"In my Shadow" - Miya Atsumu Angst (with happy end)

Chapter 12: Noon

When Atsumu awoke again it was still dark outside though something didn't feel quite right. He blinked his eyes fighting to get used to the dark. The only light source stemmed from the window. Someone had pushed the curtains aside.

He felt sticky with sweat although the room was cold. An icy breeze entered through the window.

At once Atsumu was awake and nausea turned his stomach. It was just like two nights back. The guest bedroom window.

His eyes widened and he searched the darkness around him, panic rising like acid within his chest. A small cold chuckle alerted him to the presence that shouldn't be there.

Her steel blue eyes seemed to almost glow in the dark as she moved out of the shadow of the furthest corner of the room. She smiled, sickly sweet.
"You didn't think my plan was that flawed, did you?
"Atsumu, you are foolish."

He was frozen in place like a deer in headlights. His breathing went rigid and he reached blindly for the others around him to wake them as well, alert them to the danger lurking right in front of them. That seemed to amuse her.

Her smile widened but she didn't say anything as she let him figure it out himself… his breath caught in his throat as he felt how cold their skin was.

The sticky substance coating his skin was sweat… he screamed as he recognized red of blood and turned around to reach for them.
"No... no. No!"

He reached for them but...
"No, please! Don't! Y-you can't—
"Say something!"

He stared into their lifeless faces. Throats slit, killed in their sleep like she could have done so many times before.
"No–"

Suddenly the knife was at his throat as well. Cold, merciless and unyielding.
"You know I thought about killing you in your sleep as well. You would just never wake up. Wouldn't that have been blissful?
"But surely you want to say goodbye, don't you?"

"I'm sorry–"

The last word had barely left his mouth when pain exploded from his neck and the world went dark.

----------

The first thing he knew was that he screamed. The second that someone held him trying in vain to soothe him. He fought them briefly before recognizing the voice hushing him softly.
"It's okay," Aran soothed him. "It's just me, you are alright. It was just a nightmare. It wasn't real."

Through tear-filled eyes, he inspected the world around him carefully shaking. It was bright. The sun was shining brightly into the room. He was alone with Aran.
"W-where...?"

"Picking up some take-out. Your favorite. They are alright too."
His eyes widened and snapped up at Aran but before he could even formulate the question Aran smiled, gently cupped his cheek, and answered as he let his thumb run soothingly over his cheek.
"They caught her. Haruki, she was caught. There is nothing you have to be afraid of anymore. You are safe."

He sniffled. His eyes were still filled with disbelief. He couldn't quite process it. Instead, he hid against Aran’s chest again unwilling to give up on the comfort it brought.

He needed it, clung to him like a lifeline, and Aran indulged him. He rocked them gently until Atsumu had calmed and soothingly petted over his back while whispering soft promises into his hair.
"I'm right here. No one is going to hurt you. You are safe."

Time passed by when suddenly the front door opened and closed. Atsumu flinched causing Aran to hug more tightly in silent reassurance.

"It's just them," he assured him. "Wanna meet them downstairs? I bet you're hungry."