It's a very angsty and gory[gorey?] au for amulet-
I'm not gonna reveal much about it, but one part of it is that when Emily turns back into her real self after being that fire phoenix, she has burns all over herself because of the pheonix.
I finally decided to get off my lazy butt and draw something-
“I signed up for this, Dr. Caleb,” you said, pushing past the middle-aged man as he reasoned with you. “I believe in myself that he could be saved.”
He wiped the sweat off his forehead with a handkerchief. “And I believe that you are simply out of your mind to think that that... that monstrosity could be saved! Dr. (Surname), do put your faith on me that I am simply looking out for you—”
You stopped by the special door, the one that he resided in, tied up, and alone. “If you could plead my faith for you, then you as well could do the same for anybody.”
Once he finally stayed silent, you opened the door, seeing your patient slumped in the farthest corner of the room wearing a straight-jacket. His dark hair spiked in numerous directions even if he hasn’t had the best shower in ages. His only visible body parts were his feet and shins, which were littered in bruises and other harsh “treatments” the staff gave to him. Despite the straitjacket, his size seemed way too thin. Some might think that he didn’t deserve all of this.
But when he raised his head and those manic, demented eyes that seemed like melted gold gazed to your own, it felt like the room had gotten a lot colder. His lips formed into a crooked smirk, an action that made your spine tingle with what’s to come.
“Oh? Another toy that they sent me?” He spoke, his voice smooth and deep. “It’s not even my birthday.”
“Assuming that you remember your birthday.” You jested.
With a comment like that, you would expect for him to lash out on you, yet you held your ground. Sympathy and gently were never in your vocabulary.
His laughter made you step back. It wasn’t the ones you normally hear; it was obnoxious, sadistic, and overall murderous. “I’m beginning to like you, newbie. Other doctors had given up on me the moment they hear my name.”
You hummed, taking a tentative step forward. “They don’t have the gall to take the challenge.”
“You mean they don’t have the balls to take the challenge?”
You groaned under your breath. He’s those types of patients.
“Anyway,” you decided. “I’m Doctor (Full name). I’ll be your doctor for the remainder of my stay.”
He smirked and attempted to stand up from his slouched form, but failed. You went near him and helped him up yet you were unable to foresee his cocky smirk as he snuggled closer to your body.
“They always fall for this, the ones who usually stay.”
You sighed. This is gonna be a long day.
“All right then,” You stated, kneeling down in front of the sitting Vanitas. “Now that we’re both acquainted with each other, I would like to know what your previous... actions were before you ended up here.”
He scoffed. “You know how I got here, doc. Went on a vandalizing spree, incapacitated numerous public officers, broken as much laws that you could count on one hand—” He leaned in closer to your face, his breath reeked of poor dental hygiene. “what do you think is the reason how I ended up here?”
You leaned back slightly, tapping his nose with your pen. “Went on a murderous rampage, I’m guessing. But that’s not far from the truth, is it?”
He sneered at your answer. “What do you mean?”
Without answering him, you went closer to him so that your foreheads were bumping with each other. His eyes wavered slightly, eyebrows scrunching together as he leaned back in response.
For a while, both of you said nothing. You two just-stared at each other in silence.
Vanitas, being fed up with the silence, butted his head against yours painfully. “What’s with silent treatment, doc?”
You ignored his answer, choosing to stand up and sigh. “Hm... I’ll see you tomorrow, Vanitas.”
He narrowed his eyes as you exited the room. His brain instantly replayed back to when you were at close proximity with him, how your breaths mingled, how his hair got tangled somewhat with yours, how your eyes seemed to glaze over with curiosity...
He licked his lips and slumped on the cushioned floor. Why was your presence making his heart and mind fuzzy?
“Afternoon, Vanitas.” You greeted the resting boy. He scoffed at your greeting and rolled to his side so he couldn’t face you.
“Aww,” you cooed, kneeling next to him and poking his side. “is the tiny murder machine having a tantrum?”
