#oth! au

It was bedtime aboard Hat and Bow’s ship, and what appears to seem like a quiet night didn’t seem like it to Hat Kid, who was moving around in her sleep. Almost like she was having a nightmare.

Hat Kid’s Nightmare:

Hat was walking along Subcon Forest near the area where Queen Vanessa’s manor was. She didn’t know why she was walking there. Was Snatcher in trouble? A Time Piece? Or was she being hypnotized to come towards the queen’s manor. She didn’t know? In fact she wanted to stop walking and head back to where it’s safe.

Soon enough something snapped her out of her thoughts. She heard the sound of a fight coming from the manor. Hat Kid ran towards the fight and gasped seeing who was fighting who. It was Snatcher against his ex-wife Vanessa, and the battle looked bloody.

Snatcher was covered in cuts as well as bleeding from his head, and Queen Vanessa didn’t have a scratch on her. Hat was getting scared, and wanted to help Snatcher, but something was preventing her from doing so.

“Its over, my Prince! Queen Vanessa shouted as she released a bunch of ice crystals surrounding the two one of them being right towards Snatcher’s body. Suddenly, Hat was able to move and she ran towards the ice rock barrier. However, before she could reach Snatcher an ice rock barricade her from doing so.

Hat Kid tried using her umbrella beam to break through the ice, but she couldn’t. “Snatcher! Snatcher!” Hat Kid cried. Snatcher and Vanessa heard the cries of the child trying to break free of the ice and rescuing her friend.

Queen Vanessa chuckled hearing the young child’s cries. “I see your little friend has arrived.”

Snatcher growled. “Don’t you dare TOUCH HER VEN!” He shouted.

Queen Vanessa laughed. “Who said I was going to touch her?” She asked. Snatcher’s eyes widen realizing what his ex-wife meant.

“N-NO!” Snatcher shouted.

From outside the wall, Hat Kid froze as she heard what sounded like someone getting impaled followed by choking noise. Soon the ice wall fell except for Queen Vanessa, who was now back in her human form except for her hand still having the black shadow. She turned to Hat Kid with an evil smirk, making the young girl step back from her.

However, that wasn’t the true horror. Hat Kid turned to the left of her, and covered her mouth to prevent her from screaming. There, lied Snatcher, dead once again, impaled by Queen Vanessa’s ice rock. Hat Kid walked slowly towards her BFF, Blood started to pool beneath her feet and some came from Snatcher’s mouth. His eyes were closed like he was resting, but he wasn’t.

“S-Snatcher?” Hat Kid whispered. No response. “Snatcher please get up!” She begged. Still no response. “Snatcher. L-let’s go back to Subcon! O-or the ship! W-we can help you.” Hat Kid begged hoping Snatcher was still alive and not dead for good. “P-please Snatcher.”

After begging, Hat Kid collapsed on the ground and sobbed. Her BFF was dead, and he was never coming back.

Hat Kid gasped waking up from her nightmare. She looked around her ship and sighed knowing it was all a dream. Hat Kid collapsed on her bed and looked up, she wasn’t getting anymore sleep after what she saw in her nightmare.

“Maybe I’ll grab a snack.” Hat Kid whispered to herself. She grabbed her crow agent plushie, put on her signature hat, and walked out of her room to the kitchen. Her ship was very quiet, and a bit spooky when the lights were off. Hat Kid wouldn’t be so scared, but after her nightmare she had become wary.

Nearing the kitchen, she heard a small noise making her jump. Hat Kid gulped and gathered all the courage she had before entering her kitchen. As she did, she saw a figure moving around the kitchen and putting something on the table. Hat Kid reached for the light and turned it on.

“Ah!” Snatcher screamed almost dropping his glass of milk.

“Ah!” Hat Kid screamed back. However, Hat Kid shook it off seeing it was only Snatcher. “Snatcher, what are you doing up?” She asked.

Snatcher sighed seeing it was only his BFF. “I should be asking the same thing.” He replied. Hat Kid sighed and turned away from the former ghost. Just looking at him brought back the nightmare she had. The ice, the blood, her cries repeated in her mind like a movie.

Hat Kid frowned and shook her head. “I-I just couldn’t sleep. Figured a snack could help me.” She told Snatcher.

Snatcher frowned knowing Hat Kid was keeping something from him. He could sense it. He knelled down to be at eye level towards the kid and put a hand on her shoulder. “Kiddo there’s something wrong. I can feel it.” He said.

“I-I don’t want to talk about it.” Hat Kid said looking away.

“Kiddo, please. You can tell me anything.” Snatcher replied giving a small smile.

Hat Kid sniffled and hugged Snatcher tight crying into his chest. The former ghost was surprised and held the child close to him and rubbing her back for comfort. As Hat Kid cried she tried to tell Snatcher what happened in her nightmare. “Y-you were fighting the evil Queen, and I-I tried to help, b-but sh-she k-killed.” Hat Kid stopped and started to cry harder on Snatcher’s chest.

Snatcher was shocked the poor girl had a nightmare about him. If he was still a ghost he wouldn’t care and just let the girl cry till she passed out. This was different; he needed to comfort the girl tell her its alright and it was just a night terror plaguing her dreams.

However, it truly wasn’t a dream. If Vanessa did invade Subcon while he was stuck like this he would need to fight his ex-wife and it would be a battle between life or death.

