Nani Wakes Up
Nani woke to silence.
A deafening, suffocating silence.
His body felt leaden, like he was sinking into the mattress, each limb too heavy to move. A dull, throbbing pain pulsed through his side-familiar, yet distant, as if his body had chosen to numb what should have killed him.
His breath hitched.
Where-?
His eyes shot open, but the sudden light sent knives through his skull. A choked sound escaped his throat as he squeezed them shut again, his fingers curling against the sheets. The scent of herbs and antiseptic clung to the air, sterile and unfamiliar.
Not home.
Stormveil.
The attack.
His chest tightened. The memories crashed down like an avalanche-gunfire, snarls, the metallic sting of blood. His father disappearing into the chaos. The searing pain when the bullet hit. The impact. Falling.
He had fallen.
Someone had saved him.
His fingers trembled as he forced himself upright. His body screamed in protest, pain lancing through his ribs, but he barely noticed. The panic was already rising, crawling up his throat like a noose.
Where was everyone?
"Win?" His voice cracked, barely more than a whisper. "Pond? Dew?"
No answer.
His heartbeat stuttered. His breathing quickened. He swung his legs over the side of the bed, the world tilting violently around him. His vision blurred, his body weak, but he didn't care.
He had to find them.
The door creaked open.
Nani barely registered the figure before he lunged, his fingers clutching at them with all the strength he had left.
"Where's my father?" His grip was weak, but his voice was sharp, raw, desperate. "Where's-where's Dew? Pond? Win?"
His breath came faster, ragged, panic curling around his ribs like barbed wire. He needed answers. He needed to know they were alive.
The figure steadied him, hands firm but careful. "Nani-"
That voice.
Nani's chest caved in.
Sky.
The moment recognition set in, something inside him snapped.
The carefully constructed walls-the ones he had spent years perfecting-crumbled in an instant.
His hands shook harder, his chest heaving as something ugly and helpless clawed up his throat. He wasn't supposed to be like this. He wasn't supposed to break.
But his father was missing.
Dew was dying.
Win and Pond-
His knees buckled.
And Sky caught him.
---
Sky didn't hesitate.
The moment Nani's body gave out, he was there, arms wrapping securely around him.
Nani barely registered it-his breath was coming too fast, his body trembling so violently it felt like he was falling apart from the inside out.
Father
Dew
Win
Pond
Were they alive?
His fingers curled weakly into Sky's shirt, his grip barely there. "Tell me they're okay," he choked out, voice raw, desperate, pleading. "Tell me-"
Sky didn't answer immediately. Instead, he lifted him effortlessly, cradling him close.
Nani didn't fight it.
He couldn't.
His body was too weak-his mind unraveling too fast. He pressed his forehead against Sky's shoulder, barely aware of the way his own breath hitched, of the way his Omega instincts betrayed him, seeking warmth, seeking safety.
The scent of Alpha wrapped around him, strong and grounding, but it didn't soothe the terror twisting inside him.
"They're alive, Nani," Sky murmured, voice low and steady, like a promise carved into stone.
Nani gasped sharply, a sob breaking free before he could stop it.
His hands fisted into Sky's shirt. The relief hurt.
The tears came fast, silent but uncontrollable, spilling down his cheeks as his body trembled violently.
His breath hitched, breaking on every exhale, everything-the fear, the pain, the helplessness-caving in all at once.
Sky didn't let go.
He sat on the edge of the bed, still holding him close, his grip unyielding but warm. His hand pressed against the back of Nani's head, his touch steady, grounding.
A solid presence in the storm.
For the first time in his life-Nani let himself be small.
He clung to Sky, breath shuddering, tears soaking into his shirt.
His mind screamed at him to stop. To pull away. To be strong.
But right now-he couldn't.
And Sky didn't let go.
Not now.
Not ever.
----
The storm inside him didn't pass quickly.
Even as his sobs faded, his breath remained uneven, each inhale still shaky, each exhale laced with exhaustion. His body felt fragile in a way it never had before, like the weight of everything might crush him if he let go too soon.
But Sky didn't let go.
He stayed.
Strong. Steady. Warm.
Nani clung to that warmth, to the solid presence grounding him when everything else felt like it was slipping through his fingers. His fingers were still curled into Sky's shirt, unwilling to release the one thing that felt real in this moment.
