vatheon | I always knew you'd awaken

Who: Fai and OPEN TO ALL
When: Evening
Where: Edge of town
Status: Open

Fai had been running. Fear had pushed him forward and he ran until his lungs hurt in his chest. But no matter how fast he went, or how far he ran..that shadow of a man continued to follow him. When the fairy had reacted in such a way, Fai had been concerned but now..nothing but fear.

"You're dead..I saw you die.." Fai knew he was dead. Even if Kurogane hadn't done it, the world had collapsed. This man should not be here. The fear was making him forget what this world was capable of. The fact that even the dead could show up in this place. Why did Fai fear him? Wasn't this resolved? He couldn't kill him himself..this man that had watched over him and become such a monster. Perhaps he was here to make Fai finish the job..that was the absolute worst thought the vampire could have. Was this man going to kill everyone in this world that he cared about until he finally managed to end the wizard's life with his own hands?

Turning a final corner, Fai flattened his back against a wall and panted for air. He closed that golden eye and prayed for safety. When he opened that eye back up, the man that stood before him seemed so real that Fai's heart felt like it stopped in his chest, gripped by that icy hand of terror. It was being squeezed until he thought it might burst.

As Ashura approached him he let out a scream, sliding down to curl up into ball on the ground. He covered his head and just cowered..waiting for the ghost of the man he had once cared for, served under, watched murder innocent people and then encased in a tomb of ice..wanting to hide from this man that seemed to haunt him no matter what world he was on.

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"I don't think you're to blame for anything bad that's happened here. And...you can have a different life here, things don't have to be the way they were before." Whatever had happened, whatever Fai hated himself so much for, Johnny didn't know it and it didn't matter. What mattered was the Fai in his arms, the one he cared about. He didn't care for a jynx, he cared for a vampire.

"Come this Sunday, he won't be here anymore...and It'll take some time, but then he can just go back into your memories. It's just a nightmare."

"I wonder if I can last that long.." Fai wasn't so sure. He felt emotionally exhausted but at least he had finally shared some of his past himself..instead of it being shown to people by Ashura.

"Life here might be different but I wonder how long I can enjoy it.." Fai didn't believe he deserved a different life. He had accepted the mistakes and the pain and knew that he was destined to hurt and be hurt.

Johnny finally shifted, moving to sit on the ground and pull Fai into his lap, arms wrapped just as securely as before.

"You enjoy it as long as you can and as much as you can. Don't hold back in making yourself happy here, you never know when it will end." Of course, for humans, that was normal advice, but for them, it was nothing if not true here. "And I know you can last that long because I know you're a lot stronger than you think you are. Besides, you're not alone here, there are people who will gladly keep you company and share the burden."

Fai settled against Johnny and closed his eye. At least this way he still couldn't see the nightmare. It was odd to think that the nightmare was only visible when one had their eyes open..such a reverse of the normal. But then again, this world had already broken to be anything but normal.

"You give me more credit then I deserve. No one should have to deal with my nightmares." There were just too many of them. Ashura was just the biggest.

"But thank you Johnny..I feel safer at least."

"I don't mind." And he really didn't. He would always prefer helping the people he cared about and helping them fight off their nightmares rather than face his own.

"I'm glad. I want you safe."

There was still so much Fai couldn't say. Good memories along with bad. The dreadful events of that final day of Celes..and the truth behind the name he chose to hide behind. Little pieces have been exposed over time, first with the arrival of his brother..and now this. All the lies and secrets that Fai had built up over the decades of life had started to be dissolved as the truth became necessary.

"Will he go away now? Have I said enough?"

Johnny looked over to the king, disappointed he could still see him. He just continued petting Fai's hair, perfectly content to hold him until Johnny could say yes.

"He hasn't yet...but I'll stay with you till he does. Maybe when the sun rises...the sun always drives away the nightmares."

"But that means it might come back..as soon as the sun sets again." Fai opened his eye and tilted his head up to look at Johnny. "We'll have to head back to the apartment before then, won't we? You can't just stay out here."

He shrugged. "It might. But if you're with someone when it does, it might be easier to deal with. And I don't have anything else to do, of course I can stay out here. You're my friend, I'll help you no matter what, even if that means sitting in an alley."

"I don't want to inconvenience you with my own fears.." Fai glanced at Barry and then looked back up at Johnny. "But if it means I can help you with your nightmares as well..then I'll ask you to stay with me."

"You're never an inconvenience." Johnny tensed at the mention of his nightmare and didn't say anything at first. When he did, his voice was even, almost light as though talking about something meaningless.

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it."

"You can't hide things from me, just as I can't hide from you. I know it isn't nothing even if you try to say that it is." It's a curse and a blessing that they understand each other so well.

He flinched and looked away. He knew it wasn't fair, he knew he was being childish, but a part of him didn't care. "I don't want to talk about it. It doesn't matter."

"But if it will make this easier then wouldn't it be worth it?" Fai knew that pushing want going to help but he couldn't help but want Johnny to have some relief from the nightmare.

"Don't ask. It's fine."

He was feeling antsy. Like he was being backed into a corner and it was just making him more tense.

Fai frowned. He wanted Johnny to be okay..he didn't want him to suffer. Was his secrets really worth the nightmares? But he also knew it would be hard to convince the vampire otherwise. He knew it all too well..

"Johnny please..don't be stubborn. Not about this.."

That was it. He wanted to talk to Fai, he did. But he couldn't. This...it was complicated, he didn't want to burden Fai with it. It was ridiculous!

And it hurt.

"...I'm sorry. Just go home." And in a flash, he dissolved into bats and flew out of the alley, the image of Barry vanishing with him.

It hurt to run from Fai too....but wasn't going to turn back.

And Fai wasn't going to just let Johnny go..He trailed that flock of bats. He was going to help Johnny..somehow.

I always knew you'd awaken

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Aaaand..one thread ends, the other one picks it up XD