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Red.
Red eyes. Red eyes and a shark toothed grin, locks of blue hair - blinding light. Red like the blood that clung to her like a second layer of skin. Dry, dry and tight, making her hyper aware of it.
Masks.
Crows and half-faces, like the gibbous moon. A sick play on black and white; yin and yang. Crazed eyes and cruel grins exposed. Taunting her. Scaring her.
Laughter.
Laughter that was low and rough, like sandstone grinding against each other, glinting teeth and bitten-red lips. Pale skin and a cold touch.
Pain.
So much pain. The scent of iron filled her head, the tangy, electric crackle of ozone mixing with it. Her body hurt. Every movement was agony, she felt as if she had been pushed from a cliff, or held under a river.
She would prefer that over this. She would prefer anything over the Doctor's cruel smile, the copies of him…machines? Puppets? Clones? They were worse than the original sometimes. They always cut deeper, hit harder, touched more.
A gloved hand came down into her field of vision - long, thin fingers deceptive to the strength they carried. A sob broke from her chest, and she started to shake. Wails and screams poured from her lips as the hand wrapped around her throat, a half masked face sneering at her to silence herself. Other hands, all the same, bound her down in leather straps. The metal buckles cut harshly into her skin - but she knew it was nothing compared to what was to come.
Her eyes blurred with tears, a final scream forcing its way out of her lungs as the Doctor tapped a syringe - a purple liquid shimmered inside. One that she was well acquainted with. The hand around her throat tightened, choking her cries into pitiful whimpers. She watched, violet eyes meeting red as the needle pricked her, fire flowing through her veins as he injected her with the substance.
Her eyes rolled to the back of her head, a blinding white overcoming her vision as her body convulsed, the hand around her throat not enough to stop the bloody scream that tore from it.
Pain. Archons…archons, what did she do to deserve this? Why was nobody helping her? Why…why her? She would rather it be anyone but her. Was she not good enough for the help of the divine? Did they not listen to her prayers? Watch her as she suffered under the hand of a monster-
A soft touch on her arm, gentle hands pushing sweaty bangs away from her forehead. She screamed louder, trying to jerk away, to get rid of these binds, to do anything-!
" No! Don't touch me!"
Collei jerked awake, immediately flying to the corner of her bed, pulling her blankets and pillows up around her, eyes wildly searching for him. For his red eyes.
But all she was met with was a concerned green.
"Master…master Tighnari?" She whispered, voice hoarse. She could taste blood on her tongue. Collei looked to the door of her room. White hair, not blue.
"General Cyno…?" Her voice cracked, tears pooling in her eyes. Quickly, she wiped them away, unsurprised to find her cheeks already wet.
"Collei…" Tighnari spoke softly, she could tell that he wanted to come closer. She chewed at the corner of her lip, knuckles white as she clutched onto her blankets. Hesitantly, she gave a small nod.
Almost immediately, she was pulled to Tighnari, held tight in his warm embrace. Her face was tucked against his chest, his arms firm over her back. She could hear his heart beating. A soft thump, thump, thump.
Not mechanical. Not ticking. Just human.
She sighed, her body going limp as he cradled her. The comforting scent of herbs and flowers surrounded her - the tang of iron fading away. She heard footsteps, deliberately loud enough so that she was made aware of them, but not loud enough to startle her. A hand ran through her hair, touch gentle as it softly scratched her scalp. There was a dip in the bed behind her, and then another set of arms.
“That demon only haunts your dreams, Collei. He will never get you here.” Cyno spoke, it sounded more like a promise than a statement, as if he were making a vow to her. A watery smile made its way onto her lips, hidden in Tighnari’s chest.
The smell of sand and sun mixed with the flowers and herbs. There was nothing sterile or medical here. No smell of the cleaning liquid that burned her nose, or the awful soap that they washed her down with.
Here, she was cocooned in warmth, held by people that cared for her. People that loved her.
Collei shuddered, more tears flowing from her sore eyes. But this time, it wasn't from pain. These people…they were sitting on her bed with her, holding her close and whispering comforts in her ear after a nightmare. They were touching her gently, all with her wellbeing in mind.
These weren't tears of pain. They were tears of joy. Finally, the gods have smiled upon her. Finally, they took her away from him . The stars…they aligned perfectly. She wasn't the broken little girl that had stumbled into Mondstat anymore. Now, she was Collei. Trainee Forest Ranger and dendro vision wielder.
Now, she could fight for herself. But she didn't think she would have to do that anytime soon. Not with her friends by her side. Not with her family protecting her and holding her close.
Collei was happy.
She was finally…happy.