Work Text:
It was the middle of the night, according to the alarm clock perched on your night stand, when you were jolted awake by your bad dreams. You bolted upright in your bed, blanket pooling around your waist as your eyes shot open and your brain scrambled awake. Your loud pants filled the silence of your bedroom, beads of sweat dotting your brow and prickling the skin of your back as your night shirt stuck to you like another layer of skin. It took a long moment for you to calm down, taking deep breaths to quell the erratic beat of your heart as your pulse filled your ears. You ran your trembling hands through your hair, sweeping the bangs out of your eyes as you searched in the darkness.
The spot next to you was cold and empty, signalling your partner had not come to bed yet. After another long moment of calming your nerves and dispelling the thoughts that plagued your mind, you decided to go searching for your partner, an insatiable itch scratching at the back of your skull to seek any semblance of comfort or reassurance. You hugged your pillow tightly to your chest, draping your blanket over your shoulders like a long, flowing cape that dragged on the floor behind you as you crept out of your bedroom. The light was still on in the dining room as you trudged your way down the hallway, tired eyes adjusting to the bright light when you entered. The soft clang of metal reached your ears and once your foggy vision cleared you spied your infamous space cowboy sitting at the dining room table, various screwdrivers and metal screws scattered about the table as he tinkered with one of the metal plates of his robotic arm. He paused in his meticulous work when he heard you enter, eyes immediately darting over to you as you slowly approached him. He pressed his lips into a tight thin line, eyes soft as he gave you an apologetic look.
"Ah shoot" he muttered, metallic voice ringing in your ears. "I'm sorry pumpkin, did my tinkering wake you?"
You shook your head, tongue darting out to wet your dry and cracked lips.
"No" you responded with a soft rasp.
A fierce frown tugged at Boothill's lips, a pinch forming between his brow as you slumped into the chair beside him. His eyes flickered over your form in concern as you cradled your favourite fluffy pillow tighter to your chest until there was a light tremble in your arms.
"You alright? You don't sound real hot."
You hummed in response as you pressed your cheek into your pillow, eyes lidded as you turned his words over and over in your head.
"Had a bad dream" you replied with a husky murmur.
A soft sigh whistled through Boothill’s teeth. The only reason he had left your side in the first place was just to do a little routine maintenance on his body, hoping that the clanking of metal wouldn't disturb you in the other room. His fingers twitched around the screwdriver he was still holding in his hand, eyes briefly leaving you as he tightened the bolt holding down a metallic plate.
"Are you feeling okay?" Boothill inquired.
You slowly nodded, eyes drooping further and threatening to slip close as sleep clung to the corners of your mind. You were still tired and needed rest but you refused to go back to sleep just yet.
"You wanna talk about it?" Boothill continued, gently prying.
You shook your head, locks of your dishevelled hair ruffled against the soft cotton of your pillow. Another deep sigh blew deeply from Boothill's nose. He flicked his head in the direction of your bedroom before returning his attention back to his task.
"Why don't you head on back to bed darling. I promise I'll be there in a minute. Almost done here."
You shook your head again, a small, disgruntled noise bubbling up your throat as you buried your face in your pillow.
"Don't wanna go back to bed alone" you admitted.
A soft smile ghosted over Boothill's lips.
"That bad, huh?" he mused.
You didn't respond but he could tell that it was indeed that bad. He didn't pry any further, knowing that you would probably come back to him by the morning, when your body wasn't tired and your head could function properly. Boothill was quick to finish the rest of maintenance at your behest, despite you telling him to take his time. The spurs of his boots clicked as he stood from the table, heavy heels clacking against the floor as the last metal plate was slapped back into place. He stood tall over you, your smaller frame engulfed in his shadow as he reached for you.
"Okay sweet pea, time to get you back to bed" he announced.
You didn't offer up an ounce of protest as Boothill wrapped his arms around your waist and hauled you to your feet. You weren't standing on your trembling legs for long as they were abruptly swept out from underneath you and Boothill was carrying you in his arms bridal style. You hugged your pillow tightly as Boothill made the journey back to your bedroom, your cheek squished into his cold, metallic chest plate. It wasn't the most comfortable to rest against but it felt familiar and you couldn't help but nuzzle your face further into the crook of his neck. A warm chuckle breezed past Boothill's lips at the endearing sight.
"Hey, don't fall asleep yet. We're almost there."
"It's fine" you replied with a sleepy slur. "It's you. It's comfortable enough."
As flattered as he was, having your warm face pressed into cold, hard and unforgiving metal was probably not the most luxurious feeling in the world. Boothill gently kicked open the door to your shared bedroom, depositing you back onto the bed and coaxing you to nestle into the warmth of the sheets. You threw your pillow back where it belonged, your head coming to greet it only a scant few seconds later as you collapsed back into your favoured sleeping position. Boothill settled in beside you a moment later as you turned towards him, hand searching in the dark for his. Your dainty fingers snagged around his bulky wrist as you dragged his hand under the sheets and trapped it down there with you. Boothill leaned down, lips brushing against your forehead before he settled into a comfortable position, back leaning against the headboard as he sat up straight.
"Better?" Boothill asked.
"Much better" you agreed, eyes slipping shut as you grew sleepy.
Boothill hummed softly, dragging his thumb over the palm of your hand to further soothe any lingering troubles. He pulled his hat low over his eyes, obscuring his vision as he tipped his chin. He didn't necessarily need sleep with his unique body, yet he still mimicked it out of habit. You gently squeezed his hand, his thumb continuing to draw lazy patterns into your warm skin as you were gently lulled back to sleep.
"Get some rest darling. I'll be here come the morning."