For Maxxie

[reformingfury]

The nights are getting harder for Dave. Most of his fears showed up in broad daylight before October came around, but the nightmares are picking up until he's lucky to manage two hours of undisturbed sleep before he's chased out of his dreams. He sleeps better with another person in his bed, but Dave is afraid that its going to be too much for Maxxie when they haven't event been dating for two months still.

This time, when the Thurston hockey team actually chased him into some woods where there were looped belts hanging from each sturdy branch available, he peaked into his boyfriend's room for the first time since he started sneaking in to try to finish a night's sleep, rather than just climbing in and seeking comfort. Unsurprisingly, Maxxie seems to be sleeping steadily. Dave sighs as he pushes the curtain back closed. Maybe he can find some herbal tea in the kitchens. Or something in the infirmary he can use to knock himself out with, otherwise.

Maxxie has been amazing these past weeks, with how he's been as patient as possible with Dave's sleep issues and the stress causing then. He deserves a night of undisturbed sleep for a change.

Comments

[just_dance_it]

Maxxie's not a light sleeper, but these days he doesn't have any reason to completely relax. Nothing's haunting him at all, but all he has to do is step out of his dorm room and see people are him short on sleep and edgy from fear. The council and police are talking about what to do and it's hard to ignore. They don't bother him at night, but instead he's got Dave to worry about then. Maxxie doesn't expect Dave every night, but he wants to be there, semi-conscious at least, when he does show up.

There's a soft sound of metal scraping on metal as the rings of the curtain move against the rod and the rustle of the curtain, but there's no sound of Dave approaching, no shift in the bed. It takes Maxxie half a minute, but he pushes himself up and blinks blearily in the direction of the curtain.

"Dave?" he calls out before slipping out of bed and padding toward the exit.

[reformingfury]

He doesn't hear Maxxie's voice before he hears the steps behind him. For a moment, Dave braces himself for another hallucination, but he sighs as soon as he turns his head to see who's following. It seems Maxxie wasn't as fast asleep as he thought. He smiles weakly and walks over to hug his clearly tired boyfriend. Dave wishes he wasn't such a bother right now and that they all could just make it though the night without interruption.

"Hey. I was about to make some tea or something. If you want to go back to bed, I'll bring you a mug."

[just_dance_it]

"N'thanks," Maxxie slurs sleepily. Having pulled himself from the warmth of his bed, Maxxie presses into the hug and the warmth of Dave's body. When he pulls back, he keeps his arms loose around Dave's neck and brushes a kiss against his cheek.

"But I'll stay up with you. Got dreams?"

[reformingfury]

Dave nods, leaning into the comfort of Maxxie's lips on his cheek. "They're getting a little more messed up. I was chased into these woods, and..."

He really doesn't want to keep thinking about it, or make Maxxie worry more.

"Can't we just fucking sleep until Thanksgiving and skip Halloween? If I can't just chill with a bunch of horror flicks and gorge myself on candy and beers, I'm really not seeing the point."

[just_dance_it]

His mouth twists into a look of displeasure, exaggerated by his rumpled appearance. He doesn't like this talk of being chased into the woods, the image too familiar to him. But there's nothing they can do about it, really. And that sucks.

"There's no point to this," Maxxie agrees. "Just gotta get through it."

He pauses, then pushes up to give Dave a kiss on the lips. "C'mon. Let's not think about it. Try to relax for a bit."

[reformingfury]

He kisses him back, keeping it soft and meaningful. "How did you get to be so awesome?" Relaxing sounds good right now, and now that his boyfriend is up, Dave doesn't much feel like leaving Maxxie's arms.

"Back to bed, then? Fuck the tea."

[just_dance_it]

His lips twist now into a wry grin, pleased, if only a little, by the praise and the sentiment. There’s not a lot he can do to help Dave through this, but knowing that what little he does do seems to help… That’s cool.

“If you say so. I’d rather have you than tea, anyway.” He lets his hands trail down Dave’s arms until they find the other young man’s hands. He grasps them both with a quick squeeze, then takes a step back toward his room.

[reformingfury]

That grin is infectious, and he can't help but smile back with the quirk of a brow. Dave licks his lips as he obediently follows Maxxie back into the bedroom.

"And maybe I'll have you in the morning instead of coffee," he teases back. It feels good to think of something nice to look forward to instead of his nightmares coming real. As long as Maxxie is willing to provide, he'll gladly accept the pleasant distractions from his anxiety.

[just_dance_it]

"Maybe?" he echoes, brows arching in playful disbelief. Maxxie slips one shoulder under the curtain, which is enough to push it aside for them to enter his room.

"I'm glad I've got the rest of the night to turn that maybe into a definitely, 'cause that just won't do."

[reformingfury]

Chuckling, he wraps his arms around Maxxie, tracing his fingers up his spine.

