Hiii @uni-fusion !!! Thank you so much for your patience. Here's your fic!!!!
Total word count: 10k
I hope you like it!! If not, then I'm willing to change whatever you don't like :]
Delta × Uni
~~~
It had been a fairly normal day for Delta and I.
We had just finished swapping stories about our work days over dinner. Being a mechanic, he always had some crazy story to tell. Today it was about one of their regulars that kept getting different vital parts of their car cut. Apparently, it was the break’s turn to die.
I had told him about a new place in town I had walked by. Just by peering through the windows, I couldn’t quite tell what it was. I remember seeing food and drinks on tables, and in a separate room, clothing racks and bookshelves. Another ‘everything’ store, most likely.
We sat together on the couch, watching TV, procrastinating getting into bed. I laid my head on his shoulder, with his arm around my waist. I reached my hand to the back of his neck and gently rubbed it. I knew he had had a long day. Neck rubs always made him sleepy.
“Do you have work tomorrow?” I asked, tilting my head up to study his face.
He nodded, leaning into my hand from behind. His eyes closed. I felt his body relax into my touch. “Yeah, I do. You?”
I shook my head, “Nah.”
“Alright. We’re not-” he yawned, covering his mouth. Before pushing his head back to lean on my hand more. “We’re not doing anything else tomorrow, are we?”
I shrugged. “Not if we don’t want to. I’m happy to just stay home.”
After around 30 minutes, he spoke up softly. “Are you tired yet?” That was his cue that he was about to pass out. He was excellent at phrasing things to ask for my opinion before stating his own.
I shrugged, “Sure. You wanna go to bed?”
“Yeah. Been a long day for both of us.” He yawned again, turning his head away from me.
I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Fair enough.”
We got up, letting each other go for just a moment to stand. I turned off the TV, while he used his magic to cut the lights. Then, we went to the bedroom.
We had already changed into pajamas earlier, and had gotten ready all the same. I traveled to my side of the bed, opening the covers for both of us while Delta turned off the lights.
I laid with my arms open for him to crawl into. And crawl he did. Again, he used his magic to cover us both with the blankets.
“Goodnight.” Delta murmured, pulling me close. He held my head against his chest, playing with my hair.
I smiled, moving closer as I stretched my arm out to hug him. “Goodnight.”
Delta was out like a light within minutes. But it took me a little while. Until finally, I began to drift off to sleep…
[The crowd was loud. Hundreds of people littered the streets. The only thing tethering me away from them was Delta's hand, holding me tightly as he pulled me along.
The path we were traveling was narrowing down due to the people on the sidewalks. Delta had gone from having his arm linked firmly around my shoulders as we walked, to walking ahead of me and excitedly tugging my hand along.
He was taking me to a ‘surprise’, was what he had told me at our apartment while we were getting ready. Based on the way he kept glancing at street names and the different shops around town, we were going somewhere new.
“Where are we going?” I raised my voice over the noise.
He hesitated to respond, but figured it'd still be a good surprise even if I knew what was happening. “That new place you told me about last week on Tuesday!” He called back happily.
I was surprised. “You remembered that?”
“Yeah! Cause we were talking about what happened on Tuesday today, and I don't remember what you said, but it reminded me of the place you wanted to go. So we're going!” He turned back to look at me with a grin.
I couldn't help but smile back. We kept walking in comfortable silence. I watched as we moved through the crowd.
People I had seen at both my work and his passed by. Though, after a while, I noticed something strange. They were all wearing the same expression. Their faces were blank, eyes dead. And although noise was all around us, no one’s mouths were moving.
That’s really weird. But maybe I’m just not paying attention enough. I picked a stranger, and tried to focus on them…
I felt someone grip my shoulder from behind. Then, they let go, and traced a finger from shoulder to shoulder as they moved.
I flinched. The movement made me shiver as my stomach dropped. I tightened my grip on his hand, and looked back. But no one was there. All those who were behind had their backs turned to us.
He squeezed my hand in response and pulled me closer. “You okay?”
“Yeah, just- someone probably bumped into me.” I replied nervously. But I wasn’t quite sure if I believed it. It seemed too… deliberate.
“Who did it? Did you see them?” His voice hardened protectively.
I knew where he was going with this. I shut it down. “No, I didn’t. But even if I knew who did it, they’d be gone by now. I’d rather not chase them.”
“Fine, fine. You wanna go in front? I can give you directions.”
“No no, it's okay! I don't mind. It’s probably better if I stay back here.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah. If something happens, I’ll let you know.”
“Alright.”
We continued on before I felt a pang of fear. It felt like someone was watching me. Like the crowd was staring right at me.
I tried to look at their faces again. Every passerby was still staring straight ahead, not daring to look our way. I assumed it was because Delta was silently threatening every single person within a single foot radius of us.
Still… something was wrong.
“... Delta?”
“Yeah?”
“Do you… feel like we’re being watched?”
He hummed as he thought about it. I knew his intuition never led him wrong. Though I didn’t fully understand how he was so accurate, I knew I could trust him.
“Maybe? I don’t see or feel anything. But I’m also focused on getting us to that store, so there might be things I’m missing.” He admitted, and turned back to look at me. “Why?”
I shook my head, an anxious smile coming on my face. “It’s probably nothing, I just… I feel like I’m being watched. Like someone’s following us.”
“Oh.” He stopped walking, and turned to face me. It made me nearly run into him.
His eyes shimmered in the daylight, looking both protective and worried. He reached for both of my hands to hold. “It’s okay. I won’t let anyone hurt you. Just don’t let go of my hands, okay?” He smiled reassuringly.
I felt my cheeks heat up, making me smile. “Okay. I won’t.”
He gave me a quick peck on the cheek, and then turned back around, letting go of one of my hands. “You’re good to keep walking? Because we can turn around and go home if you want.”
“No, I’m good to keep walking!” I chirped, tracing a circle with my thumb over the cold metal covering his hand. I saw a light orange blush appear on his cheekbones. My smile grew. It wasn’t often that I could fluster him, especially in public. So when I did, I took it as a win.
