SEEKING 7 | boys of tommen

h u g

We were sat in bed, the soft hum of Friends playing in the background. The TV's glow flickered faintly, casting shadows that danced across the room. I was curled into Gibsie's side, my head resting on his chest, his fingers absentmindedly twirling strands of my hair. It was a comforting motion, but even that wasn't enough to quiet the storm inside me.

"Talk to me," he said gently, his voice low as he glanced down at me, eyes soft but searching. He shifted slightly, his arm tightening around my shoulders. "What's going on in that pretty head of yours?"

I swallowed hard, my throat tight. "I-I don't know..." I muttered, feeling the weight of everything pressing down on me.

"You don't know?" he repeated softly, his hand moving to gently lift my chin, so I was looking up at him. "Aurora, you can talk to me about anything, y'know that, right? What's going on?" His thumb brushed across my cheek, his gaze never wavering, full of concern.

"I'm scared, Gibsie..." I admitted after a long pause, my voice barely more than a whisper. The admission felt like a release, but the fear lingered, gnawing at me. I sighed heavily. "What if he actually comes back? What if he finds us? I swear, if he does... if he gets to us, we're not gonna make it out. We'll end up dead."

His body tensed slightly, and he shifted so he could look at me more directly. His eyes darkened, a fierce determination replacing the softness. "No, you won't. I won't let him near you, Aurora." His voice was low, but there was a steel in it, a promise wrapped in every word. "I mean it. He's never getting close to you again, not while I'm here."

I wished I could believe him fully, but the fear was overwhelming, settling deep in my bones. I bit my lip, trying to keep my composure, but it was slipping. "I don't know what to do anymore," I whispered, my voice cracking. "I'm falling apart, Gibsie... slowly, but surely, I'm losing it."

"Then fall apart," he said firmly, leaning down to press his lips gently to my forehead. "I'll be here to pick up the pieces, every single time, Aurora. You don't have to hold it all together. You're the bravest person I know, and you don't have to do this alone."

His words hung in the air, wrapping around me like a safety net I hadn't realized I needed. I didn't respond, didn't know how to. Instead, I just sank deeper into his embrace, feeling the warmth of his body against mine, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath my cheek.

The room grew quiet, the sound of our breathing filling the space between us. I closed my eyes, letting the quiet blanket us as the weight of everything slowly began to fade, if only for a moment.

"I'm not going anywhere, princess," he whispered into the quiet, his lips brushing against my hair. "Not ever."

I didn't need to say anything more. In this moment, his presence was enough. For now, just being held was enough.

_______________________

My dad had been out of treatment for a week, and to say I wasn't sleeping was an understatement. Every time I closed my eyes, the nightmares came – relentless, vivid, and suffocating. They always started the same way: a flicker of fire, the heat growing unbearable, flames crawling toward me, and then... nothing. I'd jolt awake, gasping for air, my heart pounding like I'd run a marathon. Each night it got worse, as if my mind was trying to tell me something I didn't want to hear.

Joey and Darren were at each other's throats constantly, their shouting matches shaking the walls at all hours of the day. They could barely stand to be in the same room. Marie was practically a ghost, sitting at the kitchen table like she was glued to the chair, her eyes blank, staring into the void. I hadn't seen her move in hours. Tadhg refused to listen to anyone but Joey, and Shannon was always with Johnny. She was escaping in her own way, I guess. And Ollie and Sean—well, they were their usual selves, blissfully unaware in some ways, and far too aware in others.

Right now, we were all crammed onto my bed. Ollie sat cross-legged beside me, drawing random squiggles on my legs with a pen, clearly bored out of his mind. Sean was nestled against me, his small hand gripping my shirt, his bright eyes full of curiosity.

"Alright, Seany-boo," I said, tapping the tip of his nose to get his attention. "Let's try again. Say Au-Ror-A."

Sean wrinkled his nose and giggled, shaking his head defiantly. He reached for the pen, clearly more interested in joining Ollie's leg art session than learning how to say my name.

"Does Seany really not wanna?" I teased, feigning disappointment.

"No!" Sean exclaimed with all the determination a toddler could muster, his little hand swiping the pen from Ollie and drawing a wobbly line across my knee. He looked far too proud of his artistic contribution, his giggles filling the room.

"Rora," Ollie mumbled, his voice quieter now. He was still doodling, but his movements had slowed down.

I looked over at him, noticing the shift in his tone. "What's up, Ol?" I asked softly, sensing something was weighing on him.

He hesitated for a moment, chewing on his bottom lip before he finally spoke. "Is dad gonna come back and get us?" His voice wavered, nerves tightening around his words like a knot.

My heart cracked in two. No kid his age should have to worry about something like that. He should be out in the world, playing with his friends, begging to stay up late, asking for ice cream after dinner—normal kid stuff. Instead, he was sitting here, cooped up in a house that didn't feel like home, worrying if our father was going to come back and turn our lives upside down again.

I swallowed the lump in my throat, forcing myself to stay calm for him. "No, Ollie," I said quietly, my voice firm but soft. "No, he's not coming back."

Ollie glanced up at me, uncertainty still clouding his face. "What if he does?" he whispered, barely audible, his big eyes searching mine for reassurance.

I shook my head, trying to push away my own doubts. "He's not, Ollie. And if by some chance he does, I'll be here. I'll look after you. I promise. He won't hurt us again."

There was a long pause as Ollie absorbed my words. Then he nodded, though I could still see the lingering fear in his expression. "Good," he said, his voice small but determined. "He's gots to leave us alone."

"Come here," I said softly, opening my arms. Ollie crawled into them, burying his face in my chest. I held him tight, pressing a kiss to the top of his head, feeling his small body relax against mine. "I love you," I whispered.

"I loves you too, Rora," he mumbled into my shirt.

"Aura!" Sean piped up, clearly not wanting to be left out. He leaned over and planted a wet, sloppy kiss on my cheek, giggling as he did so.

I laughed softly, wiping the drool off my face. "Thanks, Seany," I said, pulling him into the hug as well.

That's when I noticed Tadhg standing in the doorway, his arms crossed, face blank. He was watching us, his eyes flickering with something I couldn't quite read.

"C'mon then, Tadhg," I said, patting the bed beside me. "You look like you could use a hug too."

He scoffed, shaking his head. "I'm not five, Rora. I don't need a hug."

I raised an eyebrow, giving him a pointed look. "Tadhg Lynch, if you don't get over here by the count of five, I swear I'll come over there and suffocate you in the biggest, most embarrassing hug you've ever had."

He rolled his eyes, but I caught the small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "You're such a weirdo, Rora," he muttered, but after a moment, he walked over, reluctantly sliding onto the bed and joining the pile.

I wrapped my arms around him, squeezing tight. "You're never too old for a hug, you silly eejit."

For a second, he stiffened, like he wasn't used to the affection. But then, slowly, he relaxed, resting his head against my shoulder. The four of us stayed like that for a while, tangled up in each other, the weight of everything else momentarily pushed aside.

In that moment, as chaotic and uncertain as things were, I knew we'd get through it. Together.