Always With You (Caejose)

Nightmares

....Caesar POV.....

"You're a child," I snapped, eyes narrowing as I glanced over at him. He attempted to flash that bright, irritating grin, though was too exhausted to manage it. I closed my eyes for a brief second, clamping down on the irritation tugging me in all directions. I was worn out, beginning to wonder why, exactly, I'd saved him from falling back down to the bottom of that pillar.
"So, Caesar," he started, voice thick with exhaustion. I cut him off with a raised hand and a,
"Go to bed, Joseph."
His mouth shut behind that mask- the audible snap of his teeth the only thing cuing me in on it.
I turned, falling asleep before I even hit the pillow.
...
Lisa Lisa had given us a room to share- I assumed with the intent to help us get closer. I respected her too much to tell her that it would never happen.
I tucked an arm behind my head, blowing out a soft breath.
I'd been woken a few minutes ago, though wasn't sure entirely why. Being a light sleeper had saved my life countless of times when I was younger, though now only seemed to serve as a catalyst for my sleep deprivation. I tucked my head closer to my pillow, managing to fall into an uneasy sleep.
...
The moon was high when I was awoken again, bright light slanting against the pale carpet as I rolled over and pushed away churning thoughts to fall asleep again, half lost in the world of sleep.
...
It was almost the fourth time now, and I was beginning to get annoyed- deprived of sleep at this point.
My eyes snapped open at the sound of quiet wheezing behind me.
I blinked from the world of sleep, confused for a long few moments-
And then it seemed to click together.
I pushed myself up far enough to peer at the man across the room. The blankets were pulled up over his waist, though as I looked, I recognized the state of entanglement well enough- having awoken myself countless times before in a similar position.
I eased from the bed, a mixture of annoyance and sympathy pulling at me as it dawned on me again that he'd never done this. That his life had been turned upside down in the past month. I sucked in a light breath, that annoyance taking over as the memories of the past day rushed back to me.
So perhaps he was new to this. But he didn't have to be so damn annoying about it.
My attention snapped back to him as he wheezed softly, the mask restricting his breathing.
I'd figured it out earlier what had awoken me. His breath was only allowed to pass through the mask using the right technique. Falling asleep, waking from a nightmare- it would wreck that pattern.
He was waking up, unable to breathe- most likely in a panic. Which, in turn, made it even harder to breathe.
He was awake enough that his gaze moved to mine, blue eyes cast a shade of silver in the moonlight.
"Your hacking is keeping me awake," I said tartly, lips pressing thin.
His eyes narrowed, and I watched his hackles raise as he sat up, one fist clenched in the bedsheets.
"I apologize for disturbing your beauty sleep," he replied, resting his chin on one hand as his demeanor slid into that irritating side. His eyes crinkled in a way that told me his annoying smile was back.
I reached forwards, though was stopped as he rose one hand, instinctively catching my wrist. I rose a brow, though made no move.
"You can keep this on, if you want to sleep in the hall."
A light breath moved through the mask.
When he let me go, I pressed my hands to the side of his mask, his even exhales warm and damp as they tickled my palms. I ignored it, ignored him as I focused on releasing the clasp. A moment later, it fell away from his face.
I turned away, slipping back into my bed without another word.
...
I slept peacefully the rest of the night.