Second verse, same as the first: I have the other prompts listed on my tumblr (you'll probably find a link to this fic on there - artificervaldi), so if you see any that catch your eye for taibani characters lemme know! No promises but knowing what strikes people helps me decide. Kotetsu, Barnaby, and Yuri tend to be who I write the most but any character is okay lol
Barnaby's fingers dig into the dirt as he forces himself to turn over. Lunatic stands over him, the blood red moon behind him making it impossible to make out his mask. Barnaby flinches as he tries to sit up.
His suit has been destroyed, the entire front shredded. Tiger lays nearby, unconscious, unable to do anything.
He tries to pull himself up - tries to keep fighting. Lunatic bears down on him, sitting on him and pushing him down. He grunts, tries to push him away, but he's out of energy. Hundred Power is still charging, he's fought to the point of breathlessness…
He falls onto his back again. Lunatic chuckles. He holds out a finger, blue-green flames licking against it. Barnaby feels bile in his throat, but he knows he can't fight back. He doesn't have it in him anymore.
Lunatic brings his finger down, burning into his skin. The pain makes Barnaby scream - flames burrowing into his skin. He hates fire - hates flames. He thrashes, but it's to no avail. It's too late to try.
A crescent moon is seared into his skin, carved by a gentle finger and angry flames. He screams and cries, prays Tiger will take up and save him. That anyone will save him from this.
"You and I are the same," Lunatic says, pulling his hand away. "And you will never forget that."
Barnaby sits up in bed, sweat pouring down his face. He breathes heavily, trying to push the dream out of his mind. That didn't happen, it wasn't real. He tells himself that over and over as he stumbles out of bed and into his bathroom.
He splashes cold water onto his face, eyes closed for a moment. Then, he lifts up his shirt, trying to keep his breathing steady. There's no marks on his chest, no crescent moon carved into his skin.
Letting out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. That's right, it was just a nightmare. A residual fear after everything that's happened. After Justice Day and everything he and Kotetsu had been through.
He leaves the room and turns off the light. The words from the nightmare grip him, even as he walks away knowing it was all fake. You and I are alike.
Like Lunatic… The idea makes him sick. Why did that have to be put in his head? He tries to push it away. Tries not to make the connection again and again every time he thinks about Justice Day.
Lunatic helping Andrew and the other NEXT hurt. Andrew thinking Barnaby could understand (and if he had been as he was before he would have). The link that gives them - they could both understand. The only difference was Kotetsu.
Kotetsu, who made Barnaby see things differently. He wonders if it wasn't for him, would he have let Andrew kill Schneider? Would he have understood Lunatic's choice to kill those he finds sinners?
Would he have felt grateful for Maverick's death at his hands?
He curls back into his bed; forces the thoughts away. He just needs to sleep it off, he'll be fine after that. The nightmare can't last forever, won't last forever. He closes his eyes and prays for a kind dream.
"Hey, Bunny, are you okay?" The question is sudden, and Barnaby isn't ready for it.
He tells himself he was fine after last night. He didn't dream after that nightmare, but that was enough. As long as the nightmare didn't repeat he would be okay. That's what he tells himself over and over as he looks at Kotetsu.
"I'm alright, just a bit tired," he smiles at his partner. "What's with you and worrying?"
"I dunno, you just seemed out of it," Kotetsu says, throwing his hands up a bit defensively. "But if you're okay, you're okay. No harm no foul, right?"
Barnaby sighs, but really he can't be upset at Kotetsu for noticing. "I guess not."
Kotetsu grins, and Barnaby smiles back at him. For now, the nightmare feels like a distant memory. Usually, Kotetsu's badgering can be annoying, but right now? Maybe he wouldn't mind a little more of it.
The blue-green flames, the feeling of them ripping through his chest. Lunatic staring down at him. Reminding him they're the same - that they'll always be the same, no matter how hard Barnaby tries to change. His own scream in his ears, Tiger not coming to them - not able to come to them.
Barnaby sits up in bed again and wants to scream, but that could disturb his neighbors.
The nightmare has been coming back every night for a week, and he has a feeling it won't stop now.
He goes to the bathroom again, washes his face in cold water, and looks at his chest. The brand from the dream is never there.
It feels like one day he'll wake up and it will be, though. He scratches at the area and grumbles. It hurts, even though there's nothing there.
