[zapdragon555]

Myung-Dae stiffened as he felt Alder twitch and heard him speak. He froze, panic washing over him, and some strange impulse caused him to bury his face in Alder's silk clothes, shallow breaths shaking his chest. He made a soft murmuring sound in the negative, shaking his head slightly, a small wimper escaping him as he tried to choke down a sob. He'd cried in front of Alder one time too many already, and the thought of doing any more filled him with a strange mixture of guilt and anger. He sniffed, curling slightly against Alder's back.

[Middy]

"Myung?" he rolled over to face him, examining what features of the man's face he could make out in the darkness. Given how he could see quite well in the dark compared to most, he could make out that he was distressed and possibly on the verge of tears. It was obvious now that he had been roused from a nightmare, and sought comfort in his bed. It would be cute if it wasn't so concerning.

Alder wrapped his arms around Myung, holding him close to his chest with a sigh. "You can stay here for the night, I don't mind."

[zapdragon555]

Myung-Dae's breath hitched audibly in his chest as he felt Alder's arms wrap around him. He stifled a strangled sob, and he swallowed it down before it could go any further, pressing his face to Alder's collarbone. "Don't let go," he whispered, shaking his head and seeming to try to burrow as far as possible into Alder's hold. "Don't let go, don't let go..." He swallowed, sniffing and hiccuping slightly, before making a kind of growling noise, stiffening in Alder's arms. "D-don't look at me... it's disgusting..."

[Middy]

Alder only held him closer, becoming more and more worried about the man's fragile mental state. The only thing he could do was be there for him and offer whatever comfort he could give. He knew he was in a full panicked state, so much so that he was expecting him to start trembling in his arms. "It's okay.. I'm here for you. Nothing bad will happen so long as you are with me," he looked down at him, brushing some of his bangs to the side, "and you are not disgusting, don't let anyone try to tell you that. I know you are distressed, but that is why I am here... to help you, protect you.." he held him tighter, resting his chin on the other's head, allowing him to snuggle into his chest more if he needed.

[zapdragon555]

Myung-Dae froze as Alder began speaking quietly to him, and he felt something hard in the back of his throat break as a soft weeping noise escaped him, some dark emotion rolling off of him in waves little by little. No one... had ever said such a thing to him. It was strange... so strange... "Strange," Myung said out loud, his voice a little muffled as he sniffed in a hitching breath. "Y-you're... so strange..." he said softly, one arm moving to lightly wrap over Alder's waist, the smooth silk against his skin comforting him somewhat. "You barely know me, but you're..." he swallowed audibly, fingers catching a small piece of the fabric and thumbing it, keeping himself grounded with the smooth silk.

[Middy]

"I'm strange?" he repeated, moving a hand to stroke the other's hair and then back. How was he strange? Was it because he did care about him, and just wanted him to feel safe and comfortable? "It's true I barely know you, but it shouldn't change anything. I wish to know you better yes, but I can already tell that you need help and comfort, and someone who will care for you. You didn't seem to get that chance in life, so I wish to be there to make sure you are happy..." he almost felt like he was rambling, mostly due to the fact that he was still tired and trying to make Myung feel better at the same time.

[zapdragon555]

Myung-Dae whimpered slightly, shaking his head and pressing his face into Alder's shirt. Liar, he wanted to shout, but not only was his voice caught like barbed wire in his throat, he couldn't bring myself to counter those kind words. Were they truthful? Truly? Oh, he still felt metal slicing into his back, oh, oh no-- "You shouldn't," he muttered, shaking his head faster, then finally grew still, going a little limp in Alder's arms. "Too late for that..." he finished softly, his voice seeming to grow more and more exhausted with each word. "Too late..."

[Middy]

Alder held him tighter, wanting to just... try to make him feel better. "No, it's never too late. Everyone can get a second chance... but it will take time to heal, and forget. I--I know, I've been there once," he quickly shook his own memories away, having repressed for so long. However, he was confident that he could help Myung, help him heal and move on like he had. Yes the memories would remain, as it was hard to forget such things, but there were ways to overcome them. It just wouldn't be easy. "Just stay with me, and I'm sure we can heal your wounds."

