Chapter Text
Thump.
A sigh drifted through the air, Sebek's small head dropping against the window sill. His sharp eyes watched the sky. Stupid, bright, fake, sky.
He won't be alone for long, he never is.
Before long, a sharp nailed hand will be carding through his hair like a memory he couldn't quite grasp. It's not the same as it once was, it never will be.
Sebek was a knight, and he was supposed to be a good one, but he couldn't even stop this, any of it. He couldn't make his prince feel better and he couldn't stop him from overblotting.
He couldn't stop any of this. And now he sits on the floor of a fake castle hundreds of feet up; nothing would change that. If he escaped he would only open his eyes to the same room again.
The room is soft and fairytale-like despite the cold bricks that make up the tower. Everything is nostalgic, even the younger form Sebek occupied as of recently.
As he heard footsteps climb the stairs Sebek found himself back in the present. The footsteps halted, opening the door Sebek never could.
No, Sebek couldn't do anything if it didn't fit this perfect dream.
Malleus smiled with a soft slyness as he scooped Sebek up into his arms. A knight carried by the very prince he was supposed to protect.
He was never getting out of here.
They could do this everyday until the end of time and it still would never be exactly as it once was. It could never be as soft, Sebek could never be the same as he was before all this. Sebek didn't even know if he was more angry at Malleus or himself.
That wasn't right, Sebek wasn't supposed to hold anger for his prince, he was supposed to guard, to obey.
"Hm, what have you been up to, my little crocodile?"
Malleus wondered in a gentle hum, taking a seat upon the bed. He gently brushed a stray green curl from Sebek's forehead as if everything were fine. And maybe he thought everything was fine, but it hasn't been fine for Sebek since it started.
The room was flooded with moonlight, changing the moment Sebek was set on the bed like a switch had been flipped.
Sebek had never realized how much he could miss the cold regal nature of Malleus, but it was far better than the fake sweetness he was now met with.
Sebek didn't answer, he hadn't in a while. Not since his dreams started cooing crocodile at him.
He'd have answered his prince, but this wasn't him—not the one Sebek knew.
Malleus wasn't bothered enough by the silence to comment on it. He only tucked Sebek under the blanket quietly. Then lays on his side next to Sebek like a mother watching her babe drift into sleep might. It feels more like a fence around him than the affection it was likely supposed to be.
Sebek doesn't look at Malleus for a while, almost not able to bring himself to it. Before long though, dimmed yellow eyes glance at the dark smile that tugs at his Lord's lips. Sharp fangs peek out slightly from the dark dark lips of Malleus.
"I wish none of this had ever happened."
Sebek found himself uttering quietly into the dark room.
And just like that Malleus' smile faded into a frown and his eyes narrowed. He tightened his grip slightly on Sebek.
"Why? We're having a perfect dream, little one. Are you not having fun?"
The burning questions come out less inquisitive than harsh as they spill from Malleus' lips.
No. That was the answer, Sebek wasn't having fun. None of this felt as perfect as Malleus liked to describe it.
He closed his eyes and wished once more. The words echoed through his head softly.
He really wished none of this had ever happened.
He couldn't see Malleus' face anymore, but Sebek could assume the man was frowning at him. Sebek felt sharp reptilian claws dig slightly into his stomach.
Distantly Sebek wonders if he's about to die—if Malleus has grown tired of Sebek's displeasure. If that were to happen Malleus would probably move onto Silver and Lilia's own private dream. He could remember the soft words Malleus had uttered when everything started.
"Silver, shall be the son of General Vanrouge... But you, my little crocodile, shall be mine."
Their very own "paradise"...
Malleus sighs softly before running his palm over Sebek's stomach. The place where he'd moments before dug his claws in. All pain vanishes with a soft swipe.
"I think you should go to sleep, Sebek."
Malleus murmured. And just like every other time he reset their dream, Sebek's vision would fade to black. After a moment of darkness he would open his eyes to the same room he always does.
Or... At least Sebek thought that's what would happen, but something changed this time.
This time Sebek opens his eyes to dark warmth. He presses his hands against the walls enclosing him. He couldn't see his feet or even his arms in front of him. Suddenly the wall he leaned on opened and he came tumbling out onto the floor.
