Being a robot like Zimelu was, sleep was a bit different. Technically he could "sleep" but it was more or less just recharging. Staying still and unaware while his battery regained power.

He, like his brothers, had a bed. They all had two ways of recharging:

1: Using the charging port that's concealed by the panel on the back of their necks.

2: Listening to music, like Vinyl City itself, they too, ran on music.

Normally Zimelu didn't use his bed, he felt very little reason to just be stationary and do nothing for hours. So he usually had headphones on whenever he needed power, that way he could still keep himself from getting bored.

However, on a special night, he finally found a reason to lay in his bed. Because this time, he wasn't alone.

His partner, Zuke, laid next to him. On his back, his head turned to the side, and his dreadlocks splayed around him on his pillow. The man had already dozed off a while ago, light snoring could be heard as Zuke's chest rose and fell.

Zimelu, who was laying on his side and observing Zuke, felt a smile pull at his artificial lips. Zuke was so peaceful like this. Zimelu wondered how he looked when he was "asleep". Was he as tranquil as Zuke?

As Zuke slept, he started to occasionally twitch. Just a bit, like his fingers or face. Did all humans do that? He'd have to ask Zuke later.

Zimelu felt his systems beginning to shut down for the night. His head on a pillow, his lights dimming, laying next to Zuke while both men were wrapped in blankets, he felt comfortable, at ease.

…

Zimelu awoke, his internal clock read 3:47am. Normally he wouldn’t be active at this hour, but his systems detected a disturbance next to him. He ran a quick scan, identifying Zuke’s abnormally raised heart rate.

His brows knitted together in confusion. Zuke appeared to still be sleeping, but he seemed tense. His previously calm expression was nowhere in sight as he grit his teeth and let out a tiny whimper. His face twitched with fear, and Zimelu noticed a thin layer of sweat developing on the man. For a moment he suspected that Zuke could be ill, but when the man let out another whine he realized that wasn’t the case. It was subtle, but he’s heard a tone like that before. 

It was not a tone of pain.

… It was a tone of fear.

He remembered seeing something similar once when he and his brothers had to babysit Yinu. When she had a nightmare.

Zuke must have been having a nightmare too, then.

He recalled the things Haym did to comfort her, if he tried something similar, maybe they’d work on Zuke too.

Zimelu gently brushed stray strands of Zuke’s hair behind his ear. Propped up on his elbow, he leaned over Zuke and whispered into his ear.

“Zuke…” the man bristled for a moment with a sharp inhale as Zimelu murmured to him. Zuke’s hand gripped the bedsheet under them, his grasp holding the soft fabric with a vice grip. Could he hear him?

He then noticed how close to the edge of the bed Zuke was, he must’ve tossed and turned in his sleep and worked his way to the edge. If he moved any more, he was bound to fall off.

“Baby, I’m here.” He kept his voice as gentle as he could as he tried to snake his arm around Zuke. “Come here.”

 Just as soon as he said it, Zuke whined and kicked away from him in his sleep, nearly shoving himself off the bed. 

Zimelu snapped to action and caught him. He pulled Zuke onto the bed and looked at him wide-eyed.

Zuke squirmed in his arms. He set Zuke down, gently resting the sleeping man’s head on his pillow. He gently combed his fingers through Zuke’s hair in an attempt at comforting the man. 

Zuke’s heart rate increased. His breathing quickened. His face contorted like he was in pain. 

Zimelu’s lights brightened. This was starting to scare him. Not sure what else to do, he gripped Zuke’s shoulder and shook him. 

What was wrong? This can’t be normal! Was he dying!?

“Zuke!” he cried.

 He needed Zuke to wake up!

Zimelu pulled his hand away and sat up.With the blanket still enveloping them, he pulled Zuke into his arms, he buried his fingers into Zuke’s sweaty blue locks. He nuzzled into Zuke’s forehead. 

“Don’t leave me!” 

His fans whirred loud, he didn’t notice himself overheating in his panic. His lights were so bright the whole room was almost completely red.

Suddenly, Zuke flailed and sat up with a startling scream. In the sudden jerking motion, he had yanked himself out of Zimelu’s grasp.

