He recognizes the need to self-soothe in Rama by the way he tries to find ways to touch him. He only somewhat understood it before, assuming there was something about the touch that made the anxiety lessen. Now however he senses there’s something more to it - he’s solid and whole under Ram’s hand, and some of this is a quick search to prove it.

He knows Ram was afraid. He was afraid for him, but how glad he is that even something so simple as a touch of a hand had helped as it did.

It’s the same for him. The nightmares, though still very much persistent, don’t haunt him for days on end when they appear. Rama takes away the pain and moves his focus away from the hurt.

They’ve been good for each other in that way, in so many ways.

“There’s something to be said about not facing these long nights alone.”