(Y/N) POV:

-"He got shot.

-"WHAT?!"

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You stared, horrified, at the faces of your friends. He got... shot? You looked down at their injuries. It didn't touch anything vital directly, but the blood loss was getting too concerning, it was a wonder they were still conscious, and you didn't even mention how excruciating the pain must be.

Slowly, shock faded and was replaced by tormenting sadness and desperation. You had crouched down to them and your hands were now just hovering over them, not knowing what to do. 'What can I do? They're losing so much blood...' You bit your lip, trying not to cry out of frustration. You knew that, right now, they were looking up to you.

And yet, you felt yourself completely useless under their gaze. Obviously you never got yourself in such a situation before! And the few first-aid techniques you knew weren't for actual bullet injuries from World War One! You breathed in and teared apart some piece of your shirt and pressed it against Berthold's major wound on his leg. Again, you didn't know what you were doing and were just re-acting things you saw in movies.

-"I'm... I'm so sorry..." Your voice broke as you closed your eyes tightly. The knots inside your stomach were so tight, you couldn't breathe, you felt like you were suffocating. Your eyelids kept fluttering not to slip any tear.

-"I'm so sorry I wasn't there..." You continued and opened your eyes to meet their gaze. Their eyes were so kind... How could they be so kind to you when you had failed them? Christoph gently tugged at your sleeve.

-"Don't worry (Y/N)... Just think of it like a bad dream..." He told you, making your eyes widen. At first you just wanted to hit him because how in the fridge can you think of it as a bad dream when they're literally dying. But then you thought more about it. 'A dream? Yes...that's all it is...just a bad dream...my dream...Surely I can control it right? Can't people control their lucid dreams?' As you thought about it, you felt your fingertips tingle, and somehow you knew what to do, yet didn't know what would happen.

-"Guys take my hand." You commanded. They both blinked at your sudden change of mood.

-"Wha-" Berthold started but you cut him off, there was no time to lose when they could die any moment.

-"Now." Christoph didn't hesitate and took your hand, a hopeful smile on his lips. You were their angel right? You had a way to save them. You hoped he was right. Berthold was reluctant on doing so but gave in, knowing there was no point on delaying since the only other option was to die in silence.

As you held both of their hands tightly, you closed your eyes. -You had no idea what you were doing, but hey, it was what anime characters do. Maybe with the power of friendship and rainbows in your hands- okay seriously as you did so, you felt this tingle again in your fingertips. 'Please please please...!!'

Then, you felt your hands warm up and heard the two men gasp. You opened your eyes and almost let go of their hands in shock. Where your hands were gripping theirs, a soft light was glowing, as if you had hidden a lightbulb behind your knuckles.

-"What the..." Berthold muttered in shock. Christoph was watching in awe, but Berthold's wide eyes showed more fear than admiration. You didn't have an answer to give him on what's happening, but deducted you were at least doing something. You furrowed your eyebrows as you focused and soon the light grew and grew, blinding you three.

As your vision was fully blinded by the warm light, you instinctively closed your eyes. Your hands also felt numb, and so your last normally working sense was your hearing, which soon became unavailable as well by Berthold's screams.

"AHHHH!!! WHAT THE HECK IS THAT?!!" Honestly you would have been concerned if that wasn't for the fact that his voice exceeded the most high pitch you ever heard and so, was hard to take seriously. 'We should start saying «scream like Berthold» instead of «screaming like a girl».' You thought to yourself.

-"I KNEW IT! I KNEW YOU WERE A DEMON SENT DOWN HERE TO KILL US" 'Wut'. Sometimes it's better not to question things, in particular if it's Berthold saying it.

After a while you started feeling your hands again, the tingle and the light dimmed until everything stopped. You noticed that you were breathing a bit heavily, it seems whatever you did had a toll on you. But what exactly did you do?

You hesitantly looked at your friends, who both were in a state of shock. Berthold's expression was particularly comical, looking at you like you had grown another head, and honestly you didn't blame him. You had no idea about what you just did.

Christoph was the first to move, his hand shakily went to feel his bloody clothes, which covered where his injuries were. As he felt the area, his face grew even more shocked and a few incoherent words escaped him. Berthold (who had calmed down a little) and you shared a confused look. You approached Christoph, looking concerned.

