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mimiplaysgames · 4 years

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A Powerful Enough Dream (Ch. 9)

Pairing: Terra/Aqua (eventually) Rating: T Word Count: 4,554

Summary: It is time to rescue Ven. Aqua steps into Castle Oblivion, not knowing what’s waiting inside.

Read on AO3

A/N: I wasn’t planning on publishing this one too soon - it just happened lolol. I do want to say that I’m sorry this chapter is so canon-divergent. I planned it before KH3 came out and I don’t have the time to rewrite everything. I hope you enjoy it anyway!

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Oblivion, pt. 1

Stars shoot past Aqua in a melted blur. The faster she goes, the less she notices. Keyblade wielders should be humble. They should take their time to acknowledge and admire life, promised as students that their Light sturdies under such discipline. But screw it - she’s too excited to bother with the view.

All she has to do is listen. Once her heart connects to that place, her glider leads the rest of the way.

Sora and the others lag behind. Their gummi ship is impressive but it’s basically a tourist’s vessel, locked to the celestial highways that have to be traveled in full, unable to perform any of the warps her glider is capable of. At some point, she disappears from their radar, and she hovers in the middle of space to wait for them.

It shouldn’t take this long to get to Ven. They hold her back.

Aqua breathes heavily into her helmet, watching for signs of Sora’s bright red beast of a ship. The confines of her armor, absurdly enough, take some getting used to. She made it with her own hands, once a proud moment from her road to mastery. Yet it feels like she’s outgrown it. It’s heavy and tight, constricting the rise of her arms and the strides of her legs. It could be that she has gotten used to living without it. It could be that it doesn’t recognize her anymore.

That’s a terrifying thought. Aqua shakes it out of her head. It’s just because it’s been a long time since she’s worn it. That’s all.

Lightning snaps and cracks, and Sora’s gummi ship breaks through a barrier that tears a hole through space. Behind it is a mess of passageways marked by colored stars and dust. By normal standards, a passageway to the Land of Departure means he’d need to discover and unlock his way, but instead Sora has to blast through to catch up to her. There has to be some kind of transgression for it, but they’ve wasted enough time to think about collateral damage right now.

Her engine revs up and she soars, Sora trailing closely. She can’t feel the air through her armor as it darkens, but pressure mounts on her shoulders. Negative space squeezes her waist, her arms, her chest, threatening to collapse. It’s thickening. She’s getting close.

By the time she lands, there aren’t any more stars left to see.

Shedding her armor, Aqua breathes in humid air. Storm clouds smother the sky, but it doesn’t rain. Did it ever in the years she’s been gone? The dirt doesn’t thirst for anything, and the cliffs buckle with every step.

The castle (not home, something else) is ugly. Painted the color of stale excrement, it contorts in ways that can’t have been built by human hands. Towers stick out sideways and upside down, criss-crossed and layered where no staircases could practically fit inside. The castle suspends itself in the air by nothing except someone’s imagination.

There’s supposed to be grass underneath her shoes - or maybe stone tile leading to the terrace. Either of the two. Looking over the cliffside, she’s supposed to see rivers miles below, too far to hear their work. Now it’s just blackness. Morbid curiosity questions how long it would take for her to find new ground if she jumps off.

A couple of yards away was where Ven caught a grasshopper and claimed it as his own pet. He never expected he’d crush it by accident. He never expected he’d bury it in that same spot.

If Aqua remembers correctly, there’s supposed to be a tiny dirt path, right here, that would’ve led her to a clearing in the forest, down a lower altitude by several notches, where she and Terra kept a chest of old toys they couldn’t let go of, and letters they wanted to keep but forgot about. Where they kissed for the first time because she was curious, and Terra shrugged it off like it wasn’t a big deal, and she did the same.

Where there should be that forest is nothing but air now.

But home is home, always a fortress, always there to shelter, just like it does for Ven if only by a new expression.

The thunder of Sora’s engines roar before they quiet, exhaling one last time when he lands. He brings everyone with him - Lea is the first to come out, mouth wide open in a stupefied gasp, his glare demanding an explanation.

“Castle Oblivion?” He gesticulates, letting his hands slap his hips. “Sure, it’s not the easiest place to get to. But you could have done us all the humanly decent thing, and said so.”

“Castle Oblivion?” Aqua repeats. The words sound foul.

“You mean your lot didn’t name it?” He crosses his arms as he steps by her side. He’s too smug, like he finds that fact giddy.

“No, of course not, this…” This is the first time it’s ever happened in our history.

“If it wasn’t you, then it had to have come from our favorite, friendly Nobody.” Still smug. Stars, she’d punch him. “Xemnas.”

Despite the warning in her eyes at the mention of that name, Lea sneers. “It’s quite the comfortable home, if you’re interested in psychopathy.”

“You’ve been inside?” she hushes, tying up an apology behind her lips. What if he doesn’t know?

“Don’t worry.” He waves a hand at her. “I was a Nobody at the time. Not like I was that attached.”

So he knows. “You’re lucky you ever got out,” Aqua mutters.

“That attached to what?” Sora skips over, an innocent smile plastered so hard on his face that the horrible truth still wouldn’t peel it off of him.

“Memories,” Riku answers.

If Riku knows, then surely he’s lost some. Aqua nearly blurts out her concern for him, but he flashes her a gentle smirk and rolls a shoulder like it barely matters.

“Is that supposed to mean something?” Sora asks as Kairi tags along, who is unzipping and zipping Donald’s cap.

“The Organization used it to research memories,” Lea says. “We even went so far as to manipulate them - you know, plant a little bit of this, tweak a little bit of that.”

“And this is important, why?”

“The castle has a defense mechanism,” Aqua says, glancing at Riku, “to protect the delicate balance of this world so we could give all Keyblade trainees a safe refuge. The rooms aren’t truly real anymore. Threats who wander in are… forced to relive certain events in their life.”

But Riku doesn’t have much of a reaction.

“Anyway,” she continues, “the memories replayed aren’t always exact. They reflect the heart of the person the castle is reading. So yes, it would be the perfect place to experiment with them.”

“I’ve been in this star-forsaken place more than I wished for,” Lea says, giving the castle a lookover. “My most important mission was to find one particular room. I never did.”

Hearing that was comforting. “Because the rooms inside move around,” Aqua says. “The point is to make the intruder confused. Make them obsessed with remembering correctly that they continue to wander. Until they forget why they’re there.”

Sora gapes, his eyes bulging. “You were the one who designed it like that? You’re savage.”

“Gawrsh,” Goofy says, holding a chin to his hand. His vowels ripple. “Ya think it’d be a nifty place to keep Xehanort locked up in.”

Donald frowns and fists his hips. “And you left Ventus in there?”

“Yes, and I’m the only one who can get him out,” she says sternly, choosing not to elaborate on the how. She sucks in a breath. “The castle won’t exactly recognize me, either. But I have the key.”

