CHAPTER SIX | " THE HERO OF THE UNDERWORLD "

tw: mentions of self-harm and drug abuse

"I'VE GOT YOU!"

Adrian grasped his hand at the very last second.

Perceiving Nicholas' shivering arms, slowly but surely losing balance on the elevated roof's ledge of an apartment building, was an impulse for Adrian to pull him to safety. Securely if that would be possible. He quickly winced Nick's hand closer to him in a hurry but he didn't catch his waist in time.

They collapsed on the roof; Adrian hit his back and the one with curls fell right into his arms, wrapping around him to secure him from the world.

"See? I told you I got you," He grinned with a voice full of despair, followed by a grimace due to a pain piercing his back. It was better to deal with this backache than to leave the strange boy to fall into the abyss of moving city lights. In truth, the smile was hiding concern. His bluest eyes turned into mirrorballs, reflecting all his possible responses if he slipped through his fingers and dropped down on the open road.

If that happened Adrian would blame himself for the rest of his life.

"Quite too literally but at least you're not hurt— " He cackled, thoughtlessly brushing back Nick's hair from his forehead to see if he was truly okay. Physically he was without a scratch, but mentally he was somewhere else.

Nicholas yelped, blushing, crawling away, overwhelmed by all the delicate and protecting touches. His heart was pounding, heavily hitting his chest. Loud shortened exhales managed to suppress the awful thoughts. Hands were sensing the body, trying to convince his head that he was still alive. Nick squeezed his eyelids shut and gripped his ears. Completely startled, he bumped into the air conditioning. He focused on the positives, not the image that was replaying in his mind.

He risked the life of someone he liked.

Near-death experiences were like that. They were a relief and doom at the same time. They were supposed to be associated with happiness but they reminded you of your own failure. They provoked the tension and released the stress that had been hiding deep down. It seems as if the unexpected surge of pressure took Nicholas captive.

Adrian watched him shaking and uncontrollably looking around till he realized that saving him was the tiny shard of the well-hidden yet much bigger fracture. He was silently questioning if he should approach the boy sitting on the ground blankly looking, striving to convince himself to stop rubbing hands so much because that wasn't enough to pacify something, the pain, he hadn't felt yet. Pain.

"No no no, don't do that."

The smile faded from Adrian's lips as Nick proceeded to nip the skin that left red marks on it. He finally took the courage to step in. Adrian sat opposite him, holding tightly his hands, not exactly knowing if that was the right thing to do, "Let's take a deep breath, okay?"

Nick's eyes darted soon as the coldness of his hands collided with the heated palms. He was looking at him, disoriented, full of heartache, unknowingly nodding to the soothing words of help. Adrian quietly counted down his breathing till he joined him and took a deep breath of the misty air till Nicholas burst into laughter that had him coughing, mocking Adri's concentration and stirring the smell of coffee and cigarettes, "You should've seen your face."

"Okay, you asked for it. Next time we hang out, no drinking." He patted him playfully on the back, "how's that?"

In some way, Adrian felt an internal struggle from the boy's side. Seeking the presence of someone that wasn't all the time emotionally available was menacingly nerve-racking, particularly when it came to Nicholas. It was tiring to remind him daily that no one should have power over him, not even his never-appreciative girlfriend, overprotective father, or the guy that used to sell him meth. Sincerely, Adri didn't want him to be just another junkie with ruined life who gave up the fight at the very beginning of what was yet to come. Due to his risky business, he didn't care about the lives of those losers but as soon as Nick showed up, he overnight started to care because having him seeking relief in hard drugs instead of proper help wasn't easy to watch. He was lost and all he needed was someone to guide him in the right direction.

Adrian Phoenix had to do something with it, otherwise, it will be too late one day which he feared from now on every second.

Nicholas' chest was still rising pretty heavily, burdened with tightness. The breathing got heavier as it shortened due to an uncontrollable chuckle, the secret was that he was still experiencing a panic attack. Thus noticing that Adri didn't share a similar reaction when he tried to lighten it made him uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you." He uttered impulsively in apology, profoundly knowing that he made terrible choices that lead to this unfortunate moment.

