Insincere - Sequel to "Heartfelt" (Bunnymund x Reader)

Chapter 27

It didn't take more than an hour for Phaedrus to return. "Come on, dear. We must get together with your brother." 

"I... I don't wanna see him. Not now." 

"Hear that, Aiden?" Phaedrus asked. Aiden appeared next to Phaedrus. He was crying, but it looked like he'd been crying before you'd said that. 

"A-Aiden, I-I didn't mean..." 

"It's okay," he whispered, wiping tears from his eyes. 

You pursed your lips and looked down. Phaedrus put his hand on your shoulder, but you shrugged it off. "Fine, Phaedrus. Let's talk about whatever the hell you want." You waved your hand in front of you, opening a large pillar. It was easier now. Whether you were well-rested or more powerful now, you couldn't be sure, but you were pretty sure it was a combination of both. 

You landed in a big room, with no furniture other than a large throne against one wall. There was a long green carpet that led up to the throne, and two chandeliers made from with glowing orbs and leaves. The two men stumbled backwards from the impact that the teleportation pillar had left on them. You moved forward and slumped down into the giant chair, feeling exhausted from the very presence of the people rather than the use of magic. You couldn't bring yourself to look at either of them standing in from of you. 

"Look at all of us, a big happy family," Phaedrus cooed, righting himself. 

You felt it. Deep down, you wanted to give in. The surface level that you'd maintained for so long wouldn't let you chance to anything less than pure, but now you wanted to dive into it, explore what you felt - or rather, didn't feel. Everything was drained, and you longed to feel something - anything - once more. More than anything, you wanted to let the darkness overtake you.

"What do you want?" you asked rhetorically.

Phaedrus replied, "I think you know." 

You found that your head jumped, and you didn't know if it was from excitement or dread. "The darkness... You want me to give into it." 

He simply smiled. 

Yes, you thought, But... No. I won't do it for him. Still, you found yourself unsure. "N... No."

You wanted to be consumed by that ice, to be filled with the blackness that came with the villainous tendencies. You wanted - needed - something to make you feel alive. This could be it. But how many people would get hurt if you did? And at the same time, it was only a matter of time before Phaedrus's power would grow stronger than yours. Soon you wouldn't be able to protect the Guardians. You needed the darkness for more than your own satisfaction - you needed to be ready to take care of them. But you still second-guessed yourself; was it possible that you were only making justifications? 

"We're not getting any younger, dear," Phaedrus said.

"You're immortal." 

"Aiden is not." 

He liked to remind you of that. Everything was so back-and-forth - in your mind, with the Guardians, with Phaedrus. Over it all, however, you were consumed with a burning hatred, a fire that you only dreamed of unleashing upon the older man who claimed to be your family. When he looked at you, you felt uncomfortable. Violated. 

You wanted to cease to exist. 

"We're... Waiting on you, (Y/N)," Aiden said. 

He was scared. He'd been stuck here, in this awful exchange of magic and language and feathers. His eyes were wide, deep brown, too innocent for someone like Phaedrus. You felt the need to protect him, no matter what his age. 

"That's right, dear." Phaedrus put his hand on Aiden's shoulder, and Aiden flinched. "Waiting." 

Phaedrus knew you would break, knew you wanted to. He wanted you to fall into that state of darkness that he and Pitch both had. A "legacy", he'd called it - following your family tree. 

I can get to Bunnymund, Phaedrus whispered into your mind. 

It was all around you, that voice. Everywhere, all the time. Sleep didn't exist, right-mindedness didn't exist. He was always there. Whispering, watching...

Waiting. 

Think of him. Powerless without those boomerangs, the ones that you stole. 

Those boomerangs gave you more power, strength that you thought you weren't capable of. It felt so good, like a painless high that would never end. 

You stood. "Okay." 

It was slow at first. A warmth began at your ankles and snaked its way up your legs, through your stomach and down your arms. It made you feel like you were glowing, but when you looked down you radiated an aura of dark forest green and heavy grey tones. It flew into your chest and attacked your heart, turning a pure thing bitter and dark. This was it, the darkness you'd longed to give in to. 

"Yes..." Phaedrus whispered. 

"No..." Aiden breathed. 

You felt it, plunging deeper and deeper into everything you were and drawing you into the state of power that would only be unleashed through the transformation. It was refreshing, a taste of something awe-inspiring in the midst of turmoil. 

"You've done it, my dear," Phaedrus said. "You've unleashed your full potential." 

"(Y/N), wait!" Aiden cried. 

"It can't be undone, my son," Phaedrus replied. "It's destiny." 

"Don't be ridiculous," you snapped. "I don't believe in destiny." 

Phaedrus laughed darkly and reached for you, but the twirling auras deflected his touch. He moved away from you as you started across the room. Aiden followed, but at a hesitant pace. You turned around and stared at him. 

"Don't follow me," you said. 

It felt like there was violent wind inside of you, making you mystified but strong nonetheless. You couldn't hurt Aiden, and you could only hope that you wouldn't hurt anyone else. 

"May I put the plan in action now, dear?" Phaedrus called. 

You didn't know what he was talking about. You thought the plan was to get you to turn dark. But suddenly, you didn't care. The darkness made you blaze with a newfound excitement. There it was, the thrill. Let me use it, you thought, knowing there was a heavy greed behind it. The level of how much you cared for anything but power had flatlined. 

"Sure. Fine. Whatever." 

You waved yourself out of the room (as a simple wave was now all it took to open a pillar around you) and came to a rest in the forest outside the castle. Your emotions were back to nothing, binding you in a cocoon of self. For once, all you needed to worry about was yourself. It was exhilarating.