.:Nellis:. Lullaby

"Nick...?"

Hearing the sound of his name in the thick of night irritated him so much. The conman grumbled as he coldly stared at the wide-awake hick right across the make-believe beds.

"Whadaya want, Overalls...?" he mumbled as he slowly got up. Being split up with the other two teammates, Coach and Ro, was one thing, but awake during the winter in the zombie apocalypse?

"Ah can't sleep..." Ellis shivered. Nick rose an eyebrow. He's known the mechanic for, what, 3 months? He was known to be a hard sleeper, even in this snowy weather but for the first time, he couldn't sleep? Uncomfortably, he shifted on his blankets and the gambler swore he saw a shade of pink.

The hick just stared at Nick as if he spilled out a horrible secret, then looked away, embarrassed to say anything at all. These past weeks he's been starting to get more and more shy around the conman. Why? Just being next to him made his heart skip a few beats. Because he likes him? No...

"Why's that, Sport?" Nick asked quietly as he managed to sit up, visible frost coming out of his mouth from the cold winter seeping in despite the both of them lost in the darkness.

"Ah jus' can't..." Ellis sighed.

"Come on, Ellis, you've been sleeping hard these past few weeks, even after Coach and Ro split up from us! Is today your bad day or something?"

Ellis nodded. The past few hours he lost Nick in the woods, got pounced by 2 Hunter becoming numb in the process because of the lack of clothing, mangled by 3 Smokers and puked on by God knows how many Boomers... Nick shook his head. Poor kid must be going through a hard life in this kind of world now...

"Ellis..." the conman called as he took off his jacket, not bothering with the cold anymore after seeing Ellis shiver. "Come here."

The mechanic shook his head no. There was no way he would be sleeping with the man he liked for so long; it would be mortifying...

"Overalls, get over here or so help me, I will take my gun and shoot you." Nick threatened lowly. With a flinch and without a single hesitation, the younger crawled over to the older. Nick scrambled over to Ellis's makeshift bed out of blankets and pillows and went back to his own, putting a soft feather-filled cushion under his head. He put his jacket over the cold, bare shoulders. He laid down besides the hick, putting an arm over on his side, chest-to-back. The older pulled multiple blankets over them afterwards.

"Warm..?" The gambler asked with a smile Ellis couldn't see.

"Yeah..." he responded, turning around so his face snuggled on Nick's chest. "Y'know, mah ma usually sang me a lullaby whenever i's cold... Can ya... er... y'know..."

"What am I, your mom?"

"Hell naw... i's jus'--"

The gambler hushed him with a finger on his lips. He immediately found a perfect lullaby, from his past wife who sang this to his step-son whenever they were about to sleep. The voice guiding him to beautiful, yet dark dreams...

"Come Little Children, I'll Take Thee Away
Into A Land Of Enchantment" Nick sang silently, guiding Ellis to a slumber.

"Come Little Children
The Time's Come To Play
Here In My Garden Of Shadows"

The mechanic felt his eyes growing heavy. His ears were filled with the incredible voice... He felt relaxed... Chills were sent down his spine.

"Follow Sweet Children, I'll Show Thee The Way
Through All The Pain And The Sorrows

Weep Not Poor Children
For Life Is This Way
Murdering Beauty And Passions"

Nick felt Ellis growing more and more tired. He smirked as he quietly took off the hat and pet his head. He continued singing, until he fully led him to dark, erotic dreams.

"Hush Now Dear Children, It Must Be This Way
To Weary Of Life And Deceptions

Rest Now My Children
For Soon We'll Away
into The Calm And The Quiet"

Slowly, Ellis fell into slumber. He dared not to open his eyes, for he feared his voice and his figure will disappear. All of his coldness and shivers faded into warmth. Soon he dreamed. Dreamed about Nick...

"Come Little Children I'll Take Thee Away
Into A Land Of Enchantment

Come Little Children
The Time's Come To Play
Here In My Garden Of Shadows"

Nick finished the last note with a dark essence. He chuckled at the sleeping figure before him. He kissed his forehead before feeling tired himself. He rested his head on the same pillow and held the hick close.

"Sweet Dreams..."