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English
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Published:
2023-07-17
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1,148
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1/1
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Astraphobia [Rewrite]

Anonymous

Summary:

[Update edited some of the formating <3.]

Cole is started awake by a storm, an experience he is familiar with. But this time, he has someone else in need of comfort too. A former enemy who spends most of his time avoiding conversation. Maybe this can be the first step to not just being tentative allies, but friends too.

Notes:

Its a fluffy one shot. Also Morro stutters, you cant stop me from giving him a stutter, because I'm projecting.

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Work Text:

Cole used to be a heavy sleeper, it was something his brothers teased him for a long time about. But after so long, you loose the ability to sleep easy, and tonight was one of those nights. He wasn't entirely sure what woke him at first, sitting up in bed, rubbing his face and itching subconsciously at the scars on his chest.

The cabin was dimly lit by Zane, who produced light when in sleep mode, something he did after Lloyd started getting night terrors. Similarly he picked up on the sleeping traits of the rest of his team as he checked on each of them. Jays nasally snores could be heard when Kai wasn't mumbling in his sleep, eyes scanning over to Lloyd showed him disheveled and half off the bed, weighted stuffed dragon crushed in his grip.

Then Coles senses picked up on the pitter-patter pelting the side of the Bounty. Stopping himself from a groan, and realizing what has definitely woken him now, he slipped quietly out of his covers. Several years later and the noise of rain still gets him shaken up. Secretly, he wished he could curl up with one of his brothers, preferably Lloyd or Zane, but both would wake and question him. Cole took care to step over any items on the floor, with only Zane's dim light to guide him, turning the handle of the door slowly and slipping out of the room.

This wasn't anything that some snacks and music couldn't help. One hand guiding him along the wall in the dark, he lightly stepped his way towards the kitchen. Passing by a window increased the sound of the rain, as well as gave Cole a chance to peer outside. The Bounty was drifting along in auto pilot, its sensors scanning the area below. The city was shrouded in heavy clouds and rain that prevented seeing any of the buildings clearly, then a flicker of light and Cole sped up towards the kitchen.

As Cole shuffled his way towards the pantry, his eyes wandered to the dining room. His eyes locked onto the figure, and his barely awake mind began to calculate who it could be. Sensei and Misako were out somewhere researching right now. Nya and Pixal were back in the monastery working on a project. So who.. right, Morro. Cole relaxed, they had only been here for a few weeks, and adjusting to their presence was strange. Cole was not yet used to recognizing them.

Morro was quieter than a feather, you couldn't hear them if you tried, an expert that rivaled Wu himself at stealth. When they were first brought to life, it took a long time to come around, and even still the team was jumpy around them. Surprisingly Lloyd was the first to truly forgive them, a reason he would not share. Cole understood it was something Lloyd saw in Morro during his possession, a secret both agreed to keep. A secret that gave them something personal to connect to, and eventually everyone else came around.

Thunder crashed so loudly that both of them flinched. Cole found himself crouching down and protecting his head from something that wouldn't happen, and a pitiful yelp escaping the former ghost as lightning lit up the room. Morro then noticed Coles presence at that point, glaring Cole down with their hand over their mouth. Morros eyebrows knit together, sitting up ridged and defensive. Cole slowly stepped towards them, taking a seat across from Morro with a bag of chips and a handful of packaged pastries.

Cole slid over a honey bun as a peace offering. "Storm woke you up too?" Coles voice came out quiet, wavering. Inwardly, Cole cringed, but he didn't let this bother him. Morro gripped the borrowed yellow cardigan, Nya's old closet ended up being closest to Morros size, though the shirts usually came a little short. Morro shrugged, their gaze drifted towards the pastry, a shaky hand snatched it up after a moment of consideration.

"I.. the wind w-warned me of it." Morro mumbled out. Cole nodded, sitting up.

"Hey do you.. want to go hang out in the game room?" Cole paused in-between the rattle of thunder, tense and ridged. "Its a little quieter with all of the sound proofing."

The shakiest little "A-alright."  escaped Morros lips, and they stood up out of their seat to follow Cole.

Morro was pressed on Coles side up until they got there, Morro settled in their 'spot' a beanbag that they would regularly take naps on during movie night. Cole got to work setting the snacks out on the coffee table. In the corner of his eye Morro made a little face nibbing on the honey bun, probably too sweet for them. Briefly being reminded of Morros sensory issues, he preemptively made sure the speakers were turned low as he turned the television on.

"So.. you did your hair?" Cole started, noting how it was clean for the first time he had seen it. Their hair was trimmed up to their shoulders again, and the green was slowly growing out into an ivory white. It was also brushed out, finally. While they took time in unmatting it after getting Morro off the street, they refused to truly take care of their hair.

"Uhm.. Nya helped." Morro looked down, fidgeting with a loose strand. "Is it okay?"

"Yeah, Nya did really good. Reminds me of her old haircut, but she has gotten better at cutting bangs." Cole chuckled quietly, picking up the controller to the switch. "Lets play Stardew together."

Morros head tilted, grey eyes narrowing. "Stardew..?"

"Yeah, its something calm, and it'll be easy, come here." Cole powered on a second controller, and took a few seconds to make Morro their own account on the system. "Pick a profile picture, whichever one looks cool."

"Uh.. that weird- octopus girl thing?" Morro squinted, "The teal one."

Cole nodded, he could respect that. "That's Marina, pretty cool character in my opinion."

Morro shrugged, taking the controller. "You're going.. to need to tell me the buttons."

 

 

The next morning, Zane pushed open the door to the gaming room. "Ah, that's where they were." He scanned the scene in front of him, Cole snoring loudly over the sound of the tv, slumped over on the couch with Morros smaller frame sandwiched between him and the back of the couch, protected from any possible danger. Zane blinked, let that image save to his files for later use. Then, he stepped his way in, footfalls hidden behind Coles snores, and pulled the throw blanket over the two.

On his way out he smiled, nodded to himself, "Ill wake those two up once I start cooking breakfast." Right now? Zane had the best photo to send to everyone else. He could get used to this, eventually it'll all be water under a bridge.

Notes:

Please leave kudos and comments!! I much appreciate the attention, and I'm going to be posting a more pretty soon if you're interested!