-"Christoph? Are you okay....? Does this hurt?" You asked stupidly. Does this hurt? Of course it hurts idiot! He was fricking bleeding to death a few seconds ago!

-"N-no..." Christoph mumbles, still in a state of shock. His hand still vaguely moving over his blood-stained clothes. You gently retrieved his hand so he couldn't infect his injuries any more.

-"No what? You're not okay? Don't worry, I'm sure I can call a nurse in time-"

"It doesn't hurt." Christoph stated suddenly, making you blink in surprise.

-"What?"

-"My injuries...they don't hurt anymore..." Christoph gasped out. For a moment you didn't believe it, but Berthold's yelp from behind made you reconsider.

-"AH- He's right!!" He exclaimed, feeling his own clothes. You looked back at him as he wiped the excess blood. No injuries on sight.

-"Seriously?! And you only notice now?!"

-"Well EXCUSE ME if I was more afraid on what you were doing! I thought you were gonna kill us!"

-"But why the HECK Would you think that??!"

-"I panicked okay?! You're seriously weird as fuck!-"

-"GUYS SHUT UP!" Christoph suddenly shouted as he was now standing on his two legs. You and Berthold immediately stopped speaking, glancing at him in shock. Soon enough, Christoph's cheeks flushed in embarrassment and he rubbed his neck.

-"Sorry...kinda lost myself there..." He mumbles sheepishly. You chuckled a bit, still a bit overwhelmed by everything that just happened. Berthold was mostly quiet as he looked at Christoph. It must be his first time in months to see his friend well and standing.

You looked down at your hands. It was a great, great relief that you were able to save them, but how exactly did you do it? What were those powers thingy? Is this the actual thing that happens when people try to control their lucid dreams? You had never heard of it. It felt so real, too real to your liking. Yet again, what didn't feel real in this dream world?

-"I... I have no words to thank you enough, (Y/N)..." Berthold sighed as he looked down at himself, still feeling dizzy from the fact he didn't feel any of his injuries anymore. That he was completely healed. That's it. Berthold was a believer now. Christoph was still in the same bewildered state, but he was smiling, his eyes were shining so much it was as if he had stars in them.

-"I knew you were a blessing, (Y/N). A true angel sent to save us!" He grinned, the same fascination from the first time he saw you back in his eyes. It was now your turn to be embarrassed.

-"Ah... Please don't say that. I still have no idea how I did it." You told him, waving your hands around, but Christoph didn't give up. He shook his head vehemently.

-"Even if you're not aware of how you did it, it's still a blatant testimony of your holy descending!" He insisted with such fervor you almost believed it. However, you felt too tired to argue further. That healing power on both of them really knocked you out. Christoph noticed it and offered you a hand.

How ironic, he was now the one helping you up when he was the one the most injured for so long. You still took his hand as he lifted you up, but instead of letting you go he hugged you tightly. Berthold raised an eyebrow, questioning the interaction.

-"Thank you....thank you so much... It's the second time you saved me from death. To give me another chance to return to my family. I'm... We owe you so much..." Christoph's voice was slightly muffled as he hid his head in your shoulder. His body was shaking slightly, as he was (badly) repressing sobs. He then pulled back, smiling as he wiped his tears.

-"I'm sure my daughter will love you. I'll introduce you to her and my wife. After I'm first introduced to my own daughter, of course!" He laughed heartedly, his relief and happiness making yourself smile. Despite having never met his daughter yet, you could tell Christoph was going to be one of the best fathers ever.

Someone clearing his throat made you look behind your shoulder to see Berthold standing there, mildly annoyed.

-"You finished? Shall I remind you we're still in trenches which are gonna collapse any moment?" Berthold spoke, his words destroying the mood of delusional safety which surrounded you all. You looked blankly at him yet he didn't seem to regret it. You couldn't argue that he was wrong. The trenches were still being attacked. Even though now you three were in a blocked passage, there was no saying someone wouldn't come at you.

As if on cue, you heard the sounds of multiple soldiers running around, approaching the opening to the breach you three were in. You, Christoph and Berthold held your breath as you saw four people behind the crumbled walls of the trench. How ironic would it be to die right after healing your friends? 'Shut up, Mind.' You reprimanded yourself.

