Forever & Always

Chapter 1: Nyctophilia✔️

(n.) - love of darkness or night; finding relaxation or comfort in the darkness

Pronounced: nic-toe-fil-lia

• Winter's pov•

Darkness.

The only thing in my life that's been there for me since I was born. The only thing that keeps me company when I'm alone. The only thing that doesn't harm me, but doesn't heal me either. The only thing that I can really depend on. The only thing in my life that will never leave me, no matter what.

Darkness.

It's all around us. It never leaves us, whether it's inside of us, or the physical world. Everyone has a dark side. It's inevitable. No one, not even the purest of people, can be completely good. Darkness can't exist without light, just like light can't exist without darkness. One cannot exist in the world without the other.

Darkness.

It's always been my friend. It was there for me when no one else was. It was never there to put me down, or make me feel bad about myself. It wasn't there to comfort me either. It was just... there. It keeps me safe, hidden from the demons in the world.

But what about my demons? What about the things that haunt me? What about the evil that's out to get me?

Darkness can protect you from anything, and everything.

But the one thing darkness can't protect you from,

is yourself.

We always think that darkness is the scariest thing in the world, but it's not. You're not scared of the dark, you're scared of what's hiding in it. You're scared of the monsters and demons that's hiding in the dark, just waiting for you to be at your most vulnerable moment.

Those demons and monsters are all yours, no one else's. You have to learn how to fight them, to be stronger than them. Realize that the dark is your friend. It keeps your monsters and demons inside it with you, because you're the only who can beat them. But if you're not careful, you can lose yourself in the darkness.

But you don't beat them by getting rid of them. You beat them by accepting that they are a apart of you, no matter where you go, no matter what you become, they will always be there. You're the only who can beat them because you're the only one who truly understands them. And what's better than having someone who understands your suffering? Who understands your struggles? Who knows what it's like because they've been through it too?

I've learned that the hard way. I've learned that you can't get rid of those demons and monsters because they will always still be there. I've learned to accept the demon inside me and embrace the monster who wants to come out, because at the end of the day, no matter what anyone else says, they're apart of me. They chose me for a reason and that reason is because we can help each other. There have been so many times where I wanted to let go of everything, but they made me hold on, telling me to have hope and that everything will get better soon.

I've embraced my demons and monsters and they helped me become who I am today. I am who I am because of them. Without them, I wouldn't be who I am today. And if I didn't accept and embrace them...

I would be nothing.

•3rd person pov•

She's been through more than anyone can imagine. She's seen more than anyone has ever seen.
She's done more than anyone could ever do.
She doesn't hold back who she is, nor does she hold back the demons and monsters inside of her.
She embraces them.
She wears them.
She's proud of them.
She is the person she is because of them.

She may fall, but she will always get back up. She learned from her failures. She learned to accept the scars. They aren't only a reminder of what happened. They show that she survived what she's been through. Whatever the world throws at her, she can take. She is the strongest person the world will ever meet, because she did something that not many people can do.

"She conquered her demons and monsters and wore her scars like wings."

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