Airi’s ears twitched, picking up the various noises around them. Another tempest had arisen within the confines of the Rift, so the pair had sought out shelter. Now, Evan was safely nestled against his side. Black against black, the smaller youma was practically invisible against him. Evan more so with Airi’s giant tail drawn around him. Airi had long since learned, that, on the off chance they got separated, that Airi needed try to spot Evan’s body out from the shadows. Just his eyes. Large, round and golden. There were times that Evan reminded Airi of a cat, with those eyes. For now though, they were closed. At the moment, Evan was content and relaxed.

A crackling sound echoed through the small cavern and Airi shook his head, almost akin to a shiver before drawing himself closer around Evan.

----

Sometimes, Evan slept peacefully. Sometimes he could curl up against Airi and actually seemed to sleep. Sometimes Sanidine would make it down and Evan would throw himself at the General and try to curl up in his lap.

But Sanidine was buried in his work, trying to fix things, and Evan wound up spending most of his time alone.

Tonight, he wasn't sleeping well. He was still and comatose, but as the time ticked on his body got more rigid and he curled into himself more. The crackling sound made his ear twitch but he hadn't pulled himself from his dreams—yet.

When Airi moved, Evan had immediately tried to move closer, but something was holding him back.

His little nose twitched and his head jerked just slightly to the side. Beneath all his fur, his brows narrowed—and his ears folded low. He squeaked something inaudible and incomprehensible in a low, sleepy voice, but he wasn't awake enough to control it. The little twitches turned suddenly into almost violent trembling and he pressed closer to Airi, trying to forcefully burrow beneath him.

--

Airi had grown fond of the time they spent together. It was nice to have someone to talk to, even if he could not completely understand all of Evan’s clicks and chirps just yet. It was nice to just have someone else there, so that he wasn’t alone during the hours he spent in the rift recovering his own energy.

However, he had noticed that he did seem to sulk, whenever Sanidine actually managed to pay Evan a visit. He still wasn’t particularly happy with him. What he had done to Evan wasn’t fair in the slightest, intentions or not. He never spoke much to the General. It was usually a greeting before growing silent and laying a short distance away, giving Evan the space he needed with the General, but still always staying close to Evan.

The whole situation was…. something.

The wolf’s ears swiveled forward, picking up Evan’s squeak. He blinked, watching the smaller creature. “Evan…” He called out softly, trying to pull his companion's attention. When that didn’t seem to work, Airi lowered his head and gently rubbed his muzzle against Evan. “Shh… It’s alright, Evan. I have you…” The wolf spoke. “You’re safe.” He said, continuing on as if Evan could hear him. “Nothing here will harm you. Not while I am here. Not ever.” A spoken promise. One Airi meant.

With one last brush of his muzzle against Evan’s fur, he pulled back from the smaller youma. Airi shifted, adapting a more human like physique before gently scooping up Evan in pawed hands and cradling him close. “Shhh…” He prompted again. “It’s a nightmare... Wake up Evan, you are okay.”

--

Being trapped in the nightmare was always one thing, but being jarred from it was always something else. For as reassuring as it was to know that the horror you were living was only in your head, there was always the moment of panic that flared. Evan was usually unpredictable in those moments; sometimes he flailed and screeched, and sometimes he cried out as if in pain, and sometimes he just ran as far away as he could, as fast as he could, and found a good spot to cower in.

Now, he just went rigid and sat up straight. His ears were folded low and he trembled; a soft, whisper of a squeak left him and eh looked around, wide-eyed and terrified as if he expected to be attacked.

Things seemed to slowly click into place, though—he wasn't wherever he had been in his dream.

It was hard to tell if this reality was any better than the dream world he'd just come from, though; he swallowed a lump in his throat and looked up at Airi frantically. He tried to chirp, but the noise came out distorted and his voice cracked. This did little to soothe him, so instead he tried to climb as close as he could to the youma, face pressed against his chest.

Maybe youma were supposed to get less human as time went on. Maybe Evan was losing more of himself every day. Maybe he was forgetting the things that used to keep him together.

Maybe, a lot of things.

He wasn't exactly easy to understand, and he could barely communicate—with human or youma, despite his best efforts. There was more to Evan than he could let anyone know, more that he wanted people to know.

But judging by the sudden warm wetness dripping from his eyes and smearing onto Airi, the only thing he could do right now was cry.

--

When Evan moved close, Airi held on tighter. Gently, he ran the tips of his claws through the shorter youma’s fur, trying to help him relax. “Shhh…. I have you.” He said again. The broken chirp made the youma’s heart sink, leaving Airi to wonder just what kind of scene Evan’s mind had played out for him.

“You’re safe now Evan… It can’t hurt you anymore.” The wolf murmured. He stopped running his claws through the fur on Evan’s back and moved it to softly stroke at the fur on his head, being mindful of his ears.

“Breathe.” Airi ducked his head down and once again rubbed his muzzle against the side of Evan’s head. He let out a low, light, whine in hopes it would get Evan to focus on him instead.

