Wild Kratts - ONE SHOTS

Migraine

I had a bad migraine that one night and it kept me up for hours, so I thought, "Yeah, this would make a perfect fluff one shot." So here we are. And yes, I had to make Chris suffer as usual.

The pale crescent moon shone like a silvery claw in the night sky, a blanket of stars stretching to infinity. The creatures of the night roamed about in search of food, preying within the shady, sunless forest of Arizona. It was peaceful, nothing but tranquility. But despite the calm and quiet atmosphere, there was a hint of misfortune hidden somewhere, just waiting to strike.

That night, the misfortune had chosen its victim.

The Wild Kratts crew was sound asleep within the Tortuga, each member in their respectful room getting some much deserved rest after a long day of creature rescuing. The silence felt nearly eternal, broken only by the ever-lasting trill of the crickets.

There he was, the green Kratt slumbering in harmony, subconsciously clutching his pillow like a child while in the fetal position.

Suddenly, he felt it.

He woke up to an unexplainable amount of pain in his head, unlike anything he ever felt. It was like a heavy mass laying in his head, accompanied by a burning sensation in his eyes.

What's wrong with me? He asked himself. He sat up in bed, rubbing his face and remembering how he felt a slight headache before heading to bed but didn't think much of it. He couldn't have known it would lead him to the agony he was in.

He let out a hiss through his clenched teeth as the pain only intensified, almost wanting to burst into tears.

Why is this happening to me?

He could hear his brain pounding in his skull, as though it was about to explode any second. The pain was immeasurable. He was pressing his hands against his head when he looked over to the other side of the room in sudden remembrance. Martin. He was sound asleep and unaware of the situation.

A part of Chris desperately wanted to cry out for help, but the other didn't want to wake him up in the middle of the night over such a thing. But then again, he was suffering tremendously and could use some moral support. But while these thoughts were coursing through his mind, he suddenly grunted from the stinging pain, a little too loud, loud enough to knock Martin out of his beauty sleep.

The blue Kratt slowly opened his eyes, moaning before getting up to scan the room... To his surprise, he spotted his brother curled up in a ball, his face buried in his knees, the faint sound of sobbing filling the chamber. His eyes widened with confusion and mostly concern, his last shred of tiredness melting away.

Slowly and quietly, he got out of bed and marched toward his little brother before dropping on his knees and placing a gentle hand on his head. "Chris?"

Startled, Chris' head popped up, his eyes meeting his brother's, and even though darkness swallowed the room, he could still distinguish tear marks on his brother's pained face, illuminated only by the string of moonlight bursting through their window. Chris sat up, Martin's hands grasping his shoulders, allowing him to sense how shaky he was. "Bro, you're scaring me, are you okay?" Martin's voice cracked.

Chris shook his head. "N-No," a small cry squeaked out of his chest. "My head is killing me."

Martin frowned as Chris rubbed his temples. "A migraine?" he guessed, Chris nodding weakly.

At that, Martin straightened up almost instinctively as he headed back to his bed and grabbed his own pillow before layering it on his brother's. "What are you doing?" Chris asked with reddish eyes.

"Helping you feel better," Martin replied, giving him a reassuring smile. He then helped him lie down, adjusting the two soft pillows under his head. "Just take it easy," he brushed his thumb across his forehead, earning a half-smile as a response. "Don't move, I'll be right back." He then left the room, leaving his brother staring at the ceiling, his head still throbbing with pain.

Soon enough, Martin returned with something in his hands as he approached his brother. "Here you go, Chris." The green Kratt looked up to find his brother holding a mug in his hands, signaling him to sit up a little. "What's that?" he managed to ask.

"Ginger tea," Martin placed the mug in his brother's trembling hands, holding them tight until he was sure he had a good hold of it. "It'll make you feel better, hopefully," he attempted to chuckle.

A small smile of appreciation crept across Chris' face. "Thanks bro."

Without warning, Martin slid inside the blanket next to his brother, who didn't mind the company. It was actually comforting; he rested his aching head on the oldest's shoulder, one protective arm wrapped around the youngest as he quietly sipped his tea, blowing on the drink steaming at his face. What followed was nothing but silence. Martin was staring at the void while stealing protective glances at his brother, and once he was done with his tea, he placed the empty mug on the night table.

Chris let out a quivering sigh as he snuggled deeper into his brother's embrace, the warmth of it all almost making him not regret having a migraine. He buried his face in his brother's neck, his eyes closed shut. He felt safe. A warm smile crossed Martin's face as he rubbed his brother's arm comfortingly. "Sorry for waking you up," he heard Chris finally say.

"Hey, what are brothers for?" He felt a light chuckle escape his little brother, relief washing over him. "You're the best," that last sentence made him wrap both arms around him in a gentle manner, giving him the most meaningful hug he could.

A few minutes later, Chris started to snuggle down a bit, his head now resting on his brother's chest. His migraine had deteriorated, not completely, but enough to finally be able to rest. Martin delicately ran his hand through his hair, not minding the weight on his chest, as long as his brother felt at ease. And before he knew it, Chris began to snore softly; he was sound asleep. Pure satisfaction filled the Kratt in blue, he leaned in and gave him a small, tender kiss on the head.

He looked over at the window, the bluish color of the moonlight shining through and on his face. Peace had returned, his brother was sound asleep, but he wasn't. He couldn't go back to sleep, not just yet, not with his brother in his arms.

Nothing would stop him from helping a brother in need.