 Zuke, though wide-eyed and awake, still seemed out of it.

Zimelu tried to slowly reach for him, “Zuke?” he called.

Once again Zuke screamed. He dove out of the bed and hit the floor with a thud. He backed himself into the wall. Zuke looked pale, his eyes wide but seemingly not looking at anything. He hyperventilated in panic. 

Zimelu’s lights dimmed in realization.

“Shit!” Zuke wasn’t breathing right!

“Zuke!” Zimelu threw himself out of the bed and stumbled onto his knees in front of Zuke.

He gripped Zuke’s shoulders firmly. “ZUKE!” His voice boomed.

Zuke’s head snapped up with a gasp. His eyes darted around Zimelu’s features. At last, he was looking at him!

“Zuke! What’s wrong!?”

“I-!” Zuke choked out as he struggled to breathe.

Zimelu couldn’t afford to freak out, he had to help. He put on a firm voice, similar to his captain’s tone.

“Zuke, baby. You have to breathe. Breathe, Zuke. In and out. C’mon!”

“I… I can’t-!” Zuke stammered out.

Zimelu altered his tone a bit, deciding to be more gentle, but still firm.

“You can do it. Just in and out okay? Close your eyes.” he reassured.

To his relief, Zuke’s eyes squeezed shut.

“C’mon now, in..” He directed. A protocol he hadn’t used in a while resurfaced.

Zuke inhaled a shaky breath.

“..and out.” He continued to guide. He’d done this before, but not for Zuke.

Zuke exhaled, his body trembling. His lip quivered.

Zimelu continued to help Zuke breathe.

The situation slowly processed in his thoughts. This was familiar, and he didn’t like what it implied if he was right.

He gently held Zuke’s face in his hands, he gently wiped tears away with his thumbs. Zuke blinked his eyes open. His ruby eyes, which usually held a calm but passionate spark, seemed as fragile as porcelain glass as they shined with tears. 

“Z… Zimzim?” Zuke murmured. If Zimelu had a heart, he was sure it would’ve shattered. There were many ways he liked hearing Zuke call him by that. Many tones in which those syllables sounded so great. 

This wasn’t one of them.

“That’s right Zukey. It’s me.. I’m here.”

He felt Zuke’s soft, trembling hands grasp his face. He dared not to move as green fingers delicately traced his features. His cheeks, his nose, even his artificial hair. He let his eyes close for the few seconds he felt those fingers comb through his mohawk. He opened his eyes when he felt the shaking hands cup his face.

His optics locked with Zuke’s eyes, and he heard him speak in a trembling voice. “... Oh my god..” his tone was quiet, and his eyes poured with tears.

He had no opposition to Zuke pulling him into a hug, and he lovingly held Zuke in his arms. He held Zuke firmly, and he could feel Zuke’s tears on his shoulder as Zuke began to sob.

Zuke cried against him. He could feel the mechanisms in his chest vibrate from the sounds. Zuke’s anguish seeped into him, begging him to make the pain go away. 

As he rubbed circles on Zuke’s back, slowly rubbing away the turmoil, something in his thoughts clicked.

He’d seen his captain like this. Thrown into an unmerciful attack of stress and fear. A panic attack. Night terrors.

He rocked Zuke back and forth.

But he knew his captain, his father, Neon J had it because of the war. Because of trauma.

Did that mean.. That Zuke..?

He felt Zuke grip him tighter. He glanced down at Zuke, his face still buried in his chest. 

The rocker, a member of the rebellious duo who’d managed to tear him and his brothers’ bodies apart in battle (which, while he wouldn’t say it at the time, he found pretty hot). A man who helped save NSR tower, who stood brave in the face of danger. Who repaired him when he was too embarrassed to go to Neon J. A man who made rights from his wrongs, and now loved him so…

The man he loved.

Something inside Zimelu snapped.

He held Zuke tighter, and whispered into his ear.

He didn’t know who hurt him in the past to make him break down like this.

“Shhh.. it’s okay. You’re okay.” 

But he did know one thing.

“Love, you’re okay.”

He would not let it happen again.

“I’ll keep you safe.”