Stalker's Tango | Bartolomeo x Reader

Lingering Desire

"Hey, are you sure you don't want to go back to bed?"

Koala gently placed her hand onto your arm, her brows pushed up into a worried gaze.

"No it's okay." You replied tiredly with a shake of your head. Your eyes felt like lead and your body felt weighted - nothing felt quite right. That was because nothing was quite right. "I'm okay."

Hesitantly, your blonde haired friend nodded and lifted her arm. Her attention was slowly gained by Professor Donquixote as he continued to lecture, nattering away with a brilliantly-shining grin in that ever-so disturbing what he did.

You, however, couldn't concentrate on anything in particular. Especially since your mind was already far too occupied with thoughts that had been plaguing you the past few days. They had continued to turn your mood and it wasn't getting any better. To add to it all, you still felt watched. While it was once a fearful sensation, you were now only sad. You just wanted to reach forward and take back what you had.

It was all so crazy, what had happened to you. The entire situation was such a rare occurrence and yet, you missed him dearly and greatly. Despite what he had done, there was a part of you deep down that wished to forgive him. Though you knew on the surface that you would have to be mad to go back to him.

Even if you wanted to.

Before you even knew it, the lecture had ended. The entire thing had felt like a fever dream; then again, most things had since those few days ago. You felt more suffering than not and unwell all at once. Law had said you were physically in shape, so really you just needed to rest your mind. If only he knew exactly what and who had caused all of this.

You reckon you'd see him truly angry...

For some reason, you didn't want Bartolomeo to be on the receiving end.

"Sooooo, are you doing anything after this?" Koala chirped in her usual upbeat way as she trotted towards the exit, giving you some light within the darkness.

You smiled forcefully as you wandered after her, your steps heavy and lumbering akin to your mood. "Nothing at all."

Normally it would be you and Bartolomeo in the afternoons, but obviously that wasn't about to happen.

"Then, do you want to go to that bakery with me? I have yet to try their bread."

For a second, your smile faltered. The last and only time you had gone there you went with...

You shook yourself mentally.

No, no you needed to stop thinking about that now.

"Sure." You replied, falling instep with her.

As the two of you stepped out into the light of day, all felt a little darker than it would usually. You could feel the biting winds much more prominently as they kicked up piles of fiery leaves that lay in blankets across the ground. Not just that, but you felt almost invisible to everyone that surrounded you. More like a ghost than being ignored. The life really had been sucked out of you.

Maybe hanging out with someone as jolly as Koala would help you to regain some energy.

~~~

The familiar scent that was freshly baked goods permeated your senses as the bell above your head chimed out. You watched as the three family members that stood behind the counter turned to look at you and Koala, smiling in that kind way they had the last time.

You offered what you could of a similar expression, letting your lips curl up.

"Hello!" Koala called, earning a nod as she beelined towards the glass displays with you on her tail.