Chapter 176: 173: Midnight; seeing you was a coincidence

“Urk..!“ With a start, the man sat up, eyes blown wide, pupils shrunken and wavy raven locks sticking to his face, sweat-slicked.

Huff. Huff.

Soundless gasps spilled from his lips, throat parched as cold sweat drenched his shirt, the fabric clinging to his back uncomfortably.

The man panted, trying to catch his breath as his heart thundered against his chest, threatening to jump out of his ribcage as the hazy images of that nightmare kept returning in front of his eyes every time he tried closing them.

Beads of cold sweat trickled down his temples, clinging desperately to his long lashes as his lips fell open, short gasps cutting his respiration.

The man's chest rose and fell, an erratic rhythm settled in his breathing as he pulled aside the duvet and tossed it into some dark corner of the room. He brought his knees to his chest, looping his arms around them as he pressed his face on his knees and tried to regulate his breathing.