The Rhythm of Your Heart [Yan!DSMP x Reader]

CHAPTER XLIV: Queen of Wands Reversed

Jared and you are in the backroom of the convenience store, while Jared is trying to regain his calm. Although he recognized you again, having regained some of his clarity, it was still clear that he saw things you couldn't, and he told you what he had seen especially right after letting go of Wilbur.

"Soldiers," he tells you, his eyes on his feet as he holds himself close. "I saw the soldiers. And I just- I remembered all of those time I had to keep in my breath in the fear they'd find us: I freaked out, Y/N." He looks up, making eye contact with you. There's fear in his, and concern in yours. "I thought they were going to take me again, Y/N. That they'd send me back to those goddamn-" He stops himself, not allowing the sentence to be finished and for you to have more answers.

"It's okay," you then say with a smile, feeling your empathy for your best friend grow the more you discover about him. "Just know that there's no one here. And there was no one here like that either. Those were just hallucinations." You're talking to him as softly and carefully as you can, promising him safety from the monsters he's had to deal with. Jared's not crying, though he wipes away his tears as though they're there.

"I know," he sighs, as he lets out a few more shaky breaths. "Don't worry about me, I'm used to this. It's a part of being a spirit, after all." He smiles at you melancholically. He puts his hands in his sleeves, holding them under the cloth as he stands up and approaches the door towards the exit of the backroom. "Listen, I'm going to be just fine. I'm already feeling better!"

"Jared, wait," you stop him from going further with these simple words, as you scratch your neck nervously. "I saw Death. I mean, the Grim Reaper. I thought they were going to take your soul with you." Jared's eyes darken as he turns to you even more. Carefully, his hand goes towards your throat, where he caresses the marks Wilbur left on your skin.

"I think they were there for you," Jared mumbles as he swallows nervously, pulling back his arm. "Neither I nor Wilbur would've died: possession can't just do that. But I was convinced he'd kill you. Especially when the others didn't interfere; I panicked." Another sigh leaves his colourless lips. "I'm glad I could prevent it, I just wished they didn't shrug off your life like that. Just because you survived all those other moments, doesn't mean you'll keep doing so again and again."

You chuckle at his words, giving him a big hug. "Thanks for trying to protect me, Jared."

"I know you would've done the same for me," he then responds, before shaking all his limbs and relaxing his muscles. "But I can't keep hiding from it either. Let's just go back and do our job, 'kay?"

You hesitate. Of course, you do. You know he's right; he can't keep on running, that will only lead to more running, but is facing potential danger and triggers without allowing yourself to heal really the best option? However, before you can even protest, he already disappears into the other room.

As expected, Jared wasn't the only person who needed some space to breathe. Despite your attention immediately being on the fallen victims who seemed to have gone into some sort of a 'psychosis', if that's the right word for it, you too were a victim, even if not of the same crime. And while Wilbur was weak, obviously too much so to actively harm you, you still felt extreme anxiety regarding the whole situation with Wilbur, and the fact that only Jared was willing to try and stop him. Sure, you get it. You can't die. You're between life and death or whatever fucking bullshit possessed them to allow this to just happen, but again, Jared was right. Just because you're between life and death now, doesn't mean you're not moving slowly towards the latter. Honestly, this all is just suffocating you. It's stressing you out like crazy.

However, you know that you can't run. Wilbur's not going to leave you alone any soon, unless the possession traumatized him to the point of getting triggered by merely Jared's presence or something, so you'll just have to suck it up. Be clear. Don't be too hostile and actively mock him, but don't back away either. And perhaps, don't mention his dead mom again.