Cruel but Gentle - Herobrine X Steve

Chapter 33

He had promised Steve that he would come back. Not wanting to let Steve down, Herobrine begrudgingly teleported away from his bedroom (which was still in shambles from when he had destroyed it). The god felt his heartbeat pick up from rising nerves as the world around him shifted to the closed doors of his brother's castle. A nearby human shrieked and ran off, but it didn't bother Herobrine.

What was he supposed to do anyway? Knock on the door? Just walk in as if everything was okay? Herobrine hated this castle; it was where the fight he had with Notch started. The fight had happened countless years ago, but...

It still hurt.

Unsure what he was supposed to do next, Herobrine stood underneath the stone-grey sky, of which there wasn't a speck of blue. Rubbing his tired eyes (the light of which was dulling), a long and heavy sigh slipped out of him. His body wouldn't stop aching in protest: he hadn't eaten, drunk or slept since Steve had died.

It wasn't like he needed any of that stuff, but fuel was fuel and Herobrine was running on empty. He just couldn't bring himself to do any of it, not after what he did. Whenever he had tried to sleep, he was tormented with viscous nightmares; whenever he looked at a plate of food - which wasn't often - he felt sick down to his core; whenever someone had tried to get him to drink a glass of water, he had refused every single drop.

"Steve? You okay?" Came a feminine voice from behind him. Herobrine stiffened. A mortal. "Wow, you look like you just woke up - you're hair's a mess!" Calm footsteps came towards Herobrine. A mortal that thought he was Steve. "What are you doing down here-" The mortal cut herself off when Herobrine finally turned around and she caught sight of his pearl-white eyes.

Herobrine recognised this mortal (her long and bright ginger hair was hard to forget) as the one who had told Notch when Dusky woke up from her injuries of the battle. Her emerald eyes had widened in shock and realisation and fear once she realised who he truly was and she wore diamond armour that glinted from the light of a nearby lamp. Her hand hovered over her iron sword as a precaution. She was probably on patrol, as it seemed as if she was a part of Notch's army.

"I-It's you." Was all Alex could muster up the courage to say. The calm that previously held her suddenly let go and she was dropped into an icy sea of sudden panic. What was Herobrine doing here? Would he try and hurt her? She knew that she stood no chance against the god in a fight. Alex knew very well that Herobrine was as dangerous as someone could get. He could probably rip out her heart from her chest in a matter of seconds and hold it above her as everything faded away. However, maybe he was just here to see Steve? Or Notch?

Alex examined the silent god; trying to assess something - anything - about him that would reassure her frantic heart. She had no idea how she had mistaken him for Steve; they were so different. Herobrine was much taller and muscular than Steve, and his skin was a couple of shades tanner. His hair was less fluffy than Steve's and (at this moment in time) it was certainly greasier and messier. You would have to be a mile away to miss the purple bags under those glowing eyes, not to mention the filthy clothes that looked as if they hadn't been changed for months.

What in the world was she supposed to do?

"A-Are you here to see Steve?" She stammered after blinking. The last time she had seen him, Notch was there. She trusted that Notch would protect her if Herobrine had tried anything. But now? She was alone and at Herobrine's mercy. And she could taste her own fear, thick and bitter.

"...Yes." Herobrine eventually answered, eyeing Alex's sword with caution. He knew that she must be good with it - you didn't get into Notch's army for no reason. He could also tell she was afraid (unsurprisingly) and he was very familiar with what a scared human would do if they felt threatened.