Survived Me: a Shatter Me fan-fiction (Warnette)

Chapter 1 - Brightness

⚠️TW⚠️
Mild panic attack
Trauma
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JULIETTE'S POV:
The sun is fighting me, waking me up at hours I wouldn't normally be up. I feel myself internally groan at this and open my eyes in defeat. A huff passes through my lips as I stumble out of bed and to the window where I pull the curtains closed. My brain is now waking up and that means there's no way I'm going back to sleep. I slip into the bathroom and wince at the bright lights as I turn them on. I see my reflection when I walk over to the sink and look into the mirror. "I look so tired," I grumble. I grab my purple toothbrush and squeeze some toothpaste onto it. I watch myself in the mirror before...

The reality of this world is fading out as my mind takes over. I think of the future and what's happening in it in my mind. I see a Christmas tree with red and white ornaments and a star at the tippy top. Aaron holding me close and Kenji making a joke about something, the lights dimmed so the only source of light coming from the Christmas tree lights. A blanket wrapped around me and Aaron, a knitted and cream blanket, we sit on a darker cream sofa and there's a fireplace which is on and the fire burning bright, the crackles filling my ears. This is peace, no worries, no responsibility, happiness.

I'm back to the present by the toothpaste burning my mouth. I spat the foam into the sink then washed the toothbrush and put it away before wiping my mouth. I walk over to the bath and fiddle with the taps until the water is the perfect temperature. My hand runs along my boyfriend's soap collection and picks and chooses one's I want to use - I end up going with a lavender scented bundle of shampoo and body wash. They're in a bottle with a pretty label and a clear bottle showing the light purple contents. As I turn of the taps and remove my clothing then slip into the steaming water my muscles relax and some of that calmness from my vision a few seconds ago is brought to life. As I take a deep inhale then and exhale before holding my nose and putting my head under water. Then washing my hair and body with Aaron's shampoo and body wash then my conditioner.

I grab the towel and step out onto the bath mat and wrap it around my body. Pulling out the bath plug and exiting the bathroom and press the button to open the 'hidden' closet. I step in as the wall-like door shuts behind me. I pick out a black skirt and a forest green knitted sweater with a white dress shirt underneath and the collar poking out the neck of the sweater and folds down resting on the cotton, with some black tights and black flats. I tie my hair into a messy bun and then apply some lip-gloss and face cream. With that done I leave the closet and return to the bedroom. I check the clock that lays on my bedside table, it reads 8:20am. I best wake up Aaron, it's getting closer to quarter to nine which is the time work starts and we have a meeting together first thing this morning, so I'll need to give him some time to get ready.

I kiss the sleeping man's cheek and stroke the top of his right arm as he is sleeping on the left one. "Aaron, you need to wake up" I hear a slight yawn come from him before he rolls onto his back eyes opening a slither. "Mmm" I giggled at his muffle of a response and kissed his forehead stroking through his golden hair. "You need to get ready for our meeting this morning" he blinks his eyes open and looks into my fully awake ones. "Morning, love." He says his voice deep and full of drowsiness. "Good morning, I'm serious though you need to get up. It's nearly half eight. "Hm. Maybe we could just skip the meeting and lay here and cuddle" he sighs. "I would love that but you know that's not going to happen, we'd have Kenji bursting in asking questions. Then Castle would be mad and that's just stressful" I smile down to him. "Those two men are like a stench you can't get rid of." I giggle at his comment even though I know he means it. Deep down he sees them as his friends but he's just not ready to admit that yet. "How about when the meetings are over we can come back here and cuddle and watch some tv?" I try and reason with him. "That's a deal. No backing out though" he says sitting up and pecking my lips before he walks to the bathroom to brush his teeth. "I'm going to go down and get some breakfast for us both before they stop serving, come down when you're ready" I call him to which I get the response of "okay, my love".

I exit the room and walk the halls and down the stairs and through the door that brings you to the canteen. I walk in and see the group of people that fought with me a month ago in the battle against Anderson. I walk past them and grab me and Aaron two pancakes each and a bottle of maple syrup. As I take a seat next to Kenji I am wished a good morning by the crowd of my friends. "J, you didn't forget the meeting this morning, right?" Kenji mocks me. "Haha very funny. No I didn't" I grumble. "Where's grumpy Mr boyfriend this morning?" He asks and everyone looks at me as if that's what they were all thinking. "Getting ready. Why?" I said pouring the syrup onto my food. "He's normally all ready and alert by now. You know like ready to kick some ass." Kenji says and mimics throwing a punch. "I'll take that as a compliment" Aaron says as he takes a seat next to me, kissing my head before turning to his breakfast. I rested my hand on his laying on the table. Ever since the war with Anderson I have had this sort of attachment issue with him, I panic when he's not with me, I'm terrified something's going to happen to him. Obviously, he can sense this so he already knows I've been feeling like this. "It's okay, love. I'm here now" he whispers to me. I smile a panicked smile as a response, my hand shaking as the panic still lingers. He turns his hand and grabs mine stroking my skin between my thumb and pointer finger. I rest my head onto his shoulder and whisper "I love you" to him.————

Word count: 1152