Minutes passed in silence-just the quiet rhythm of their breathing, the steady thump of Sky's heart beneath Nani's ear. He didn't realize how much he needed it until now.
Sky didn't rush him. Didn't say anything to break the moment.
He just held him.
Safe.
Nani's grip loosened slightly, his body finally, finally beginning to relax. Not completely, but enough. Enough for the panic to retreat, enough for the world to feel a little less suffocating.
Sky shifted slightly, his hand sliding up to rest against the back of Nani's head, fingers threading into his hair in a slow, absentminded motion. It was soothing, unintentional, but it sent a warmth curling through Nani's chest that he didn't quite understand.
"You're back," Sky murmured, voice low and rough.
Nani blinked slowly, his lashes damp, his breath catching at the softness in Sky's tone.
Not pity. Not condescension.
Just warmth. Just understanding.
Something inside him wavered.
The weight of everything settled over him again, but it didn't crush him this time. It just sat there, heavy but manageable, no longer unbearable.
His father was alive. His friends-alive.
Dew-
His chest tightened again, but Sky's fingers gently carding through his hair kept him from sinking back into the panic.
He swallowed hard, voice barely above a whisper. "I need to see them."
Sky didn't let go, but he pulled back just enough to meet Nani's gaze. His golden eyes were sharp as always, but there was something softer in them now, something that made Nani's breath stutter.
"You will," Sky promised, voice steady. "But not yet."
Nani opened his mouth to argue, but Sky's hand at the back of his head shifted, fingertips pressing lightly against his nape.
"You need to rest first."
Nani clenched his jaw. "I'm not weak."
"I know."
The response was immediate. No hesitation, no placating tone. Just quiet certainty.
"But even the strongest need time to breathe."
Nani's throat tightened. He wanted to push back, to tell Sky he didn't understand, that he couldn't afford to stop. But he did understand.
That was the problem.
Sky sighed, his thumb brushing lightly against the curve of Nani's shoulder in a touch that felt almost... tender.
"I'm not keeping you from them," he said, voice quieter now. "Just... let yourself catch up first."
Nani exhaled shakily, his fingers curling slightly against Sky's chest before finally-finally-letting go.
Sky shifted then, moving with practiced ease, one arm sliding beneath Nani's legs, the other supporting his back as he lifted him effortlessly.
Nani barely processed the movement until he was being lowered back onto the bed, Sky's warmth lingering even as he adjusted the blankets around him with the same quiet care.
"You're ridiculous," Nani mumbled, voice hoarse.
Sky huffed, the ghost of a chuckle. "And you're stubborn."
A pause. Then-
"Just rest, Nani."
Nani swallowed, his body sinking deeper into the mattress, the exhaustion pressing down harder now that he wasn't fighting it.
"I don't think I can," he admitted.
Sky didn't answer right away. Instead, he reached out, fingers brushing lightly against Nani's wrist before settling there, warm and steady.
"Then just stay still," he murmured.
Another pause.
"Breathe."
It was such a simple thing, but the way Sky said it-low and steady, as if his own breath could guide Nani's-made it impossible to ignore.
So Nani breathed.
Slow. Deep.
And Sky stayed.
For the first time in what felt like forever-
Nani let himself rest.
---
Soft murmurs drifted through the quiet room, breaking the stillness. Nani stirred, his body sluggish, his mind floating between exhaustion and wakefulness. The warmth beside him was gone—Sky must have left at some point—but the lingering scent of pine and something distinctly Alpha remained.
Then—footsteps.
A familiar scent.
Two, actually.
The door creaked open, and before Nani could fully sit up, a heavy weight crashed onto the bed.
"Damn it, Nani!"
Pond.
His tone wasn't loud, but it carried something sharp beneath it—frustration, relief, maybe even the lingering echo of fear. His arms wrapped around Nani's shoulders in a firm, almost crushing grip before he quickly pulled back, as if making sure he wasn't hurting him.
"You scared the hell out of us," he muttered.
Another presence lingered just behind him.
Nani looked up—
Win.
He didn't move as fast as Pond, but his sharp gaze swept over Nani, taking in the bandages, the paleness of his face. His usual unreadable expression didn't crack, but something about the way his fingers curled slightly at his sides gave him away.
