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weirdochick56 · 5 years

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Desensitized- Dean Winchester Chapter Six

Deamon!Dean Winchester x Virgin!Reader

Warnings: Angst, dark subjects, a panic attack, sadism, just dark, dark shit okay? Oh! Explicit language (duh)

Disclaimers: I don’t own and SPN plots/characters mentioned.

Word Count: 2, 690 words.

A/N: I’d also like to give credit to the amazing @sherlockedtash88 for giving me the idea on how to continue the story! Give the blog some love guys!

Read Chapter Five Here!!

***

You wake up gasping for air, your lungs expanding as far as they could in order to take in as much delicious oxygen as possible. You bolt upright and your eyes snap open at the sudden sharp pain shooting through your sides. You’re forced to fall flat on your back again.

You pant, your chest heaving and your mind whirling in circles. You screw your eyes shut in order to calm your twitchy body and wince at the sharp pain throbbing briskly through your entire body.

Your mind hazy, and your thoughts unordered, you struggle to calm down as you look up at the familiar ceiling and clutch at the soft sheets beneath you.

“Fuck did a goddam truck run me over?” You whisper to yourself in a raspy croak. Your mouth felt like you’d swallowed the dessert.

Glancing around you for any clues to tell you where you were, you lick your dry cracked lips. It looked like your room. You were on your bed and-

You furrow your brows as you peek down at yourself. You had been patched up and were now clad in a fresh pair of sweats and a tank top, your underwear was still on, thank God. Who the fuck had dressed you?

Your eyes widen when the memories suddenly flashback. Deanmon, the kiss, escaping, Sam’s sudden appearance and- oh fuck! Dean. They must’ve begun the treatment for him!

You sit up, this time carefully as to not mess with your freshly-stiched wounds and throw your legs over the side of the bed, sliding off the mattress with a small groan spilling out of your lips.

Your body felt like it’d been mauled by a wild bear.

Gradually, and keeping a tight clutch on your ribs, you stumble your way out of the room, wincing whenever you twisted your sore body the wrong way and sent a wave of pain shooting through you in excruciatingly sharp waves of agony.

Fortunately, the dungeon was right next door so although it took incredible amounts of effort to so much as hold your weight enough to make it there, it was much simpler than any other room in the bunker.

The first thing you saw was Castiel’s back. The beige trench coat strangely offering you a warm kind of comfort.

“Cas,” you hiss, touching your side lightly.

He spins around with alarm, looking at you with wide blue eyes. “Y/n! What are you doing up?” He immediately rushes over when he sees you almost doubled over in pain, throwing your arm over his shoulders and helping you stand upward.

You throw him a meekly thankful smile. “Thanks.”

He nods at you, his brow furrowed and helps you onto a nearby chair. He grabs a nearby unopened water bottle and passes it to you. You take it gratefully and gulp it down, sighing out after the cool liquid slides down your scratchy esophagus and offers immediate relief to your deteriorated state.

“You never answered my question. What’re you doing up?” He insists.

You look at him with a stern face. “Where’s Dean? And Sam?”

You can see him visibly deflate and your heart races with anxiety when he doesn’t immediately respond. “What?” You snap, despite yourself.

He sighs and looks at you with a regretful glance. “We’ve finished the purified blood treatment on him and...” he exhales heavily and you lean forward, your eyes already dampening.

“What? What happened?” Your heart was thumping loudly in your ears and the anxiety was gnawing at your insides rigorously.

He looks at you. “Dean’s not a demon anymore.” He pauses as you release a breath you hadn’t realized you were holding in and tears of relief escaped your eyes. “And Sam’s out looking for some food for him.” He finishes.

Your entire body sags in unimaginable satisfaction, and your muscles are too tense and sensitive to use and wipe your tears so you let them trail down your cheeks, leaving a wet kind of warmness in their wake.

“Really?” you croak with a weak smile.

Cas returns a reluctant one and nods in confirmation. “He’s resting in his room right now.” And after a few moments of letting you savor in the moment, he breaks the comfortable silence with a solemn expression.

“Thats great and all Y/n, but-” he hesitates. “B-but Dean still has the mark. We only eliminated one problem out of the two.”

You purse your lips at the realization that yes- Dean still has the mark of Cain and is, therefore, prone to become a bloodthirsty demon once more, but that -for now at least- he had gone back to being your Dean. The Dean that was an asshole with the biggest heart you’d ever seen. The Dean that loved pie and beer with his brother. The Dean that hid behind a big macho act in order to conceal how broken he truly was.

The Dean that- according to his demon counterpart- wanted to die. Was planning to even. And not only that- he apparently had feelings for you. And suddenly it dawned on you. He was gone, but what Deanmon said- it wasn’t. The brazen words hung in the tense air and hovered there, waiting to be snatched away and laid down and questioned.

You needed to know the truth.

