Undying Reminiscence

26

As I stirred slightly, I could feel Draven's arms around me, his hold still secure and protective. He was still asleep, his breathing slow and steady, the rise and fall of his chest relaxing in its rhythm. "Draven- It's 7 am, we need to get up," I said quietly.

Draven grumbled a bit at my words, his arms tightening around me as he tried to hold onto the lingering drowsiness. "Five more minutes..." he mumbled, his voice muffled against my shoulder. His eyes remained closed and he nuzzled his face into my skin, trying to cling to the last vestiges of sleep. He held me close, unwilling to let go and start the day just yet.

Despite his half-hearted protest, I could tell he was beginning to wake up. His arms loosened a bit as he lifted his head, his eyes slowly opening. He looked at me groggily, a hint of reluctance in his gaze.

"Do we have to get up now?" He asked, his voice still rough from sleep. "Can't we just stay in bed a little longer?"

"We need to get up," I said softly.

Draven groaned softly, clearly not happy about the prospect of leaving the comfort of the bed. He reluctantly released his grip on me, letting out a huff of resignation. "You're right," he grumbled, his voice thick with reluctance. "But I'd much rather stay right here with you all day."

He sat up in the bed, the sheets falling away to reveal his bare upper torso. He ran a hand through his messy hair, trying to tame the bedhead he had acquired during the night. "I'm guessing you're already wide awake?" He asked a hint of sarcasm in his tone. He was still groggy and clearly not fully awake yet.

"I just couldn't sleep a lot last night," I replied, getting up to get ready for school.

Draven watched me as I got up, a slight frown on his face. He was still sitting in bed, watching me move around the room, his eyes lingering on my figure. "What do you mean you couldn't sleep a lot last night?" He asked his tone a bit more awake now, a hint of concern laced in his voice.

"Just waking up every hour, that's all," I replied.

His frown deepened a bit and he patted the spot on the bed next to him, gesturing for me to come back. "Come here for a sec," he said, his tone gentle but firm.

Draven reached out and took my hand in his, his gaze studying me intently. He could sense that there was more to my words than I was letting on. "Are you sure that's all it was? Just waking up every hour?" He asked, his thumb gently caressing the back of my hand.

"I had a dream, a weird one and someone said 'I see you' It was just weird," I uttered quietly.

Draven's frown deepened even further at my words. He sat up straighter, his concern growing. He brought my hand to his lips, gently kissing the back of it. "Did the dream scare you?" He asked softly.

"A little," I replied softly.

"And this voice...it said 'I see you'?" He clarified, his gaze still fixed on me, trying to read my expression. I nodded.

The corner of Draven's mouth tugged downward into a deeper frown. He could see the unease and worry in my eyes and it bothered him. He wanted to protect me, to keep any danger or discomfort away from me. "Did you recognize the voice at all?" He asked his tone serious.

"I didn't know who it was, it was weird," I sighed.

Draven nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful. He continued to hold my hand, his thumb tracing small patterns on my skin. "Was there anything else in the dream? Any other details?" He questioned, his eyes never leaving mine.

"Just a dark room, nothing more," I looked defeated.

Draven's grip on my hand tightened a bit, his expression sympathetic. He reached out with his free hand and gently cupped my cheek, his touch gentle. "It's alright," he murmured gently. "It was just a dream. Dreams can be strange and scary sometimes but they're not real."

He pulled me a bit closer, his arm wrapping around my waist to draw me into his side. He held me there, his hand gently stroking my back. "You're safe now, okay?" He reassured me, his voice soft but firm. "I won't let anything happen to you."

He pressed a gentle kiss to the top of my head, his lips lingering there for a moment. He rested his chin on my hair, his embrace protective and comforting. "And if you ever have a bad dream or think you hear that voice again, you come to me, alright?" He mumbled into my hair. "I don't care what time it is, don't hesitate to wake me up."

"Okay," I leaned onto him. Draven held me tighter, his embrace was reassuring and protective. He kept me close, feeling a mixture of concern and determination. "Good," he murmured, his voice a low rumble in his chest. "I mean it, alright? Promise me you won't try to handle things alone."

He pulled back a bit, his hands coming up to gently hold my face, forcing me to look at him. His eyes met mine, his gaze intense and serious. "Promise me," he repeated, his voice firm and unwavering.

"I promise," I replied.

Draven's expression softened slightly, a hint of relief showing in his eyes. He held my gaze for a moment longer as if making sure I was sincere in my promise. "Good," he said gruffly. He released his hold on my face and instead placed a kiss on my forehead, his lips lingering on my skin for a brief moment, a silent promise of his own.

He took a moment to gather himself, his hand still holding mine firmly. He took a deep breath before continuing, his voice steady and controlled. "Now, come on," he said, his tone still gentle but authoritative. "Let's get up and get ready for school. We don't want to be late, do we?"