[ a/n; request for free! he's been a popular one lately haha. anyways this fic is awful, i don't know why i can't write for free? i can't write anything romantic with free de la hoya, i just can't, im incapable, but i hope you like it anyways???? ]

[ WARNING; this set contains mentions of depression, anxiety, disorders, suicide and abuse. the reader for this setting is mentally ill with depression - formally diagnosed. if you are not comfortable with any of this, then please do not read this set. ]

One, two, three. . . You counted out the three pills in your cold, shaking hand. Gritting your teeth in annoyance and frustration, you tossed the pills back into the container, tightened the cap on, and chucked that thing as far as you could. Your eyes were welling with tears, of sheer anger - at who knows what. After a moment of breathing heavily, you managed to calm yourself down, and collapsed into the grass. Defeated.

Sometimes you came out to the forest when you had nothing better to do. When your parents were arguing, you'd slip out the house and into the woods, wandering as far as your legs could take you. You wished to God you'd end up lost, or somehow in another country, but you always ended up finding your way back home at the end of the night. Stepping inside the house, only to be berated by your parents all over again. The slamming doors and screaming at night was so unsettling, you were too nervous to sleep.

Now you threw them in a tree, and couldn't get them anymore. Everything was so hard, why did everything have to be so hard? Resisting the urge to scream at the top of your lungs, you just quietly let the tears at your lashes, roll down your pallid cheeks. Your fingernails digging into your palms.

Suddenly, you heard a rustle of leaves, and small gasp slipped past your lips. Quickly wiping your face off, you scrambled up to your feet, arms and hands held close to yourself. Nothing happened. . .

"H-hello? Is someone here?" You furrowed your brows, this was starting to scare you a little. The bush rustled again, earning a tiny yelp from you. Carefully taking a step closer, you tried peering into the tens of leaves.

A stray deer poked it's head out, as well as the rest of it's body, chewing at leaves. After seeing the friendly forest animal, you let out a sigh of relief to yourself, almost laughing. Thank goodness.

"Who are you?"

That caught you off guard. Spinning on your heel, after coming face first with large dark eyes, you stepped back and screamed. Loud enough for some birds to fly off somewhere else, and the deer to stop chewing. Your chest was heaving, you were way to jumpy for this - you'd end up with a heart attack.

With wide eyes, you stared at the boy that was right over your shoulder. Messy blonde hair, red highlights, dark hues and pale skin. His clothes were rather loose, but the brace on his arm was what confused you. He shoved his hands in his pockets, head slowly tilting to the side, waiting for you to answer him.

"I-. . ." You were afraid you'd stutter. . . He just stared at you. Nervously fretting with the hem of your blouse, you slightly bowed your head. "My name, is, [Y/n] [L/n]."

". . . Never heard of you." His eyes wandered off elsewhere, before he let out a small sigh. "This yours?" Taking a few steps closer to you, he pulled something out of his pocket. Your heart almost stopped beating, seeing the bottle of pills in his hand. It seems like those damn things always found a way to fuck up your days.

"Yeah. Thanks." You mumbled, reaching a hand out and snatching them back, immediately shoving them in your pocket. "So, who are you? What's your name?" Shifting your attention back to the male, you gave him a small smile. The blonde pointed at himself, and you nodded.

"Never heard that one before." He uttered to himself. "Free. De La Hoya." His dark eyes nestled shut, and as nonchalant as ever, he strut right past you.

"Wh-where are you going, Free?" Suddenly you blurted out, feeling the urge to be around him just a little longer.

"Don't worry about." He barely lifted a hand to wave you off, then carried on past the bushes, trees, grass and more. You just stood there and watched him until he was out of sight. How disappointing. With pretty much no luck for the rest of the day going well, you just carried on home.

"Where were you?" Your mother called out from the kitchen - despite not even cooking.

"Library. I was doing homework." Your response was simple. She seemed to take it as a good excuse, and carried on looking through the cabinets and drawers for something. Probably her cigarettes.

You quietly trudged up the stairs and slipped into your room, setting the pills on your desk, then getting ready for bed.

"You again?"

"Oh, Free!" You found yourself in the forest again, the same place as before, hoping you'd run into the blonde. Now lucky you, he finally showed up. He stopped in his tracks and waited for you to approach him instead.

"That's my name."

"I hope I'm not bothering you-"

"You are." He cut you off. A small frown marred your features, but you were determined.

"Just one battle. Please? For fun?"

". . . Follow me." Surprisingly, he agreed, and started to lead the way somewhere. Without saying a word, you followed after him as quietly as possible. At one point he even looked over his shoulder, curious if you were still there or not. He lead you to a clearing in the forest, a beautiful piece of architecture, that was made into a bey arena. You wondered how you never found this place.

