The Only One

Chapter 8 : The Only Hope

He quickly glanced over to Riku, lying peacefully on the bed beside him, his face relaxed and calm. Without thinking, Tenn pulled Riku into his arms, his grip firm as if holding him tighter would banish the haunting nightmare for good. Riku shifted slightly but didn't wake, his breathing steady.

Tenn's throat tightened as he murmured softly, "Riku... I'm sorry... I couldn't protect you then." He could feel his eyes sting as he held his brother close, his mind racing through everything Riku had endured—alone, with no one to shield him from the pain.

The memory of his nightmare lingered, a sharp reminder of the helplessness he'd felt watching Riku suffer, both then and now. Tenn knew he could never truly understand the depth of his brother's trauma, but he could be here now, in every moment, no matter how dark or difficult.

He stroked Riku's hair gently, letting his breathing steady. "I'm here, Riku. You're safe. I promise, you're safe."

Tenn held Riku tightly in his arms, as though the embrace could shield him from the nightmares that seemed to haunt them both. He felt the warmth of Riku's body against him, a stark contrast to the cold terror that had gripped him just moments ago. Despite Riku's peaceful expression, Tenn couldn't shake the overwhelming fear that one day, he wouldn't be able to protect him.

His fingers brushed against Riku's forehead, gently smoothing back the strands of hair that had fallen across his face. Riku's breathing was soft, steady, but Tenn could feel the tension in his own body, the weight of everything they had both endured pressing down on him. He wished he could erase Riku's pain, undo the years of suffering, but the reality was that they couldn't go back. The past was a shadow that clung to them both.

Tenn closed his eyes, exhaling slowly as he pressed his cheek to Riku's head, letting the moment of quiet comfort ground him. He couldn't stop the fear from lingering, but he could try to be the support Riku needed now.

Riku shifted slightly in his sleep, the faintest of sounds escaping his lips—murmurs of something buried deep within. Tenn's heart clenched, but he didn't pull away. He had learned to read the unspoken words in Riku's silence, the way his brother often held things in, afraid to share his deepest fears.

"I'm not going anywhere, Riku," Tenn whispered, his voice barely more than a breath. "Not now, not ever."

He could feel the weight of those words, a promise that no matter how dark things got, he would stay by Riku's side. He would fight for him, just as he always had. He knew that Riku still had a long road ahead of him, full of battles against his own mind and the trauma that clung to him. But Tenn had made a vow long ago, before all the pain and all the loss—they would face it together.

With a final soft sigh, Tenn settled back into the bed, holding Riku close, allowing himself a moment of peace in the midst of the chaos. He wouldn't let go. Not now. Not ever.

=-=-=-=-=-

The soft morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow on the room as Riku slowly stirred, his body aching from both exhaustion and the weight of his past. His eyes fluttered open, and he saw Tenn, still sound asleep, his arm draped across the pillow where Riku had been. For a moment, Riku just watched him—his twin brother, the one who had always been by his side. He felt a mixture of guilt and gratitude, knowing how much Tenn had suffered because of him. He didn't want to wake him, not just yet.

Riku quietly slipped out of the bed, being as careful as possible not to disturb Tenn. The quiet of the room was almost soothing, but it couldn't erase the uneasy feeling that lingered in Riku's chest. His mind, still weighed down by all the things he had never been able to say, began to churn again. He hadn't really spoken about what happened two years ago—not in a way that made sense, not in a way that allowed him to process everything that had gone wrong.