He yelped at the poke and scooched himself further to the wall. He doesn’t look like he needed some humor right now.
You went closer to Vanitas and stroked his unmanageable hair. “Quit being edgy as all hell, Vanitas—” then you tugged at the roots, lifting his head off the floor. “not when I have questions.”
He gasped at the sudden force and struggled from your grasp. “Hey! What’s—”
“I’ve known you from somewhere!” Your cracked voice made him stop. “In my dreams, you were there-with some other people. You wore a really fucking stupid costume and you wielded some sort of key. The other people had keys too—” You paused to will your breathing back, your eyes being glazed with freshly formed tears. “what I want to know is how you’re connected with me-to the strangers I’ve met—”
“So what you’re saying is-I’m haunting your dreams.” His cold voice stopped you from rambling further. The grip on his scalp loosened slightly and your body visibly shook when Vanitas had the same look when you first entered this room. He rose from his lying position and started to kneel towards you like a starving man. You, in response, crawled back, already regretting your decision of inflicting such force on Vanitas.
“Get real, doc.” He spat, inching more closer to you. “I was shown on TV for hours on end for a week-the public thinking that I’m some serial killer on the loose.”
At that moment, your back hit the opposite wall, marking you with no escape. “Wait-I’m—”
“Shut up!” He barked, straddling your legs between his own as he trapped you against him and the wall. “And you think you’re so high and mighty that you get to toss me around like some doll?” He laughed at his own remark. “That’s rich. Let me get this one thing straight, doc.” He bent down closer to your face so that his bangs gently kissed your forehead. “For whatever reason that you suspect me of having shitty dreams, don’t you ever look down upon me ever again.”
His smirked in triumph when he saw the tears fall. But he didn’t expect your what you said next,
“What had Xehanort done to you?” You whispered.
He screamed at the name, backing off from your shaken form as he had his panic attack. The door opened suddenly, armed nurses immediately taking hold of Vanitas. Another nurse came to your side, helping you up and escorting you outside. The screams of Vanitas slowly dying from your ears as your eyes still cried.
“What did I say, Dr. (Surname)?” Caleb huffed as he sat next to you. You ignored the smug tone of his voice as you continued to type in your report.
“That abomination is unpredictable. Just look at what he’s done to you! And yet you still pushed on those few days, hoping that he could be saved—”
A knock interrupted his sermon. A petite nurse peeked out from the door. “Dr. (Surname)? Your patient is ready.”
You stood up from your desk and neatly placed the files inside the desk drawers. “Thank you, Emma. I’ll be right there.”
Caleb stood up from his seat, face becoming red as you stepped further away from him. “Don’t tell me-you’re still going for it!?”
You spun around, giving Caleb a well-deserved backhand slap. “Don’t you ever talk to your superiors like that, or I will personally see to it that you will be escorted out of the building.” You glared once more at the flustered man, his right cheek blossoming red. “If you’ll excuse me, I have somebody to save from the darkness.”
“We really should stop meeting like this.” You said to the slumped boy. He had newly formed bruises on his legs and you could faintly see a purple mark on his left cheek. “Every meeting you’re becoming more and more pathetic.”
“Shut up, doc.” He muttered under his breath. “What do you know?”
You knelt before him, using the key that the staff gave you to remove Vanitas from his confinement. His head snapped upwards, eyes darting to your every move. Just as you’d expected, his upper torso and arms weren’t given mercy for the harsh treatments given to him. You cradled his hands inside your own, smiling softly and the agape Vanitas.
“I know that an edgy murderer just needs a shoulder to cry on.”
You removed one hand and cradled the back of his head and pushed it gently so his forehead meets your shoulder. And for a while, you two stayed like that.
Soon started the waterworks. Vanitas got his hand free from yours and hugged you close that it was almost painful. But you endured. You endured the pain and spent the rest of your time giving comfort to the broken boy as he cried all his pain, his envy, his fear.
You could track his abuser sometime later. For now, all he needs is you
