Chasing Sugarplums [ Almond Cookie x Reader ] Human AU

13 || The House of Abandoned Secrets

A few miles east of Parfaedia Institute was an abandoned Three story house. By car it was only an hour away, and thanks to Almond's friend, it was only that long. The house isn't the only one of its kind here. Along the way, there were remnants of houses, littered across the land. Distant broken houses, and past distant neighbors.

"This is my childhood home." You say to Almond as you both walk up the decaying front porch. The front garden was overgrown, with grass up to your ankles. There were wooden sticks jammed into the ground, now slanting. A decaying proof of what was grown here. Tomatoes maybe. "No one could take care of it after my grandmother died, and I moved into the city."

Almond would nod, in thought. You could see his crystal blue eyes wander, taking in all that was your home. The roof was once a vibrant maroon, now faded and washed away by rain and sun. The walls, once a mahogany brown, rotting off and peeling, exposing the dirty white interior of the wood. The porch was painted white before but now it was dirty, moss climbing up from its base. The stone stairs have been overgrown with weeds.

"Your parents, they lived here too?" He breaks the silence.

"For a moment yes, until they died. I was only six.." You climb up the stairs, your feet stepping onto that lush bed of greenery. "Barely knew them so I coped pretty easily." You shrugged off the creeping grief. Though, it was true. You did barely know them and yet you were so unsure to why it still stung. Yet, you have prepared yourself for this very moment, in the car ride. You promised yourself that whatever you will find here, you will be strong. You will show no emotion or even shed a tear.

You tell yourself that you must be... desensitized. Disconnected. Think of it as an outside case, you sigh to yourself.

'You are the investigator. Not the victim.'

"How did they die, If I may ask?" Almond follows suit, until both of you now stood in front of the door. There was a screen door hanging open. It's top hinge already off the frame, leaving the screen door hanging onto its bottom hinge. Into the door frame was another door, closed off. This one is wooden, perhaps tinted with an orange hue. But you nor Almond couldn't tell, now that it has faded and infested with mold in between cracks.

"A fire." You blurted out. "The police said they were on a 'community' retreat when the venue burned down."

"I'm sorry to hear that, (Y/n)," There was sympathy in his voice. Yet you both knew that a 'sorry' didn't really do anything in this situation. You glance at him. Almond knew it wouldn't comfort you, but he tried anyway. You appreciated it still.

"My grandmother, she said it was no accident." You pause, "Now I'm starting to believe her."

"Why is that? What makes you think it was no accident?"

You purse your lips, hesitant to say your peace. You pry the door open, it wouldn't budge. A soft frustrated sigh leaves you, and you finally look at him again. "The fire that killed them, was the same as the fires in the city."

A dead silence drops. You and Almond lock eyes fro a brief moment. In that moment, the two of you seemed to share the same fear.

"We're here to find out if your parents are connected to the culprits." Almond had brought the fear to light now. You feel yourself quiver at the thought. This was what you have been dreading, even from the night before.

"And by some connection, maybe even me." You bit your lip and look down, hands on your waisted. A self sooth. "They said they wanted me. This is the only lead we have to figure out why."

Another moment of shared silence. You look around, to the road out in the distance with the small Honda Civic you and the detective used to get here. "And when we do figure out why, we can then figure out their motive and possibly clues on how to pinpoint their location."

Almond nods, and takes a step forward. You, on the other hand take a step back, already aware of what he will do.

Almond positions himself before the door. With a swift motion, Almond swings his leg, his foot kicking down the door in one try. It falls to the brick floor. The door knob shattering out of its place.

There was light, streaming into the living room, broken windows making way for the sun to leak in. Nature had began to claim the abandoned house. Plants grew through the floor. Runner plants climbed walls and posts. Even the joists had moss sprouting where the sun touches it.

"All of the furniture and other stuff was moved to my apartment." You and the detective now walk into the home, stepping over broken bricks and broken glass. "But there was one place I didn't touch. Out of respect for my grandmother's wishes."

Almond looks to you, a slight twinge in his leg from the kick. A hand comes to rub it, as he replies. "Yeah? Where is that?"

You glance at his leg and look at him in the eye. "We'll get a warm compress for that later," you say, "the attic."

"Why is that?" He paused, "And I'm fine."

"Are you?" You snicker, a smirk forming on the corner of your lips.

"I am. Now, the attic?" Almond huffs slightly, seemingly flustered over the little tease.

"Well, that's what we are here for to find out." You twitch your head to the side, in the direction of the stairs. It was intact, all the way up. Given the age and wear of the house, however, it was still better to be careful.

The attic greeted you both with dust and the smell of mildew. With light pouring into the attic window, there was really no need for a flashlight. Boxes upon boxed piled meet your eyes. Most of them labeled with names of whom you recognize to be your parents' name.

"These are your parents' belongings." Almond was slouching, A little bit too tall for the small attic, yet it had a lot of room to walk in.

"Seems so." You managed. The piles of boxes felt overwhelming. These were their secrets, years and years of secrets before you came to this world. And now, you are here to unveil them. Not out of your own time or comfort. Not for the sake of reminiscing what was left behind by dead loved ones.

But to solve a pyromaniac case once and for all.

Sweat had pooled into the palms of your hand, and you wipe them onto your trousers. Another hand comes to clasp yours and you look. Almond's hand wrapped around yours.

"You're not alone in this, (Y/n)." He says, softly, his eyes locking in with yours. "You've got me. I'm here, with you. Whatever you will be facing from this, I am facing it with you."

Your own had left your mouth. You have heard something that you wouldn't think of hearing from a man like him. You had figured out before that Almond was a man of action and would show any type of affection with his deeds. But what he gave you now was words of assurance. Did he figure out that you needed them?

That thought brings a smile to your lips and you realize you have been staring at his tired face for too long. "That means a lot to me." You managed, your breath caught on your chest. "Thank you." You squeeze his hand affectionately and he squeezes back. Still firm and strong.

"All right.." He nods, "Ready when you are."

You nod back, and bring your gaze to the pile of boxes. "We'll start over there." You managed, "See if any belongings or documents are close to the date of their deaths."