twewy; beat & rhyme
Title: Not The First Time
Originally Written: July 7, 2009
Inspiration/Prompt: ---
Genre: Family
Rating: G
It had become routine.
He no longer tried waking himself up in the middle of the night to check. He now woke up on his own. Every night. Same time. The blue digital lights burned 3:45 am into his matching eyes each time he opened them. The first sight of the numbers caused his palm to burn and it never failed that for a split second, he'd panic, thinking he was back in the Game.
Tonight was no exception. He bolted into a sitting position but it was halfway through the action that he remembered he was safe, that he was sound and that he was breathing. Annoyed at himself like usual, Beat tossed the blanket off and ran a hand through blond locks. Picking up a shirt off the floor, he slid it over his head as he opened the door to his room and slipped out. Tugging the edges to make sure it was fitting properly, Beat tip toed his way through the house, careful to not run into any counters like he used to be so prone to doing.
Once he arrived at his destination, he pressed his palm to the door, took a cautious breath and pushed it open. Rhyme no longer fully closed her door. He'd asked her once about it and she'd explained that it made her feel secure; that 'there was still a way out'. It had taken Beat a long time to figure out what she meant by that and now that he understood it, it made him feel even more obligated to keep her safe.
The door swung open silently and Beat hooked his fingers around the door handle to avoid having it hit the wall and wake the girl. Looking over to the lump of blankets curled up on the bed, Beat felt a huge weight lift off his stomach. He felt less nauseous and wasn't nearly as worried. She was still there. She wasn't missing. Good. That was good.
Slipping into the room, Beat returned the door to its previous position and moved over to her bedside. He glanced down at her sleeping form only a moment before he reached over and picked up the edge of the blanket. As quietly as he could manage, Beat slid himself into the bed, turning so his back was to Rhyme and snuggled into the bit of pillow she wasn't occupying.
It was here that his nerves calmed the most. From here, he could feel that she was still there. From here, he could hear Rhyme breathing. That wonderful, wonderful sound. The quiet, barely audible sound was what let Beat's eyes slide closed, feeling nothing but comfortable.
It was a couple moments of this before Beat felt movement and soon Rhyme's little head was resting against his back.
Busted. Again.
She cuddled up to his back and finally settled - finding herself in a comfortable position - with her face pressed to her siblings back, the simple contact enough reassurance for her. "Goodnight, Beat."
Beat nuzzled himself into the pillow and sighed lightly through his nose. "'Night, Rhyme."
END
Thank you so much for reading through this.
Please review. Constructive criticism encouraged.
Originally Written: July 7, 2009
Inspiration/Prompt: ---
Genre: Family
Rating: G
It had become routine.
He no longer tried waking himself up in the middle of the night to check. He now woke up on his own. Every night. Same time. The blue digital lights burned 3:45 am into his matching eyes each time he opened them. The first sight of the numbers caused his palm to burn and it never failed that for a split second, he'd panic, thinking he was back in the Game.
Tonight was no exception. He bolted into a sitting position but it was halfway through the action that he remembered he was safe, that he was sound and that he was breathing. Annoyed at himself like usual, Beat tossed the blanket off and ran a hand through blond locks. Picking up a shirt off the floor, he slid it over his head as he opened the door to his room and slipped out. Tugging the edges to make sure it was fitting properly, Beat tip toed his way through the house, careful to not run into any counters like he used to be so prone to doing.
Once he arrived at his destination, he pressed his palm to the door, took a cautious breath and pushed it open. Rhyme no longer fully closed her door. He'd asked her once about it and she'd explained that it made her feel secure; that 'there was still a way out'. It had taken Beat a long time to figure out what she meant by that and now that he understood it, it made him feel even more obligated to keep her safe.
The door swung open silently and Beat hooked his fingers around the door handle to avoid having it hit the wall and wake the girl. Looking over to the lump of blankets curled up on the bed, Beat felt a huge weight lift off his stomach. He felt less nauseous and wasn't nearly as worried. She was still there. She wasn't missing. Good. That was good.
Slipping into the room, Beat returned the door to its previous position and moved over to her bedside. He glanced down at her sleeping form only a moment before he reached over and picked up the edge of the blanket. As quietly as he could manage, Beat slid himself into the bed, turning so his back was to Rhyme and snuggled into the bit of pillow she wasn't occupying.
It was here that his nerves calmed the most. From here, he could feel that she was still there. From here, he could hear Rhyme breathing. That wonderful, wonderful sound. The quiet, barely audible sound was what let Beat's eyes slide closed, feeling nothing but comfortable.
It was a couple moments of this before Beat felt movement and soon Rhyme's little head was resting against his back.
Busted. Again.
She cuddled up to his back and finally settled - finding herself in a comfortable position - with her face pressed to her siblings back, the simple contact enough reassurance for her. "Goodnight, Beat."
Beat nuzzled himself into the pillow and sighed lightly through his nose. "'Night, Rhyme."
END
Thank you so much for reading through this.
Please review. Constructive criticism encouraged.