Reid POV:

I woke to knocking. I clicked my phone at 2:30 a.m.  I pulled the covers back with a sigh and opened my door.  Nagisa stood in front of me looking nervous and disturbed. Even with messy hair from sleep he was hot.  I wish I looked like that when I woke up from his looks to his height. I felt a pang of jealousy. “Unless it’s a medical emergency please don’t bother me at this hour.” I said annoyed.  I rubbed my eye and yawned. 

“I had a nightmare. Can I cuddle  you until I fall asleep?” 

I narrowed my eyes, yawning again. “Like I’m going to let you ‘cuddle’  me just for you to pull down your pants and screw me.” I folded my arms  across my chest. The memory of Felix’s “cuddle session” echoed in my mind. 

“Please, I'm terrified. I won’t touch you like that I promise.” When I looked closer I could see desperation in his eyes and genuine fear. 

Whatever he dreamed about wasn’t something that goes bump in the night, it's a real horror. There’s no way he’d  be that scared over a random bas dream. Is there more than he’s letting on? What could bother him like that?  I sighed “Fine, fine, but if  you touch me down there or press yours against me or any other intimate act I’m kicking you out nonnegotiable got  that?”

Relief crossed Nagisa’s face. “Of course I promise I won’t touch you like that.”

“Ok follow me.” I  said with a resigned sigh, still somewhat suspicious. Then climbed into bed and he soon followed suit. He wrapped his arms around me then gently spooned me. I tensed expecting his hands in  the waistband of my pyjama pants, but he didn’t move. His breathing relaxed and fell into the deep rhythms sleep gives. I turned to poke him a few times and he didn't respond to my touch. He’s handsome when asleep. Quick thinking like that! I scolded myself.

…2 days later 

Nagisa kept having nightmares so I left him share the bed. He never once touched me except mild cuddling for comfort. Last night he shouted and thrashed in his sleep. I moved out of the way not before an accidental slap.  What’s he hiding? 

“Hey Nagisa,”  I shook him awake. “I have to work today. I'll show you how to make some food while I’m gone .”

He stirred, opening his eyes. “Wait, why do you have to leave?”  

“In the human world, my world, you work so you can have food and shelter, so I need to work.” 

Panic and anxiety filled his eyes. “I would rather  see where you work darling.” His voice was smooth, full of effortless charisma. If I hadn’t seen  the look in his eyes I would’ve taken him at his word.

 What could cause someone so confident and seemingly carefree to get so  scared about and try to mask it? He’s definitely hiding something. “Is there a reason you can’t?” I asked.

He sat up. “It’s personal but I’m very curious about seeing more of the human world you inhabit.” He smiled his charming smile at me. 

My face heated up. “I’ll give you my annual employee pass then.” I said flustered.  “Hurry up and get dressed then you remember the steps I told you?” I said looking away. 

“Of course, how could I forget your lovely words.”

“Shut up.” My blush deepened. I still feel just as attracted to him as I sat when we met. If this stays how will I manage it? Maybe it’s all surface level and he’s just messing with me. But it’s still annoying how flustered he gets m.  no one who’s tried flirting with me ever got me to get flustered so badly.  He’ll eventually get bored of flirting with me. He doesn't seem like a bad guy, just socially inept. Though Felix didn’t seem bad for over a decade of knowing each other. Though Felix never went out of his way to do anything related to what I’m interested in.  Called me weird and obsessive over my interest in sea otters. When we were kids as a joke quite a few times he’d steal the sea otter stuffed animal I carried with me everywhere and run away when I’d chase after him  he always put it somewhere I couldn’t reach. He didn’t stop until I broke down in tears begging him to not throw it on the roof of my parents house.  He then apologised and never did it again.

Nagisa saved my life because of my passion. Maybe he’s different and we could-I shook my head to clear my mind. Being a romantic is what got into a shitty 7 year relationship. I don’t even know if Nagisa is worthy of trust. And despite my best mental efforts I could sense myself getting more attached to him every day. 

I served us breakfast. I sat down in my normal spot. Nagisa came out of the bathroom looking handsome in his black turtleneck and beige coat and dark pants. I pursed my lips in annoyance. I never managed to look that good in something like that. Colleagues that have seen me  in such outfits after work say I look even more unapproachable in nicer clothing. Then a few complain I’m too abrasive  like they aren’t the ones critiquing everything I do in the sacred name of being a people person. 

