Earth and Shadow (read desc)

Cuddles and Snuggles

I held Rain in my arms, cuddling him as he slept. He looked adorable and peaceful, like a baby animal. I smiled, happy.
Then Scratch spoke.
"Sooo Nightmare, you and Rain?" He whispered to me, quiet so he wouldn't wake Rain or Blaise.
I Blushed,
"We're not dating or anything."
"Oh come on you two look like a couple at this point. I can tell you like him, you act all nice and awkward."
I blushed more, surprised, "I do?"
"Yeah like you would NEVER apologize to us and yet you apologized to him a lot lately for little things."
"Hm."
"And you keep being nice and protective, like a mother bear. In fact, that's kind of what you remind me of. Just a big dark mother bear."
"Oh shush," I grumbled. Scratch just giggled at me. After a moment I thought about another subject, so I desperately said, "What about you and Blaise?"
"Oh come on man, we're old news."
"Yeah but you guys seem pretty close."
"Well yeah, we've been together 6 months now and counting."
"I have a quick question, and don't take this the wrong way, but what do you even see in her? She doesn't really seem... Well... Sweet."
Scratch shrugged.
"Eh she's stubborn, kinda crazy, but I love her. She just makes me feel alike you know? She's like my little fire cracker. She's not afraid to go off on a bang and make some noise, while also making something beautiful too. Plus, well, cuddles."
I smiled, "I see that."
"I know she can kill me at any second if she wanted to, which is why I really don't like making her mad, but it's kind of exciting actually. Oh, did I ever tell you how we met?"
I had already seen from his memories plenty of times, but I shook my head.
"Well, when we met, she was trying to kill me. She stabbed me in the gut and almost made me bleed to death, but instead of killing me, she fixed me up and carried me away."
"How does stabbing you..? You know what, I don't want to know."
Scratch chuckled, smiling. Blaise mumbled in her sleep, lost in a world of dreams. Scratch positioned her so she was more comfortable then continued.
"Well when she almost killed me, I was too much trying not to die from a crazy angel trying to rip out my guts. But when I opened my eyes, I didn't see a crazy angel. I saw someone I could never tire at looking at, someone I can love. It might have been adrenaline, because we were a hundred feet above the ground, but I had never seen someone so beautiful in all my life."
Rain cuddled closer to me, resting his head on my chest. I blushed and held him close, suddenly protective.
"How was that romantic though? Your afraid of heights."
Scratch looked embarrassed. He shuffled his position a bit, "Well um... It just was."
I was quiet for a moment, letting him recover, then I asked.
"I must admit I'm curious. Why are you afraid of heights? Usually creatures with wings have a natural fear against falling."
He looked down and sighed, "It was years ago, when I was little. I was just flying around, doing my own thing, when something shot me down. I fell, hurt myself quite a bit, and got dragged away. The next thing I knew my wings were being ripped out, and enchantments were woven around me. Needless to say ever since then I don't fancy being in the air. I always feel nervous, like I'm going to get attacked."
It sounded more like trauma at this point then a simple fear of heights. I dimly recall seeing that moment in his memories, but it was always more or less blocked. I can tell why now. His fear and anxiety made it so he didn't want to relive that event, and hence it was harder for me to relive it as well.
I had no idea what to say, so I simply said, "That sounds rough."
"It was. I never really wanted wings to be honest. I'm still getting used to them. It feels natural and freeing, yet it reminds me of what happened more and more." He stared into the distance, lost in thought. He touched the base of one of his wings with a free hand, tracing the edge of where they connect to his back. It looked like a habit he had probably fallen into.
"You wish you didn't break the enchantments." It was a rhetorical question, but he nodded.
"Kind of, yeah. But I had no choice. It was either that or have Blaise be killed... If I'm being honest I never once tried flying before."
I raised an eyebrow, "Not once? They are made for flying."
"Well, yeah, but every time I think about trying it out I get all nervous, panicky. It doesn't help when Blaise watches. She really wants to help me out and step out of my comfort zone, but I can't. And I feel bad."
"You do your best. I think you make a good match for her."
"Thanks."
"No problem."
"I just- I don't know. I wish I could do more if that's even possible. I feel like the world is looking at me to be the next big shot, but I'm still, well, not good enough. Everywhere I go people whisper, and I can hear what they're saying because of my magic. It's... not comforting."
I sighed.
"When I was still alive, a lot of people mocked me. And as a kid I was bullied and beat up a lot, but I always figured I would prove them wrong. Well, look at me, I didn't really prove anything did I? They called me a monster, and treated me as if I wasn't a person, and in turn I killed them."
"You killed- Ok, how many people did you actually kill? The records vary."
I looked away, "Too many to count.. Anyone who wrongs me or tried to kill me I killed first. That was basically my life."
"Wow... Now that sounds rough. No wonder you act so hostile. You were hurt a lot."
I shrugged, but inside my chest ached.
"You should probably sleep, it's getting late."
He hesitated and nodded, "Yeah... Hey Nightmare?"
"Yeah?"
"You are undead correct?"
"Mhm."
"Have you seen the afterlife..?"
I paused, remembering. I whispered, "No, But I got really, really, close. It was blurry, and confusing, but I almost made it out. Good night Scratch."
"Night..."
He laid down, careful not to wake her, then snuggled her as he drifted off to sleep."
I sat, my back against a tree, Rain in my arms, and looked up at the stars. They looked so cold, so lonely. Yet so beautiful. I imagined dancing among the constellations, speaking with them about the ways of the world...

