A Taste of Forever (Katakuri x Reader)

Chapter 20 - Revelations

"You don't deserve to be loved; you deserve to be shunned."

"I missed you, too."

"Unlike the Charlottes, we just need your devil fruit, and not you."

"I'm glad you ate the fruit, (Y/N)."

You woke up in a cold sweat, the covers around you drenched in the results of your nightmares as you panted into the void. Your breaths echoed through the otherwise ghostly silent room while you tried to steady your heartbeat and keep it from breaking through your ribcage. You would hate to end up back in the infirmary now that you had only left it a few days ago.

Deep breaths in - and out - in - and out.

Good.

Sitting up on the bed, you rubbed the sleep out of your eyes before you turned your head to glance out of the window. Based on the bright moonlight and the lack of any orange on the horizon, you guessed that it still must have been in the middle of the night. Your eyebrows wrinkled at that realisation. It was the third time you had woken up this night and it was starting to get on your nerves.

Falling back on the soft mattress with a silent whine, your eyes stared at the ceiling. What was the issue? You hadn't had troubles falling asleep for forever, so why now?

The past few nights you had either dreamt of Laffitte beating the ever-loving shit out of you, or of Shanks. The horrible things he had said to you still echoed within your skull, and even though you had moved on from your short-lived romance, you couldn't deny that his words still cut you deeply.

Moving on and healing were two different pair of shoes.

Still, Katakuri managed to unknowingly say the right things, stitching your wounds back together without even being aware of it.

After what felt like another hour of tossing and turning in your bed, you muffled a groan while your hands outstretched into the air, strangling it before they dropped back limply on the bed.

This is getting ridiculous....

Your little display of frustration wasn't fruitless though. While you glared into the void, an old memory crossed your mind. When you were younger, whenever nightmares had kept you from falling asleep, Marco had brought you a glass of water and cuddled with you until you had calmed down.

The memory conjured a smile on your tired lips as you remembered how much he had babied you, especially after you had just joined them. You had never told him how much his help meant to you, how much of a brother he was to you. Back then you believed that nothing was ever going to separate you, but life proved to be cruel and now you regretted that you had never told him. You only hoped that he somehow still knew.

Throwing the blankets to the side, you quickly crawled out of bed and tip-toed over to the bathroom to get some water.

The cold water ran down your throat, washing away some of your frustration along with each gulp you took while the cold of the tiles crept up your bare feet.