We continued, mostly in silence. Delta paused again, slowing his walk, and took out his phone. He pulled us to the side of the crowd, near a storefront. “Sorry. I forgot to look at the directions.” He admitted sheepishly, sighing to himself.
I laughed softly, stopping to lean on the wall. “It’s okay! Take your time. We’ve got all day.”
He nodded, smiling faintly back at me. After a minute or so, he pushed off the wall. “Okay, got it handled!” He announced cheerfully. “We’re about 5 minutes away. You ready?”
I nodded in return, “Good job! Yeah, I am.”
I saw the praise make him blush again. I giggled softly to myself, proud. We picked up our regular pace.
For about five minutes, we continued walking. I saw him glance back a few times, just to check on me. I smiled when he did. He always smiled back.
The familiar feeling of being watched came back. I felt someone rush past behind me, whispering something incomprehensible. It made me shudder. The apprehension made my stomach ache.
“You okay?” He called out, glancing back. He could tell something was wrong.
I nodded, forcing a smile. “Yeah. I’m fine.”
But I wasn’t. Something was wrong. It felt like danger was coming closer. He seemed to feel it, too. I saw him grow tense.
Someone shoulder-checked me, hard enough to make me stumble to the side. I yelped, letting go of Delta's hand instinctively to catch myself before my head met the brick wall of a storefront.
I immediately realized my mistake.
He was gone within the crowd in seconds.
“Del?” I shouted into the crowd, panic rising. “Delta?!”
Someone was staring at me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw them. I couldn't figure out what they looked like. But I turned away when I saw them. Someone was watching.
“Uni?” I heard Delta shout back. “Where'd you go? Uni?”
I couldn't see him anywhere. But someone was getting closer. I saw them near a storefront. And I know they were looking for me.
I tried desperately to look at any stores for their names. But there were none. It was all blank.
His voice was getting farther away. “Uni? where are you?”
I tried to pull to the side to call him. I felt around for my phone. It wasn't there. My stomach dropped.
“Where did it…?” My breathing quickened as I frantically pat my pockets, before turning my eyes to the ground. Maybe I dropped it. I could’ve sworn I had it. Where did it go?
Someone was getting closer. There was more of them now. I saw them passing by, staring at me with a dangerous look in their eyes. But they too were swallowed by the crowd before I could fully see them.
Someone grabbed my shoulder. My breath hitched in shock, turning to see who it was. Fear clouded my mind as my stomach churned.
No one was there. But someone was watching me. I knew it. I could feel it.
“She's crazy.” I heard a whisper of a passerby's voice.
Crazy? I'm not crazy. I know someone's here. I'm in danger. Someone's following me. I know something's wrong!
“Delta?!” I called out again. I thought I heard him call back, but he was too far away now.
And then I saw them.
I froze, holding my breath.
There they were. The person who's been following me for weeks. And they were staring right at me, smiling, waiting for the right moment to approach.
An overwhelming surge of panic rushed through my body. I felt my skin grow clammy, frozen as I stared at them. I had to remind myself to breathe.
My legs shook with effort as I finally forced myself to move. I ran in the direction Delta and I had been heading in. Maybe he was waiting for me there. Or maybe I'd get lucky and find him in the crowd.
I didn't dare look back. I wanted to ask others for help, but when I tried to look at them… they were all faceless. Just bystanders, unable to do anything but watch without eyes.
No one could help me now.
I grew dizzy with fear as I tried to run. I pushed through the crowd. Desperately, I wanted to call out again. But every time I opened my mouth, my voice died. I was silent.
Someone grabbed my wrist. I shuddered, unable to force myself to look back. I ripped my arm away with surprising speed, and picked up the pace.
I heard someone scowl behind me. Probably whoever was following me. I reached into my pocket, praying I would find any kind of weapon. I had stopped carrying them when Delta was around. I knew he would protect me. But how can he protect me if he’s not here?
The familiar doubting voice from before was back. “No one’s after them. They must be dreaming.” I heard someone mock me, followed by laughter.
Dreaming?
Was I dreaming?
No. No, I can’t be. This is- this is too real to be a dream. There’s no way.
Right?
Would it be better or worse if this was a dream? My vote goes to it being better. Maybe this is just a dream. But if it was, why was Delta here with me?
Someone grazed their finger across my back from behind. It stole me away from my thoughts. And made me break into a full-blown sprint across the sidewalk.
I ran into the street. It felt like the whole surrounding crowd was watching me, waiting for me to be distracted before they played with my mind again. I couldn’t let that happen. But I felt powerless to stop it. There were hundreds of them, and only one of me.
I tried to call out again, but my voice caught in my throat. I looked around frantically.
Everyone was staring. It made me want to curl into a ball and hide. But I couldn’t. Not when it wasn’t safe to do it. Not yet. Just having the idea of it made me feel like someone would try to hunt me down if I did.
“She’s scared.” I heard someone else whisper, laughing. “They’re perfect.”
I gasped at the voice. I didn’t know who it was. But I knew it was the person who was following me.
Against my better judgement, I turned around to face them. But when I did, they were gone. No one was there.
Eyes enclosed all around me from the bystanders. They gawked and laughed, whispering cruel, doubting words about me. It made my face flush with embarrassment.
Maybe I am just crazy.
I shook my thoughts out of my head. No. I couldn’t let them win. I had to keep running.
“Uni?” Delta’s voice shouted. I could hear him getting closer.
“Delta! I’m-” I was cut off by someone quickly covering my mouth from behind, their other arm going around my shoulders to hold me back. I froze, eyes wide in fear.
“Don’t speak.” A gravelly voice commanded.
Without thinking, I licked their hand, and started thrashing around. When they pushed it in closer, I bit it as hard as I could until I could taste their blood in my mouth. And then threw my head back to headbutt them. I felt my skull connect with, presumably, their nose.
