UnWanted Reunion (UnWilling Roommates book 2)

Chapter 6: Bill Still Doesn't Understand Feelings (part 2)

Will stepped forward hesitantly. I was about to join them, but I suddenly sensed something out of place in Y/N's mind. Before I could call a warning, Will was within arm's length of Y/N. He was about to speak when I saw Y/N move sharply. Even after Will flinched back, I couldn't comprehend what had just happened.

She had slapped Will. Y/N, whom I had never seen get violent or even impatient with my fragile brother, was glaring at him now like she wanted him to die.

Too late, I noticed someone else getting off the bus behind Y/N. I lunged forward and grabbed Will's arm, dragging him back a few steps as Tad Strange stood next to Y/N. He put his arm around her shoulders protectively... and possessively.

"Are these two bothering you?" he asked her, sounding concerned. That always was Strange's talent. That cheerful, mellow attitude hides more evil than I've ever put on display.

"No, I'm okay," she answered evenly. Hearing her voice again made my insides lurch unsteadily. "Like you told me, they can't hurt me as long as you're here, Tad."

"Y/N, what's going on here?" I finally said. Will seemed too distraught for words, staring at Y/N with a blank, unfocused expression.

"I'm coming home, of course," she said, as if it was obvious. "Tad gave me my memories back, and despite the danger, this is where I belong."

I didn't want to ask, but... "What danger?"

Her face hardened. "As if you don't know, murderer."

Though I was almost afraid to, I took a closer look at the images swirling through Y/N's mind. I saw her memories of the past year... but they weren't quite right. They had been twisted to make her believe that Will and I were the villains. I saw another version of the basement scene where, instead of accidentally killing Mabel with her crossbow, Y/N had watched Will snap her neck and then toss her corpse through the portal. I saw the three of us, all living as roommates, but in this version Y/N was practically a hostage. She believed she had escaped from us and run into the forest, where Strange had rescued her and taken away her memories for her own protection.

Strange had given Y/N her memories back... but they were all wrong. I could sense the hatred and fear radiating off of her, aimed at us.

"Y/N, you have to listen to me," I said quickly. "He's lying to you. Those aren't your memories of what really happened. I can explain-"

I cut off as Strange took half a step forward, angling his arm to put Y/N behind him protectively. I did the same with Will. Neither of us were in any condition to fight Strange, but Will was barely even able to stand. I could feel him trembling as he clung to my arm for support.

"I think the two of you should go before there's any trouble," Strange said. Despite the overt threat, his tone was as cheerful as ever. Y/N crossed her arms, letting Strange speak for her. That's not the feisty Y/N I know. She would never let someone else fight her battles for her.

"Y/N-" I stopped. There was no use trying to reason with her now. I could tell from the determined set of her achingly familiar face that there would be no changing her mind. "I understand. I'm sorry. We won't bother you anymore."

They both looked a little surprised that I had given in so easily. Oh, believe me, I want to fight you to the death here and now, Strange, I broadcast menacingly. But I knew that was a fight I wasn't going to win. I was already exhausted, and Y/N was right there. I wouldn't put it past Strange to use her as a human shield if I attacked.

Without another word, I teleported us back to my room. Will's legs gave out and he collapsed on the floor, curling up in a ball as the tears finally came. I stood there, perfectly still, as I remembered what I had seen in Y/N's mind.

Most of her memories had been poisoned. But the worst part was that there were portions of her memories that hadn't been altered. Scenes like the time I had helped Dipper attack her, the time I had destroyed her apartment, the time I had spied on her in the shower... she remembered those with perfect clarity. Worse scenes as well. The time I had pinned her to the wall and forcibly kissed her. The time I had attacked her with nightmares in the Dreamscape. Even the reason for our fight on the night she ran away... she knew I had been trying to turn her into a demon without intending to ask for her consent.

The list went on. Tad Strange had done a number on her happy memories, but her memories of me were almost completely intact. I had seen myself at my most petty and self-absorbed, reflected in her eyes without any of the forgiveness she had always shown me in the past. And it was more than I could handle.  I felt some important part of me, possibly my heart, splinter into pieces.

I watched myself, seemingly from a distance, as I grabbed the chair and threw it across the room. It smashed into pieces against the magically-reinforced canvas wall and I moved on to my desk. I slammed my fists against it, eye burning red, again and again until it was also in pieces. Will, deep inside his own traumatized breakdown, didn't react as I smashed everything in my room that was breakable.

I destroyed an entire dimension and I felt justified. I never felt any guilt whatsoever until Y/N came along. She gave me a conscience... I know I've been a horrible person. That's an understatement. I'm a monster, I know... But I felt I could live with myself as long as she was there. She always treated me with so much patience, no matter what... I didn't feel like a lost cause as long as she could always forgive me... Y/N... please forgive me...

Finally, I dropped to my knees in the wreckage, breathing heavily. I stared at my hands, gloves torn to shreds and splinters digging into my skin. I didn't care. Pain is hilarious, right?

Now that the sounds of smashing furniture had died down, I could hear Will's shuddering gasps as he hid from me in the corner, trying to avoid the destruction. I scooted towards him but he cringed away from me, sobbing even louder.

"Will," I said. My voice cracked. He ignored me.

"WILL," I said louder. He shuddered away as I put my hand on his shoulder.

"We have to make a plan, Will.  We need to figure out how to get Y/N back."

He still didn't answer. I shook him slightly.

"Will, we can't afford to wallow in self-pity forever. Y/N needs us." I felt slightly hypocritical saying that, having just finished my own juvenile tantrum.

He only cried harder. I sighed in exasperation. "Will, I don't know what Y/N did to snap you out of these, but we can't afford to give up now. Pull yourself together already."

Finally he reacted, uncurling from his ball only to wrap his arms around me, burying his face in my chest and sobbing. I froze, utterly mortified.

"Um... what exactly are you doing?"

He didn't respond.

"Get off me!" I tried. He still didn't answer.

What on Earth? What do people do at a time like this? What would Y/N do? I knew exactly what she'd do. I'd watched her comfort Will a thousand times, but I found myself incapable of imitating her actions. I patted his back awkwardly a couple of times, then wound up just sitting there and waiting for him to either calm down or pass out.

He chose the second option, loosening his grasp and slumping to one side as exhaustion and emotion finally overcame him. I shoved him off me, letting him crumple to the ground as I stood up.

I snapped my fingers, returning my room to its proper order, then sat back at my desk and tried to come up with a plan.

Just talking to her didn't work. She's on Strange's side. It will be that much harder to get her away from him. Also, we still have to kill Dipper and Mabel somehow. While we're at it, we should kill Strange for good measure.  I'm not going to accomplish any of this by being the nice guy.

Blue fire curled around my hands, burning away the splinters. My eye glowed red as I made up my mind.

She thinks I'm a villain? Well, that's exactly what I'm going to be.