“How do we stop ourselves from losing memories?” Kairi asks. For a first mission, this one is entirely inappropriate.

“We don’t. I’m going in alone.” Aqua has long accepted the responsibility, thinking about this moment since the day she closed those doors. She chooses to ignore the disappointed look on Kairi’s face - once full of curiosity and hope at finally being allowed to show her worth.

“But you shouldn’t have to do this alone,” Sora says, stepping forward.

Aqua purses her lips. She’s done good not telling him everything.

“I do.”

“What is it with you and Terra and your obsessions with marching a one-man parade?” Sora grins, rubbing his nose. Riku snorts. “You’re going to have to learn to take ‘Nah’ for an answer. I think Ventus would agree with me.”

“Ditto,” Lea says.

“It was your bright idea to leave him and now we have to fix it,” Donald grumbles.

You were the ones who followed me. Aqua bites her lip.

It’s Aqua against six others who disagree with her, who came all the way here like she’s the one needing a chaperone. Ven would have wanted to come too, given the chance. He’s just better at submitting to her demands, even if he hated them, even if he didn’t want to understand they were for his safety.

“But your memories-”

“It really isn’t fair that Sora forgets what it’s like to be in there anyway,” Riku says, arms crossed and flexed.

Sora furrows his brows. “What would we forget?”

“Whatever you’re giving the castle,” Aqua says, starting quiet then raising her voice. “It will snatch something you’re passionate about… Your best defense is to simply look away. Believe in your own integrity, instead of what you see.”

“That…” Kairi picks at her cuticles. “Doesn’t sound too bad.”

That’s only because they’ve never spent years weighing the consequences.

“Consider this: how long would it take you to get to Ventus?” Lea asks.

“Not long at all. I can summon him to the first room,” Aqua says.

“Then we skidaddle in and run the stars out.” He mimics walking movement with his fingers. “You’re too paranoid. We didn’t travel all this way to admire the decorator’s taste. Award-winning, I tell you.”

Aqua takes a moment to study each of them, hoping her eyes spoke of horrors she can’t find the words for. But they smile back with encouragement. She considers tying them up with her chains to see if they enjoy feeling trapped under pressure.

She sighs. “The less amount of time we take, the better.”

The front door protests when she opens it, heavy and dragging across the pale floor. The inside is sterile, so white that the reflected light blinds. Every surface she can see is scrubbed clean of any and all personality. Like a hospital. Like a morgue.

At first glance, it’s just a simple room. A door innocently waits on the other side, the same monocolor as everything else. Their footsteps clank hard on the tile floor.

“Can’t believe I get to see the magic this time,” Lea says, the volume of his voice normal, but too strong for this room.

“You bums are pretty late for the show,” a gravelly voice replies. Aqua catches him leaning casually at the corner of the room, his black helmet a stark stain against the wall. She swears he wasn’t there before. She swears she got rid of him. She wonders if it’s still Ven’s face underneath.

“You again,” Sora barks.

“Took you long enough to get here,” Vanitas says, straightening up. “A really long time. Venty-Wenty needs his mommy to wake him up, but it’s like…” He snorts. “It’s like you forgot you had a kid waiting for you. Some mother you make.”

Donald slaps his webbed foot on the floor, his voice grating. “We’re too busy to deal with you. Now scram!”

“I have more right to be here than you,” he says, a sudden leap downhill trickling through his voice. His posture, however short he is, stays tall and proud. “I got here first. I outperformed the parent.” He jabs a finger in the air. “Don’t believe my sincerity, but I’ve got all the family business to pick with my own brother. It’s inhumane to keep us apart.” Vanitas summons his Keyblade, electrical sparks warping the air before its monstrosity takes form. “It’s been almost thirteen years, Aqua. What do you say? We can make this reunion worth the wait.”

Aqua scoffs through her nose. So he wants to think he’s still that much of a threat, after everything she’s seen. She keeps her nose high. “I don’t think about the gnat I’m stepping on.”

He pauses before he laughs. “You almost bruised me there, Master Aqua. What kind of selfish person would say something like that.” Darkness sputters from his body, ribbons crawling out of the leathery web of his skin. Monsters, Unversed. Red-eyed and twitchy, with more spunk and intelligent thought than the feral mind-numbing of a Heartless. “It suits you.”

This time, Aqua doesn’t hesitate. Her Master’s Defender takes form, and she charges. The sound of Keyblade summons bounce off the walls like bells as the mob of Unversed swarms. She takes out a swath of them in one icy hit, a sudden euphoria taking over her body - it’s good exercise to have. Beating him up should release some of the tension in her shoulders.

Still, she has to be careful about one thing: she can’t let Vanitas follow her.

“Get rid of them!” she yells.

By superficial glance, Vanitas is outnumbered, but the Unversed keep coming. Wave after wave of aggressive emotion. As though humans will never go numb.

Sora takes the enthusiastic lead. Lea stays behind and relies on his pot-shots. Riku hovers near Kairi, who does her best juggling creatures she’s never fought before. Donald sounds like he’s cursing when he really isn’t as he casts thunderous spells, and Goofy builds a strong defense on the front line, right by Sora’s side.

Aqua focuses on Vanitas, who has his arms wide open like a goal post.

But Sora juts in, and Aqua staggers to avoid hitting him.

“He’s nothing but a creep. Leave him,” he says, blocking one of Vanitas’ explosive attacks on her behalf.

“I have to end this,” she spits.

“Then stop talking and end it,” Vanitas growls, his Keyblade brimming with heat as he slams it against Sora’s.

“What about the time we’re spending in the castle? It’s ticking,” Sora asks her, his brows furrowed upside down.

“You’re boring me,” Vanitas says. He ghosts through the space between them, throwing an electrified force like he’s batting a swing. Aqua dodges, using the Defender as a lightning rod, and redirects the intensity until it crumbles into a wall away from everyone else.

“We’re not alone!” Lea calls out, the smoke of his fire spells clouding the room.

Something slithers, weaving through the air with a high-pitched wiggle. The thing is white, bending like it can compute Aqua’s strike before she has the chance to think of it. Its skin is thick yet fluid, reverberating her magic like it’s jelly. All of its movements are calculated - the way it walks is unnatural, as if someone is inputting commands into its mind.

“Nobodies!”

“Finally, some proper entertainment.” Vanitas catches Kairi off-guard, throwing her backward. “You got children in your team. Proud of yourself?”

If Aqua goes ahead and hurries to Ven, none of them would have to sacrifice their memories.

If she leaves them alone, would she betray their need for help?

“Just go,” Sora says. “It’s not a big deal. Look at him.” He waves to Vanitas, who is messing with Lea now. “He’s like an angry chicken.”

That’s the last word she’d use to describe Vanitas, but they’ve wasted so much time already.

“You promise?”

“Promise to trust my word?”

