"Will you be okay if you sleep... alone?"
Leslie spoke ever so softly, her words imbued with concern as they resonated in the quiet bedroom. She didn’t move her eyes away from Calix whose frozen countenance expressed his perplexity.
’What did... she just ask ?’
Blinking, Calix unconsciously shifted his gaze from Leslie down to where she touched the back of his hand. He sensed her warmth seeping under his skin, reminding him of the mont he desperately clung to her last night.
So warm and comforting.
’She’s worrying about .’
Calix understood Leslie didn’t an anything ambiguous yet, he couldn’t help from being surprised. Pursing his lips, self-mockery glinted in his eyes as new thoughts appeared in his mind.
It seed like the depth of his greed had grown deeper.
Despite feeling pathetic, he wanted her only to think of him, to see beneath the mask he purposely put on.
"Leslie, are you worried about ?"
Calix lifted his eyes, finding their way back to Leslie’s face. He could tell his guess was correct even without her verbalizing her mind.
Leslie perceived a hint of disdain in Calix’s tone, directed toward himself instead of her. Before she could respond, more words flowed out of his mouth.
"You’ve seen acting weirdly... especially last night. I’m sorry. I didn’t an to show you my miserable side."
Clouds of sha gradually darkened Calix’s gaze. Seeing such a look on him knitted creases on Leslie’s forehead.
"I am worried about you... I wanted to ask but, I didn’t want to... offend you if it’s... a private matter..."
Those words sounded like an excuse even to Leslie yet, they really ca from her heart. Even though they had been truthful about their concerns to each other, it didn’t an it beca easier to bring up such an issue.
Really?
Was she really afraid to offend him?
How could she worry about that?
Calix’s lips lted into a helpless smile. His gaze gained so of its previous clarity.
"I’ve been dreaming of sothing strange..." Calix paused, exhaling a sigh as he recalled the beginning of the dreams, "Weird but, nothing horrifying. Just... last night’s dream was kinda weirder."
Blinking, Leslie quietly asked, "...strange dreams? Were they not scary?"
Leslie recalled that particular mont a few nights ago. Calix abruptly woke up and looked unsettled. But, he appeared to be nothing more than being disturbed by sothing.
At least, he didn’t look as frightened as last night.
Calix sensed more questions underlying the one Leslie voiced to him. He pondered for a mont, still hesitating about telling her the complete truth.
"The scary one was from last night but... I can’t tell you about it yet. I’m sorry, Leslie."
Despite wanting to be fully truthful with Leslie, Calix still needed to sort his thoughts out. The last visions he saw before his death still troubled the core of his heart.
For now, he could only tell her this much.
"No... no need to be sorry..." Leslie shook her head, never wanting Calix to apologize for sothing he didn’t have to, "If you ever want to... tell , I’ll listen... If you can’t, that’s fine to too..."
The decision was all up to him.
Calix stifled his laughter. He didn’t know why Leslie’s words amused him, sohow loosening the stiffness constricting his heart.
"As for your initial question, I’ll be okay. Thank you for thinking about ."
Leslie nodded once, "...I hope you’ll sleep well tonight."
"I will."
Hopefully.
Glancing at the clock, Calix silently thought he had overstayed his welco. Leslie had rehab sessions early in the morning. At the sa ti, he needed to go to work.
Calix rose to his feet, reluctantly pulling his hand away from Leslie’s grasp. The lingering warmth fueled more to his reluctance.
"Ti to sleep, lady."
Calix bent over the bed, reaching for the blanket to tuck Leslie in. The soft fabric rustled against her fra and the bedsheet.
"Good night, Calix... Oh, if you..."
Calix arched his brows, his eyes stayed on Leslie’s countenance, "Yes, Leslie? Do you need anything else?"
Leslie pressed her lips together, heat emanating from her cheeks as she recalled the thought that had just crossed her mind. After a mont of hesitation, she forced herself to speak.
"If you woke up from a nightmare again, you can... you can find here... I won’t kick you out ah..."
Stunned, Calix’s eyes widened slightly. Leslie’s flushed look was reflected in his clear orbs.
"Hehe, that’s a very reassuring offer. Thanks, Leslie."
Leslie slid further under the blanket, almost covering all of her face. She mumbled, "...I’m just being generous."
Calix let out a chuckle, entertained by Leslie’s antics. Reaching out a hand, he gently caressed the top of her head before letting his fingers brush her bangs.
The llowness of his eyes mirrored what his heart felt right now.
"I appreciate the thought. I really do."
"...okay."
Smiling in helplessness, Calix slowly left Leslie’s bedroom. They exchanged good night wishes and one last look before he finally walked out through the door.
Calix carried the image of Leslie’s bashful look even as he lay on his own bed. Staring blankly at the high ceiling, he recalled the quiet monts he shared with her just a mont ago.
"She’s worried about ."
More chuckles slipped out of Calix’s mouth as his heart beca lighter. Despite still being troubled by the uncanny nightmares disguised as dreams, he believed he would unearth the answers needed.
The man and the woman.
He had to find them. He had to disclose their identities.
They seed to co from an ordinary background. Then... why did they strangely appear in his dreams? Had they crossed paths before?
’Nah, stop thinking about them. You have to sleep, Calix.’
Shutting his eyelids, Calix silently prayed that he could sleep well tonight. He wanted to start his day feeling refreshed, not tired from nightmares.
But...
Unfortunately, his mind decided to go through an epiphany just a few seconds after he closed his eyes.
’Wait...’
Those dreams...
When did he start having them?
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