Sleep tight, Sleep right

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Technically, it wasn't your fault that you had poor sleeping habits. It was mainly caused by your family members dying in their sleep when you were at such a young age. It was traumatic for you having to wake up to a dead body one day and then another one not long after that. So imagine your surprise when your roommate happens to be Inscribed with one of your biggest fears.

A sleep epithet which he could use to make you drowsy and actually fall asleep. Which practically contradicted your epithet, Stressed. You could stress things out, which didn't help when you tried to dink a simple can of soda. You were practically a Mentos with a cola, and it didn't help that you could actually feel the effects of your own epithet keep you awake at night, stress causing headaches and sore muscles. You do your best not to fall victim to sleep, even though when your around him you force your eyes awake as much as possible. You will not give in to the death that comes with sleep.

Whatever you could, you did. Coffee, patches, medicines, practically everything that was out there you tried. You just wanted to stay safe. What scared you the most was what could happen when you closed your eyes. Would the world just fall apart around you? Those were the thoughts you had every night as you lied up in bed. Restless nights, alarms ticking at every hour. Horror movie soundtracks to jump you up at every few minutes and your roommate who probably hates your guts cause you keep him up at every ungodly hour of the night.

You would listen to every creak of your shared apartment when suddenly the door slammed open. An anxious Sylvester was standing in the door frame as you screamed when the climax of the horror soundtrack that you were watching reached its boiling point. He immediately rushed to your side as you can see when he gets closer the bags under his eyes. Lack of sleep, as he sits on one side of your bed while you push yourself away from him while you bring your knees to your chest. The silence was thick as bisque; a hearty stew made just for your beating heart, panicking.

Granted you both barely spoke with each other, you didn't even know much about him except the fact that he got up super early just to take classes so that he would be able to become a psychiatrist. You were in for a major in sociology. Yet you don't even understand how you work yourself. Which sucked all to heck.

But before you could mentally berate yourself even more and then punish yourself for having those thoughts, Sylvester had cleared his throat as he glanced at you. He took off his glasses and rubbed his face before looking at you. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Seeing as how he initiated the conversation, him making direct eye contact with you as he seemed like he wanted to help you. He was trying so hard and considering he mostly helped with Epithet problems, maybe he could help you with yours. Sure you don't know him that well from you avidly trying to avoid him ever since you found out that he could put you to sleep, but he probably wasn't all that bad.

You looked back at him quickly, eyes burning from lack of sleep. You slowly move closer go him so that you'd be able to talk as you turn off the soundtrack of screams. You make sure that you don't bump into him as you sit down close to him. Eyes illuminated from a screen as you just sigh. What were you supposed to say, how were you supposed to start? At the beginning?

Lost in your thoughts, a sleepy red head breaks through with a few whispered words.

"You know we used to talk a bit. Granted it wasn't much but it was something. Do I scare you?" You shook your head. The dark of the night made it so that he could barely see you but be able to sense your motion. "Can you tell me what's wrong then? You adamantly try to stay up for so long, you practically made yourself sick." Hearing his words glazed with worry made you realize that you should probably put down your walls, even if it's just a second.

With an antsy breath you begin from when you were a child. Telling the all too familiar telltale of your deep set fears with sleep. "Well, it somewhat started small. A fear of a dark was all it took really. I use to have this firefly nightlight to help me sleep and I got over that fear, as you could see." You motioned you small chuckle as it fades with the darkness. "Heh, anyway. . . even though I got over that fear of the darkness it only took the death of my dad to take me back into that fear. He died cause of a heart attack in the middle of the night. No one even heard him, and that's what scared me. That no one heard him struggle in his sleep, did he even have a chance? Then my mom got sick, she fell asleep one time and didn't wake up. I then had to hop from home to home in a foster care system. I've been afraid to fall asleep since, I don't want to wake up only to realize I was dead the whole time. Would I even wake up? I guess my Epithet made me more stressed out over the small things and I always just kept worrying."

Sylvester seemed intent on listening and hung onto your every word. He muttered a few words to himself before he scooted over to you. "I think that even though your fear is gnawing at you, you still live like this because you've grown used to watching out for yourself." He sighs as he opens his hand out for you to grab. You look at it cautiously as if you were making sure that he wouldn't put you to sleep. He just kept patient and waited for you to place your hand with his. You slowly placed your hand on his, carefully not to force your epithet onto him. You knew he could feel some of it but he didn't show it. He just gave you a soft smile before he spoke. "Look, I know we both don't have all the answers but I want to do my best to help you. . . as a psychologist and as a friend. One step at a time, okay?" He spoke gently, caring even.

"Thanks Sylvester-"

"Please call me Sylvie."

"Heh, thanks Sylvie. Let's take this one step at a time. I want to try sleeping today, it's probably too fast but I think I'm tired of doing all of this just because I'm scared." You said with a slight fierceness about it. Sylvie looked at you with slight concern. "Are you sure? You don't have to force yourself to such a quick change just for the sake of changing." You nod as you looked at him. "Yeah, just uh. . . " You scratch the back of your neck as you look at him, slightly nervous with the outcome. "Promise me that you won't leave?" He nods. He never once seemed to make fun of your fears or called it childish. Sylvie was always so genuine with you and never pulled up his crappy walls around you or his facade. He made you feel safe.

With a pinky promise to seal the deal, you lied down as Sylvie tucked you in. Though it felt childish, he didn't once laugh at you in a derogatory way. He waves his hand around and as you fell asleep you could hear him mutter to you. "Sleep tight, okay?" As you fell into a deep sleep, he gave to quick kiss on the forehead. He covered his blush with his hand as he sat down on your bed. Grasping your hand, he sat by your side all night.

(Time skip brought to you by DR. BEEFTON'S DEGREE IN DEATH! 💀)

The next morning you woke up to Sylvie sitting right across from you. The bags under his eyes were prominent but he still gave you a smile as he yawned. "Ah. . . how was you sleep? Good thing we both don't have classes today, or that would have been a hassle. You feeling okay?" With a nod he grins as he helps you up. "Let's go get breakfast okay? My treat!" He doesn't let you argue back as you both head to a cafe in your pyjamas and him in his.

A beautiful fall day as you both walk hand in hand towards the cafe down the street. You could feel some of the stares but you didn't care. Sylvie made you laugh as you both joked around as you guys got breakfast, and ate it there. Chattering along as you felt that this day was pretty well. Though both of your and Sylvie's eyes burned for different reasons, you knew that this was gonna be the start to something. You're not really sure what, but it was going to grow into something stupendous, beautiful even. And you liked that.

I'm so proud of this! Kudos to @I-Love-Cute-Ducks for giving me such an idea! I hope I gave you an idea of what you had in mind! Gonna start working on my 2nd part for Giovanni and the reader!

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