𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙁𝙤𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝 -𝘼 𝙃𝙖𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙞 𝙁𝙖𝙣𝙛𝙞𝙘-

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟗

My pillow is damp and the air tastes of salt when I wake up. The teddy bear, which failed to give to Hatori due to embarrassment, stared at me across the room.

"It's just a dream." I whimper, sitting up in the dark.

Fuddling around for my phone I speed-dial Shigure against all instincts.

"Hmm?"

"Shigure... I- I."

"Yuihiso it's four in the morning, why did you call me? This better be good."

"I'm sorry I just had this terrible dream, this weird dream where... where Hatori was confined and I can't say it!" I feel so hopeless. What will telling Shigure do about it? It was a dream, it wasn't a reality.

"If you can't tell me, then I'm getting off." I consider the options as to what would happen if I told him everything. Surely, he wouldn't tell Akito.

"He was confined because of me. It was my fault because someone had told Akito that I was in love with him." I'm fully crying again. The scenes from the dream were so vivid and violent. Like if they were burned into the inside of my brain.

"It was a dream, Yuihiso. Try not to dwell on it too much. Besides, as long as you keep your pretty mouth zipped and don't act on those obvious feelings you have towards him, then he'll be safe."

"Do you people really think I'm in love with him?"

"What else could explain why you get so defensive about him?"

The salty tears tingle my lips, uncertainty fills me. "I don't know. At this point I don't."

"For the safety of both yourself, and him, figure out what it is so you know how to act or not act. I'm going back to bed."

"Okay. Thanks."

The tone dial rings in my ears, protecting me from the evil silence. The silence that would actually allow me to think.

"Do.. I love him?"