I yawned and woke up, feeling Nightmares arms around me. I closed my eyes, my head pressed against his chest. He felt so warm, yet I could not hear the familiar drumming of a heartbeat. I looked up at him, and smiled a little. He looked so peaceful, passed out, with his dark raven-like wings around me. Nightmare had dark bags under his eyes, so I could only assume he fell asleep while keeping a lookout.
Just then I heard Blaise yawn and sit up, her arms in the air as she stretched.
"Man, that was a good sleep."
"Morning Blaise," I smiled, speaking softly to avoid awaking anybody.
"Morning. Awww look at Scratch, he looks so adorable when he sleeps." She also spoke quietly, looking at Scratch  as he slept peacefully.
"Make sure you don't wake him up like you did yesterday."
"But he doesn't mind. He loves it when I wake him with a surprise."
"Does he though?"
"I mean he's still dating me soooo."
"True true."
"If I miss him I usually wake him up like that. Like if I want cuddles, or if I need something important LIKE cuddles I wake him up. Once I chucked a pillow at him. He's surprisingly resistant. And once, when he made me mad, I chucked my spear at him."
"You sound sweet," I said sarcastically.
"Well hey, how else am I supposed to wake this sucker up?"
"Do anything BUT throw stuff at him. Wake him up gently."
"Well if I do that he just goes back to sleep."
"Not necessarily."
"Let's test that," She gently shook his shoulder, "Hey, Scratchy, wakey wakey."
He didn't wake up, and kept snoozing. Blaise looked at me.
"See?? You've got to do this." She brought out her spear and stabbed next to his head. His eyes opened instantly and he shouted, "WHAT THE-"
"Morning Scratch," Blaise said cheerfully.
I sighed.
Scratch sat up quickly and rubbed his eyes. He mumbled, still half awake, "Why do you do this every time..."
"Cause I love you." She kissed his cheek and he smiled a little.
"You almost- Nevermind."
"He's a pretty heavy sleeper sometimes."
"I like my dreams," Scratch complained.
"Well not anymore!"
I sighed again and looked at Nightmare. I tried waking him up gently, speaking softly.
"Hey Nightmare, it's time to wake up." He yawned and snuggled me more, reluctant to wake up. He looked absolutely exhausted.
Blaise casually handed me her spear, "Try it. I dare you."
"What?? No! I don't want to traumatize him."
"He'll be fine, he's probably already traumatized." She said it so casually too, as if this whole situation was normal. Knowing Blaise, it probably was.
"No, I'm good." I shook Nightmare gently, still trying to wake him.
"You sure? It's really fun. Especially if you yell something like "EAT IT SUCKER" while you stab. Just make sure not to hit him, or else he might, I dunno, go into his crystal thingy for awhile."
Nightmare yawned and grumbled a bit, his eyes still shut.
"But sleep..."
"I know your tired but it's time to go..."
Blaise shrugged, "You know what, Ima just." She stabbed the spear next to his head like she did with Scratch. Instantly his eyes opened, glowing, and he reflexively punched Blaise, launching her away from the force of his blow.
"Why why WHY would you do that Blaise!!" I shouted, upset.
She flapped midair and came back, rubbing her new bruise, "Well he wasn't waking up."
"Still doesn't give you a reason to throw a spear at him!!"
Nightmare grumbled, rubbing his eyes, "I should really cut your arm off or something for that... I didn't get any sleep."
"Well I'm SORRY, maybe we could just drag your ass back home."
"I would rather that then THROWING A FVCKING SPEAR AT ME-" Shadows started swirling around him slightly, but hw quickly regained control of his emotions. He muttered, "Sorry..."
"How about we forgive each other and forget this ever happened," I suggested hopefully.
"Good idea," Scratch said, watching the whole thing.
"Can I go back to sleep?"
I nodded, "Sure, just until we leave."
"Good..." He mumbled and cuddled me again, falling asleep.
"He definitely seems annoyed. Maybe don't do that again Blaise," Scratch said.
"I know what I'm doing."
I cuddled Nightmare back and mumbled, "You obviously don't." He felt so comfy, my eyes started feeling pretty heavy.
"Well I didn't hit him did I?" I ignored her, not wanting to deal with her crap any longer. She grumbled and looked away.
Gradually, I drifted off into the darkness of my dreams.