Sighing, you look up at Cas, rising to your feet a bit too slowly. “L-listen Cas. I get that this problem needs to be dealt with, and I agree, it does. But,” you offer him a small smile. “We’ve already been through so much. I’m drained both emotionally and mentally and I’m sure Sam is too. And you may be an angel of the lord or whatever, but I know for a fact you feel the same way.” You pat his shoulder. “We’ll deal with the mark of Cain some other day. For now, let’s relax a bit. We deserve it.”

Cas sees reluctant, but nods and eyes you carefully. “Where do you think you’re going? I healed your facial wounds the best I could but the rest of your body...You should be resting right now.”

You exhale lightly through your nose, predicting his reaction to your next words. “I’m gonna go see Dean.”

You expect him to explode, tell you ‘no’ in a firm manner, his deep voice adding to the effect of the overprotective brother role. But he only talks softly, his face creased in concern. “Are you sure? I mean, after what he’s done...” he gestures loosely to your disarrayed state. “Are you sure you want to face him? I mean, you might not be ready, he-he was about to do some brash things to you Y/n. I’ uh- sorry that I wasn’t there to-”

You cut him off with a slightly pained smirk. “C’mon Cas! I’m a born and bred hunter! I’ve gone through worst shit. Plus, a few scratches never hurt anyone.” You try to sound enthusiastic, but it hurts to move your facial muscles. “And Dean...he’s back. Our Dean is back and I know it wasn’t him who did those things. It was the demon.”

It seemed you were right and Cas was completely beat because he didn’t bother arguing further with you, only threw a worried look when you spun on your heels and walked towards Dean’s room.

Were you ready to though?

***

You stood outside the mahogany door, your heart feeling inexplicably heavy in your chest.

Finally, after a lot of reassurance and reliance on your bubbling excitement to see him, you bring your knuckles down on the door repeatedly, waiting for a response. The number 11 stared down at you in big golden numbers and you breathed in softly, your nerves attempting to come back full force- but they don’t get the chance to when the door swings open.

“Wha-” he stops halts his sentence as soon as his. His plump pink lips part slightly and you can’t help but prop your body against the door, the pain becoming a bit too much.

And there he is. Looking tired and shocked and oh-so-handsome. You feel a large breath leave your body in a rush. And there he is.

You look into his eyes, searching for any sign that it isn’t him and that this is all a dream you’d wake up from and suddenly find yourself back in that dungeon, that you’d find a sudden flicker of disappointment claw at your insides. But all you see is the familiar green orbs you love so much. The only difference is that unlike before, his glance isn’t playful of smug, it’s soft, regretful and oh-so broken. He looks so guilty that it breaks your heart.

“Y/n...” his green eyes are so big, filled to the brim with tears. The way he uttered your name as if you would break from the simple word being said to you, as if the breath leaving his lips would blow you away from him.

No trace of deanmon, you note.

Only....you don’t feel an immediate sense of warmth and love for him fill you at the fact. It’s hard to describe but...you were battling between enveloping him in your arms, welcoming him and...running away? ...Why?

And then, almost as if a natural reaction at the same time memories of what he did to you- of what he was planning to do to you- flashed behind your lids vividly and unintentionally, when you look back into his eyes, you see those black eyes once more, that empty gaze in them and the maliciousness flashing back on before your very eyes. And just as unintentionally, you flinch when he utters your name once more.

“Oh, Y/n...” he whispers when he sees your cautious reaction to him. Warily, he steps closer to you, his arms outstretched to you, almost as if he was going to embrace you.

You can’t help it when your body went rigid, your muscles painfully contracting at the display of emotion. The move prompted the memories to keep coming full force, forcing you to screw your eyes shut.

Dean’s arms quickly come behind you and wrap around your waist. He forces you away and you scream louder. You kick and scream some more. Finally, as if on cue, Sam appears. Tears are trailing down your face and you can’t tell if in relief or because you were so worn out...

Dean’s touch is what brings you back from reality. His voice -one that should be calming and comforting after the shitshow you’ve been through- has the complete opposite effect on you and you tremble, scooching as far away from his embrace as the firm wall behind you would allow. You want to sink into it, disappear from his eyes and more importantly; from his reach.

His eyes stare at you, wide and green and so completely crushed as he raises his arms defensively, backing away at your more than clear hesitance to be near him.

More memories play over in your head and you can’t help the whimper that escapes your dry chapped lips.

Dean sighs exasperatedly, bringing his hand down on you. The sharp pain spread through you like a painful wildfire, tears welling up in your eyes.

“Y/n?”

Dean cut you in a few more untouched places, slicing the skin open. You tried to take your mind away from the excruciating pain and constant blood nauseating your every sense

“Are you okay sweetheart?” Dean’s brow furrows. More memories, more throbbing in your head.

“See? Wrong again sweetheart. The fact that your old Dean wanted to do things to you is the only reason I’m going to do this.” He reaches out, trailing his hand over your cheekbone. You shiver at his rough hands and their deceiving tender touch.