Aqua sighs and grips his shoulder, her fingers digging into his sleeve. His eyes go wide, getting the message. “Don’t underestimate him. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

The door handle churns when she grabs it. Pops, whirs, and shouts rally behind her in a thunderous roar, and she stops herself from turning the knob.

“I didn’t say you could see him!” Vanitas yells, coming toward her like she’s the only one whose existence has any value. Riku blocks his way, scruffed up from vanquishing enemies in one intricate attack a moment before.

The lock turns. She wants to see Ven but she doesn’t, not with enemies so close.

Vanitas dodges strings of attacks from all sides, from her friends, from Goofy throwing his body across the room, from Donald screaming incoherent gibberish. “Not without me!”

It almost sounds… painful. If he’s this bothered, then she can only imagine how much hatred and disgust fuel his words.

Poor Ven for having to deal with him.

She shuts the door behind her, suffocating the noise, cutting off Vanitas’ verbal assault, like an eraser swallowing an exclamation mark.

Aqua stands at the entrance hall of what used to be the old castle, gold pillars holding up ivory walls, coated in stained glass light. Down the hall are staircases leading up to the throne room where she had her Mark of Mastery, right where they’re supposed to be.

She should’ve been more careful than let the castle into her mind. Damn it.

“Nothing is real,” she declares. Someone could be upstairs. The Master. With his bushy mustache and ridiculous hairstyle that she’s offered to cut for years. What would he say to her?

Maybe she could apologize. She really wants to.

No. The castle will conjure him only because she’s thinking of him. “I won’t look. I won’t.”

Some part of her jumped at the thought that it could be Terra… She could hear Terra’s voice. It’d be exact, his smile something she’s needed. It could be wonderful. It could be sad.

“I won’t look,” she whispers, taking a peek up at the balcony over the foyer to see if she could at least spot a head of hair. She sees the stained glass mural in the same beautiful shapes she’s mimicked with crayons, hovering right above the thrones. The colors do their best work in the late morning, just like how they glistened prims on Terra’s shoulders when she dueled him.

Aqua inhales sharply. She runs past the stairs and down another hallway to the left, to a door that normally would lead to the kitchen.

Is she remembering that right? The kitchen?

“It doesn’t matter.” It does. But Ven. She grips a new door handle, so much like the ones back home (the same golden color).

She hisses. “Ven,” she calls, willing the word onto the door.

Aqua enters another empty white room with yet another door at the opposite side, like she smothered white paint all over a filled canvas. Who knows how far she’s moved away from the others by now, or how many rooms have sifted in between.

But the whiteness is exactly what she wants - to get to Ven, she’ll need some peace and quiet, and a bit of time to grieve.

Something is wrong, though. Aqua doesn’t take another step. The rooms should read her, not watch her.

“Who’s there?”

Footsteps lightly tread, weighty but feathery. A man in a black robe gracefully makes his appearance from behind a stone pillar, his face a secret under the hood. A giant of a man, barrel-chest with a thick waist, at least two heads taller than her.

“I had missed the chance to see you before,” he says, his voice deep and smooth, but forceful like the bottom of an ocean. Aqua’s heart hammers at the familiarity. “Now I’ve been granted a tabula rasa...”

Aqua scoffs, Defender at the ready.

“My friend,” Xemnas says.

“You’re not my friend.”

“Even I am not that cruel to be so cold. How can you say that to someone who has longed to see you?”

“Am I supposed to feel sorry for you?”

Xehanort’s Nobody hums, halfway between a chuckle and solemn breath. “I don’t need the pity.”

“Then I have nothing else for you.”

Aqua is the first to move, casting a barrier around herself for protection, expecting him to conjure up spells of his own. Instead, out of his palms burst two red sabers that throb when she gets close.

He strikes her with both, clutching Defender’s jab and throwing her off balance. He’s too fast for his size - he has to be utilizing the darkness to bend the laws of physics. Showing off his acrobatics and reappearing in places she doesn’t expect, he toys with the space between them, coming close to taunt her into hitting him. Then he goes away in a flash. Aqua scrambles to keep up.

“Enough of this,” she mutters.

Summoning her Master’s chains takes more from her than any other spell, but they’re her rock and wind - as though Eraqus is with her every step of the way, approving her decisions. They are Light incarnate into metal, threads that peel chunks away from her heart to take form. To justify conjuring them, she needs to land a certain blow.

This is Xehanort’s Nobody, after all. Watching him wince will be a welcome sight.

They wrap around his body, locking his sabers against his thighs. He shudders from the pain, his knees losing their strength. Yes, that’s exactly what she wants.

Like finding new resolve, Xemnas stands straight on trembling feet just as she was sure he’d collapse. She must be exhausted from conjuring them, she has to be. They shouldn’t be this weak. Dark energy crackles and whips against the links. His arms manage to flex outward, pushing against the hold.

Maybe that’s the point. To survive this, he can’t be anything close to human. He’s technically Nothing.

Or maybe it isn’t. Maybe she isn’t sure she wants this.

“An old trick,” Xemnas says, loosening one arm.

This is her only chance. Aqua pinches the gap between them in an instant, her Master’s Defender high in the air to knock him out.

Xemnas grabs her by the wrist, the Defender suspended in air. His hand is so large that his fingers lock together, twisting and squeezing her that she’s worried he’ll break it.

Aqua tries to jerk free but the pain cuts into her circulation.

He watches her squirm. “Like a trapped mouse with not the mind to know there’s nowhere to go. No need to skirmish so much.”

“Let go of me.”

“Why do you hate me so?” He squeezes harder and lifts her, her feet dangling off the floor. She yelps. “You fight me though you know me as faceless. Such harsh disregard for my existence.”

“Spare me,” she breathes, her wrist throbbing, “your stupid pleas.”

“But I do plea.” Xemnas gently lifts the hood off his head. It’s not the shoulder-length silver hair that surprises her, but his face. Yellow eyes, but the same face.

She gasps. “Terra.”

Wrong. Everything about him is wrong - the smile, the malicious glint in his eye, the tightened half-smirk. A callous Terra looking down on her like the gnat under a shoe, needing to be scraped off.

“You’re hurting me,” she whimpers to (Terra’s face), hoping to catch the tiniest reaction in his eyes that he’d feel bad for doing so - just like Terra would. But he doesn’t.

This is supposed to be Xehanort’s body without a heart. But she’s been misleading herself, hasn’t she?

(Terra’s body) wanting to be her friend, wanting to stay close, wanting to reconnect. And she wanted the same. Aqua swallows bile.

This bastard stole from her.

She throws a kick into his face with enough force that he lets her go. Xemnas stumbles backward, holding his chin where her shoe made contact. He winces. Good.

“You’re nothing like him!” Aqua says, flexing her sore, thick grip on the Defender. It twitches and singes.

Xemnas stays where he is, carefully massaging his chin like she isn’t in the room anymore. If he heard her, he doesn’t give notice, staring blankly at the floor. She wonders - for the slightest moment - if what she said actually stung him.

