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Chapter 2: Nightmares

TW: Panic attacks/Implied Child Abuse

Koro and Aguri had gone inside later that night after spending hours watching over the kids together, they had grown tired by then and decided to go back into what was now their room and going to bed, Aguri snuggling up against his belly and Koro wrapping his arms around her, caressing her. The two had fallen asleep within minutes, despite them only being reunited for a few hours, they felt as if they had known each other all their lives, they felt safe with one another.

The octopus had never felt completely safe all his life in the living world, those moments he had with Aguri were the first time he had ever felt secure. That is until he woke up, throwing himself up from his pillow, shaking and sweating profusely. He could feel his heart pounding out of his chest and his breath felt tight as he wrapped his tentacled arms around his torso, almost as if he was trying to protect himself from something.

"Sweetie?" Aguri softly spoke after she had awoken and sat up, "Are you okay? What's wrong?"

"I don't know," He said, his voice shaking as he began hyperventilating.

Aguri carefully moved closer to him, gently resting her hand on the back of his neck, beginning to rub his back to calm him down. He looked over to her, his eyes softening a bit as he tried to comprehend what was going on inside his mind, he was terrified.

"Can you tell me what's going on, big guy?" Aguri asked, trying to figure out how to comfort him.

"Nightmare," It was the only word he could get himself to say, still trembling out of fear.

She sat in front of him, placing her hand on his cheek, "It's okay babe, you're safe here, I promise that nothing here's going to hurt you."

"God, I can still see their faces clear as day," his voice was jittery.

"Who's?"

"My parents. The people who made my childhood hell."

"Oh sweetie, I'm so sorry."

Aguri hugged him gently, attempting to distract him from the fear engraved in his mind at that time. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her beside him, and rested his chin on her shoulder. He tried his best to focus on Aguri, trying to get rid of what was plaguing his thoughts.

"Goddammit, I feel like my head is spinning," Koro muttered under his breath.

"Shhh, it's okay, baby," Aguri consoled him, continuing to stroke her hand up and down his back.

"I'm so sorry, Aguri."

"Oh honey, you don't need to apologize, you're okay."

"Thank you," he stuttered, "Dear God, I feel like my stomach is trying to flip upside down."

"It's stress, it's going to be alright. Try to take some deep breaths, okay?"

"Okay."

"Name a few things you see around you."

"Uhm, the lamp, you, our dresser, our bed, the door."

"Okay, name a few things you hear."

"Your voice, the tree swaying a bit outside, the wind."

The two held each other tightly, Koro tried his best to focus on breathing, trying to get himself to calm down while Aguri reached over and turned the lamp on that was sitting on the bedside table. The light helped the octopus feel a little more protected as he could see his surroundings better, it helped him realize he wasn't where his nightmare made him feel he was. His breath began to slow to a normal pace, his heart rate also beginning to decline to a comfortable level. As his panic began to fade away, he could feel his head and stomach rest, stress-induced nausea and dizziness dying off.

"Thank you, baby," The octopus sighed, "just for being here with me and helping me."

"Of course, takoyaki. I love you," Aguri kissed his cheek.

"It seems I am still not recovered from the traumatic experiences I had in my life."

"That's understandable darling, what you went through is going to take a while to work through, and I'll be here with you the entire way. I'm not leaving your side."

"Nyueheheheh, thank you. I don't know what I did to deserve you."

"I'm no angel either hun," she chuckled.

She nuzzled herself against his chest, it gave him a distraction, helping the last of his uneasiness ebb away over the course of a few extra minutes. His mind cleared and his tears dried away, he sat up with a better posture, looking around and sighing.

"Are you feeling better?" Aguri questioned.

"Yes, thank you, Aguri," he kissed her forehead.

"Do you need anything else? Like some water or a snack?"

"I might go grab a small bite before I fall back asleep, probably a few of the Oreos in the pantry, but I am feeling much more at ease now. Plus I'm less likely to fall back into the nightmare if I get up and maneuver myself around."

"Alright, well grab me as many as you get!"

"Of course! I'm a man of fairness," He chuckled, "for the most part."

Aguri laughed and teased him lightheartedly, "I know you are. You're a good man, darling. Even if you're a pervert."

He blushed before zooming off into the kitchen and back with a few Oreos for himself and the same amount for Aguri, just as he said he would. He sat back down on the bed, resting his back against the headboard of their bed as he gave Aguri what she asked for prior to him taking a quick trip to their kitchen.

"Thank you, Takoyaki," She smiled.

"Your welcome, baby," He responded, leaning over and kissing the top of her head.

The two sat there, chatting about whatever came to their minds as they munched on the cookies Koro had grabbed for the two of them. The two began to grow tired again, both of them had calmed down by then and laid back down and cuddled up against each other. Aguri buried the side of her head against the octopus's chest, him holding her in his arms tightly and resting his chin gently over the top of her head before both of them drifted back into slumber.