He feels like he's just woken up from the longest slumber of his life, but that couldn't be true.
Sebek couldn't be awake, there was just no way.
He moves clumsily to stand. As he pushes himself to his feet he realizes that he's much bigger than he was before. It was like everything was normal again.
He glanced around. He was expecting to see everyone waking up from the nightmare that was Malleus' overblot. However, that's not what happened. He stood in the entrance ceremony, blue flames everywhere like at the beginning of the year.
He tries to step forward but stumbles, no longer used to being the correct size. Soon enough though, he spots Grimm blowing fire across the room.
Before Sebek knows it there are hands on his arm, pulling him back. He flinches at the thought of being pulled back into Malleus' arms, but when he looks over it's just Silver.
Oh, how long has it been since he'd seen Silver? The real Silver, not a puffy dream one created to trick him into happiness.
"Silver?"
Sebek's voice came out soft as though he had just seen someone precious for the first time in years—and he had.
"Sebek? What's wrong, you look disoriented."
Silver's hand was on Sebek's forehead before the younger knew it. Apparently Silver was worried he was sick.
This couldn't be real, none of it could be real...
Could it?
Sebek tugged Silver into his arms with more force than necessary. It felt real, the way Silver fussed over him felt like it once had.
Sebek wanted to cry, but he didn't, he couldn't.
He could barely hear Riddle shout his signature spell at Grimm. All he could register was the fact that it felt like nothing bad had happened.
If this was just another dream, he didn't want to wake up.
Before long the students were ushered out to find their dorms. Sebek followed diligently behind Silver, glancing around at everyone he passed.
When they made it into Diasomnia the common room filled with chatter from excited first years. Lilia surprised Sebek as he hung down in front of him like a bat. He couldn't help the way he jumped back, Lilia only snickered at the startled reaction he received.
"There you two are! How'd it go, interesting monster, hm?"
Lilia questioned playfully as he finished showing a group of first years back to the dorms.
Sebek nodded idly in answer, much like Silver's response. It was a rather normal answer he wasn't sure why both Lilia and Silver looked so puzzled.
"Sebek, are you feeling alright?"
Lilia was quickly right side up, inspecting the first year like he'd just said something concerning.
"I am fine, Master Lilia."
The words came out more uniform than he had entirely meant them to, falling right back into that closed off knight demeanor he had acquired after everything started going wrong.
The smile on Lilia's expression faded completely into something close to worry.
Sebek messed up pretty bad, didn't he? What was he even like at the beginning of the year? Knightly, he remembered he was knightly. That's what he was doing though, and it didn't appear to be making Lilia any less unsettled.
"Are you sure, you're not getting sick are you?"
He murmured, similarly to Silver, pressing a hand to Sebek's forehead and cheeks.
"You don't feel warm..."
"Because I'm not sick."
Lilia narrowed his eyes like Sebek was lying to him about an injury.
"Fine. But if it gets bad I better hear about it young man."
He shot Sebek a warning look only Lilia could manage to make look so fond.
Sebek sighed slightly at still not being believed, but found it easier just to nod.
"Well... If you won't tell me what's wrong-"
Lilia teased lightly, giving a gentle flick to Sebek's forehead.
"Then go on to your dorm."
It sounded like a reluctant acceptance rather than a dismissal, Sebek gave a quiet bow before shuffling off to his room to unpack and figure out what was going on.
He didn't look back at the two pairs of eyes that lingered on his retreating form.
Sebek didn't start with unpacking, it could wait until tomorrow if he really needed it to. For now, he took a seat at his desk, and thought about everything.
He didn't dare lay on the bed, what if he fell asleep? What if he woke up back in his tower?
What he knew right now, was that this might be real, and if it was real, then he needed to fix all of it, stop the overblots, stop everything from falling apart.
Where exactly did they start...
In that cave, wasn't that right? His friends—when they were friends, before all of the dreams—had mentioned an overblot monster in that cave Crowley sent them into. If he could get sent in there with them...
If he could get in there then maybe he could figure out how to fix this right from where it started.
He sighed, running a hand over his face, it was dark by now, and he was so tired.
Sebek can't fall asleep, he just can't. He can't let this end.
But nothing good lasts forever, and soon his eyes are drifting shut whether he likes it or not.