Switches & Spices

Chapter Twenty Five

TW: Lemonade

"Sleep, Moonlight. You're safe here with us."

I wasn't sure when, but I started to recognize that I was in a nightmare. Warm peace from the afterglow of SubSpace faded, and I started to dream. At first, it was peaceful. Waking in a familiar field of flowers and herbs, a house in the near distance I recognized. Home? I was... Home? My eyes fell to the front door, seeing it swing open.

A silhouette in the doorway brought an immediate flood of tears to my eyes, recognizing that long silverish hair, that warmth in the smile, in her crystal-clear blue eyes. Grandmother. She was calling out to me, saying she made cookies, it was time to come in. Calling me a nickname that I hadn't heard in forever, though it seemed garbled as I stood, running to meet her.

It... Changed. Twisted, the further I ran. The plants that were soft and full of life and sunlight suddenly crunched under my feet, as if the moisture was taken out of them, the colors fading to grey. They were so beautiful before – a massive range of colors and shades of vividness that brought me fascination every time I wandered the field growing up, seeming to find a new one each and every day. Now it was barren, even the grass burned up dry to slice at my feet, that house twisting.

It wasn't her waiting for me when I slowed to a stop, either. A sharp shock of fear coursed through me, Hotaru waiting for me with that same smile, though her eyes were as cold as ever. Her mouth moved, though I couldn't hear her, could only feel the intent. That sickening pride that always crossed my senses when she touched me, proud that her personal plaything came crawling back obediently.

Her hands came up to touch my face, but I managed to pull myself back a few paces, that smile disappearing, sheer terror hitting me as that false smile fell to furious disapproval. Displeased with me pulling away from her. That only meant the absolute and utter pull of any kind of pleasure from my body, fear and despair impending, living up to her chosen name as a Handler. I could only collapse to my knees, hug myself, wings trying to shield me. Wait for the painful tearing of feathers and darkness to consume my thoughts.

Yet it never came. Something pressed into my back, pinning me down, surrounded by warmth. Softest of grass and flowers pressed against my chest, largest wings I had seen shielding me. Red and black toned scales and skin... Dragon wings? Stupid, dragons were mythical beasts, they weren't real. Sure, there were some that could transform, but that rarity... No, this was a nightmare. Anything could happen.

If that was true, then... Maybe. Just maybe. Maybe I would be safe? The other nightmares with her, it was never a hope to be safe. Mana couldn't do anything to protect me, and neither could Keigo. I'd wished they had, but there wasn't anything they could do.

I was trained to not reach out in the first place, couldn't speak on it, yet there was this... Small, angry part of me that flared up every now and then. I wanted them to. I didn't want to be put through this anymore. I wanted freedom from it all, I didn't want her touch. They didn't even show up in my fucking dreams to protect me. Yet this dragon, the warm plantlife that caressed my face lovingly...

Eijiro and Tamaki. They were here. That anger faded as a threatening growl vibrated plates hard as steel against my back, the barest of glimpses of the woman showing fear on her face for the first time, before everything was incinerated. Flames that burned her, and her alone. Plants sprung up to life again, that tired feeling overcoming me as my mind was finally able to shut down.

True consciousness came back to me slowly, ever so slowly, face down against a soothing warmth scenting of lavender, a blazing earth and cinnamon warmth blanketed against my back. My eyes cracked open, a small shiver escaping me of arousal at the sensation of being pinned, unable to help it. The heat was enveloping me, the security along with it.