Sweetheart, sweetheart, sweetheart.

You clutch your head when the throbbing suddenly intensifies to a maximum.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, little virgin. I would’ve thought you out of all the people I’ve tortured would make the most satisfying sound.”

Torture, torture, torture.

“Mmmph!” you muffle your scream as Dean slices into your cheek with a knife for what felt like the hundredth time. He’d been going at it with you for the past hour or so. But to you, it felt like an entire eternity. Chained up to the walls, your blouse ripped open, pieces of fabric and buttons laying all around you on the dungeon.

“Y/n!” Suddenly Dean’s fingers wrap themselves around your arms, firmly, grounding you, bringing you back.

Your breathing is labored, your sides pulsated warmly, the hot pain spreading throughout all your wounds as your heart raced. Faster and faster.

Your vision blurred as you release a shirl scream, yanking yourself away from Dean’s suddenly repulsive touch. Your breathing got faster. Tears, tears. Spinning head. Spinning, spinning, spinning some more. Your grip your hair so tightly, your scalp burns. More memories.

He stares at you blankly for a moment, then all in one swift motion slips his hand into your hair and yanks your head back by it. You wince as your scalp screams in pain. You weren’t going to give him the satisfaction of hearing another scream leave your lips

You ignore Dean’s flabbergasted eyes, closing your own and releasing another scream. You wanted your brain to shut up. To stop the images from replaying in your mind like a movie.

“Shut up, shut up, shut up,” you chant over and over, hoping that that’ll get the thoughts to stop. The images.

You stumble back, disregarding the pain in your very bones and focusing on the one instilled in your chest. Open mouth, more panting. More air, more air.

Your back lands onto the wall, sinking down onto your butt. You intuitively wrap your arms around your knees, and press your head on them, trying to protect yourself as loud, heart-wrenching sobs rip through your sore throat and out your dry lips. Protect yourself from Dean.

You rock yourself back and forth as Dean speaks in a slightly panicked voice.

“Y/n? What’s wrong sweetheart?” You can hear him, practically feel him, kneel beside you, his warmth the ultimate indicator.

You look up at him, your eyes more than probably glistening with tears and terror. Absolute terror. “D-don’t h-hurt me p-please.”

You were scared. You were scared of him. Dean.

Dean’s POV

Crack.

I could feel my heart give out under the pressure and break into a million tiny fragments like fragile glass.

I’d done this. I’d done this to Y/n. I was so consumed by power by the darkness and its temptation that I-

I tortured her. My sweet innocent Y/n. I touched her and beat her and broke her spirit and wore her out until most of the fight left her body.

I did this.

And now she’s absolutely terrified of me. And I could try to tell her, to convince her that I would never hurt her like that again, I could try to confess my undying love for her.

I could try.

But that wouldn’t erase it.

Not the fact that I was a monster towards her. And it sure as hell wouldn’t erase the fact that it was me. That demon...as much as Sam and Cas and even I would like to believe was someone else, someone driven by the mark, it wasn’t just that. I craved the power, the control.

I wanted to kill and rape the love of my life against her will.

And even as I hated it, detested it, I had to admit...a small part of me, perhaps a sliver of my own soul...watching her sitting there, rocking her feeble body in a defensive position, powerless under me.

The small, microscopic sliver...it craved the control. The power that seeing her so defenseless gave. It loved the fear she fed it.

It was a sadistic fuck. I was a sadistic fuck.

I was disgusted by myself. If before I was a hopeless cause, now I was the most repugnant of beings. No vampire or werewolf or demon could ever be as abhorrent as me. I needed to stay as far away from Y/n as possible.

And watching her tremble with fear beside me, her chest heaving and loud, cracked sobs leaving her plump lips, I knew, somehow, that she wouldn’t mind.

***

Well, that was dark!

So, so, dark.

Anywho....y’all already know.

Let me know if you wanna be tagged in any shape or form. Send me messages, asks, REPLY (whatever suits you) and give me FEEDBACK. Mostly cause I’m trying a new style and shit ya’ know?

A Special Thanks to:

@multifandomdisappointment

@frozenhuntress67 - my “Desensitized” peeps

@multifandomdisappointment -currently only “Dean sweetheart”

And of course, my lovely forevers

@jessikared97

@sherlockedtash88

@lilypalmer1987

#Deanmon #deanmon x reader #dean winchester #dean winchester fanfic #dean winchester au #dean winchester roleplay #dean #dean winchester imagine

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eddstreet-askblog-deactivat-blog · 6 years

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Trouble

After getting knocked out with sleeping gas, Hellucard gets kidnapped by two mysterious men. Without anyone even knowing his whereabouts, or even caring, things could get uglier fast.

Warning: mild violence

Hellucard’s head swam as he came into consciousness. His concern grew as his vision didn’t clear. Everything was so dark… He was moving… Hellucard felt his nose itch and realized there was a burlap sack over his head. He swallowed as he slowly realized what was going on. He tried to move his hands and sure enough, they were bound.