-"HELLO!?? IS SOMEONE THERE?!" A voice which was somewhat familiar to you spoke through the debris. Christoph and Berthold relaxed, they seemed to recognise the voice too. You still saw Berthold mumble a little 'not them...' while rolling his eyes but he didn't seem too defensive.

Through the trench's crumbled remains you saw not french but german uniforms. A head suddenly peeked out of the debris and you recognised one of the German soldiers you met two chapters ago 'Wait- what, chapters?' The soldier grinned at the sight of you and shouted behind his shoulder.

-"I FOUND THEM!" He yelled excitedly, making you and your two friends behind you wince at the sound. Some blood was splattered on his cheek, and that didn't look like it was his. You shivered slightly at the memory of his obvious eagerness to kill 'Frenchies'. It seemed he took his goal at heart...

-"Great! Now can you stop YELLING please? You're gonna make us turn into skewers!" A fellow voice replied, clearly annoyed. Christoph just blinked in confusion and sheepishness as he felt out of place, alongside with you, while Berthold was grumbling like usual. As the debris were quickly pushed aside, you recognised the same group of four soldiers which helped you earlier (and also almost shot you but that's behind the point) emerge one after the other, relief on each of their faces as they caught sight of you.

-"(Y/N)!" You were suddenly engulfed into another hug. Why were you hugged so much today? You looked and saw it was the young soldier -you should really ask for their names- who told you of Berthold's location. You smiled, seeing that he had succeeded in disobeying orders to be here.

-"Hey, there, Little Guy." You said, remembering how you had called him. You noticed that the German Empire's flag on his cheek was way dimmer than before. Actually, everyone in the newly formed group had a dimmer flag mark. As you observed the others, you saw that Berthold was standing aside from the group. You raised an eyebrow and looked at Christoph.

-"What's up with him?" You asked Christoph while Little Guy moved away from the hug to restrain his killing-french-addict friend from running back in the trench to investigate the slightest sound. Christoph shrugged.

-"He doesn't really have a ...good relationship with other soldiers." He told you in a way which was clearly an understatement. The oldest of the squad(who you soon learned to be called Hans), a man in his thirties with dark grey hair approached you.

-"Maybe he would have a better bond with his fellow soldiers if he didn't look for trouble all the time." Hans snarled, glaring at Berthold with crossed arms. Berthold gladly glared back at him.

-"What exactly did I do to you personally?" Berthold asked in annoyance yet his voice showed how little he truly cared.

-"You kept stealing the little food I had when I was at my lowest so I couldn't fight back!" Hans exclaimed in frustration. Berthold just stared back blankly.

-"You weren't the only one, don't think you're special." As the bickering exaggerated, you and Christoph threw a look around in concern in the meantime. Aside from your little group, there was silence. Too silent for it to be good during a trench invasion. Christoph kept standing a bit in front of you, making sure he could always protect you in case something happened.

-"SHIT! THE FRENCH ARE HERE! MOVE ON, MOVE ON!" Little Guy and his friend came in running, the sudden tension slightly disorienting but Christoph was one of the first to react, quickly taking your hand as he started to run out of the trench.

-"GO, GO, GO!" Berthold quickly followed, the others suite. Now the whole squad was speeding through the narrow trenches, trying to reach the remaining of the German army. As you all ran, you threw a glance behind your shoulder, to the trenches you were quickly departing from.

The trenches were the only place you've come to know since those strange dreams. Running away from them felt like a page was turning, another chapter beginning. It was all so confusing, but you knew that,

You weren't waking up any time soon.

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✧⁠◝⁠(Author's note)⁠◜⁠✧

• Uhm...hi? (PLEASE DON'T YELL AT ME) I'M SORRY FOR BEING SO LATE IN UPDATES RAHHH

•Soon guys, soon and school will finally be over and I won't have to worry about exams 😭😭🙏🙏

•ALSO, I'm contemplating re-update an old story of mine (on my ch oc's, not a reader insert), that I previously deleted but now I want to bring it back, without necessarily rewriting it...idk

•PS: (Very) late happy birthday gift pookie ❤️