He woke up abruptly, the remnants of his dream clinging to him like a heavy fog. Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, he took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. His hands rubbed at his face, and he let out a long, weary exhale.

Just as he began to gather his thoughts, he felt arms snake gently around his waist. A soft, sleepy voice murmured behind him, "Nightmare?"

He didn’t answer right away, his gaze fixed on the floor. Instead, after a moment, he asked quietly, “Did I wake you?”