Work Text:
Blood. It was everywhere. The road had been painted by blood all over - were you too late?
You spotted Inej, lying behind a crate and ran to her, rolling her over, only to see her eyes staring up, seeing nothing and a stream of dried blood was staining the corner of her mouth. You looked up and saw Kaz sitting there slumped over, and with shaky hands, you pushed him up to lean against the crate but you immediately saw that he was dead too. He too had dried blood around his mouth, even though he looked more like he was just sleeping as his eyes were closed.
You stood up, trying to find the rest of your friends - someone had to be alive. They were all good at fighting, it would be unlikely that all of them were dead. Unless it had been an ambush which Kaz couldn't have predicted. Which was basically impossible.
Right?
But as you pushed yourself up from Inej and Kaz and ventured forward, you were met with Nina's body. You didn't even have to go over - her face looked like it had been shot off and blood had been splattered on the wall behind her. Soon after, there was Jesper and Wylan. Jesper looked like he had cradled Wylan's body into his lap with the last strength he had. You checked over them too, but as expected, neither had a pulse either.
Then, finally, you saw Matthias. You gasped and ran to him, sighing in relief when he groaned in pain. Blood was tripping down from his mouth too, but you could save him. But as soon as Matthias opened his eyes to look at you, his mouth turned into a snarl.
"This is your fault," Matthias's voice held a deep tone of disgust and hatred. You shook your head.
"No, don't say that," you choked out and Matthias coughed, blood splattering on your face.
"If you had been here on time, we all would still be alive."
"No!"
"You know it's true," Kaz's voice suddenly said from behind you and you turned around, seeing all your friends standing behind you and a hand closed around your throat.
"You deserve to die too," Matthias growled and you felt life escaping you.
---
A voice roared your name and you shot up on your bed, tears streaming down your face as you sobbed and felt arms encircling your shoulders and a kiss being pressed on your shoulder.
Your breathing evened out little by little as Matthias's strong arms held you and he shushed you.
"I... I- it... I thought that..." you choked out in hiccups and Matthias tightened his arms around you for a moment, making you stop.
"It was just a nightmare. I'm here," he quietly said and you took a look around your shared room at the Slat and let out a sigh after you realized that it indeed had been a nightmare. The most horrible nightmare you had ever seen, but still - it was just a nightmare.
"I don't think I'm able to sleep anymore," you swallowed. "I... it-"
Matthias sighed, cutting you off. "We don't have to sleep if you can't. Come here."
He gestured you towards him and you pressed yourself against his chest, listening to his heartbeat. He stroked your head and pressed a kiss on the top of your head, and the horrors of your nightmare began to fade. Matthias made you feel safe and loved, and you knew he would never blame you for others dying in real life.
It was just a nightmare. Nothing more, and Matthias made you fully acknowledge it.