Harry wakes up in a cold sweat. His heart is beating out of his chest, and for some reason, he's terrified. He reaches for Nick blindly, digging his fingers into the smooth fabric of his shirt.

His movements wake Nick up instantly, like he knows Harry needs him. He barely has time to let out a whimper before Nick is surrounding him, encompassing him, while at the same time pushing away the fear that is still gnawing at the edges of his brain.

"Harry, 's okay, I've got you," Nick mumbles sleepily. He's barely conscious, but his first instinct is still to protect Harry - god, what did he do to deserve him?

Harry is reminded of a word he'd heard the other week, latibule. He only recalls it since at the time he had no idea what it had meant, so he'd looked it up when he had a spare moment. Its definition had instantly made him think of Nick. He's his hiding place, his safety, even if they're thousands of miles apart.

"I'm alright, sorry...just a bad dream. It's fading now," Harry blushes sheepishly. He hasn't had a true nightmare in quite some time, at least not one that's left him this shaken. Nick doesn't seem to mind being woken at all though, if anything, he just holds Harry tighter.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Nick suggests after a few minutes of silence during which Harry tries to slow his ragged breathing pattern to match the steady pace of Nick's.

"I - I don't remember most of it, you just...weren't there, and I was alone. It sounds silly when I say it out loud."

"You're not being silly love," Nick assures him instantly. "Did I tell you about that one dream I had where the dust came out of the hoover and turned into a monster? I was terrified. Don't think I touched the hoover for a whole week after it," he chuckles softly.

"You did mention it," Harry laughs, remembering Nick's colorful narration of his nightmare. "It did sound quite scary though, I mean - dust monsters could be a very big threat. How would you get rid of them? Can't really hurt them, and if they come out of the hoover, then trying to hoover them back up wouldn't work either."

"Exactly!" Nick exclaims. "I knew you'd get it, and I want to do the same for you. Whatever's bothering you, you can tell me, whether it's something real or a dust monster."

Harry smiles gratefully, his insides twisting into knots as he tries to decipher what exactly is going on in his head. "I - did you mean what you said the other day?" Harry blurts out suddenly, earning himself a confused look from Nick as an answer.

"Need to be a bit more specific than that darling, I talk quite a lot."

"About...about us and children? Do you really think we can have a kid together eventually?" Harry asks in almost a whisper.

He isn't sure why this is the issue he's chosen to focus on, but it is pressing in a manner of speaking. Spending so much time with Rose has reminded Harry of how much he truly does want a child someday, but he isn't sure if it will ever be possible, especially not if he has to keep Nick a secret from the world.

"Of course I did. I want to do everything with you, including having kids, as long as that's what you want too."

"It is," Harry answers instantly, "I'm just...what if it doesn't work out? We can't raise a kid like this, I won't hide them, but...I -" Harry can't continue speaking due to the lump that's formed in his throat. No matter how hard he tries to swallow it away, it's growing by the second, but he refuses to let a dream reduce him to tears.

"Darling, hey...calm down yeah," Nick soothes him, his fingers petting through his unruly curls in a calming gesture that allows Harry to take a deep breath. "It's okay to be scared, I am too honestly. But I'm here, and we're together. We'll figure it out when the time comes."

Harry nods slowly, trying to decipher why he's so upset all of a sudden. He can't even place his finger on what exactly the dream had been about anymore. All he can recall is a feeling, an ache deep inside of him, an emptiness that he's only experienced a few times in his life, once when he thought he had lost Nick forever. He can't bear for that to happen again, and even though he trusts Nick, sometimes he's so afraid that they'll fall victim to one of the many traps that litter the path leading forward.

"Come here love," Nick whispers as he pulls him into his arms. Harry relaxes as he hears Nick's heartbeat filling his ear, drowning out the intense sensation of loss that he has no reason to be experiencing. "You're alright, you're safe. Try and get some more sleep now yeah? We can talk in the morning."

Harry tries to reply, but he can't think of the words he needs to describe how thankful he is for not only Nick's comfort, but for the other man in general. When Nick starts humming what sounds like Sweet Creature under his breath, Harry turns his face into his shirt and sniffles quietly, letting his eyes slip shut as Nick continues to stroke his hair in a steady cadence.

Harry rarely lets himself break, to show his weakness to anyone, but when he does, Nick is always there to pick him back up, to give him a shoulder to cry on, or an outstretched hand to help him regain his feet. He knows that his fears are foolish, that he and Nick can overcome anything that is thrown their way, but still, he's nervous about what is to come. Harry wants so much, but he refuses to hurt Nick with his needs, and he has no idea what is the best thing to do that will protect the both of them.