A/N: If you're wondering why this story was marked with some trigger warnings when there wasn't any rape scenes, it's because I felt some people might consider what Endo did non-consensual.
Thank you to everyone who commented on this story. I know it's different, so the fact that you came and read it, means a lot.
When Dreams are Realities
Dendy Week 2022
Ending
Have you ever had a dream so vivid you swore it was real? Your alarm clock goes off, you get out of bed, go through your routine, start your day only to hear your alarm go off and realize you just dreamed you started your day? There's this irritation that floods you because you went through all the steps already, and your body already feels like it did all that work. But that's not true; you've been in bed the entire time.
What about days where you have dejavu? A moment in which you know you've experienced, but haven't really, and your brain says 'hey, we dreamed about exactly this.'
Dreams can be mistaken for reality. It's happened to many people. They swore an incident happened, only to be told it didn't happen at all. For instance, my sister's friend said she went to her uncle's wedding, and the night before while she was asleep on the couch, she peed. She was mortified. She said she turned the cushion over and went straight to the bathroom to clean herself. She hadn't told anyone because she was so embarrassed. Last year she finally told her mom the story, and her mother told her: "we never went to their wedding, we couldn't go because the tickets were too expensive." But Tessa was adamant. She remembers everything so sharply, the wetness, the shame, the cleaning. Yet, the fact remained: none of them went to the wedding.
And in essence, that is what Endo Mamoru Chiba did, on a wider scale. It wasn't one or two people he'd made believe something that didn't happen, happened. He made an entire town, everyone who'd ever had contact or knowledge of Motoki Furuhata and Usagi Tsukino, believe that there had never been a romantic relationship between the two.
He'd created a dream so vivid that it convinced the population he and Usagi had always been together; he did it because he loved her, loved her with such an ardor it was terrifying.
The day Endo disappeared, so had the constructed-history of Mamoru and Usagi. Nothing had necessarily changed, the farcical love story of Chiba and Tsukino did not interfere with anyone's life, other than Motoki's.
Things had not settled the way the arcade manager would have liked. Although Endo was gone, there was a distance that had appeared between him and Usagi. A divide that had not been there before. There were things that had happened; things that needed to be discussed, but no matter how delicately Motoki had tried to broach the subject, she shut down and withdrew.
How can two people move forward if they don't address what's shackling them in place?
It wasn't just emotional manacles, there were physical ones too- the physical intimacy type, and those handcuffs weren't the fun kind either. Numerous times they'd be kissing, touching with his hands running down her waist to the skin of her thighs. She'd moan, he'd moan; their hands would continue to roam, but the moment he went too close to her sex, she clamed up. She'd become rigid, and though she told him to "go ahead" Motoki wasn't about to force her. If she didn't want to, then he'd respect that and wait until she was.
Aside from the obstacles between him and his girlfriend, Motoki was also suffering from lack of sleep. He was too scared. At night he'd stay up, staring at the ceiling, imagining the different ways Mamoru could manipulate his dreams into nightmares.
No longer able to drift off, he took sleeping aids to get him down. He was thankful the drugs were strong enough to knock him out to a dreamless state, but then again perhaps he did dream, but just didn't remember when he woke.
[I]I[I]I[I]I[I]
Motoki hauled the last box into the apartment.
"That's it!" he smiled at Usagi. She looked up from the cardboard box she was digging through and returned the grin.
"Finally!" She stood up and brushed her pants. "I think that's the one with my clock!" She rushed over and ripped it open. "Yay!" She brought the Hello Kitty object to her chest. "I thought I'd lost you forever." She kissed the cat's bow.
It had taken all day to get her things from the storage to their apartment. Mamoru, although a telekinetic dream god (or demon, Motoki wasn't sure), could not make tangible things disappear. At some point, while Usagi was on vacation, Endo removed almost all evidence of her and Motoki's relationship. Almost all, as Usa had informed him that she'd found a photo in Mamoru's office and her lipstick in their apartment.
"Now I can redecorate!" she cried ecstatically.
