They stayed until his breathing evened out.
Long after Cassian's tears had dried and his trembling had stilled, Leonel and Aiden remained kneeling on the floor beside the bed, shoulders touching, watching over him like silent sentinels. When Cassian finally drifted off, exhausted and hollow, Leonel carefully lifted him onto the mattress, pulling the blanket over his shoulders. Aiden turned off the lamp, leaving only the soft glow of streetlight through the curtains.
For a long moment, they stood there, side by side, staring at Cassian's sleeping face pale, bruised, peaceful only in the absence of wakefulness.
"He's not okay," Aiden whispered.
Leonel didn't answer. He just reached out and gently brushed a stray lock of hair from Cassian's forehead. "I know."
They lingered a while longer, as if their presence alone could keep the nightmares away. Only when Cassian's breath grew deep and steady did they finally step back.
"Let's go," Leonel murmured.