"You aren't going to let us sleep until you have your way, are you?" Normally, he'd prefer they rest and get more physically intimate in the morning when this happens, but Dave doesn't mind in the least. He's wide awake now and thinking of just how good Maxxie feels in his arms. They can sleep in once has satisfied his boyfriend. It's a much better way to spend the night than crying or tossing and turning from bad dreams.

[just_dance_it]

"We will do whatever you want to do," Maxxie responds magnanimously, drawing out his statement with light kisses. His fingers slide into the short hair at the nape of Dave's neck as he steps into the embrace, pressing closer against his boyfriend.

"I just like it when you want to do me."

[reformingfury]

"Dude, I always want to do you," he chuckles lightly against his kisses. Turning them about, Dave moves to lay back onto the bed, guiding Maxxie over him.

Faking a bad pout, he looks up and brushes his hair aside. "But if you actually don't want to, I'd understand."

[just_dance_it]

Maxxie laughs softly as he climbs atop Dave, straddling his thighs and leaning over him.

"That's pathetic," he says of the pout, then leans in to soften his words with a slow kiss. "I always want to," he murmurs, their lips close enough to brush together. "I always want you."

[reformingfury]

For a second there, he thinks he's talking about the fact that Dave turns into a walking boner when Maxxie is around with that smile of his, but the soft, affectionate words and his kiss throw that fear out the window.

"Awesome," he whispers back as he lifts his head for another kiss, arching up against his boyfriend's body.

[just_dance_it]

He chuckles softly into the kiss, amused by Dave's response, but that quickly fades away as he slowly deepens the kiss. His hand caressing the side of Dave's face, he pulls back a fraction after a bit.

"You okay?" he asks. Just double checking to soothe his lingering worry.

[reformingfury]

Dave swallows hard, pushing his resurfacing nightmare aside and focusing on Maxxie's concerned expression.

"I will be after this is over." It's not a statement he can back up for certain, but if he makes it out of Halloween in one piece and not in a box with the threats from his visions, he knows they'll get there.

"And you make things way better. Not just 'cause of this," Dave emphasizes with a stroke of his hands on Max's hips. "You've be so awesome to me this whole time."

[just_dance_it]

God, how much does Maxxie want this all to be over? Life shouldn't be this hard, and knowing that this struggle in particular is all the fault of the island's makes it even more infuriating. He wants his friends happy, his boyfriend relaxed, and anything he does to see those things happen is probably going to get fucked up by some weird force.

"Whatever helps," he murmurs, though he's really not sure how much good he's doing. "I just wish I could do more. To, you know.. actually make it stop."

[reformingfury]

"I don't think anyone can do that for me. I just... either I stop being scared of this shit in a couple of weeks or I just face it."

He rolls them on to their sides, the urgency waning with the seriousness of their conversation. Holding Maxxie close to him again, Dave kisses his boyfriend slowly, trying to soothe him as much as he's done for him this month.

"You've done everything you can. I just want you to be safe and hope I can get back to you after it."

[just_dance_it]

So much easier said than done. Maxxie has never had reason to listen to the jeers and insults of most people, but he knows how loud and painful they are. He thinks a lot of Dave, but he knows that the possibility of him overcoming his fears in a small span of time is pretty fucking unlikely.

He lets himself be kissed and held, and it's nice, but it doesn't have the effect Dave wants. Maxxie worries more, if only now in a way that makes his heart ache rather than showing on his face.

"I'll be safe," Maxxie promises. He feels like it's empty words; no one is going to be completely safe come Halloween. But he doesn't want Dave to worry more. "And you will come back to me. You just will."

[reformingfury]

It's absolutely not something he can guarantee, but it's as if something in Dave's heart reaches out to make him nod.

He cups Maxxie face in his hands again, kissing him with something far more than comfort or need that he can't quite name yet. Something he's a little scared to name with the uncertainty heading their way.

""I'll come back. As long as I'm on the island, I'll fight so damn hard to come back to you."

[just_dance_it]

The words hit him square in the gut, in the best way, in the warming way that eats away at that cold uncertainty. The thing about the island is that people are taken away all the time, and nothing you can do can stop it. But this is something-- Wanting to come back may just make a difference this time.

It's too much to respond to in kind, though. Maxxie's not that articulate and it's a lot to take in while just laying there in his arms.

"You should try to get some sleep," he murmurs weakly, though his look is warm and the kiss he follows up with is slow and sweet.

[reformingfury]

Dave smiles back, his own face soft and sleepy again, now that that he's feeling more relaxed than anything.

"Sounds like a plan." He settles in more comfortably, relaxing the tight hold on Maxxie into a snuggle. He hopes for more pleasant dreams in his boyfriend's arms. It's not always the case, but at least waking up with Maxxie always makes it a little better for Dave.