Bed and Silken Chains | Hiatus

Neunzehn

Never in my life, have I experienced this level of fear. All I can do is hope it vanishes like my past in the wind.

Dark eyes are frozen open, watching the corner of her new room. Her body is frozen with paralysis. In the looming corner of the room, a figure stands watching her. A grand smile of nothing but teeth and hollow eyes. The being is nothing but a creature of imagination and shadow.

It's not real. It's not real. It's not real. It's not real. It's not real.

How badly she wishes to move from her bed, speak out, scream for help, but nothing is moving. She's frozen in place, unable to do anything. Her eyes start to burn with pain, but she wishes not to close her eyes. Fear; unimaginable fear.

Don't close your eyes. Don't close your eyes. Don't close your eyes. Don't close your eyes.

* * *

Slowly, Diluc's eyes open to the rays of the sunlight. His parched lips open and let a sigh escape. Carefully, he moves himself up, pressing a hand against his head. A groan escapes his throat as he forces himself out of the warmth of his soft bed.

In a sluggish movement, Diluc quickly dresses himself in his usual attire before opening the door. With a deep breath, Diluc presses a smile upon his lips, ready to greet his mysterious girl. Diluc steps into the hall, listening to the silence of the house.

As quietly as he can, Diluc crosses the hallways of the upper floor until he reaches her room. With a gentle knock on the door, Diluc calls out to his guest.

"(Y/n)? Are you awake yet?"

The sound of shuffling cloth barely passes through the door's barrier.

"Can I come in?"

A light hum is heard, a sound of an affirmative. Quietly, Diluc opens the door to see a fidgeting girl sitting on the edge of his bed. Her sight causes stress to him heart. Her hair is already tangled once again, a deep and distant look is in her sunken eyes. She continuously rubs her hands together, causing a slight sound of the dry and cracked skin.

In a half moment, Diluc is at her side, hugging (Y/n) close to his body. He runs his fingers through her knotted hair and presses her head against his heart.

"What happened?!" Diluc quietly exclaims.

"Monster..."

"What?"

"There was a monster in my room," she says, her voice shaking.

Diluc suddenly feels hot, wet tears soaking through his shirt. Diluc's heart feels as through it's about to break in two.

"A monster? I'm sorry, I'm here now. Why didn't you come and get me?"

"I was stuck, frozen in place. I couldn't move!" she sobs, "I couldn't speak if I tried!"

Diluc hums. He has a feeling he knows what this poor woman has gone through, as he experienced the same phenomena after his father passed away. He saw his father's rotting corpse in the corner of his room some nights, other he was right beside him, staring down at him with unblinking eyes.

Diluc lets out a shaky breath, bringing his lips to her forehead. He rubs her back gently, holding her close.

"I'm so sorry. I'm here now. I won't leave you."

Moving hiss hand along the bed, Diluc grabs the wrinkled blanket and wraps it around the both of them, making her feel even more secure in his arms.

"I'll call off all plans today. You need to be taken care of. I won't let you go today."

(Y/n) sniffles slightly, nodding her head into his chest.

"That sounds nice... T-Thank you, Mister Diluc."

"Of course. This is the least I could do for you. I will always be here for you, so don't leave my side."

Pressing another gentle kiss on her forehead, Diluc begins to rock back and forth with (Y/n) snuggling deep into his chest.