I heard them swear in pain, until their hand was away and their arm was loosened. I pushed out of their grasp, and ran.
I threw myself into the crowd, panting. “DELTA!” I screamed out, tears threatening to fall.
I desperately listened out for any call back. My chest heaved, as the pain of being restrained made my body ache. It felt like I could hardly move anymore.
Someone ran up behind me.
“Uni! There you are!” I finally heard Delta's voice shout through the crowd. I felt his arms wrap around me tightly from behind.
But I couldn't focus on him. Not when the person who was following me was staring right at me.
They walked towards us.
Delta tried to pull me away.
They started running.]
My eyes shot open. I tried to call out, but my voice got caught in my throat. I couldn't. I still felt eyes on me.
I frantically reached out to the other side of the bed, hoping that even if I couldn't speak, Delta would feel me next to him and wake up. But when I swung my arm out to get his attention, the space was empty.
He wasn't there.
It felt like my heart was beating out of my chest. It dropped to my stomach, leaving a sore panic.
I wanted to get up. I wanted to move. But what if there was a reason he wasn't here?
What if they got to him first, so they could get to me?
A dizzy wave of adrenaline pushed through my body. I reached out to my bedside table, feeling around for something, anything. Whatever object that could be used as a weapon.
A rough, knobbed object finally met my hand. The grain of wood told me it was a baseball bat, not the lamp, which was a bit farther of a reach. Delta always kept one by the bed. Just in case I had to use it before he woke up.
I then searched for my phone with the other hand, rolling over as silently as possible. If anyone was inside, I didn't want them to hear the creak of the bed.
[“If anyone were in the room, they would have made sure you weren't moving before you woke up. And if they saw you, they'd have stopped you.”] Delta's words echoed in my memory. He was right. If someone were near or in our room, they would've made sure I couldn't move.
I finally found it. I unlocked it to call him, but froze. What if the stalker had his phone? What if the noise would lure them to me?
My breath quickened. I tried to hyperventilate as silently as possible. I gripped the bat's handle tighter and pulled it up into bed with me.
[“Let your eyes adjust to the darkness of the room. Once you convince no one's there, you can take charge of the situation. Then whoever you find, if anyone, is at your mercy entirely.”] His voice reminded me.
I stared up at the black ceiling until my eyes adjusted enough to see the details. The light, the scratched patches of paint, the creases along the walls. It all reminded me of where I really was. After a minute, my breathing slowed slightly.
My grip on the bat loosened. After building up my courage, I slowly tilted my head to the left.
I saw my side table, full of small things I needed and a lamp. Our shared closet was in the corner. The doors were still closed. Next to it was an organizer, filled with papers and random things that we couldn’t figure out where to put. The drawers were still in place.
I turned back, then to the right.
I watched the curtains stir softly from the airflow in the room. My eyes adjusted to see the bookshelf in the corner near the door. In front of the window were two large reading chairs and a small table between them. Along with Delta’s bedside table, accompanied by his pill bottles for insomnia and depression, and his own lamp.
I turned back to stare at the ceiling. Okay. No one was in the room. Unless they were under the bed. Which they couldn’t be, because we have thin tubs under there to fit things in. I would know if those tubs had moved.
[“Steel your emotions. Don't allow them to see your fear unless you need to manipulate them with it. This is done to make sure you have total control over them. They won't fear a scared, cautious girl with a bat - they'll fear a confident, stoic, angry girl with a weapon. So breathe slowly, look dangerous, and use that mask to your advantage.”]
I forced myself to practice a deep breathing exercise. I could hardly think straight enough to do it. But I know that if I could just get it under control, I could fix whatever mess this is.
[Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 6, out for 7.] I reminded myself. With every exhale, I pushed the air out of my mouth as slowly as I could. I didn’t want anyone to hear me breathing, or for myself to accidentally whistle.
It took about 10 rounds of the exercise to finally get my breathing to slow. I then practiced holding my breath until I had to breathe. If someone was in here, there was a very real chance I might have to play dead.
Though the total panic began to subside, the fear still controlled me. As I held my breath, I forced my expression to ease up. Once it was at rest, I focused on feigning anger. If I can fake it, I can make it. Just how Delta told me.
[“When you run the possibility of being faced with someone dangerous, it’s best to walk silently. Here’s how I do it; you start slowly on your heel. Then you roll forward onto the balls of your feet. Try to stay on the edge of your foot, if that makes sense. Never put your whole foot on the ground. Shift all your weight onto the foot that you’re using at the moment. If you step on something creaky, pull back and hold your breath.”]
I began to sit up as slowly as possible. I needed to ensure that no sound was made from it. And after a long minute of movement, I took off the covers, and readied myself to walk.
I did what I remembered Delta explaining to me. I placed my feet on the ground softly, before standing off the bed as cautiously as possible to prevent creaking. I used the bat for support.
Once I was standing on both feet, I lifted the bat off the bed, and held it in my hands. And began to walk to the door how he had told me to.
With every step, I looked around the room for movement. I checked every corner, up and down, any hiding place that was obvious. But I didn’t make it evident that I was looking. I used the bat to lightly pull up the bed covers, just to double check.
No one was in here.
[“Move slowly towards the door. Put your hand on it, but don't turn it. Look around. Use your surroundings to check for people watching. Listen out for anything abnormal. Then, once you're sure you're safe, turn the door handle as slowly as you possibly can. Try to lift the door as you open it. Peek out when the door is open enough for you to see out of. Don't leave until you know it's safe.”] His voice coached me mentally.
I did as I remembered. Once the door was open enough, I looked out.
No one.
I opened it slightly more, just to ensure I was right.
Nothing.
I continued to crack it open and observe slowly. Until the door was fully opened, and I knew no one was there.
[“Never announce yourself if you think someone's in there with you. Your best chance is to take them by surprise. If you find them, attack first. Even if it ends up being someone safe. Collateral damage is better than risking no damage at all.”]
