This story is based off the title of the story 'Dark' by anniepear, although it isn't related to it at all. It's a great story, I really recommend checking it out. Also, Puck and Sabrina are ridiculously out-of-character sorry about that, but who doesn't like it when they are? Anyway, thanks for reading, I hope you enjoy.
Dark
The problem with the dark is that you can't see in it. And that disorientates some people, because they lack a grasp of the situation. Sabrina has no idea what's happening. And she can't plan. She can't think. The darkness closes in on her. There's a tight clenching in her throat. The drip of water. The scuttle of an insect. She rasps out a gasp, as cold constricting air floods her lungs. She cannot see. And it terrifies her.
There's a click. Bright light floods the room, and strong arms surround her. She doesn't even notice the tears on her face, until a warm nose nuzzles into her neck, and she feels cool liquid slip down onto it.
"You alright, Grimm? We managed to fix the cables" a male voice asks, concern hidden beneath its tone.
She breathes, and leans back into his hold. "Yeah I'm fine." Turning, she looked up at the blonde man standing behind her. His normally grinning face is frowning, and the mischievous glint in his eyes has been replaced with worry.
"I knew we shouldn't have sent you in here," he mumbled into her hair, pulling her close, "you're still scared."
"I'm not" she insisted, pulling back a little as if to prove she was ok. "I was just a little nervous."
He snorted, and looked at her. "Yeah right," he said "you were freaking out. Crying around and everything. Now come on, let's get out of here. Marshmallow can finish searching" And before she could object further he slipped his arms around her and flew off, out of the small little crime scene that smelled of blood.
...
She was in her room, unwinding while reading an old journal, when there was a quiet knock on her door. Peering up curiously, it opens, and Granny Relda walks in.
"Hello, liebling" she says, smiling warmly.
"Hey, Granny" she replies, setting down the book for another time.
"Puck told me about this morning," she starts, "and I'm a little worried for you"
Sighing, Sabrina ran a hand through her hair "Its fine, Granny, honestly. It's nothing major."
"He said you were crying."
"Yeah well..." she tailed off, unsure of what to say "Look I can handle it alright?"
"Well regardless, I do not wish to put you in such a situation again. You are not to go investigating without at least Puck or Daphne with you. The risks are too great."
Sabrina flinched. Granny was starting to sound like her parents, treating her like a little kid. "I'm not five, Granny! I was a little scared! No big deal! Yes I may be a little bit afraid of the dark but so what? Everyone's got something they don't like!" She calmed down, after her sudden outburst, and her head dropped, panting.
"Well..." Granny hesitated "I suppose you are old enough to make your own choices. Alright fine you can continue mystery searching like normal. But, I want Puck to take you on some sessions with coping in the dark."
"What? But I don't need them!"
"It's either that, or no more searching. Your choice, liebling," she said sternly.
Grumbling, Sabrina bit back the slew of curse words in her throat. "Fine," she spat out "I'll take the stupid lessons."
"Thank you liebling. Now wash up, it's time for dinner."
...
To be quite frank, Puck was probably one of the better choices for helping Sabrina. He was close enough to her that he could comfort her if she needed it, but fast enough that he could reach her in time if something happened.
The only problem was that Puck was more the 'throw-you-in-the-deep-end' kind of teacher. He wasn't like Snow, who was more compassionate and understanding and more suited towards helping someone like Daphne get over a fear. No, Puck's first lesson was shoving Sabrina into an unlit room and waiting to see how long she would last. Needless to say she was not pleased.
And that was where the trouble was.
...
She knew Puck was just outside the door. She knew that the room was empty, that there was nothing creeping around beside her. She told herself that constantly, as she stood quietly in the centre of the dark space.
And yet, cold thoughts continued to swirl in her head, and she felt the alien feeling of fear build inside her. She closed her eyes, but was disconcerted to find no difference in vision, and slumped onto the ground. You're weak she told herself It's just the dark. There's nothing there. Why are you so scared? But no matter what she said, the lack of sight unnerved her.
It got under her skin, her defenses, pooling around the cracks and bends of her psyche. It horrified her, and finally she felt tears slip down, and she cried. They slid down her cheeks, and a weak sob escaped her lips, and Puck flew from the table he had been observing from, transforming quickly in the air, to her side.
Whispering into her ear, he held her face in his hands, kissing her softly, over and over again. He clicked his fingers and magic orbs on the ceilings glowed to life, and he returned his attention to her, as the tears slowly subsided. "It's ok it's ok it's ok," he said soothingly, rubbing her back 'I won't do it again, I'll think of another way, we'll start off slower. Don't cry, please don't cry, I hate it when you cry..."