The clink of a lighter lit up the cigarette between his lips. Adrian sat next to him, tasting the burnt plant, "Uh-huh. Well, I just didn't expect you'll be showing off your powers on the literal edge of everything. You're fearless, Valmeir. I kinda dig that."

Nick's eyebrows narrowed.

"I mean— Except the part where you almost died. Anyways... The person that hurt you enough to make you that way, not being able to value your own life, must've hated you so much." Adrian questioned, fixedly analyzing his freckles illuminated by the colored lights, "who ruined you? I'd like to return the favor."

"I did."

Adrian just stared at him in disappointment, easing slightly which ended up in handing out the joint that Nick seized.

"It's like the hatred had been always there. It's growing bigger day by day and making me numb. I don't feel anything. I'm even scared to fall asleep and every time I do I'm afraid to wake up..."

"Maybe if you tried—"

"There's nothing that could change that."

"I meant to try not to listen to what's on your mind when you feel the hate. At least for a moment."

"And what about it? You can do the same and use mind-control to make me a better person. I bet you already tried something along those lines," Nick smirked, inhaling the acrid fumes.

"Use my powers on you? I'd never—" Adrian paused for a moment, once a blow of smoke hit his face. He clenched his wrist in mid-air before he took another draw.

"You know what? You're right. I'd love to tell you that I used them. Because either way, you'd be fucking dead by now. However, I'm not the reason you never touched heroin. You are. As much as you want to end your suffering, something told you to continue the fight. And I'm so proud of you. I'm so proud that you stayed in the present, although it is getting harder for you every time you think or breathe. Still, every time you go quiet I don't know if you'll eventually come back and that scares me... and many others, obviously... You don't see it but out there are people that care about you."

Adrian pointed out the cigarette, "These don't make you forget. They only strengthen the thoughts of you being the fatal flaw when it's the system that failed a hero."

"I'm not a hero." Nick sighed.

"I was trying to say that no one can tame the horror inside your head but once you lose yourself in it, you'll lose others. Is that what you want? Because I don't."

The firm grip was still imprinted on Nicholas' wrist, slithering, trying to climb up.

"Oh god, I should have gone to the gym more often!" Stevie cried out. The more she was wincing her leg to kick off the monster, the grip was taking the edge off. She let go of Nick's hand in fright when she noticed a solidified shard of darkness coming in her direction.

Stevie screamed from the top of her lungs free-falling, reaching out to the balcony, hoping to touch him. Nicholas was shouting her name which transformed into a slowed-down murmur. Her heartbeat rushed, feeling it in her throat. This was it. Soon as she accepted her fate, the visual senses conned her, and a dark cloud flashed in front of her eyes. Death approached her. Passersby scattered away.

She hit the downfall.

Certainly not the one she expected. A warm breath pattered the side of her neck. Her body moved with someone else. Was it the monster? Stevie afraid to look, took finally a glance, shocked. Nick held her securely in his arms shaped from the darkness. He was looking straight at her, scanning her face with glittering eyes. Their pulse merged, noticing how her arms were wrapping around him joined by an invisible euphoric tingling.

"Are you okay?"

Stevie nodded exaggeratedly, gulping the screams away.

"And I totally get the talk about trust we had," she uttered excitedly, smiling from ear to ear. Excessively exhaled through the nose, finding it difficult to breathe as soon as she relieved the sudden lightness.

"Good, glad we figured that out," Nick chuckled. His pupils were still dilated from the shock of nearly losing her. Hearing guttural growling since the monster was already pierced through by a shard of dark mass made Nick put her carefully down. He stepped forward so he overshadowed her protectively with his body.

Nicholas' terror-struck eyes wandered to the ripped hem of Stevie's blue dress that was drooled over odd black liquid that poured into a pool of blood. The puddle bubbled as a chemical reaction, reflecting a thousand ripples till it came to an end.

