I was grinning like a goddamn fool writing this chapter. Enjoy :)
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The wispy smoke trailed after me as I stood in the void.
I looked around, trying to see past the thick fog surrounding me.
"What the-" I started but a loud giggle made me pause.
I whirled around to come face-to-face with the young me.
The 6-year-old girl was playing in a field of purple flowers.
"Look at me!" She giggled happily as there was a chuckle behind her.
I looked, searching for the person.
"Y/n, don't trip." The voice said from inside the fog as I squinted, trying to make out who was speaking.
The fog didn't uncover the mysterious person as the young me smiled.
"Nii-chan! You should come play too!" The 6-year-old me said as I could almost feel the mysterious person smile.
Nii-chan? Chuuya? I thought, but I remembered I never knew Chuuya at such a young age.
In fact, I don't remember much about what happened before I met Chuuya, nothing but this memory.
"Y/n, you know-" The mysterious voice started but suddenly there was the sound of a large explosion.
Young me paused in her playing, e/c eyes widening in shock at the large noise.
Someone grabbed the young me's hand, dragging me away.
"Y/n! We have to go!" They shouted, that voice that sounded all-too familiar.
I would hear that voice time to time, just talking to me.
I needed to know who this was.
The voice that would haunt my dreams.
Suddenly, the hand around the 6-year-old me's wrist disappeared as the faceless figure turned around.
"Y/n! Run away! Get away from here!" The mysterious voice shouted as I had tears streaming down my face.
"No! I'm not leaving you Nii-chan!" The 6-year-old me shouted, tears streaming down her face.
The mysterious person knelt down briefly in front of me, pulling the younger version of me into a hug.
"I'll find you again, I promise! Now, go!" The myserteous person, whom I called Nii-chan said as the young me furiously wiped her tears from her eyes.
She turned around, running away from the sound of explosions.
I watched, unable to move as the myserteous man sighed.
I waited for something to happen but it was like everything was put on fast forward.
Images flashed through my head.
A sword. Split in two.
Blood.
Fire.
Suddenly, I was wrenched back as something tugged around my waist.
I looked down to see chains wrapping around my midriff, dragging me back.
I struggled against the metal chains, but it was proved useless as I felt something encase me.
"Hey! Let me out!" I shouted, pounding on something solid in front of me.
Everything was dark, I couldn't see anything.
It was getting harder to breath, fear lodging up in my chest as I pounded against the solid thing around me.
"Let me go!" I shouted in panic as the chains tightened, wrapping around my arms.
It burned, my skin sizzling beneath the sudden fiery touch of the metal.
I couldn't hold back my scream as I yelled in the utter darkness.
Walls encased me, chains burning against my flesh.
I was scared.
Suddenly, I swear I saw a light as I snapped my head towards the side, searching frantically when-
- - -
"Y/n!"
A voice shook me from my nightmare as I gasped, sitting upright.
I was panting, whirling around the room as I tried to focus on one thing.
Warm hands against my cold face made me flinch but I was staring into concerned grey eyes.
"Y/n..." Akutagawa whispered as I breathed heavily.
"Aku...tagawa?" I asked, looking around the room.
It was still dark and I realised how cold it was down here as I drew my legs towards my chest.
"What happened?" I asked as Akutagawa said as he stared at me.
"You were screaming." Akutagawa said as I flinched ever-so-slightly remembering the tight space I had been shoved into, chains pinning me down.
I've had that dream a few times now.
I would always wake up in the middle of the night, unable to fall back to sleep after.
Nobody knew about it. Not even Chuuya.
"S-Sorry." I said as Akutagawa's eyes widened in shock, unsure how to react to my apology.
I never apologised.
We were both silent, unsure what to say to the other and I spoke up first.
"You can go back to sleep." I said, standing up, ignoring the ache it brought to my wounds.
What the hell? Did Akutagawa really just see me like that? Did I just apologise?
I refused to even glance in his direction.
Akutagawa didn't move or reply, eyes on me as I walked to the kitchen.
My hands were trembling as I tried, yet failed to pour myself a cup of tea.
Stop it! Calm down, y/n!
A warm hand slipped over my own making me flinch as Akutagawa stared at me with those grey concerned eyes again.
The concern written on his face made my heart speed up as he held my hand.
We both stared at each other, once again not sure what to do or say.
The fact that we were here together, taking care of each other was surprising enough.
"You can't sleep here." Akutagawa said as I ignored the chill clinging to the air.
"I don't think I'm going back to sleep." I said in an emotionless tone as Akutagawa stared at me.
Without another word, he turned around, still not letting go of my wrist dragged me around the house.
"Let me go." I said as Akutagawa ignored me and opened the door to the room.
"Sleep." Akutagawa said in a monotone voice as I tensed.
"I'm fine." I said as Akutagawa gave me a small glare.
"You need sleep. And it's freezing outside." Akutagawa reasoned as I fell silent, knowing he was right.
I sighed, moving towards the bed and pulled back the covers.
The mattress and blanket was still warm from Akutagawa's body as I snuggled under the covers.
I didn't realise how cold it was until I felt the faint warmth seep into my chilled bones.
I felt the mattress shift to the side as Akutagawa also slipped into the bed.
We were both silent, myself snuggling even deeper into the covers.
"You're shivering." Akutagawa pointed out and I was indeed shivering.
"It's cold, dumbass." I retorted back, scowling as I curled up into a ball.
We fell silent again, the only rain was the heavy rain hitting the roof and the wind rattling the windows.
And despite the tiredness nagging at me, I didn't want to sleep.
It was still cold, nothing but the blanket as my warmth when hands wrapped around my waist and I was pulled me closer towards Akutagawa.
"Hey, what are you-" I started but Akutagawa interrupted.
"You're shaking too much. Forget about it tomorrow." Akutagawa said as I was pressed against his chest, his long arms encasing me in his cage.
"Your hurt." I said as Akutagawa scoffed.
"Rather this than stay awake all night because you're shaking the bed." Akutagawa said and this time I scowled.
"Shut up." I said as we both fell silent again.
My heart was beating so hard and fast, I was scared he could feel it.
His body was warm against my cold skin.
We both sat there, unsure what to say or do.
But being there, in his arms...
I would never admit it but it felt... nice?
Abruptly, Akutagawa burrowed his face into the crook of my neck, hot breath fanning against my bare skin at the side of my neck.
Shivers ran down my spine.
"What are you doing to me?" Akutagawa asked, his head in my hair as I looked down.
I didn't reply, not sure what to say as I felt Akutagawa's body grew heavier against my own, his breathing deepening, indicating that he had fallen asleep.
I wondered if I should leave, leave him and go back outside but he was indeed warm and I didn't want to freeze my ass off.
"What are you doing to me?" Akutagawa had asked me that.
I looked at his arms around my waist.
"I could ask you the same."
In a few minutes, I had drifted back to sleep.
Not another nightmare haunted me that night.
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Does this make up for my April Fools prank? <3