Finally, she composed herself, and punched him, hard. Wincing and rubbing his sore arm he helped her up and they walked out, Sabrina muttering loudly at the insensitive stupidity of her boyfriend.
...
The next time she entered that room, he went in with her. Holding her hand, despite her adamant protests that she wasn't a six year old crossing the street, they stepped in together, the door creaking ominously shut behind them. The last window of light disappears as the orbs die down, and he hears a quiet hiss, and her fingers tighten.
He squeezes her hand, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles gently, signalling to her that he's there. She relaxes slightly, but the muscles in her forearm remain taut, and finally they begin to tense harder, harder, harder, as the sense of panic builds inside her, despite his constant movement.
Eventually she can take it no more and, following his arm, she falls into his welcoming embrace, as the beautiful sound of clicking fingers reverberate around the room, and the lights return. They are able to leave much sooner then, and as she exits she sees the stopwatch counting away. She had managed to stay twice as long as she did last time.
...
He continues to go with her, for a few more times after that. Every time the door swings close and the lights fade he hears her start slightly, without fail, but slowly she begins to recover faster. He hears her breathing steady out, although there are always slight spikes, and once even believes he can hear her foot tapping impatiently, his headstrong girlfriend beginning to emerge in the dark.
Many minutes pass, long, drawn-out, and above all boring, until Puck's attention span finally wears thin and he snaps his fingers, the time ending. He looks over and sees her looking vacantly at him, not a flicker of panic on her features. He smiles at her, and she smiles back, and he knows he's almost done, that she's almost over it.
...
The next time she enters alone, not even with Puck staying nearby in fly-form. He has an ear pressed to the door though, and the stopwatch between his fingers, as he waits and listens agitatedly.
She does not panic. She is nervous, of course, but she is not panicking. Her ears remain attentive, checking for any sudden sounds, but they do not scare her, and she does not , she files them away, estimating their sources, cataloguing them away in her detective mind. Her hands remain calmly by her side, loose and flexible, but liable to attack if anything startles her.
She is, as always, on her guard, and God help whoever tries to fight her now. Her senses are sharper now, heightened by the dark, hackles rising and instincts awake, and the fear in her is somewhat diminished, diluted slightly by the burning fire within her. She is not at ease in the dark, but she is certainly alert, and for now, that's all she needs.
...
To celebrate her overcoming of her fear, Puck decides to take her out to dinner.
Without light.
She must eat without seeing, converse without seeing, and attempt to have a good time, without seeing.
He thinks its a brilliant idea, and quite fitting. She does not, but goes along with it anyway, when she sees the hopeful grin on his face. It doesn't go that bad, actually. Feeling around for her french fries was quite a hassle, and there was no chance she was refilling her milkshake without a torch at least, but there is something oddly refreshing about not being able to see him.
She can feel his warm leg pressed up against under the table, and hear his voice, so she isn't scared, but she begins to develop a deeper appreciation for sound, and the way he talks. The hidden smile within his tone, the light easy way in which he speaks, even the smooth transition of letters and words, from vowel to consonant and consonant to vowel, verb to adverb to adjective to noun, and all the way back again. She feels herself falling in love with him a second time, the sharp tang of salt on her tongue as she chews her food, and he suddenly drops his burger and swoops her up.
Laughing he kisses her, long and hard, for reasons she does not know but does not care about either, as she is caught up in the moment. He tastes like condiments, like mustard and barbecue sauce and whatever else he happened to be eating, but there is something else, something sweet. Apples, maybe? He pulls away slightly and smiles against her lips, chuckling.
Pecking her on the nose he pulls her closer, and she presses her nose into his shoulder, breathing in his scent. He took a shower before, and she can smell the soap he used, and the cologne he put on afterwards. But beneath that artificial sweetness is something earthier, more muddy. He smells like dirt, and rain, and snow, and wood, and it smells so much like him. It is undoubtedly him, and she loves it, and she loves him, and somehow the fact that she can't see has reminded her of the fact.
She kisses his temple as they remain hovering there, curled up tightly in each other's arms, as the darkness swirls around them, poking, touching, but never hurting. Not then, not ever. Not while they're with each other.
This one was a bit more difficult to write, and the ending may seem a little weird, but I hope you enjoyed it anyway. Review with any comments or thoughts on this story, and thanks for reading.