Drenched in sweat, a flinch chasing through your body, you tore your eyes open in the dead of night. Your breath hitched, air burned inside your lungs from the panic that made you forget how to breathe properly.

Silence greeted you, calm and cozy.

Your gaze wandered along the wooden ceiling, long beams supported the roof together with plants that had found their way into the warm home and hung like a veil of green.

Right above your head was a gigantic window, so large that it gave an entire view of the starry sky, at the verge of a cliff from which a waterfall fell into unknown depths.

The heavy sound of gushing water soothed your mind but still failed to make the beating of your heart calm down.

Even though this place was your home for many moons now, you failed to feel safe in these walls. The memory of the nightmare was too real, too frightening.

With bated breath, afraid that a single sound could summon the horrors of Helheim, you turned around in the moss-covered pit, which was like a bed of green and nature while veils of colourful silk danced with the gentle wind.

As you turned you found yourself facing the back of a large man. Dark brown hair fell over his broad shoulders, decorated by small beads and golden rings.

His scent tickled your nose, somewhat like a forest after a spring shower and the wide landscape of flowers that you knew from your home world Jötunheim.

His calm breath echoed inside your ears. He was sleeping. Of course, whenever he found a moment of calm he would take a rest. That was what made his mind so resistible against all kinds of evils like nightmares. He was able to control it. He did not fear.

Your eyes flickered as you realised that it was him and not a strange who lay next to you. A long breath escaped your lips.

"Tyr...", you whispered as you snuggled up against him, your hands on his back to bury them in his blue cotton shirt.

He moved, awakened by the sudden warmth of a touch and the feeling of hands against his back. His head rose halfheartedly, still tired and trapped in the world of dreams.

Yet a small smile appeared on his bearded face.

"Do you have trouble sleeping, Helchild?", he asked as he threw a glance over his shoulder.

At the nickname, you curled your nose and pressed your face into his back to hide a smile.

Ever since he had found you in a snowstorm, at the verge of death, he called you Helchild as to never forget the place of your first fated meeting.

You hated it since everything that was connected to Helheim in a way send shivers down your spine. Yet it was the most comforting, loving thing anyone had ever gifted you.

"I had a nightmare...", you whispered as you took a deep breath and inhaled his scent.

He turned to his back, one of his arms slid under your neck so that you could rest your head on his shoulder.

Try was only a giant by half his blood, the other half was Aesir, godly. Yet his physical appearance reminded you a whole lot of your people. He was taller than any man in Asgard, with wide shoulders and long hair that he kept open at all times.

You hated to see it all tangled up and messy so every day before he was awake enough to resist you brushed it. Sometimes, just to tease him, you braided a few strands.

He let you do so. His mind was one of calmness and patience and sometimes he even smiled softly. As if he enjoyed it.

But you did not dare to think of such a thing. He merely tolerated you. And in return you payed off your lifelong debt that you owed him.

He saved your life. The least you could do was share your knowledge.

It was one of the many reasons why you appreciated his companionship a lot despite Tyr being a son of Odin, a brother of Thor, the two men who were responsible for your people's extinction.

"A nightmare...", Tyr hummed and pulled you closer.

Out of reflex your hands rested on his chest. With your legs curled up, snuggled against his torso, you let out a deep sigh as your eyes wandered up to the ceiling where the soft silver shimmer of the moon was reflected.

"Do you ever dream of ill things, lord Tyr?", you asked.

He chuckled. It was such a soft, warm sound that it immediately took away all the sorrow and weight that weighted down on your heart.

"I am half giant.", he simply said. "You should know best what I am able to dream about."

Softly, you smiled, both amused by his confidence and misled beliefs.

"Not every giant is able to dream of the future, you know. Some dream of emptiness. Others of wishes. Some dream for themselves and some for others."

"Truly?", his arm around you tightened.

Now you were so close that you could feel his heartbeat against your ear, calm, consistent.

"You know all of these things already. You just want to be humoured by me."

"Perhaps.", he smiled. "Perhaps, I just enjoy you talk."

You sighed and closed your eyes, calmed enough by his comfort to attempt to fall asleep again.

"What could a simple giant teach you, lord Tyr?", you asked and yawned.

He shifted slightly, not entirely to his side but enough to let you snuggle up against his chest. He knew how it made you feel safe. It was like sleeping against a wall, protected by nature itself.

"I told you already. There is no need to call me lord, Helchild.", he whispered and let his chin rest on top of your head. "We are equals. Well... perhaps not. You are more giant than me."

Tired, you tried to open your eyes to glance at him. But your mind already drifted off again.

"You are... more god than me...", you sighed. "Tyr..."