Lucas liked to think he'd outgrown his past (of course, he was proven wrong every Christmas when he was practically forced back to Tazmily Village).
Except somewhere deep down, he knew he hadn't, and probably never would.
Most times, it was relatively easy to hide it- except when he had to fight on New Pork City(and he'd convinced himself Master Hand hadn't replaced it because he was trying to force him to overcome it) and when it was time to go to sleep.
It wasn't the room itself (though if he were being honest, the room he shared with Ness at the Smash mansion affected him less than the room he and Cla- that special person- used to share back home). It was more the darkness of it- it was too similar to the darkness of the caves beneath New Pork City, and the doorknob Ness had accidentally broken off and kept around "just in case" gleamed in what little moonlight shone in, only making the image more real.
Early mornings- around three or four in the morning- were especially bad, because he could hear the birds outside chirping even though he couldn't see them, just like at the hot spring in that cave.
And it was even worse when it was close to Christmas, because that was when the memories of not only Clause but also their mother Hinawa were the strongest.
Maybe if Ness had known about Lucas's past before all this, he wouldn't've been so surprised when Lucas woke him up the night before they were supposed to leave with a nightmare.
But he didn't know, and so he was surprised, and it'd been ages since he'd had to comfort anyone after a nightmare. So no one could fault him in taking a minute( or two or three) to recognize what was happening. And even then, this wasn't like the nightmares Tracy had, when she'd innocently and intentionally wake him with a soft, scared sniffle.
Lucas was sobbing loudly (and boy wasn't Ness thankful for the soundproof walls now) and calling out PSI attacks he'd never heard of before.
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It was Claus.
It was Claus under that helmet, and it was Claus attacking him, shooting lightning at him- at dad and Boney and Kumatora and Duster and he had to make him see!
"PK Love Y!"
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Lucas tried PK Love Y!
But nothing happened...
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And then the helmet was off and Claus was coming towards him and he was smiling but it felt wrong but his brother was smiling!
And then Claus took Lucas's wrist and forced his palm to his chest and-
"Lucas. Lucas. Ba-bump. Ba-bump. See how my heart beats Lucas? It beats for you Lucas. It beats only for Lucas because Lucas is-" static.
"Lucas. Lucas. Do you see it now, Lucas? I love you Lucas."
-But this wasn't right this was wrong there was a patch of strange mushrooms and they were on Tanetane Island but everyone else was still dead unconscious and-
The fake Claus was holding him now, not just his wrist now but him and he couldn't break free couldn't escape no Claus stop please you're hurting me-
"I love you Lucas. Lucas. Lucas I love you. Lucas. Lucas. Lucas don't you dare ever leave me again Lucas don't ever leave me or I'll die again Lucas and I love you Lucas so don't kill me again Lucas or Lucas I'll kill you too and we'll be together forever and-"
God no Claus I'm sorry I never meant for it to happen I'm sorry I'm so sorry so sorry so sorry so sorry Claus please please forgive me Claus please let me go Claus please I-
"PK Love Y!"
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Lucas tried PK Love Y!
But nothing happened…
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And then The Masked Man Claus held him even closer and it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts-
And then Hinawa was there, smiling and warm and safe and happy and-
"Lucas...Lucas...my baby...my sweet son...you must wake up now..."
And then she was gone and there was dark and cold and pain and blood and death and the Seventh Needle and the Dark Dragon and then everything was shaking and the dragon was calling out to him and-
Dark blue eyes stared down at him.
Blue. Not green.
Not Claus's eyes.
Ness's eyes.
Ness...
Ness...
Oh god- Ness!
Lucas sat up quickly, forcing Ness to step back from where he'd been hovering over the side of the bed, and clutched his blanket in his fists.
"S-Sorry for waking you up, Ness," he said tensely.
Ness just smiled and shrugged his shoulders. "It's okay Lucas. We all have bad dreams at some point."
There was a moment of silence as both boys tried to figure out what to do next. Lucas looked out the window (a thin shaft of grey dawn shone through) and then at the clock (it was seven thirty in the morning).
"So...do you wanna talk about it?" Ness asked after it became clear Lucas wasn't going to offer on his own.
Lucas shook his head.
"No, but...I think, if it wouldn't be too much trouble...I want you to spend this Christmas at my house."
Ness nodded his head. "Okay."
Mom and Tracy would be annoyed at him at first, but they'd get over it once they learned it was to help Lucas.