You're Okay

"Ingo?"

Emmet mumbles blearily, rubbing at his eyelids as he scans his surroundings.
He's in bed, he knows that much, along with a weight by his side. A glance to his right reveals a snoring archeops.

On normal nights like these, he would go back to sleeping.
This was not a normal night.

His stomach churned discontentedly, a gut feeling to check on his twin.

Emmet hums annoyedly, yawning as archeops squirms around from his spot besides him.
Emmet slides his feet out of the bed, careful to weave his feet past Galvantula's sides and step away.

Archeops whines and plops his claw on the empty spot of the bed with quarter-opened eyes.

"No boy, sleep." 

Emmet pads past the sleeping tarantula on the ground, careful to not step on a stray limb or squirming Joltik. Sliding his way across the floorboards to avoid the creaking, Emmet reaches the door and gently nudges it open with the back of his palm.

He steps out into the hallway and into the dark, staring beadily as his eyes adjust to the silhouette of stray picture frames lining the black wall.
His neutral smile widens fondly. A warm memory surfaces about teasing Ingo about painting his own side of the wall white so Ingo could have his black.
That agreement worked out in the end. Made it easier for him to find his bedroom now, anyway.
The doorknob glints dimly in the shadows.

Emmet gently tip-toed to Ingo's door, bringing up a hand and gently knocking.

"Ing-"

A muffled gasp from behind the door.

Emmet's hand dove for the knob and pulled it aside, head popping in with wide eyes.

"Ingo. Ingo, what's wrong?"

His eyes spot the clump of untidy blankets on his brother's bed and the shaking form underneath.

His grip goes slack on the door handle as he hurries towards the bed, hands reaching out and quickly shaking the blankets.

"Ingo."

Ingo's head jolts up instantly, eyes wide and wheezing.

"E-Emm-"

"You're okay. It's okay."

He wraps his arms around his older twin's torso and Ingo's shoulders stiffen under the touch. Hard. Emmet repeats himself carefully.

"You're okay."

Ingo's chest shudders in the way it does when he's about to hold back a cry, and Emmet squeezes him.
Ingo's arms wrap back around him, and Emmet feels him shaking.

"You're here.."

His voice is soft. Too soft, almost broken. So, Emmet squeezes him again and begins slowly patting his back.

"It was that dream again, was it?"

He feels how Ingo shifts and a sniffle follows. He takes that as a yes.

"I'm here," Emmet begins slowly, patting his brother's back. "You're here. We're both home. And we are safe. Nothing bad is going to happen to us, okay?"

Ingo squeezes back. His chin slowly sets onto Emmet's shoulder.
Emmet just now realizes how tightly Ingo's hugging him. He lets silence wash over them, waiting until Ingo's occasional shudders gradually slow to a stop.

"Alright.. I'm-" A pause as Ingo's voice wavers, ".. Sorry, for this. I shouldn't be-"

"If you're about to say anything about crying in the night, it isn't your fault." Emmet slowly tugs back to stare at Ingo's face. "You also have absolutely nothing to apologize about. It's fine."

Ingo gives a broken hum.

"And if anyone tries to take you away, I will punch them in their baby face. Even if it was Arceus. I would also punch his baby face."

"Arceus does not have a baby face," Ingo mumbles.

"Well, I will punch him in his poke-face if he messes with you."

"I know."


Emmet, in fact, did not leave Ingo alone for the remainder of the night.