and in the way he studied you-
He saw your resolve crumble, the flicker of relief etching across his features so quickly that you could have sworn you imagined it. His voice softened, thumbs tracing over the backs of your hands. "Talk to me."
It was more a plea than a command, but enough of an order rang in those few words that you were unable to resist. The details came tumbling out, your focus only on the pieces that kept tormenting you, images that still vividly danced before you each time you closed your eyes.
He listened patiently, never once interrupting, only continuing to draw endless circles with his thumbs. At long last, your explanation was finished, and he was soon offering his advice, logical arguments that you had been repeating like a mantra since the first of this saga of night-terrors.
"Trust me, Luddy; I know it's ridiculous! It's stupid and-"
"It's not. It's clearly bothering you, and now me-"
You winced at that, guilt once more assaulting you. There was another squeeze of your hands, your attention once more back on the man before you. "Say these things were real-"
Your annoyance was immeasurable, but you nodded your assent for him to continue.
"Say these things were real- What's the plan? What can you do to prepare?"
You had no answer for that, your brows furrowing in confusion at his question. He offered a pointed expression, fueling your disbelief. Could it really be that simple? You let your thoughts wander briefly, considering how you would handle the events of your nightmares, what strategies would work best. Suddenly, the fears weren't as strong; having a fallback plan for each scenario- no matter how ridiculous- was actually helping you.
Your surprise was clear as you turned back to him, the question barely passing your lips. "How did-"
He was smiling, far more at ease. "I'm allowed some secrets, you know."
You whispered your thanks; you oddly felt refreshed and far more relaxed. There was a murmur of acknowledgement before blue eyes once more drew you in. "How's 'bout a slice of cake?"
You couldn't deny a small smile at the run-on syllables, another sure sign that he was still sleepy. But he was determined to see that smile, his triumph playing in a soft smirk.
"And listen to you bitch about the calories in the morning," you couldn't help but tease.
That earned a small laugh, some strange mixture of both amusement and embarrassment. "I think I can make one exception..."
There was no repressing your happiness now, all lingering traces of your dream fading away in the face of his love. "You'll have to split it with me."
He shook his head with fond exasperation, standing once more. "As expected."
Dropping a kiss to your hands, he soon drifted away, footsteps steadily making their way to the kitchen, leaving you alone with the rhythmic ticking of the handcrafted clock, gentle moonlight trailing across your feet.
You jolted awake with the ghost of a scream heavy on your lips.
Rapid breathing refused to slow, heart still racing in terror.
Desperation had you turning the light on, needing the visual assurance that-
Panic played with the tattered fringes of your senses, fatigue and fear forming an insurmountable horror overwhelming all sense.
You were oblivious of the time, not realizing that he would be coming back from his run at any moment. As far as you were concerned, haunted by the remnants of your nightmare, your fears were not dreams at all, but a lingering eventuality that had bled into your reality.
You clung to his pillow, curling in anguish as tears slipped unbidden down your cheeks.
The unmistakable sound of the opening back door interrupted your thoughts, a familiar clacking of canine toenails against linoleum and squeaking sneakers sparking hope.
It was just enough to pause your paranoia, calm your spirits.
Footsteps made their way up the staircase, your growing hope forcing you upright, heart beating with the desperate prayer that-
His bright smile, the strands of hair sticking to his damp forehead, the pink earbuds draped around his neck-
You felt yourself crumble once more- now with the added shame of him having to see you like this- his own worry clear in how he held you, begging to know what was wrong.
All of it wove together as you clung to him, the few coherent pieces of your night terrors tumbling out.
He kept smoothing his hand across your back, held you firmly against him.
Your tears eventually ceased, his light humming the only other sound in the room.
No, you really weren't, but-
You closed your eyes, grounding yourself in his warmth, the weight of his fingers tracing over the veins in your wrists, the subtle scent of sweat lingering from his workout.
His head was tucked between your neck and shoulder, his arms and legs circling you from behind; he had you completely surrounded.
The words were a low murmur, a warm vow against your skin. Each syllable shaped itself against your pulse point, thrummed through your veins, repeated with every beat of your heart.
"You're stuck with me; God 'emself couldn't even drag me away from you."
The firm consolation gradually forced your fears away, his gentle ministrations weaving fatigue back into your frame.
You felt him shift, and a lingering sense of panic prompted you to cling frantically to his hand.
His soft chuckle- fond, mildly bemused- breathed into your hair.
"I'm not leaving, leibe. Just... Wouldn't you prefer lying down?"
You let him lead you, moving back beneath the covers as a single unit. He tugged you closer, moulding himself to you, weaving his fingers between your own.
Guilt chewed at you once more- awareness that you had thrown off his entire morning routine- and you attempted to pull away.
"Stille," he interrupted, securing you once more in his embrace.
You smiled despite yourself, a soft sigh escaping as he pressed a kiss to your head.
"I'm not going anywhere. Get some sleep."
Any further protests faded fast, banished by his warm breaths and the steady rhythm of his heartbeat against your back.
