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Adolin walked in the infirmary with the intention to get Kaladin to eat dinner with him, but found the bridgeboy asleep with his head on one of the patient's bed. Adolin smiled softly and tried to move Kaladin to another bed. Damn, he was heavy! He succeeded to lift him bridal style, and surprisingly, Kaladin was still sleeping.
Adolin carried him to his room and carefully laid him on the bed. He sat by his legs and smiled again. Kaladin murmured something and turned on the other side. Adolin's smile was wiped out of his face when he heard what Kaladin was saying. No. He was repeating the word, again and again. Tears started to stream down his face, and Adolin felt something inside him break. He took a blanket and tucked Kaladin beneath it, and placed the bridgeboy's head on Adolin's legs.
He started brushing his hair with his fingers and Kaladin calmed down a little. Still, it hurt Adolin seeing him like this, vulnerable and his face wet from tears. He tried calming him down more, by starting talking: "Shhh, it's okay, you're safe now, no one's going to hurt you anymore. You're here, with me, I'm okay, everyone's okay. "
Kaladin snuggled his head in Adolin and sighed. He continued talking: "You're so beautiful like this. Calm. I swear, I'll protect you from those who want to hurt you. And the people who already did, will pay."
Tears formed in Adolin's eyes too. He felt rage rise in him, but then Kaladin screamed. It was a cry of pain and he started talking again.
"No. No, please, don't hurt me. No. NO!"
Adolin hugged him tightly and tried to wake him up. "Kal. Kal, wake up! Hey, hey, wake up!" He hated how high his voice was and how stupid the words sounded. "Hey, it's okay, I got you, wake up."
Kaladin's eyes snapped open, filled with terror. He tried to say something but his mouth just stayed open as tears were streaming down from his eyes. Adolin suffocated him with a bear hug. He felt hands clenching his shirt and Kaladin shivering and sobbing into his collarbone. Adolin started to stroke his hair calmingly until the shivering stopped.
"It's okay, it's okay, I'm here, calm down, shhhh, I'm here."
Adolin carefully laid back on the bed and Kaladin snuggled into him. When he finally managed to say something, his voice was hoarse. "You're a prince. You're supposed to give me orders, not cuddle with me."
There was bitterness in his words, but Adolin smiled. "Well then, I order you to cuddle with me."
Kaladin chuckled softly.
"Wait. Was that a smile? And a chuckle? From the ever grumpy bridgeboy?"
This time Kaladin laughed openly. "You know, you're pretty annoying for a prince. Usually they gloom and don't speak with the pity darkeyes."
"Come on, you know I'm not like this!"
Kaladin turned face to face with him and quietly said: "I know. And this is why I'm here, and not left in the infirmary all by myself with my nightmares."
Adolin kissed him. When he opened his eyes, he saw a very flustered radiant, and couldn't hold his laugh.
"There we go again. Every time. Every time I do something, you people laugh at me. One time, Shallan even told me I'm cute!"
Adolin was still laughing. "You know, bridgeboy, we have to talk to Shallan.
"Why?"
"Me and my wife have been talking. About you. And we decided we have a free spot for a lover, and afterwards - maybe, if you want - a husband! And we want you to take it."
Adolin didn't think Kaladin's face could get any redder. "What? But I...we…"
Adolin shut him up with a kiss. "We like you Kal. I like you. And I think…."
This time Kaladin was the one to shut him up. "Stop talking. Okay."
Kaladin smiled at him softly and Adolin felt his heart flying away. Then Kaladin laughed and his smile made Adolin stomach wanting to fly away too. "I am a lucky man. I made Kaladin Stormblessed himself smile and laugh twice today!"
Kaladin chuckled.
"Three times!"
Kaladin tried to stand up, but Adolin quickly pulled him back in the bed. "You." - he said while getting on top of Kaladin- "Are not going anywhere."
Apparently Kaladin's face could get redder. "Are you going to at least let me sleep in my bed tonight?"
"Mmmm...no. You got me really worried with those nightmares of yours." He laid next to Kaladin, facing him. "When did they start? Not the nightmares, the panic attacks."
"Did you...did you know it was a panic attack?"
"I might be stupid, but I'm not an idiot."
After seeing Kaladin's face, he quickly added: "If you don't want to talk about it, it's okay!"
"No, no.. it's okay." He drew in a deep breath and continued: "While I was a slave, they beat us up almost every day. I tried to help the others...but one of the slaves died. I got extra beating for that, I was supposed to cure him, but..but I couldn't.” A single tear rolled on his cheek and Kaladin angrily wiped it off. "After that I was unconscious for maybe a day. When I woke up, I had.."
The man standing in front of Adolin couldn't continue, because his voice betrayed him. Kaladin took a few deep breaths and tried again: "When I woke up, I had my first panic attack. I thought I was dying and... I wanted to. But here I am. Alive."
His words sounded bitter. Adolin growled. "You're not getting rid of us now. And, bridgeboy, I order you to stay here with me. Tonight. And tomorrow night. And all the nights after that. Because you're now a part of my family. And I love and protect my family at all costs."
Kaladin opened his mouth to say something but Adolin quickly cut him off: "I'm going to get a sarcastic comment, aren't I?"
Kaladin grinned. "Maybe."
"Well, go ahead."
"Does that mean I'm your child now?"
Adolin's eyes started sparkling. "Oh, yes. From now on, I will feed you myself and put you to bed with a bedtime story and you're going to give me a goodnight kiss every time!"
"Hmmm, doesn't sound so bad."
"Kal." Suddenly serious, Adolin looked him in the eyes. "Promise me, if you ever have a nightmare, tell me. I can't live with the thought that somewhere, you're shaking in your bed, alone and scared, and having a panic attack. Please, promise me Kaladin. That you'll come to me, wake me up no matter what, and ask for help."
"Are you sure you want to put up ...with me? And all my problems?"
Before he could continue, Adolin kissed him. "Don't ever ask this question again. Of course I'll take care of you. Of course I'll take care of your problems. As I said, you're my family now. And family means nobody gets left behind."
Kaladin hugged him tightly and smiled. "Thank you. Thank you, for everything you did for me. Thank you, for staying that week with me in prison. Thank you, for standing up for me. Thank you for saving my life, more times than you know."
Adolin smiled and looked the other man in the eyes. "Shallan's going to be so happy, that she'll probably do something stupid and get another arrow in her head."