Work Text:
Nightmare
Buck woke with a start, eyes flying open as he felt Eddie shift around in the bed. There was a groan, and it didn't sound good. Buck looked over at Eddie, seeing the sweat on his forehead, and the tight control of his muscles going on as he shifted minutely on the bed. As though he was struggling against something, but couldn't fight it.
"Eddie," he called, knowing better than to reach out and touch him. Eddie had PTSD from his time in Afghanistan. He doesn't talk about it much, but there was one thing Eddie had told him not to do when he was in the throes of a nightmare, and that was to touch him. So Buck slowly climbed out of the bed, making sure not to touch as he began to talk to Eddie.
"You're at home, Eddie, come on, come back to me. Whatever you are seeing isn't real. Not anymore. You're home, with Christopher and me, home in Los Angeles. Abuela is not far away either, and so is Tia Pepa. Chris is sleeping down the hall. He had a big night tonight. Remember, he had the talent show, and he came second. He's getting so good at singing, isn't he?" he said, just keeping up a litany of conversation, slowly pulling Eddie out of the nightmare he was in.
Eddie's eyes flew open, a gasping breath barely able to get past his lips as he looked around his bedroom frantically. He spotted Buck, kneeling beside the bed so he could see him, the light from the lamps casting a warm glow in the room. "Bu... Buck?" he said, blinking a few times as he slowly held out a hand for him.
Buck smiled softly, "I'm right here, you're safe here," he said, taking the hand and was slowly pulled to the bed. He got on, pulling Eddie into his arms and holding him as Eddie's shaking slowly faded. "You're okay," he murmured, as he held Eddie tightly, running a hand up and down his back.
"I..." Eddie said, closing his eyes and letting himself slowly relax into Buck.
"Shush, it's okay Eddie," Buck soothed, "I know, I know what you want to say, and you have nothing to be sorry for. We all get nightmares, we all have those times when they get the better of us. And it's no different for you," he said, "I know the horrors, and while I don't understand it, because I've never gone through it like you have, I can empathise at least and be here to hold you," he added, rambling now as he did his best to reassure Eddie that everything was fine.
"Thank you," Eddie said slowly after a while longer. "Thank you," he murmured, yawning; he was tired, the panic he had felt during his dream now leaving him drained and tired.
"Let's get some more sleep, if you can," Buck said as he moved around the bed, so they could both lie down. He pulled Eddie toward him and let the older man curl against him, tucking his head into Buck's neck.
Eddie smiled a little as he felt more comfortable as he slowly drifted off to sleep. Buck followed him into the land of dreams, instead of nightmares.