Good Things Never Last

Chapter 83

"You know I actually met this Technoblade guy earlier, he had really cool hair"
Tommy screwed his face up as he broke from my embrace, his violent shaking finally subsiding as his mind drifted away from his memories.

But that's not what was on my mind at the moment.

It was the man who sat just beyond my brother in the tree line. His masked eyes had been darting between my brother and I as he paced through the undergrowth, seemingly composing himself.
"Wha-"
I just looked at him, softening my gaze when I noticed his scared expression, and then subtle winked at him.

"This guy Technoblade managed to get himself stuck in a cage somehow because he messed with a bunch of lunatics and an enderman, it was so funny"
The corners of the boy's lips slowly began to turn up as a real smile appeared across his features, but that quickly vanished when the sound of a twig snapping rang out from behind him.

Both our heads snapped towards the source of the disturbance, but I already knew where it came from. A tall masked man wearing a green travel cloak came storming towards us. His masked gaze fixated on my calm figure as he marched his way over. I just rolled my eyes when he leaned down to snake his arms under my own and around my torso, hauling me to my feet without uttering a word.

He was pissed to say the least.

And I couldn't care less.

I just stayed limp as he roughly grabbed hold of my hand, squeezing it tightly to prevent me from wiggling away. Not that I was going to try to anyway. I sent Tommy one last glance as I was dragged away from the boy, locking eyes with him before opening my mouth to tell him one last thing.

"You're worth the world"

We walked back in silence. Well it was more like I was being dragged along while I tried to stop myself from exploding with the rage that had started to boil from within me. It felt like it had been hours when he finally threw open the door to the house, storming inside straight after he did so.

He hadn't even batted an eye in my direction the whole way home, so I was surprised when he pulled off his mask and hurled it across the room before turning to face me. He didn't say anything as he stared into my soul, his jaw tensed and his knuckles going white. He just stared down at me, expecting me to break.

"How'd you know where to go?"
To stop myself from exploding right there, I turned away from the boy. My face reddened as I tightened my fists subconsciously, blowing a stray hair away from my face.
"I don't know, maybe the fact that you lied to me every single fucking day would've spiked my curiosity? Perhaps I was just bored and decided to go on a walk to the middle of nowhere, isolated from everyone else"
He just let out a sinister chuckle before pacing behind me, undoubtedly with a large grin plastered across his face.

"Ohhh, you don't even know the worst of it"
I froze, the colour draining from my face as I waited for the masked man to continue. He paused, as if expecting me to say something, but when he was met with silence, he decided to go on.
"Why do you care anyway? They didn't come looking for you, they didn't give a shit that you disappeared. He didn't even mutter your name. You deserve better than that..."
My mouth was dry as I ran my tongue along the back of my teeth. I just snickered at his comment before turning around to face him once again.

"You know it isn't all about me right? I'm not a self-centred bastard like you are. I don't care that they didn't come. I don't care that they didn't give a shit. They had more important stuff to deal with.
But that still doesn't make anything you did right Clay"
I didn't care about the whole being lied to thing. Tommy was far more important than that.
"You do realise he's a child right? A CHILD. His mental state was already bad enough before you pulled this crap Clay. You can't even comprehend half of what he's been through"

I walked over to him, staring into his eyes, my face full of hatred.
"All"
I shoved my hands against his chest.
"Because"
I shoved him harder.
"Of"
He stumbled as I shoved him once again.
"You"
I just rested my hands against his chest as I tried to steady my own breathing.

"So this is when you decide to act all innocent? Like you're so perfect. You always thought you were the hero, didn't you? You were the glue that kept everyone together. You kept everyone sane. You wanted to save lives, to save your nation from its certain doom"
I backed away slowly, peering into his emerald green eyes as a smirk grew on his face while my lips stayed locked in a straight line.

"But I was always the villain. I sliced your world in two. I pierced your friend's skin. I even got you to draw scarlet bracelets around your wrists. I kept you locked up. I made you mine. Because after all, every hero needs their villain, don't they?"
My harsh expression faded into a stunned one as I took in the words of the once masked man. It was almost like it was rehearsed, like he knew this would come at some point. I was just full of questions as the walls seemed to close in on me. Everything was a lie. This was supposed to happen all along. No one did try to look for me. No one cared enough to.

"Why though, why me? Why would you keep me here? Why would you act like you cared, Dream? Why would you pick me up from the rubble when you could've left me to die?"
My voice was hoarse as I spoke, cracking several times as I looked away from the man towering over me.
"I'm doing it for the power Y/N! Did you see Tommy's face when he realised you were alive? Did you see the hope it gave him?"
I swallowed hard as his voice became louder in my ears, reminding me of Wilbur's rants of insanity all those months ago, standing in the caves of Pogtopia.

"You're the best leverage a man could ever ask for. You could change everything! The power is worth more than your sad little life"
A harsh hand wrapped around my chin as it forced my watery eyes to lock with his emerald ones.
"Just look at you! How pathetic. Did you really think I could care about you? That's just embarrassing, honestly. And of all people, you chose to stay, to stay here with a monster?"
He paused for a brief moment as he realised what he'd just said, mentally scolding himself before continuing.

"You chose to stand before me and complain. You chose to stay here instead of run"
He paused, his eyes widening as his grin grew.
"Ohhh, don't tell me to care all of a sudden"
We stood barely an inch apart, both of us able to feel the other's warm breath against our cheeks.

"Oh, you do, how pitiful. The almighty Y/N falling for such a simple trick. Ha! And you're supposed to have some common sense, but I guess I was right all those years ago. You are a worthless piece of shit"
Tears started falling down my cheeks as I glared up at him, unable to form words.
"You're so sensitive, I'm just telling you the truth princess, stop overreacting. No wonder Tommy always preferred Wilbur over you..."

I just scoffed as I looked away from him for a few moments, wriggling free from his grip.
"You really thought this was real? You really thought I cared about you"
I turned back to look up at the taller male, watching his hard demeanour fall ever so slightly at my words as a malicious grin grew on my face while I wiped away my tears.
"Do you think I'd stoop that low? You think I'd care for someone as meaningless as you"
A deep chuckle escaped from my lips as I turned to walk away, only to have my wrist harshly grabbed to turn me around.

Soft, slightly chapped lips were forced against my own, making me go rigid in shock. My heart began to pound harder against my chest as my whole body stood frozen. I just stopped thinking as I began to kiss him back, meeting his lips with the same force he met mine with as an uncomfortable bubbling sensation filled my stomach. He smiled into the kiss that he'd longed for. A smile that was soft and genuine as he let his real feelings slip through his harsh exterior for only a minute or so.

We pulled away simultaneously, both breathless as I fought with myself to keep my face from flushing pink.

"You'll always be mine princess"

"That's because you'll always need me, Clay. I'm everything you can't control"