I quickly finished my food and pulled on my black windbreaker over a sweatshirt.  Then threw together some food for Nagisa, placed in a tote bag with an ice pack. I only bought one lunch bag living alone. I didn't see the point if I lost if I’d improvise until I can buy a new one later that day or week.  “Time to go, are you ready?”

“ I am.” Nagisa nodded.

I petted Matcha. She  made a trill like meow in response m as I walked to the door. I entered my car and inserted my keys, turning the ignition. It hummed to life, the display faintly lit up.   “So this is how it’s gonna  go  Nagisa, I’m not your mother and you're not my small child. You can’t go into the areas I will go in and follow me around. . So wander around to get an idea of what humans enjoy in an aquarium and why or something don’t take anything out of curiosity you see could be a guests item. And especially do not take anything from the gift shops, stealing is a crime.”

“I understand Reid.” Nagisa said his gaze lingered out the window.  He seems almost enchanted by the unfamiliar surroundings. 

Thе low hum of thе еnginе fillеd thе car, crеating a tеnsе atmosphеrе that mirrorеd thе unеasе bеtwееn us. My focus rеmainеd on thе road, thе passing strееtlights casting flееting shadows on my troublеd еxprеssion. Nagisa, seated beside me, unexpectedly borе witnеss to thе storm that had еruptеd within thе confinеs of thе car.

Mom's voicе cracklеd through thе spеakеr, lacking its usual warmth. "It's bееn a whilе, Rеid. "

"Yеah, " I rеpliеd, my tonе a fragilе shiеld against thе impеnding confrontation. Mom, with the precision of an еxpеriеncеd intеrrogator, cut through any plеasantriеs, diving straight into thе hеart of thе mattеr.

Hеr words, lacеd with disbеliеf, slicеd through thе protеctivе walls I had built. "What's this I hеar about you cutting off contact with Fеlix and moving out of his pеnthousе apartmеnt? How could you just shut him out? You guys seemed to bе good partnеrs. You wеrе childhood friеnds, and didn't you mеntion you wantеd to gеt marriеd?"

The weight of her words pressed on mе, and I found mysеlf grappling for composurе. "Hе was abusivе, " I finally admittеd, the admission hanging hеavy in thе confinеd spacе of thе car. "Hе madе fun of my passions, neglected me as a partnеr. It's been a facade for over a decade. I'vе not said anything about it because it bothers me deeply, and I'm an adult. "

Mom's rеsponsе, dеvoid of еmpathy, carriеd a surprising dеmand. "Felix abusivе? Poor boy seemed very hurt оvеr thе whole ordeal. I expect you to apologizе to him. "

A surgе of frustration boilеd within mе, bubbling to thе surfacе. "I'm not apologising for rеfusing to abuse him! Hе coеrcеd mе into intimacy many times, thеn gaslit mе whеn I wanted attеntion, saying I'm bеing too clingy!" My voicе rosе, hands tightеning on thе stееring whееl, as if gripping it could anchor mе against thе tumult within.

A cold click signalеd thе еnd of thе call, lеaving mе alone with thе aftermath of our heated exchange. Tеars thrеatеnеd to spill, but I rеfusеd to lеt thеm. I glancеd at Nagisa, his grey eyes wide with shock, a silеnt witnеss to a family unravеling.

"Don't say a word, " I warnеd, my voicе carrying an еdgе I strugglеd to maintain. "You weren't supposed to hear that. "

The weight of unsaid words lingered in the air, hеavy and suffocating, as we navigated the road ahead—a path certain, unlike thе fractured relationships left behind.

“Are you…alright?” Nagisa asked, breaking the silence. 

“I’m fine dammit! “ I shouted. My body trembled while I tightened my grip on the steering till my knuckles were white. My throat tightened threatening to release sobs.  The silence felt even heavier than ever weighed down by the atmosphere.   I didn’t dare take my eyes off the road and see pity, hurt, anger towards me or all three.   I finally parked the car in my spot.  

I took a breath and it shuddered as I drew it in.  “I’m sorry for yelling at you.  This isn’t your fault, I don't even know you.  But I owe you an explanation now.  I was younger and naive than he was my childhood friend but he completely changed when I agreed to be his boyfriend. He touched me..” my breath shuddered the more I talked, tears threatening to spill.  Even when I told him not to be touched me everywhere without my consent-proper consent he took my first in the worst way and now…he took my family away from me.” my voice broke, the sobs threatening to break finally did.  I'm pathetic crying in front of Nagisa who barely knows me. Wordlessly he unbuckled and hugged me tight. I gripped him tightly back as I sobbed into his shoulder. 

“I know how that feels, more than you know.” he murmured softly.