Trigger warning: feelings of being watched, mildly scary descriptions of a nightmare that may trigger a reaction similar to scoptophobia and/or autophobia

start at: He lurches back "Geez!"

pause at: theme song start in the other room continue at: Chase rubs his thumb over your shoulder

it will be fine all through to the end after that

Thanks for bearing with this long set of text.

Chase leans against the kitchen sink, cup in one hand, arm braced against the sink edge to keep himself up. It's dark out, darker than usual. No moon, no stars. A cloudy sky on a new moon night. He shudders as he stares out the window across from him before taking a sip from his cup.

The cold water tugs at his attention, but he can't help but feel like he's being watched. Something outside is peering in, and staring right at him. At least whatever it is, it's out there, and not in here like earlier. Couldn't even stay in his own bed. The walls just seemed to be pressing in on him. Just thinking about it makes him wanna-

Breathe, Chase. Deep breaths...

He presses his palms deep into his eyes, rubbing at them, then pulls his hands down the rest of his face in a tired kind of stretch. He looks over at the stove clock, almost one in the morning. He works today, it's at a bakery this time. How long can he hold this job down for? They were always finding some reason to fire him.

Something about how people felt around him, like being watched, or a sense of impending doom. Other times it was because he just 'wasn't happy around the customers' even the occasional last resort of 'bad odor' but that's just an excuse...he hopes... does he really smell bad?

He pulls at his shirt and gives it a quick sniff. Not the best, but not fire me material. He'll have to ask Henrik about it or something later. He dumps the remaining water out and pads softly into the hall.

He lurches back "Geez!" and clutches at his heart having almost slammed into his best friend "You scared me!"

"You scared me!" You retort back, equally startled. "What are you doing up this late?"

"I should ask you the same thing" he tries to give a cheeky and playful grin

"Nightmare.." you rub your forehead "had me shaken up a bit,"

"Oh...are you okay?" Dummy, they just told you they're not.

"Mm...I will be. Are you excited for your first day?" You ask, trying to change the subject. He squints his eyes, giving it genuine thought.

"The last time I baked something, it was for the kids' birthdays..."

"Don't worry, you'll do great! I think it's mostly bread, any way." You pause to think a second "oh my gosh! That makes you a literal bread winner!"

"Aaaaaurgh noooo," he groans at your pun. You grin, unable to hold in your mirthful joy at his objection.

"Were you going to try to sleep?" You ask looking over your shoulder at the two separate rooms.

"Yeah, but at this point it might not be worth it." He grumbles, leaning against the wall.

"Well... want to have a midnight snack then? Sometimes those help make me sleepy.." You step around him and into the kitchen, making it to the pantry.

"Sure, why not" he shrugs and steps back into the room he just came from.

"Sweet, could you make a couple peanut butter honey sandwiches?" You reach into the shelves, set the components on the table near by, and keep digging for your herbal tea bags.

"I gueeess" he grins, grabbing a butter knife from the drawer and setting to work.

You turn around holding the box of sleepy dream tea "thank you." You put some water in a pair of mugs and pop them in the microwave.

While the minuets tick down you sit at the table beside Chase. You rest your head in your hand and watch him work, letting yourself sleepily zone out. "Man, you make your sandwiches so weird." He stirs the honey into the peanut butter on the bread.

"What?"

"Yeah, my mom always just drizzled it on."

"I'll have you know this is the superior way to make yourself a sandwich" he holds his head up in mock pride "you can fit more honey in that way, and the bread doesn't turn crunchy" sound logic. The microwave goes off, forcing you to get up.

"Hey, Chase," you pull the mugs out by the handles

"Yeah?" He turns to you on his way to the sink with the knife

"Think you can get that tea bag in one of these?"

He gives you a tired and wary look "come on, you know it's been ages since I've even practiced."

"Pleeeaase!" You try to put on your cutest face humanly possible "if you try, you can pick the show."

He lets out a sigh "fine..." then grabs one of the bags and takes carful aim...and.... Go! Chase shoots his best shot and- oh cripes. His heart sinks, it's too high, there's no way it'll make it! And if it doesn't make it then-

The bag hits you square in the forehead before rebounding into the cup "YOOOOOOOOOO you start yelling, setting the cups down to celebrate. You run up to him, expecting him to share in your shock.