“You can try,” he says.

“Excuse me?”

“Try it.” He conjures his blades. “Obliterate me. Let’s see if you make peace with doing so after seeing my face.”

Shut up. Aqua lunges at him, ignoring the ache on her wrist. But instead of using his blades against her, a wall of light erects from the floor. She collides into it. It electrocutes her, throwing her back.

An offensive barrier? Terra’s used this. Protecting her in the Realm of Darkness right after finding her. This really is Terra’s body.

A cry echoes against the tile. It came out of her own mouth. She can’t lose it here.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re his body,” she whispers to herself, standing up. She stumbles as Xemnas casually approaches, his footsteps as soft as the adrenaline dissipating from her body. Numbness is quickly replaced by the stinging in her wrist. It’s harder to take calming breaths.

It matters. It matters too much.

Aqua huffs, telling herself to stop thinking about who’s in the room and start thinking about the people depending on her. “You’re wasting my time,” she declares.

She turns on her heel and heads for the door.

A blast explodes near the exit. Over her shoulder, Aqua sees Xemnas holding out his palm, smoke fizzing out of the leather of his glove.

“After all this time?” he asks.

Aqua gives herself a conscious reminder that Nobodies can’t truly feel. Lea is sure to disagree, but there’s little in Xemnas’ voice to tell her there’s anything left of Terra in that mind.

She yells. Such a primitive thing to do, but it tricks her body for a few precious moments into feeling she has the strength to pull off something big and reckless. Chains of light emanate from her body.

The chains pummel in different directions, and Xemnas erects several barriers to counter each one. Neither of them actually target him. It’s not that she’s getting worse at her aim. Or getting brittle. She knows this. It’s everything to do with (him), and she’s ashamed of it.

At least they’re distracting him.

Aqua yanks the door handle with her good hand, a pressure bursting from the other side and swallowing her as she closes it behind her.

Warmth beats on her shoulders. Tall stone towers conquer the space around her, blocking off the horizon. Aqua only sees gently setting sunlight. She’s somewhere on a terrace of a castle, tucked away from the main streets.

Her heart drops when she realizes it’s Radiant Garden.

“No, no, no, no,” she murmurs, palming the brick walls behind her for a door. For the feeling of a doorknob. She can’t have this now. She can’t stand to witness one of her worst memories.

A few feet ahead. There, a gray door that would take her out to an alley - out of this room. It’s just a room.

But the castle knows.

It only takes a second. A tall figure catches her peripheral attention.

Terra, with a scowl on his face. He’s impeccable: thick, effortlessly tousled hair just right, the pensive deepness of his eyes far away and hurt, unsure of her presence there. Something about him is tense, like he’s about to turn over his shoulder and walk away from her all over again.

Aqua has only one wish to ask what she used to call home. Smile. Please, smile.

#terraqua #aqua #vanitas #xemnas #kingdom hearts fanfiction #kh fanfic #i dunno what happened #i format it and then tumblr deletes everything but the title #i apologize #i had to redo it #my fic

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starxiddraws · 5 years

Text

Angels Cry Ch 1: 4 years later

Fandom: Miraculous Ladybug

Rated: T

A sequel to Your Guardian Angel

Prologue

Years after the events in Your Guardian Angel, Marinette has to watch as Adrien picks up the pieces of his life. Will going to Chloe’s formal event help alleviate his pain? Is she too caught up in it to even notice the darkness that begins to slowly loom over Paris?

“--He hasn’t been the same since the incident,” Marinette spoke into her phone, sitting at her desk, working on a dress she was making for Alya. “He goes everyday to the hospital to visit his mother in hopes that she’ll miraculously wake up. It’s been almost years now... I worry about him.” Marinette paused her progress and stared at the dress. Chloe was throwing a formal event at the hotel for everyone who graduated and Alya commissioned Marinette for a dress. As a matter of fact, all of the girls invited commissioned her, including Chloe. She already made the dresses, and handed them over, reeling with pride as the girls gushed over their dresses. All she had left was Alya’s and her own. Marinette gently traced the beading sewn on the dress and smiled. Marinette was slated to go to a prestigious university specializing in fashion, so all of these dresses make for a great portfolio. It also helped that winning the derby hat competition in her first year in secondary school gave her a boost. Marinette frowned. That memory was bitter for her, especially considering who chose her as a winner. She would never see Gabriel Agreste the same ever again. His own son, Adrien, wouldn’t even visit him prison. He had his hands full between finishing school, visiting his mother, and working part time at her parent’s bakery. He’s become more reserved since the incident. She remembered everything vividly. How could she not? She almost fell to her death. If it weren’t for Adrien, she would have died. She owed him her life. They have gotten closer, but with everything going on, they held back on dating. She didn’t want to add more to his plate. She wanted him to focus on himself, and on finding a cure for his mother.

His mother, Emilie Agreste--

“Marinette?” Adrien stared out into the sunset after Master Fu left to look through the book for any help regarding Adrien’s mother. Marinette turned to look at him, and he did the same. “Can-- can we go to my mansion? I-- I want to look for my mother.” Marinette was expecting this, but not so soon. Determination and sadness were mixed on his face. She wasn't looking forward to his reaction upon finding his mother, but better now or never. Marinette placed her hand on his and gave him a gentle squeeze.

“It’s going to break your heart to see her in the state she’s in,” she gently muttered. Adrien squeezed her hand back and nodded.

“We have to do something though. My mom has been gone for a year now. We need to set her free.” Adrien stood up abruptly, still holding her hand, and patiently waited as she stood up slowly. She was still achy from their landing after he saved her. They both headed off towards his father’s mansion as the last rays of sunshine faded and all of the street lights were finally illuminated.

Adrien stopped cold in his tracks as they approached the front gates of the mansion. There waited Nathalie and his bodyguard. Both looked worried, but upon seeing their ward, relief washed over their faces and they ran to hug him. Tears stung his eyes but he forced them back. He didn’t want to break in front of everyone.

“Adrien, do you want to go to the police station to speak with your father?” Nathalie asked. Adrien shook his head.

“I have more pressing matters than going to see my-- than going to see Mr. Agreste. Do either of you have any clue as to where my mother could be in the mansion?” Both Nathalie and Gorilla exchange glances, but they shake their heads.

“Maybe you should start in your father’s office to look for clues?” Marinette suggested. Adrien visibly stiffened at the mention of his father, but relaxed a little.