He tilted his head, listening to the monster's last spewing wheeze. Observing the shard getting absorbed by the skin that was gradually melting into the exact liquid form from before, Nick knew what will come next.

"Stevie, I need you to go upstairs and make sure that no one remembers what happened," Nick blurted out, pushing her aside, to the entrance of a building, even though she was still tightly holding his hand.

"Why?"

A bare-boned limb launched from the crimson pool.

Stevie screeched. Before she calmed down she was back at the bar, holding her notebook with residues of darkness fading behind her back. It seemed like everyone stopped talking. All eyes were on her, making her cover up her mouth with a palm. She apologized, giggling nervously. Not only her cheeks were red due to the embarrassment but also because couldn't stop thinking about the lovable look he gave her. Plus she had a role that she had to pursue.

Stevie took the journal, quickly scripting a dress fix with a flick of a ballpoint pen and sneaking to a window past her mom.

"Is she okay?" Fariza questioned the oldest daughter who was enjoying the fruit refreshments from the side table.

"Highly doubt that. Either she had some of the alcoholic 'non-alcoholic' mojitos or she has one of her fangirl seizures. I'd bet on the second option tho that sounds more like a Stevie thing to do," Veronica remarked, dipping sloppily a grape into a garlic spread.

Mom examined her with a scolding glance, "We should leave you two at home."

Stevie sat on a bench near the window. It took her a second to hop on the right track and find the right muse. The words appeared and turned into sentences which created overly descriptive paragraphs that completely rewrite the meaning of her fall from others' perspectives. No one remembered the monster crashing on the balcony because the railing was untouched and perfectly polished.

Everybody was rooting for the girl in a jean jacket that was running away from the alien threat while Stevie cared more about her friend.

"Whose idea was it to send a Realmwalker?" Nick muttered as he was forced to enter the road.

With conjured daggers in his hands, he was dodging Realmwalker's attacks. The tall figure was following him. Cars barely passed them. Nick's back crashed into a braking vehicle, hissing in pain. He quickly moved aside. Realmwalker's blade transfixed the car hood, unfastening the airbag at the passenger's seat. Door slammed. Hysteria ruled the streets. A five-year-old was banging at a window. Frightened mother tried to open the door to the backseat. The lock got stuck, having her pull the kid through the driver's seat. Realmwalker pulled out the bone-arm blade from the car's scrap and aimed at the defenseless woman. The blade hit a dark cloud.

"Hey! We still have unfinished business, remember?" Nick uttered jokingly toward Realmwalker.

A murk summoned by Nick shielded the vehicle until both of the passengers ran away. His hands quivered due to the fight of each force. Nick successfully reflected on the blade. The shield clashed with Realmwalker. He wielded the arm. Cloud was dispersed, stirring up and returning to its originator.

Nicholas absorbed the darkness into his palms where dark orbs were formed. He blasted the mass forward. Realmwalker was backing away under merciless explosions of dark mass. A bunch of attacks was reflected by the blade. Following him, Nick drew them back with a gesture of his hands, growing the orbs stronger.

Rainbow rays coming from the building erased all the memories of passersby and were reset to their starting point which was a tricky situation that got them stuck in a time loop. A time loop that was getting worse with each re-boot. People perceiving the Realmwalker wandering streets, made them go into instant panic. Shadows on their own moved the obstacles on the road and protected those who got near. Vapors of blackness got into their heads and calmed them down.

Nick's spasmodic gesture clustered the dark mass. He threw at the Realmwalker at a full speed like a gust of wind. Darkness whirled and then descended, engulfing the surroundings in pitch black for a moment. Soon it faded in specks of glittering dust.

Ivory bones creaked and turned black. Realmwalker's body disintegrated.

People cheered from the sidewalk till they were reset again. Nicholas stood in the middle of the road, exhaling, watching the grime piling. The pith of darkness from the fading corpse returned as well as the fast clatter of heels.