I waited until my eyes adjusted fully before I stepped into the hallway. I looked at the rooms surrounding me - the bathroom on the right, the study on the left, the living room in front of me, the kitchen further down. The doors to the bathroom and study were wide open. I didn’t have the strength to look inside them both. But I certainly listened out for any movement.
With a deep breath, I stepped into the hallway.
I steadied my feet and expression. I tried my hardest to look more intimidating than terrified. As I did, I peered into both rooms.
To my relief, no one was in either of them. I didn’t hear or see any hidden movement. Two rooms down - two to go.
Eventually, I moved into the living room. I examined it with care, keeping my expression and breath stable. I still didn’t see or hear anyone.
I moved onto the kitchen. I faintly thought I heard the click of a floorboard. I jumped, but tightened my grip on the bat as I looked inside.
No one was there.
I didn’t trust it. I know someone is in here. They must be doing a better job at hiding than I thought.
I felt my breathing quicken. I was too terrified to fully turn my back on the kitchen. So I turned half way, and walked back towards the living room
Through the closed curtains covering the glass door entrance to our balcony, I saw a figure.
My grip tightened on the bat, heart jumping in fear. I forced my breathing to steady, but my mind was racing. What if my stalker was out there? What if this was a trap?
I threw the balcony door open with a surprising amount of force.
There he is!
Delta's back was turned to me as he stood at the railing of the balcony. Just staring up at the stars. He was in his usual pajamas, which suggested that he was either sleep walking or had just woken up from a nightmare.
But… something wasn't right.
He didn't flinch or acknowledge my presence when I threw the door open. Nor when I began to approach. By now, he'd have turned around, or at least spoken to me.
But he didn't. He was silent, and still. Too still.
Relieved tears choked my voice as I struggled to call out his name. “De-Delta?”
He finally flinched when I called him. It was harsher than usual - I must've startled him pretty bad. He quickly turned, eyelights white and flickering with orange, “Uni? You okay?”
My chest rose and fell with uneven breaths as deja vu arose. I accidentally let go of the bat, allowing the wood to clatter on the floor.
He acted the same in the dream as he did in real life. Unfortunately, it made me feel like I was being watched again. And the fact that there were people who could be watching from below, above, across the street-
“Uni, breathe.” I felt his hand guide my face, lightly tilted my chin up. Forcing me to look him in the eyes and focus on him and him only. “Just breathe for me. It's okay. What's wrong?” His eyes were shadowed with worry.
“I- I can't- they're watching!” I sobbed out. I felt my knees grow weak, though my feet stayed firm on the ground. Still, it was getting harder and harder to stay standing.
Without any hesitation, Delta reached forward to hold me up. “You're safe with me. I got you. Let's go inside. If you want, I can do a sweep of the house?”
I wasn't sure how to reply to his offer. Sure, the reassurance would be nice. But what would happen if he found some kind of evidence that turned my nightmare into reality?
I flinched at the thought. Frantically, I shook my head no. “I- I don’t- what if they hurt you?”
“Who's gonna hurt me? Did you see someone?”
“No…”
“Okay, that's good. But you want to know for sure that no one's in there, right?”
I nodded as my vision blurred with the tears. A sob escaped my mouth, and I turned my gaze away from him.
His hands drifted down to my shoulders, and pulled me close to him. I latched onto him quickly, sobbing into his shirt. He held me tight against his chest.
“... okay. How about this. We stay out here and I'll check the cameras. I'll shut the door, and make sure no one sees you. Is that okay?” His voice dropped to a gentler tone. I guess I must've looked like I was spiraling.
I had forgotten about the cameras. He had installed them at the front and balcony doors. Just to make sure no one was breaking in (and if they were, he could figure out where they came from).
I couldn't find the words. I nodded, almost frantically. Trying to blink the tears away so I could calm down.
“Okay. Sit down, I'll protect you. It's okay.” His hands trailed down to wrap around my waist, though he moved back to allow me space to walk. His grip was tighter than usual as he led me to one of the cushioned patio chairs.
I sat down and curled into it. He remained firmly by my side, sitting on the arm rest to hold me with one hand. While looking through his phone for the camera app with the other.
I couldn't help but coil into his arm. I turned to the side to wrap my arms around his waist, clinging tightly to him. He tensed at first, but relaxed after a second. He gently moved his hand to my back, tracing small circles into it. His touch was warm, and comforting.
Tears still rolled down my cheeks, but slower now. Just him being here was enough to help calm me down. But the idea of someone being out there, just watching…
“Breathe, love.” He pulled me closer, though didn't glance up. He was focused. “It's okay, I won't let anyone hurt you.”
I hadn't realized my breathing had sped up. But I took a slow, deep breath, and then let it out. I felt a finger tap on my back. He was keeping count of the breaths and seconds for me.
I sniffled, wiping my tears as my grip on him tightened. “Is anyone inside?” I whispered hesitantly, fearing the answer.
“Nope, not at all. Are you okay? What happened?” He put his phone down, and turned to fully embrace me.
I whined, “I had a nightmare…”
Delta paused. A low hum came through, a sign he was thinking deeply. “Do you… wanna talk about it? You don't have to.”
I felt my arms begin to shake just thinking about it. I tightened my grip around him. And hid my face on his shoulder.
He reached to scoop me up. “Sorry, gotta move you for a sec. Hold on.” He explained as he lifted me off the chair with ease.
I did as told, hanging on tightly to his shoulders. It wasn't abnormal for him to just lift me up into wherever he needed me to be. It stopped being scary once I learned he wouldn't drop me.
He sat himself down, then gently lowered me onto the other half of the seat. He caressed my face with care, gently wiping the tears away. His orange and white eyes stared into mine as he tried to figure out what was wrong. “Is someone threatening you? Are you okay?”
I shrugged, feeling the tears dry in my eyes. I wiped them and took a breath. “I had- I had that nightmare again. About being followed.” I muttered, glancing away from him.
He nodded. “I'm sorry. Can I help? Do you wanna go inside?”
