Got bored, so I posted early. Hope you enjoy.
possible TW for panic attacks
It's dark.
No, he just can't see.
He needs to open his eyes. It's dangerous. He shouldn't be lying on the ground like this.
His head hurts.
Why?
Why does it hurt? What happened?
He can't remember.
I can't remember.
IcantrememberIcantrememberIcantremember
Why can't I remember...?
He opens his eyes and is met with the sight of the trees covering him from the night sky. He doesn't know where he is but he doesn't feel safe and that must be bad.
Right..?
He rolls to his side and winces at the pain that flares up in his torso at the sudden action. He gasps at the pain and struggles to keep himself from faceplanting into the grass below. He manages to shakily hold himself by his elbows and looks around slowly when he hears it.
Footsteps.
His body tenses with fear. He knows he needs to move, run, to hide from whatever threat is approaching but his body won't listen. He can't move.
The footsteps near closer and he can't do anything as the figure walks toward him, only stopping just above him. He can't see them for a moment as their silhouette covers the dim moonlight. He squints in the dark at them and waits for his eyes to adjust with bated breath. He realizes quickly how close they are just as he's able to make out a few key features. With labored breathing he manages to shove them away giving himself enough time to scramble to his feet and dart through the forest.
He runs. He keeps running, for how long he doesn't know. He's vaguely aware of pushing himself through some purple mass and the heat, unbearable heat that tugs at his bones and threatens to take him under.
He keeps running. He runs until the air is cool again. There isn't anywhere to hide to he rushes into yet another treeline and blends into the forestry. He knows he still isn't safe but collapses anyway. He heaves in the air as if it's his first time breathing in the substance.
His head hurts. It hurts so much. His arms wrap around his middle once again hissing at the pain around that area.
It's silent but he can still hear the person's footsteps. He's terrified. He can't remember being this scared of something. His fear doubles when realizes again he can't remember anything. The footsteps come closer and his head snaps up, coming eye to eye with the same figure. He's not sure if he's seen anything like it but he knows somehow it wants him dead.
It comes closer and he runs with only the brief flash of orange in the corner of his eye to tell him he narrowly escaped what could have been an untimely death.
---
Dream didn't care where he ran only knowing he needed to get away and fast. After escaping the house he darted down the path pushing past a few people in the way. He didn't both looking at them knowing already he wouldn't remember him. His eyes scanned over his surroundings realizing despite the many buildings there wasn't much cover. So, he ran to the only place he found he could trust so far.
The forest.
It was one of the few things that felt vaguely familiar and safe to him despite the obvious dangers of nature. Maybe it was the way the wind caressed his lithe form as he bounded through the trees or how the shade provided from the foliage helped him blend in. It could've been how easy it was to fly through the branches or how his body responded naturally even without his memories or experience.
Dream eventually calmed down enough and dropped to the ground soundlessly. The area was silent aside from the various sounds of nature and the man's heavy breathing. Dream fell to his knees and barely managed to hold himself up on his hands. His arms shook and his breathing picked up in speed as his thoughts caught up to him once again.
The fox, Fundy he believed he was called, had advanced on him and all coherent thought was thrown out the window. Dream didn't know who the hybrid was but if his memory was anything to go by he didn't harbor any goodwill toward the masked man and shouldn't be trusted.
But that didn't make any sense. Dream shook his head and moved to lean back against the tree behind him, his head fell back onto the wood with a dull thud. Tommy greeted him with open arms and Ranboo seemed to be friendly towards him and the other male he arrived with as well.
They trusted him.
Dream shivered as the hybrid's impassive expression invaded his mind again. For just a moment, he felt pinned to the ground again but managed to shake the feeling off enough to gather his thoughts once more.
Maybe he was missing something. But what? And how would he know what was missing? The young man groaned in annoyance and buried his face in his hands. The empty feeling was back again and he hated it more than ever. Dream moved his mind back to what he did remember.
He remembered yelling just before he panicked. He believed it was the other man who began shouting at him but couldn't quite remember what he'd said. His mind had been muddled with fear and confusion after the newly recovered memory invaded his mind so everything was a frantic blur of only emotions and vague images. All Dream could remember clear enough was the fox approaching him again in the house.
Dream had tried to think rationally and wait out his options wondering if it was safe or not since Tommy hadn't looked the least bit worried but his instinct had won out in the end. The male sighed and let his hands fall into his lap and kept his head bowed as he gazed tiredly at the grass below him.
His head hurt. That seemed to be becoming a reoccurring theme as of late he mused with a small smile that quickly fell as a shout rang out nearby. He jumped up and peered around the trunk he'd been leaning on and scanned the area. A flash of white caught his attention and he ducked behind the tree again with his lips pressed into a thin line. The voice shouted again and was close enough for him to make out what they were saying this time.
"Dream! Come on, big guy!"
It was Tommy. Dream felt his shoulders sag in relief, he didn't know what he'd do if it was one of the others who came looking for him. He knew Tubbo and Tommy had both told him they only wanted to help but he had been skeptical of that as well in the beginning. He wanted to trust them, just thinking about recovering his memories alone made his stomach go sour.
"Dream! It's alright, man!" Dream raised a brow at the new voice and peered around the tree again noting how Tommy and the other person were closer. The dirty blonde sighed heavily again and rested his head on the tree trunk as the footsteps neared. He heard one of them say something before the footsteps picked up again and approached slowly.