“Kiddo its just a dream. I promise you nothing will happen to me, even if I fight Vanessa.” Snatcher reassured. However, the kid still cried hugging Snatcher tighter. Snatcher sighed and continued the ease the girl of her sorrow. Now Snatcher needed to speak up why he was up as well. “You know kiddo, I-I had a nightmare myself.”

Hat Kid stopped crying and looked up at the former ghost. She sniffled and wiped the tears away from her eyes. “R-really?” She asked. Snatcher nodded. Hat Kid sniffled and hugged her plushie tighter. “A-are you lying?” She asked.

“No. Kiddo I’m not.” Snatcher answered back in a whisper. Hat Kid looked up at Snatcher eyes and closed her eyes too nodding slowly. He was telling the truth. Hat Kid sighed and hugged Snatcher again. Snatcher gave a small smile and hugged the young girl back, once again.

“Is that why your up?” Hat Kid asked, muffled as her face was covered by Snatcher’s shirt.

Snatcher nodded, “Yes.” He replied. “I remember a bit as a child, m-my parents would get me something to drink and a snack after having a nightmare or if I couldn’t sleep due to a bad storm or something.” He explained as he gently pulled the young child away. “That’s why I’m here.”

Hat Kid sniffled and wiped the last remaining tears from her eyes. “M-may I stay with you?” She asked.

Snatcher nodded he adored having some company after a nightmare, even if his company had a nightmare as well. “Of course.” Hat Kid gave a small smile and sat at the table, while Snatcher went over to the stove to make another hot milk for Hat Kid.

Once the hot milk was done, he poured the hot drink into a cup and gave it to Hat Kid. “Thanks.” Hat Kid whispered before blowing on the hot drink before drinking it. Hat Kid smiled enjoying the warm drink and drank some more as well as taking a cookie from the plate. Snatcher chuckled seeing the young girl cheer up. Soon he too drank his milk and had a cookie himself.

“Snatcher?” Hat Kid spoke up. “What was your nightmare?” Snatcher froze in the middle of drinking his milk. He didn’t want to think about the nightmare not at all. But, thanks to Hat he just had too and the worse part of it is, this nightmare involved her. Hat was confused and worried about Snatcher as she saw his expression change. “Snatcher?” She asked again.

Soon enough, Snatcher’s nightmare replayed in his head.

“I-It was our fight we had back when I was a ghost trying to steal your soul.” Snatcher started. He gulped, and continued with the story. “However, this was different. I-I was human again and our fight was pretty brutal. We were both hurt and bleeding, you were scared and crying and I just didn’t give a peck about you, I kept hurting you piece by piece then.” He gulped trying to hold back tears. “Y-you wouldn’t wake up.” He cried.

Hat Kid got out of her seat and ran to Snatcher giving him the third hug tonight. Snatcher stood their shocked, how could the kid still care for him after how he treated her when he was a ghost. He was surprised to meet a young girl or alien like Hat Kid that was so kind and caring. “Did I ever hurt you kiddo?” He asked in a whisper.

Hat Kid looked up at Snatcher and his answer surprised him. “Well, you didn’t really hurt me. I mean you did, but it wasn’t enough to harm me. I was tossed around by many bosses so I was used to it.” She explained giving a giggle.

Snatcher glared, he’d yell but forgot Bow was still asleep. “Why are you taking this like a joke?” He asked giving a low growl.

“I’m not joking around. I’m being honest. I don’t know what I did wrong to be treated as an enemy, but you, you truly didn’t hurt me I had fun in our fight that’s why,” she paused taking Snatcher’s hands in her’s, “I asked you to be my BFF, you’ve been a ghost for so many years that you must of not had a BFF in a long time, so what I’m here to say is your the best-est BFF I ever had!” She beamed.

That’s what warmed up Snatcher’s heart. This kid was the reason why he cared for so much. Even though he didn’t show it or mention it, he truly did care and regretted wanting her dead. Snatcher sniffled and hugged the girl once more and spin her around, making her giggle. “Thanks kiddo, your a sweet, sweet child that I ever met.”

“Thanks Snatcher.” Hat Kid replied.

“Anytime.” Snatcher replied giving a small chuckle. “I’m taking care of you and Bow, so I’m technically your parent, and parents help kids with problems.”

Hat Kid’s signature smug appeared. “So you are a dad to us.” She replied.

Snatcher stuttered, blushing hard. “N-no!” He denied. “I’m just saying technically, not legally!”

“Admit it. You want to adopt us and be our dad!” Hat Kid replied nudging him.

“N-no!” Snatcher snapped back. “I’m just a caretaker!”

Hat Kid chuckled, feeling 100% better after her nightmare. Her chuckles evolved into laughter, and soon Snatcher laughed as well. The two enjoyed each other’s company, laughing, joking, and just being with each other. Hat Kid was right, Snatcher did needed a BFF and he was glad it was her.

Hat Kid’s laughter evolved into a loud yawn, as her eyes started to open and close trying to keep herself awake. Snatcher smiled and yawned as well. “Come on kiddo, let’s get some sleep.” Hat Kid nodded as Snatcher carried her back to her room. Once back into the room he laid Hat Kid down and tucked her in. He put her plush next to her, and put the kid’s signature Hat right next to her bed.