I couldn't get it out of my head. I looked around the balcony, unable to tear my eyes away from the edge of it. What if they were watching again?
I felt fresh tears come into my eyes all over again. His voice was drowned out by my own thoughts. [Someone’s watching. They’re here. They’re across the street. They’re below us. They’re going to hurt me. They’re coming after me.]
“Th-they’re coming!” I hissed, bursting into sobs. I frantically pushed my head deeper into his chest, trying to hide.
He seemed to get the hint. He pushed himself in front of me, kneeling as he held me tight. I was gently laid in the corner of the chair. He used his arms to block any view of me from the side.
“Shh, it’s okay,” He whispered, stroking my hair with one hand as the other held me close. “No one can see you. No one’s coming for you. It’s okay. I got you.”
I pulled him closer as tears soaked his sweater. He tensed for a second, before melting into my grasp. He cradled my head and let me cry.
He continued to whisper soft reassurances to me, “It’s okay. I won’t let anyone hurt you. You’re safe here with me. I promise.”
But I couldn’t listen. I could hardly think.
“Uni, breathe.” He reminded me. A hand trailed down to trace slow, small circles on my back. “It’s okay, just breathe.”
I gasped for air. My chest tightened, a deep pressure building in my body. I felt like I was going to crumble to death at any given second. I felt my arms grow limp.
“Uni!” Delta’s voice grew more concerned than I had heard in a while. He shifted his arms to hold me up. “Hey! Stay with me, please, don’t pass out.”
I felt a strong warmth glow from his chest. Instead of orange, it was a mixture of green and turquoise. A combination of healing magic and calming magic. Color and Epic taught him, and they loved to tell the story.
He stroked the bottom of my hair. Softly, I heard him begin to hum. A song we both enjoyed.
I felt the knot in my body slowly release. It was still hard to breathe. I whined, burying my head in his chest.
He pulled me closer. Slowly, he started rocking back and forth. Mostly as a distraction for himself, I was aware. He needed to stim when comforting people. If he didn’t, he’d lose track of what he was doing, and eventually get so distracted, he’d start to dissociate.
My chest grew lighter as air entered. I tried my hardest to count my breaths so I could do the breathing exercises I knew. But thinking was still far too difficult at the moment. Spiraling wasn’t going to make it better, even if the paranoia prepared me for the worst-case scenarios.
Eventually, after what felt like hours, I could breathe easy. Once again, my tears were slowing.
Delta, ever steady in his presence, continued to hum and provide his magic to help me calm down. He was rocking slightly faster now, but held me no less.
“Are you okay?” His gentle voice asked me.
I nodded, sniffling. “Ye-yeah. I am. Thank you. Sorry.”
“Don’t apologize.” He said sternly, but no less lovingly. “You had a pretty bad nightmare, huh?”
“Yeah… yeah. It was pretty bad.”
“Do you wanna talk about it? You don’t have to if you don’t want to. But if you do, I’m here to listen.”
I smiled faintly, pressing a soft kiss into his shoulder. “I… I don’t know. I think I need you to listen? But I- I don’t know. I don’t know if I want to talk about it.”
Delta smiled lightly, and pressed a kiss to my forehead. “That’s okay. We can be quiet until you’re ready to talk.”
I nodded. “Thank you.”
His hands gave me a firm, gentle squeeze as he held me. “It’s not a problem. I love you.”
“I love you, too.” I felt renewed tears come into my eyes again. I wiped them away, before resting my head on his shoulder.
We stayed there for a while, sitting and holding each other. Delta’s warm presence was the best reassurance I could ever ask for. Still, I felt the weight of my nightmare building up in my stomach again.
“... Can I talk about it?” I whispered as quietly as I could. So sure my voice would be carried along by the wind, swallowed into the night never to be heard.
Luckily, my voice was listened to, and given light. “Of course, Uni. You can tell me anything you want.” He answered.
I smiled faintly as I pulled back. He seemed hesitant to allow it, but did so. Even in the darkness of the night, his light still illuminated his protective care.
“Youu were taking me somewhere new in town as a date. I don’t really remember where, but we were in a crowd. We were being followed again. And… someone was stalking me. Someone hurt me.” I turned away, avoiding his gaze. My voice trembled slightly as I recalled it.
His body went rigid when I mentioned it. It made me pause. I tried to look up at his expression, but he turned away from me. Usually he wasn't this distant. He must've had a nightmare, too.
"... who hurt you?" He whispered in response.
"Just... I don't know. I can't really remember. Someone random, I think." I tried to make sense of the face stuck in my head. But by now, it had faded. All that was left was the memory and emotions of the chase.
Delta paused again. He stared off, but not at the inside of our apartment. His eye sockets went empty for just a second, before he blinked and his familiar orange eyelights reappeared. Whatever he's thinking about, it must be pretty important for him to look that focused.
"Was I there?" His voice seemed almost quieter now. Like he was afraid to ask it. Like he was afraid of my answer.
"Yes." I smiled, not noticing the way his body tensed. "You held me, at the end when you found me. The dream ended before much else could happen. And before, you did your best to not let go of me, especially in the crowd. I let go of your hand because the stalker forced me to.”
I saw his tension release. Whatever he was worrying about, I must've said something to ease it.
“That's good. I'm glad you're okay.” He said, though he didn't sound as sure of himself as he usually did.
I nodded, taking a deep breath. “We… we got separated in the crowd. I let go. I tried to find you, but I… I just couldn’t.”
He knew where I was going with this. “Not your fault. You said that stalker guy forced you to, right? You had no control over that.”
I smiled bitterly, avoiding his gaze. “I know. But, I could’ve-”
“Uni, it was a nightmare. You couldn’t have done much else. It wasn’t your fault you let go.” His voice was gentle, yet stern. He cupped my face in his hands, forcing me to look at him. “Besides, you said you tried to find me. It’s not like you were helpless. I know you. You probably did everything you could.”
