SATELLITE HEART [A BARLEY LIGHTFOOT x READER STORY]

chapter 25

"New problem," you said, feeling yourself struggle to touch the bottom and stay above water. You realized the extremity of the situation and sucked in a panicked, gulping breath. "New problem!" 

"Oh Chantar's Talons --- you're right," he said. He looked around, panicked. "Uh... uh..." 

You were holding on to the emerald, gripping it tightly. If you dropped it and it disappeared in the dark water, you didn't know what you could do. What would your options be? You'd end up drowning trying to get it. 

"Here!" He thrust the wizard staff back into your grip and you watched as he dove under the water. 

You could only see him for a brief second. Your feet weren't touching the bottom anymore. You were struggling to stay up without the use of your arms. You turned in the water, spinning around and around, looking for Ian. He was down for a long time before he popped up, gasping for breath and splashing around. You cried out, "Ian!" and you put your arm around him to hold him up as he wiped the water from his eyes. The water moved around the line of your jaw, threatening to swallow you up. 

"I can't see anything down there!" he cried. "And I don't think I can cast another spell." 

"Me either," you admitted. You knew now the kind of exhaustion magic-users must feel after casting a lot of spells. You felt like you'd just gone on a ten mile run. And staying above water was near impossible. "It's filling up so fast." 

"I know," he said.

"It's so cold," you whispered.

"Yeah," he said. "Yeah. Oh --- here, I'll take that. Are you okay?" 

You were struggling to stay above the surface. "F-Fine," you mumbled, letting him take the wizard staff back. "We were so close." 

"It's not over yet," he assured you. He smiled. "Optimism, remember?" 

"You're much better at being optimistic than I am, you know that," you said. 

"I know," he said. His hair was dripping over his forehead. He blinked the water from his eyes. "Oh no..." 

The ceiling of the cave was right above you. It was made of dirt and rocks and just earth and it was cold and the water was filling the little bit of air left. Your palm that wasn't cradling the emerald pressed against the surface of it, feeling the crumble of dirt in your palms, and Ian was starting to panic. You had to keep your face tilted upward to breathe. In and out, in and out --- and then your chance was up. 

"___!" Ian cried, terrified, gripping for you. His fingers hooked around the bottom of your t-shirt. He had a death grip on it; he was terrified of losing you, terrified of dying alone in the dark cold. He took a single small gulp of air and then he was under. You tried to remain calm. Your hand moved until you found his. You covered his hand with yours and held on.  

At first you tried to accept this defeat. You know, sometimes heroes lose, even if their intentions were good. Sometimes they lose and they're given peaceful deaths. Maybe it'll be easy, just a little pressure on the lungs and then peace. Bright white, warm gold, glittering silver...

But what about Barley?

Barley, who would be joining you soon after if you didn't get this emerald back to him. Barley, who was so loving and so caring and so sweet and the best thing that ever happened to you. Your Barley, your best friend, your boyfriend, your family. You would do anything for him. Absolutely anything. 

Even beat death. 

And Ian --- Ian, who was holding onto you like a terrified child. Who was shaking and kicking and you weren't going to let him die. You just weren't. You decided in that moment --- and even though only three seconds had passed since being submerged, your lungs burned --- and you decided to fight. You used that painful burning to pound your fist into the earth. Again and again, up, up, up. Through the dirt that became mud. Through the pebbles that plopped into the water. Through the dark murkiness, you could faintly see it; the cloud of particles dropping into the water. Your hand clawing through what laid above you. Going through it, going through it, tearing through it, tearing through it. 

You let go of Ian's hand. He held on tighter, probably afraid that you let go because you were gone. You used your other hand to pound through the dirt again---

And then there it was, a glimpse of sky, a glimpse of freedom. The sky wasn't completely dark. Sunrise was greeting you, telling you that you had made it, that you weren't going to die. 

Your eyes widened and you moved your hands to Ian. You wanted so badly to go to the surface and breathe, but Ian was right below you, holding onto your waist. You put your hands under his arms like he was a small child and you pushed him up over you. His hands found the place you'd beaten through and he forced his body up. You saw him over the surface and you were just so relieved before your eyes closed and your body just stopped. Your arms cradled the emerald close to your chest. 

Although your eyes were closed, you were aware of Ian's hand shooting back into the water and grabbing your shirt. He pulled you up, on his knees in the creek, his arms going around you, and he was saying your name over and over and over again. You fell back against him and opened your eyes, coughing and sputtering water out of your mouth. 

"Are you okay?!" he was crying.

"Fine," you croaked. You held up the emerald. "We did it." 

He sighed out in relief and then he was hugging you and crying. You sat up and put your arms around him. His head dropped down and he pressed his face against the dip of your shoulder. His hand made a fist around the back of your soaked shirt and you just grinned. 

No one was going to die. Not you, not Ian. 

And not Barley.