Those Who Dream of Freedom (Scaramouche x fem!reader)

Chapter 14 ☆ You can't run away from the past

☆ y/n

Scaramouche starts feeling better after five days. I've been stopping by every day to make him something to eat. After the night it rained, I got the idea to give him the tea Zoe brought me. At one point I saw her around town, and because she asked me where I was going every day since Scaramouche was still sick, I told her I was going to his house.

Yesterday I didn't spend so much time with him since when I went to his place, I found him standing up, making his own tea and muttering some swear words while testing the water temperature and seeing that it was either too cold or too hot. I tried to help him, but he wasn't very grateful, saying he could handle it himself. After that I stopped trying to offer my help and let him do everything on his own.

Today I want to ask him if we can get back to work. He'd have no reason to refuse, since he's already recovered, but with him you never know. The Try-outs are equally important to both of us, or at least I want to think so.

I'm on my way to his house, thinking hard about what I should tell him. Obviously, I shouldn't have to try so hard to find the right words, but yesterday he seemed a little cranky and I don't want everything to take a nasty turn. As I'm thinking of the best way to broach this subject I see a tall, orange-haired guy who instantly catches my eye. Who is he? Like Scaramouche, I've never seen him before. He walked past me so fast that if he hadn't stepped aside he might have bumped into me. Another new person in this town where everyone knows everyone, but at least he doesn't give me a bad impression right off the bat. I appreciate that he looked where he was going, even if he seemed to be in a hurry.

I realize I'm staring at his back, but I can't move my gaze. A lot of new people are showing up lately. Did he come to town for the festival? But it's a little early for that. Everyone who attends the festival usually comes a day or two early.

Where is he rushing off to? Is something burning? He seems to be going in the same direction as me, which gives me an uneasy feeling. My instinct tells me something's off and I should run, but I ignore it. It's just a new person who's come to town. Sure, it's weird that they showed up shortly after each other, but after all, no one is forbidding them from moving here. Did he come to visit someone? Maybe his girlfriend lives in town. Could be a plausible explanation. I walk behind him all the way until we get close to Scaramouche's house.

Turns out I was right, he did come to visit someone, but not his girlfriend. The moment I turn the corner, I see the tall guy opening the door and walking in as if he were at home. But that's what I find even weirder. I didn't think anyone knew Scaramouche. Could he be a friend of his? But why didn't he come to see him when he was sick? Maybe he didn't know? But if they're good friends, I'd think they'd keep in touch somehow. Maybe he's a family member? Maybe a cousin. They don't look anything like brothers to me. I'm trying to come up with a good explanation for his appearance, but anyway Scaramouche never mentioned his family or any friends, so I have no starting point.

I approach the door, but I don't go in. Instead, I choose to eavesdrop a little.

"You've become so weak since we last saw each other," says the tall boy.

I don't doubt that he's the one who spoke, since I recognize Scaramouche's voice. After a few moments I hear a thud and then something sticking into a wall. The tall boy exclaims in fright:

"Hey, be careful when you use those! You might actually kill me at some point!"

"What are you doing here?" Scaramouche asks with anger in his voice. "How do you know where I live?"

"They sent me to watch you. What kind of watcher would I be if I didn't even know where you live?"

"I know what I'm doing, I don't need a babysitter. Go back to where you came from."