I stared up in shock as he spoke. But once he finished, I sighed softly. I leaned into his hands. “Thank you.” I whispered.
He smiled, and placed a kiss on my forehead. “You’re welcome.”
We stayed like that for a long moment. I noticed his hands were trembling slightly, holding me cautiously. But he didn’t shy away from me.
I glanced up at his face to check on him. He looked the same as usual, only slightly distant. But once he saw me looking, he steadied his expression and closed his eyes.
I didn’t question it. Instead, I moved my hand to his, and held it there.
His hands were shaking. Just slightly. It was abnormal for them to do so - they only trembled during and/or after flashbacks, nightmares, or emotional moments. And to my knowledge, only one of those was true at the moment.
“... did you have a nightmare, too?” I blurted out, quieting my voice to match his.
His hand froze in place. It took him a moment to reply. “... no. I'm fine.” He answered.
Delta didn't have tells when he lied. But to me, it was always obvious to an extent. There was nothing to prove I was right about him lying. But I knew I was.
“Del, it’s okay if you did.” I tried to reason with him.
But he just shook his head in response, and forced a smile. “No, it’s fine. I should be worrying about you right now, not the other way around. I’m fine.”
I frowned. But didn’t have the strength to argue about it with him. Instead, I laid my head on his shoulder, and got comfortable. “I trust you. So it’s okay if you trust me.”
Delta still seemed uncertain. He held me with a delicacy I hadn’t quite noticed before. Like he was afraid that if he touched me wrong, I would be hurt. I could see it in his bright orange eyes, the fear he tried to hide.
“Is there anything I can do to make things better? Do you wanna go inside?” He offered, rubbing my back.
I leaned on him again. “I just… want to be held right now.” I whispered.
He tensed at first, before relaxing. He wrapped his arms around me. “Okay. Then we can stay out here until you’re ready.”
I nuzzling myself against his chest. He held me closer. I could hear his Soul beating as I stared up at the stars.
The longer we stayed like this, the more I felt him relax. Eventually, he rested his head on my shoulder. I could tell he was getting tired.
My hand drifted to his back. I traced small circles on his shoulder, making him shiver. Soon enough, he melted into my grasp. It made me smile.
“You still awake?” I joked.
He nodded, pressing a kiss into my shoulder. “Yup.” His muffled voice made me giggle.
“You wanna head back inside?” I offered.
Delta hummed, before picking his head up. “Yeah. Let’s go.”
We untangled ourselves from each other. Delta got up first, arching his back to stretch as he did. I followed suit, shaking out my legs to make sure I could walk. I picked up the bat from earlier.
Once we were ready, he opened the sliding glass door. He peeked inside, just to check. “Okay, we’re good.” He said softly.
I appreciated it. I smiled as I went in, “Thank you.”
He followed me in, shutting the door behind him.
The darkness was startling. I felt uneasy as my nerves resurfaced. What if someone was in here after all?
Delta reached for my hand. “It’s okay. I’ll check the house and turn on the lights.”
My grip on his hand grew firmer. “Can I come with?” My voice was quieter than I expected.
He nodded, “Of course!” And gave me a small peck on the cheek. Then, with one hand, he used his blue magic to flick the lightswitch.
The sudden illumination of the room made me jump out of my skin. I hadn’t expected it to be that fast. I fearfully tightened my grip on his hand. He did the same, moreso to reassure me.
“It’s okay. No one’s in here. All we’re doing is making sure of it.” He said lovingly as he looked around the living room.
I nodded, only half-believing his words.
He walked to the couch, dragging me with him. “Can I see the bat?”
I handed it to him. Watching with curiosity what he was going to do with it. “Please don’t hit the couch.”
He chuckled. “Don’t worry, I won’t!” Instead, he knelt down and used the bat to feel for anything under the couch. Nothing was there.
“Couch is good. No one can really hide anywhere else in here.” He said, getting up and walking to the kitchen. “Check the pantry, and I’ll check the cabinets.”
“Okay.” I tried to let go of his hand. To my surprise, he held on tighter. I relented, and stayed by his side. He relaxed.
“You okay?” I whispered, patting his hand with my other one.
He nodded. “Yeah. Just… don’t go.” He whispered back, almost pleading. He kept his tone the same as before. But I knew he was afraid to let go.
“Okay. I won’t.” I gently squeezed his hand. Moving with him as he checked cabinet after cabinet. “Uh, do you still want me to check the pantry, or…?”
Delta hummed, before shaking his head. “No. I changed my mind. You stay with me.” He replied softly.
I smiled. “Alright.”
It didn’t take him long to circle back around to the pantry. He looked through it, before waving the bat around in there. Using it to move around things that had fallen down.
“Hey, you said you picked those up earlier?” I asked, raising a brow.
He smiled sheepishly, “I forgot. I’ll do it later.”
I sighed, but smiled back. “Sure. I’ll write a note.” I teased.
He chuckled. “If you can remember to do that, then sure.” He responded playfully.
We moved out of the kitchen, and walked through the halls. Delta first stopped at the study, flicking the light on. “I’m gonna take a look. Watch my back?”
I nodded, using my thumb to rub his hand. “Always.”
A light orange hue made its way to his cheeks. It made me smile.
I turned around, watching the bathroom behind us. It felt unnerving staring into the darkness from the light. Luckily, he was quick. There wasn’t much to check.
“Study’s good. You okay?” He questioned, turning to me.
“Yeah, I’m good.” I answered.
He nodded, and left to check the bathroom. Before he exited the study fully, he looked both ways, just in case. “All clear.” He stated.
“Thank you.” I replied, peering over his shoulder to look down at our bedroom. I shivered at the memory of waking up without him.
Similar to the study, there wasn’t much to check in the small space. He turned on the light, before using the bat to open the curtains while I checked the cabinets. He never let go of my hand.
“All good!” I told him. He nodded in response, and we exited.
Finally, the bedroom.
He stepped forward. I hesitated.
He stopped, and turned back to look at me. “You okay?”
