The Bondsman (a King Dice x Reader story)

Chapter Sixteen: The Family You Create

Song: Dream a Little Dream of Me by Doris Day

        It had taken every ounce of willpower you had not to turn back around as you slunk away, retreating into the alleys. Your coat swished softly amidst your ankles, tugging at your heels every once-in-a-while when the fabric got caught on your shoes. There were a million things running through your head, and it was difficult to focus on the one that was the most important:

       Find the cups. Beat Scratch. 

       It was easy for your mind to wander as you meandered back the way you had come. A lot had happened within the past few minutes of your life, after all, and you'd never had to cope with something like this before. You'd been ganged up on, threatened, beaten, battered, and bruised numerous times throughout your career as the Devil's bondsman...but you'd never had to face down something like this.

        You were so tired of mind games.

       You forced yourself to take a deep breath, the cool city air causing your lungs to seize for a moment before relaxing into the normal in-and-out rhythm. You needed to concentrate. Forget everything that just happened, and keep pushing forward.

       Those boys needed you.

       Or maybe you needed them.

       You didn't suppose it mattered all that much, as long as you kept the end in mind. Your stomach had begun to twist at how close to completing the list the three of you had gotten. Each member of your party was beginning to look worse for wear –scraped and bruised and fractured– but each of you still had the moxie to keep pressing on.

       You just hoped that it would be enough to defeat Scratch.

       As you approached the theater once more, shoulders tense and heart still pounding, you could hear the distinct sound of a tussle going on from within. There was a loud burst of applause, followed by booing, as well as the occasional crash, bang, or boom.

       Sounds like the cups are doing well...

       You felt the wind pick up slightly, cooling your cheeks as you stared the theater down from the safety of the bottom step. The brawl from within was beginning to dwindle, the music growing erratic and unpredictable. It wouldn't be too long now...those boys were unlike anything you'd ever seen before...

       With a final crash behind the towering mahogany door, silence swept from within the building. You crossed your arms as you waited, trying to relax any tense muscles or unpleasant faces. Cuphead was the first to emerge, per usual, and he was ecstatic.

       "Straightway!" he called, bounding down the theater's steps two at a time to greet you. "Oh, you shoulda seen it! We were amazin'!'

       "Amazing? We were almost shattered," Mugman groaned from behind, closing the door to the theater with a thud as he waved Sally's contract in the air to emphasize his point. You noted a few new scrapes and bruises amidst the two, causing a pang of guilt to erupt in your chest.

       You really should have gone in with them...

       "Eh, it ain't that big of a deal," Cuphead shrugged, plucking the contract from his brother's hand upon his approach. He fidgeted with the ribbon for a moment, ensuring it was presentable, before handing the scroll off to you. You frowned slightly as you took it, tucking the parchment away into your coat along with the others. The boys had found it rather convenient that your coat could carry anything...the amount of times Cuphead had handed you a cool looking rock or Mugman had offered up change from the street for you to "hold onto" was almost ridiculous. In a fun way, of course. It wasn't like you'd run out of space anytime soon.