He traces the shape left in his dream and grits his teeth. Just the same as Lunatic. A crescent moon like the one on the back of his cape, of his suit. Carved into his chest for the world to see. A permanent reminder.
He digs his nails into the area as if trying to appease the part of his brain that won't let this nightmare go. That continues to make this connection, no matter what he tries. It hurts, but he continues to dig them in.
When he pulls them away, the marks don't look anything like a crescent moon, but he supposes that's what he wants. Wants to make the spot unrecognizable to even himself, so the dream can't use it anymore.
He leaves the room, lights off, and considers it more as he picks at the spot.
"Oh, Mr. Petrov, to what do we owe the honor?" Barnaby asks, nice and pleasant, as he tries to go about his training.
Yuri Petrov, a judge under the Justice Bureau who had taken the spot left by Maverick and then Schneider, was more common these days but still rare to see around. Especially in the training facilities of Justice Tower.
"Wild Tiger asked me to speak with you, actually," he says, tone oh-so-casual for something that makes Barnaby's stomach do a little flip. "He says he's concerned and asked me to see if there's anything we can do for you."
Given Mr. Petrov seems to be a bit of a space case, based on past events Barnaby's born witness to, he's not sure he's quite happy about this. Why did Kotetsu have to go get him involved of all people? Then again, maybe it was for the best it was someone who'd probably barely register what he said.
"I've just been having some nightmares, nothing anyone else should be too worried about," he says with a smile. "Thank you for the concern, though."
"Nightmares?" Mr. Petrov raises an eyebrow.
"About Lunatic," he admits. "Nothing too serious, just some worries about him manifesting in a dream."
"Well, he hasn't shown himself since Justice Day, it's understandable to be concerned about what his next move will be," Mr. Petrov says, thankfully not catching on to the truth of the matter. "If they start to concern you, though, feel free to talk to me. The Justice Bureau will be happy to supply you with anything you need to feel better."
"Thank you, sir," Barnaby says, with no intention of following up on that offer.
"Bunny, what happened to your chest?" The question is sudden and makes Barnaby flinch. "Did something happen?"
"I guess I've been picking at it," Barnaby says honestly.
"Why?" Kotetsu asks, worry clear in his voice and face. "Is it the nightmares? Judge Petrov told me you've been having bad dreams about Lunatic but I didn't think-"
"He told you that?" Barnaby asks, cutting him off.
Kotetsu nods. "He said since I was the worried party I deserved to know what was going on. Bunny…"
"It's nothing to worry about," Barnaby says. "Just some bad dreams, they'll pass eventually."
"You know, when Kaede has nightmares, she tells my mom about them," Kotetsu says. "I used to do the same, too. Apparently getting it off your chest helps you move on from whatever's got you stuck quicker."
"If that's your attempt at subtly getting me to talk, it's not working," Barnaby replies.
"Then I'll just come out and say it. Talk to me, Bunny," Kotetsu places a gentle hand on his shoulder. "I'm not gonna tease you for having nightmares - you can trust me."
Barnaby grits his teeth; tries to find a way out of this. But if he's being honest? He wants to talk, wants to tell Kotetsu everything. He's tired of carrying this kind of pain alone - he doesn't have to now. He has Kotetsu.
"The dream is always the same, you're unconscious and I can't fight anymore. Lunatic… brands me, with a crescent moon," he grimaces, and Kotetsu says nothing. "A brand to remind me we're the same, no matter what I do."
"Well, that's a load of crap!" Kotetsu says with a huff. "You and that Lunatic idiot being the same? No way!"
"Maybe not anymore," Barnaby closes his eyes, forcing out a shaky breath. "But before… When all I wanted was revenge…"
"You've changed since then," Kotetsu squeezes his shoulder. "Unless Lunatic's turning over a new leaf like you did, you're nothing like him. Not anymore."
Barnaby places a hand over Kotetsu's and looks at him. "You really think that?"
"I know that," Kotetsu puffs out his chest. "If he wants the two of you to be alike, he better be changing for the better! Otherwise, he's got nothing on you! Hell, even if he does change he's got nothing on you!"
"Now you're just trying to make me laugh," Barnaby says, a smile on his lips.
"Maybe," Kotetsu says. "Maybe that's what you need."
"Thanks, Kotetsu," Barnaby lets out a small chuckle. "I think you might be right."