Prompt: Dream, Cemetery, Monkey
Pairing: Chiro & Antauri
Word Count: 700
Summary: War brings nightmares. Chiro is no stranger to them... except when they come from his own mind.

a raven soars above

Lady Cravenheart

"Caw!"

A raven soared overhead, a black silhouette against a clouded sky. A gate creaked open as he approached, dead grass crunching under his feet. Crumbling tombstones spread out before him. He walked a worn dirt path. Scraggly bushes stretched towards him. The air was still.

Goosebumps prickled up and down his arms. The only sound, now that the raven had passed, was the sound of his breath. He came to a row of graves apart from the rest. It was here that he broke from the path.

These, too, had become worn with time; pieces broken off and scattered across the ground. Another raven stood on one, watching him with beady, intelligent eyes.

He could still read the names.

Each one widened the pit of dread growing in his stomach.

Otto.

Gibson.

Sprx.

Nova.

Antauri.

His throat was tight. "I failed you," he croaked. Those three words cost a piece of himself; so disused and broken he had become.

The raven's wings fluttered, startling him back on his rear. It took off into the sky, and a breeze fluttered through the cemetery.

It carried with it a whisper.

Yes, you did.

The earth trembled. And in front of each stone, a skeletal hand imploded.

Chiro's eyes jerked open.

He couldn't—he couldn't breathe. He opened his mouth but no air would come—

—he was constricted—held in place. He thrashed about, trying desperately to escape but it held him fast—

—there was a pounding in his ears, his chest, he didn't know what was going on—

—the floor buckled underneath him and he fell, a soundless scream on his lips—

—and found himself on cold metal, the lights jerking on to reveal his bedroom.

He sat up, kicking the blanket off and staggering to his feet. Cold sweat covered his body. His pajamas stuck to his skin and his hair was matted to his head. He sucked in a breath, and then another, and another, willing his restless heart to slow.

The door slid open.

"Chiro?"

Antauri. Who else would be up this time of night? Who else would be able to sense his distress?

Chiro sucked in another breath. "Yeah." He flinched at the sound of his voice—that—

He sounded just like he did in the dream.

"Are you—?" Antauri cut himself off. "What's wrong?" He approached, slow. For once, Chiro could hear each step. Deliberate, he was sure.

"It was a—dream. Just a dream," he said.

He didn't have to look up to know Antauri was scrutinizing him closely. "Was it—?"

Chiro cut him off this time. "It was me. All me. Not— This one wasn't Skeleton King." He pushed off of his knees, where he'd been doubled over to catch his breath. He gingerly sat on his bed. "It's just—the war. Getting to me."

Antauri nodded. "Understandable. Do you… Would you want to talk about it?"

Chiro considered, for a moment. Turned the idea over in his head. "Not… tonight."

Antauri sat beside him. He reached out, wound a metal arm around Chiro's shoulders. The thin fabric of his pajamas did little to block the blessedly cool kiss of the metal. Chiro, despite being far too tall, leaned into Antauri's side.

"I'm sorry you were dragged you into this." Antauri's voice was quiet.

Chiro smiled. "Don't be. I'm not. I… can't imagine my life with you guys." I don't want to imagine my life without you.

Antauri smiled too, but his eyes were still sad. "You should get back to sleep, if you can. There's… still much to do." He sounds regretful. "I can arrange for you to sleep in, but I don't know for how long."

Chiro wished he could decline the offer; he really did. But he'd be a fool too. "Alright," he said. "But if I wake up again, I'm staying up."

Antauri chuckled. "Alright. I'll stay until you fall asleep."

A bit of tension seeps from Chiro's shoulders. Good. He wouldn't have to ask. "Thanks, Antauri."

"Of course."

Author's Notes

I'm not sure how I feel about this little one-shot! But it was a good writing exercise, haha. I hope you enjoyed!