"Not real," I murmur to myself as I rock back and forth, hugging my knees to my chest. Memories flash in my mind. Nathan doing terrible things, memories that couldn't be real.
Nathan says it's just the serum playing tricks on me. I believe him for the most part, but find myself pushing him away still. I almost feel disappointed when he doesn't pursue me. I guess he thinks it's best to leave me alone, but that's not why I do it. I forgot what it feels like to be loved so much, to love someone so passionately. I end up becoming very frustrated, unable to decipher the strong feelings. So I try to destroy them, I end up trying to push him away. But even if he can't understand me (I can't even understand myself), he doesn't give up. And it makes me feel secure. Safe.
Eventually, I fall asleep in my little corner, but not that long. I'm able to take brief naps during the day, but the real challenge is at night. That's where the nightmares lurk, sometimes even making me flare.
That night, after pretending to eat my dinner by feeding it to the dog while Nathan isn't looking, I trudge to my room. Nathan goes into his, which is right next door. I crawl under the covers, exhausted and weak from lack of eating and sleep. But I wake up drenched in sweat and screaming after about an hour.
Nathan bursts through the door, his eyes wide with concern. I sit in bed upright. The strap to my black tank top hangs off my shoulder, and I gingerly pull it up. I've lost a lot of weight, and my clothes seem to be much more baggy than before.
"Just a nightmare," I mumble.
"Do you want to talk about it?" He asks. I shake my head, tensing up. He shrugs, half disappointed as he's about to walk out the door.
"Wait."
He turns around, and I make an effort to make eye contact with him. Even before the Fire Nation fiasco it's been a challenge for me.
"W- will you stay with me?" I murmur feebly. Nathan gently closes the door behind him without a word. He cocoons himself around me, making me instantly relax. I kiss him softly on the lips.
"I love you, Nathan," I whisper. He brushes a strand of hair from my face.
"I love you too," he replies.
"Don't let him take you away from me, Rose."
"I... I don't want to." Somehow I know he's talking about the Firelord.
I fall asleep in minutes. Nathan seems to ward off all the terrible visions the entire night. His steady breaths from sleep fall into chorus with mine.
YOU ARE READING
Avatar Rose: Dusk
FanfictionNathan and Rose have finally escaped from the Fire Nation. They're safe in the Water Tribe, but that doesn't mean that they lived happily ever after. Yet. Rose has changed a lot since the day Nathan found her unconscious at the entrance of his villa...
