nightmares
James shot up, gasping for breath.
Then his face collapsed and he let out a broken sob, covering his mouth with his hands.
"James? You good?" Nadia asked, picking her head up. But when she saw him with his knees to his chest, shaking as he cried quietly, face buried in his hands. "James? What's wrong?" Ryan asked, sitting up.
James kept crying.
"James? Are you okay?" He asked, standing and going over to him. "James?" He reached for him and James flinched away, pressing himself into the corner of his bunk and continuing to cry.
"James? Do you want me to get Ronny?" Nadia asked softly. He shook his head, scooting back further into the corner. "How about Keith? Do you want me to get Keith?" She asked just as softly. He hesitated, then nodded.
"Ryan? Can you go get Keith?" Nadia asks. "Sure. Um, what do I tell him?" "Just tell him James needs him." She answers, sitting on the edge of James's bed.
Ryan ran out of the room, slipping on a hoodie as he went. He found the Black and Yellow paladins in the kitchen, having a post training snack, inferred from their tank tops and sweat pants. "Hey Ry! What's up?" Hunk chirped. "Hey Hunk. Um, Keith, Nadia said to tell you James needs you. He woke up and started crying."
Keith's eyes widened and he set down his food. "I'm coming."
He ran out of the room, Hunk and Ryan giving him quizzical looks before following him out.
They caught up to him before he turned the corner into the MFE's hall.
He reached the doorway, and his shoulders sagged. He stepped to James's bunk, sitting next to him. "Jamie?" He said softly. James picked his head up, purple eyes rimmed red and shining with tears. "Keith?" He whispered, voice hoarse. "Come here." Keith said, opening his arms. James scooted into his lap, still curled up as he leaned into his chest.
Keith whispered a few things to him, and he started sobbing again.
"What's happening?" Hunk whispered to Ryan, who shrugged. "Let's take this outside." Nadia suggested, leading the two men and Ina out of the room. "So? What is it?" Ryan asked.
Nadia sighed. "Have you guys ever wondered why James doesn't talk about his family?" Hunk hums. "It is odd how he's never mentioned them."
"Yeah, well, from what I've learned, they weren't the best. Perfection was the only thing acceptable. Their motto was "If you're not first, you're last."" Ina inhaled sharply. "Oh. That's not good."
"Right. And he's the youngest of three kids. His brother was already a successful business man, and his sister was a model. And his parents were.... judgemental, to say the least. Pointing out anything they saw as a flaw, pushing him to his limits. Apparently, it was mostly his mother, and when his dad finally had enough, he left. And she became an alcoholic. Then got remarried to an asshole with two bitchy kids. And they got... rough with James. Not all the beer bottles ended up in the trash, and not all their strikes hit a bag."
Hunk gasped as Ryan and Ina's eyes widened. "Yeah. Not good. That, plus all the stuff we've seen in the war gives him nightmares sometimes. Normally, I can get him back to sleep, but sometimes, like tonight, it gets really bad. And apparently Keith helped him handle it. Talked him into reporting his mother. And they've known each other for most of their lives. So Keith has a... calming affect on him. Makes him feel safe. Ever noticed how he doesn't really calm down after missions until he sees him? And he can help him fall asleep. There've been a few times where he ends up taking James back to his room to sleep. Sharing a room reminds him of when he shared with his step-brother. And cause of all that, everything that's happened to him, James has trust issues. But mainly, he feels safe with Keith and can fall asleep easier."
"My god. We never even knew." Hunk says. "He probably though we'd treat him differently if we did. I feel terrible." Ina adds. "Poor James. Having to deal with this all by himself." Ryan shakes his head. "He's been through so much, and now this? The war? How does he keep going?"
"Because he has you guys." Iverson says, appearing behind them. "I am well acquainted with James's file. Yes, he has trust issues. He sometimes feels unsafe around people and beings he doesn't know. But he has come to trust the four of you, yes, including you Hunk, with his life. But him and Keith's history goes back farther than Shiro and Keith's. It would make sense that they find comfort in one another."
The others nodded, giving murmurs of agreement. Iverson turned and headed back down the hall. "Now, it's way past curfew, and you should all be in bed already. Try to wrap this up. If this becomes a habit, we'll just have the two share a room. They've done it before."
"Let's see if he's asleep yet." Nadia suggested, peeking in the room.
Ryan and Hunk "aww"ed at the sight.
James was seated comfortably in Keith's lap, leaning into his chest. He was fast asleep, lips parted slightly, chest rising and falling steadily. Keith gave them a small smile. "He's asleep." He said quietly.
He carefully detangled James from him and laid him on the bed, covering him with the blanket. James furrowed his brow and reached for him as Kosmo appeared on the bed. James wrapped an arm around him and sighed, nuzzling into the wolf's fur. Keith placed a soft kiss to his forehead before rising.
"He's stressed. And tired. He just needs a good night of sleep." He reports, coming into the doorway. "You told them?" He asked Nadia, and she nodded. "Hmm. Well, don't ask him about it. Act as if everything is the same. Trust me, you don't want to make a big deal out of this."