Bucket of Zoethian One-Shots

Nightmares

Zoey lay awake, staring in deep thought at the ceiling. After all that had happened, she couldn't sleep. The bed was too big for just one perosn. It was cold...and empty. She missed the warmth of his arms around her, the comforting sound of his peculiar heartbeat.

You see, about a month ago, Zoey left. She was just under too much pressure. Sure, they had managed to rebuild Blackrock, but being the perfectionist she was Zoey wanted to make it exactly as before, and that had stressed her out. She ran away.

And she regretted it.

When Zoey left, Rythian went through three major stages;

First, depression. He wouldn't talk to anyone, move, eat or drink. He would simply sit on his bed and stare into the void, his eyes almost lifeless, and he would whisper, over and over and over again; "Zoey, I miss you. Zoey, I need you. Zoey, I love you."

Second, denial. He would walk around as happy as he was before, and for a moment, they thought he was fine again. But then they realised he was halucinating. He had tricked himself so deeply into believing she was still there, he would see visions of her. Tangiable visions. And he would talk to them. When they tried telling him Zoey wasn't there, 'they' being Teep and Xephos who had come to help, he simply told them; "She's not gone. She can't be."

Third, insanity. Rythian completely lost it at this point, after realising he had been left alone AGAIN, he sought out revenge with a bloodlust. He would always have his katar by his side, and in his madness killed anyone and everyone he saw. Well, almost killed them. More like critically injured. Even Duncan managed to survive. Word spread of Rythian's attacks, and soon that word reached Zoey. Scared for him, she hurried out of hiding and found him as fast as possible.

After that, she managed to return him to normal. He personally visited everyone he injured, and using magic healed them if they weren't already. And over and over he would apologise for what he had done. But having that breakdown had weakened the mental barrier between him and his enderside, or at least that was what he told Zoey.

Now, she was lying awake in the master bed, while Rythian probably slept sound asleep in his room across the hall. Rythian had assured her he was fine now, but said she should keep her distance in the case of his enderside taking over again now that the barrier was weaker.

But she missed him.

At that very moment, she heard his voice. At first it was just a mumble she chose to ignore, she was probably hearing things.

"Zoey..." He mumbled.

But then it grew louder slightly, and she reconsidered.

"Zoey, I miss you..."

Then it grew louder still, and she despretely wanted to go and see him.

"Zoey I need you! Don't leave me!"

Then came the line that made her run across the hall.

"Zoey! Zoey I love you! Zoey, come back!...Please..."

She threw the covers off her and ran daintily across the hallway, but she stopped to open his door slowly and quietly. She walked over to him, and saw him with his eyes screwed shut, his hands gripping the covers so tight his knuckles were white and tears streaming steadily down his face, steaming and hissing quietly as they went.

He was having a nightmare.

She sat on the edge of the bed, and whispered gently;

"Rythian? Rythian wake up." She saw his grip loosen slightly, but he was still crying and still having the nightmare. So she shook him gently, and he let go of the covers completely. From what she could see the tears lessened too.

"Zoey...?" He mumbled.

She smiled, and then realised she was crying herself.

"Yes Rythie, it's me. I'm here," She comforted him, taking his hand. Yet he still wasn't awake.

So she tried one last thing. She reached with her free hand up to his mask, and gently kissed him.

And he finally woke up.

"Zoey? What's wrong? You're crying," He said, sitting up.

Zoey smiled. "You had a nightmare,"

"Oh yeah. Well I'm glad you're here," Rythian replied, smiling.

Zoey's smile brightened and she giggled slightly. "What?" Rythian asked.

"That's the first time I've actually seen you smile without your mask on," She replied.

Only then did Rythian realise. His face fell, but then he looked at her in disbelief.

"Y-You saw what was underneath...and you still kissed me?" He questioned.

"Of course I did! I couldn't care less what you looked like, I love you for you are! I would still love you if you were entirely Enderman!" She answered.

"Zoey?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you, you crazy mushroom girl."

"I love you too, you crazy enderboy."

Zoey leaned in, and once again, they kissed. But this time, Rythian kissed back.

And so after that night Rythian and Zoey started sleeping in the master bedroom again, Rythian's room once again dubbed 'The guest room', and after that night, neither ever had a nightmare again.

For they knew that in each other's arms, and with the other close by, safety was never too far away.