-These characters are not mine-

Dream

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He starts awake, gasping for air like a drowning man and bolting upright in bed. His first instinct is to reach next to him, searching desperately for the firm warmth that assures him he is not alone. His hand slides under the sheets and connects with the sleeping body, and the immediate panic recedes, but he still can't shake the fear, the terrible feeling of almost. Needing more comfort, he presses himself as close as he dares to his sleeping companion and breathes deeply in an effort to replace the fright with the scent of the familiar, the loved.

Despite his care, the slight jostling rouses his companion, who turns over and into his embrace, hearing the soft cry of "Ando-kun…!"

"Hiro," his companion says, noticing the urgency in his hug and wrapping his arms around Hiro. "What's wrong?"

From somewhere around his collarbone comes the muffled reply, "I had a bad dream."

At this, Ando strengthens his hold, pulling Hiro flush against his chest and intertwining their legs in an attempt to make Hiro feel safe. He doesn't ask questions or press for details, but is instead content to smooth his friend's hair, offering comfort while he waits.

Moments pass before Hiro elaborates. "You were dead, and I was someone else." His small body trembles at an image that Ando is not privy to but can surmise, given what he has seen of the possible futures of their lifetime. "Sometimes I'm afraid that I'll wake up from this dream into a nightmare," Hiro whispers fearfully.

Still not relaxing his reassuring hold on Hiro, Ando places his forehead against Hiro's, seeking eye contact in the dim light. "You won't," he says firmly, willing the truth in his assertion into every point where their bodies touch. "We changed that future." Rubbing his nose against Hiro's, he adds more softly, "You changed that future."

Hiro nods, letting Ando's kisses on his forehead, his temple, his cheek, his lips, burn away the hazy remains of the dream like mist in sunlight. He kisses Ando back, suddenly elated. "We did change that future," he repeats, kissing Ando happily on the nose. "We saved everyone. We saved you."

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This was a little fluffy thing meant to stand on its own, and despite the fact that I prefer cavity-inducingly sweet "how they got together" fics, I originally wanted to write something to reassure me that Ando won't die. TT But since I'm extremely worried that they will kill him off at some point, I couldn't help but write a more pessimistic version. So, Chapter 2 is NOT actually a second chapter, but rather an alternate ending.