For the young and impressionable teenagers who read this fic: no, the previous chapter is not a healthy relationship dynamic. Neither has been any of this "romantic" plot as a whole. Doesn't mean it won't get better, but, for now, if you think it's normal, please see a therapist.
Get it?
Got it?
Good. 😎👍
I ended up rewriting the entire chapter even though I was halfway done with it... @.@
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As you recovered physically, you, unfortunately, couldn't say the same mentally.
It all started a long, long time ago, but everything going on lately just seemed to add onto the pile until you began to fear there was NO chance at clearing it all away!
'It hurts to know a six year old is better than you.' It...cane from your own mind; you heard it in your own voice, but...it just...somehow...wasn't you...
'Ah s### here we go again..' Different, but, so similar...
'WE ARE AS STUPID AS ANNA!'
'Should have thought in deciphers!'
'Well...I'm just gunna pick out a casket and dig out my grave.'
'BUT I JUST WANNA DIIIEEEE!' And the further your journey trudged on; the wilder the decisions you were forced to take, the more these "voices" distanced themselves from your head, to the point that they stopped even referring to you as the same person as them!
'D## she stupid!'
'Ew, I leave for one month and come back to THIS?!'
'How to be a d######: be (Y/n).' That morning, while laying down in your bed listening to these voices again...you decided you'd had enough. There was enough negativity swarming your mind. No, these weren't your thoughts. Or, at least you wouldn't call them such. No, they were now going in a completely different section of your mind, where hopefully their words wouldn't hurt as much.
But, then again... They had a point...
You pushed yourself up and just sat in bed with your feet dangling off the edge for a long while, just staring at the ground. It was rather pathetic how terribly some of the decisions you had made turned out to be. Was it a spur of the moment decision? Well, yes. But...how were you going to survive if all your quick decision making was fundamentally flawed? In time, you would need to work on this. Yes, you were a good soldier. But, you also had -- now not so prevalent -- dreams of becoming a general like Steve, which meant you couldn't just rely on killer instinct anymore! You would have to be more deliberate...and decisive.
In short, it was time to stop waiting to be given orders; but to instead start making some plans of your own...
Starting with that magical plant Sandrah mentioned not too long ago.
"Hey." The low voice shocked you. Your head twisted toward the man as he pried open the temporary curtains. It was Herobrine, unfortunately. "You have been in here all morning. Feel alright?" He calmly asked from the self made doorframe of blanket. You nodded with minimal effort. Unsatisfied, he walked toward you and sat down on the bed beside you. Gently, the man placed a hand behind your back. You cringed away from his attempted affection, not sure still how to react to his sudden change in attitude toward you.
No words were exchanged, but, Herobrine got the message. He leaned forward, resting his palms on his knees and sighed. "You know... You're feeling good enough, right?" Trying to get your attention. You only half looked his way out of courtesy. "So how say you we go on a fun little trip?"
You chuckled. "'How say you??'"
"Ignore that part, you know what I meant!" Hero laughed. That somehow made you smile...just a little. The sounds, voices, murmurs in the back of your head began to pick up again. ...Wonder what all this meant..
You hesitated. After all, this man's vision of "fun" was a far cry from yours. Despite this, though... You were still super curious.
"Um... Sure. As long as we are not gone long-- and that you don't use me as bait like the warden incident."
Herobrine briefly laughed. "Oh, don't worry.." He placed a warm hand on your shoulder and smiled so brightly -- a very alien smile for him. "Not a hair on your head will be harmed."
Vwooop-
Y'all just vanished.
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And just like that this chapter became a comedy.
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The place had maybe ten people in it.
"EVERYBODY FREEZE YOU ARE NOW MY HOSTAGES!" The Herobrine shrieked the moment you entered. Everyone within earshot froze in place. It didn't't take long for Herobrine to round them all up and tie them together using clothing hangers and duct tape. Once that was complete, the man turned to you while brushing his hands off as if he had just done an impressive thing. "Now we have the mall all to ourselves.~" B)
You couldn't help but sigh/chuckle. Herobrine was just...something else. This was the first time you had seen another adult human since Sandrah, so you snuck in a few extra peeks at the ones you had to pretend to not feel bad for. Poor peoples was just shopping.
"So, where to first?" Herobrine roped an arm through one of yours, looking around at all the bright colors with you. You froze up inside, a bit overwhelmed to make any decisions just yet.
"Uhhhh. Icecream?"
"Great idea! That should be...over here!" He proceeded to lead you the wrong way, where the two of you got lost wandering the large, empty space until you bickered back and forth like an old couple over directions.
After your fourth time around the mall, Herobrine spotted the icecream now left unattended thanks to the hostage situation. This meant of course that the icecream was completely free! Herobrine grabbed himself some basic chocolate, while you grabbed yourself some classic ((favorite flavor,) can't be chocolate since you just insulted Herobrine for choosing it.)
