Escape This Madness: Silver x Reader

5 - Remnants of Imprisonment

———

-Your POV-

"...A world of pain!"

An insistent pounding in my head. My muffled and unheard pleads. Neverending tears. The world spun around me, contracting and enlarging in a dance of pure dizziness and insanity inside my twisted and warped mind. I couldn't think straight. My trains of thought were flying off cliffs and leaving me behind.

"What an amusing child."

I choked on my spit every time his words echoed in my head, bouncing around like hyperactive rubber balls with nowhere to go but to jump against the walls of my brain.

"You never had a chance if you thought someone like you, a terribly inexperienced trainer..."

Why wouldn't a single syllable come out of my mouth? Why were the words of agony trapped in my throat, unable to climb away from the tip of my tongue?

"...Could take out Team Rocket!"

I wanted to curl up in a ball but I was held in place and bound in unrelenting chains. There was no escaping this place, I knew. My heart lay shattered at my feet, leaving me empty, and hopeless. No one could help me, I was too far gone. Too far from anyone.

"FWAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Giovanni's dark, maniacal cackle hurt my brain as it rang louder than anything else, shoving my defeat in my face, and making it oh so painfully clear. I was scared of drying, sure. But I couldn't stop. I couldn't stop crying.

There was nothing else I was capable of doing.

Time passed, but I couldn't tell whether it was day or night, up or down, right or wrong, in the daze of my life. All I knew were simple things. My shallow breaths. The pain in my limbs. The strangled sounds of my ragged voice.

Would no one come?

"Hey- Hey, calm down, let me help you!"

"...You look like you're going to tip over at any second."

"If you must know, it's Silver."

It was as if I'd opened my eyes for the first time. In my hazy world of a dream, I could clearly see his face. Silver.

My eyes flew open, and I lay in my bed. The ceiling fan whirled overhead, ticking in tune with the wall clock. Tears streamed down my face, and I didn't have the strength to stop them. I let loose a few broken sobs, but they merge into louder cries.

I thought I had no regrets, that I could put everything behind me... Now I realize I do. There's so much that will linger with me. Sorrow. Grudges. Loneliness.

Before long, I hear my door fling open, and I glance over.

Silver stands in the doorway awkwardly, and I stare at him, tears still rolling down my face. Wordlessly, I walked across the small room and wrapped my arms around his torso.

"Silver..." I mumble, not letting go even though I sense him stiffen at my touch.

"What- what happened?" Silver asks hurriedly, panic lacing his tone.

My tears soak his shirt, but I ignore it, holding him closer to me, whispering, "I had a bad dream, that's all..." I keep him trapped in my embrace, worried that if I let go, he'd slip out of my grasp and I'd fall into the unpredictable tempest of nightmares once more. "But... Can I get something to eat? Please?"

I glance up and see his gaze soften ever so slightly. "Of course," Silver nods to himself, still rigid as a board. "I'll get something going, you just... rest, okay?"

"Right!" I chirp, releasing him. Silver promptly turns, and I catch a rare glimpse of a dusting of pink on his cheeks. He leaves to the main room and I hear the sound of him shuffling around in the kitchen.

I swivel around and face the room, hands on my hips. Determined to take my mind off things, I start to unpack my stuff. There were only a few boxes, I didn't need much when I traveled across Johto often. Fortunately, all my technology was unharmed in one of the cardboard boxes. Couldn't live without them... joking. But, in all honesty, who doesn't value the use of communication and entertainment?

"There!" I reach forward and produce my phone, quickly tapping it, only to discover that its battery was drained. After plugging it in, I finish unpacking the remainder of my belongings and organize it all where it was before I left.

Then, feeling successful, I exit the room with a small smile on my face.

"How does (favorite food) sound?" Silver calls and my grin brightens.

"Fantastic!" I exclaim, eagerly sitting on the small, two-person table beside the countertop that served as the kitchen.

Silver sets down platters of (favorite food) with several, mouth-watering delectable sides that complimented the dish. Without a moment wasted, I dig in, shoveling as much as I can into my mouth. I swallow and repeat. Soon, tears came to my eyes once again.

"W-what's wrong? Does it taste that bad?" Silver doesn't take his eyes off me.

"No... It's just so good... Oh, Arceus, this is amazing, Silver." I say after gulping down more. "I can't thank you enough."

"Oh,"

I wipe the tears from my face and continue eating at a breakneck pace, inhaling every bit of the huge meal Silver prepared, infinitely grateful.

———

Word count: 890 words