‘Okay…no need to panic…! I’m sure this is just some sort of misunderstanding… My payments aren’t due for..! …oh no…’

Hellucard began to squirm and immediately stopped, feeling a thick, heavy hand on his neck. Oh, this was not good.

“Easy there tiny~” His gruff voice pierced the silent atmosphere. The man chuckled and hellucard found himself feeling the vibrations of his hefty voice. He shuddered, turning his head away as his captors warm breath brushed against his ear through the burlap sack. “Wouldn’t want to get knocked out again..”

Hellucards heart pounded fiercely in his chest. Without knowing which group of criminals had kidnapped him, he couldn’t tell if he was in immediate danger. Sure, being kidnapped in itself was a red flag but when the car happened to stop, there was more than one way that things could go. Finding out which path he would take was of utmost importance right about now…

‘I was already passed out when I awoke in the car… so there’s no way for me to tell how far away from the bar I am…’

“L-listen, if this is about the money i owe you-”

“You’re damn right it is shrimp. Boss has had enough of your promises to pay him back. It’s time for you to make good of your I.O.U.’s.” The men both laughed and it rattled hellucard right to his bones. He had every intention of paying them all back! Just… right after he was done enjoying being rich..!

“Guys come on..! You know me..!” ‘I think..’ he thought, “Of course I’m going to pay the boss back..! In fact, I was right in the middle of writing out his check before you kidnapped me!”

“Sure you were, hellucard.” A chilling voice broke through the air and hellucard froze, knowing all too well who the speaker was. The boss’ right hand man…

“S..Saul?” Hellucard stuttered. He hadn’t even noticed that the vehicle had stopped. Hadn’t even heard the passenger door open…

“Get him out.”

“Move it scrub.” Hellucard felt himself being shoved forward, the wind almost being knocked out of him completely. Stumbling as he made it out of the car, he immediately felt the cold air. So it was near nightfall then… the temperature always dropped at sunset…

‘If it was about 4:30 when i fell asleep… and these guys must have been watching me for their opportunity to… then…’

He was a long way from the city.

The two bodyguards, as he was now sure they were, guided him through what he presumed to be a building. Hellucard noted the sound of broken pipes leaking, and footsteps echoing.

‘Abandoned building…?’

“Seems a little cliche don’t you think?”

“I don’t recall giving you the right to speak.”

For a while, they walked silently. He didn’t dare utter another word until he was absolutely sure of what was going on. And if he happened to be right, keeping his mouth shut would be the best course of action.

“Sit him down and adjust his ties. The boss will be here in a second. And take that thing off his head.”

“Right.” Hellucard heard Saul walk away as the guards pushed him down and manhandled him, untying and retying knots to attach him to the chair he sat in. His head swam at the sight of the bright light when they removed the sack from his head. A slight ringing in his ears began and he was sure he’d throw up due to sensory overload.

“Hgh…”

“Aww, is helly a little sensitive? The light to bright for ya?” Michael. He should have known.

“Well don’t worry… We’re gonna knock your lights out soon enough…” the large men chuckled as they cracked their knuckles. If that was Michael, then this must be…

“Ajax. That’s enough.”

Both men stepped back and stood at attention, bordering hellucard from either side. Looking up, he knew that he was in more trouble than he had anticipated. The tall dark haired man was shadowed by the contrast of the light behind him, his face barely visible and yet he knew exactly who it was. The jet black suit, slicked back hair, sickly intoxicating aroma of his cologne…

“Cain…”

“Hellucard. A pleasure to see you again, my dear.” His deep, sultry voice cut through the air like a knife, making hellucard go stiff as a board. He broke into a cold sweat as Cain walked towards him, motioning his men to guard the doors. “You’ve been avoiding me…”

“A..Absolutely not!! I was just…uh..busy…?” A small terrified laugh left him. He knew he should have repaid everyone back as soon as possible… He knew this would happen… Why did he always let greed get the better of him…?

“Heheh… Of course you were… busy enjoying life’s luxuries, hm? In your mansion… drinking aged wine with caviar… while bathing in your Olympic sized indoor pool… How could you ever find the time to visit and pay me back..?” Cain was just centimeters away from hellucards face, each word he whispered dripping with venom. “But.. it’s a good thing for us that we grabbed you before Lars did…”

“L..Lars is looking for me…?” Cain gave a sinister chuckle, finding pure amusement in the canadians fear.

“Well of course he is!”

“Who…Who else is..?” A panic was slowly creeping up on him.

“Oh, love. Who ISN’T looking for you? You were quite the busy bee, borrowing money from all those people… Claiming you were a poor mouse with not a crumb in your pocket… when in reality by the time you got to the Cherry Sisters, you were already pulling in a six figure income…”

“O..oh, that… Well I-!”

