Reflecting outward—my fear and truth

Awaken me, o'Prince, from this night terror

Aya wasn't in the greenhouse. He wasn't in the kitchen or the living room. He tried the meeting room—nothing; nor was he in the bathroom. He wasn't even in his room, which was about the time Yohji got really worried. He ran room to room, Omi's and Ken's were empty, and there was no reason he'd be in Yohji's, but…

"-chan…no…" the sound was fainter than a whisper, but Yohji was so revved up by this point he heard it. He cracked the door to his room, peering into the half dark room. His blinds were down, which, honestly, he never bothered with. A stifled gasp, a choked cry that might have been a name, came from his bed.

Stepping into the room he almost smiled. Aya was curled up in a little ball in the very center of the bed, the sheets wrapped around him like some silken cocoon. Stepping up beside the bed he reached out, hand stopping centimeters from a thin shoulder as Aya groaned in pain.

Yohji frowned as he gingerly touched his lover's head, brushing back the long bangs that obscured those unusual violet eyes; eyes that were now regarding him with a weary-sleepiness.

"Aya, cat, you were having a nightmare, you alright now?"

Aya blinked slowly a few times before nodding minutely; stretching his long form like the cat he was named after. When Aya was laying in the bed properly Yohji toed off his house slippers and sat beside him, shifting about until Aya's head was tucked under his chin, his head on Yohji's chest.

"Wanna talk about it?"

"No."

He sighed softly, had he really expected anything else from his taciturn boyfriend? He tried another tactic, one less likely to involve spilt blood or bruised ribs.

"Think you can get back to sleep?"

"No."

"Alright, then we'll just lay here, think you can manage that oh monosyllabic one?"

"Omph!" Yohji's breath fled as a bony elbow was promptly jabbed into his ribs. Guess he didn't succeed too well, after all.

"It wasn't a nightmare."

Yohji did the smart thing and stayed quiet.

"It wasn't a nightmare. It was…it was a memory." Aya curled up closer beside him, thin arms wrapped tightly around his waist.

"The explosion?" he whispered softly. Ever since they'd found out about Aya's past Yohji had known this day would come, he just hadn't realized it would come so soon.

Aya nodded and sighed raggedly against a tan chest, fingers playing with a loose strand of golden hair.

"It's so hard, knowing I can't help her."

"You do though. Aya, you've done everything for her sake, what more do you think you have to give to make her happy?"

"I just want her to be safe; happy."

"We'll get the bastard, don't worry." Yohji kissed the top of his head, holding him closer. Yohji heard the clock downstairs bong loudly around lunch time and knew he was going to get hell from Ken for skipping work, but Aya took priority. Now if only he could think of a way to get rid of the nightmares completely.