Page 37 of Sanctuary After Dark

"Please. I'll be good. I'll be good. I'll be good..."

“Hey, little bunny. It’s okay. You’re okay. You are good. You're so good, sweetheart.”

Hearing the sudden voice so close to me, I flinched and tried to pull my legs in more to make myself smaller. I didn’t want them to find me.

“It’s alright. It’s Lucas. Lincoln is here too, little bun. You’re in your room at The Sanctuary. You’re safe. It was just a nightmare. No one is going to hurt you anymore.”

His words filtered in slowly until they registered. Blinking my eyes open, I looked up and saw Lucas sitting on the floor and looking behind the chair, his blue eyes filled with concern. I could see his twin brother, Lincoln, behind him. A broken sob slipped from my mouth, and before I knew it, I was launching myself at him. His strong arms wrapped around me, and he held me close as I cried. A hand in my hair told me that Lincoln had moved closer as well.

“It’s okay, little bunny. We’ve got you. You’re okay. You're safe with us.”

I felt his lips brushing against my ear as he spoke, and I broke down in his arms. He shifted me so that I was straddling his lap, and he could wrap his arms around me better. One was around my waist, squeezing me tight while the other one went to the back of my neck and just held me as I cried.

He and Lincoln both kept up their whispered praises to me, reassuring me that I was good and that I was safe. The scent of their cologne, mahogany teakwood, filled my nose and I buried my face into Lucas’s neck more. They always smelled so good, and I was starting to associate their scent with comfort and safety.

I wasn't sure how long I cried, but they didn't rush me. They just let me get it all out until my body was lax from exhaustion against Lucas and I was sniffling into his shoulder. They kept petting me through my hair and down my back, giving me the comfort I desperately needed right now.

Sitting back, I tried to wipe the tears and snot from my face, cringing a little when I saw the wet spot on Lucas's shirt.

"I'm sorry..."

Lucas just smiled and cupped my cheeks. His thumbs brushed against them to wipe the tears away.

"You never have to apologize for having emotions, Elias. I can wash my shirt, don't you worry your pretty little head about it."

I couldn't help but smile a little as he leaned in and kissed the tip of my nose. I scrunched it and a giggle slipped out at the silly little gesture.

"Feeling a little better now?"

My eyes turned to Lincoln when I heard his voice. He was sitting next to us with his hand rubbing in soothing circles between my shoulders. He reached forward with a tissue and wiped gently at my nose, making me smile softly again.

"A little..."

And I wasn't lying. I did feel a little better after everything. I was still sad about them stopping us from going further than a kiss, but I was feeling a lot more settled with them here holding me after such a terrible nightmare. Usually, I dealt with them on my own, and they left me shaken for most of the day. But I already felt like a weight had been lifted from my chest and that they were carrying this for me. Like it was their job to worry about these things and not mine.

It felt nice. More than nice. It felt amazing to hand them that.

"Alright, let's get you cleaned up and in some comfy jammies. Then I think we all need some cuddles and snacks. Maybe a funny movie."

Lucas smiled and brushed his thumbs along my cheeks again as I nodded. That sounded amazing right now. I just wanted to curl up with them and turn my brain off for a bit.

Lincoln helped me stand up, my legs a little cramped from being wrapped around Lucas for so long. He led me into the bathroom and told me to sit down on the toilet. I watched him quietly as he wet a washcloth and came over to me and gently washed my face off. I sniffled again at the emotions that were clogging my throat once more at having someone take care of me. It had been so long since someone wanted to take care of me like this and be so tender...and now I had two someones who wanted to. It was a lot to take in at the moment, so I just let my brain start to shut off and mentally gave that worry over to Lincoln.

"Up you get, little one."

Lincoln ushered me out of the bathroom and made me sit down on my bed while he went through my drawers looking for jammies for me. I wished I had proper jammies still. Onesies that looked like animals and funny characters, or matching ones with cute designs on them that were soft. But I had nothing like that. Just comfortable sleep pants and t-shirts, which Lincoln pulled out and came back over to me.

I was still in just my panties from our rope session, and he knelt in front of me tapping each ankle one at a time to get me to lift them before he was pulling the pajama pants up my legs and over my hips.

"Arms up."

I sniffled again and lifted my arms above my head for him, and he slipped the shirt over my arms and then over my head. Getting it settled on my body, he leaned in and kissed my forehead, making me smile again.

"Good boy. Let's get comfy in your bed while Luke gets us all some snacks. I think we can look past eating in bed this one time, don't you think?"

He winked at me and I nodded because I didn't want to be anywhere else right now.

Lincoln pulled the covers back, and I scooted in until I was in the middle of the bed. He leaned forward and fluffed some pillows before he found Whisper on the floor and handed her to me. I hugged her tightly to my chest as I watched him climb into bed with me as well, after taking his jeans and shirt off so he was comfortable.