Countryhumans Oneshots

Fear

"No!" Michigan heard Illinois call from the other side of the room. His head shot up in concern, and he went to see what was happening. Michigan looked into Illinois' side of the room to see him tangled in his bedsheets, thrashing on the bed, and letting small whimpers escape his lips.

Another nightmare. He's been having too many of them lately.

Michigan walked over to him and went to shake his shoulder, ready to wake him up. Illinois thrashed again, wings curling around him as more mumbled words escaped him.

"Please don't," Illinois begged, tears welling in his eyes. Michigan quickly woke him up, not wanting his little brother to be trapped in any nightmare.

"Noi! Noi! Baby Bird, please wake up!" Michigan said, shaking him. Illinois whimpered again, moving his hands to cover his ears, "Noi?"

Illinois opened his eyes and jolted backward, pressing himself against the bedframe. His eyes were wide, and he was afraid as if he didn't know where he was. Then, the fear faded, and the tension began to bleed out of his body.

"So-sorry." He said, looking away. Illinois was acting too much like Delaware did after the Occupation of Wilmington. That scared Michigan badly.

"It's okay; you didn't bother me. Are you okay? Do you want a hug, Baby Bird?" Michigan asked. Illinois wiped some tears off his face.

"No, no, I'm alright," he said. Michigan nodded, not wanting to push him on that, even though Michigan really wanted to hug his little brother.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Michigan asked.

Illinois was silent before he said in a quiet voice, "Please don't die."

Why would he say that? Unless....

"Baby Bird, did you dream about me dying?" Michigan asked gently. Illinois nodded, a fresh wave of tears appearing.

"You, Papa, everyone! Everyone died, and it was my fault! It was all my fault! I'm such a bad person. I—" Michigan cut him off by pulling him into a tight hug, wrapping his wings around him.

"Baby Bird, I promise I won't die. And you aren't a bad person. You are an amazing little brother. I love you so much." Michigan said. Illinois began crying louder.

"It's my fault! I'm putt-You have almost died twice, Michigan! How can you promise that you'll be fine? What if you are put in danger by me?" Illinois said.

"Okay, first, neither of those times was my fault, and second, you would not put me in danger on purpose. If we are both in a dangerous situation, I'll protect you. I'm your big brother, Baby Bird. I'll always protect and help you, even if you got me into the situation," Michigan said. Illinois squeezed him tight.

"Thank....thanks. That means a lot. I'm..." Illinois trailed off, pulling away, worry clear on his face.

"Noi?" Michigan asked, concerned.

"Will you always protect me?" he asked in a small voice. Michigan nodded, and Illinois pulled him into a hug again, "Thank you."

"You're welcome, Baby Bird," Michigan said. Illinois groaned.

"Please stop calling me that." He said.

"No, can do, Baby Bird." Michigan shot back with a smile.

"Maybe I don't want your protection," Illinois said, crossing his arms.

"Sure you do, Baby Bird," Michigan said, and Illinois gently punched him in the shoulder.

"I hate you, Michigan."

"I love you too, Illinois." Michigan said, before shooting another glance at his brother, who was staring intently at the smoke alarm, some unreliable emotion in his eyes, "Are you okay? They've been getting a lot worse. Don't think I haven't noticed."

Illinois looked back at Michigan with an emotion that looked like guilt in his eyes. Illinois then looked away as if he could bear to keep making eye contact with Michigan.

"I'm fine. They just get worse sometimes, that's all." Illinois said. Michigan knew Illinois was either lying or not saying everything. He had known his brother too long to be fooled by the old "I'm fine" act.

"Are you sure? I'm here for you if you need to talk." Michigan offered. Illinois smiled, a welcomed thing before it quickly faded.

"I appreciate the offer, Mitch, but it's alright," Illinois said. Michigan still wanted to pry, to get the full story out of his brother, but he knew Illinois was clamming up and wasn't going to answer any more questions, especially if Michigan kept pushing.

"Alright Noi. Try and go back to bed. I know it's hard, but you can't spend all night talking to your turtle." Michigan said. Illinois flipped him off but nodded.

"I'll try," he said as Michigan left the room. Still worried, Michigan didn't go back to bed but stood next to the door, listening.

"I'm going to say something wrong in my sleep eventually," Illinois muttered, "Why do I have to have all these stupid dreams about shit that's over and shit that's not even traumatizing? Why is every aspect of my life haunting me in my sleep? I hate it, Ollie! I hate it so much."

Silence fell again, and Michigan heard Illinois get back into his bed. Michigan backed away from the door, his mind racing, and headed back to his bed.

Ollie must be the name of Illinois' turtle, so that was one mystery down.

But everything else? That was concerning and worried Michigan more than the nightmares did. He just wished Illinois would talk to him like he used to when they were younger like Michigan used to when he was struggling with his addiction.

But ever since Prohibition, Illinois had become increasingly closed off and distant, which scared Michigan. Everyone, not just Michigan, had noticed the change in behavior, and they all were worried, but Illinois didn't talk to any of them anymore.

Michigan wanted to storm back in there and demand answers from his brother, but...but he couldn't.

Michigan only hoped that whatever it was, Illinois would tell them eventually so they could smother him with love and support and help him through whatever he was going through.

No matter what Illinois claimed, those nightmares weren't normal, and Michigan would do everything in his power to help Illinois through them.