“I don’t much care to hear it. You’re here to repay MY debt, not theirs.”

“Ah! YEAH! U..uh.. About that,”

“Don’t tell me… you’re going to pay me back soon? In a day? A week? A month?” Cain taunted. “I’ve had just about enough of your empty promises… My patience is running thin…”

“I already told you I’m going to pay you back!!” hellucard snarled. “So let me go and-!!”

In an instant, he was falling back and grabbed by his collar. His vision blurred again and the ringing was louder than before. A burning, stinging sensation settled on his right cheek and hellucard realized he’d been punched. He felt a cold sharp object up against his neck and tried to focus his eyes to see what was going on. Cain was grabbing his collar to keep him at an angle and holding a knife to his neck…

“Listen here you little runt…” Being this close, hellucard could smell the cigar smoke on his boss’ breath. Though it was inherently strong, the smell didn’t stick to his suit. It still had the sickeningly sweet aroma of some cologne he couldn’t quite identify. “The ONLY reason you’re still alive is because of the amount of money I’ll get from you loan with interest…And although i would rather not lose it all, I have no problem with killing you… So unless you want me to decapitate you right now…This is how things are going to go…You’re going to sell everything you have until you come up with enough money to pay me back in full.”

“E…everything…?”

“Everything. Your cars, your electronics, your jet, designer clothing. Your mansions if it comes down to it. Yes, I know about your places in France and Canada. Every single thing until you come up with MY money.”

Hellucard looked down unable to maintain eye contact as he thought about what that actually meant. He wouldn’t be able to do everything he promised… If paying back Cain was practically leaving him homeless, how would he be able to give Mark everything he wanted? On top of that, if what Cain said was true, then it wouldn’t be long before everyone else found him and demanded their money back.

There was no other way around it…

“Okay… I-I’m… I’m going to get your money back… I swear…”

“You have one week.” Hellucard nodded and screamed bloody murder. Cain twisted the knife he stuck in his thigh, digging it in deeper before yanking it out. “Let that serve as a reminder. Get him out of my sight.”

Michael and Ajax put the burlap sack back over his head and grabbed Hellucard, chair and all, carrying him out. He grunted as they threw him on his back into the car, wishing they had at least been careful with his wound. The car ride to their next stop wasn’t long, which made Hellucard worry. They were certainly nowhere near his home or bar..

Hellucard tried to move around, but his injury and chair made it difficult. Maybe he could ask them for help. But… the two had been awfully quiet… In fact, wasn’t sure if they were even there. “G…guys? Where-?” The next thing he knew, he was on the ground, gasping for breath and wishing for death. The heavy blow to his gut made him want to curl up , but he remained in the sitting position the chair imposed on him.

The burlap sack was removed from his face and he began coughing, struggling to keep consciousness. That blow was so precise… Before he could identify his assaulter, that was most certainly NOT Cain’s men, he was kicked across the face repeatedly. Hellucard wanted to crawl back but found himself unable to even move, being forced to just lay there and take each strike as it came.

One more blow and everything stopped, the assailant giving hellucard a chance to breathe. “P, please, pLEASE!! D, don’t… n-no more … i cant..” he gasped, head swimming. He couldn’t even tell which way was up anymore. Couldn’t tell if he was looking at the night sky or if he’d lost his vision.

“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t shoot you dead.” The voice sounded feminine… oh dear god no..

“C…Cain..” he wheezed.

The Cherry sister muttered something under her breath and put away her gun.

‘Guess Cain wanting me alive for the next week was a good enough reason…’

“Well if you already talked to Cain, then you know what I’m about to tell you.”

“Y, you want… your money..” Of course he knew…

“Tout de suite.” The Cherry demanded.

“Yeah… yeah i got… i got the concept…” Hellucard coughed, blood splattering on the ground. “As soon as I get home… I’m going to.. Mnh… pay you all back… ugh, fuck, cherry… you almost killed me…”

“That was the point, idiot.”

“Can you just… send me home so i can… tend to my injuries and get everyone’s..m..money…?” 37 deadly blows to the skull was about all hellucard could handle at the moment. If he were even to lightly bump his head, he was sure he’d drop dead.

He cringed as Cherry laughed maniacally. So that was a no, then. “You think me and Cain are the only ones with a bone to pick? I’m sure you’ve heard Lars is looking for you. Paid me off to bring him to you after I was done.”

“W, wh, what?? No… n, no, cherry, PLEASE. He’ll kill me for sure!! I-I cant take anymore-!”

“TOO FUCKING BAD. You should have thought of that before you tried to con all of us and my sister out of our money!! You have a week.”

“B-but Cain wants his money in a week! I’m not going to be able to pay you all back at the same time!! The interest on the loan means that-”

“I. Don’t. Care. Figure it out.”

“C, can you just talk with Cherry Blossom and work something else out!?”

