[The wriggling child in his arms wasn't anything Asch wasn't used to. In fact, it didn't bother him as much as it should have. He was used to things like this - nightmares and struggling against any and everything that seems like it's holding you down, even if it's just the sheets of your bed. Asch knew the pain, the suffering, the horror that Luke was experiencing. They had shared that horror, after all.
What really bothered Asch, however, was that Luke cried out his name. Asch.
Curling his arms around the small child when he finally just breaks down into tears, Asch holds and hushes the little child as quietly as he could. Luke's terrified cry of his name echoed in Asch's head, and he pressed his face into Luke's feathery red hair, rubbing his hand against Luke's back and letting him cry for a little bit, all the while speaking softly and reassuring Luke that it was all right. It was just a bad dream...]
Shh...shh...you're fine now.
[Asch pulled Luke away gently, wiping his face with the corner of one of the sheets. But after that, Asch allowed Luke to lay against him again. If he was so reliant on Asch's presence for comfort, then Asch would grant it to him this night. He picked Luke up into his arms and took him right to his room, where the bed just a little bit bigger. Enough space for two people to fit comfortably.]
You can sleep with me tonight, so nothing else can scare you. I'll be right here with you this time, Luke...I promise. I'll be right here all night, and I'll be here in the morning. So no more tears... [Asch paused. Those words...they were words from the lullaby his mother used to sing to him when he was sick. Maybe...maybe a lullaby would help?]
THE BEST KIND.
What really bothered Asch, however, was that Luke cried out his name. Asch.
Curling his arms around the small child when he finally just breaks down into tears, Asch holds and hushes the little child as quietly as he could. Luke's terrified cry of his name echoed in Asch's head, and he pressed his face into Luke's feathery red hair, rubbing his hand against Luke's back and letting him cry for a little bit, all the while speaking softly and reassuring Luke that it was all right. It was just a bad dream...]
Shh...shh...you're fine now.
[Asch pulled Luke away gently, wiping his face with the corner of one of the sheets. But after that, Asch allowed Luke to lay against him again. If he was so reliant on Asch's presence for comfort, then Asch would grant it to him this night. He picked Luke up into his arms and took him right to his room, where the bed just a little bit bigger. Enough space for two people to fit comfortably.]
You can sleep with me tonight, so nothing else can scare you. I'll be right here with you this time, Luke...I promise. I'll be right here all night, and I'll be here in the morning. So no more tears... [Asch paused. Those words...they were words from the lullaby his mother used to sing to him when he was sick. Maybe...maybe a lullaby would help?]