History Shows Again and Again

Chapter 21

August 2nd, 2020

A scream died in his throat as Zeek jolted awake, gasping, the echoes of the cackling screech and the sound of a submersible going completely under water still fresh in his ears. His heart pounding within his chest, terror still swirling inside him like a tsunami, crashing repeatedly and making that terror go to new heights. His eyes stung as they watered, threatening to spill over and down his cheeks.

He blindly grouped for his phone, taking it off of the charger and went into his contacts, pressing one he didn't realize he pressed and waited, listening to the phone ring four times. Then, it was answered.

"Zeek?" the sleep-filled voice of Ren filtered through the phone, making Zeek realize just who he had called instead of Mark or Maddie. "Do you know what time it is?"

Zeek had to blink his eyes a few times before looking over at his alarm clock and noticed that it was four in the morning.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't...I'll just let you sleep. I didn't mean to..." His voice cracked; his breathing still sped up from the nightmare.

"What's wrong?" The other's voice had a concerned tone in it now.

"I...it's nothing."

"It's not nothing. Need me to come over?"

"No- no, Just, forget-"

"Make sure you have your door unlocked. I'll be there soon."

Ren hung up before Zeek could protest more and the man just stared at his phone before he got up from the bed, trudged out of the living room and to his door and unlocked it. Then, he went straight to his room, but he didn't climb back into his bed though. Instead, he sat in the corner of his room, burying his face into his knees, still breathing fast, still had tears in his eyes.

It seemed like an eternity past before he heard the front door open, shut and then locked. Footsteps went straight for his room before he heard Ren enter his room and went straight to him. He felt a hand on one of his arms that was wrapped around his legs, thumb moving in soothing strokes.

"Can you lift your head to look at me?" Ren asked quietly. Zeek wanted to say no, he wanted to stay how he was, but he knew that he couldn't try to hide from him and so, He slowly lifted his head up like he asked, the tears finally spilling over and traveled down his cheeks. As soon as he saw Ren, he felt the floodgates open.

"I-it should have been me." Zeek gasped out, making Ren furrowed his eyebrows. "Should have been me....should've been me."

"Zeek, you need to slow your breathing-"

"I should have pushed her out of the way- I should have stopped him and went instead- I should have been the one to die not them-"

"No- Zeek, don't-"

"I should have been eaten- I should have gotten in that damn sub to deliver the bomb to Godzilla- It should've been ME-" Tears flowed down his face down and he was hyperventilating and, if he didn't have his hand gripped onto his arms, they would have been shaking. "I want my best friends back- I want them back- I want Ishiro and Vivienne back!"

He was distantly aware that he was wailing now as he continued his ramblings. "I should have died! I should have died instead of them!"

He was suddenly being uncurled before he was settled on Ren's lap, legs going around the other's hips, his face being buried into Ren's shoulder. Arms were wrapped around him, pressing him against the solid torso. His hands were shaking as they gripped onto the fabric of Ren's shirt.

Then, Zeek just began to wail and cry into the offered shoulder, soaking the fabric.

He didn't know how long they sat there before he exhausted himself and ended up drifting off, the last thing he remembered was Ren standing up with Zeek still in his arms and moving.

****

Zeek's head throbbed as he slowly woke up with the sun's rays filtering in the room. It felt like he had a hangover, but he knew better, he remembered last night. God, he was so embarrassed having Ren see him in that state.

As he became more and more awake, he noticed something oddly warm around his waist and his head was laying on what felt like an arm. He frowned and opened his eyes and the first thing he saw was black. He glanced up and saw the sleeping face of Ren and he became hyper aware then.

His head was being pillowed by the other's arm and Ren's other arm was around him. He had the black shirt in a death grip, which probably answered the question on why the other had slept here instead of leaving or sleeping on the couch.

Then, he felt the other move and he quickly closed his eyes again, pretending to be asleep. Nothing happened in the next few minutes and he could have swore that he could feel Ren studying him. He felt the arm move away from his waist to brush away some of his bangs before he managed to free his other arm and get out of the bed and went out of the room, not bothering to try and wake Zeek up.

Still, Zeek didn't move and only a few minutes after, he heard Ren come back into the room and sat something down on the bedside table before leaving the room once again. He heard the front door open and close and he opened his eyes before rolling onto his back, head turning and spotting a glass of water there. He carefully sat up and grabbed it, taking a few sips before noticing a note that was in Ren's handwriting.

Had to go to work. If you need anything, text me.
For what it's worth, I'm glad it wasn't you.

-Ren