Chapter 20—Bonus Scene (´。✪ω✪。`)

It was just after midnight when the heavy breathing began.

Abel's eyes fluttered open, and for a moment he forgot where he was. A wooden ceiling was above him, a different view from the usual starry sky that was visible through the thin tents that the League slept under each night. Every once in a while during their travels they would stop in a village to rest in the local inn as a treat; a soft bed and a warm meal went a long way.

The green-haired cavalier sat up, gently tossing the warm blankets away from him. The night had a sharp chill, and he shivered for a moment as he sat in only his pants, the top half of his green tunic hanging on the back a chair. A red tunic lay rumpled on the floor next to it; Cain hadn't bothered to even fold it before crashing into the other bed of the shared room the night before.

The first night this happened had been a disaster. Abel grimaced as he recalled it; Cain's screaming had woken up the entire army. Quite a few soldiers had rushed into the tent with their swords drawn, only to see the red-haired cavalier on the ground being shaken awake by Abel.

As Abel waited for his eyes to adjust to the darkness, the speed of the breathing coming from across the room increased until it was coming in short, shallow gasps. Quickly getting up, Abel took a few long strides towards the bed where Cain lay, the duvet only half-covering him.

Cain began writhing in the bed before Abel reached it. His back curved as he rolled around, arms raising to protect his face from imaginary blows. He uttered small cries at first, but they became louder and louder, and his thrashing became stronger until he fell off the bed, landing on the wooden floor with a hard thump, the duvet tangled around his waist and legs.

Abel jumped back as Cain fell, surprised that the force of hitting the ground didn't wake him. Kneeling down, he grabbed his partner by the shoulders, intending to yank him up firmly and lean him against the side of the bed. However, the moment his hands touched the redhead's shoulders, Cain wrenched away.

"No!" Cain cried loudly, trying to scramble away. Although his eyes were wide open, they were cloudy and stared at nothing. "Get away!"

"Cain!" Abel reached for him, grabbing his wrist to keep him from moving any further. "It's not real— Cain! Wake up!"

Trying to pull away, cries of pain flew from Cain's mouth and his back arched, shivering violently as if reacting to being struck. "Stop!" He choked out. "Please, it hurts…"

Gripping his shoulders with both hands, Abel shook him back and forth, trying to wrench him out of the powerful nightmare. "Cain!"

Gasping loudly as he was yanked back into consciousness, Cain froze, confusion on his tear-stained face. After realizing what was going on, he pulled Abel into his arms and held him in a tight hug. "I'm sorry," he whispered, burying his face into Abel's hair.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Abel welcomed Cain's hug and squeezed back tightly. For a moment, Abel thought it very strange to see the redhead so vulnerable; it was such a far cry from how strong he really was. Still, even Cain couldn't be strong all the time, and Abel swore to himself to always be there to support his partner when he needed it most; after all, Cain would do the same for him.

"You're fine, you're okay, it's over," Abel comforted him, speaking in a gentle and reassuring voice. Standing up, he offered his hand down. Cain graciously took it, accepting the help to stand. Although he staggered on his feet for a moment, he caught his balance, and quickly sat down on the edge of the bed. Abel, never growing impatient, sat next to him.

They were silent for a moment. Cain's eyes were drooping, although he was reluctant to allow himself to fall back to sleep. He leaned back against the head of the bed, gently lifting his legs back onto the soft surface.

"Are you alright?" Abel murmured. When Cain gave a small nod, he began to stand up. As he began to move, however, Cain reached out and grabbed his arm.

"Wait," he pleaded softly, gently pulling Abel back. "Don't go."

Slowly sitting back down, Abel looked at him curiously.

"Will you stay here with me?"

Even in the dark, Abel could see Cain's amber eyes shining, longing for him to stay. The corners Abel's mouth turned upwards in a gentle smile, and he nodded. Leaning down into Cain's welcoming arms, he pressed his bare back against his partner's chest. He felt Cain's warm hands pulling him close, holding him with such care.

"Abel…" The green-haired man could feel the redhead's breath on his neck as he whispered his name.

"I'm here," Abel murmured back.

A comfortable silence filled the room. Eventually Abel felt Cain's breathing become steady as he fell back into sleep. Smiling to himself, Abel closed his tired eyes and allowed himself to melt into Cain's protective arms.


Thank you for reading! (✿◕ ‿◕ฺ)ノ))。₀: *゚✲ฺβyё βyё✲゚ฺ*:₀