Burning Ice & Freezing Fire

Cuddling?!

Robbie holds his breath when he feels Sportacus soft lips on his cheek.

It's just for a second...

But the tingling sensation of the ghostly kiss lasts even when the hero has long pulled back again already.

The villain feels his face heating up even more, but he's too confused to say anything.

"...Can we turn off the lights?..." Sportacus' voice is soft and calm and he doesn't stop his gentle, massaging touches on Robbie's stomach. Acting, as if the light kiss didn't happen. Maybe that was just another hallucination? No. Definitely not. Robbie swallows thickly and repeats the mantra in his head over and over again 'It was just a kiss on the cheek. It means nothing. He only wants me to feel cared about. Yes, that's it. Nothing more.', but when he speaks he though can't help a light stammering "Y-Yes... Yes, yes! Of course... Sleep. I mean... We should...sleep... R-Right!?..."

"Yes. You need rest. But if you feel uncomfortable, tell me at once. Is this position okay for you to sleep?"

Robbie nods barely noticeably. He can't push himself to speak again. His stomach is fluttering again and the gentle massage of the hero isn't helping, either. But at the same time, he doesn't want him to stop under any circumstances...

"Okay. Lights out!"

Just seconds after the hero's order they're surrounded by darkness.

And Robbie can't help it.

He tenses up and holds his breath. He's not afraid of the dark. More on the contrary. He's always been someone who favors the night over the day. But at this moment, at this place, the black in front of his eyes feels suffocating...

"Robbie? Hey..."

The hand moves from his stomach upwards to rest on the left side of his chest and the villain can't help a low whimper, although he knows that it belongs to Sportacus.

"Shush... It's okay, Robbie. It's me. Breathe. You don't have to be afraid. Nobody will harm you, I swear!" sounds Spartacus' calming, low voice while he keeps caressing the heated skin beneath the fabric of the pajama, and after a short pause, he adds "...This is real!... Okay?..."

Robbie gasps for breath once more, but then he nods weakly and rasps "Yes, I... I know... I'm sorry. I just..."

"Don't apologize. Just tell me, if there's anything I can do to help you calm down a little again?" Sportacus stills his hand "...Shall I rather not..."

"No! I mean, don't stop! I-I mean..." Robbie's hands have both darted to the hero's to grab it and keep it from pulling away, he blushes even worse now, but luckily the hero won't be able to see this thanks to the darkness. His voice breaks a little "...Please don't...take your hands away... It's... As long, as I can feel your...touch I feel...save... I won't slip into another hallucination that easily again I guess..." he swallows dryly "...I'm sorry... This sounds stupid. I should probably..."

The last part of his sentence gets stuck in his throat when there's suddenly Sportacus second arm, slipping past his back within a blink, and the next moment he gets turned on his side and pulled flush against the hero, so his forehead is now resting against the other's chest, the damp cloths squished in between them. The strong arms of Sportacus are tightly but gently wrapped around him, one hand drawing soothing circles in the tensed muscles of his back, the other softly massaging his scalp. Robbie feels like a whole world is crashing down on him, but in an incredibly good way and his head is slightly spinning. He needs a moment to find his voice again, and even then it's barely more than a whisper "Sp-Sportacus... W-What are you...doing?..."

"Hm... Since you said that my touch soothes you and helps you stay in reality...I figured the more I touch you, the better... Or is this too much? Do you feel uncomfortable?" the hero's voice is soft. Pulling the villain this close was an instinct action. Knowing that barely ten hours ago, Robbie was still flinching under the lightest touch lets the hero fear that he might scare him off again with too much closeness now, so he wants his friend to understand that he's not pushing him.

"...N-No..." Robbie breathes in deeply and when he exhales again a great amount of tension leaves his body and his voice becomes slightly more confident "No. It...feels nice... But...the rag... It will soak your pajama top..."

"That's okay. Don't worry about it," Sportacus smiles into the darkness and bows his own head to place another light kiss on Robbie's hair this time, murmuring lowly "Sleep now. I will watch over you. And I won't leave. Remember what I promised. You're not alone, Robbie. Not anymore..." Sportacus can't help a hard swallow now, himself, but he manages to still let his voice sound calming "...And you'll never be again..."

Robbie hears these words and a few tears roll down his hot cheeks again, but he smiles weakly and relaxes into the cuddle. His fear of sleeping and possible new hallucinations coming along with it drowns in the steady heartbeat he can hear coming from the hero, his careful, but gentle touches and his warm scent, he inhales with each breath now. He can't really sort in what the other smells of in this moment...

For him, it's simply Sportacus.

And with this the reassurance of his protecting presence.

And that's more than he ever hoped to get...