theboywhodied | A quick and dirty hurt/comfort meme

A quick and dirty hurt/comfort meme

No fancy formatting, let's just go!

Hurt/Comfort Meme

Your character has emotional pains---worry, anger, sorrow, whatever fits the mood you like. Basically, they're hurt. How they got that way is up to you! Other character tries to help out! It's that simple. Just pop the name and fandom in the subject line, draft up a relationship on the way if you need to, and get to it.

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"Yes you can," Cedric insists. It's all he can think to say. "Maybe not right this second, but you can stop. You have before, and you will."

Now how do they get from Point A to Point B? That's the question. He inches closer, tentatively extending a hand toward Howard's shoulder. "I'm here. I'm here to stay. And as long as I'm here, I'm going to fight whatever comes."

Howard knows deep down that he will. Eventually. He can't keep bingeing forever, he just has to ride this out, but as logical as that is, he feels like he's at the bottom of a deep well and can't even see the way up. He scooches on the couch over to Cedric, craving more of that touch that grounds him.

"I'm so scared, Ced." He leans a head against Cedric's shoulder and hugs the jar close.

"I know, Howard," Cedric answers, fully extending his arm and pulling Howard into his side. It's the least he can do for him. "It's a scary world. But it won't get us."

He'll do his absolute best to make sure of that.

"How many people do you think say that and get killed anyway?" Howard sighs and shudders all the way up through his shoulders. "Maybe it'd be easier if it did get us. Then at least it would be over."

He scoops more mayonnaise into his mouth and swallows past gagging.

"I'll fight it," Cedric swears. He knows deep down that Howard's right, that life is cruel and death happens randomly, but...

"I don't know about you, but I really like what we have here. I'm not giving it up," he repeats, giving Howard's shoulders a comforting squeeze. "I wouldn't miss this."

"I would." Which, while it may not be true always, is true in this moment right now, when he's this scared and miserable. It's hard to tell Cedric that what keeps him here on bad nights is not the thought of Cedric sleeping in the next room, but just the fear of dying. Nothing more or less. He'd give up on living through fear and pain entirely if he wasn't more terrified of what might happen next. "I'm sorry."

Cedric doesn't know what to say. Is there anything he can say? Doubtful. He holds Howard close, rubbing his shoulder. Even the mayonaise won't stop him---he'll just shower later.

"Okay. But that's not right now. I mean...do you really want me to have to write 'death by mayonaise' on your obituary?"

"I'm not going to die by mayonaise, stupid." Generally these kinds of moods bring out some of the worst aspects of Howard's personality, the tendency to snap at Cedric without provocation. And it's married to that counter-intuitive clinginess, because he clutches at Cedric's shirt while he says that. "I feel like I'm going crazy."

"Right, of course not." Cedric's only a little hurt. He knows better than to let Howard get to him too much when he's upset like this. All he can do is continue to hold Howard close, hoping that it's all going to be okay someday.

"I've got you." That's not changing.

"Okay." Howard whispers into Cedric's chest and squeezes him. He never wants to let go, because as long as he's holding on to Cedric he can feel that Cedric is alive and close and well-fed and loves him, oh so much. "Don't leave me, okay? Not over this."

"I wouldn't think of it," Cedric whispers back, keeping Howard in that safe hold. He rubs Howard's shoulder in steady circles, working at calming him. It'd be great if they could both sleep tonight.

He uses his free hand to summon some things, just in case---drinking glasses, pillows, and a plastic bag. Best to be prepared at a moment's notice.

"Right here. It's okay." Cedric concentrates on breathing steadily, hoping the rhythm will be of some use. "We're not going anywhere, unless it's back to bed."

"Okay." Howard squeezes his eyes shut and just focuses on Cedric, the rhythmic circles, the rise and fall of Cedric's chest. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I don't want to be like this, I don't want you to see me like this, I don't want..."

Breathing. Mimicking Cedric's, because without that to follow his own is fast and tight and makes him dizzy.

"It's never over. I keep thinking I'm going to wake up one morning and I'll be okay again and we can be happy together and that'll be it."

"I know, I know. We'll get through it."

Cedric holds on, hoping for a little restoration of calm. It can happen, they can get some rest eventually. He has to believe it will.

"Things like that...maybe they don't go away, but I think they'll fade. We'll be happy in between the bad days---you still have that, you always will."

He nods, but at the same time he asks a question in the other direction. "What if I don't?"

"Then I've been abducted by aliens and replaced with a Cedric drone," he jokes. "But honestly---you have skills to offer the world. Somehow, you'll make it, even if you hide them sometimes. And I'll be here to help you," he promises again.

"I don't care about offering skills to the world. I just want to be okay." With effort, he screws the lid onto the mayonnaise jar and sets it aside. He's trying. He licks his fingers again and curls back up into Cedric's embrace. "And for you to be okay too."

"Alright, then we'll focus on that," Cedric shifts gears, securing Howard in his arms. He knows not to hold too tightly, but just enough to let Howard know that he's proud of him. They're going to make it.

"I'm not going anywhere, see?" With some effort, he stretches them on the couch. Howard can lie on top of him, Cedric will bear the bumps of the cushions. Limbs will fall asleep at this rate, but he doesn't care.

"Okay." Howard leans onto Cedric's chest with a bit of a groan. His stomach is cramping and he has a headache to go with it, and his throat is burning from being sick earlier, but if he can keep from stuffing more food in his mouth he's probably through the worst of it. "Thank you."

Maybe they can move back to the bed later. Howard doesn't want to move now. Moving might upset that delicate balance they've just reached, where the warmth and safety and calmness of staying here with Cedric outweighs the comfort the food promises and fails to bring. He can feel the burn of acid and sticky mayonnaise at the back of his throat, and he sends some wish up to the ether that he can just fall asleep here, with Cedric, and stay asleep the whole night without vomiting. Please, give him this peace.

He shifts his weight so his bony hips and knees are more on the couch than on Cedric and closes his eyes.

Cedric's thoughts briefly touch on the same theme. He lays his wand out on the side table, ready to clean up any messes and make things comfortable.

"You'll be good as new soon. I'll make sure of it." And he will! He's gathered up a few herbs, and while he's no medi-wizard, Cedric knows a little more about medicine than he did before. He can even handle some things the Muggle way now, thanks to Howard.

Cedric breathes deeply, rubbing circles between Howard's shoulders in the hopes of lulling him to sleep. Not too roughly, softness is the way. That stomach doesn't nee to be jarred.

"I love you." Howard mumbles it into Cedric's shirt so that Cedric probably won't hear it right, and if asked, Howard can deny it. Clearly, this is how communication ought to be done.

He knows that nightmares lie on the other side of sleep, but he also knows that staying awake much longer isn't better. Before trying to get to sleep he holds on just a few more moments to the sound of Cedric breathing and the feel of Cedric's warm hands.

If Howard won't say it, Cedric will. Before closing his eyes himself, he leans down to whisper into Howard's ear.

"Love you." You're worth that and more, Cedric thinks as he slips into silence. He won't sleep, not until he's sure Howard's resting.

Howard doesn't respond to that except to curl his fingers around Cedric's shirt a little tight before slipping off to sleep.

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A quick and dirty hurt/comfort meme

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Aww Cedric.

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/wrap