You're walking down the dark hallway when you hear a sound.
It's a small sound, but you hear it anyway.
It's 3AM, and you want to go back to bed after your trip to the kitchen to get a glass of water, but you can't.
You know where the sound is coming from. You know who the voice belongs to.
You must help.
You poke your head into the room, knocking gently. You peek inside, glancing around in the dark. It takes your eyes a moment to adjust to the dim light level, but then you see him.
Red's hunched figure is sitting, curled up on his bed, hugging his knees close to his chest. His shoulders are shaking. He's been crying.
You step inside, closing the door behind you. This has become a habit of Red's, waking up after a nightmare. It's also become a habit of yours to check on him, to make sure he's all right.
The nightmares have been haunting Red a lot lately. You can't imagine why. Yellow told you that it was Herobrine's control on Red that triggered these horrible dreams, but that was already years ago. Perhaps Red was feeling guilty for something?
Whatever it is, you can't let it slide. Red is in distress, and you know you must help him.
You sit on the bed next to his shaking figure, placing a warm hand on his back. The sobs reduce slightly when he feels your warmth. Then, suddenly, he bursts up, hugging you like he's a baby koala, not wanting to let go. You hug him back.
“Are you okay, Red?” you ask.
“I'm such a coward,” he immediately replies, his sobs growing louder. “I'm not a kid and…I'm having stupid nightmares. I'm such…such a coward!” His breath is coming in ragged gasps, his sobs muffled.
“Red. Red, you're not a coward.”
“Y-yes I am. If I wasn't…y-you wouldn't be here.”
“That's not true,” you say sternly yet gently. “We can all have bad dreams every once in a while.”
“G-Green never wakes up crying,” Red weeps. “A-and I never see Yellow or B-Blue waking up from nightmares.”
“Red. Red, stop.” You pull away and look him straight in the eye. “Red, listen to me. You. Are not. A coward.”
“But I got scared–”
“I get scared too,” you say, your voice gentler. “But I try not to let my fear get the better of me.” You pause. He looks at you, his tear-stained face and everything. “Red, you're very brave. You're the bravest out of all of us. We don't think you're a coward.”
“R-really?” he squeaks, his voice small.
You nod. You reach up and wipe the tears from his face. He sniffles.
“You're not a coward,” you say. “You're Red. You're the silly, hot-headed little brother of the group. And we love you for being you.”
He sniffles again. “Th-Thanks,” he says, his voice a whisper. His distress is gone now. He relaxes in your embrace, his eyes getting droopy. It doesn't take long for him to fall back to sleep, his chest rising and falling as he breathes.
You lay the sleeping Red back on his pillow, making sure he's comfortable before stepping quietly out of his room.
