The Sweetest Dream of the Spectral Boy

Chapter 4

Pitch was gasping in pain until he realized that he was no longer experiencing the memory, once again finding himself in the odd murk where he and Jack had been previous to their conversation's interruption. There weren't any fearlings to be seen at the moment, but he wasn't going to let his guard down, especially since although his time in the memory had ended, Jack remained missing from the space.

Like deja vu, Pitch could almost see Jack's dead body laying on the ground in the distance- though he knew it was only the space giving him a reminder of his fear. He didn't need it, though. Pitch knows what he's fighting for, even who he's fighting for, it's only in figuring out how to go about saving the day without losing himself in the process that things got muddled.

Muddled is perhaps a loose term for him having next to no hope that he'd be able to make it out of Jack's mind alive and intact due to there being literally no way out.

As that thought passed through his mind, something heavy sunk deep into his gut.

-

Blood oozed generously from Kozmotis' gut where the fearling had slashed at him.

As the soldier fell to the floor, Nightlight held on to fall with him and soften the land, eyes fixed squarely on the otherworldly creature, light glowing brighter by the second until the fearing shrieked it's final shriek, disappearing under the pressure of the light.

Although the danger passed, Nightlight did not settle. He knew how to save his friend, but instead, he stared at the body in his arms, Kozmotis' consciousness having faded from the blood loss by this point. Nightlight panicked in his hesitation, fearing what may happen if he tried what he was about to try, but he had always been someone to care too much too quickly, and he could not let Kozmotis die in his arms.

Lifting his friend off himself to look at the damage, Nightlight let the gravity of everything hit him, allowing his tears to flow and fall into the wounds that had already begun to taint ominously black. Every person who had taken care of him since he was nothing but a small, parentless child, had died from that dark taint. Even the people he met afterward, who tried to befriend him despite his natural oddity, were now left for dead on the abandoned planet. Resolve and determination grew rapidly from his pain, the courage he held and his desire to save the only person he had left embedding his tears with blueish light that burned hot to the touch.

Kozmotis would be saved, but there would be consequences to this. Still, Nightlight could feel nothing but relieved to see color return to his friend's face, deciding then that whatever happened, he just had to ensure that Koz never felt the taint of darkness again. Nothing would be able to stop him from remaining by his side, guarding him forever from evil. Kozmotis' heart would have to be incorruptible, and no matter the dangers they were surely to someday face, he would make sure that it was. He had to.

-

When Pitch awoke, he was comfortable. So comfortable in fact, that he couldn't even bother to open his eyes, instead nesting himself deeper in the cool fabric he held on to, only to have it twitch and make a completely useless attempt to escape.

"We...um." Jack's voice rumbled, sounding both hesitant and fond as he continued, "Pitch...can we talk about this?"

Pitch let out a long-suffering sigh, clearly uninterested. "Talk?"

Feebly, Jack gave another push, but Pitch held on, not even bothering to open his eyes. It really was difficult to get out of, enough so that Jack was even mildly impressed by the effort Pitch decided to put into ensuring they remained in their position. "I get the impression there's a lot you're not telling me."

"You don't say."

The comment earned a wry smile, which Jack decided to hide in Pitch's hair. If Pitch wouldn't let go of him, he may as well take advantage of what little comfort he could get. It wasn't often that someone could stand his temperature long enough for this kind of contact. "You're not usually this clingy. If I didn't know better, I'd say Kozmotis was affecting you."

"I've put myself in a dire situation in hopes of rescuing you from this place somehow, and it comes as a surprise that I care?"

The tone seemed to sift instantly, Jack's body stiffening in shock. "...yeah, I would say, yeah, it does. Yup. So, you...you did hear me, back then. You know that I-"

"Yes, Jack. I know."

"Good. That's-" A beat and a calming breath. "That's cool."

A noise escaped Pitch that made Jack tense in worry before he realized that it wasn't a whine of pain but rather a small laugh. "We're trapped in an endless hallucination, being forced to relive every terrible moment that led us here." After his laugher died down, Pitch opened his eyes and pulled away just enough to see Jack's face, coming to a decision. "Perhaps this kind of situation is just I needed."

The two began to stand, helping one another up. "Do your powers work?"

Jack nodded, brushing himself off. "Sure. What d' you want?"

A clearly diabolical expression took over Pitch as he took Jack's hand, opening his palm and swirling a dark image of a fearling in what was likely imagined nightmare sand. "Let's have a little fun. Unless Jack Frost has given up on his center."

"Of course not," Jack gave an answering smile of equal challenge, excitement lighting up his eyes. "You're on, B ogeyman . This is happening. It was too late to back out before you even said anything."