Into the Human Realm [Book II] Rascal x fem reader

3

"What are you doing? You're out here again?" Nina's puffy eyes squint as they look right at you. The girl holds onto the door knob a little too trustingly, supporting her half-conscious state.

You freeze, looking between Nina and the joker. His grin silently mocks you when you realise that she cannot see a thing. Rascal is invisible to her.

"Uh, I am getting some – " you are stopped short as you feel a sharp-clawed hand being placed on your shoulder, "air," flustered, you cough. The jester giggles directly into your right ear, sending shivers down your body. "Air. I was just getting some air." Another cough. "Again." If you though that controlling the urge to look out of the window earlier was a hard fight...

Luckily for Nina's sleepy state, she seems to brush over your awkwardness. "But it's freezing! Why?"

Slowly, you glance to the side, seeing the jester's face right up and close to your face. You swallow. Please, you silently beg, please back up a little.

"Felt like it." You breathe.

"Oh come on." Nina's slurred voice becomes just that little more aggressive. "Don't start telling me you were out looking for Rascal again?"

Your insides pinch together, knowing the joker is right there hearing all of this. This makes you struggle, seeing as though Rascal does not know you are human and has probably figured you have been cast out after the explosion and just found a spot to fit in, you know you need to handle this carefully, but the pressure is almost unbearable. You hesitate.

"I know what I saw Nina."

She nods. "So it was probably just a hallucination then, please come back inside." She begs you.

"Yeah," you respond, "I will. I just...need another moment."

A frown makes its way onto her face. She furrows her brows. "But why not now? Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes!" You whisper a little too harshly. "I will be back inside before I freeze to death. Promise."

You can tell that Nina does not like this new tone. She gives you a glare. "(Y/n) this is really getting to you, you need to stop."

You heart races and you feel heat travelling to your cheeks, worried that she is going to say something. While this is all happening, Rascal stands beside you silently, a hand on his hip. Enjoying all this drama of course.

"No it is not," you state, then take a deep breath, "I told you I know what I saw! This has never happened before and you know that."

"I told you I get it, after what happened with Damon, I kept..." she trails off, "but it's not real (y/n)! You need to separate reality from a dream."

Shit.

"It...It wasn't a dream." You hastily say, glancing subtly towards the joker who seems still unknowing.

"Then explain what happened earlier."

"I – I already told you what happened."

Nina sighs. "I think this is getting too much...I'm going back to – "

"Nina! It is not, because..." you state, then pause before..., "because he really is here, he is right next to me! Can't you see?" You blurt it out before stopping yourself. Continuously, your need to be right has failed you yet again. Immediately you regret this decision.

The silence physically hurts while Nina looks at you with utter disbelief and Rascal raises an eyebrow.

"...What?"