Chapter Text
Kenshi was running.
Running.
Running and racing.
He felt- He felt cold. Sweat dripping down his body.
Why was he running? Why did he feel so unsafe? At unease?
Where was he? Why was it so dark? His legs ached, they hurt, he wanted to stop running, running, running-!
But he couldn't! He couldn't stop running - Why couldn't he stop running?!
Because they'd get him.
No, no, he left them behind. He had the power now - He always did!
No, not him, him.
Johnny? No, no, they wouldn't - They couldn't!
Kenshi would stop it, he'd be there, he'd - Where was Johnny? Was that what he was running to? Or was he running from?
Why was he running? His chest hurt, the air felt too cold, it all felt -
Kenshi sprung up frantically, gasping heavily. He rubbed his eyes, or where they would be, before holding his head.
It all felt too real.
He hated those nightmares, despised them. Johnny was fine, the Yakuza wouldn't get him . . . He'd make sure of it.
Kenshi felt to his right, where Johnny was supposed to sleep.
Supposed was a keyword.
The bed felt empty, cold beside him. Where was Johnny? It wasn't often for him to get up this early. Was he on a morning run? Or workout? No, he'd wake up Kenshi too.
He wasn't taken, was he?
No, no, that was such a silly thought . . .
So why did it plague Kenshi's mind?
What if someone had taken him? While Kenshi was asleep? When Kenshi couldn't save him?
Kenshi sprung out of bed, practically falling out in the process. He, not so gracefully, untangled himself from the blankets. He began to loosely feel around his bedside table. Where was Sento?
Fuck, right, they placed it back in its nice spot in the living room, so Kenshi wouldn't be 100% hindered on it at home.
Kenshi shouted, "Johnny!?"
And yet no one came.
He wasn't expecting anyone to come. But maybe a shout back, or Johnny heard his fall. It disproved that he was doing his morning facial routine.
How early was it? His alarm hadn't gone off. But he didn't really care about the time right now. Right now, he needed to find his husband.
Kenshi was many things, some good, some bad.
But he wasn't helpless.
Panicking, sure. Frustrated, a bit honestly.
But he had to think calmly, or he was about to burst into tears.
Kenshi scrambled up, stumbling as he ran. He normally didn't stumble, he knew the house well. But with the franticness, the panic, the need to know that his love was okay-
And yet here he was, running again.
When he reached the living room, he almost went for Sento, which seemed to be calling their frantic grandchild.
But then he smelt it. it smelt delicious, a nice, warm fragrance in the air.
And music from the kitchen, some song Johnny liked to play while cooking.
Hell, he was even singing along to it, Kenshi could hear him.
So he skipped Sento, running straight towards the kitchen.
"Cage?!" Kenshi called, receiving an almost girly scream in surprise.
"Kenshi! You scared me, why are you-"
But Johnny didn't have time to finish his sentence. Because before he knew it, Kenshi had already tackled him with a hug.
He felt safe, relieved, and almost small. No, he didn't want to regress!! Not right now!
"Woah!" Johnny exclaimed, avoiding the hot stove. "Kenshi what the fuck?! You almost burnt . . . me. I- Shit, you okay?"
No, no Kenshi wasn't okay.
But at the same time, he was. His Dada was safe, and he was safe, and all those panicky icky feelings had calmed down.
Kenshi buried into Johnny's shoulder, "Bad dream."
"Scary dream?" Johnny asked, receiving a small sniffle and nod. "What headspace are we in, Ken?"
Kenshi didn't want to admit that he was small. He really didn't. He couldn't protect Johnny if he was small, he couldn't save him.
But he also knew better than to lie to Johnny.
So he just whined, shaking his head. Johnny caught on, Kenshi didn't often regress after nightmares. More choosing to go meditate. but he seemed scared, shakey. He couldn't blame him, Kenshi's nightmares got incredibly dark sometimes.
Johnny turned off the stove, bringing Kenshi into a proper hug. Where they stayed for a soft while, swaying back and forth.
Kenshi couldn't cry. He physically wasn't able to.
He didn't even know why he wanted to cry.
But he did, he really did.
So, he did.
It was easy to tell when Kenshi was 'crying'. His lips would start quivering, and his face would get red, and his sounds sounded heartbreaking.
Johnny hated those sounds.
He hated how it stung too. Tear productors working, and yet nowhere to go.
Even as Kenshi's tears died down, he refused to let go of Johnny. His grip tight, almost too tight for Johnny.
"Hey," Johnny almost whispered, "You ready to tell Dada what's bugging you? or do you wanna save it for later?"
"Just . . . bad dream," Kenshi mumbled out. "Scary bad dream."
"It sounds really scary, it made my tough guy cry," Johnny kissed Kenshi's head. "I'll have to beat that dream up for messing with you."
Kenshi laughed-huffed at that. Dada was so silly at times, but he did make him feel better.
Kenshi didn't know if he should tell Johnny. He could wait till he was bigger but . . .
"I was running, and I couldn't see," Kenshi explained, "Didn't have Sento with me. And I couldn't find you! Didn't know what I was running from, or to, but it felt- It felt like they were gonna get you! And I woke up and you weren't there, you were gone! And- . . . Was a little scary."
"A little? That sounds very scary," Johnny said. He wasn't going to let Kenshi downplay his nightmare. "But it's all fine now, okay? No ones coming to get neither me or you. We're safe, Baby."
Kenshi nodded, although he didn't look convinced. He did, however, loosen his grip on Johnny.
"I'm sorry for not being there when you woke up, I was making us pancakes!" Johnny explained, gesturing to the stove. "Thought we could use something yummy this morning."
"S'otay, 'm not mad or anything," Kenshi moved to cling to Johnny's arm. "Just . . ."
"Icky?" Johnny asked, receiving a small nod. Icky could mean many things, but he wasn't going to press. "Do you want some cuddles?"
"What about breakfast?" Kenshi asked.
"They're not finished yet, do you want to help me?" Johnny asked, receiving a head shake. Kenshi dug his face into Johnny's shoulder, practically stealing one of Johnny's arm. "You want me to finished up?"
"Yummy treat," Kenshi mumbled. "We should have strawberries too."
"Strawberries and pancakes it is," Johnny kissed Kenshi's temple, turning the stove back on.