Shaking. He couldn’t stop shaking.
Granted, that could be from the fact that he was walking down the cold streets, going towards his dad’s house in a pair of basketball shorts and Cassie’s merch shirt…that was stained with grayish silver…something…and had a huge rip down the middle, exposing his bare chest to the elements. The last thing he remembered…this all had to be a dream. He just ended up in the woods…again. This had happened before. Why was it so cold, though? It was August. The day before, or at least what he thought was the day before, he’d played outside with Tyson and Lucas. They went on a walk in the woods. They saw two snakes. It was entirely too cold for snakes.
He wrapped his arms around himself, letting out a harsh breath as he picked up his pace. He had to get home. He wanted out of the cold and back into bed next to Lucas. He missed the boy’s warmth, unsure of how long he’d been away from it.
He jumped back, despite being on the sidewalk as a car sped past him. He could swear he heard an owl off in the distance. Someone locked a car. Where? Nothing was happening on the road he was on. His vision was crisp too. It almost hurt him to look around and see things. If he had to describe it, it would be reminiscent of the time he went with his dad and Tyson grocery shopping and they’d ended up in the TV section of Walmart staring into a 4K TV that almost looked like a window instead of a screen.
This hurt. This all hurt. It was a lot. The smell of someone’s fresh cut lawn comforted him though. It was familiar. His foster dad used to mow the grass and would ask him to weed eat. Afterwards, he’d always sneak him an extra ice cream cup from the fridge and sit on the porch with him. His landlord when he lived with his mom would cut the grass a lot too and he’d track the grass clippings into Regina’s car and hear her fuss about the mess he’d leave behind.
What he wouldn’t give for her…or Talen…to drive by right now. He knew he was close to home, but he honestly just wanted to curl up in her car and get out of the cold…but more importantly…rest. That dream was something else. His chest still stung. He grabbed right over his heart almost as if something were coming back to him. Those three masked figures. They would never leave him alone, would they?
He kept walking and walking until finally he reached his dad’s house. Not even checking to see if anyone was home, he headed to the door. His hand dipped into his pocket. Right. He was sleeping. He didn’t have his keys.
“Shit…” he finally spoke out loud. Lifting up a rather awkwardly placed statue of a deer, he flipped it upside down and removed the silver key taped to the inside of its leg, hidden from anyone looking at it. He let himself in carefully and shut and locked the door behind him. He sat the key down on a nearby table.
The house smelled weird. It something off about it. There was a distant, nearly fleeting smell of flowers over the usual scent he that was accustomed to. He walked over to the hall and was about to turn to return to his room when he noticed the grayish stain on the ground. It matched what was on his clothes. He was shaking again. Did that…really happen?
“Dad?” he spoke frantically, backing into the wall, “Dad!”
He instantly ran into the kitchen and as soon as his eyes fell on the man his eyes welled up, “What happened? What happened to me?”
Living without one of his sons so soon after gaining him was the worst pain Archer had ever felt, and god had he been through a lot. His life had constant up and downs, but this was immeasurable. Declan had been so young, so kind... It wasn’t fair. So, when Chris Argent had approached him and asked if he’d like to assist them in tracking down the monster stealing their loved ones, he’d immediately taken him up on it.
They’d found a book about something called The Dread Doctors and they’d all read it, causing deeply repressed memories to attack them at unexpected times. They tried to figure out every link but still... It seemed that they were just too late everytime. More bodies surfaced, bodies of people they all loved. The community was in agony, losing so many so quickly.
Lee had moved in with him and the boys, and the man had become Archer’s rock. Though he hadn’t divulged anything about his true career, it seemed like they had a silent understanding. There was pain behind Archer’s eyes, a knowing, that Lee seemed to accept without question. He loved him, in a way he never thought he’d love again. Lisa had ripped his heart out so many times that giving himself to someone had seemed impossible. But, this tiny man had come along and helped him heal in so many way.
Tonight, it was just Archer. KC had taken Tyson over to Lisa’s despite not particularly wanting to, Clifford was at work and Lee was getting drinks with a friend. Archer had simply made himself a small plate of leftovers and then proceeded to do the dishes, alert but anxious as always.
The sound of the front door opening didn’t alarm him much, perhaps one of the men in his life was back early. Not bothering to say anything ( per usual ), he kept about his task and it wasn’t until he heard the person speak that he reacted.
A plate fell from his hands. That was... Declan?! No. It was impossible. But, within a few seconds Declan was running in, eyes frantic and wearing the same clothes he’d died in. He breathed out his name in one stuttered exhale then a sob was spilling from him before he could contain it. Moving forward in a few brisk steps, he gathered his son tightly in his arms and fell to his knees embracing him as the sobs tore through his body.
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