"Now you can decorate." He kissed her on the cheek. "I'm gonna shower." As Motoki walked past her, he noticed her keychain on the couch. It still had- "is that Mamoru's house key?" His green eyes flickered up from the keys. "Why do you still have it?"
"I…forgot I still had it," she responded softly. She was lying, he could hear it in the way spoke, how she held her head. He could accept her answer, say alright and then go about the rest of the day. It was understandable she'd hide the truth. But for some reason, he couldn't seem to let it go.
"You're lying." He waited for her to speak. When she didn't he continued, "Why won't you just leave it back at that place?" His eyes went back to the keys. "If you can't go back there" -he reached out toward the couch "I'll take it." He was stopped midway by her shriek. "No!"
Motoki was frozen mid way. His hand out and body leaning forward. There it was. The thing she wouldn't come out and say. He knew why she still had it and it hurt.
"Fine," he snapped angrily.
"Toki-"
"Don't." He turned his back to her. "Don't lie to me." When he reached the bathroom he slammed the door.
Usagi stood in their tiny living room, the cat in her hand, staring down at the faded carpet. She lied to Motoki; she wasn't sure why. Motoki knew what she was going through, he wouldn't have been angry if she told him the truth: she hadn't found the strength to go to the house yet; that it was painful for her. Instead she lied.
She placed the clock back into the box and grabbed her keys. It was rare that she made Motoki angry. So when he was angry, she knew she'd messed up. She took a deep breath and left the house, she'd leave the key at the house and be done with it.
There was still light out when she reached home…not home, she reminded herself. Endo's home. She debated on leaving the key in his mailbox. However, if she did, it would chance someone finding it and using it to get in. No, she'd go in, leave it at the dining table, lock the door behind her and go. It would take less than a minute.
It took more than a minute.
She didn't anticipate how strong the feelings would be. They hit her as soon as she walked past the threshold. It grew with each step she took inside.
When she got to the dining table she held the key, still attached to the key ring, intending to slide it off and place it on the counter. But her hands refused to do what they needed. They ached in protest. She let out a shaky breath. She couldn't.
Instead, she placed it back in her purse. It would be best if she left. But, once again her body and mind were at a disconnect. It took her to their bedroom. Their sheets were still tangled and unmade, the way they'd left it that morning.
The food they'd bought was probably still in the fridge, spoiled. It'd been a month already. She'd have to clean it out. She couldn't just leave it. No…she couldn't return the key just yet. Once she finished cleaning out the kitchen she'd leave it. After, when everything was done. After.
[I]I[I]I[I]I[I]
The Azubu-Juban business fair had gone on much longer than Motoki had anticipated. He told Usagi that it would be no more than three hours tops. How was he supposed to know that would be the one day all the business colleges would be attending? Last year there'd been a few hundred. But they didn't all arrive at the same time. They had trickled in and out. And they certainly did not wander around the whole hall.
There were over a hundred business stands. All of them were organized by type so that people could easily find the businesses that interested them most. A majority of the time the fair brought in young students who were looking for employment. A minority of them were entrepreneurs hoping to discuss with veterans the ins and outs of running a company.
Today however there were over a thousand attendees. Several universities had even provided transportation. Why a business college over four hours away would come baffled him. He called Usagi after the first hour, realizing he wouldn't make it to dinner.
"Toki-chan!"
"Hey," he said, smiling into the phone.
"Mako-chan said that we can get the chef's table if we want. Did you want to?" He felt his stomach drop. He hated giving her bad news.
"I'm really sorry, Usa, but I can't. The fair is way busier than I thought it'd be. There are over a hundred people in here. All here…at the same time."
"Oh well…that's okay." The disappointment in her voice was palpable. They hadn't gone on a 'date' date for three weeks. "We can go next week."
"I'm really sorry. I feel so bad." He ran his fingers through his hair. "Maybe I can get Unazuki to come and man the booth…" he pondered aloud.
"No." Her voice was soft, a little tired. "She's been exhausted with her university classes. Last week she fell asleep in class. Her thesis is taking a lot out of her."