As the two of you moseyed around, your brain at last had a good enough grasp on the setting to look around at each of the clothing stores. You remembered back when you were a little kid, always wanting to check some of the stores out your mom was always too afraid to even enter! ..You also remembered later in life when you used to wander similar halls, always groaning under your breath since everything was so gosh darn expensive. Well, now, you could actually try some stuff on.
Naturally, you led Herobrine to the most expensive store just to finally get a look at what your moth-ridden pockets would never allow before. Herobrine was just as eager as you to be a little naughty and touch overpriced jewelry and leather purses....with dirty icecream hands. >:}
You could tell it was the most expensive store because of how shiny it all was. Like, wow. Not an ounce of shadow within! As you entered, Herobrine slipped a large diamond necklace off of a manikin and bowed as he offered it to you. "M'lady~" You scoffed and pushed his hand away.
"Why don't you try it on yourself?.. I don't like jewelry anyways..." You admitted bashfully after the mocking tease.
"Alright, fine then. I will." He then turned around and put the necklace on over his own neck where you couldn't see it. Then, he turned back around, now wearing it, and adjusted the collar of his shirt as if it were a tie..somehow. "Looking rather princely, am I?"
"Eh... Princess-ly?" You overed with half a smirk. The man scoffed.
"Well alright then. If you are going to be so judgemental about what I wear, pick out an outfit and jewelry to fit me yourself." Pointing a finger at you.
You laughed. "Me??! For you??!.. You know what? Fine then. All the outfits you choose are boring anyways." You stand taller with your hands on your hips.
"I should say the same. You know what? I'm going to pick out something for you to wear too!"
"WHAT???"
"You heard me! And you're going to like it!.. Not because I force you to like it or anything, but because I'm just. That. Good!" He boasted. I placed a hand over my chest, pretending at least to be offended.
"Well bring it ON, jerk face! You're going to like your outfit so much.. you're going to want to keep it."
"Oh so is that a challenge??"
"I-... I guess it is!"
The two of you had no idea how competitive you could be until that moment. Now, you could finally prove who was the best at... Wait, why were you competing again..? I dunno! Anyways!
The two of you split, allowed to wander wherever through the mall for the items of choice. You went from thinking about what Herobrine might like to instead just picking out what you thought he might look good in. Oddly enough you were drawn to older style clothes and the color PINK just to see what he would look like in them.
Once you had your mishmash of different clothing pieces, the majority of the session was spent deciding what to keep and what to get rid of. All this crazy stuff about color theory floating through your head from art class and shape design. Luckily for you, it was a lot easier to buy clothes for a guy since their body types typically aren't as varied as women's can be. *cough, cough* boobs *cough, cough*
But, alas, you had something picked out. You met Herobrine at the same store the two of you had departed from one another in, Hero finished a lot earlier than yourself.
Then, it was just a matter of swapping the clothes and trinkets in your arms and finding the nearest changing rooms.
You were worried for a little bit that you would be handed a somewhat skimpy dress, yet, you ended up with...
.
...kinda the hottest suit ever???
Now you were worried your choice would look like absolute trash in comparison!
^ but with a touch of dark, hot pink in there like the tie...
👀💦 Bro why did he actually decide to wear it??
"I like how it breathes." Hero smiled as he stepped out of the changing, swishing his arms around with ease. You faintly blushed and looked down.
"I...didn't expect you to actually walk out with it on.."
"Nonsense!" The man smiled. He then adjusted one of the many gold rings you had given him to wear as well. "It's charming." He looked back up with a smile. You diverted your eyes for the most part, embarrassed now that your pick looked more like a costume than an actual outfit anyone would wear. You completely ignored Herobrine as he neared, so much so that it came as a surprise when he leaned in to land a small kiss on your cheek. You wiped away the spot of contact immediately, blushing profusely now. "Feeling better?" The now fallen Nether king asked. You kept your eyes now locked with his, standing in utter shock for a long time.
"...You really do like me, don't you..?" The man stood frozen, even more so than you. Then, his mouth at last opened.
"...I guess I do..."
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You two vanished right before the military was brought in. (there is no camera footage because technology no no) You convinced Herobrine to leave everything behind but a few gold rings he liked to keep on his fingers and a fake piercing on one ear: a diamond, decorative gem on it. You imagined yourself apologizing to all those still tied up but honestly there wasn't much else you could do but hope they'd be alright. And after your original clothes were all on and set, he teleported the two of you back home. Back to the peace and quiet, and the relative safety of the forest.
Thankfully, the little trip had managed to lift your spirits, crazy as it was. But there was no reward like seeing that Anna was still safe back at home.
Everybody ate lunch together. Hero helped Manfrid out with the chores again. You got to play with Anna a little bit, and then, just like that, it was night already.
