The After Kingdom: UnOrdinary (Arlo x John)

Chapter 20

[Note]

Hi guys! Wattpad's notification hasn't been working before, and I was informed by @UnordinaryGirl17681 that she didn't receive any notif.

If you guys haven't seen me update like, 3-4 days ago... You can check the previous chapter out before checking this one just in case!

Pleasant_Illusion
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John doesn't always dream, but when he does, he could almost compare it to a nightmare.

He mostly dreamt of the scenarios that haunted his mind. This time, his dream was a bit complicated. The dream started with Arlo standing in a plain-white room. The blond was extending his right arm, telling John to take his hands.

When the dark haired man took it, the whole place became night, and he was suddenly standing in the middle of the road, with his father's body on the ground, drenched in a pool of blood. John fell on his knees, apologizing and screaming how he didn't meant everything to happen, telling him how sorry he was.

"It's already too late."

His visions fade, and soon, John started hearing voices. They were telling him that he was a monster with their voice tinted with anger. Among those voices, Claire's voice stood out the most. Then there was his father's, Seraphina's voice and... Arlo.

His mother's laugh echoes, and it was deafening. John couldn't help but curl, covering his ears, wishing it all to end. Then, he was dragged roughly on the floor by a man he couldn't see. He felt different hands touching him, gripping on his flesh as if they're gonna tear him apart. He felt them removing his clothes, their hands on his legs and between his legs, fingers moving on top of his throat, his chest and his whole body.

When his visions returned, Arlo was glaring at him with disgust, and John couldn't move, all he could do was bear everything that did to him while Arlo just watched.

Eventually, the dream soon ended and John woke up, feeling alone and scared. He climbed up on Arlo's bed, but the blond wasn't there.

Then, John checked his phone to see what time it was, it was still dark, and when he checked, it was only 2:37 in the morning. Where could Arlo be?

John lay on Arlo's bed, hugging his pillow tight. The sheets were cold, and it doesn't seem like Arlo have slept on his bed at all.

With that realization, John stood up, looking around the whole house. He've checked the kitchen, living room, and every place on Arlo's house.

The blond was nowhere to be found, and John felt a little bit uneasy.

Where did Arlo go?

John tried leaving the house, but the doors were locked, giving John the idea that Arlo went out.

The dark haired man soon returned on Arlo's bed, lying there again as he hug the same pillow.

It was cold, and John was scared and shivering. He wished someone would hold him, he wished that he wasn't like this. He wished his father to be finally awake, he wished his mother to love him, and he wished to be happy.

John had a lot of wishes, but he knew that wishing wouldn't do anything. It couldn't turn back time, and it couldn't change anything.

And even if it all came true, John wouldn't deserve it, because he was a monster, he was filthy and he doesn't deserve to get the happiness that he longed for.

John hope that these thoughts would go away, but they just wouldn't. The dark man couldn't even sleep again, even if he tried. Actually, John had a lot of secrets. Sometimes-- not always, he takes pills just to fall asleep. He fakes sleeping on some occasions, just so he can consume it once Arlo was asleep. Or if not, he would time his consumption so it wouldn't be obvious to the blond.

He finds it easier to sleep when he was physically tired, or if he was hugging someone else. He felt most comfortable beside Arlo, but he couldn't tell that to the blond. If he did, Arlo would just feel obliged to let John sleep beside him.

So instead of forcing himself to sleep again, John sat on Arlo's bed, staring at his hands. The burns have healed, and he found himself activating his ability.

He formed a small sphere of flames on his hands, proceeding to change it into a gust of wind. He changed it again into flames, pulling his sleeves up before attacking his own arms with it. Then, he tried healing it, concluding that he could still use Elaine's ability. To his own surprise, the burns have vanished almost in an instant.

It was getting worse, and John was afraid of really becoming a monster. He could now permanently imitate the abilities he've seen once after that night. He absorbs, everything he's hit with. He keeps getting stronger and more powerful and he doesn't want anyone to know.

He was attacked by someone who uses flames recently, it wasn't his mother, but it was a man whose face was covered. He was with someone who uses wind as his ability, and they were charging at John with the intent to kill.

John took care of them quickly, returning to Arlo's house as soon as he can.

The dark haired man thought that the night would passed without Arlo noticing, but he did, right after the blond finished explaining himself.

Now, it was already 3:00 am. Arlo still wasn't here, and John was actually worried. He could be in a mission, but it really doesn't seem like it to John.

And so, John waited, until the blond finally arrived.

It was almost four in the morning at that time, and he looked exhausted, as if he've run a mile.

"John...? Why are you awake? You look pale, is there something wrong?" Arlo asked, locking the door again.

The dark haired man was just scared, there wasn't anything particularly wrong...

John wanted to ask him where he've been, but he didn't. He wanted to ask Arlo to hold him, but couldn't let the words out of his mouth.

"I'm just afraid..." the dark haired man replied, almost like a whisper. He didn't know if Arlo heard, but the blond sat beside him.

"It's still early, you should sleep more."

John obeyed the blond, moving down on his mattress. Arlo looked at him, noticing that something really was wrong with his movements. He was almost trembling, and John's expression was really troubling him.

"John?" he spoke again, "Do you want to sleep on my bed?"

It wasn't that. John didn't care where he slept, he just wanted... He just wanted to feel warmth, to hold someone, and to be held.

John closed his eyes, ignoring Arlo. The blond must be tired, and he seemed to be uncomfortable when John sleeps beside him so he didn't bother asking.

Back when John used to sell himself, he've also slept on the same bed with some men from the bar. John hugged whoever was beside him, and they were usually annoyed by it. It's very rare that someone didn't mind, because usually, they would hurt John, ask for another sexual favor or punish him. They were open with their disgust to him, and John was really was used to it, but because of them disliking how John grabs on them while they sleep, John have stopped sleeping on their bed after sex, choosing to go home no matter how hard it was to walk or how worn out he was.