I didn’t answer. I was too afraid. He must’ve seen it on my face, because he pulled me close, wrapping an arm around my waist.
“It’s okay. I got you.” He whispered. “Tell me when you’re ready.”
It took me a few minutes to build my courage. But eventually, I spoke, “I’m ready. Just… don’t let me go. Please.”
He pulled me closer. “I won’t. I promise.”
Delta led me into the room, and turned on the light.
At a glance, no one was in there. But I didn’t trust it. I wasn’t sure if I could.
Delta used the bat to push up the covers on the bottom of the bed on all sides. Then, he knelt down. “Uni, grab my hand. I can’t hold you next to me while I look.”
I did as told. His grip was firmer than before.
He pulled out the bin to check. He put the bat down, and took out his phone. He turned on the flashlight and looked.
He was silent for a long while. My anxiety built itself in the cracks of doubt that were left behind. “Is everything okay?” I fretted.
“Yep!” He sat up and put his phone away. Then put the bin back, and picked up the bat. With a groan, he got to his feet. I pulled his arm up to help.
“Thank you.” He smiled, then glanced over my shoulder to the closet. “Let’s check there next.”
I stared at the closet with fear. But I let him check.
When he opened the doors, I ducked to hide. I didn't want to look. I didn't want to be proved right.
“It's okay.” He reassured, rubbing my hand. “No one’s there. I promise.”
Slowly, my body relaxed. I hadn't realized how tense I had gotten. I peeked out from behind him. “Are you sure?”
“I'm sure.” He said, turning around to smile at me. “Everything's okay. No one's there. Let's check the other side?”
I nodded, but didn't come out from behind him as he walked. He moved to the bookshelf next. It was closed, similar to the closet.
I couldn't help but glance at the chairs. And then my eyes wandered to the bed.
“All clear!” His voice made me flinch as he turned around. I had gotten distracted.
“Oh, sorry. You okay?” He asked, worry in his eyes.
I nodded, finally letting out a breath of relief. “Yes. Sorry. Thank you.”
“Don’t apologize.” He smiled kindly. “Wanna head out of here?”
“Yes!” I pleaded, arms trembling just slightly. The memories were getting too much.
He was quick to rush me out of the room, and into the living room. When he got there, he pulled me into another tight hug. “It's okay. Take a deep breath. You're alright. I'm here.”
I hugged him back just as tight, burying my face in his shoulder again. I felt his hands trace circles in my back as I took deep breaths. He was counting for me again.
After a minute, I pulled away. “Okay. I-I'm okay. Thank you.” I whispered, keeping my head down.
He smiled sadly, and kissed the top of my head. “It’s okay.”
I nodded, leaning on him. We stayed standing like that for a long while.
“Hey. Do you want anything to drink?” He offered, pulling apart and nodding towards the kitchen. He already knew my order. He just wanted to make sure I wanted it.
I couldn’t help but smile as I peeked up. “Yes, please. Hot chocolate.”
He smiled back. “Alright. You can stay on the couch. I’ll be back in a few.” He turned away from me and tried to walk away.
My smile dropped. “Wait!-” I grabbed his sleeve.
He froze, looking at me with surprise. “Huh?”
“I… I want to stay with you.” I said shyly, glancing away.
Delta paused, but nodded, slowly. “... Okay. That’s fine. You want to sit down on the counter, or help me make it?”
“Um, I’ll sit.” I answered, looking back towards him.
“Alright.” He held his arm still as he walked so I could hang on if I wanted to. He pulled out a chair for me.
I smiled at the gesture. “Thank you, Del.” I followed his lead and sat down.
He shrugged, “It’s no problem. You want any extras?”
“Double the marshmallows, please.”
“You got it.”
He turned around, and walked to the cupboard. He opened it, and brought out my favorite mug. But his hand wavered a few seconds in the cupboard. I wasn’t sure if he was reaching for something, or if he was going to close it.
After a long moment of hesitancy, he took out a second mug.
[So he did have a nightmare!] I thought. Delta usually only drank hot chocolate with me if he was struggling with his sleep. Usually he’d just go for coffee.
I watched him make the hot chocolate, unsure if I should bring it up. If I did, he might try to change his behavior in the future so as to not worry me. If I didn’t, I’d feel guilty for ignoring him. Maybe there was a way I could bring it up without stressing him…
The shutting of the microwave door startled me out of my thoughts. I flinched, but tried to relax.
Delta noticed. “You okay? Sorry, I should’ve done that quieter.” He said, walking over to sit with me as he waited.
I jumped at his presence. I hadn’t heard him coming. But I nodded, smiling sheepishly, “I’m fine! It’s okay.”
He nodded back, “Alright. Thinking about something?” He asked, shifting his position so he could hold my hand.
I wasn’t sure how to answer that. “... a little.” I admitted.
He was about to reply, before he was cut off by the microwave beeping. He sighed, “I’ll be right back.” He gave my hand a gentle squeeze, before letting go and walking away.
I watched as he took out the mugs. The steam rising from them didn’t seem to bother him at all, thanks to his gauntlets. And after a few more minutes of him putting on the finishing touches, he walked back over.
He set my mug down on the table behind me. “Careful, it’s hot.” He warned.
I nodded, “Thank you.” I turned around fully in my seat to gently blow on it.
He sat back down next to me. His eyelights went blank momentarily. He carefully swirled the hot chocolate in his mug.
“... you okay, Del?” I moved my hand on top of his.
He flinched, sitting up straight as his eyelights resurfaced in an instant. “Huh?- yeah, yeah, I’m fine.” He muttered, rubbing his eyesockets with the empty hand. “Sorry.”
I stared up at him, trying to gouge his expression. But he must’ve noticed, because he was keeping his face strategically blank.
“... how about we head to the couch?” I offered softly.
He seemed hesitant, for some reason. But he nodded. “Yeah, sure. Whatever you want.”
We got up. He reached for my hand again. I gladly took it. And I led him to the couch.