[zapdragon555]

Myung paused, shoulders shaking slightly as he tried to get his bearings. Alder had... been there? Surely one who spoke so softly and made such nice food wouldn't have been in such a dark place. Myung-Dae sighed out softly, dark eyes trained on black fabric, until finally he closed his eyes, the hand in his hair sending a soft wave of comfort to his tight chest. "Scars don't heal well," he murmured, something like a wry smirk coming back to his face as he calmed from his nightmare, and he said nothing more, his breathing evening out as exhaustion washed over him and pulled him under.

[Middy]

The psychologist held him tight throughout the night, having a peaceful dream for the first time in years. He was usually so stressed by the end of his job, and he had thought for sure that after the day's events that he would be having nightmares. Instead, it was exactly the opposite.

Sun rays floating into the room stirred him awake, looking next to him to see Myung still asleep. It must have been very early, given that he just wanted to go back into slumber. Strange, even with not needing much sleep he still felt so exhausted.

[zapdragon555]

For once, Myung-Dae had slept through the night, the panic attack he'd suffered putting him under completely. And perhaps the warmth of Alder beside him had something else to do with it. The smaller man didn't wake as Alder shifted, but he made a soft, gentle noise in his sleep, turning over onto his back and effectively crushing one of Alder's arms beneath his shoulders, bangs falling in his eyes slightly. It looked like it had been awhile since he'd had a decent haircut, anyway. The tips of his hair stirred slightly as he breathed in and out steadily through his nose, and he shifted in his sleep, squinting slightly against the sunrays.

[Middy]

Myung had shifted, pinning one of his arms under him. He gave a small grumble about it, but didn't want to move it out from under him in fear of waking him up. It was uncomfortable yes, but that was about it. The worst that could happen is his arm would fall asleep and he would have to spend a couple minutes moving it afterward. Alder shifted his arm just a little, making sure not to wake the other.

However, it seemed as though Myung was in a dead sleep, thus telling him that the boy had slept through the night. Good, that is what he wanted for him. Now if only he could get back to sleep as well, but something was keeping him awake. Usually he would grab a book and start reading until he passed out again, but in this case that would be a little difficult.

[zapdragon555]

Myung-Dae's face, which seemed younger without the nervous tilt to his brow and wild eyes, was soft and serene as he breathed. As Alder shifted, Myung twitched, and his eyes suddenly drifted open, staring straight at Alder's face. His vision seemed blurry for a moment, and he stiffened, bringing his hands to rub at his eyes and blinking a few times, then relaxing as the blurriness faded back to normal. Realizing he might should say something, Myung-Dae cleared his throat and blinked at Alder, managing something like a sleepy smirk. "You're still here," he mused, unsure what he meant by that. Perhaps he'd expected Alder to get up and leave in the middle of the night. Then again, the events of the previous night were largely muddled in his mind; he hardly remembered anything besides Alder's arms wrapped tight around him. Right... that had happened, hadn't it.

[Middy]

Another yawn from Alder before he began to drift back off into slumber. That is, until Myung had spoken up, prompting him to reply sleepily, "So I am... did you expect me to just leave you?" he smiled back at him, putting an arm over him and cuddling closer. "Let me tell you, I could never just leave you alone after what happened last night," he wanted to just lie there and hold him close, wanting more contact with another. It had been so long... too long since he was this close to someone. It was a small comfort that made him smile, but he knew it wouldn't last long. They would have to get up at some point, and it didn't seem likely that Myung would find his way into his bed again. "Myung.. if you ever want to stay in my bed again, for any reason, I don't mind. Whatever makes you feel comfortable here."

[zapdragon555]

Myung-Dae stared at Alder, at the sleepy expression on the normally serious man's face. His pupils dilated slightly, before he shifted his face and sunlight fell on his eyes, making them contract and shut tight as he stretched slightly. "I wouldn't have blamed you," he murmured in response to Alder's first words. What he said next, however, surprised him, along with the arm suddenly trapping and caging him into a kind of hug...

Oh.

Well, Myung-Dae wasn't stupid. The man wanted him in his bed, did he? Though perhaps for much more innocent and lighthearted reasons than Myung-Dae thought. Perhaps not. Myung could have sneered, but instead, he felt a softness come over his features as he stared at Alder's expression, tracing his eyes over his, frankly, rather pretty face... Ah, Myung-Dae needed some space. "Mm. I'll think about it," Myung mumbled cryptically, carefully detaching himself from Alder's arms just enough to sit up and run a hand through his mussed bedhead, staring at the foot of the bed. "I don't remember much of last night, sorry. I probably woke you up with whatever it was."