It is dark. The velvety blackness surrounds you, pressing in on you. You try to move, but cannot. The darkness closes in on you, becoming closer, suffocating you.
"Sakura! Sakura!" Toya's voice cuts through the darkness, waking you. You're lying in bed, tangled in the covers, with Toya leaning over you. You smile up at him through the hair that has fallen across your face. "Are you alright, Sa-chan?"
"Yes. It was just a bad dream."
"Another one? You've had bad dreams every night for a while now." Toya pulls the tangled covers off of you, and smoothes them into their proper places, tucking you in.
"I know. I don't know why I keep having bad dreams. All I know is that they don't come when someone is with me."
"I'm always in the room. But..." Toya walks to the other side of the bed, pulls back the covers, and slips in, snuggling close to you. You twist around and wrap you arms around him, falling back into a deep sleep. Toya stays awake for a while after, listening to you sleep, holding you close, protecting you from your nightmares.
Soon enough morning comes. You awake to the sounds of breakfast being made. Slowly, you push yourself into a sitting position, and look around. Toya is by the fire, cooking breakfast. Sitting at the table is a strange man, and next to him, a stranger contraption. Toya looks over at you.
"Good morning Sakura." You blink at him, still groggy. He smiles and begins putting plates on the table. "Breakfast is almost ready." You suddenly realize what the visitor must think. You and Toya are living together, and you are still very young. Toya serves breakfast, then comes over to help you to the table.
"Toya, who's that?" Toya lifts you up.
"Huh? The man at the table?" You nod and Toya walks over to the table to join the man.n "His name is Erlic. He is an alchemist and is also partially a doctor." You see that the other contraption is a chair, but something is wrong with it. There are two handles on the back, and on both sides there is a huge wheel. Toya places you into the chair, and pushes you up to the table.
"Toya-kun..."
"This is what we call a wheelchair, Sakura-san." The man by the name of Erlic says, looking at you. "It helps people who cannot walk, like you, get around without relying on others."
"Erlic-san, why is this chair here? Toya-kun can help me get around."
"Yes, that is true now, Sakura-san. But if something happens to Toya, or he gets sick, then he won't be able to help you." You stare at him.
"What's going to happen to To-kun?"
"Nothing, we hope. It is always good to be prepared for something bad to happen." The three of you eat and Mr. Erlic gets up to leave. "I'm giving this wheelchair to you, Sakura-san. Someday, you can repay me for it."
"Equivalent trade." You say softly as he leaves.