Na Ran widened his eyes, holding his breath. Tunshe Nalin, who didn’t breathe, remained still, and the room was eerily quiet. The only sound was the pounding of his own heartbeat — thump… thump… thump, echoing like thunder.
“God… Godfather…” His mouth was dry, and he swallowed nervously, his voice barely audible, like a mosquito buzzing. “What… what are you doing here?” The boy, just awakened from his dream, looked like a little fox caught by a predator, dazed and unknowingly exuding a bone-deep allure. Tunshe Nalin felt as though claws were lightly scratching at every bone in his body, even his throat itching unbearably.
He gritted his teeth, stretched out his hand, and pinched the boy’s small nose. “Naturally, I came to see how you were sleeping. Didn’t I tell you before? Don’t cover your head while you sleep?”
As he reached out, the boy was completely covered by his shadow. His heartbeat quickened, and as he caught the familiar, cool scent of sandalwood, his spine began to soften. He pouted and, in a soft and sweet voice, said, “Isn’t it because Godfather won’t sleep with me anymore? Ugh, I’m scared…”
Tunshe Nalin was silent for a moment: “What are you afraid of?”
His voice was much hoarser than usual, damp, which made it remind him of a nighttime beach, giving Tunshe Nalin a sense of unfamiliarity. One of his hands reached out from the blanket and carefully grabbed his adoptive father’s sleeve: “Sometimes, I have strange nightmares, with sharp-hatted ghosts in red robes. They grab me, bite me…”
Before he could finish his sentence, his body was suddenly scooped up and pulled into a cold yet solid embrace, held tightly. Tunshe Nalin’s arms were so strong, it felt as though he was being crushed into his bones, leaving him nearly unable to breathe.
“Why didn’t you tell me sooner… that you had such nightmares?” The voice in his ear was even more hoarse than before and seemed to tremble slightly.
The long-awaited embrace came suddenly, like a much-needed rain after a long drought. Na Ran felt his head spinning. “I… I just didn’t know how to say it…” — After he had an erotic dream that time and got it on with Tunshe Nalin, he never slept with him again. How could he not feel embarrassed to ask him if they could sleep together again because he was afraid to sleep alone at night due to nightmares?
He tightened his arms around him, put his hands around the back of his neck, and embedded his fingers in his hair: “From now on, I will watch over you while you sleep, just like when you were little, alright?”
Na Ran was stunned for a moment, then nodded hurriedly. His spine became weaker and weaker, and he seemed to melt in Tunshe Nalin’s arms. Thunder rumbled in his chest, one after another, more and more urgent, giving the young boy great courage. He asked rashly, “God, Godfather, did you see my drawing tonight?”
He felt that Tunshe Nalin had tilted his face slightly, his tall nose touching his cheek, and his lips close to his ear: “En. Very well drawn.”
The voice was familiar, but it was a tone he had never heard before. It was very strange and very tempting. Na Ran’s breath trembled, his heart felt hot, and a heat spread from his chest upwards. His ears, cheeks, and face were all flushed. He pursed his lips and said, “So, does Godfather like it?”
The hand on the back of his neck tightened again: “I like it. I like it very much.”
