Without You

56. Darkness

A/N - Hey, guys! Thanks for hanging in there and being patient. I had hoped to be able to update more frequently than this, but that's life for you, I guess. I sincerely hope you're still enjoying this story and it's not dragging or losing its intrigue. I'm not sure I'm entirely happy with this chapter, but fingers crossed it's not as bad as I think lol! Thank you, as ever, for reading, voting, and/or commenting! ❤ Enjoy! 😬 -H. x

⚠⚠⚠Trigger Warning⚠⚠⚠

"The darkness. It's back."

Dec's heart skipped a beat. Craning his neck to try to see past the head of hair tucked underneath his chin, he wrapped his arms more securely around his friend when he saw the utter devastation and overwhelming fear on Ant's features.

"D-darkness?" Dec stuttered, "What do you mean, 'It's back'?"

A frightened whimper came from his chest as Ant clung to him like a shipwrecked sailor grabbing onto a floating piece of driftwood. "It's trying to suck me back in."

Feeling anger sweep through him at the unfairness of life that Ant, such a wonderful, wonderful human being, should suffer so greatly and be in so much mental anguish, Dec replied, voice strong and unwavering, "Well, we're not gonna let it do that, are we. Tell it to f*** off, Ant!"

"Doesn't work like that, Dec, you know that," Ant muttered, still showing no sign of loosening his hold on his friend.

"Yeah, I know," Dec admitted. "But Ant, what happened, mate? Where's all this s*** coming from, about you dragging me down and bein' bad for me an' all that?"

Ant didn't answer, merely fidgeting uncomfortably in Dec's arms.

"Come on, out with it!" Dec urged, rubbing Ant's back reassuringly, "It's just me, Ant."

Ant bit his lip. "Erm...I-I-I, I might've...went online...."

"What??" Dec questioned, utterly confused, "Whaddaya mean, went online? When?? I've been here the whole time!?"

"Not today, you numpty," Ant retorted, adding hesitantly, brokenly, "A few days ago...Amzie caught me at it and told me off, said it was all a load of s***, but seein' you today, hearing what you're goin' through, what you've gone through...Everything came flooding back and me head ran with it. I started thinkin' about what a s***y person I am and how I've let youse down...and now it's tellin' me what everyone said is all true an' you'd be well shot of me."

His heart stammering in his chest, contracting painfully with every tortured word leaving Ant's mouth, Dec whispered, "What did you read?"

"Erm, I...I-I read a few articles and I...I might've read some comments..."

"What, though?" Dec pushed, dreading Ant's reply but at the same time knowing he had to set the record straight in order to get Ant back on an even keel again. He wasn't going to let those ba****s win. Not again. Not after last time.

Ant's voice was raw. "Why didn't you tell me we'd been dropped by Suzuki?"

Dec almost choked, but quickly recovered, "Erm...It's business stuff, Ant, it wasn't important. It isn't important." Hesitating a second, he plowed on, "They couldn't stay on, Ant, it never would've worked, not after, ya know....It'll be fine, though, there's loads of big corporations more than happy to bring us onboard. It's us, eh? We always find a way, don't we?"