Fragments of Us (Megumi Fushiguro)

CHAPTER 15

That night, Megumi waited quietly in the hallway outside Y/N's door, alert for any sign of her sleepwalking. He had grown used to her nightly routines, but as the hours ticked by, the familiar shuffling sounds he expected never came. Instead, a muffled, heartbreaking sound filtered through her door. Megumi's stomach clenched as he recognized the quiet, trembling sound of Y/N crying.

"Y/N?" He knocked softly, hoping she'd answer, but her sobs only grew louder, broken by whispered apologies and words he couldn't make out. With a quick decision, he opened her door carefully, letting the light from the hallway cast a soft glow into the room.

Y/N lay tangled in her sheets, her face stained with tears, eyes squeezed shut as she murmured in her sleep, "I'm sorry... please... don't leave me. I'm... scared." The words were fragile and trembling, slipping out in broken whispers. Megumi's heart ached to see her like this.

He sat gently on the edge of her bed and placed a hand on her shoulder, his fingers barely brushing her skin as he spoke softly. "Y/N... wake up. It's just a dream."

She whimpered, still locked in her nightmare, her hands reaching out aimlessly, as if grasping for something in the dark. Megumi leaned closer, gently holding her face between his hands to steady her, his thumbs brushing away the tear tracks on her cheeks. He softly called her name, over and over, his voice low and comforting. "Y/N... it's me, Megumi. Open your eyes. I'm here."

Slowly, her eyes fluttered open, glowing faintly red in the darkness, the intensity of her gaze surprising him. She blinked, focusing on him in a daze, and murmured, "Megumi?"

Before he could reply, she suddenly reached up, wrapping her arms around his neck in a tight embrace, burying her face against his shoulder as her body shook with fresh tears. "Megumi... I don't know why... but my heart hurts so much."

His arms circled her, pulling her closer as he ran a hand soothingly up and down her back. "It's alright," he murmured, his voice laced with a quiet resolve. "I'm here. You're safe."

Y/N's words came in gasps between sobs, her grip tightening as if afraid he might disappear. "I dreamed... that everyone left me... like before... And it felt like I was... dying. I just know I'm going to die someday..."

Megumi felt a sharp pang in his chest at her words. He gently tilted her face up to meet his gaze, wiping the tears from her cheeks. "I won't let that happen," he whispered fiercely. "I'm not going anywhere, Y/N. Not now, not ever."

She looked up at him, her expression a mixture of pain and confusion, but his steady gaze seemed to calm her. Her breathing slowed, and for the first time, a glimmer of trust flickered in her eyes. Y/N's voice was a barely audible whisper as she clung to him. "You promise?"

His hand rested gently on the back of her head, his fingers threading through her hair as he held her close. "I promise. I'll protect you, Y/N. Always."

She sighed softly, her body finally relaxing in his arms. Exhausted from the emotion of the nightmare, Y/N let her head rest against his shoulder, her fingers still curled into the fabric of his shirt. "Megumi... you make me feel safe," she murmured, her voice thick with sleep.

He felt a rush of warmth at her words, his heart racing with an emotion he couldn't quite name. Brushing a stray hair from her face, he kept his voice soft, hoping it would keep her calm. "Then let yourself rest. I'll be right here."

Y/N's breathing slowed, her eyes drifting shut as she settled against him. Even as she fell back into sleep, her hand remained firmly clutching his shirt, as if anchoring herself to him. Megumi sat there, watching her, feeling a mixture of relief and an unfamiliar tenderness bloom in his chest.

Time passed in silence, and Megumi realized he had no desire to move from her side. He continued to hold her, his hand tracing soothing patterns along her back, vowing to keep his promise—whatever it would take.