In Our Town - (KH/FF)

Chapter 03: The Doll

Author's notes: I kind of have a feeling this might turn out into a very Neku centric fic afterall, unintentionally of course ahaha. I have a soft spot for him in this, he's a little pitiful at times. But I assure you that everyone will have a spot light. I think I'll make it my goal to not have Reader-tan's name mentioned. 

"Hey, hey are you awake?"

The gentle voice along with the tap on your arm was enough to awaken you. Slowly fluttering your eyes open, you saw Neku crouching at your bedside again. Eyes softening and a small smile flashed once he saw that you were awake. You slowly shifted upright by yourself as your strength had finally returned to your arms.

"Is it morning?..." You asked quietly.

"It'll always be night time here," Neku answered just as softly. "Can you stand? Here,"

The fox gently gripped onto your arms and braced himself to hurl you onto your feet. "We're gonna get you new clothes today," he said quietly.

He noticed your grip on his sleeves tightened by a fraction. Neku looked up to see your frightened expression before you looked downwards to try to hide it from him.

"Does that mean... We have to go outside?... Will he come back?" You asked shakily, with every word your fingers curling tighter around his sleeves.

"... If you're talking about Vanitas, he'll probably still be roaming around the borders for more blood." he answered honestly, "It'll be alright, he won't be coming into the centre square. It's only going to be a bit to get your clothes."

As much as you didn't want to, you agreed to go. This was for your sake afterall, the pair already did already so much for you, who were you to deny him. You were just in your inner clothes, cloaked in one of the spare overcoats that Neku had. Not wanting to soil one of Joshua's best Haori.

The forest was just as dark as you remembered it to be, but your vision remained clear and any pain that you had before stumbling in, was gone. There was a slight low mist lingering around ankle level.

"Erugh, today's just as bad as before. Air tastes awful..." Neku spat under murmurs, his tail swishing angrily. "Come on."

You watched him walk a few steps away before following right after,

"... Besides. What made you come into a place like this? You don't look the type to mess around with freaky places." Neku asked.

"Test of courage, my friends insisted. Ah."

You unknowingly bumped into his back when he suddenly stopped, flinching when he whirled around to face you with wide eyes. "Test of Courage?! You do you know how most horror films start?! By doing stupid things like that! Why are you even friends with people like that?!"

Neku stopped, your wide eyes and your frightened expression was enough to let him know. He quickly backed up, head bowed like a guilty dog. "S-Sorry, it's not your fault..."

He sighed, "Come on, only a little bit more to go."

The leaves and the earth eventually became sparce and your shoes echoed loudly upon meeting brick ground. It blended well in the dark being stone, it was a small town center being surrounded by a mixture of wooden shacks and fragile looking stone houses that looking wonky.

Your biggest concern was the the weird looking townspeople that were walking around and greeting each other like it was the normal thing in the world. They functioned like normal people. Out of reflex, your hand shot out to grab your companion's sleeve, nails digging through the material and eating into your palm.

"... It's alright. We're not going in there." he held onto your hand, "That person, lives alone away from others. Over there."

You turned your head to see where he pointed, a small crumbled cottage with a weird patch work roof. The small tail wind from behind and the light brush behind your legs made you look at your fox companion, his arms folded with his face scrunched up in a sour expression. 

Before you had time to raise your voice to ask him, he had already slowly edge his way towards the cottage. The small gate fence squeaked loudly as he pushed it aside, surprised that it didn't break. You looked at everything around as you stepped on the pathway to the door, the weeds in the front yard were terribly overgrown; it doesn't seem that anyone had been tending to them for a while. 

The house front hung a lot of patchwork dolls that hung on strings by their necks was more than enough to creep you out if anything didn't before. You jumped when Neku hammered on the door loudly, 

"Shiki! You're in there aren't you! Get your ass out here!" he yelled. 

"D-Do you really think we should making such a big sce-"

You were barely able to stifle the scream coming out of your mouth with your hands when the door suddenly slammed open without warning. Something sharp and and metallic shot out like a flash in the dark, aiming for Neku, right in the eye. 

He instantly grabbed it by the blade with his opposite hand without so much as flinching. His glare turned even harder as he stared into the shadows, his hand and his hidden opponent had their grip and weapon shaking due to the power struggle. 

"I thought I told you not to bother me while I'm working, Neku." the voice growled as they stepped into the moonlight. 

Donned in a beautiful patchwork laced dress, red hair flowed in long locks that matched her eccentric dress. Her skin reflected and shined in the most unnatural way but her face was fair and innocent if not for the murderous look in her glassy orbs, shadowed by long lashes. Your eyes widened when you saw her joints, tightened by screws and a ball. It resembled one of a mannequin. Her arms squeaked as she wretched her hand from Neku's own iron grip. Tossing the sharp object, which turned out to be a pair of scissors.

"As if you have anything to do other than make your creepy dolls." he retorted, "I got a job for you." 

"Hm?" she groaned unlady-like. 

You watched her eyes turn from unfriendly to widen into delight the moment her eyes landed on you, making you flinch under her watchful gaze. Neku stumbled from Shiki's strength when she pushed him aside roughly, taking your hands from you into her own unnaturally cold ones before you had time to reject or react to her. 

"Aahh! What a wonderful surprise! A human! A real human!" she sang in glee, all the while grinning and smiling. "So pretty, such smooth skin and soft hair~" 

You shivered slightly as she ran her cold hands up your arms, not wanting to be rude, as you unconsciously dance slightly out of her touch when she trailed up to your face, threading her fingers through your hair as well. 

"It makes me... want to take it off." 

The girl was quickly pulled off you before you had chance to jump back, 

"If you say that sort of crap again, Shiki, I'll burn you." 

She giggled, in comparison to her previous hostility, holding her hands up in clear surrender. "I was joking, joking! Neku always takes things so seriously." she waved her hands as she grinned, "Well, I'll forgive you this one time. Come in." 

"Thread by Thread. I'll sew you anew. My new Doll~ Ehehe~"