Rebel: A Monstercat Fanfic

078 - Horizon

Song of the Chapter: Be Alright - Stonebank ft. EMEL (Hard Dance)

(Phantom's POV)

He's here. He came back and that's all that matters.

I can barely think through the constant pain, but that thought lingers in my mind. He's here. I'll be okay. I can feel his arms around me, gentle, but firm and protective. I think I'm laying on the ground next to him, but I'm not sure. I can feel his heart beating, so I must be close.

"I missed you," I mumble.

"Yes, I know. You've told me already. Stop talking."

"I have?"

"Yeah. Stop talking." There's a pause as he clears his throat and shifts a little. I think I'm laying across his lap, resting against his chest. "I missed you, too," he says in his soft, scratchy voice.

"Do you think the two of us could carry him?" Ben asks suddenly. "We're too close to stay here."

"I don't know. My shoulder's still pretty bad, and ... wait, what's that?"

"Nothing."

"I saw something on your shoulder. Come here."

Noisestorm shifts again, more jerky this time, and my body lights up with pain, making me cry out softly.

"Stop it," Ben orders. "You're hurting him."

"Ben, are you bleeding?"

"No?"

"That is not a question to answer with another question."

"Yes, I am, alright? But it doesn't matter, because Nick is in a far worse condition."

"Pain is relative," Noisestorm says softly.

Ben sighs. "Okay, you're right. But I'll be fine. It's not fatal anymore."

"Anymore?"

I yawn and wince, trying to roll over. Noisestorm adjusts his grip and pulls me a little closer.

"I'll go find a place," Ben says, "and then I'll come back and together, we'll carry him. Sound good?"

"Okay. Hurry back."

I hear Ben stand up and leave. Five or ten minutes pass, and I start to feel ... weird. Floaty. "Hey, Eoin?" I say.

"I thought I told you to stop talking."

"Thank you for coming back." I snuggle up closer to his chest, pulling my knees closer to my body. "You're warm," I murmur.

"Shhh ... "

"Like a marshmallow. And hot chocolate. Yummy."

"Nick, stop talking. Please."

I giggle a little bit, bringing stabs of pain to my chest. "I like you," I say.

There's a pause. "Um ... Ben?" he calls, his voice afraid. "Are you there? Something's wrong with Nick."

"I'm okay," I tell him. I finally let my eyes open and look up at him. There's two of him, and I smile.

"Shhh," he says again, his gaze sorrowful. "Hey, you don't need to cry. It's okay. I've got you."

"I'm not crying," I insist.

"Yes, you are." He gently wipes the tears and blood off of my face with his thumb, and then rubs his eyes with the back of his hand. "I wish there was something I could do for you. I wish ... I wish I wasn't so useless."