Our Nanny is a Boy || bxb

13. Please stay

After dropping a heavily drunk and heartbroken Alexander off at one AM, Robin could finally let his tears flow freely in his own apartment. Curled up, he felt the agonizing pain in his chest grow, making his breaths hitch as tears streamed down his face.

Painful memories that his mom would comfort him about, but now... she wasn't here. He was all alone, and he had to deal with it all alone.

Mom, my heart hurts. I can't breathe! Mom, help me!

"Dad, please don't go! Please, stay with us..." A twelve-year-old boy falling to his knees, pulling at his father's trousers, face covered in tears. "Dad!"

The man, glancing over his shoulder, kicking the boy off him and walking away, never to be seen again.

"It's better this way, it's better this way..." A mother whispering to herself and him, trying to convince them while crying.

It's my fault. It's my fault. It's my fault. It's my-

Robin's phone rang.

The memories vanished. Robin rolled on his back, breathing out and in everytime the phone rang, until it stopped.

Only when it rang again, it appealed to Robin that someone needed him.

And that someone... was Peter.

______________________________________

'Robin...' Peter exhaled when Robin picked up the phone, breaking down into sobs right away. He tried to talk, but it was messy and incoherent, so Robin asked: 'Are you allright? Where are your parents?'

'F-Fast asleep.' Peter uttered. 'I-I can't w-wake them u-up. Everything h-hurts...'

Robin was already at the door, putting on his shoes. 'Can you breathe?'

'Hmm, hearing your voice...' Peter was already calming down quickly. Robin opened the door, but then Peter's voice stopped him. 'Please keep talking... it hurts less...'

'W-Will you be okay?' Robin asked, doorknob still in his hand. 'What happened?'

'A nightmare... I had a nightmare.'

'Do you want me to come over right now?' Robin asked.

'It's okay, just hearing your voice... it's enough.'

Robin closed the door. What was he even thinking, racing over to Peter's house in the middle of the night? And then? Where should he sleep? In Peter's bed again?

'Do you want to talk about it, the nightmare?' He set down on his bed again.

'Leah...' Peter's voice broke down again. 'She got into a car accident. I saw it happening...'

Robin recognized this. After his mom's death, he would often have nightmares where she would die in different ways. His psychologist said it was part of the grief process. Reliving the moment endlessly until he could see it without crying. But it didn't lessen the pain.

'I- I ran towards her, but she... she vanished! And then I turned around, and- and-' Peter's voice was choked by tears.

'Take your time, try to focus on your breathing first.' Robin said quietly. 'Then you can tell me. Now breathe in, breathe out...'

Peter listened to him and Robin heard his breath getting steadier, until he suddenly blurted: 'You were there too, and a car was approaching... I wanted to call you but I couldn't speak, I wanted to run to you but my feet were stuck, I-I couldn't do anything, and you didn't see the car coming.'