An Angel in the Dark

22- I like this side of him

Aurora's POV

A warm hand lands on my shoulder and yanks me out of sleep. Sweat is running down my forehead as my shirt clutches against my body. Xander's silver eyes pierce through the air and into my soul. I know the look he's giving me all too well. Ryan used to give me that look almost every night.

I must've had a nightmare. 

"I'm sorry for waking you up," I mumble. 

"I wasn't sleeping." 

"Then I'm sorry for disturbing you." My throat is sore as my voice is hoarse from the screaming I must've been doing. 

"What was it about?"

"Huh?"

"The nightmare, what was it about?" 

"I- I don't remember. Why do you even care?" I ask as I pull away from his hold. For a split second, Xander looks away from me as he gazes over the room with a hint of fear in his eyes. His eyes meet mine again as sadness paints his features. 

"Cuz I have them too." He gives me a sad smile before walking off to his desk. Out of one of the desk drawers, he pulls out a pink little box with a pink bow on it. "Don't tell anyone I have this, okay?" I nod as he walks over to me before taking a spot on the couch, by my feet. 

"What is it?" Xander looks from right to left like he is trying to find someone who would tell on him. He cups his mouth with one of his hands as he leans closer to me.

"Candy," he whispers with a playful grin on his lips.

I've never seen this side to Xander. Now he acts more like a child than a king. It makes him more human-like? Maybe I'm just imagining things but I do like this side of him more. 

We sit quietly on the couch as we munch on the delicious sweets. I haven't had anything as sweet as this in my mouth before. The sugar dances on my tongue as I moan softly. 

"So what are your nightmares about?" I ask with candy in my mouth, causing my question to be a little muffled. 

"The war." 

I don't need to know more. No, I don't want to know more. I already know it all, although I can't imagine what it must've been like to actually be there. To see all those lives taken away. We call it The War even though it wasn't our war. In Slephis it was called World War III. Xander must've been one of the child rescuers. 

'Let the grown-ups kill each other, just save the children!' the former Kings order led. A famous quote, found in every history book. 

"But I'm okay now, I haven't had a nightmare in months now." He forces a smile onto his lips. At this point my brain has stopped working and I'm following my heart.

I crawl closer to him before wrapping my arms around his waist, trying my best to give him comfort. For a split second he freezes up, every muscle in his body tensing up under my touch. Then his arms wrap around my small body as he tightens the hug.