"I really do want to spend time with you" -sighing- "I should've gotten dad to do this." He wanted to hit his head against a wall. Unfortunately there wasn't one near, as the Crown and Fruit Parlor booth was in the middle of the hall. "I'm so so sorry."
"It's okay," Usagi's voice gained confidence. "We have the rest of our lives anyway."
"True," he chuckled.
After the whole "My best friend is a supernatural being" thing, their relationship had taken a sharp turn. It wasn't as easy as it was before. They didn't fit the same way. It took a lot of talking and a lot of give and take for them to get through it. But they had, and they were stronger for it.
"Sure are!" she laughed. He felt a sudden rush of warmth; his heart growing twice it's size filling up with affection.
"I love you Usa-chan." And he meant it; he meant it with every fiber of his being, inside and out.
"Love you too."
[I]I[I]I[I]I[I]
The direct road from the hall to Motoki's apartment was closed, forcing him to detour near the forest area. He never drove there, the lanes were extremely narrow, there were few streetlights, and there were sharp turns that were difficult to see around.
He was nearing the halfway mark when he was blinded.
His faded yellow four door sedan was twirling in the air. One, two, three times before it landed, and then spun: one, two, before stopping. It took a while for Motoki to process what happened. One moment he was driving and the next he saw bright lights. Blinking several times he realized that he'd been hit.
He swiped at his head and was thankful that there wasn't any blood. He needed to get out, get help.
"Hey there best friend," Mamoru's head popped up outside the passenger side window.
"Endo?"
"How's it hanging?" The raven haired man let out a small chuckle. "Get it? Hanging? Because you're upside down?"
"Are you… here to kill me?"
"Of course not!" Mamoru looked genuinely offended. But his voice carried an air of sarcasm. "Why would I kill my best friend? You're supposed to protect the ones you love."
"I'm sure the love you have for me" he struggled to get his seatbelt undone "has long since disappeared."
Endo didn't respond right away. Instead there hung silence. Not that Motoki noticed, as he was focused on finding something to cut him out.
"You're wrong." The way his former friend sounded made Motoki pause. He turned his head to see part of Endo's back. The man was now sitting down on the wet soil. "I love you very much." -he took a deep breath in -"For a very long time you were the one I loved the most. The only person I considered a true friend." -Mamoru's voice was low and deep- "Perhaps that is why I love her," he wondered aloud. "Because you love her." Once again, Endo lapsed into silence and Motoki resumed his fight to escape.
"No," Chiba stated suddenly. "I love her because I love her."
"You mean" -he was becoming tired- "you had to think about it?"
"Well," his former friend's face came into view, albeit blurry to his green eyes. "It never occurred to me there could be a correlation between your love for her and mine," he defended.
"Why are you here?" Motoki asked. With all the blood that was rushed to his head he was beginning to feel woozy.
"I already told you," Mamoru's tone changed once more, it was lighter; Motoki thought he could hear a smile. "You and Usako are so similar, you never hear me. I am here because I love you." -Everything was becoming a big blob of dark colors - "I want to be here in your last moments." Endo's apathetic tone had returned.
"I'm dying?" Motoki whispered.
"Yes."
"Did you… kill me?"
"Not me per say. But the man who hit you, that man I killed. Scared him to death, he had a heart attack right there; crashed into you." Motoki thought of Usagi, if she was still home. If she was still disappointed in him. "I was thinking of saving you" Mamoru informed him, but his voice didn't carry any empathy, "but your legs are already crushed, and your sternum 's been pierced by the tree." Motoki didn't even know he'd been run through. Hadn't even felt it. "So, it wouldn't make a difference if I helped you get out. You'd die either way." He paused. "Unless... you want me to get you out?" The way he asked sounded as if it hadn't ever occurred to him that Motoki might want help. "So you don't die hanging upside down."
"Please."
"It'll be painful. The branch, your legs."
"I know."
"I can't help you with the pain. I don't have the ability."
"Please."
