The Lies Of Dawn

C H A P T E R 24

One month later.

Celia woke up to the feeling of something purring against her. The sound was slight but her senses had heightened during the past month.

Ax's nightmares were the cause, in case you were wondering.

She woke up every single night to find him drenched in sweat, screaming Mick's name. Each time she would stop herself from remembering and try to help him instead. His wounds were still open while hers had healed, leaving only scars behind. She would whisper soothing words to him as she held him, letting his body feel her presence.

He fell silent every time he found himself back in the real world, away from the blood and the smiling face that just couldn't let him be. He wrapped his arms tightly around her small form as if he was afraid she would disappear if his hold was a anything less than suffocating.

She was able to bring him back from the darkness. She took him away from the terrors hiding inside the black abyss, albeit momentarily.

Celia would run her long slender fingers through his ebony coloured hair and his eyes would close instinctively.

Their nights were filled with pain, his, hers it didn't matter.

They couldn't tell it apart.

Yet, the moment the sun found its place in the sky all would be forgotten. Ax would pretend he that nothing had changed. He would go to work, spend hours on the cars and the bikes that needed his touch and then he would return and slowly his nightmares would creep back up.

It was a vicious circle.

Celia opened her eyes only to find a small, underdeveloped kitten having curled up next to her. Her questioning gaze fell on Ax who only shrugged in response before deciding to gift her with a reply. "Hera found it under one of the cars, hiding from the rain." He explained. "I decided to bring it here. It would have died otherwise..." He trailed off.

And I already have one death on my conscience. He never said those words but he felt their presence in the room. Their guest was the only one not realizing the tension. The cat had already fallen under Celia's spell, seeing as it couldn't take its eyes off of her.

Hera had reacted in the exact same manner.

"Would you mind introducing us?" She asked the mechanic softly while petting the grey fur of the cat gently. She didn't spare him a glance but he saw the sorrow hiding behind them.

"Name it whatever you'd like." Unconsciously, he rubbed his jawline with his knuckles softly, his stubble scratching his flesh. "It's your cat, after all." He grabbed her jaw roughly, unable to stop himself. He crashed their lips together in a punishing kiss. He kissed her until he could remember when his last breath had left his body until he forgot where she began and he ended.

"Congratulations, it's a boy." Celia proclaimed, a few minutes later, after lifting the animal's tail and checking, something Ax would have done himself had he not felt like he was overstepping some boundaries. "I'm naming him Alexander." There was a strange twinkle in her eyes.

"You're joking." Ax commented dryly. "Alexander?" The kitten responded with a light mewl, even though the question was not directed at it.

"You told me to name him whatever I'd like. I like Alexander, it's a strong name, fit for a survivor like this one." Somehow it felt like she wasn't necessarily talking about the cat.

Alexander it is, then, he agreed silently.

Ax left without another word to get some milk for the poor animal. He made his way to the kitchen, stopping a couple of times on the way just so he could steal a glance at Celia.