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Lydia hated BJ for weeks after he stopped her. She had just wanted it all to end peacefully, for her to be in the Netherworld with her mom and to be happy again. She just wanted it to stop. But he had found her and cut her free and forced her to keep living. So she hated him. She never told anyone else about her attempt, they didn't need to be worrying about her, but the rope burn marks on her neck never faded. And yet, nobody asked about them.
After about a month, things changed. She started to appreciate her life and all the little things. She enjoyed seeing the sunset and the moonrise, she enjoyed star gazing with Delia (but she wouldn't admit that) and she enjoyed actually getting to live. She still missed her mom but she was learning how to deal with her grief with appropriate ways. Sure, sometimes she would still struggle, but she had her family, alive and dead, who supported her constantly. She finally felt like her life was worth living.
However, BJ would give her strange looks nearly every day. They looked pained, as if he knew something that she didn't. She tried to ignore them, assuming that they were probably nothing but concern. One day, she spoke to him privately about how he didn't need to worry about her anymore and how she felt better and not in such a dark place. He winced at her words and left without saying a thing himself. Again, Lydia brushed it off as nothing.
It was ridiculously early, around half-past three, and Lydia was laying in her bed, wide awake and staring at the ceiling. She had barely slept since 'that night' for whatever reason, but tonight was different. She huffed quietly to herself before rolling out of bed, deciding that maybe some fresh air would help. So, she pulled on her Converse and a hoodie before creeping out of her room. She knew that her father and step-mother would be sleeping in their room so she did her best not to disrupt them, while also doing her best not to draw the attention of her ghost parents in the attic. She crept down the stairs, carefully skipping the last two steps because they always creaked, and slipped into the kitchen. She knew that BJ 'slept' in the living room (ironically) so she did her best not to disrupt him as well. She hovered hesitantly at the back door. She hadn't left the house since 'that night'. She had no reason to be nervous or scared now, she was still alive. BJ had saved her life, she was fine.
And yet, she still hesitated at the door. Something didn't feel right, but she couldn't quite place her finger on what it was. She just didn't feel right, like she knew that something bad had happened but she didn't know what it was yet. She quietly unlocked the door and pulled it open, wincing when it squeaked. Before she could even step outside, someone slammed the door shut. Lydia spun around to see BJ standing there, dressed in some stripy pyjamas and purple hair. Purple meant sad. This wouldn't be good.
"BJ... what's wrong?" Lydia whispered. It wasn't like she was sneaking out to never return, she just wanted to get some fresh air and clear her head. BJ started past her, focusing on the door. Lydia could almost swear she saw tears in his eyes.
"Lyds... I'm sorry. God, I'm so sorry" He crocked out before pulling her into a bear hug. Normally, she would have made a comment on how bad he smelt or about how she would have to shower again, but she couldn't get any words out right now. And this definitely didn't seem like a joking situation.
Eventually, he pulled away and took in a shaky breath. Lydia gave him a puzzled look, still confused about why he was suddenly extra emotional.
"BJ, what's going on? Did something happen?" She kept her voice soft as she addressed the demon. He took a deep breath before speaking.
"You can't leave this house" He sounded weak and if there was one thing that BJ wasn't, it was weak. Lydia chuckled softly, getting a confused glace.
"I was only going for a walk, BJ. I was gonna be back in like... half an hour" She explained, giving a small smile of reassurance. He shook his head frantically.
"No Lyds... you can't leave. You-you're-yo- Okay, I have to show you something" He stuttered before sighing. He held his hand out to lead her. She hesitantly took his hand, unsure whether this was a prank or not. He led her down the stairs of the basement, a place where her father had forbidden her from going to, with a kind of urgency that worried her. His icy hand was gripping hers with a strong force, leaving Lydia to wonder if her hand would be bruised by morning.
The duo trailed down the stairs into the dark, damp basement. Lydia shivered when she heard a quick squeak of a mouse or rat but BJ paid no mind towards it. He led her to a small hatch where half of the wood had rotted, yanking it open with force. He stepped onto a dingy table before crawling inside. Lydia watched him, refusing to step close to the hatch. He stopped after crawling a few inches into the dark abyss, turning back around to face her.
"Lyds, come on" His voice sounded urgent, something that Lydia wasn't used to hearing. Still, she shook her head slightly, pulling her hoodie closer to her. It was cold down here, or maybe it was just her. BJ didn't seem bothered by that in the slightest. Could demons even feel the cold?
"Lydia. I need you to see this. For your own sake" He pleaded with her. She sighed before clambering on top of the table and entering the dark tunnel. BJ turned around and started to crawl again, this time with Lydia following him.
