To Stray Too Far From Home (Wally X Reader)

Not All Problems Can Be Killed

Nightmares had become the new norm for your dreams, the Puppeteer or Father John usually taking on the lead antagonist role. And Wally being, as you had jokingly dubbed him, your 'knight in shining armour,' entered your unconscious mind every night to do away with whatever horrors wished to make an appearance.

That's why you knew he was really here.

You were positioned in the same place you had been when the Puppeteer had first arrived in all its horrific glory, Wally standing at your side, watching the clearing. You both waiting for the monster to arrive with bated breath.

Only a few moments passed by before the creature took form from behind the apple tree, the black haired man staggering into the opening before his body twisted in on itself, skin pulling and stretching to create the hand and string covered Puppeteer, Julie's sisters already present, tangled in the threads.

Enthralled by the man's transformation that you had bore witness to on your first night in Home, you almost missed how Wally gasped, eyes dilating down to pinpricks, his body quivering in fright.

"That- that's not possible..." he breathed, stepping back from the field, shaking like a leaf.

Unfortunately, Wally's foot landed on a branch, the reverberating snap echoing through the clearing. The Puppeteer instantly darted toward the sound, right to where you and Wally were standing.

Grabbing your hand roughly, Wally sprinted with you as fast as he could, dragging you through the forest at his top speed. You cried out his name in shock, forcing your legs to move in tandem with his.

Typically when within your dream, Wally would fend off the Puppeteer by controlling your dream and getting rid of the problem all together, but today he appeared to be lost, forgetting that this was a figment of your mind.

"Wally! Stop running!"

You called out to him, his face contorted in what looked like pure terror, his hair down and a knotted mess, leaves tangled in his locks- this was so unlike him, he seemed even more terrified than when the Puppeteer chased after you originally.

He wasn't able to help you with your nightmare now, so it was up to you. Focusing as hard as you could on the world around you, you imagined that every heavy footfall you made on the forest floor was actually trampling over the beautiful flowers of a sunlit meadow.

Willing your image of calamity into existence, you only opened your eyes when Wally began to slow, his felt hand shivering in your hold. Surrounding you was the stunningly gorgeous land you had brought into fruition, white fountain grass brushing against your knees as you drew Wally to a stop, his pupils flicking anxiously.

Concerned for his health, you asked; "Are you alright? What happened?"

The puppet's frightened hands jaggedly snatched ahold of your shoulders, his ebony eyes intensely boring into your face.

"What you saw there- with that man, did you see that exact scene on the night we nearly got tangled?!"

His fear was beginning to spread to you like a virus, your form trembling beneath his fervent gaze.

"I- Yes. That's exactly what I saw that night, why?!"

Wally's fingers started to dig into you, arms shaking with restraint. He sharply released you, crumpling to the ground like a stringless marionette, his fists slamming against the flora whilst the sky darkened and glitched out of existence.

"THAT BASTARD!" Wally screamed, hands reefing on his dishevelled hair in distress. "I KILLED YOU, YOU'RE DEAD !"

The sheer rage in Wally's voice had you cowering on the ground, paralyzed with fear. He was so utterly terrifying when angered that you found yourself spewing out whispered apologies to the puppet as though you yourself had done something wrong.