"Nick!" Stevie yelled, instantly falling into his arms and hugging him. "Thank god!" She was out of breath from running down the stairs, emotionally drained but glad that he was still there and nothing happened to him. She had to convince herself not to cry as the tears in her eyes irritated her. Some of the droplets soaked his suit jacket when her cheek was pressed against his shoulder. Nicholas hugged her back softly.

He was her hero and there was nothing that could change that.

"That was hot- horrendous! Horrendous is what I meant—" She stammered, laughing, "not that you were horrendous - you were amazing - that wannabe Jack Skellington was horrendous! In translation, I'm happy you're okay." Stevie blabbered, pulling away from him, clutching the journal to her chest as she was nervous soon she hugged him and he was silent.

"But you won't be if we don't do something about it," he responded, picking up something shiny from the pile and flipping it like a coin. It clinked.

The restaurant's entrance bell echoed till the doors closed.

"—It's like a henchman who works for a demon. All we knew is that they wanted to take my power for themselves."

"What power?"

"I can travel the Multiverse." America Chavez explained so that Stephen would stop looking at her in disbelief. Surely, he didn't believe a thing that didn't change the fact that she could eat for free.

The Sorcerer Supreme was just catching his breath before someone interrupted him.

"Dad! We need to talk."

Three of them were startled by the unexpected encounter. The girl in a starry jacket almost choked on a pizza crust, perceiving Stephen's famous eye roll.

"Dad?" Wong grinned, "you're collecting problems like Thanos collected the infinity stones. Am I right?"

America chuckled with a full mouth that got stuck in an uncomprehending grimace. She slightly waved at a girl standing next to the stranger. Too bad that Stevie was too focused on accomplishing her tasks and writing every bit of their dialogue.

"Sorcerer Supreme," Nick bowed out of respect, knowing too well that is the exact way of gaining someone's favor.

"I like this kid." Wong seemed satisfied by the warm welcome, "there is nothing too difficult about showing respect. You should take a lesson from him."

"I didn't know you have children," America's lips smacked, gulping the pineapple on pizza.

"Trust me, I didn't know either," Stephen exhaled, shaking his head, realizing that he doesn't really know anything. Looking at the boy, that demanded so badly to talk to him, he had no other choice than listen to him.

"Excuse us." He cleared his throat, beckoning the boy to follow him.

Nick locked eyes with Stevie, assuring her that everything will be fine. He and Stephen headed to the very back of the Italian restaurant. Stevie wanted to follow them but was stopped by a plate of pizza that Wong handed to her. Hanging out with the sorcerer supreme didn't just happen to anyone.

"Someone sent a Realmwalker." Nick attempted to explain quickly before the wizard completely lost interest.

"Sent what?"

"Realmwalker. You did read the Darkhold, right?" Nick's eyes sparkled in anticipation. There was a whole chapter dedicated to creatures that are able to walk the realms on their own, without being completely connected to the consciousness. It was like a puppet made of remains, an animated corpse.

Stephen Strange sighed, "I was hoping I raised you to never read the Darkhold."

"Huh?"

"I said, whoever sent it is trying to take the powers that are connected to the Multiverse. At least that's what I understood from that girl's chewing," Stephen explained to him, letting go of himself and his thoughts. If that girl appeared in his dreams and was proven real, every memory of the boy was real as well. There was no point in lying anymore.

Nick froze for a moment, gazing at Stevie that was noisily describing that pineapple doesn't belong on pizza. She was in danger, because of him. The one who sent the creatures after Stevie craved her powers. It looked like Morgan Le Fay wasn't going to stop any time soon.

"Nicholas, you have to take her to Kamar-Taj."

Honestly, I didn't think I would be writing an a/n in this story anytime soon but I just wanted to say that this chapter was very hard for me to write. It was exhausting because I am discussing a theme that I'd been avoiding for a long time. I was thinking of completely deleting it from nick's story but hey, I kept it and this was the right time to introduce it. 

thank you for reading, I truly appreciate it.