“That’s a good start,” Adrien admitted, laying his hands on the gate and opening them, walking briskly to the front doors. He shoved them open and walked even faster when he laid his eyes on the door to Gabriel’s office. He ran to the door and practically kicked it open, looking around for clues. Marinette, Nathalie and Gorilla followed closely and watched as Adrien began to turn the place upside down. Marinette began to search as well, albeit in a less destructive way. She gazed around to see where to start and lay her eyes on the portrait in the back of the room. A stylized painting of Emilie Agreste, beautifully made. Marinette gingerly brushed her fingers over it as she took every little detail. Noticing this, Adrien rushed over to Marinette and pulled open the portrait to reveal a safe. Plagg few out from his hiding pace and phased through the safe door and unlocked it. He began to rummage through its contents but found nothing substantial. He slammed the safe door and gently closed the painting, setting his hand on it. That’s when he felt his fingers slightly press on something. One of the triangles felt like a button, so he pressed it with more force. Nothing happened. He felt around for more buttons and came across with a few more, and pressed all of them at the same time. That’s when the floor behind him suddenly opened up and he jumped in, not giving it a second thought. Marinette scrambled behind him, not daring to let him be by himself.

“It’s so dark,” Marinette stated as they descended. They were encased in a glass elevator and watched as a large room appeared before them. A sun light illuminated what appeared to be a glass casket with plant life surrounding it. Inside, there lay a figure, a woman with blonde hair wearing the outfit she was last seen in. Marinette covered her mouth and glanced at Adrien, who’s eyes were wide. As soon as the door opened, he ran as fast as he could towards the casket, slowing down as he approached. He quietly observed as his mother lay in the casket, breathing silently. A ragged breath escaped his lips, and he began to shake as tears cascaded from his eyes.

“Mom, wake up,” Adrien placed a hand on the glass. “Wake up please.” He gently tapped the glass. “Please wake up.” His plea was desperate and he pounded his fist on the glass.

“Adrien, please,” Marinette whispered.

“MOM, WAKE UP!” He continued to pound on the glass, desperation fueling every hit. Marinette reached for his hands so he wouldn’t hurt himself, but in his frantic fit, accidentally hit her. Her cry made him stop, realizing what he’d done. He took a few steps away from her. “Marinette, I...” He began to shake and a sob escaped his lips as he hugged himself and turned away from Marinette. Gently, Marinette wrapped her arms around Adrien, which caused him to break into sobs. “I-I’m s-sorry.”

Marinette rocked lightly and hummed. “It was an accident. Shhh, it’s going to be okay... You can let it all out...” Adrien abruptly faced her and held her tightly, sobbing uncontrollably into her neck, causing her to cry too. They held each other tightly, wailing and tired.

* * *

“Hey Marinette, he’ll be okay. He seems to be making some progress in healing,” Alya broke Marinette out of her reverie. Marinette sighed. “Invite him to the party,” Marinette froze, “help him have a good time. We’ll be there too. We’re going to have a blast, and maybe you two will finally get together. The sexual tension is so thick, you can cut it with a knife!” Marinette clutched her phone tightly and let out a squeak.

“A-Alya!” was all she managed to stutter out.

“I know that you two had to delay your eventual relationship, but come on. It’s been four years. If not you will definitely lose your chance for good. I’ve been hearing from Kagami that if you don’t ask him, she will.”

“Did she really say that? What if she did that in order for me to do it quicker?” Alya laughed.

“You catch on real fast, huh?”

“Kagami would never do that to me. Chloe, maybe, just to mess with me.” Marinette finished sewing the final bead on Alya’s dress and stood up to look at its entirety. “One down, one to go.”

“Girl, did you finish mine?!” Alya excitedly asked.

“Yup! I can’t wait to see this on you! It’s going to be stunning!”

“Girl you are a miracle worker!” Marinette let out a sarcastic snort. “I’ll come over tomorrow to try it on! I gotta go get ready for my date with Nino. Bye girl!” Alya hung the phone up and Marinette covered the dress in a clear protective cover and hung it up. It was a floor-length toga style dress with a halter top that gave a teasing hint of cleavage. A black type belt cinched the waist. It was a beautiful orange chiffon that faded to white at the bottom of the dress and it shimmered with the beads that Marinette finished sewing on. The inspiration was obviously Rena Rouge.

“”It looks amazing Marinette!” Tikki plopped herself on Marinette’s shoulder. She was busy reading a magazine on Marinette’s bed as she and Alya spoke on the phone, giving her chosen some space to work.

“Alya is going to look stunning in this,” Marinette spoke to Tikki, smiling with pride.

“Yes she will. Marinette, you did a wonderful job.”

“Thank you Tikki! Now onto my dress.”

She then turned to her mannequin to work on her own dress. So far she had the shape of the slip already made, with a sweetheart neckline, hugging her shape, and it fell at her knees. She wanted to keep it simple and elegant, so she planned on making the top layer all red lace, with an illusion neckline and in a soft mermaid construction, no sleeves. Marinette was excited to finish it, and to do it soon, because the event was that weekend, and she was busy with her other commissions.

Suddenly the thought of asking Adrien to the event popped up into her mind and the comment Alya made about the sexual tension. Marinette went red.

“What is it, Marinette?” The little red kwami inquired.

“Why did Alya say that there was thick sexual tension between us?” Marinette plopped down onto her chair and sighed.

“Well there is. I’ve noticed that, despite everything he went through, despite being tired and at times depressed, Adrien started to seem more-- sensual with you. More gentle touches, more shy glances, intense stares, standing really closely, don’t forget that time when you tripped on each other and your lips seemed to be pretty close...” Marinette let out a frustrated squeal and buried her blushing face into her hands. “You should ask him to accompany you to Chloe’s event. I know it can be scary, but I know he loves you, Marinette. He’ll say yes.”

Marinette looked at Tikki and thought. “I am, I do want to. He needs a break from everything. I’ll ask him when he gets back from patrol.” As if on cue, there was a quiet tap on her trap door to the balcony startled her and she scrambled to open it. In came Chat Noir, looking slightly ragged with dark rings under his eyes. He let his transformation fall, losing the leather suit. The messy hair and dark rings remained. Adrien sighed and let himself fall back into Marinette’s bed as she sat next to him, still blushing. Plagg and Tikki flew from their chosen to sit on Marinette’s desk. “How was patrol?” Marinette’s eyes studied Adrien. His hair grew a little from the last haircut he’s gotten, his skin had a few cuts he got from a criminal he fought a few days ago. He shaved that morning so his face was smooth again. He looked rugged with his facial hair, and Marinette thought it was very attractive. His jawline was more defined and-- Marinette stopped herself before she kept noticing more and more details about him.

“Patrol went alright. It was a boring night. Chloe took a while to relieve me though so that was a bit annoying,” his voice was deeper and it always pulled at Marinette’s heartstrings, especially when he spoke softly to her. She rolled her eyes and sighed.

“What was her excuse this time?”

“She forgot that it was her turn,” Adrien sat up and faced Marinette. “She was so busy trying on the dress she commissioned you that she had way too much fun modeling for herself.” Marinette giggled as Adrien struck a pose, imitating Chloe. He smiled at her giggling. It was a soft smile, with longing eyes gazing at her. She noticed him staring at her and her giggles immediately subsided, clearing her throat. She began to twiddle her thumbs together and was mentally preparing herself to ask him. As soon as she was about to speak, Adrien spoke up, “I visited my mother at the hospital today.”

