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[Naruhodou can sleep like a log on most nights until his head starts giving him unpleasant thoughts. Usually there's a warm body he can cling onto when it gets bad, but no matter how much he reaches, there's no one there. Now panic starts to sink in as his mind couldn't tell what's real and what's a dream. Was his best friend really gone? There's a bit of movement as he rolls in bed, finding no comfort in whatever position he was in. He's not here afterall.

His breathing became shallow, as he curls up on himself. Whispers started leaking out from his mind and his lips, saying the same thing over and over.]
Where are you?

Please don't go.

I'm sorry.
[Each time it repeated, it came with more intensity until it was a jumbled mess. The only thing that could be made out was "I'm sorry", over and over. Meanwhile the room was becoming foggy, with frost starting to form at bed frame.]

— mmh?

[ It was a mix of all of it that finally woke him up and Asougi stirs, blinking blearily as he slowly comes to. Where was . . . right, their home in Verens, his room, their room. It just looked slightly different because of his position. He lifts a hand to his forehead quietly to rub at it as he uncurls on himself a bit, glancing around. Where did all this fog come from? ]

[There's a low rumbling of thunder in the distance, his hands grasping at the bed sheets.] Asougi.....Asougi... [He calls out in vain, ready to fall into tears in his sleep. No one is here. He's all alone again. This nightmare is no different from reality. He'll wake up tomorrow and find him gone.]

[ He pauses for a long moment, staring over at Naruhodou's sleeping form as he processes that. Without thinking much further, he reaches over and puts a hand over one of Naruhodou's, squeezing it gently. ]

[It was like a lifeline suddenly being given to him. He squeezes that hand, interlacing their fingers to make absolutely sure he had him. Then he tugs at him, wanting to hold onto more than just a hand.]

[ He takes that invitation to shift back over next to him, reaching around to put his other arm around him and tug him in close. ]

[As Asougi pulls him in, he could probably feel his body trembling. His hand grips onto the fabric of his partner's clothes, then moving onto to the rest of his body, wrapping his arm around him and clinging to him. If this nightmare was making a turning point, he's not going to let this go.]

[ He starts to rub at his back slowly, quietly. Part of him wants to wake him up from the nightmare and reassure him, while the other part of him wants to let him sleep, hoping the nightmare fades away from there. ]

[Having his warmth, and his hand rubbing his back goes a long way at least. The frost and fog was receding, but there was still a lingering layer. He grasps a bit of his clothes, then moves his hand along his partner's back, up to his neck, into his hair and back down. He just had to be absolutely sure. He press his face into his partner's chest, picking up his familiar scent. You can't smell things in dreams right?] Still here. . . [He mutters in his sleep.]

I'm still here.

[ It's a soft, murmured statement, and he keeps rubbing at Naruhodou's back gently. ]

[He squeezes him, probably a little too hard for comfort. He has him now, so of course he was going to make sure he didn't lose him again, hanging onto him with all he had. Eventually tiredness from the stress will catch up with him and his sleep becomes less in turmoil, his grip loosening. The fog now fully lifts from the room. What remnants that remained of his struggles was the cold sweat on his face, and some lingering tears.]

. . . honestly, Naruhodou.

[ Though despite what he says, there's nothing exasperated about it. There's an air of sympathy to it, even, as he lifts a hand to gently wipe away a few of his tears. He has to remind himself from time to time that for Naruhodou, he had been "dead" for nearly two years. ]

[His expression softens to the touch. As long as Asougi doesn't leave his side again that night, Naruhodou will be able to get a little more sleep until morning comes. As his consciousness returns, his head started to throb, keeping him from getting anymore sleep. He also felt rather exhausted for some reason despite having slept, his eyes feelings sore. So there he laid awake, staring blankly into the fabric of his partner's clothes.]

[ Asougi managed to drift off back to sleep after a little bit, keeping his arms wrapped around Naruhodou loosely. It isn't until morning that he stirs again, yawning widely and glancing down. ]

. . . morning.

[ It's said equal parts amused and confused. Naruhodou, up before him? What has the world come to? ]

[. . .What was this unsettling feeling? All Asougi did was say morning.] . . .morning. [He manages to answer back in a tired voice.]

You look terrible.

[ . . . he could probably sound more sympathetic, but then he wouldn't be Asougi. ]

[He rubs his against his partner's chest, groaning.] I feel terrible. [This anxiety was just lingering, like something awful was going to happen if he wasn't on high alert.]

It sounded like you had some sort of nightmare during the night.

[ He gives his back a slightly sympathetic pat at that. ]

I did. . .? [Feeling like he didn't sleep enough, his eyes burning, the way he's clinging onto Asougi, more so than usual this morning...] What...did I do something something strange?

I think that . . . you thought I was going to leave.

[ That was obvious enough, from the changes around them to his desperate sleep murmuring. ]

[His grip on Asougi tightens for a second. "Leave" seems to have been the trigger for his anxiety.] . . .Ah.

[That would explain it.] You're not leaving, right...? [Of course he isn't, and yet the words still quietly came out anyway.]

Absolutely not.

[ The response is immediate and confident. Though he knows he doesn't have any say in it in the long run, the fact is that in the grand scheme of things, he's not going anywhere. And he's certainly not leaving of his own volition. ]

[Though he hid his face from him, he managed to make him smile, if only just a little.] Good. [He was shaking again, crying softly into his partner's clothes. It's embarrassing, and there's no need for these tears, but he couldn't hold them back. It's like he needed to let out all this pent up emotions somehow.]

[ He'll allow it for a little bit, at least, opting to continue to rub at his back quietly rather than comment on it for the time being. He leans in to press a kiss gently against the top of his head. ]

[Inbetween his sniffling he may have just laughed a little under his breath.] Sorry. [He manages to lift his head, trying to put on his best smile despite the tears streaming down his face.]

I guess, I haven't really gotten better at this.

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