#afraid to sleep
CW: Head injury, nightmares, afraid to sleep
“Here. We’ll be safer in here.”
“Here? Where exactly is here?” Hero asked as Villain led them through a short door in an old house.
“It’s my base.”
“This is your base? It’s falling apart.”
“Everything fancy is in the basement. I live in the house.”
“You live here?”
“Yes.” Villain ran their fingers through their hair, wincing as their hand brushed over a bump.
Hero noticed. “Are you okay? That’s right… you hit your head. Do you have a first aid kit? Where is it?”
“I don’t have a first aid kit. I’m fine. Calm down.” Villain stomped twice on the floor, then took their shoes off.
“What was thatfor?”
“Calling up Sidekick.” Leaning against the wall, Villain looked absolutely drained.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
But Villain didn’t get a chance to answer as Sidekick emerged from a closet. “Villain? Who— Hero?”
“It’s fine— They’re fine. I brought them in.” Villain stepped away from the wall, saying on their feet. Sidekick looked ready to catch them. “Hero, this is Sidekick. They’re the reason I don’t have a first aid kit.”
“Are you hurt? Where? What happened?” Sidekick placed a hand on Villain’s arm and led them to sit in a chair.
“Just a bump on the head.”
“Let me see.” Sidekick examined Villain’s head and tsked at them. “You’ve got to be more careful. Someday you’re going to hurt yourself and I won’t be able to fix it.”
“Well today isn’t that day, is it?”
“No.” Sidekick muttered, laying a hand over the bump. “This one’s going to hurt quite a bit. Try and keep still.”
Villain nodded.
A pained expression set into Villain’s face as Sidekick began to chant and the swelling began to visibly go down. Aside from paling and a quiet whimper, however, Villain seemed to take whatever Sidekick was doing remarkably well.
When Sidekick was done, Villain stood, leaning on the chair to support themself.
“You need to go to bed.” Sidekick said, leading Villain to the stairs. “Get some rest and I’ll make you something to eat.” The pair of them disappeared up the stairs, leaving Hero at the door.
A few minutes later, Sidekick came back down, looking flustered. “Will you keep an eye on them for me? I was in the middle of something downstairs and I need to finish. Besides… they won’t sleep unless someone makes them and I can’t right now.”
“Why? I mean, yeah, I’ll stay with them, but why won’t they sleep?”
“It’s… it’s complicated.” Sidekick shook their head. “If they don’t want to tell you, I won’t tell you either. Sorry. Their room is the second on the left upstairs.”
Hero frowned, but nodded and ascended the steps.
Sidekick was right. Even though Villain had seemed dead tired— especially after Sidekick healed them— they weren’t in bed when Hero opened the door. They were staring out the window.
“Villain?”
Villain turned when Hero spoke, startled.
“You need to rest. You look really rough.”
“Did Sidekick send you up?” Villain sighed. “Whatever… I’m not tired.” They turned back to the window.
Hero came up behind them, noting the way Villain still swayed a bit and the way their hands trembled. “Villain, why don’t you want to sleep? You’re clearly exhausted.”
With a deep sigh, Villain left the window and sat on the edge of the bed. Hero sat with them. “I just… I don’t want to.”
“Do you have nightmares..?”
Villain’s lack of an answer was as much confirmation as Hero needed.
“You need sleep. Look at yourself. You’re hardly awake.”
Villain’s eyes flitted over Hero’s face, lingering a moment too long on Hero’s lips. “I suppose you’re going to leave as soon as I fall asleep?”
“I’ll stay if that’s what you want.” Hero leaned a little closer, putting a hand on the bed behind Villain.
“I’d like that.” Villain whispered before leaning in a little closer and kissing Hero softly.
Hero kissed back gently, pressing a hand to Villain’s lower back and slowly pressing them to lay down before breaking the kiss, still hovering mere centimeters from Villain’s lips. “Stop trying to distract me. Go to sleep. I’ll be right here with you.” Hero layed down next to Villain.
In a matter of moments, Villain was asleep.
