Chapter 3: Nightmares and Memories

I was to get to bed at this point. I was tired and this whole experience had just really taken my energy.

"Axel?" Shadow said suddenly. "Do you have any idea where I could sleep?"

Oh. I had not really thought about that. My house was quite small and I didn't have much room.

"Uhh, I guess y-you could sleep i-in my bed? If you okay with that of course! There isn't really anywhere else..."

Shadow didn't seem happy about this, he narrowed his eyes.

"I suppose that should be fine," he said carefully.

So, we went into my room. Shadow went to the left side of my bed, while I was on the right, there really wasn't that much room, but my house was so small so that was to be expected.

I went into my walk-in closet, putting on my pajamas. Shadow was already asleep when I went back into my room, sprawled out, taking most of the space.

I quietly slid into bed, practically falling of the side because of the lack of space.

Though it was still very strange with this strange supernatural being lying just inches away from me, within a few minutes I became quite tired and bagan to feel my eyelids droop.

Just as I was about to drift off to sleep, I felt something grip my abdomen. My eyes bolted open, what the fuck was going on?!

I realized that Shadow was litterly grabbing me. I was about to scream at him when I realized he was still asleep. He was shaking and began mumbling something incomprehensible. Was he having a nightmare? That seemed to be likely.

I stayed still then. I didn't want to wake him up and make things awkward for us both.

Shadows POV:

I felt my eye's groggily open. I was surrounded by greenery. Various trees and hedges and flowers across the space.

I realized I was in the courtyard, in my home, back in the underworld. It didn't make sense, wasn't I cast out and now in that feeble humans home?

I stood up, opening the metal gates that led inside.

I then heard a faint sound from the end of the hallway, my mothers room. It sounded like someone was crying.

I slowly walked towards the door to my mothers room, I knocked. No one answered and the faint crying continued. After a few moments of waiting I pushed open the door.

My mother was sitting on her bed, her head in her hands, makeup in ruin trailing down her cheeks from tears.

"M-mother? What's wrong?" I asked cautiously.

She stared blankly at me.

"You have become such a failure Shadow, a disgrace to this family."

"W-what do you mean?"

"Your magic is weak, weaker then has been in many generations, your a disgusting homosexual, I don't understand what I did wrong in raising you."

"I am sorry, i didn't... I didn't realize I disappointed you so much."

"You disappoint everyone! Me, your father, your siblings! No one cares about you!" She screamed.

I was silent. I didn't know how to respond. My mother had always been supportive of me. At least more then my father had. She had seemed to be the only person who had not hated everything that I was. And now... now I didn't have anyone.

"You are a disgrace to this family!"

Axels POV:

He was shaking harder now, still saying things I couldn't quite make out, something about his mother I think he said?

Suddenly he gasped, awake now and jumped off the bed. He slammed into the wall, then braced himself on my desk a few feet away.

"Shadow! What?! Are you alright?!"

He didn't reply. I cautiously got out of bed and approached him. He didn't seem aware of my presence.

I set my hand on his shoulder, his fur was soft and warm under my hand. His head jerked to the side looking at me. I noticed there were tears running down his face.

"Shadow, are you okay?" I said trying to make my voice sound as gentle as possible. After a few seconds he answered.

"I-I'll be alright." He said, his voice shaking. "It was just... a bad dream?"

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Shadow hesitated for a few moments.

"N-no, I just...," he growled, putting his head in his hands.

I put my hand on his shoulder. His muscles tensed for a moment before he sighed, seeming to be calming down.

"Don't worry, these dreams happen to me as well sometimes, I... used to be bullied a lot back in 9th in 10th grade, and look at me now, but even now, it still bothers me sometimes. Just know, though it may hurt right now, whatever that may be, after you get through this, it will be worth it."

Shadow looked up at me.

"You think so?" He asked.

I nodded, smiling. I thought I saw a ghost of a half-hearted smile on his face as well.

"Hey Axel, I apologize... about all of this." Shadow said suddenly.

"There's nothing to apologize for." I yawned. "I'm going back to sleep, it's late,"

"Yes, you're right." Shadow said.

Unexpectedly then, Shadow stood up and embraced me, my head pressed to his furry chest. I felt my cheeks burn, that was unexpected.

"Thank you." Said Shadow.