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

4

"I told you not to."

Silence, asides from the slamming of your feet on the path back home, and more chirping of insects. In the end you decided you wanted to be in your own home, and now with the jester here, strangely you feel safer to walk back to your apartment.

Luckily Nina's memory is hazy after the dark zone. After she found you outside, she does not seem to remember what happened after, though knows she is still upset with you, but cannot understand why.

Could be worse. Now you are on your way home at 2 in the morning.

A million things are running through your head at once.

He found me? After all this time, the last four years he has been searching for you? And all the while you thought he was dead, but no, he floats next to you as you walk. You know you have some explaining to do, jesters may be full of jokes, but this one is smart.

But how to explain this to him? Inside you are screaming with shame.

Angered, you swerve your head around at Rascal, whose eyes are narrowed at you, cogs obviously turning in his head, watching you walk from behind.

Your hair has grown, it was not able to while you were in another Universe. Now it passes your shoulders, covering your human ears. You also are wearing a beanie, that you intend to keep on for now.

Finally he sighs, sarcastically of course. "What's got me confused...is that you were caught in a state of negativity ~ Only humans fall into despair."

You turn back around, following the path. "I think we both felt the effects of despair the last time we saw each other," you say quietly, your thoughts providing you with a montage of traumatic flashbacks to that last day.

This shuts him up for the rest of the way home, and you believe you have successfully steered the conversation away. For now.

You stride into the lobby of your apartment building, and towards the elevators.

"Your thoughts were quite a handful I have to say~! Ironically, I didn't like to hear such misery from you magic bearer."

Your face burns red.

"That could have easily been avoided if – " You retort, but stop short when you remember the land lady at the front counter. You look behind you and see that she is staring from behind the desk.

You give her a tired smile, as if she had not just caught you talking to yourself.

"Hey."

She looks up at you through her eyebrows, but gives you a smile, then scurries off behind the desk. So you wait until the doors of the elevator open, and you step in, and Rascal hops to join you.

When the doors close, the joker immediately pressed the seventh button; your level. You watch this and raise a brow, though he catches your eye and grins further.

Rascal leaps to begin talking. "Anyways, I think a round of applause is in order! Once I found you, I realised how well you've attuned to your surroundings~"

Your eyebrows furrow as the elevator starts to rise slowly. "Rascal...how long has it been since you found me?"

Even the jester looks exhausted, and does not flip like you expected him to do. "Since yesterday morning." When you do not respond to this, keeping your eyes on the level number slowly rising, he continues. "I sense something isn't quite right ~ is it hm?" Rascal's voice has nowhere to rebound off on this time, only the metallic walls of the elevator.

"I am exhausted Rascal, and confused. Forgive me for needing a moment to react to all this."

He stares at you. "This isn't the meeting I had in mind~"