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You could tell something was a little off when you saw Herobrine not even taking interest in sleeping on the couch; instead sitting alone on the front deck. The somber wind blew about the leaves outside through the open front door, the sound mimicking shoreline waves. The moonlight was bright, shining down on the man's sulking form.
Quietly, you stepped over the wooded floors and sat down beside the fallen king. He didn't acknowledge you at first, but once you sat down he turned his head your way a little. You only partially met his gaze.
"Aren't you...going to sleep?"
"...I'm busy thinking."
"About what?"
"Sandrah. I just...can't imagine myself even pretending to be hers anymore. And--- ..I like it here... The quiet..." The two of you listened as the leaves rustled against each other, so reminiscent of the ocean current that you could practically imagine yourself there. Wet sand under your feet. Moonlight bouncing off the ocean waves, creating a path just for you to the distant horizon.
"Just... Don't give her up for me, okay?" You started. "Sandrah is a nice girl, who loves you more than anyone else." You signed. "I may be loyal to you, but loyalty doesn't come with love... Sandrah actually cares about all that stuff... I don't." Your eyes wandered to the field ahead; at the grass also being pushed around by the wind, forming waves under the gentle moonlight.
Herobrine was silent.
"...You know what I don't get? Why did you start liking me in the first place?" Turning to him with a hint of confusion. "I have been nothing but rude to you, you've barely even talked to me about anything other than fighting and conquering! Heck! I don't even know if I have a personality at this point!" You began to list off the nagging questions. The nagging reasons. "I'm not beautiful by any means, I'm a warrior, not a lover! I mean- I never learned how to cook. I never learned how to clean right. I've lived in mud the past few years! I just don't see the appeal!"
"-Well neither do I!" Herobrine interrupted harshly. Your head spun fully to him. "In fact, I don't even know any I feel anything at all! That all went out the window when my brother left me!- But here I am! Here I am, after who knows HOW MANY years, experiencing the same, blind, useless emotions as a poor love stricken boy! There IS no reason I can name!!" Hero's face turned swiftly to meet yours. Immediately your eyes locked, and in that state you stayed. "But, it's just..." He leaned in a little closer. You leaned a little further back. "..That look of intelligence in your eyes... The...soft features of your face. That...tantalizingly beautiful hair.." Behind your head, you felt one of his hands stroke through your soft locks of hair. Your heart picked up pace, watching the immortal draw nearer. Sweat gathered, horror and dread alike shook your very soul. "Don't be scared.." He whispered, followed by the handing behind your head widening to brace your head and keep it in place. Your heart jumped. He was only an inch away!!
You poked the man in throat, right in the tender spot at the very center that was sure to make him gag. It worked. Hero pulled himself away from you to cough a couple times. You scrambled to your feet, trembling after what he nearly did.
"Those are terrible reasons!!" Standing over him, you protested. "Because I have nice hair and look smart? Really?! Do you have no standards?!"
"If it helps, I like your fighting spirit too." He coughed again. You were trapped between outraged and terrified. You were used to fearing for your life! You were USED to something or someone always waiting around the corner to kill you!.. But this!?! There were no briefings given on this subject! No training! NO amount of preparation for what this man's insane emotions would lead him to! He was probably only into it for the hunt and the hunt alone!
You huffed, visibly shaking. "So is that it?! Am I just some kind of prize to you then?! Some carrot on a stick!?"
"No?"
"Really?? Because you don't sound so sure!"
"Might want to quiet down. You're going to wake up Anna."
"I. Don't. Care. Anna has nothing to do with our conversation!" Pointing between you and him angrily.
"Alright, alright, I get it." Waving his hands in front of himself, Herobrine half sighed. "I would be better off with Sandrah. You're not interested. Yadda-yadda, I should just ignore you from now on and stick with her instead." Though you were still a little heated, you calmed down quite a bit, seeing that Hero wasn't getting angry like you. So you just frowned and stood stiffly in front of him.
"Well...yes."
"Alright.." Herobrine waved you away in what had now become a rather anti climactic ending to your conversation. He was just saying all the things you wanted him to say. Nevertheless, there really was no arguing against this. So, I turned around and started walking away. But once I reached the door, I placed one hand on the frame and turned my head back slowly.
"...How long will we be here...in this forest?..."
"You are feeling better?" His back was facing me fully now.
"...Yeah." As much as I hated the idea of marching again, far away from my young niece, the four walls of this house just wasn't big enough for the four of us. Heck, I could hardly even stand just I and Hero being given the space to talk! Herobrine's head rose, peering above the treeline at the moon and stars overhead.
"...We'll go looking for the rest of my men tomorrow, then... No point in staying here." And then, he sighed. I did too, as I slipped past the doorframe and I to the house beyond, hoping to get an ounce of sleep before then. Would be an added challenge now with all the voices reverberating off my skull.
What a day this had turned out to be...
(lol no pictures for you non Wattpad readers L)