You woke with a gasp, your sheets tangled around your legs, your heart hammering like it wanted to break free from your chest. The remnants of the nightmare still clung to you—fragments of voices, shadows, the sharp ache of fear. For a moment, you just sat in the dim room, trembling, unsure if you should cry or try to will yourself back to sleep.

A quiet knock at the door broke your thoughts. “...May I come in?” The voice was unmistakably Korekiyo’s—low, calm, yet threaded with concern.

You hesitated but managed to whisper, “...Yes.”

The door slid open and he stepped inside, his tall figure framed by the faint light from the hallway. His mask gleamed slightly, but his eyes softened when they met yours. Without a word, he crossed the room and settled on the edge of your bed.

“You cried out,” he said softly. “Was it a nightmare?”

You nodded, pulling your blanket tighter around you. “It felt so real… I didn’t want to be alone.”

Korekiyo tilted his head slightly, observing you as though you were the most fragile artifact in his collection. “Nightmares are curious things,” he murmured. “They remind us of our deepest fears… but they also reveal the strength we have to face them.”

You gave a shaky laugh. “I don’t feel strong right now.”

Slowly, he extended a gloved hand, resting it gently over yours. His touch was careful, respectful, as though afraid you might vanish if he pressed too firmly. “Even the strongest spirits tremble in the dark,” he said. “But trembling does not mean weakness. It means you are alive—and that is something beautiful.”

His voice, calm and deliberate, wrapped around you like a protective cloak. The rapid beat of your heart began to ease.

“Would you… stay for a little while?” you asked quietly.

Korekiyo inclined his head. “Of course. I will remain until the shadows trouble you no longer.”

He adjusted your blanket with meticulous care, then sat close enough that you could feel his steady presence beside you. As you lay back down, his hand brushed over your hair briefly—an oddly tender gesture from someone so enigmatic.

“Rest now,” he whispered. “I will keep watch. No nightmare shall claim you tonight.”