‘If she wanted to negotiate or even talk to you, she wouldn’t have sent Cherry Bomb…’

“Don’t ask questions you already know the answer to. It’s annoying and wastes my time. Just get. My. Money.”

“BUT-”

Cherry kicked him again and Hellucard knocked out. For the next few hours, the process was the same. He’d wake up in a different location from before, get intimidated as people demanded their money, and get knocked back out to be moved to the next patron’s location.

By the time he reached the end of the line of people who wanted him dead, hellucard could barely even stand. He’d been pushed, shoved, punched, kicked, slapped, kneed, cut, burnt, stabbed, crammed into the trunk of cars. The list went on.

Once again, he was driven to a random location and carelessly dropped off. For a while, hellucard just lay there, clothes tattered, bloody, and bruised, waiting for someone to come and drag him off. But after no one came, he figured they must finally be done. It was hard to keep track of everything when he could hardly keep his vision with him long enough… His face felt numb… The cold air helped to soothe his burning body as he laid on his back, staring up and wishing that what he was seeing wasn’t what he thought it was.

A snowflake landed on his cheek and hellucard nearly broke down. He didn’t know where he was. Didn’t have his wallet with him. Lost his phone. There was no public transport at this hour.

As his vision blurred with tears, hellucard searched his pockets hoping to find a bit of loose change. Finding just enough for a payphone, he sought out to find one. He only knew one person who would be able to help him. The only person who’s number he had memorized and owned a vehicle.

After walking around for awhile, he approached a phonebooth. It was vandalized and looked broken, but hellucard prayed it still worked. He gave a shaky sigh of relief as he heard the dialing tone and placed his coins in the slot, punching in the numbers.

‘Please leave your message after the beep.’

“H..hey..”

Hellucard cleared his throat, struggling to keep his voice from breaking. He was cold, dirty, tired. If he couldn’t get someone to come pick him up, he might have to spend the night snowed in in a phone booth. Which just wasn’t ideal.

‘please..’

“Tom.. could you come pick me up..?”

#eddsworld #ew eddstreet au #ew hellucard #eddsworld fanfiction #mod meh

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ericjuneau · 7 years

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Reprise (Chapter 16) [Frozen/Tangled/The Little Mermaid]

CHAPTER 16: Room to Breathe

Not even the candles in the caravan dare fizzle.

"You knew her," Granny asked in a creaky voice.

"She was my mother... I thought she was my mother. She took me when I was a baby. When my mother... my real mother... was giving birth to me, she was having trouble. So they fed her this potion made from a magical golden flower. But they didn't know Mother Gothel had found it first."

"Use not that word for the witch. She is a mother to the devil only."

Rapunzel wasn't sure how to take that, so she continued. "The magic transferred to me. So she kidnapped me and took me to a tower. I never knew who I was or that I was the lost princess. Just that she was keeping me protected from diseases and thugs and things like that. And I wasn't ready for them. I was too gullible and naïve. But on my eighteenth birthday I met someone who helped me escape, and... well, we managed to take away the magic and she died."

Rapunzel closed her eyes and looked away, trying to shut out Gothel's death scream as she turned to dust. The caravan stayed silent, while tears formed at the corners of her eyes. She didn't know what else to say.

Ariel mouthed the words 'eighteen years?' to Elsa, who was just as astonished.

"Everyone! Leave us." Granny commanded. "And Nash..." She pointed her bony finger at Elsa and Ariel. "Treat these women like princesses. Or I'll hang you by your ears."

Nash backed away. "O-of course." He squirreled Ariel and Elsa out of the caravan without another word. Now it was only the old lady and Rapunzel, knelt like a woman at an altar.

"Rise, my child," Granny said. "Come closer."

Rapunzel leaned down. Granny's eyes were like black opals filled with stars. "I never knew she was one of you. If I'd-"

"Feh," Granny said. "Not one of us. Never one of us. May the devil boil her face in pitch until it cracks. Glamor hides the mark of Cain. A sundew's flower looks luscious to a fly, with droplets of water to sip. Do not forget this. Nature does not. It is full of deception. Man is no different. It is smarter than the sundew, and thus uses smarter traps. This is the advice I give you."

Granny twirled her finger around a swatch of Rapunzel's hair. "Eighteen years..." she uttered. "All that time... You have a greater spirit than mine, child. I've seen others descend into madness for less. Tell me, child--do you forgive her for what she did?"

"I... I don't know," Rapunzel said. She looked away.

"Well, don't!"

"Don't?" Rapunzel asked.

"She was a vain, selfish woman. She had no care for anyone who stood in her way. That is the worst kind of human being. If one can call her that."

"But... doesn't everyone deserve forgiveness?"

"What is forgiveness? The reprieve of sins? Release of the feelings of hate? No. She earned your ire. She took away eighteen years you can't get back. Eighteen years of your life. Forgive her nothing."

"I... I don't know. When I think back, I don't remember bad feelings. I became good at so many things--music and art and crafts and baking and climbing. I remember always looking forward to the next day. And I still do."

