Wish That I Could be your Lover | Ronance

Chapter Thirteen

Nancy

She always slept soundly when she was in the same bed as Robin. Something about having her girlfriend's presence next to her calmed the brunette, knowing someone was there to protect her if she needed it and that they were both safe.

Nancy had never had a nightmare when they spent the night together, not until that night it was.

Three days had passed since that Tuesday when Steve had called her and she rushed to Robin's aid, and things had been about as relatively normal as possible given the circumstances. Nancy had spent the night every night since then, and in the morning they would drive to campus together. It all felt very. . Domestic, not that it was a bad thing.

Classes were over for the week, seeing as it was Friday. Robin had worked that night and Nancy had kept her and Steve company at Family Video. After their shift the three of them had watched a movie together, Max and El had even joined them but had left once the movie concluded.

Robin and Nancy then said goodnight to Steve, almost immediately falling asleep due to their exhaustion from the week, cuddling under the thick comforter.

Nancy wasn't sure how long she had actually been asleep before she was thrown into a nightmare. Nightmares were by no means new to her, but she had been having them less and less considering she was always around Robin.

This one though, it felt too real. In the past year her nightmares typically revolved around Vecna, whether that was her reliving the vision she saw of Barb's dead corpse or of Max being killed by him.

What she hadn't expected was to be back in the Starcourt Mall, replaying the events of the mind flayer as the flesh-made monster terrorized her and her friends. It was exactly how she remembered it, it's terrifying roars, the fireworks that were being set off ringing in her ears.

One thing was different though. Instead of being on the second floor, setting off fireworks alongside the others, she was on the ground floor. And instead of Billy standing in front of the mind flayer, it was Robin, her Robin.

It was like her feet were cemented into the ground, an invisible force holding her in place. Nancy could feel the screams bubbling up in her throat as she watched Robin sacrifice herself to save El, collapsing as the mind flayer struck her. She couldn't move, she couldn't save her, all she could do was watch like she was frozen in time.

Somehow, she managed to jolt herself awake, choking back a scream as she clutched the bedsheets underneath her. She couldn't breathe, she was gasping for air and shaking like a leaf in the wind, eyes darting around the dark room in an attempt to remind herself where she was. Her chest felt so tight, still constricted by the sense of panic and horror from watching dream-Robin die right in front of her.

Thankfully, Robin was a light sleeper. Most of them were nowadays, it was hard to sleep soundly after everything they had witnessed the past few years.

Her girlfriend roused as soon as she felt Nancy jerk awake, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes as she blinked in confusion.

"Nancy?" She murmured groggily, finally taking in the scene in front of her.

The brunette was sure she looked like an absolute mess. She could feel the sweat that beaded her hairline, the horror stricken look that was frozen on her face. And god, she couldn't stop shaking, she felt so unsteady she probably would've collapsed if she had been standing.

Nancy forced her gaze to meet Robin's blue eyes, noticing the concern that filled them. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words were able to leave her lips. Instead her mouth gaped open, ragged, desperate gasps shaking her.