Havenfell

Chapter 7: Has It All Been Said Before?

(Trigger Warning: Mentions of suicide and self-harm)

The night felt endless as Felicity and Juno huddled together in the abandoned building, the oppressive silence punctuated only by their ragged breaths. The encounter with the demon had left them both shaken, and the weight of the unspoken words hung heavily between them.

Juno leaned back against the cold, crumbling wall, staring up at the ceiling. Her voice was soft, a whisper.

"You know, my dad used to bring me to places like this. He said they were perfect for exploring, for finding hidden treasures."

Felicity glanced at her softly. "Sounds like fun."

"It was," Juno replied, her gaze distant.

"Until one day, he just stopped." She swallows the ever-building lump in her throat.

"I found him... in our garage. He'd hung himself. Left a note saying he couldn't deal with the darkness anymore."

Felicity's breath hitched, the raw pain in Juno's voice slicing through the silence. "Shit, Juno, I'm so sorry."

Juno shook her head, blinking back tears. "I thought if I drank enough, I could drown out the memories. But no matter how much I drank, they were always there, lurking. And you... you were always there too. Strong, no matter what happened."

Felicity's eyes widened in surprise. "Me? Strong?"

"Yeah," Juno said, turning to look at them. "You have no idea how much seeing you hold it together helped me. Even when I was being an absolute mess, kissing Alex in front of you and Bree... I hated myself for that. I'm so sorry."

Felicity swallowed hard, their own emotions bubbling to the surface. "It's okay. I understand."

They fell into a heavy silence, the weight of their shared struggles pressing down on them. Felicity's fingers traced the scars on their arms, the remnants of battles fought in silence. "I wasn't always strong, you know. There were times when... when it felt like the darkness was winning."

Juno's eyes softened with understanding. "I know that feeling."

Felicity took a deep breath, the words tumbling out before they could stop them. "I used to hurt myself. It felt like the only way to silence the thoughts. And there were nights when... when I thought about ending it all."

Juno reached out, her hand gently covering Felicity's. "But you didn't. You're still here. And that matters."

Felicity looked up, meeting Juno's gaze. The connection between them was palpable, a fragile thread of understanding and shared pain. They leaned in closer, the air between them charged with unspoken words.

Just as their lips were about to meet, a scream pierced the night. They jolted apart, the moment shattered. Outside the building, a figure stumbled, trying to escape the clutches of a demon. The creature was grotesque, its skin a sickly, pulsating gray, its eyes empty voids of darkness. It latched onto the person's chest, drawing out a luminescent green essence with every sickening pull.

"We have to help," Felicity said, their voice trembling with urgency.

Juno nodded; her fear momentarily eclipsed by determination. "Let's go."

They burst out of the building, racing toward the demon. Juno grabbed a nearby piece of metal, swinging it at the creature with all her might. The demon snarled, momentarily distracted, giving Felicity the chance to pull the victim away.

"Run!" Felicity shouted, pushing the dazed person toward safety.

The demon turned its attention back to them, its hollow eyes locking onto Felicity. For a moment, time seemed to freeze. Then, with a guttural roar, it lunged.

Juno swung again, the makeshift weapon connecting with a sickening thud. The demon screeched, recoiling in pain, before retreating into the shadows.

Panting, Felicity and Juno watched as it disappeared into the night. The danger passed, they turned to each other, hearts still pounding from the near miss.

"That was close," Juno said, her voice shaky but relieved.

"Yeah," Felicity agreed, their hands still trembling. "Too close."

As they made their way back to the hotel, the bond between them felt stronger, forged in the crucible of shared fears and confessions. The night had revealed their deepest vulnerabilities, but it had also shown them the strength they could draw from each other. They didn't know what the future held, but for now, they had each other.

And that was enough.