“How did it go?”

“It was the usual, I go, speak to her, get no response, leave her flowers, and just keep her company.” He sighed. “Have you made any progress with the book?” Marinette shook her head and sighed.

Ever since Master Fu’s disappearance, Marinette and Adrien had to work fast and get both the Miracle Box and the Miraculous Spellbook from his apartment to keep them safe. They both had a hypothesis about what happened to their master, so they didn’t want to risk leaving both items unguarded. Marinette kept the box well hidden in her lockable drawer and the spellbook in her book case, hiding in plain sight. Every night, Marinette would try to crack the mysterious code the book was written in, but has not made any progress. Sometimes Adrien would join but to no avail. It was Marinette and Adrien lay down and they both remained silent.

“I wonder who Mayura is,” Adrien stated out loud. Marinette glanced over at him. He was staring intently at the ceiling, concentrating. “We’re both almost certain that it was Mayura who kidnapped Master Fu. Where is she, what has he done with both the master and the butterfly miraculous. Was she someone my fa-- Hawkmoth-- knew out of the mask? Why hasn’t she broken him out of prison and given back the miraculous? It’s all so puzzling.”

Keeping her eyes on him, Marinette responded, “I don’t know the answer to any of those questions. But we will find Master Fu, we will capture Mayura, and your mom will wake up. I promise you that.” Adrien’s eyes locked with hers, softening up as soon as they saw her look determined. They held each other’s gaze for a while not wanting to look away. Slowly, Adrien moved his hands towards Marinette’s and lay his pinky on hers, causing Marinette to blush.

“I’ve been talking to Kagami lately,” The sound of her name made Marinette’s heart drop and she was about to pull away her hand, but Adrien placed his whole hand on hers, not realizing her reaction. “She keeps reprimanding me because I keep delaying.” He sat up, now holding her hand with both of his. He had the intense look on his face. Marinette sat up as well, meeting his stare, confused. “I don’t want to wait, I don’t want it to be too late to do anything. I don’t want you swept away from me.” He took her other hand and squeezed them gently. “You have been there for me for the past four years, and I have realized how much I appreciate you.” He softly caressed her face. The soft curve of her full lips, the softness of her skin. Her blue eyes always captivating his heart. “Marinette, will you--”

Marinette’s balcony trap door flew open and Queen Bee was there looking frazzled.

“Marinette, Sentimonster attacking the Eiffel tower, I need Ladybug-- Adrikins? What are you doing here?” Adrien, still holding onto Marinette’s hands, looked at her annoyed.

“I live here, Queenie,” He retorted. Queen Bee rolled her eyes.

“Yes I know that, I meant what are you doing here, on her bed?” She gasped. “Don’t tell me you’re finally going to a--”

“Chloe, the sentimonster.”

“Oh right. It’s a large rubber T-rex, very angry. I think some kid was angry his parents wouldn’t buy him a toy or something.” Hesitantly, Marinette let go of Adrien’s hands and transformed.

“I’ll be back soon, and we can talk, okay Chaton?” Ladybug leaned down and gave him a peck on the forehead. Adrien blushed and touched the spot where she kissed him, he watched as she slipped away into the night with Queen Bee. Adrien scrambled to climb onto her balcony and began to wait.

“Plagg, I’m more determined now to ask her,” Adrien muttered as the small black cat flew up to him. Adrien furrowed his eyebrows.

“That talk with Kagami really got you going, huh?”

“No, it was Luka. He walked up to me and asked me if Marinette was going with anyone to Chloe’s party. The way his eyes lit up when I said no filled me with jealousy. I have to ask her tonight before anyone has the chance to tomorrow.” Adrien climbed down and pulled out the Miraculous Spellbook from Marinette’s bookshelf. “In the meantime, I’ll keep on trying to decipher the book.” Before he could delve himself into the book, there was a knock on the trap door to the living room. Adrien opened it up and smiled at Sabine, who was waiting on the other side.

“Oh good to see you’re back from Patrol. Is Marinette in here?” Adrien shook his head as Sabine climbed up into the room. “Where did she go?”

“She went with Queen Bee to fight a sentimonster, she should be back soon.”

“Ah okay. I wish she would tell me these things before she goes, but I understand it can be urgent.” Sabine stayed silent for a moment, observing Adrien as he concentrated intently on the book. “We got a call from the prison where your fa-- where Gabriel is being held.” Adrien stiffened and his eyes met Sabine’s.

“What-what did he say?”

“He really wishes for you to visit. He says he misses you. I told him that it was unlikely that you’d want to visit, but that I’ll relay his message. He didn’t sound too happy but he said alright, and bid me farewell.”

Adrien snorted, “Unlikely indeed. I have to work hard to undo the damage he’s done. I don’t have time to visit. Besides, it not like him to miss me or even care. He probably just wants something from me. What exactly? I don’t know. I-- I don’t want anything to do with him.”

“Would you like for me to let him know the next time he calls?” Sabine asked, sitting cross legged beside Adrien, looking at his notes. Thinking, Adrien shook his head.

“Next time, pass the phone to me so I can tell him myself, let’s see if that gets him to stop calling.”

“Okay then, I’ll keep that in mind for the next time he calls.” Sabine pondered over the notes as Adrien scribbled down more ideas. “Still haven’t cracked the code huh?” Adrien shook his head, staring at the notes.

“Everything we come up with doesn’t make sense. I wonder how government code breakers do this. We have tried possible number sequences, different alphabets, equations. Nothing! If only we had something we can use as a reference. Something already deciphered. I don’t think, for the sake of keeping this a secret, the Master kept a decipher legend for us to find.”

“Where was Fu from?” Sabine inquired. Adrien thought for a moment.

“I think Marinette told me in the Tibet region. Why?”

“Perhaps it can be easily deciphered in the local language there and he translated it.” Hope flashed in Adrien’s eyes. He and his lady have not thought of that, so perhaps this was a breakthrough. Adrien’s ringtone went off and upon seeing Marinette’s name, he answered.

“Hey, what’s up?”

“Adrien, we need backup, this sentimonster is more stubborn than Plagg and is refusing to go down. I already used my Lucky charm, so I had to revert back to my civilian form.”

“On my way with cookies then. I’ll see you in a bit.” Adrien hung up and gave Sabine a wink. “I gotta head off. Bugaboo needs my help. Don’t worry, I’ll keep her safe and sound.” As he was about to climb up to the balcony, he turned to look at her, and gave her a sad smile. “Thank you, so much. I can’t wait to tell Marinette what you said. Hopefully we can decipher this soon.”

Climbing to the balcony, Adrien transformed into Chat Noir, and off he went to fight a sentimonster.

* * *

“God, why was that such a difficult sentimonster?” Adrien plopped down onto Marinette’s chaise lounge in her bedroom. Albeit tired, Marinette sat on the floor next to the book and notes to look over them.

