Random BL One-Shots

Bound by Shadows

TW Mentions of Abuse: Addiction, Self-Destruction, and Mental Health Breakdown

The city lights flickered through the cracks of Raven's apartment window, casting long shadows across the walls. He stared into the abyss, the remnants of his past swirling in his mind like the smoke from the cigarette clenched between his trembling fingers. Every breath felt like a burden, every heartbeat a reminder of the pain he couldn't escape. His mind was a battlefield, littered with the debris of his addiction and the ghosts of his abuse.

Raven had tried to run from it all—tried to drown it in the endless bottles, in the needles, in anything that could numb the pain. But no matter how hard he ran, Bane was always there, lurking in the darkness. Bane, with his silver tongue and cruel eyes, who knew exactly how to twist the knife deeper into Raven's soul. Bane had been the one to introduce him to this life, to exploit the broken pieces of his psyche, and now, he was back, tightening his grip.

"You can't escape me," Bane's voice echoed in Raven's mind, like a serpent coiled around his thoughts. He had always been there, manipulating, controlling, feeding Raven's addiction for his own gain. The more Raven fell, the more Bane thrived. He was the embodiment of Raven's self-destruction, a physical manifestation of his inner demons.

Seraph, on the other hand, was the light Raven didn't deserve, or so he thought. Seraph saw through the mask Raven wore, through the facade of indifference and numbness. He saw the shattered soul behind the hollow eyes. Raven couldn't understand why someone as kind, as pure, as Seraph would even care. Every time Seraph tried to help, tried to reach out, Raven pushed him away convinced that his darkness would consume anyone who dared to come close.

Nyx, the only friend who hadn't given up on him yet, knocked on the door late one night, the sound almost drowned out by the deafening silence in Raven's apartment. "You need to get out of here, man," Nyx said, his voice filled with concern, eyes scanning the trashed apartment.

"Why do you care?" Raven slurred, his body slumped on the couch, the empty bottle beside him evidence of his latest escape attempt.

"Because I do, and you're killing yourself," Nyx snapped. His frustration was palpable. "Look, Seraph's been asking about you. He's worried."

At the mention of Seraph, Raven's chest tightened. He had seen the look in Seraph's eyes, the concern, the compassion. But Raven knew he was beyond saving. "He shouldn't waste his time. I'm not worth it."

Nyx sighed, sitting beside Raven, lowering his voice. "Maybe it's not about whether you think you're worth it. Maybe it's about letting someone love you even when you can't love yourself."

Raven flinched at the word "love." It was foreign to him something he had never truly known, something he feared more than anything else. He couldn't afford to love Seraph. Love was vulnerability, and vulnerability was dangerous. Bane had taught him that lesson too well.

Bane's reappearance wasn't just in Raven's mind. He was physically back, standing in the alley behind Raven's apartment one night, the cold air thick with tension. "Still running, Raven?" Bane's voice dripped with malice, a smile curling at the corner of his lips. "You'll never escape me. You were born to be broken."

"I'm not—" Raven's voice faltered. He wanted to be strong, to push back, but Bane's presence stirred every fear, every doubt.

Bane took a step closer, his eyes gleaming with cruelty. "You're nothing without me. You know that. You think Seraph's going to save you? He's going to leave you, just like everyone else. And when he does, you'll come crawling back, just like before."

Raven clenched his fists, his mind screaming for him to fight, but Bane's words seeped into his soul like poison. Bane had always known exactly where to strike, where Raven was weakest.

Seraph found Raven later that night, alone, shaking, in the throes of withdrawal. His heart ached seeing Raven like this, so lost, so consumed by his pain. Seraph knelt beside him, gently placing a hand on Raven's arm. "Raven, I'm here," he whispered.

"I don't deserve this," Raven muttered through clenched teeth, his body trembling. "I don't deserve you."

Seraph's eyes softened with empathy, but there was also determination in his voice. "You deserve to be loved, Raven. No matter how much you think you don't."

But Raven couldn't accept it. "You don't understand! I'll destroy you... I destroy everything I touch."

Seraph shook his head. "You won't. I'm not leaving you."

The final confrontation came one cold, rainy night. Bane had pushed Raven too far, driven him to the edge, and now Raven stood on the rooftop, staring down at the street below, the wind howling around him. His mind was a storm, his body ready to give in to the numbness of the fall.

"You think he cares about you?" Bane's voice was cruel, echoing from the shadows. "He'll leave you, just like everyone else. You're nothing."

"Stop," Raven whispered, closing his eyes, fighting the tears that burned behind his lids.

Seraph appeared at the rooftop entrance, breathless, his eyes wide with fear. "Raven, don't! Please—don't listen to him."

Raven's voice cracked. "It's too late, Seraph. I'm too broken."

Seraph took a step closer, his voice shaking with emotion. "It's not too late. You're not alone in this. Please... trust me."

For a brief moment, Raven hesitated. He wanted to believe him, wanted to let himself be saved. But Bane's voice was louder, the weight of his past heavier than anything Seraph could offer.

With a final, agonizing glance at Seraph, Raven let go.

The fall was swift, the impact brutal. Seraph's scream echoed through the empty streets, but it was too late. Raven was gone, shattered beyond repair. And in the distance, Bane smiled victorious.

Seraph knelt beside Raven's lifeless body, tears streaming down his face. He had tried. He had loved Raven with everything he had, but it hadn't been enough.

The world felt colder after that night. Nyx stood by Seraph's side at the funeral, the weight of Raven's absence suffocating. Tyrant, ever the mysterious figure, remained in the background, his gaze unreadable, while Mix offered hollow words of comfort.

In the end, the shadows had claimed Raven, bound him to a darkness he could never escape. And as Seraph stood over the grave, he knew that some battles could never be won, no matter how hard you fought.

The shadows always win.