We placed our hot mugs on the glass coffee table in front of the couch. Delta went to lay down. Then, once my hands were free and I didn’t run the risk of bumping into the table, he pulled me on top of him.
I felt heat rise to my cheeks at the swift motion. But I didn’t mind.
We laid there for quite a while, content with the silence. Still, though, something was off with him. And I was very intent on finding out what it was.
I reached for his hand and trailed it up to my mouth. I gave his knuckles a gentle kiss, before lowering it and intertwining our fingers. “It’s okay.” I whispered, more to myself than anyone else.
He nodded, playing with the fabric of my shirt. “You alright? You want the TV on?” He offered.
I shook my head. “No, thanks. But if you want it on, then that’s fine.”
“Okay.” He mumbled, pulling my body up against his just enough that he could hide his face in the crook of my neck.
I reached for his hands. And began to lightly massage them. “Do you wanna take your gauntlets off?”
“No.” His answer was quick, before he paused and re-worked his tone. “I mean… no, not really. It’s best if they stay.”
“... are you okay?” I asked, looking him in the eyes.
He looked away from me. Anywhere but me. “Yeah. I’m fine. You don’t have to-”
“But I will.” I sighed. “I will worry. Because I love you. And you’d do the same for me.”
He had no response. He knew I was right.
“You can be honest with me. I only ask because I care. I don’t mean to pry or annoy you.” I rested my head on his chest.
He perked up, mortified, “You don’t annoy me at all! Did I make you think that?!”
“Oh- no, you didn't! I didn’t mean it that way!”
“Are you sure? I’m sorry if I made you feel that way.”
“I’m sure! You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“If I did, you can tell me.”
“Same goes for you.”
That made him pause. He shifted uncomfortably.
I sighed. "Del, it's okay. I'm not gonna judge you for having a nightmare. You know that, right?"
"... yeah." His voice was quieter than normal. He still couldn't look me in the eye. Nervous tic of his.
I gently cupped his face, and tilted it towards me. It made him finally meet my gaze.
"It's okay. Do you want to talk about it?”
“Not really.”
“I won’t judge you if you do. You can talk about these things. You don’t have to worry about how I’m gonna react to it. It’s okay.”
He nodded, eyesockets going empty. It took him a long time before he spoke again. “... someone hurt you. In my dream.” He squeezed me lightly.
I frowned, Leaning my head against his. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. My fault, anyways.” He kept his voice even. But his eyes showed a different story. Pieces of unreality glimmered in his eyes, mixed with forced apathy. A mask.
“Not true. It was a dream. You can’t control that.” I stated.
Delta held me tighter. He closed his eyes, taking a few breaths, before opening them again. “It’s fine. It doesn’t matter.”
“Well it does to me.” I shifted to hug him fully. He loosened his grip only slightly so I could do so. Once I was settled, he held me close again.
We laid in silence for a little while. Until I broke it. “Do you want to tell me more…?”
He was silent for a minute. I thought he had fallen back asleep, until he answered. “No thanks.”
I nodded, and accepted his answer. “Want the TV on? We can watch something. Our drinks are probably cool enough by now.”
His eyes shot open, filled with minor panic. “I forgot to put the milk back!”
I flinched, before giggling and getting off of him. “It's okay! We were busy.”
He sat up, stretching lightly. “Think it’s still good?”
“I don’t see why it wouldn’t be.” I shrugged. “Del, it’s alright, you don’t gotta worry about it that much!”
Delta sighed as he walked to the kitchen, “I know, I know.” He said in a playful tone.
I smiled, and picked up my hot chocolate. I took a cautious sip. Luckily, it was the perfect temperature by now.
He came back after a second. “Drink good?”
I nodded, “Yeah. Thank you for making it.”
He smiled, sitting next to me. He picked up his mug, swirling it around before taking a big gulp.
“Don’t chug it!” I reminded him. I didn’t want a repeat of the soda incident of last week. It would take far too long to clean up.
The mere mention of it nearly made him choke with laughter. He was quick to cover his mouth. Once he swallowed, he turned to me with a teasing look, “You nearly had me do a re-enactment!”
We laughed, and kept talking well into the night. Until an alarm went off.
Delta reached for his phone in confusion, flicking off the noise in surprise. “The fuck?” He took a closer look.
He paused. Eyesockets going blank.
My heart skipped a beat. “Del? What’s wrong?”
“... Uni. That was my work alarm. It’s 5 am.” He answered, turning to look at me with a stunned expression.
My jaw dropped. “What?! How? No way!”
“Yeah, so, I’m gonna go ahead and call off.”
“What? Why?”
“Cause the last time they realized I went there running on two hours of sleep and multiple energy drinks, they threatened to write me up?”
“Oh… what was that for, again?”
“I lost half of our ratchets in one single car. Including all our 10 millimeter sockets.”
“Ah.”
“And I also almost cut their breakline on accident.”
“What?!” I gawked, leaning back. “You didn’t tell me that part before!”
He rubbed the back of his neck, looking away as he smiled nervously. “Yeaaah... that was strategic.”
I stared at him incredulously. “Delta.”
“Well, I didn’t end up cutting it! It’s not even that big of a deal-”
“Delta!”
“- that’s why they won’t be pissy at me when I call off! And plus, what are they gonna do, fire me?”
“They could!”
“Yeah, but they won’t, though.” He grinned arrogantly. “Besides! Means we can do whatever we want tomorrow. Or, well, today.”
I sighed, smiling softly. “Yeah. That sounds perfect.”
I leaned my head on his shoulder. He put his drink down, and stroked my hair gently.
We sat there in silence for a long while. Before he made an offer. “Well, the sun'll come up soon. Wanna watch?”
I smiled, and nodded. “Yeah. That'd be nice.”
We grabbed our drinks. I grabbed us a blanket while Delta opened the door to the balcony.
We went out and sat on the cushioned chair. I draped the blanket over us, as he linked his arm around me. I leaned on his chest. And together, we waited for the sun to rise.
