FellPoth Short Stories and One-Shots

Silent Requiem: Chapter 2

Chapter Warnings: PTSD, panic attack, violence, blood (and marrow), injuries, swearing

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Lotus jumped when he heard a slamming noise in the living room. Recognizing the sound as the door colliding with the wall, the skeleton clutched the knife he had been cutting up vegetables with and crept to the doorway. Rurik was due home soon, so the wide-open door would be enough to-

Any plans he had ground to a halt at the sight of his boyfriend standing in the living room with blood splattered across his company uniform and bag. The skeleton was clutching his phone and knife with a wild look in his eye lights as his headphones were dangled hapharzardly around his neck.

"Rurik?" The skeleton called out, a sinking feeling settling in his bones as he took a step toward his partner. He had no idea how aware Rurik was right now, but hiding wouldn't help him figure it out.

*bang*

Rurik whipped around to face him, brandished the knife and shouting, "Stay back! Identify yourself! Friend or foe?!"

Lotus stopped in his tracks, recognizing the behavior from past episodes. Rurik was likely having one of his flashbacks, so the best option was to make him feel safe until he could calm down. Taking a deep breath, the monster slowly crouched to set the kitchen knife on the ground; he kicked it away and turned his palms out while replying in the steadiest voice he could muster, "I'm a friend."

The knife shook in Rurik's hand as he pocketed his phone, "... Who are you? What battalion are you from? Who's your commander?" Lotus's mind went blank; those questions had never come up before and his boyfriend never really spoke about their stint in the military, so he had no clue about any battalions or commanders. What was he supposed to say; should he try to bluff and hope for the best or would that rile them up further?

The pause didn't go unnoticed, earning a frantic snarl, "Answer me!"

Putting his hands in front of him in a placating gesture, Lotus decided honesty would be the best choice, "I'm not part of a battalion, I'm a civilian... I'm Lo-"

*Crack*

Rurik's expression hardened, "There shouldn't be civilians here... you must be lying. You're an enemy... a spy or something."

Air caught in the smaller's throat as he countered, "I'm not an enemy! Lis-"

"LIES!" the skeleton screamed, shoving Lotus up against the wall of the living room and pressing the knife to his neck, "Where are my allies?!"

Lotus took ragged breaths as his mind raced. The bloodstains on the Rurik's clothing indicated he had already attacked someone, though the wince when he shoved the smaller against the wall suggested some of it belonged to him as well.

Closing his sockets to remove the shining metal from his peripheral vision, Lotus tried to assert as calmly as he could, "I am your ally; I'm your roommate and boyfriend. You're at home in the living room of the house we share together. You're hallucinating and hurt, but I can help you; all you have to do is-"

*Boom*

The knife pressed in and Lotus felt something trickle down his neck, "Stop lying and answer my question!"

"I'm not lying," Lotus gasped, failing to keep the tremors from his voice, "Let me help you, please."

Opening his sockets, he willed himself to stare into Rurik's glazed stars in a silent plea despite the tears welling up; the action seemed to garner some leniency as the taller monster drew their knife back slightly, but still kept it poised, "And how would you help me?"