AU. Sort of mentor!Yassen. Alex wakes up from a bad dream. Sometimes even the hardest of men are afraid.

Not meant to be slash but you could make it into one if you squint really hard. And imagine a few other things.

–

The door was shut, just like every night. I turned the doorknob and was surprised. It was unlocked. I make my way into the room, but I stop right under the door frame. He's on his back, but his head is facing the door. One arm was resting on his stomach and the other was beside him, as if he were hiding something underneath the bed covers.

The room is dim, but I bet he could shoot me right now without even opening his eyes. I can barely see him, the waning moon providing little light, and most of it was shuttered from going into the room. The curtains were drawn together, barely an inch or so of light streaming through. It highlighted the contour of the body under the covers. Slim and lithe, and if he moved it would be with the grace of a trained dancer.

"What brings you here, детеныш?"

I'm scared. "Just checking up on you."

"Well, I'm perfectly fine."

I'm not. "Your door was not locked."

He hummed low in his throat. "Is that so?"

I nod. I don't really know what else to say.

"What do you propose we do about it then?"

"I can lock it..." … while I'm still here inside.

"Thank you for your offer, Alex."

I shuffled my feet, unsure if that was a dismissal. He sat back on the headboard and knowingly smiled at me. He was practically reading my mind, my uncertainty of whether I was suppose to leave or not, but he won't be able to see anything else beyond that. He was good, but I knew him.

The bed covers shuffled around him and I saw a metallic glint of a gun under the glare of the weak moonlight streaming through the room.

"Is there anything else you need, детеныш?"

Can I stay here for the night? "Uh... I'm good."

"You sure?"

No. "Yes."

His head cocked slightly to the side, sizing me up in my sleep clothes. An oversized shirt thrown over boxers.

"Do you need to tell me something?"

I don't want to go back to sleep alone. I think there are monsters under my bed. Please don't make me go back, don't leave me. "It's not important. It can wait till the morning."

"Alright then. Go back to sleep, детеныш."

Back there? I can't. "Okay. Goodnight, Yassen."

"Sleep well, Alex."

How can I? "You, too."

I closed the door behind me, but not before clicking the door knob lock. He'll do the deadbolts if he deems it necessary.

Just in case he doesn't, I sit beside his door, my back sliding down the wall. If anyone – anything – comes I'll be here. He'll be there.

With that reassurance, I closed my eyes.

–

This came to me a long, long time ago, but in the HP fandom. Even before my first fic here. I just never thought of typing it down. It's actually a lot different from what I had before, but this is what came to me during midnight, with a competition the next day...

детеныш is Russian for small child or cub/joey.