Granny lay back. "As so it should be, child."

Ariel and Elsa held their hands over the fire. Other gypsies sat near, but ignored them, laughing and eating stew.

"She really spent eighteen years locked in a tower?" Ariel asked Elsa.

"I guess so. I didn't know. I mean..." Elsa rubbed her hands together. "I knew she was kidnapped, but I thought she was just... raised somewhere else. I thought she lived a peasant's life, stolen by a crazed woman and raised as her own. I had no idea about the tower."

"She seems so... normal," Ariel said. "I would have gone crazy if I was her. I had the whole ocean to explore and it still wasn't enough. But now that I know what she went through, I feel, I don't know..." Ariel rubbed her shoulders. "Childish."

Elsa said, "When I was eleven, they closed off the castle to control my curse. We operated on minimal staff. Limited my contact with people. Especially Anna. Sometimes I'd find Anna sleeping outside my door, and I'd carry her back to bed. I rarely left my room."

"Wow. So you were kind of alike."

"But... my exile was self-imposed. Rapunzel believed it was for her protection. Mine was to protect others." She stirred the fire with a stick. "How she made it, I'll never know. She's a stronger person than me."

"She had no one, except her 'mother'. And Pascal. I had Daddy, my six older sisters, Sebastian, Flounder, Scuttle, a whole ocean of friends. Even on land, I started alone, but I made new ones."

"Land." Elsa looked at the sky. The sun was halfway behind the mountains.

"Oh no, I forgot," Ariel said.

"Excuse me?" Elsa asked a gypsy named Cooper. "Where are we to sleep tonight?"

"Figure you'll take one of our caravans. We can sleep under the stars." He pointed to a conestock wagon big enough for three. "I know she said to treat you like guests, but... er, honestly, that is the best we have."

"Fewest mouse droppings," another man interjected. "Due on that's where we sleep our hounds."

Elsa stood up. "Ariel and I are going to take a walk. Into the swamp."

"Er, you are?" Cooper asked.

"Yes. And if anyone follows us, they will regret it. Do you understand? I don't want any of your men in the trees following us."

Nash responded, "Ain't no one keeping track this close to camp. But you shouldn't be walking in the dark. What if-"

"You ask a lot of questions," Elsa said. "Do I have your word that we will not be followed?"

"You kept your word. I'll keep mine," Nash said.

Elsa held her head stiff as Ariel followed her. She brushed back the vines and the world dimmed. Pungent swamp gas had mellowed in the fall of evening. The dim lights of fireflies circled in the distance. Ariel used her trident as a machete, pulling back creepers and shooing animals.

"Do you have a plan?" Ariel asked.

"We need water. And we can't get it from them without raising too much suspicion."

"Right. They'll wonder why I'm taking such a long bath."

"If we can find a small pond, will you be okay? It's not salt water."

"I think I'll be okay. All I need to do is make it until morning."

They walked further into the swamp, following a stream up to its source--an overflowing pit of dark water. Moss overhung the edges, but it was clean as marshes went.

"I think this should do. We can't wait much longer anyways." Ariel took off her skirt. Elsa folded it while Ariel walked into the water, shivering from the cold.

She turned to Elsa, arms crossed over her chest. "What about crocodiles?"

"Can't you use your trident?"

"Not if I'm asleep."

"I can create a dome over the pond. Ice will keep everything out. But it might be a cold night."

"Better than being chomped on."

Elsa circled her hands. A white arc grew from one side of the pond, curving over the top. Ariel bit her lip as the hatch closed, leaving her with little light.

Elsa knocked on the dome. "You all right in there?"

"Just fine," Ariel said, lying through her teeth.

"I'll come find you in the morning. Have a good night."

Ariel played with the water while waiting for the change to come. Pain gripped her torso. She writhed, splashing against the dome's ceiling. When the transformation was complete, a lingering fire burned in her chest. She wasn't sure how much longer she could do this. Her mermaid body resisted the cold, but the darkness kept her uneasy.

Something scratched at the base of the dome. A badger curiously pawing at it?

Ariel sank into the water, hoping for the best.

When Elsa returned, she found Rapunzel by the fire. A Romani man played the lute while others laughed and clanked frothy mugs holding conversation with her. Three women weaved her hair with their bony fingers. "It's like working with spun gold," one cackled.

"Where's the red-headed one?" Cooper asked.

"She prefers to sleep alone. It's... it's how she was raised."

"That's a bit unusual."

"We're all a bit unusual," Rapunzel said. "I lived in a single room for eighteen years and my hair is seventy feet long." The gypsies laughed and continued their cups. Rapunzel's distraction had worked. "Is Ariel okay?" she asked Elsa.

Elsa sat down beside her. "I think so. She... found a pond, and wanted to 'sleep' there. I made sure she was protected."

