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His eye opened halfway by the sudden noise, and he propped himself up using his elbows. Still drowsy, but able to make out the dark figure, he could tell by the bright red pajamas, golden hair, and cow stuffed animal neatly tucked under his arm, that it was his little brother. Before he got a chance to question what Tommy was doing in room, he jumped into his arms and buried his head in his chest "Wilby..." Tommy weakly croaked. He froze by the sudden action but quickly pulled his hands around his brother, pulling him closer.
He could hear the choking sobs being smothered into his shirt and Tommy's arms wrapped around him tightly.
"Shhhhh it’s okay. I’m here Toms" he whispered, hugging him and pulling him closer onto his lap "What happened?" he tried to keep his voice calm, worried that his concern might shine through.
He tried to pull Tommy away a little to see his face better, but Tommy wined at the movement and he froze still again, letting him continue to incoherently sob into his chest, his breathing all over the place.
He was sure that Tommy was having a panic attack, he was used to these kind of things himself so he took a deep breath, signaling Tommy to copy him.
Luckily even through the shaky coughing and crying he managed to copy him. "Yeah that's good, can you copy me again?" He took another deep breath, this time Tommy matching him exactly, followed by a quiet hiccup.
They did that a few times over, each breath followed relaxing both of them each time. Tommy still sluggishly clinging onto him refusing to let go of him any time soon.
There was silence.
he tried to move to make more space, Tommy sent out a complain that sounded that he was on the verge of balling his eyes again. He froze again, now knowing that he wasn’t asleep.
So being the big brother that he was, he leaned himself on the wall and started to hum, a tactic that Phil used that worked too well on him to make him go to sleep sooner. And maybe then that would ease Tommy's nerves that he so obviously was stressed about.
"I'm tiiiiiiired." Tommy wined
"Then go to sleep" that came out sounding more like a question then he intended to.
"don't w'nt to" Tommy leaned next to him more "I don't want to see...." he stopped abrubtly, and he could tell judging by his beating heart and facial expression that something was wrong. "Are you okay?" he asked running down a smooth stoke through his little brother's hair. He nodded grimmly "I'm fine.... Just had a bad dream that's all." he turned his head away from him, and he couldn't quite grasp what face Tommy was making.
Wilbur knew that Tommy was obviously upset by something, it wouldn't make sense that he was so shaken up about nothing. That just didn't sound like something Tommy would do to barge into his room and ask for attention while having a panic attack.
"Why did you stop?" Tommy asked turning back and leaning into his frozen hand. He snapped back to reality and started combing through his hair again, that certaintly seemed to calm him down again, letting his shoulders droop and close his eyes under the touch "Nothing it's just- ." he paused struggling to figure out the right words to say, before opening his mouth again "Do you want to talk about it? You’re nightmare I mean."
Tommy paused to open his eyes and an expression he couldn't understand came up. But what he could tell that Tommy went as stiff as a board. “If you don’t want to talk about it that’s okay” Wilbur quickly said “But if you want to I’m always hear to listen."
Under normal circumstances, Tommy would’ve called him clingy or that he was way too worried over him and that he’s a big man, since he’s almost seven and a half, and he can deal with himself. But instead he fiddled with his shirt nervously, refusing to meet his eyes.
After a moment of silence, Tommy finally spoke "Can I stay here?" he meekly asked.
Wilbur smiled “yeah, sure.” he laid down again, watching as Tommy quickly curled up next to him on his left side, and he pulled a blanket over both of them.
He reached to turn off the lights, but he felt a light tug on his shoulder. “Can we leave the lights on? I don’t want monsters to come.”
He reached his hand back. He forgot that Tommy was scared of the dark, unfortunately for him it’s almost impossible for him to fall asleep with the lights on. But luckily it wasn’t a school night, he could probably manage helping a seven year old for the night.
He rested his head on top of the the blond mess of hair and Tommy hugged him even tighter if that was even possible at this point.
”The nightmare was scary…” Tommy suddenly started.
Wilbur raised an eye confused “Well how was it scary?”
A long pause, that if he didn’t know any better he would’ve thought that Tommy probably fell asleep. “I couldn’t find you anymore” he said barely even a whisper.
”What do you mean?” He asked. Tommy’s fingernails clawed into his chest and his shaking hands tightened until they turned a tort of pale white color. “I couldn’t find you anymore. Or Tech or Phil. I tried to yell and find you, but you were gone”his voice quivered and tears burst out from his eyes.
Wilbur hummed— maybe a bit too fast to call it calm, but still tried to hum calmly “Well I’m here. And I promise that I will never leave you. Never in a thousand years”
He sniffled and looked up at him with his big bright blue eyes “What about a bajillion years?”
”Never in a bajillion years”
”Pinky promise?” Tommy held put one hand out, his pinky in the air. Wilbur took the significantly smaller hand into his own and shook it. “I promise Toms” he laid a small kiss on his forehead. Tommy content with the answer smiled and closed his eyes”
”Thank you” he whispered and Wilbur’s heart gave a tight squeeze.
”Your welcome”
The two boys quickly drifted into sleep— without any nightmares to wake them up this time, but instead sweet dreams.