Mamoru stood up and at the same time the car lifted off the ground. The seatbelt that Motoki hadn't been able to unlock was undone, and his body moved without instruction from his brain. In a few seconds, Motoki was outside the car wreck, laying down on the ground beside Mamoru.
He could feel the air now, and the pain he didn't feel when he was crushed in the car, came in like a tidal wave. It was excruciating; he screamed. He could feel his shattered bones, the torn muscles. He should've stayed in the car.
"I don't mean to sound callous" Endo's voice, although low, still cut through Motoki's screams. "But you're screaming is annoying." The sobs broke through, and the blood from his internal injuries began draining from his mouth.
"Motoki-kun," Endo had started talking again. "Remember when we were twelve and we both saw a shooting star from your parents roof?" -the bleeding man only cried in response- "You know what I wished for? A game boy. You know the old school ones? I didn't get one. What about you?" The blonde man could not form words let alone hear what Mamoru was saying. "No? Still a secret?" he shrugged. "Alright then. What about that time we snuck alcohol into the attack and your parents caught us? That was fun, seeing as we were so drunk we couldn't even process what was happening."
"Mamoru, please?" Motoki finally spoke, he coughed and the blood splattered out, leaving droplets on his nose and chin.. "Please kill me. It can't handle the pain."
"Mmmm, sorry buddy, I can't do that. Usako would never forgive me."
"Don't tell her!"
"Even if I don't tell her, there's a chance she'll ask-"
"LIE!" -he shouted- "Please Endo."
"Not to her."
"Please, end this pain. You said you loved me once."
"I do." He bent down and brushed back Motoki's hair. "I'd have killed you myself if I knew she'd forgive me." -Motoki continued to weep, even as Mamoru kissed his forehead- "I wouldn't have gone through all this trouble. But we both know Usako. She wouldn't." -the blood was pooling in his mouth and the snot from his nose made it difficult to breath- "I wish I didn't have to make it a car accident though. Sorry about that. If you died any other way…she'd know it was me."
Motoki screamed as the wind blew again, amplifying his pain. "You know what I can do? I make you fall asleep, a sleep deep enough you won't feel the pain. Would you like that?"
"Yes," he cried, snot dripping into his mouth- "yes, please, please."
"Done."
[I]I[I]I[I]I[I]
How Usagi made it four months without Motoki she didn't know. It felt like she was moving through thick and heavy mud. Everyday she'd roll over to his empty side of the bed and place her hand on his pillow. Her friends had urged her to start clearing out his side of the closet, to pack up the tangible memories in their home. But she couldn't. She wouldn't.
She sighed into the night, her breath turning into a visible cloud. Makoto had pushed her to come out with the girls; have fun. It wasn't fun. All she wanted to do was go back to her apartment and lay in bed.
The girls had taken her to a mixer. She was angry about it. How could they think she'd ever want to date anyone? When she realized where they'd taken her she snapped. She bore into everyone.
"This isn't for you Usagi-chan," interrupted Rei.
It turned out Ami's boyfriend was the bartender and he'd invited them. He finished around ten. They didn't know about the event.
Usagi's shoulders collapsed inwards, embarrassed. Her tirade however hadn't ruined the night. Everyone was having a good time, everyone but her because she didn't want to be there. She wanted Motoki, but Motoki was gone. So she excused herself.
It was cold. And yet, despite her skin protesting the cold, she didn't feel it. Like her heart, her body felt numb.
Suddenly there was a weight on her shoulders, followed immediately by warmth. A jacket.
"You shouldn't be out by yourself." That voice, it sent a chill down her spine. "It's dangerous."
Slowly she turned, her heart threatening to beat out of her chest. Goosebumps erupted over her body that had nothing to do with the cold temperature.
"Ma-mo-chan?" He smiled.
"Did you miss me?"
And they live happily ever after! hahaha. Well, obviously it won't be immediately after. She's still scared of the guy, he did manipulate an entire town and make her think she was crazy. But you know Dendy, he's very, very, persistent, patient, and sexy! lol.
