Four x Reader [BFB]

Chapter 4 - Mortality

"Are you high or something?"

"What?"

You turn to your coworker, who's standing nearby, cleaning their workstation. You raise an eyebrow, confused by receiving such a stupid question.

"No. What makes you think I'm on something?"

"You've just been spacing out all day. Are you okay?" They ask. You bite your lip, worrying it between your teeth for a short moment. You usually space out at work when handling idle, brainless taskwork, but today felt different. You constantly were reminiscing on your previous day with Four. His playful nature and smile in his eyes...and then that question. You've been playing it on repeat in your head all day, unsure what to do. When the day comes and Four has to go back to their world, you'll have to take back the 'yes' you've given him.

Perhaps you and Four had gotten too close...You sigh a bit at the thought. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just going through a lot right now." You say. You can feel them look at you with concern. "Oh. Do you want to talk about it at all? They ask.

"No, I'll be okay." You reply softly, heading towards the break room to collect your things before you clock out for the day. You hastily hurry home. You notice ever since Four came into your life, you've been more and more eager to return home everyday. As you open the door and announce your arrival, you can see Four there standing in the living room. He's blank faced, staring into nothing, and doesn't even acknowledge your entry.

"Four?" You call out again, kneeling down in front of them to wave a hand in front of their face. Nothing. Any other person would be worried, but you've seen him do this before. They're just in their own head right now, preoccupied with whatever was going on upstairs. "Alright. I'm gonna get to work." You say with a smile, though he probably can't hear you. You make your way to your bedroom to change out of your work uniform into more casual wear before moving back into the living room to seat yourself at your computer. You may as well get some homework done while you wait.

You are there for about an hour, scribbling down notes and equations. Linear Algebra wasn't the easiest course to handle, but this term wasn't exceedingly difficult. You hear a shuffle behind you and peer over your shoulder. Four's no longer standing there in the middle of the room, and when you turn back to your work, he's there, floating merely inches from your face. Naturally, from being startled, you shout and jump back into your chair, clutching your chest. "Jesus, Four- you scared the skin off me!" They float a little closer, roughly gripping the flesh of your cheek and tugging it a bit.

"Looks fine to me!" He sneered. "When did you get home, Y/N? I didn't hear you come in." You rub the soreness of your cheek after he lets go. He remains floating there, hands cupping underneath their chin as he leans forward, eagerly awaiting to conversate. You smile despite the rough grabbing he just put you through.

"About an hour ago. I tried to say hi when I got home, but you looked a little busy. What have you been up to?" Four looks away for a moment, as if trying to recollect what they were doing. "Umm...I was cleaning the Fourest! Those wretched creatures were climbing all over my garden of precious growths!"

You snicker a bit. You remember Death P.A.C.T. scaling those strange Four-shaped trees that were where you could only assume his throat would be. "I remember that." You say with a nod. "What are those uh...growths for anyways?" You inquire. Four stares at you for an extended period of time and shrugs.

"You don't know either?"

"N-no...but! It doesn't matter! They are mine, and any visitors of the Fourest should respect them! I've decided to edit the sign with a rule against climbing them- that if it's broken..." He pauses, his features darkening as he peered off menacingly. "There will be consequences..." He then looks down at the desk, seeing a page full of equations. Their eyes light up and they reach down to pick up the papers, analyzing the equations.