“...Do you want to talk about it?” He asked.

--

There might have been a part of Evan that did want to talk about it, but he pulled back a bit and his eyes, pleading, shot up to meet Airi's. His lips pursed together and for a moment he looked frustrated and almost accusatory, but the emotions slipped away when he muttered a soft chirp.

It was as close to 'How?' as he'd ever get like this, but if anyone could decipher the chirp, it would have been Airi.

Evan was desperate for communication but he struggled with his own words. He could understand when he was being spoken to, but all he could produce were chirps and wails. He couldn't read. Charades was an option, but Evan flat out failed getting his point across and often wound up sulking afterwards.

Disheartened and frustrated, the youma's shoulders just slumped. He wiped the back of his furry hand across his eyes and hung his head before he managed to shake it, 'No'.

There was no point in trying. He would just disappoint himself. He'd just frustrate Airi.

Things like this always worked out a very specific way when he was human—and a nagging voice in the back of Evan's mind told him that maybe it was for the best.

He tended to lose friends when he talked too much.

It just broke his heart that he couldn't talk at all. He couldn't figure out why Airi stayed—why he bothered. Evan slouched against him, anyway, quiet.

--

Mouth, meet foot.

Okay, so maybe those weren’t the best words the youma could have chosen. Airi’s ears flattened awkwardly under the almost accusatory stare and offered a soft sorry in apology. “I could just start guessing things, and you can tell me if I’m close or not.” He offered. “....You could draw it in the dirt.” Airi eyed the thin layer of dirt on the cavern floor.

He wasn’t even going to mention Charades.

While Airi had gotten better at figuring out Evan’s chirps and noises, there was still a long way to go. There were often times that Evan had to repeat himself before Airi finally understood what the other meant.

Airi hugged Evan close when he slouched against him, growing quiet for a minute before he spoke. “Evan… So you can’t talk… So what? You have done just fine for yourself for not being able to. If I’ve come off that I get frustrated, I apologize. I promise that it’s not directed at you.” The wolf ran the tips of his claws through Evan’s fur again, careful not to hurt him. “If anything, I’m getting mad at myself.” It wasn’t Evan’s fault that Airi couldn’t understand him, that he couldn’t talk. Airi just had to keep remembering that.

“...Was it Sanidine?” He asked softly.

Apparently he was going to just start guessing random things.


--

Evan sniffled—a very human noise, coming from a very inhuman creature. His eyes drifted up to Airi, at first confused. He scowled and shook his head before chirping something under his breath. He reached out one hand as though he were going to draw in the dirt beneath them but quickly shot the idea down and withdrew his hand.

Eyes drooping now, he seemed a mixture of tired—emotionally, physically. Less enthusiastically, he shook his head and sighed. It wasn't that he didn't want to talk, just that he knew that this guessing game could go on for a while if Airi was going to actually get to the root of his problem.

He headbutted the other youma again, trying to make himself comfortable in his chest. The claws combing through his fur was reassuring and he seemed to relax a bit; after a few strokes he even managed a soft purr.

The sniffling was dying away and his eyes were leaking less, though probably more from willpower than any actual resolution of emotions.

--

The headbutt was his cue to stop, and Airi snorted playfully with a roll of his eyes. “Fine, you win. I’ll drop it this time…” He murmured, shifting so they were both comfortable. Airi’s tail twitched but began to wag slowly at the soft purr. The taller youma tucked Evan under his throat, his claws still creating trails in the other’s fur.

“You’re safe.” He reassured Evan. “I’m here.” Came the promise. “I won’t let anything harm you.” That, that was fact. Airi always did his best to make sure Evan was safe, whether that meant turning tail and running to get Evan outta there, or later having to lick his own while Evan chirped furiously at him in a mix of worry and anger. Airi kept at it, stroking Evan’s fur, while promising him everything and nothing at the same time. He’d promise Evan anything if that meant he would be happy.

“You’ll get back there someday…” He said quietly. I’ll make sure of it.

--

It took Evan a few long seconds to let what Airi said really sink in. Eventually, he just sighed and pressed closer. His little stub of a tail wagged tiredly a few times before he sort of gave up on that. His breathing had slowed, but every now and then his body would go rigid or he'd inhale sharply. Sniffling was not uncommon, but he was trying his hardest.

Airi didn't expect things of him like everyone else seemed to, but it still felt like he had to put on a front—or something—to try and stop him from leaving. There was a constant paranoia that eventually he'd just be left alone—that he wouldn't have anyone. That Sanidine would give up and leave, or that Airi would get tired.

…But sometimes, he could forget about it.

Sometimes, face pressed against Airi, he could pretend like he was back home, in a bed he was slowly forgetting, in a life that was starting to feel like it wasn't ever his.

He closed his eyes and relaxed; sleep was nagging on his consciousness once more, but this time he was able to focus on the little things that were keeping him stable, and sane.

This time, he dreamt of Airi.