Chadverse Mini Stories

Dream Walking

Star had nightmares often.

It was just apart of him, his fully human brain couldn't seem to separate him as well from the events without being fused with Diamond. Steven still had nightmares, but having his gem with him tended to make them a bit less frequent.

It was the same nightmare he'd had again and again, as both himself and Steven, but with a twist that always gave him troubles looking in the mirror the next day: As the nightmares had progressed through the years, his dream self had aged with him. He was forced to relive the trauma multiple times again and again every year. The wound was always raw and it always hurt. It ached to the very core of who he was.

A blurry world, the feeling, the knowledge that something very, very wrong is happening to your body. The bright, blinding white light was burning his retinas. He almost couldn't be bothered to care.

All of his friends were possessed. The ones that weren't hadn't arrived and there was no time to wait. His best friend was lugging him as best she could, but he could feel her trembling in terror and strain. And he, he was dying in her arms. That dull ache of his innards trying to accommodate for lacking a power system it had grown to work with made him weak and nauseous. He felt hollow, his stomach burned with agonistic searing pain.

That cruel, overconfident voice echoed all around him in anger. "Ah, you little–,"

Another blinding light filled his vision and stars danced in it as he grew faint. He couldn't pass out, he had to stay awake. He had to save the day, he had to figure it out.

But first he needed to get to his gem.

Cold fear clutched at his heart as his other half was engulfed it the beam. No one could survive a direct hit from White Diamond. Not even the other Diamonds.

Yet, when it cleared Diamond had his tiled shield up, looking at best indifferent.

White Diamond snarled in offense, her eyes glowing with another hit. This time, all of his friends followed suit. Their pale bodies screeched at him, "Don't you raise your shield at me! I only want you to be yourself! If you can't do that, I'll do it for you!"

Seven blasts of energy hit Diamond this time for more than just a split second. The sight of his friends, even if they were possessed, trying to murder him made him want to give up. The force of the hit blew through his hair with faux wind but he could only stare with his eyes as wide as possible as his Diamond half took it like it was nothing. He turned to face her blankly and pushed out his arms. His safety expanded outward and pushed the assault back towards their friends, White and her pearl.

White cried out and stumbled but Stevens breath only hitched when his friends slid limply over the floor. "No, stop! You're hurting them!" The two remaining Diamonds fell so hard the ground shook. Connie's grip tightened and she planted her feet even as a fearful gasp came from her when Whites legs finally gave out and she landed with a much bigger crash.

Diamond looked over at them now. Connie's noise alerted him again of their presence, and he met her halfway to retrieve him.

Connie sucked in a shaky breath and offered Star. "H-here."

And like always, Whites hand darted out to grab Diamond and take him away. Star was going to die like this again. How many times had he relived this horrible nightmare where he was killed? How many times had White reached for him and he'd cowered in fear on instinct? How many times had he woken up inconsolable and using every atom of oxygen in his lungs to scream in fright?

He just wanted it to stop.

White froze for a split second and Diamond nodded curtly. "Okay." He strained against  Whites grip to pull out his hands and his glow became bright even relative to her. It was slight at first when he pressed both palms against her fingers, looking her dead in the eye. "Stop it." This pink was far more than a mere blush like Steven had accomplished, no it ran up her arm until she was nothing but pink, scrambling away in terror as she became off-color.

"What's– happening to me?" White stared down at her hands in shock as everyone began to stir.

Time slowed as Diamond came to retrieve him again. Star cling to Diamond, half crying half laughing as he felt the golden warmth of fusing with his other half.

"Star. She can't touch us again."

Star shot up in bed drenched in sweat, only to slam his head against Diamonds. "Ugh. Ow." He rubbed at his head and eyes to peek at his other half in irritation. "Are you watching me sleep!?"

"Yes and no."

"Elaborate. I'm too tired to play charades with you." He groaned and shoved some of the covers off with one hand.

"I fell asleep. So I dream walked." Diamond kissed his forehead to ease away the growing headache he knew was occurring.

Star shoved him away like he always did. "Don't dream walk to me! It's creepy to posses someone's mind."

"I didn't possess you. I played my part. You were the one who wanted it to stop. I told her to stop. She did. Yay," He did a sarcastic jazz hands and Star couldn't help but snort a little.

"We're gonna turn you into a dork too one day."

"Damn straight we are." Connie poked her head into the bedroom and crossed her arms. "Are my boys playing nice?"

"Yes."

Pleased, she nodded. "Are you okay, Star?"

"I'm tired of having that same dream." He shivered and the two enveloped him in what felt like the safest hug in the world.

"You're okay, Star. It's okay to not be okay. We still love you." She placed human healing kisses on top of his head and hummed. "How about ice cream?"

Star perked up a bit and tried to shake the terror and confusion. "Yes, please."

She left quickly so she could return as such and Diamond followed to help. Just before he got through the door Star called for him.

"Yes, Star?"

Star fidgeted with the edge of his blanket for a few long, silent moments. "Do you think– Could you do it again next time?"

"I was going to do it anyways, Star."