Stella sat on her bed and waited.

The boy's note had arrived almost half an hour ago. She had been unsuccessfully trying to fall asleep when the note appeared before her. He had only asked if she was awake, but the girl could tell it had to do with nightmares from the Timidis Wardrobe. She sent him a note telling him to sneak over. He responded not long after, stating he was on his way.
She glanced at her roommate's empty bed. Amelia had only picked up some clothes and stated her best friend had just gone through a bad breakup and needed her. Stella had bid her farewell and hidden her anxiety about waking up alone from one of the nightmares.

The girl was growing anxious. It would be bad if he were caught. Whatever he had faced in there had to be horrible, and it would be awful if he were sent to the Detention Chambers.

A sudden tapping at the window caught Stella's attention. She opened and looked down to find Yukiya staring up at her. She quietly gestured to the vines she'd used to sneak out before. The girl bit her lip as he climbed up. They had held her weight, but he had more muscle mass than she did.
He made it to her balcony in one piece. Stella let out a sigh of relief.

She led the boy in and closed the door behind him. He silently stared at the floor, and the air somehow became heavy.

"I was a little worried when you didn't send me note," the girl began, trying to break the tension, "but I thought you'd like some time to yourself, like I- Oh!"

She was suddenly tugged into a bone-crushing embrace. It took her a few moments to regain her breath.

"Yukiya? Oh, Yukiya, what did you see in there?"

He only buried his face closer to her neck. Stella reached up and ran her fingers through his hair.

"You don't have to tell me about it if you don't want to. I can tell you what I saw, if you'd like. Or we could talk about something else altogether."

He was silent for a few moments more. Then he began to speak in a quiet, weak voice.

"My family... I-I'd lost control as that... that beast and... there was so much blood... it was all over my hands, and its stench filled my nose, and... there was a rustling in the bushes, and the beast took over, and there were m-more bo-bodies, mauled and bloody, a-and E-Elias - " Stella felt her heart breaking as the boy took in a shaky breath. "Y-You were trying to wake him up, but... it was too... late... and then I - the beast - i-it hit you, and... a-and - " Drops of water dripped onto the girl's shoulder. "I-I'm so sorry, Stella... I'm s-so so-sorry!"

Stella felt tears falling down her own face. She made sure her voice was steady before she spoke.

"Look at me, Yukiya. I need you to look at me."

After a moment, he did as she ordered. Another bolt of pain shot through her heart when she saw his tear-filled eyes. She forced a smile on her face.

"You have nothing to apologize for. You've done nothing wrong. It was just a nightmare. A terrible, horrible nightmare." She wiped his tears away with her thumb. "Everyone is okay. You have nothing to apologize for."

He stared into her eyes for a moment before giving a shaky nod. This time Stella didn't need to force a smile.

"Let's lay down. You stuck by my side last night. I'll do the same for you now."

He followed her over to her bed. As he laid down, he stared up at her.

"Are you going to... use this bed or the other?"

"... Which would you prefer?"

He gently took hold of her hand. He furrowed his brow as though he were reminded of a bad memory.

"Next to me. Stay next to me... please."

She said nothing as she snuggled up next to him. The weight of his arm as he held her close made her feel safe, as though the nightmares could no longer reach her.

"You know... My nightmare was full of my family, too... My doppelganger tried to drown me in a lake, and I somehow escaped and found my mother, but she... was so angry about what I'd allowed to happen to Lucio, and I ran into some place dark... A serpent... it sounded like Sansone... it was hunting me... and I escaped, but I was back with the c-chimera, and you were there, and... you were so disgusted by me - "

"That wasn't me." Yukiya tightened his embrace.

Stella nodded and quietly continued.

"Then... there was Lucio... he was so angry and... he kept saying I should have... should have l-let him d-die!" She buried her face deeper into his chest. "He was sobbing and screaming... It was horrible..."

Yukiya ran his fingers through her hair.

"So... we both saw ourselves as monsters..."

"Heh, yeah... I guess we did." She pulled away and looked up at him. "But you definitely are not a monster.

He smiled at her.

"And neither are you..."

"... Were you able to cast the spell?"

"Y-Yeah..."

The girl wanted to ask what he saw, what desires the spell had made into reality, but she was afraid he would ask her in return. That she would have to tell him she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. She was scared that he would reject her, see her as some creep.
It was a risk she didn't wasn't ready to take yet.

"Then focus on that when you try to fall asleep."

He nodded and gently pulled her closer. Stella smiled hugged him back. Closing her eyes, she focused on his warmth, his kindness, and the safety she felt in his arms.

...

...

Stella was woken up by a sudden jerk of movement. She looked up and found Yukiya's trembling back. She quickly sat up and and touched his arm.

"Yukiya? Yukiya, are you okay?"

He flinched at her touch.

"Yukiya..."

"Your blood... Oh, gods... it was everywhere... I'm sorry... I'm so, so sorry..."

"Look at me, Yukiya."

He didn't move.

"Look at me."

He rolled over and faced her. Stella lowered herself back on the bed. She reached out and rested her hand on his cheek. He flinched at first, but then rested his hand over hers. She smiled up at him.

"It wasn't real, Yukiya. You're okay, and I'm okay. Can you feel the heat from my hand?"

"... Yeah..."

"That means I'm plenty alive, doesn't it?"

"... Yeah."

The boy still didn't look convinced. He looked at her as though he expected her to fade away at a moment's notice. She moved her face closer until their breaths began to mingle.

"You can feel me breathing, can't you? That means I'm okay, right?"

"... Right."

He still looked scared. So terribly scared. Stella gazed into his eyes.

"Yukiya, would you like me to cast a spell? I promise it'll assure you that I'm quite perfectly alive."

He nodded.

"Close your eyes."

She waited until he did as she asked. Then she took a deep breath and pressed her lips against his. He stiffened and his eyes opened his eyes in surprise. However just as she tried to pull away, he kissed her back. The girl felt her eyes fluttering shut as her heart soared. She felt consumed by pure, sweet bliss
After a few moments, they pulled apart. Stella smiled shyly up at him.

"Do you... feel better?"

Yukiya brushed a strand of hair from her cheek. He gazed down at her, his eyes full of warmth and affection, but also anxiety. His gaze flickered away for a moment.

"...gain..."

"What was that?"

He looked her back in the eyes.

"Could you please... cast the spell ag- !"

She silenced him with another kiss. He seemed to all but melt into her as his arms wrapped around her with more tenderness than she had ever before experienced. She returned his embrace with all the strength she had, wishing this moment could last forever.

She didn't have the courage to tell him she wanted to be his 'forever', but she could at least let him know that he was her 'now'.