"I'm fine," Nani said, shifting slightly to sit up.
Pond scoffed. "You were unconscious for hours."
Win's eyes flickered. "That's not fine."
Nani exhaled, rolling his eyes. "I just lost some blood. I'll be fine in a few days."
Pond crossed his arms, unimpressed. "That's still not fine, dumbass."
Nani pressed his lips together, but his chest felt lighter.
For all their complaints, their voices—their presence—made everything feel normal again.
He reached out, giving Pond's shoulder a light shove. "You're being dramatic."
Pond glared. "You're being an idiot."
Win hummed, stepping closer. His hand rested briefly against Nani's wrist—a quiet reassurance—before he let go. "At least you're awake."
Nani huffed. "Of course, I am."
Then Pond smirked. "So… Sky, huh?"
Nani groaned. "I just woke up. Can we not?"
Win's lips twitched. "No."
Pond grinned. "Absolutely not."
Nani already regretting waking up.
Then—
Nani's fingers curled into the blanket.
"…What about Dew?"
The teasing atmosphere vanished in an instant.
Pond and Win exchanged a glance—too quick, but not quick enough for Nani to miss it.
His stomach clenched. "Tell me."
Win exhaled, his voice calm but careful. "He's alive."
The breath Nani hadn't realized he was holding escaped, but the relief was short-lived.
Pond leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Barely." His voice was tight, uncharacteristically subdued. "Nani, he almost didn't make it."
Something cold settled in Nani's chest.
Wolfsbane.
A normal wound could be healed, but wolfsbane poisoning—it was slow, painful, deadly. Even an Alpha's resilience wasn't enough to fight it alone.
His pulse pounded. "How bad?"
Win's expression darkened. "It was in his bloodstream too long. His body was shutting down." He hesitated. "If we'd been found even a few minutes later…"
He didn't finish. He didn't need to.
Nani's grip on the blanket tightened.
Dew—dying. Alone, helpless, while the rest of them were barely holding on. The image made his stomach twist violently.
"Then how—?" His voice caught. "Who found you?"
This time, neither of them answered immediately.
Pond leaned back, arms crossing over his chest. Win pressed his lips together.
Nani frowned. "What?"
"…It was the vampire."
Nani blinked. "What?"
Pond exhaled. "The one from the Stormveil meeting. Tee."
Nani stiffened.
Tee.
The vampire they'd barely spoken to—the one who had sat quietly beside Sky, observing but never interfering.
Nani frowned. "You're saying he saved you?"
Pond shook his head. "No." He looked away, brows furrowing. "I'm saying he saved Dew."
Nani's pulse skipped.
"What do you mean?"
Win was the one who answered. "When Sky, Bright, and Tee found us, it was Tee who moved first." He exhaled slowly. "And he went straight to Dew."
Pond nodded. "Didn't hesitate. Didn't ask. Just acted." His brows furrowed deeper, like he was still trying to make sense of it. "It was like—like it wasn't even a choice. Like he had to."
Something strange curled in Nani's chest.
Tee—vampire's elder—reacted like that?
More than instinct. More than duty.
Like something deeper.
"…Did he say anything?"
Win shook his head. "No. But he didn't let go of Dew the entire time."
Pond exhaled, rubbing a hand over his face. "That's not even the craziest part."
Nani tensed. "…What?"
Pond's jaw clenched. "He bit him."
The room went still.
Nani's breath caught. "What?"
Win met his gaze, steady and unreadable. "Tee bit Dew," he repeated. "He didn't just try to save him—he turned him."
The words crashed into Nani like a wave.
His pulse pounded in his ears.
A vampire's bite—one strong enough to change a werewolf.
Nani's voice was barely a whisper. "…Is Dew—?"
"No." Win shook his head. "He's still a werewolf. But…" He hesitated. "He's different now."
Nani swallowed hard.
Tee's desperation. His refusal to let go.
The answer was obvious.
Too obvious.
"…You don't think—"
Pond cut in, voice unusually quiet.
"We don't think, Nani." His gaze was steady, sure. "We know."
Silence stretched between them.
And in that silence, the truth settled.
Tee wasn't just anyone.
Tee was Dew's mate.