Until It Hurts | Part 4 x reader

5

the subtle crunching of rocks being forced into the earth snapped (y/n) into high alert, dropping the rag they were using to clean off furniture with and replacing it with their bat.

disturbing tonios sensitive ears was a series of soft, yet clearly panicked knocks at the door, which with natures help, was bound to crumble into splinters soon. hoping their dear lover would cease their cries of distress, they bolted to the door, believing that the person they saw the other day had come to pay a visit.

surprisingly, they were correct.

"oh, its you!" they gasped, feeling an unknown emotion bubble in their chest. could it have been relief, that they were ok? or shock, since they weren't dead yet?

the young girl that had been peeking through the windows just the other day, was now standing at the front door-- clothes tattered and somewhat stained with mud, even a stray leave finding its way between the loose thread in her supposedly comfortable bomber jacket.

"i really wasn't dreaming-! there's another living, breathing person here!" the stranger cheered, almost collapsing from relief. "i thought id die all alone out here!"

"wow, you're not from around here, are you?"

"no, is that a bad thing?"

"no, certainly not! i was simply curious, thats all. you didn't look like it anyway." (y/n) backed up from the door, gesturing for the girl to come inside. "go ahead and make yourself at home. it isn't much, but its what keeps me warm at night."

the floorboards groaned beneath the girls feet with ominous welcome, her shiny black hair shown to be twisted in knots the moment her back fully faced (y/n)s. "wait- I've completely lost my manners! what's your name, Miss/Mister/Mx?"

"oh! its just (y/n), you can drop the formalities!" they laughed, pulling out a chair for their guest. "and you are...?"

"shizuka. Shizuka joestar."

"what a lovely name for such a pretty person! y'know, tonio always went on and on about how the outside world is in nothing but shambles and that everyone else was really dead... though i guess he was wrong!"

shizuka's face stretched widely as a bright smile rose onto her white face, her trembling hands wringing each other out with excitement. "oh? there is someone else with you?! this is a miracle! i also started thinking that no one was left!"

(y/n) stretched their arms above their head, their yawn breaking the small smile they had. "ahah, i understand. we may very well be the only three people left, though."

"thats alright. beats being alone any time."

a curious thing shizuka was, analyzing each corner of the cabin the best she could through the large black sunglasses that sat on her nose. there was nothing interesting to look at, just a few cobwebs dancing in the wind, and a stray splinter of wood breaking off the wall.
"can i... stay with you guys? im low on everything, and to be frank, im a bit scared."

(y/n) tucked their head into their hand, thinking things through the best they could on the spot. "hmm, well.. why not, if tonio agrees. come, i'll introduce you to him."

the young girl looked rather surprised, her back immediately straightening out as a new, hopeful expression took hold of her pretty little face. however, her grateful demeanor soon dropped to a confused one when (y/n) approached the closet not too far from where she sat, even jumping when she heard chains rattle from inside the tight space.

"tonio! i told you we weren't the only ones left! that'll teach you to be gloomy all the time, silly."

from her seat, shizuka could barely make out the end of a bed frame, thinking that perhaps the two loners hadn't enough space for the both of them in the house--leaving this 'tonio' guy to bunk in a closet. "h-hello, sorry for bothering you both."

(y/n) took shizuka by the hand after sprinting back to her side, leading her to the small room with a smile. "its fine, just dont be too loud."

with the knowledge that there was no one else left to trust on this damned island of the dead, she patiently waited for her host to open the door to the room and allow her inside, though the sight of a rotting man tied up in chains made her stop in her tracks.

her body wanted to throw up everything she had eaten earlier that morning, bile swimming up her throat in a mass before being swallowed back down. "wh-what the hell!"

"what's wrong?"(y/n) asked with worry, clearly oblivious to her source of fear as they attempted to calm the girl.

"is-is that a...!" shizuka, rightfully frightened by the sight before her, shot backward when tonio rustled in his restraints, the girl screeching in horror. "its still moving! get away from it!"

"what is your problem, kid?"

"ill go get a weapon, or something! just dont let it hurt you!"

"i dont... understand." (y/n) huffed, turning to the foaming tonio and staring down at his body with disappointment. "i thought you could become friends, tonio. after all, you're the one who always wanted friends, not me..."

shizuka trembled in the corner, shuffling toward the exit of the closet with a face that showed how badly she fretted for her life. "...th-that thing!"

"hes not a thing! how rude of you!" (y/n) snapped, scowling at the girl. "i didn't invite you here so you could insult my precious love!"

"i-i... im sorry, just dont hurt me!"

"hurt you? i have no interest in that-"

the clinking of rusted chains shook the room, a displeased groan rumbling in tonios chest and overpowering the sound. immediately dropping their interest in shizuka, (y/n) ran their hand over his thigh with a comforting expression, eyebrows furrowed. "i know, i know. were being too loud for your little ears. please forgive us."

they turned to look at shizuka once more, their mood entirely shifted. "keep it down, will you? he doesn't like loud sounds or voices."

her hands balled into fists, the terrified expression on her face only growing worse as she struggled to stay cool. "n-no, i... im leaving!"

"weren't you scared of what's out there?" (y/n) hummed, tilting their head.

"this is worse! way worse!"

the same floorboards that greeted the young girl, bid farewell as she sprinted towards the door, shizuka swinging it open with all of her strength before disappearing from sight-- leaving (y/n) and tonio alone in the quiet house.

(y/n) couldn't quite seem to grasp what shizuka was so afraid of, staring mindlessly at the door before softly speaking to their friend.
"ah, you see, im still bad at socializing. next time, you do the talking!"

an empty hum came in response, which either meant that he acknowledged their words, or that he was just hungry.

and by listening to his stomach growl, (y/n) assumed the latter.