Striker x Reader - All Horns And Rattles (18+)

Riding Solo

You collect yourself before returning to the farmhouse, deciding to go straight back to your room so as to avoid having to interact with Bob, Vera, or Striker. Bob and Vera are probably waiting on you and Striker to join them for a late dinner, given that you've both been out all evening, but you'd rather skip dinner and go hungry than play happy families with them and Striker. Striker can be the one to come up with an excuse for your absence if it gets noticed, it's not your fault that you're avoiding him because he's being a prick.

As soon as you're back in your room you shed your clothes and collapse into bed in your underwear, no energy left to bother changing.

The next thing you know, you're waking up in a cold sweat, plagued by half-remembered dreams of wandering Wrath's deserts, disoriented and alone. You look out the window to see the sky starting to lighten as dawn approaches. The sun hasn't risen yet, so it must be pretty early. You could go back to sleep, but it might be nice to watch the sunrise since you're already up.

You get out of bed to yawn and take a big stretch, your joints cracking and popping with the effort, and your muscles aching from the hours spent yesterday lying on rocky ground.

You throw on a t-shirt and shorts, before grabbing a towel so you can go shower. It's so early that you doubt even Vera and Striker are awake yet, so you don't bother bringing an outfit with you to change into.

Once in the shower, you're reminded of how good it is to feel clean again, as you scrub away all of the dirt and sand left on your skin and in your hair from yesterday. The warmth of the shower helps ease the aches and pains in your muscles, and once you're done, you're left feeling more like yourself. You wrap your towel around you and grab the clothes off the floor, before scurrying down the hall back to your bedroom.

You quickly towel dry your hair and dress yourself in blue jeans and a black t-shirt, before grabbing your boots, jacket, and hat. You shove your burner phone in your back pocket and make your way downstairs. It still seems to be just you awake which suits you just fine. You enter the kitchen, and manage to find a stovetop kettle, a clean mug, and some instant coffee powder. You make yourself a cup of coffee, hoping that the caffeine will perk you up, and exit via the kitchen's back door.

Outside, it's still a little chilly, the air only just starting to warm as the sun starts to creep over the horizon. You cradle the warm mug between your hands and slowly wander towards the fields, listening to the bleating of sheep and the crowing of a cockerel in the distance. You watch the colours of the sky change from maroon to orange, as the sun rises higher and higher, feeling the daytime heat of Wrath gradually return.

Once you've finished your coffee you walk back to the kitchen, and as you get closer you hear the voices of Striker and Vera. You steel yourself for a moment before walking through the kitchen back door. They're both sat at the kitchen table eating bowls of cereal, a bowl of fruit in the middle of the table. Only Vera bothers to look up and take notice of you as you enter.

"Ooh you're up early! Been out watching the sunrise?"

You shrug, "yeah, woke up early and figured I might as well."

You wash up your coffee mug in the sink as she chirpily tells you to help yourself to whatever you want for breakfast.

You make yourself a bowl of cereal before joining Striker and Vera at the table.

You reach over to grab an apple from the fruit bowl, just as Bob walks into the kitchen.

"Morning y'all!"