"This is gorgeous,, do you train here by yourself?" You asked, picking up the pace just a little. Late as usual, Free responded with a nod. You both stood opposite one another, ready to launch - Free just using his hand. The match went rather well, you lasted quite some time, but Fafnir was the victor in the end.

"Happy?" The blonde lifted his brows, a tiny simper just barely lifting his features.

"I am, actually." You let out a small laugh, grabbing the three pieces of your bey, then snapping it back together. Perfect. "I've never battled against anyone."

"Why?"

"My parents are against it."

". . . Yet here you are."

"Guess I'm a rebel?" You lifted a finger, laughing nervously. Inside his words kind of hurt, but you didn't expect him to be all flowers and chocolates in seconds.

"You're not bad, though. Keep at it." Free waved you off yet again, and stepped down onto the grass. "See you around." That was it, and he was gone.

Butterflies in your stomach, and heart beating a mile second, you smiled to yourself and scampered down the route back home. As soon as you stepped through the front door, your mother stopped you right in your tracks. She stared at you for a while.

"Why are you smiling like that?"

"No reason."

"Hm. Well. What's the reason for this being in your room?" She aggressively shook the pill container. You blinked almost ten times and looked away. "Of course. You always talk about wanting to die, and that bullshit. Don't even fucking try it, do you have any idea how much trouble it'll cause everyone? Keep this shit in the cabinet, or I'll take it."

"Okay."

"Good girl." The woman pulled a tight smile and strut back to the kitchen to put away your medication. They were supposed to help you feel better, but they just ended up making you feel worse, and causing more problems. Resisting the urge to sigh as loud as possible, you slipped off your shoes, and back up to your room you went.

You didn't even feel like getting out of bed in the morning. You hadn't bothered to shower last night, and didn't even eat dinner. All the other kids your age were out at the mall, meeting other people, and actually enjoying life. You had nothing and no one, just spent your life online. A low class, uneducated, nobody.

An idea came to mind. Go see Free. He wouldn't mind, right? Even if he was busy, just seeing him would be good enough for you. So you dragged yourself out of bed, and made your way back into the woods.

He wasn't around his training spot, so until he showed up, you decided to train on your own. Maybe it'd impress him. Although despite waiting almost six whole hours for him, he didn't show up. Tired, but desperate at the same time, you sat in the grass and ended up falling asleep.

You were practically clinging to this boy you didn't even know at all, even if you hadn't seen him for an entire week. You spent every day waiting for him, training for him, hoping for him, and practically living for him. He had no idea.

You had just about enough, and threw a fit, a well deserved breakdown tantrum. Sitting in the grass and almost pulling at your hair, your sobs were uncontrollable. What was the point of any of this. Crying for people who don't care about you, being afraid of leaving the house - and staying in at the same time. You didn't want to end your life, you just wanted to go to sleep and wake up when everything was better. When you had friends to see, parents to love, hobbies to enjoy and reasons to keep going, instead of a stupid boy-

"[Y/n]?"

Your head lifted immediately, florid cheeks stained with tears. Free hovered over you, eyebrows furrowed, he almost looked concerned.

". . . Free." You breathed out his name. He finally showed up, yet all you could do was stare and him and try not to cry.

"What are you doing here? It's late." He crouched down to your level, frowning.

"Being an idiot."

"Seriously."

". . . Waiting for you."

"You're weird."

"I'm sorry-" you buried your face in your hands. How embarrassing, having a meltdown right in front of him.

"Hey, hey," awkwardly, the blonde pat your head in attempt to soothe you. Poor thing mustn't have had experience with crying girls.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I- just don't want to leave you. You're all I have--"

". . . You don't have to. You chose where you do, no one can stop you with that." Free muttered, ruffling up your hair a bit. "Come, let me show you something." He stood up, then reached a hand out to you. Hesitantly, you took hold of it, and he helped you up as well. While he escorted you through the forest, you kept wiping at your eyes, sniffling softly here and there. Free pushed past the last bush, and helped you through.

A castle, an estate, a mansion, whatever it was - it was beautiful.

"Welcome to Bc Sol." Free almost scoffed, "you can stay here if you want, I don't mind."

"Wh-what? Just like that? You'll take me in?"

". . . Sure, I don't see why not."

This day you'd went into the woods, and had never went back.

[ Extended Ending ]

Fingers intertwined, the both of you wandered around side by side. The sight of Free's secret spot was enough to make you smile. Free seemed to notice, you were most likely thinking about the time you met him. You tilted your head, resting it on his shoulder.

"Wherever you go, I'll follow you."

"I'm not going anywhere, [Y/n]." Free jested, a small simper turning up at his lips. You let out a small giggle, turning to face him. You pressed a hand against his cheek, and hopped up to the tip of your toes, placing a small kiss against his mouth.