Soon enough, Tommy's blonde head peeked out in the corner of his vision. Dream faced the teen to signal he was conscious behind the mask. Tommy sighed loudly and lowered himself onto the ground out of arm's reach.
He was being cautious of him, Dream noted mentally.
Tommy didn't say anything for a while and Dream appreciated the small moment of silence while he could. He looked up to the sky and took notice of the sun's rays beautifully raining down through the many leaves on the trees covering them, he lowered his gaze once more and stared at the younger waiting for him to speak up. Tommy ran a hand through his hair and exhaled sharply through his nose before raising his eyes again.
"You okay?" He inquired slowly and Dream would've laughed at his doubtful tone if he could've but instead raised a brow. He realized after a moment that Tommy couldn't see it and shrugged silently. "What happened back there?" Tommy rested his chin on his palm and tilted his head to the side. Dream looked away and seemed to tense up all over again. "You remember something?" Dream nodded mutely. Tommy nodded to himself and leaned back on his hands but kept his gaze on the older. "It have something to do with, Fundy?" Dream flinched and that was all the answer Tommy needed. The blonde frowned deeply and didn't say anything for a while.
"What..." Tommy looked up and sighed before he licked his lips nervously and looked back to Dream. "What exactly did you remember...?" Dream didn't raise his gaze but eventually opened his mouth.
---
"I was on the ground..." Sapnap's eyes narrowed at the soft tone. He hadn't heard Dream talk like that in a long time. The raven-haired teen fought to keep himself where he stood. It'd been hard to believe at first but now he could see Dream trusted Tommy the most out of everyone here.
"Do you know why?" He heard Tommy ask. The older teen was amazed at how easily Tommy was handling the situation but he chalked it up to him being the one who found Dream first.
"Not really..." Dream muttered and there was some shifting as one of them moved slightly. "My head hurt a lot and I was scared for some reason," He continued. A part of Sapnap felt saddened at Dream's words. Just what had happened? He was sure he was repeating the same question everyone had on their tongues. It hurt hearing his friend talk in such a tone. The Dream he knew was strong and a bit prideful at times. He was the complete opposite of what Sapnap was hearing at that moment.
"Do you think it was right after you got hurt?" Tommy's voice sounded off again.
"Possibly..." Dream mumbled. "I think I was running from something. I kept telling myself I needed to hide and get away but I couldn't move,"
"Was something holding you down?" Dream didn't reply right away so Sapnap wasn't sure if he nodded or shook his head in answer.
"I was scared..." Dream voice was almost too quiet to hear. "I realized I couldn't remember why I was there or what had happened to me. My head felt like it was tearing itself apart trying to remember. It hurt so much..." Sapnap felt his eyes burning as the words filtered through his dumbstruck brain.
Now he understood what Tubbo had meant.
"Someone was coming though," The masked man continued. "I could hear their footsteps coming closer until they finally stood over me and I saw them..." Dream trailed off and all was silent for a tense moment.
"Was it Fundy...?" Came Tommy's hesitant inquiry and Sapnap felt his blood boil as his mind began to put the pieces together. Was it Fundy who caused this? He heard Tommy gasp quietly and bit the inside of his cheek to try and ground himself before he did something he might regret. Taking a steadying breath Sapnap crept closer until he could see Tommy fully and the back of Dream's head.
"I'm not sure if he's the one who hurt me but I think he might have been there when it happened..." Dream confessed in that soft tone that Sapnap knew he would never get used to. Tommy nodded slowly as he took in the other's words.
"Alright..." Tommy said in a near-whisper and Dream looked down. "I think we should head back for now," The blonde stood and dusted off his pants before extending a hand to the older who took it after a moment of consideration. "We'll have to talk to Fundy about this as well," Dream's shoulders hunched at the name, and Tommy smiled reassuringly catching Sapnap off guard as he watched. "Don't you worry, big man. I've got your back," Dream relaxed exponentially and turned as Tommy moved to walk around him. Blue eyes widened before he smacked himself on the forehead with an annoyed huff as he caught Sapnap's eye. Dream watched the two warily but seemed relaxed enough for the most part seeming to have heard Sapnap while they'd been calling for him.
"Is he okay?" Sapnap asked earnestly, forcing down his earlier torrent of emotions. Tommy's gaze softened and he looked over his shoulder at Dream. Dream looked between the two of them once more before his gaze seemed to settle on Sapnap finally and he nodded curtly, clearly uncomfortable.
And that might have been what broke finally broke Sapnap.
Dream had hurt him but Sapnap was sure he'd hurt the other as well. He hadn't bothered to hear the other out or ask for his reasons. He'd been so quick to anger and didn't bother being careful with what he did or said. Having been so used to Dream being his impulse control he'd snapped and left before he could even consider having second thoughts.
But because he'd left him, Dream had been hurt.
He'd been alone and nearly died and Sapnap had only himself to blame. And now, seeing Dream like this, hurt, scared, and so worryingly vulnerable was like a slap to the face. A wake-up call, if you will. It was then, he'd made his final decision.
Sapnap nodded quickly and turned just as his tears overflowed. He made his way through the trees only listening for the other to follow so they couldn't see the tears flowing down his cheeks.
He'd be there for Dream this time. Or he'd die trying.