A Simple Virus - BEN Drowned X Reader

Level 16

He wasn't here. He couldn't possibly still be around after so long. You knew he couldn't be real, and that it was your unfortunate psychotic break that manifested such a malice 'spirit' in your mind. Regardless, you found yourself back with your therapist after many years of what you imagined to be the closest you would get to a healed mind.

"It was only a second of realization, and yet it felt like hours of reliving those weeks trapped in my mind. I don't know what would have happened if my roommate hadn't been there."

Your leg shook as you tapped anxiously as you sat forward in the couch. Your therapist looked at you, analyzing how you signaled more with your body, listening beyond your words. While your mind continued to race through the memories, your heart raced, dropped, and skipped beats. It truly seemed to trigger you to reversion, almost reliving the memories that polluted your subconscious.

"I am relieved to hear that you had support in this situation, and that you took initiative to come back before you fell back into old routines. Let's talk about..."

Their voice faded as your eyes roamed around the room. If BEN was real, would he be tuning in about now? Would he be resting within the computer on the desk in the corner of the room? Would he tap into a phone to analyze your moves as your therapist did?

A chill tickled your back, your ears flood with your heartbeat. What if he was here, in the room, but you would be blind to his form? Perhaps he sat right next to you, as you stare down to the seat cushion on your right. Would it be cold? Maybe if you reach out-

"Hey, (Y/N), I'm going to head to the store. Need anything?"

Slowly, you raise your eyes to your roommate, the therapist's room bleeding into your own, until it all focuses. A fog grazes your sight as you shake your head towards your roommate, finding their leave as a flicker of moves. What had you experienced? Were you not at your session, and had you not driven there yourself? How had you returned to your apartment complex, and why did you feel so disoriented?

In the pass of just a moment, you hear movement to your left. As quick as your heart drops, you are pushing your body to the headboard of your bed, facing what you thought to be danger-nothing.

How could this be happening again? You must be falling ill, and you had to take advantage of this moment to take care of yourself appropriately. After all, you were not in college anymore, and you already knew how the next series of events would ensue.

----

A week passes since your trigger episode, and a few days since your issues with psychosis and paranoia in general. You did partake in online sessions, and ensured to take off work as needed. Fortunately, symptoms seemed to pass, and you felt yourself slowly come back.

Today, you found yourself walking past the same retro gaming store that inadvertently triggered you, and decided that this would be a great day to challenge yourself. If you would succeed in some exposure, you knew you'd be getting better.

"Welcome in."

Pushing through the doors, you return a smile to the cashier. With a mission in mind, you find the section of games infamous for BEN'S origin, and pick up Majora's Mask. Luckily for you, it had been an unpackaged N64 game, revealing the artwork of Zelda and the mask in one small picture. Holding it close, you analyzed Zelda's face, feeling your heart rate increase with the seconds that pass. You breathe in slowly, closing your eyes as a means to calm your heart and mind.

It would be okay. He truly was just a sickening part of your psychosis. He was not real, nor would he return for you. You were safe and you were always going to be safe from him.

"Are you finding everything okay?"

Gasping, you break your mental exercises to look at the worker. He smiles at you, gesturing to the game, "That's one of my favorites. If you're thinking of buying, we're having a Nintendo 64 sale. Buy two get the third half off."

"Ah, yes, thank you. I am just browsing, but I will keep that in mind," You grin back, and look back down to the game with yet another gasp.

"Ah!" You drop the game, feeling unbelievable dread fill your body as quickly as you let go. Looking back at you was a sinister smile and red eyes once more. A familiar zap shooting through your fingertips.

"Woah, is everything okay?"

"Oh, yes! I must have gathered some shock from the floor. Sorry about that, but thank you for the concern!" You rush out the door, only glancing back to find the man holding Majora's Mask saying, "Floors? They're not even carpet...and a shock through a plastic cover? How odd."

It didn't take long before you began running home. This was not happening again. You don't think you'd be able to take it. There must have been some explanation for that, right? A trick of the mind, you're sure.

You slam open your bedroom door to be greeted with a cold atmosphere, and a hair-raising feeling in the air.

"I must truly be going insane," You turn back to close the door, only to feel a cold breath near your ear.

"Now that would be just too easy, wouldn't it?"