Summary: (Sort of sequel to Innocence Trapped Inside the Brain. This immediately popped into my head after reading the quote.)

Reborn had always been a liar. Why should now be any different?

Quote: "I'm not upset that you lied to me, I'm upset that from now on I can't believe you."- Fredrich Nietzsche

Recommended Song: Pressure by Paramore. (Replace the 'We' with 'I' and it fits almost perfectly. To me, at least)

Warning: Implications of violence. Slight implied Reborn/Skull, or just in a comforting way.

Other Notes: This is about the fourth time UnwrittenWishes has given me an idea, on purpose or not. (Only the second or third I've posted becuase of it.) I'm not sure if it's good or bad. I'll say good for now. I guess she's now my personal idea maker.

And I know I said I wouldn't be doing this anytime soon, but I didn't expect to have no Internet for a day. So here we are.

AND THANK YOU SO MUCH, EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED! I MAY NOT RESPOND BACK QUICKLY (AND I'M SORRY IF I DON'T) BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE IT!

/

"Go to bed. You'll need your rest for tomorrow."

Red.

Soft kisses.

Red.

Giggles.

Red.

A crash.

Red.

Someone hurt.

Red.

Madness.

Red.

Tears.

Red.

A smile.

Red.

Pain.

Red.

"Mom!"

Skull shot up in bed, the name of one he hadn't thought about in years past his lips before he could stop himself. His breathing was rapid, eyes dancing around the room for any sign of someone having been there. Of course, there was none. It was just a dream after all.

Breath hitched, the teen reached a hand up to his face, pulling back suddenly as he felt the wetness there. He stared at the moisture on his hand.

"I'm…crying?" he breathed. His brow furrowed.

Different images floated through his mind, head reeling from the memory fragments making themselves known once more. Never was it something full, something real. Only bits and pieces of one giant puzzle missing over half the needed parts. His mind pounded as he tried to line the clues up correctly. It was coming together, but ever so slowly. Only one thing stood out in his head clearly, the one thing not obscured by his own mind.

Red.

Different shades all blended together into a liquid form, some spots thin while others where thick and oozing out of nowhere. Red slid down the image of someone trapped behind his eyelids, staining floor and skin alike. It was splattered on walls that were once a cream color, gathered into puddles near furniture that used to be very nice. Red colored something sharp, something broken. Flecks of red landed under an eye, one shaded a nice lilac color not unlike-

Skull gasped as the soft clicking of his door knob twisting broke him out of his trance. When had he started to shake? Eyes dilated and wild snapped up to stare at his door, small bits of light seeping in from the hallway, just like it had when-

When what?

The familiar outline of a fedora should have reassured him, but Skull found himself trembling even more now, breath coming out in quick gasps as he hyperventilated. He didn't register exactly who it was, just that it was someone he knew.

The figure paused for a moment, the door closing behind him, causing Skull to tense up. Panic gripped at his heart, seizing it and making every beat echo throughout his ears.

Pictures flashed, faster now, dancing in front of his eyes, mixing in with reality-

And suddenly his ear was pressed against someone's chest, one hand on his back pulling him close, the other stroking his head.

"Breath," someone whispered. "Just breath."

Slowly, with the combined efforts of the hand in his hair and the heart pumping at a steady pace near his head, Skull's breathing returned to normal and the shivers died down. The wetness near his eyes had dried now, having no more tears to give.

The two stayed in that position long after his sobs had stopped wracking his body. The figure kept stroking his head and rubbing small circles on his back, relaxing the younger of the two. An eternity seemed to pass with the two sitting there in the dark, not a word said between them.

After what must've been hours, Skull, though unwilling, felt his eyes drifting close. The figure, sensing a change, gently leaned him flat onto the bed, never faltering in his soothing movements. After another ten minutes, Skull's breathing slowed and he fell asleep with someone close by his side.

/

When he woke up that morning, sunlight rousing him from a dreamless sleep, Skull told himself it was the panic attack that made his chest hurt, not the person he woke without that morning.

Why should it matter?

Reborn had always been a liar anyway.

/

If you didn't get that last part, I was implying that Skull remembered everything about that night with his mom and was upset Reborn didn't tell him about it. Super vague, yes.

I could have made it so Skull only thought he had dreamt the entire night, with Reborn not acting any different the next morning and making Skull think it was some weird dream, but I've always been a sucker for a good tragedy. Or anything where the ending wasn't quite as happy as it could've been.

And if I don't post again soon, Happy (early) Halloween and I hope your costumes are great!