Work Text:
Beat of the Night
by Littlexpinch
Whimpering broke the relative silence of the swamp. At first Trapper was confused, and understandably so. He had just been woken up in the middle of the night by what sounded like a small child. It took a few moments for him to work out where the cries and thrashing was coming from. Quietly he moved over to Hawkeye's cot.
His black hair was tousled and beads of sweat were threading down his face. Trapper reached out and placed a gentle hand on his face. Hawkeye calmed slightly at the tender touch. Suddenly a yell pierced the night. Trapper grabbed his shoulders and shook him lightly. "Wake up, Hawk. It's just a dream."
Hawkeye jerked awake. A single tear trickled down his cheek. Trapper wrapped his arms around him, pulling him in close. Hawkeye collapsed against him. "Shh, it's okay. It'll be okay."
It took several minutes for Hawkeye to regain his composure. "It's okay, I'm okay. I'm sorry."
"It doesn't matter."
"I interrupted your beauty sleep."
"Really, it doesn't matter."
"But you need all the beauty sleep you can get."
Trapper smiled. "You `right?"
"I'll be fine."
"'Kay." Trapper climbed back into his own cot, but did not sleep. Instead he listened. He heard Hawkeye sigh and toss and turn, but not sleep.
Hawkeye did not want to sleep. He could face the dreams that lay waiting for him. As a child he had been told dreams could not hurt him but now he knew better.
"Hawk?" Trapper whispered.
"What?" Before he had any more time to think Trapper had dragged his cot over. "What're you doing?"
"C'mere."
"Why?"
"Nightmares."
He did not need to say anymore. As a child, the beat of his mother's heart had driven away the night demons. As an adult, Trapper's heartbeat would do the same thing.
"What about Frank?"
"Want him to hop in too?"
"We could get in trouble for this."
"Mmmm, you're right?meh, don't care."
Hawkeye realised just how lucky he was to have a friend like Trapper. He snuggled against him and felt safe as Trapper's arms came around his waist and his heart vanquished the devils of the night.
END