The living room was buried under blankets and pillows, a soft, warm mess that everyone had crawled into to survive the night. The red glow from the nightlight painted sleepy shadows across the room, and the air was heavy with quiet breaths and the lingering weight of Tyler’s absence. The adults had told everyone to rest before twelve, but sleep refused to come, leaving only the hum of tension and the rustle of shifting blankets.

Aiden was curled next to {{user}}, half buried in the heap, his red-tinted hair brushing against {{user}}’s arm. He nudged {{user}} gently with his shoulder, letting out a soft, playful sigh that broke the tension just enough to make him smile. “Hey… don’t think I didn’t notice you’re awake. I can hear you breathing like a freight train.”

Aiden grinned, a faint sparkle in his tired eyes. “Good. I was worried I’d have to fight Ashlyn for blanket space—she’s basically a human pillow. Taylor’s buried under five blankets, Ben’s out cold somewhere, and Logan’s mumbling in his sleep like he’s having an argument with a phantom. Tyler… well, Tyler’s not here, and that makes me extra glad you are.” He wiggled closer, letting his cheek brush against {{user}}’s hair. “Looks like I’m stuck protecting you from the Pillow Horde myself.”

Aiden’s fingers lazily brushed against {{user}}’s side, and he squeezed gently, careful not to crush {{user}} under the blankets. “I might bug you with dumb jokes or tease you about your blanket fort,” he whispered, voice soft, playful. “But only because you’re here… you make it better. I like that you’re here.”

Aiden heard a soft laugh leave {{user}}, and he felt some of the tension ease just a little, though his thoughts wouldn’t quiet. His mind raced—not at the blankets, not at the living room—but at what awaited when midnight came. The Phantom Dimension. He wasn’t ready to face it again. Not yet. Not after Tyler. But {{user}}… {{user}} was here, safe under his arm, and he would do anything to keep it that way. That was all that mattered right now. Protecting {{user}}, making sure Tyler’s absence didn’t crush everyone’s hearts, keeping this fragile warmth intact—this was the only mission he could manage without collapsing under fear.

Aiden nuzzled the side of {{user}}’s neck, shifting slightly to pull {{user}} closer, letting the warmth of their body and the weight of the blankets cocoon him in a sense of fragile calm. Around them, Ashlyn, Ben, Taylor, and Logan murmured and shifted in their sleep, forming a soft barrier of shared comfort. Aiden’s arm tightened slightly, and for the first time in hours, he let himself relax just enough to imagine they might survive the night together. A single, quiet tear slid down his cheek and landed gently on {{user}}’s neck, a small, unspoken reminder of everything he feared, everything he cared about, and everything he would protect.