“The kid’s feelings persisted. He really wanted that toy, the store was closed though. Some kids, man, some kids,” Marinette picked up a piece of paper which had the recipe Fu wrote down for the different transformation spells for the Kwami. “How did we not think of it earlier? Master Fu’s native language! I think this may be the key to it all! I need to give maman a big hug.” They pored over the notes for hours, trying to decipher the language itself, translating and retranslating everything, trying to get everything from different dialects to varying sentence structures to surrounding languages. They were a few steps closer now. They just need a few more--

“Sabine told me that Gabriel called for me earlier from prison,” Adrien abruptly, breaking the tense aura of concentration.

“What-- did he want?” She asked, setting her pencil down, watching his face closely. Adrien took a deep breath and looked down to his hands, fiddling with his thumbs.

“According to Sabine, he wishes for me to visit, that apparently he misses me.” Marinette wanted to react, but she wanted to wait until Adrien said his piece, for she knew he wasn’t done. “As if. He probably wants something. I don’t want to ever hear from him ever. He can rot for all I care. He put people in danger because he didn’t know how to properly look for the care my mom needed.” Anger began to slowly rise to his chest, and he clenched his fists. Noticing this, Marinette gently placed her hand on his and rubbed the top of his hand with her thumb, helping him calm down a bit. He held her hand with his and he pulled her onto his lap, hugging her tightly, surprising her. He buried his face into her neck and ran his fingers through her untied hair. Marinette’s face flushed a deep red as she held him back. He always did this to calm down from any emotion that ran too deep. Marinette knew he could do it on his own, she’s seen him do it before, but whenever she was near, he very willingly let himself lean on her, just as he let her lean on him whenever nightmares arose in her sleep. He pulled away from her to gaze into her eyes and she gazed back, neither unwilling to break the entrancing hold they had on each other.

“Go with me to Chloe’s party!” They both blurted out at the same time, startling each other and themselves. They both became flustered and they began to trip over their own words.

“Oh, geez that sounded like a demand, I-I meant to ask you--”

“I didn’t mean for that to come out that way!! I-I should have asked--”

They both stopped as the realization set in.

“Oh.” They stared into each other’s eyes again, then they began to laugh, flopping over to the floor, not letting go of each other.

“I guess that answers our question,” Marinette breathed out, trying to regain her breath. Adrien smiled, and he tightly held her hand.

“Yeah, it does. And you know what? I’m excited to go now. At first I wasn’t, even more so if you weren’t going with me, but now-- I’m so relieved. For the longest time I was sure you didn’t want to go with me.” Marinette gave him an inquisitive look.

“What made you think I wouldn’t go with you?”

“Well, a lot of people asked you to go with them. Luka, I’m pretty sure, is planning on asking you to go.”

“Well too late for him, huh?” Marinette reminisced on the time where she and Luka tried to go on one date, to see if maybe there’s something there, but a sentimonster had other plans. That’s when she realized it wasn’t meant to be, especially when Adrien, as Chat Noir, held up a collapsing building with his staff to give her time to escape from underneath. The way he cried her name and the way the building fell on top of him when his pole gave in. Never did she have the desperate drive to defeat the sentimonster at that moment so she could save her chaton. After the whole ordeal, Adrien was the only one she could only think of.

Marinette reached out to touch Adrien’s face, her fingertips gently touching his skin. Adrien closed his eyes, appreciating her touch, running his hands slowly on her side.

“I’ve been waiting for this moment for a while. For us to be together finally,” Adrien opened his eyes and studied every little detail on her face. “I know I had a lot to deal with and I’m sorry for making you wait. Marinette, Dupain-Cheng, will you be my girlfriend?” The question caught her off guard and she unwillingly hesitated, causing Adrien to panic. “I-It’s okay if you don’t want to, I was just-- I wanted--” Marinette cut him off with a gentle kiss to his lips, easing his tense body.

“You dummy, yes! Of course I want to be your girlfriend! I-I’ve been wanting this for a long time now. I understand you needed time, and I was going to stick by your side until the end,” Her response made his heart leap and his smile reached his eyes, causing them to gleam. He returned her kiss with gusto and they remained lying on the floor, reveling in each other’s presence.

-------------------------------------

Writer’s block sucks. I’m so glad I finally got the first chapter out.

Enjoy!

#miraculous ladybug #miraculous ladybug fanfiction #mlb fanfic #marinette dupain cheng #adrien agreste #adrienette

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billybangssteve-blog · 7 years

Text

(Harringrove fanfic) Chapter three

Hawkins, Indiana

March, 1985

Chapter three - The Daymare

In the woods, Steve felt vulnerable. The branches on the looming, skeletal trees always played tricks on his mind, especially in the thin layer of fog that clung to the dewy grass that day. They looked like hands, skinned and bony, and when one would occasionally brush against his skin, it felt cold and wrong. Steve wasn't a vulnerable person, he'd fought monsters from an upside down version of their world for Christ's sake. (Though he couldn't win a fight against a human being). But after it was all over, after he'd dropped all the kids off and returned home, it all kinda just overwhelmed him. He was fine for a moment sitting on the side of his bed, then he just started sobbing hysterically and was shaking so bad it hurt his muscles.

He told Hopper about it, and Hopper had explained to him it was similar to "Shell Shock". After that and Steve admitting the awful nightmares he'd been getting, Hopper had told him to go to a therapist. The therapist was a guy called Russle Kelly and he'd been recommended by Sam Owens. Russle knew the story and was under the same contract as everyone else who knew about the situation.

Russle had diagnosed him with PTSD, post-taumatic-stress-disorder, and had been given Prozac and Prazosin for medication. Steve was nearly finished with his psychotherapy and would start his 6 to 8 weeks of Cognitive behavioural therapy in a few more weeks.

Steve didn't understand why the experience had effected him so fucking badly. Nancy and Johnathan had been through just as bad, but they only seemed to get the occasional nightmare. Will was even doing better than him, and thank God for that.

It was like he'd taken all the trauma that they'd suffered onto his shoulders; and, if he was being honest , he'd have it no other way. Cause if they were happy, Steve had a reason to be happy. Billy helped a lot. When he'd wake up screaming and crying and punching in the night, Billy was always there to comfort him.

When they arrived at Castle Byers, Steve was a little nervous. He'd walked at the back of the group, his nail riddled bat spinning in his hand. Dustin was holding onto the two cans of paint, Lucas carrying the tool box and Eleven was bearing a cardboard box filled with trinkets and photos and materials. (Several times Mike had suggested to hold it for her, only for El to shake her head dismissively).

"Here we are, Castle Byers!" Steve announced, shaking the anxiousness of monsters away and allowing the delight to warm him. They cheered gleefully and immediently they began to work on the fort. Steve assisted them with the hammering after Dustin hit his thumb with the hammer. (He'd wrapped Dustin's red thumb in a blue pokodot plaster, he'd kept the packet they'd slipped in his pocket after the fight).

