Chapter 22 - Relax

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A man is sitting on a beach towel in the sand. He's looking around, observing. I can't see his face, yet he reminded me of someone. Someone is sitting next to him; they're holding his hand. He leans towards the person, then they both laugh. Children run up to them, are they their kids? I have this feeling like I know this man. The children hand him sea shells before rushing back to the sea, giggling. There is no one else on the beach but them. Yet I'm here, I'm an outsider. Am I intruding? I look towards the sea, its color changes from clear blue to thick red. The air becomes heavier. A pressure. I look back at the man on the towel, he's not there anymore. I try to move to look around, but I cannot. I did not know those people, why was I seeing them in my dream? A touch on my shoulder, I can't see who it is. I can't turn around. "Maybe I had a family." I frown. I know that voice. The bright sun turns black, the beach scene disappears in a rush. I'm back at the palace. There is someone on the ground. He's dead. It's Sergei. He's dead, yet he opens his eyes. "Maybe I had a partner and children." He grins then stands up, blood pouring from his neck and mouth. "They'll never see me again." He starts walking my way. I can't back away. "Because of you." He's now close to my face. A metallic smell engulfs my nostrils. I want to throw up. I can't close my eyes, I'm dreaming. I can't speak. "Murderer." He sneers. Then touches my face, his hands bloody. "Murderer." His voice is getting louder. But his lips aren't moving. It echoes in my head. Murderer, murderer, murderer. I didn't do it on purpose, it was instinctive. Yet you felt relieved at his death. I did, but he was a bad man. Now you're the bad person. No, no I did something good. It wasn't good to his friends and family, they'll never know. He was a bad man. And so are you. No, he was the bad man, I'm good. I'm not a murderer. I'm not a murderer, it was self-defense. Tomato, tomato, murderer, denial. Alda. Alda, wake up. He's also a bad man. No, he's not. Wake up, love. He's a good man. Wak-

With a quiet gasp I startled awake, a weight on my cheek. I felt a chill course through my body, then focused on what was in front of me. A worried Bruno. "You were stirring in your sleep, love." He whispered as he put a hand on my forehead, checking if had temperature, or perhaps a fever. I didn't want him to worry, "I was cold. It's frilly without a shirt on." I mumbled. It was the first thing that left my mouth since I woke up, it was definitely not articulate. Leaving the bed, he opened a drawer and brought me a shirt in a matter of seconds, handing it to me. Chuckling tiredly, I put it on. My arms were heavy, I was sore. I had not felt that soreness at all during the day, why did I feel it now? "Is it better?" he asked kindly, by the expression on his face I knew something else was bothering him. Even in the darkest moment of the day, I could see, hear, feel, his emotions just as clear as day. Covering my form up to my neck with the blanket I nodded tiredly. But he stood there, he was staring at him intently, a hint of sadness painted across his face. "I dreamt that Sergei had a family. And they were having a beach day, then it all went back to the ball." I paused a moment as my eyes focused on the door, Bruno laid back in bed next to him, his face appearing in my view. "And... yeah I'm a murderer and all that. It was just a dream, but..." I closed my eyes, a drained smile on my lips. "Mmh, it'll pass. I just have to be patient." Bruno hummed, then suggested we learn more about his background tomorrow. Saying it might help with getting over it. "In the meantime, is there anything I can do to help?" He asked in a caring tone. I shook my head in response, and let him pull me close to me then went back to sleep.

The next time we woke up it was morning. Too early to my taste, but I was slowly getting used to it, not that it made it any better. The clock read 8 am, it should be illegal to be a morning person, but Bruno was a criminal so it made sense that he committed the crime of waking up early. As I dragged myself out of bed, I heard the door of the bathroom open with a faint creak. "Good morning." I greeted with a sleepy smile as went to give him a short hug. He greeted me back, and wrapped his arms tightly around my form before kissing my forehead. "Were you able to get more sleep?" I nodded then pulled back, giving him a curious once over. He was fully dressed in the same suit I had first seen him in, the white one with the black pattern. "Are you going somewhere?" Slowly I was starting to get fully awake. Passing past me, he went to his desk and grabbed his watched, fastening it around his wrist. "I was hoping we could have lunch in town this morning." He suggested with the brightest smile. I thought about it a moment, come to think of it, I heard Giorno tell Bruno that he'd soon have to 'return to the field' as he put it. I was lucky to have had Bruno by my side for a few weeks now, but his job was over, technically. It was probably one of the only times we would be able to go anywhere together, afterwards it'll be mission after mission. "Amore?" he inquired with his brows raised. Meeting his eyes, I returned his smile, "Yes, sure, I'd like that. Let me get ready, I'll be with you in a moment." I then rushed to my bedroom to get ready.

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