He clutches his chest before a sound starts rising out of his throat "broo00OOO"

You laugh "what kind of noise was that?"

"One that I thought would never again be possible"

"Pff. Okay, Drama Queen, a deals a deal. Go pick the show, I'll finish the tea." You grin as you set to work, glad to hear a theme song start in the other room

The credits roll and your snacks have been reduced to crumbs.

"You feelin any better from your nightmare?"

"Hm.. not by much," you shake your head, a little sleepy from your tea blend. You curl into Chase's side, trying to avoid the thoughts and pictures still seared in your brain.

"Oh...I'm sorry," he runs a hand through your hair "would it help to talk about it?"

"I dunno, but I can try. Bear in mind, there's a lot of dream logic, but it was still spooky."

He looks down at you and nods to what you say.

"Well, it started out with you, Henrik, and I out on a walk. We were going to this house we'd been researching. Some really freaky stuff had been going on and it had some major bad vibes. We went in any way..." You look up at him and when he doesn't react, you pinch the bridge of your nose "Major horror movie death move, I know. It just made sense at the time. When we got inside the only thing there was a long hall way. It just stretched on and on into the dark... You and Henrik wanted to go back, but I didn't. And for some reason you both stayed with me as we started walking.

It took a really long time, but we eventually needed food. Out of no where, a door appeared on the wall and Henrik thought he should go through to find us all something to eat. When the door closed it turned into a painting. Henrik was gone." You curl up tighter, remembering all the details of that splintered door.

Chase puts his arm gently around you, trying to comfort you. You sigh and continue your story. "It was just the two of us left, being watched by something we couldn't see."

"we walked for a long time. I didn't want to lose you too, so I held your arm. I could feel the weight of your arm" you scrunch your brow "but when I turned to look at you, you were just-" you clench your hands in a tense, vague gesture "gone. So I walked down that hallway all alone, not knowing where Henrik was, what happened to you, or what was going to happen to me. I couldn't see very far into the darkness ahead, but I could just feel that something was there..." You half heartedly smile at him "and then I woke up."

You sigh before adding "You scared me when you weren't in bed... I thought something had happened. Until I almost bumped into you on the way to the kitchen."

Chase rubs his thumb over your shoulder, and holds you a little tighter. "I'm glad you told me, dreams like that can be very scary," of course he knows this from personal experience.

"Yeah..." you take in a deep breath and let it out slowly, letting yourself dwell in this tiny bit of peace you two have carved out a little longer.

You lightly take Chase's free hand in yours. You can barely feel his pulse as with one hand you hold his wrist and with the other cradle his palm in yours.

"Could we... maybe be just stay here like this?" You ask absently before what you said begins to dawn on you.

You drop his hand in shock "I mean-! If that's okay with you! I wouldn't want to invade your personal space, or make you feel uncomfortable or obligated or anything. I just thought-"

"Woah, slow down there. It's fine." He smiles down at you "I don't mind at all,"

"...thank you. I really don't want to be alone right now, and, frankly? I just feel safer with you." You can feel his breath almost hitch through his side. "Like whatever is out there can't get me..."

What do you say to that? He looks over to you, almost minuscule from how curled in you've become. So trusting, tired, so vulnerable.

Safe. He makes you feel safe.

Chase gently pulls you into his lap and wraps his arms around you, almost cradling you to his chest "well now I really gotta make sure that what-ever-it-is can't get you," he grins and smooths your hair down. "It'll be okay, just go to sleep." He feels you nod against his chest before you settle yourself in comfortably.

With yourself situated comfortable, you rest your head to his chest and close your eyes. You hear the steady thump of his heart, a consistent sound you can come back to when your mind wanders too far.

Chase slowly combs his fingers through your hair, humming softly. In return you draw small shapes and pictures across his chest.

Of course his methods of helping someone sleep beat yours. The mans dealt with kid nightmares, he knows what he's doing.

With you fast asleep he try's to match your breathing to fall asleep. And it works.

Whatever is out there can't get either of you tonight.