Lucas and Max repainted the signs, Eleven sewed the curtains and American flag back to perfection (she'd been practising) and Mike, Dustin and Will filled in the holes in the walls of the castle. Steve watched for the first twenty minutes, helped out with the building periodically before he decided to join El with the sewing. He knew how to sew, his grandmother, Matilda, had taught him when he basically lived with her.

He pretty much lived with Matilda and Phil, his grandfather, from the age of 4 to the age of 13. His parents had dropped him off with them the minute he started walking and probally would've continued to live with them if Matilda hadn't died and Phil hadn't gone looney. His mom had said that to him, and that's when Steve realised he really hated his parents.

Steve had pricked himself twice, deep and quick stabs that drew blood from his middle and pinky finger. El had patched him up two flower plastas.

"Billy said he loved you," Eleven reminded him happily and Steve looked up from the dirty white curtains, he chuckled quietly.

"Yeah, he did.... I mean I've always known he's loved me, it's just actually hearing is so.... real? I don't know, like everything is just so..." Steve pauses and bites his lip.

"Clear," She filled in the gap with a pink smile and Steve nodded, drumming his fingers on his thigh.

"What... What do think... his friends are like?" El asked in broken English, Steve shrugged as he began to stitch a rip in the curtains together.

"Well, they sound nice enough. They support me and Billy so that's a good thing, and Billy says their pretty cool," Steve replied as he threaded the material, but the end of the silver thread had slipped through the eye of the needle. He got up on his feet and turned around to get more thread from the box, but he tripped an arched stick and fell to the ground.

The second his face made contact with the leaf strewn ground, the world flipped.

Steve scrambled to his feet and he became still, like a statue with a pulse in his neck. Steve was in the Upside Down. He was still standing before Castle Byers in the forest and everything looked fucked. The sky was a malevolent black, the shadows in the trees swooned around him like wraiths and vines, thick and rotten, were splayed on the dead floor like the earth's veins. A terrible coldness swept across Steve and he looked around desperately, fear sinking into his chest.

He turned to the fort and his heart was no long in his chest, it was in his throat. The curtains at the entrance were shredded and stained in blood, like a wild animal had attacked it. The ground from his feet to Castle Byers was like a path, like someone had been dragged across the ground. Against his better judgment, he slowly stalked towards the entrance to the fort and his heart was beating like a running rabbit in his throat.

Curling his fingers around the edge of the curtain, Steve held his breath and threw it to the side with a pause of his heart. He stumbled inside at the snap of a twig and the fort seemed like the side of room.

And there it was: the Demogorgon. At first it just stood there, swaying like a drunkard, dried blood stained it's faceless head and it's arm stretched out towards him. Long, scythe like fingers caked in crimson lightly grazing the skin on his cheeks.

Slowly, it's face began to open like a blooming flower and the maroon crust of dried blood flaked off. The fanged-petals fanned out, a black hole leading down it's gullet like the rabbit hole in Alice in Wonderland, leading him to a Hellish dimension.

It roared. He screamed.

......

Billy, Bobby and Ginny heard the scream that tore through the woods. It was shocking, scary and blood-curdling. And it didn't stop.

Billy didn't hesitate to start sprinting through the collums of trees, and Bobby and Ginny followed hastily. They chased towards the screams, those horrendous shrieks of pure terror that was making Billy's heart shatter. Because he knew that was Steve screaming, but he'd never heard Steve so fucking scared and that terrified him.

"Steve!" He yelled desperately, the response he got was more screaming and the sound of the kids, calling out to Steve as well. When they saw the outlines of the kids, the fort and Steve in the fog, they charged faster towards them.

Steve was stood with his back against a tree and was pointing his bat at something invisible in front of him. It wasn't the kids, his wide eyes were staring at some invisible thing that was 8 feet tall and probally absolutely terrifying. Bobby and Ginny came to a stop while Billy ran in front of Steve.

"Billy! Be careful!" Max called as Steve swung at Billy, he jumped back and Steve cried and shrieked.

"Steve, listen to me! Calm down, it's alright!" Billy's attempt to calm Steve down only seemed to make him go ballistic.

"Go away! It'll kill you!"

The brunette raised the bat behind his head and brought it down to the ground, hysterical and almost falling to his knees. Billy caught him, hands cupping the sides of Steve's face and he noticed how wide his eyes were. Two black orbs with thin brown rings circling them. It was scaring him. Big tears streamed down Steve's face, that was deathly pale, and his chin and lips quivered.

"Steve, can you hear me? I'm here Steve, I'm here... It's okay," Billy spoke soothingly and brushed his thumb over Steve's cheek. The pupils in Steve's eyes slowly shrunk and Steve seemed to be finally see reality, that fear still their but less than before.

"B-Billy?" Steve sputtered quietly, relief washed over Billy and he sighed, nodding.

"Yeah it's me, I've got you, It's alright Princess, I've got you," Billy responded softly.

"The kids? Where are the-"

"They're fine. Steve, they're fine," the two sank to their knees, cause Steve had basically no strength in his legs left, and began to sob uncontrollably into Billy's shoulder. The blond stroked his hair and kissed his neck, he was trembling in Billy's arms and he felt so cold.

"Easy Princess, you're okay and the kids are okay, you just need to breathe, alright? Can you do that for me, Darlin'?" Steve struggled at first, coughing and wailing for a minute before he was quiet and breathing deeply.

"There we go... there we go, you're doing great, Steve," Billy smiled, and he looked up to see everyone watching. The kids looked worried and frightful and Bobby and Ginny looked freaked the fuck out and concerned and confused.

"What happened?" He asked, Steve was basically catatonic, and Dustin shrugged.

"I don't know. He like tripped or something and then he stood up and looked freak the Hell out. He didn't respond to us and then walked over to the fort and just started screaming!" Dustin explained, panicky and afraid, and looked like he was about to cry.

"He got his bat and just- God it was fucking terrifying dude, he just started swinging at something! It was like he was having a nightmare but awake- a Daymare" Lucas exclaimed frantically and Billy licked his lips and compressed them together, breathing out. Will stepped forward a little.

"It was like when I had my episodes, I'd be doing something then I would just be there," Will said quietly, Mike and Lucas nodded in agreement.

"But why would it happen to Steve?" Max questioned and everyone remained silent, showing that they did not know the answer to that question.

"You should take him home, we'll stay here and finish-" Steve seemed to spring to life at Lucas's statement and looked scared again.

"No! I'm staying here, I'm not letting any of you out my sight!" He declared shakily, Steve attempted to stand up but feel back down into Billy's arms.

"Steve's place. It's safe," Eleven said suddenly and Billy nodded.

"I agree, leave all this shit here and let's go,"

#steve harrington #billy hargrove #harringrove #gay #stranger things

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