𝓕ᵃᵗʰᵉʳ'ˢ 𝓟ᵉʳᶠᵉᶜᵗ 𝓛ⁱᵗᵗˡᵉ 𝓖ⁱʳˡ

V | II

★・・・★

CHAPTER — II
part five

YOU RAN, your steps loud in the stillness of the night. Your head was swimming in giddiness at the thought of Yuuji and Maki—who you now considered your friends—, but also in confusion as you thought about Megumi and Nobara.

You suddenly tripped on a stone and fell forward, your knees hitting the ground. You groaned in pain, as you gently caressed on your knees, in hopes of soothing the pain. You knees felt sticky and hot in a way that told you you were bleeding, quite a bit.

You let out a sigh, and stood up on shaky legs, when you heard a voice,

"Little lamb," you looked up to find Father Fushiguro in front of you, and your body froze, before it suddenly felt like it was lit on fire. There was was still enough distance between you and him for you not to feel to threatened, although you could still feel his presence, demanding and pressuring you to cower before him, and like the hunted prey you were, you shrunk under his gaze. You didn't know how you hadn't noticed him earlier, he seemed to always catch you off guard. "Did you get lost ?" he asked, making of you and a part of you felt indignant. It was impossible to get lost, you were still in the vicinity of the church, you could even still faintly see the building. The little house right to it, too. You also heard Yuuji laughed, in the distance.

You had desperately tried to find something smart and witty to retort, but you had never been especially spontaneous, "I-uh, no, just, coats."

He didn't point out how inarticulate you were, instead, his eyes shift to your knees and you saw, despite the darkness, his nose flare and his eyes shine with something indescribable. "I see, coats." He nodded, "how about your knees, do they hurt ?"

They did, only a faint pain, but still. He shifted to come in your direction and you immediately tensed, body erupting in cold sweat. Somehow the entire situation felt very wrong, it felt too similar to your dream, and too real this time. You unknowingly tried to grasp your crucifix in reassurance, only to notice that you'd left it at home.

Father Fushiguro stopped moving, "I'll take care of them for you, Pretty, come here." He opted for coaxing you into his arms and you drank up his words. You feet moved with a mind of their own, the sound of their steps still so loud in the night. You couldn't hear Yuuji giggling in the distance anymore.

"Your mother dressed you up like a forbidden fruit." He whispered, however you heard him clearly, "Bows and frills ? Fits a pretty thing like you."

Your body betrayed you and reacted in a way so unfitting of your own image of yourself that you took a step back. Heart hammering in your chest, you peeked up at him with a look that was meant to be menacing. "No." You said through gritted teeth.

"No to what, lamb ?" His deep voice resonated, making your shiver.

Liquid fear was running through your veins, something felt very very wrong. The situation felt much too familiar, and you wondered if your dream hadn't been some sort of warning. A warning to stay away from such a depraved father that read shocking books in broad daylight for everyone to see.

"T-to everything."

Father Fushiguro clicked his tongue, "Still scared, aren't you, little one ?" He shook his head, but you could clearly see his pearly white teeth glistening as he grinned, amused. In fact, his entire body seemed to be glowing. "It's because you're not letting go, sweetheart," he explained nicely, in a tone that a parent would take to teach simple concept to their child, it was demeaning and condescending. "If you let go, I promise you'll wake up on your bed, in your little bedroom, like usual."

You couldn't believe it, but it all made sense, in a way, "W-what ?" You stuttered, "Y-you were the one..." your vision was glossy with tears, you took a step back. You thought about the time you'd woken up gasping and shaking after having a nightmare, and you felt someone's eyes on you, heavy and frightening. This was the same of kind terror and fright you were feeling, you couldn't be mistaken.

"No no no," he cooed, chuckling, "Princess, don't you see I'm trying to be nice here."

You heard his words resonate inside your head, and you closed your eyes, trying to shut him out.

"You simply cannot walk around my territory smelling so deliciously." His voice felt closer and louder than before, you open your eyes.

You gasped, craning your neck as you meet his red eyes. You had wondered a few times why it was that he always looked so surreal, so different and you now realized that it was because he was something else entirely, a creature made of darkness that lived and moved in the shadow and that fed itself from other's fear. He was dangerous, and for the first time you clearly realized that.

Your hands shook, "W-why ?" You stammered, you couldn't stop the tears from sliding down your cheeks as you felt overcome with defeat. Deep down, you knew there was nothing to be done, it was too late, you were stuck and alone in the lion's den.

"Because, you're my special girl." He hummed, before bringing an icy finger to your cheek, swiping away your tears, "Now, baby, close your eyes for me, and everything will be okay."

How could you trust him ? Your entire body was shivering in fear at his simple touch, you looked at him with big, confused eyes and he smiled, it was chilling.

"You want the fear to go away don't you ?" He quipped in a gravely voice, and you did, you wanted the fear to go away so badly. "Then close your eyes for me, pretty, it'll go away, everything will go away."

You fluttered your eyes close, unconvinced.

"Let go." He ordered and you did, suddenly, he was carrying you in his arms, bridal-style. While you knew you should've reacted you didn't. In fact, you barely registered what was happening, barely remembered who he was and who you were, happily sinking into nothingness, your mind blissfully shut.

★・・・★

😩 my favorite moment of the story is coming