The Brightest Dream

Chapter One: Comfort

Sinon twisted and turned in her sleep, beneath her feet, a void ripped open through the battlefield, hungrily devouring the players. Her brain took control, and she ran, but she couldn't sprint out of its path. Eventually, she fell on all fours to the shaking ground, letting the gap swallow her.

She was falling, into pitch black darkness, that felt like it was slowly crushing her lungs. Her hands curled over her chest, right where her heart should be, and she brought up her knees close. Just as she mustered enough air to scream...

"Sinon? Sinon, wake up!" Her eyes snapped open, revealing a worried looking boy looking down at her. His hand was shaking her shoulder, worsening the growing headache in her head. Sinon opened her mouth to speak, but a lump in her throat choked her. Tears welled up in her line of vision, and she leapt forward, wrapping her arms around Kirito.

She sniffled into his nightshirt, trying not to cry from fear of her nightmare. He recoiled at the sudden touch, but slowly attempted to comfort her. Running a hand through her tousled black hair, he murmured comforting words.

Sinon's shoulders still shook with her contained sobs, but she gradually released her grip on Kirito and sat back against her bed frame.

"What happened?" Kirito asked gently, observing her now bloodshot eyes and the smeared tear tracks down her cheeks. "I thought you were choking or something."

"I-I had a nightmare..." She replied, finally getting rid of the awful clog in her throat. Then she glanced up at Kirito's face, embarrassed by how childish she must seem. A child of eight didn't even cry over them anymore, and she was sixteen! But luckily, Kirito ignored that small fact. He opened his arms wide, and Sinon latched onto his torso.

He settled more comfortably into her bed, seeing how this would be a while before Sinon would be able to fall back asleep. She could feel the tears soaking the material of his shirt, but he continued to stroke her back.

It could have been a few minutes, maybe an hour, but Sinon had finally settled into a deep sleep in Kirito's arms. She snored lightly, but stayed fast asleep.

He looked down at the girl after a while, wondering how someone so bold and out going could be frightened by a small thing like a dream. He realized that it seemed like he was the only one she let see her true emotions, not the ones she wore on and off like clothes. Seeing how he wouldn't be able to escape the tangle of limbs, he shifted down into the covers, wrapping his arms around Sinon's back and pulling her close.

I'll protect you from your darkest nightmares, and I lead you to your brightest dream, he promised her silently before closing his eyes to let sleep engulf his senses.