Haikyuu: Dream Catchers

Chapter 8: Good Night

DISCLAIMER: Images, dialogue and plot all belong to the author of haikyuu at 3am which you can find here: http://03xlimit.tumblr.com/

traaash a/n: im so sorry daichi.

Chapter 8: How to untie the gordian knot.

here our tragedy has a bittersweet end.

Daichi found 11pm standing in the middle of a wide path, surrounded by stars. The infinity sign was the most prominent in the night sky, dark arrows stretching down 11pm's pristine white cloak.  A gentle breeze ruffled Daichi's hair, bringing a sense of peace.

"It hurts, doesn't it?" Daichi asked as the clocks in Knowhere grew quiet.

11pm didn't make any move, their face probably blank.

"Feeling like you're always behind... Feeling like you could never connect to others..." Daichi continued speaking, observing 11pm's reaction. 

Memories came flooding into Daichi's mind as he spoke. Memories of him failing exams. Memories of the other students laughing at him as he cowered on the floor. Memories of him...

[...Never feeling good enough.]

With each word, 11pm grew more agitated, their jaw visibly clenching as their body trembled with rage.

"It has to hurt. But you don't have to let it hurt anymore." Daichi said, raising the sword in the direction of 11pm, who was laughing maniacally, hair covering their eyes. "This cure, I can remember it! We can help the Watch, help 3am - we can finally stop the nightmares!"

"Look at you, playing hero again. But don't you think that it's a little too late?" 11pm asked, their voice deadly calm as their body shook with laughter.

"It's not too late...?" Daichi repeated, confused. "We can still use my memories..."

"Daichi, you don't matter anymore." 11pm said, smiling.

"But you can still save-" Daichi started forward, before a familiar voice got him freezing in his tracks.

"NO!"

11pm spun around and Daichi was in shock at who was in 11pm's grasp.

3am.

11pm was restraining 3am, preventing the other Dream Catcher from speaking by covering their mouth with their hand. 3am's eye was panicked as they tried to jerk away from 11pm, but their movements were weak and uncoordinated.

"No, I don't think you understand...Look who I got before 9am! Nothing you do matters anymore." 

"What...Let him go..." Daichi mumbled, his body trembling in fear.

"There is another way to cure my friend. I can just use the rest of 3am's life to heal them. Trading a Dream Catcher for another sounds very fitting to me." 11pm said, nuzzling close to 3am with a peaceful smile as the other tried to escape their grip. 11pm's eyes turned cold as they fixed Daichi with a stony glare. "Or, you can give me the sword and we can start everything over again. Your choice, Daichi."

"I - I HAVE THE CURE! YOU'RE NOT SOLVING ANYTHING IF YOU TAKE HIM AWAY!" Daichi yelled, the raised sword trembling in his hands.

"LIMIT, YOUR TIME - NNNNAAAAA!!" 3am started to say but 11pm tightened their grip on 3am, causing the Dream Catcher to scream in pain.

"GIVE ME THE DAMN SWORD, DAICHI! YOU'RE ONLY MAKING THINGS WORSE BY STALLING!" 11pm roared while 3am tried to speak around 11pm's hand.

The clocks in Knowhere started up again, interrupting Daichi's concentration as he struggled to decide. To give the sword? Or to give up 3am?

"You were always alone and without your friend, it made it worse. But these Nightmares will continue to roam. Is that what you want, 11pm? Is that what you truly want?" Daichi asked, his body shaking.

"If I could have the only person in this world that made me feel alive and like I was someone, that person is the only thing that matters to me." 11pm said, smiling. They reached out one hand towards Daichi, who was gritting his teeth as he stepped forward against his will. "Now give me the sword, Daichi. Or I will destroy 3am with my bare hands-"

A gust of wind and a blur got Daichi stumbling back as the familiar crunch and splat of bones and blood echoed, the clocks turning silent.

Blood dripped onto the floor, staining shoes. Blood was splattered on 11pm and Daichi's faces, both of their eyes widening in shock and horror.

Daichi felt a metallic taste on his tongue and reflexively spat it out, his trembling  body racking with coughs.

The sword had been impaled through his stomach.

[]

In the case that Nightmares do come into existence, it is important to note their biggest fear, which is the pain for being rejected for what they have become.

They are afraid of loneliness after taking in an unsettling amount of pain from others

It hurts them and the distance from others augments the pain. 

It is important to love the Nightmare, even in its foul state, and guide it to connect with others, which will begin it's healing process.

It is the duty of Dream Catchers to emphasise with the emotions of a Nightmare so they can help heal them.

To learn more about this power, please turn to Section 5, 'Secondary Powers of the Watch' and reference 3am.

[]

"3-3am...why...?" Daichi wheezed, trying to pull the sword out from his middle.

"I've seen this sword and know it's dangers - and have seen enough of your memories...enough to use them...and our attachment..." 3am murmured, crimson liquid staining their hands as Daichi slowly dropped to the floor, in a pool of his own blood. They reached up with trembling hands to touch Daichi's cheek, tears falling out of their eye as 11pm watched on in horror. "... To go back in time and make sure none of this ever happened... To a time 11pm can forget all of this ever happened... To every time a Dream Catcher has felt lonely, or abandoned their own emotions to help someone else... Because that's what you were going to try by yourself, wasn't it?"

(Time Master A/N: 3am is always kind... even in the end.)

Daichi fell back onto 3am's lap as they sobbed, clear tears falling onto his face. Daichi could feel his body growing numb as it started to fade away into white particles.

"I'll be the one to fix it all, so you can live on... Even if it means we can never meet again." 3am sobbed, hugging Daichi for the last time.

"3am, I wish... We had more... Time..." Daichi murmured, 3am smiling sadly at him.

"I do, too, Limit. I do, too." Their kind voice made Daichi crack a smile before closing his eyes, hearing 11pm's screams before...

Black.

The quiet ticking of a clock in the abyss.

It slowly grew quieter and quieter, until all Daichi could hear was...

Silence.