Chapter Text
it's dark and cold as billy lies in the snow, powerless. it's an all too familiar moment, as the same thing occurred during billy’s fight with sivana at the holiday festival. this time, though, billy doesn't recognize his foe - a monster of a man with a suit just like his own, only in black.
standing above him, the man laughs.
“i can't believe the wizard picked a child to take on his powers,” the man says, shaking his head. “it never amazes me how desperate he can be.”
“i am not a kid,” billy argues, lifting his head, but it takes an effort - he feels so sore and weak. the man laughs again, mocking him.
“you certainly look like one,” he says with a teasing smile. inside, billy fumes. he wants to say the word, shout it at the top of his lungs, but a voice in the back of his mind says that he can't, that it wouldn't work. somehow, someway, in the presence of this man, he’s completely powerless.
“oh, billy,” the man says, and billy feels himself panicking even before the man can go into his evil monologue.
“h-how do you know my name?”
“billy,” the man says again, shaking his head as he repeats the name several times. “billy, billy, billy…”
“BILLY!”
billy screams, finding himself in his bedroom, in his bed, in his pajamas. his heart still races, the dream feeling so real. he turns his head, only to see freddy’s head right next to him.
“freddy,” billy says as he attempts to catch his breath. “what are you doing?”
“i was up reading a batman comic and i heard whimpering,” freddy explains. “are you okay?”
“yeah, sorta.”
“nightmare about sivana?”
“no, i-it was someone else. he has the same powers as me, but his suit is black. i didn't catch his name.”
“well, it's just a dream, right? you must have just thought him up. you know, a true rival to,” freddy brings his voice down to a whisper. “ shazam .”
“yeah, i guess,” billy says, before remembering that he sleeps in a bunk bed now, and that freddy’s standing next to him, when he should be in the bottom bunk… “how are you up here?”
“oh, i grabbed the desk chair and hopped up on it,” freddy explains. “i wanted to make sure you were okay. and i couldn't read with all the noise.” billy laughs softly.
“well, i’m fine now, thank you,” he says. “just needed a reality check, i guess.”
“you sure? i don't want you to go right back into that into that nightmare and feel all scared again--”
“freddy, are you trying to ask me something?”
“well, if i learned anything living with the vazquez’s, it's that we always are there for each other in times of need.”
“so?”
freddy bites his lip. “i can lay up here with you to keep you from having a nightmare again?”
“is that a statement or a question?”
“both.”
billy sighs, but smiles, shaking his head. he scoots over on the bed, closer to the wall.
“alright. can you get up here on your own or do you need help?”
“i think i got it,” freddy says, placing his hands on the bedspread and pushing. he turns just as he’s high enough to swing his legs over the side and onto the mattress.
“wow,” billy comments. “you’re really strong.”
“comics give you super strength,” freddy says, and billy laughs.
“goodnight, freddy.”
“‘night billy!”
it’s not too long later that billy falls back asleep, freddy still lying awake, itching to grab a comic book, though knowing that the light from his reading lamp would wake his friend. instead, he resigns to lying in silence, only to hear billy whimpering again just a few moments later. feeling bad, freddy sighs, reaching to nudge billy awake before hesitating, his hand frozen mid-air. he changes his mind and instead decides to scoot in closer, sliding his arm around billy’s waist.
“it’s okay, billy,” he whispers, despite not believing billy could hear him. “i’m here. you're safe.” billy sniffs and turns onto his other side, facing freddy. the other boy’s breath hitches as their close proximity, feeling the heat of billy’s breath against his cheeks.
“thanks, freddy,” billy whispers, not so asleep after all. freddy opens his mouth to speak, but says nothing. billy opens his eyes for a moment, catching his expression, and smirks.
“‘night,” he says again. freddy swallows.
“goodnight.”