Axolotls (Discontinued)

Painful Dreams

Tw: Mentions of death (It isn't gruesome. It's death from illness), a bit of verbal abuse, and trauma that resulted from both things. I'll put an author's note where the dream that these things occur in starts and ends.

  Doni was taking watch, on their agreement. After all, this place was strange, and they didn't want to be ambushed by anything. He held a sword in his hand, one he had created while he went hunting for Lynix, since he didn't know the dangers his friend could have gotten himself into. Somehow, both the Maze and this place didn't allow Doni to use creative, and he could actually get hurt here. He knew he had to figure out why later.

  Lynix caught Doni's eye momentarily as the former slept peacefully. He looks cute, The trickster thought. Wait- Hold on. I don't actually think that, do I? No. I don't think Lynix is cute. 

  But what if- A deeper, more hidden part of him whispered, before Doni cut it off, resuming the position he was in before.

_:_ (Place where the TW talks about starts.)

  Lynix looked around in the darkness. He could recognize shapes, here and there, and then knew where -and when- he was.

  It was the day he had moved on, and this was his childhood home, though it never felt right to call it that. Fear crept into his mind, and the place grew darker. Whispering filled his ears.

  "What is wrong with you?"

  "You're worthless."

  "Really? You're such a disappointment."

  That was his dad, but it felt like a million people. A million people, all of them disappointed. All of them hating him. And then the dream changed.

  It was bright, too bright. And as Lynix's eyes adjusted, he again knew where he was. This was the hospital, and he was standing next to his mom.

  "Mom?" He whispered, sounding like he was a child all over again.

  She smiled at Lynix, grabbing his hand. "Yes, flame?" Lynix nearly cried hearing that old nickname.

  "Can- can I hug you?" Lynix asked, on the brink of tears.

  "Of course, little flame," Her voice was caring yet hoarse as she hugged him, humming a familiar lullaby.

_:_ (Tw place ends)

  Suddenly, something damp poked at him, drawing him out of the dream, and he found himself asleep on the floor of the concrete field. His axolotl had woken him up, and Doni was by his side, a concerned look on his face.

  "Lynix, are you okay?" Doni asked. "You were shaking, and you looked like you were about to cry."

  Lynix nodded. "I'm fine, I just had a nightmare."

  "That's good. By the way, I think I might have found a way out," Doni replied, helping Lynix up.

  As the two walked to wherever Doni was taking them, the axolotl waddling along after them, Lynix stepped on a flower and felt like he was falling, and then quickly realized that he was.

  "HELP!" He screamed, though he didn't know who he was screaming to. Doni was his friend, sure, but surely he wouldn't...

  Lynix felt someone grab him and pull him back onto the concrete. Still a bit dazed, he looked up to find Doni still holding his forearm. They made eye contact for a few long seconds, and in that time Lynix realized how pretty Doni was.

  Wait, WHAT? I can't actually think that, can I?

  In the end, it was Doni who broke the awkward silence. "So, do you think all the flowers are rigged?"

  "Yeah, probably," Lynix replied, nodding in agreement. He was still a bit shaken, but he couldn't tell whether it was from the fall, his sudden weird thought, or both. "By the way... thanks."

  Doni turned. "Thanks?" He echoed. "For what? I never did anything."

  That's not true, Lynix thought. That's not true at all.

  But what he said aloud was "I just mean, thanks for pulling me out of that hole, and for coming to get me when I ran into the Maze, and..." Lynix trailed off, wanting to say a million things but not having any of the words.

  Doni looked at Lynix, confusion and surprise on the former's face. Lynix thought he saw something else, too, but wasn't sure. "It's nothing," He responded after a moment. "After all, you're my best friend. I wouldn't let you die."

  Another silence, this one more awkward than the last. There was an unspoken agreement between the two to keep walking, wary of the flowers. Someway or another, the axolotl had no difficulty navigating the death traps, whereas the humans had quite a bit more trouble.

  Eventually, they reached it. A small opening, just big enough for a person. It felt wrong, in a way, like it was trying to rip the fabric of the universe itself. Doni seemed to feel it too. But it was the only way out, so they had to go through.

  They emerged in a dark place. Lynix could barely feel his axolotl against his leg, and could just make out his own shape.

  "Doni?" He called out into the blackness, worried about his friend.

  "Yes? Are you okay?" The reply was closer than Lynix had thought, and he grabbed his friend's arm.

  "I'm fine, just worried about losing you."

  "Why would you be scared of losing me?"

  "Because, you're my best friend. Why wouldn't I?"

_:_

  Another cliffhanger! Decided to do this one because why not. Anyways, I've been having a lot of fun, especially with writing this chapter. Also, I've realized that I have a weird affinity for giving my characters trauma from loss. Wonder why. By the way, did you dress up for Halloween? So, yeah that's about all. Have a nice time!