Rapunzel nodded. "I asked Granny about Omis Ravir. She said the folk tale is that he lives in an old cathedral further west, deep in the woods. She's not sure if it's real or just a legend to scare people. Her people weren't exactly welcome near the church."

Elsa nodded. "Is he supposed to be a man? A monster? A wizard?"

"Granny wasn't entire sure. She thought it was once a man. But the stench of evil was so strong, she couldn't believe anything in there was ever human. She wouldn't even try burning down the woods, in case it survived and found its way out. Anyway, she promised to have us guided there tomorrow morning."

Someone handed Elsa and Rapunzel two bowls of steaming stew.

"Then... I guess all that's left tonight is to eat, drink and be merry," Elsa said.

In the morning, as Rapunzel finished hemming her stockings, she heard rustling vines. Elsa emerged, leading Ariel out. She was wearing Elsa's shawl.

"Are you okay?" Rapunzel asked.

"I can't w-w-wait to have this c-c-curse lifted," Ariel said. "I d-d-d-d-don't think I can d-d-d-do that ag-g-g-gain." Elsa rubbed Ariel's shoulders.

Nash finished tying his boots. The tin objects on his hiking pack jingled. "Ladies, I'm ready to go whenever you are."

"Is it far?"

Nash shrugged. "It'll take about half the morning to get there."

"Maybe the walk will warm me up," Ariel said.

They left the camp behind and traveled across the prairie. A jade forest swallowed them up, full of dense thickets and jungle vines the color of parrot feathers.

Nash led, hacking at the brush with a short sword. In the beginning, birds chittered overhead. But now deep in, only the wind creaked old boughs.

"All right," Nash said. "This is far as I'm taking you."

"We're not there yet," Ariel said.

"I'm not going anywhere closer. Sorry, miladies. I know Granny said I'd take you all the way, but I've gone further than I feel comfortable. And I'm not taking one more step if I've got breath." He pointed. "Just keep going that direction. You can see the cathedral from here, if you've a mind to climb a tree. Just don't... aw, never mind."

"What?" Ariel asked.

"Nothing. Did you bring any weapons?"

Ariel held out her trident. Elsa flexed her fingers.

Rapunzel said, "Um, should I have something?"

"I wouldn't go in with anything less than a king's battalion." Nash sloughed off his backpack. "Let's see... maybe I can give you something. There's a decent knife. It's a bit chipped. Um... Maybe I can whip up a sling, but... no, I don't have any leather." He turned the pack around.

"How about that?"

Rapunzel pointed at a cast-iron cooking pan hung off the strap.

"This? It's an old fry pan."

Rapunzel, bright-eyed, nodded. "That'll work."

Nash shrugged and unhooked it. "Okay... if that's what you want..." Rapunzel held up the pan to her chest, grinning, while Ariel and Elsa returned confusion.

Nash put his back pack on and huffed. "Good luck, ladies. May rain fall to your south and the rainbow touch your shoulder."

They waved goodbye as he disappeared behind a tall oak.

Ariel used her trident to push aside the branches, searching for the path of least resistance. All the trees were old and gnarled. The farther they went, the more grizzled they got.

Ten minutes later, they reached a clearing. Vines and dead branches draped everywhere, giving the appearance of a sun-dappled rotunda scooped out of the forest. Just beyond lay a brick facade, covered in thick bushes and ropy ivy.

"We found it," Ariel said, squealing.

The forest, try as it might, couldn't seem to reclaim the cathedral as its own. Heavy trees obstructed access to anything but the front wall. Shards of stained glass windows poked around the frame, some with branches snaking through. Weeds had grown through cracked steps and hassock melded with stone.

"That's creepy," Ariel said, pointing.

A stone statue stood in an inset above the cathedral doors. It was as big as an elephant, but shaped like a grand lion or dog.

"Some kind of gargoyle or manticore." Rapunzel said. "Should we go in?"

Rapunzel and Ariel approached, while Elsa stood back, unnerved by the statue. She couldn't figure out why it stood out to her. Empty coal-black eyes stared out from a face constructed from thick discs. Spires flared out around its neck like a mane. Something about its architectural style seemed off. Or maybe it was the stonework. Elsa couldn't put her finger on it.

Then Elsa snapped her fingers. It was the only object in the glen with no moss.

Before she could tell the others, Rapunzel and Ariel stepped on the walkway. Something started humming. The stone veneer over the statue's eyes cracked. Bright blue whorls lit up, lifeless like glass.

Stone pebbles and shards spilled onto Ariel's and Rapunzel's heads. They stepped back toward Elsa.

The monster shook its head, raining dirt and dust. It leapt off its perch. The ground trembled on landing. It adjusted its haunches, dropped its jaw, and roared.

"Oh boy," Ariel said.

#Ariel #Elsa #Rapunzel #Tangled #Frozen #The Little Mermaid #Disney #fanfiction #Reprise #fanfic #disneyprincess #crossover

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