They crawled through the darkness for what felt like hours, until BJ stopped abruptly. There was a dim glow from a street light outside the tiny window, lighting up a larger empty space. Lydia could hear louder squeaking from the pit.
"Did you bring me here... to show me that we have a rat problem?" Lydia whispered, staying behind BJ. He shook his head, his hair a deeper purple now with a small ting of yellow. Yellow meant disgust and, being the rotten demon man that he was, BJ very rarely showed disgust. He turned his head to face her, and Lydia could see the tears in his eyes properly this time.
"I'm... so sorry, Lyds" His voice broke as he whispered, moving back slightly so that Lydia could see into the pit. She squinted at the pit, the dull lighting not helping much, until she saw it.
It was her own body. Being gruesomely devoured by rats.
She gasped and tore her eyes away from the sight, breathing deep and shakily. She felt herself trembling, pulling her knees up to her chest. Her eyes welled up with tears as she struggled to process what she saw.
"Wh-" She tried to speak but her voice gave in on itself. BJ looked at her, and for once in his afterlife, he seemed speechless.
"W-When you tried to... end it all, and I tried to save you. I thought that I got you down in time, you were breathing and stuff when I left you but when you went to sleep, there wasn't enough oxygen getting to your brain and when I came to check on you a few hours later... you were dead" He spoke softly, trying his best to be gentle. Lydia choked on a sob, her head buried in her knees. Just when she thought things would be better, just when things were actually moving forward. Just when she was actually getting to live the life she promised herself after 'that night', it all came crashing down.
"I'm... dead?" She whimpered and if BJ's heart hadn't stopped all those years ago, it probably would have shattered right then and there. As hard as it was for him to remember, Lydia was only sixteen and now she had just seen her own body being devoured by rats.
The duo sat in near silence, the only sounds being Lydia's muffled sobs and the sound of rats eating raw flesh. BJ cringed slightly at the sounds, both of which were making him uncomfortable. He hesitantly put his hand on Lydia's shoulder to get her attention. She slowly lifted her head to look at him and BJ could see the raw tear marks that trailed down her face.
"Let's go back up. You don't need to hear... that" He gestured vaguely at the pit. She nodded slightly before crawling away from the pit and back towards the entrance. BJ hovered back for a few moments before picking up one of the rats that hadn't eaten any of his best friend's corpse and shovelling it into his mouth. He ate when he was sad and nobody was allowed to judge him.
Once the duo was back upstairs, Lydia slumped herself down on the couch. Her mind was racing and she was using most of her energy not to cry again. BJ slowly sat next to her, ready to try and answer any questions that, but she stayed silent. She just curled into herself, staring blankly at the window. BJ didn't say anything, letting her try and process what had happened.
"S-So... what now?" She whispered eventually.
"Well. You could stay here with us all, like Barbara and Adam or... you could go to the Netherworld and be a social servant for the foreseeable future" He explained, trying to explain it in the nicest way he could. Lydia just nodded slightly before going silent again.
Eventually, the sun started to rise and soon, there were footsteps coming down the stairs. Delia glanced towards the living room, taking a second look when she saw the two figures. She quietly approached the duo, curious of why either of them was awake at such an early time. She noticed BJ's sad expression and Lydia's blankness and immediately grew concerned.
"Guys? What's going on?" She asked, hesitantly. Lydia didn't acknowledge her presence but BJ did. He gave her a sad look, his hair a deep purple again.
"BJ... what's wrong?" Delia kept her gaze on Lydia, who still stared at the window.
"Lyds, you... you need to tell her" He spoke, slowly. Lydia scoffed quietly.
"I've been dead for over a month" She said, bluntly. Delia gave an awkward chuckle, unsure of what type of prank the duo was trying to play.
"She's, uh... She's not joking" BJ added, glancing nervously between the two women. Delia knawed on her bottom lip, giving her step-daughter a puzzled look.
"B-But, you're here? You-"
"My body is in the basement. Being eaten by... rats, fuck" Lydia's voice broke and she wiped her eyes with her hoodie sleeve angrily. She let out a shaky sigh before looking up to Delia. The older woman had her hand over her mouth, tears forming in her eyes.
"I... I killed myself" Lydia whispered before breaking down into tears again. She sobbed into her hoodie sleeves, curling herself into a ball shape on the couch. BJ saw tears slipping down Delia's cheeks as she went to hug her step-daughter while he sat silently at the other end of the couch. He knew that he couldn't bear to witness his best friend tell the rest of her family that she was dead, so he opted to stay in the Netherworld for the rest of the day. He quietly stood from the couch and snuck into the kitchen, picking up a piece of chalk from the key-bowl. He drew the door and stepped in, closing it behind him.
He sighed deeply and let his own tears slip down his face. That was so much harder than he thought it would be.