Dragonfruit ~ Mini stories and one shots!

Substitute (Part 1) (Flufftober 3)

"Hey! Wait!" Mei panted as she ran outside the shop to catch Red son on his way out. "I forgot I got you something." She beamed, grinning, then she held out a small rectangular box. She was practically jumping in excitement. Red son looked at her uncertainly. He hesitantly grabbed it from her.

"If this explodes, I'm gonna be ticked." He looked from the box, and back up at her. She was smiling beyond recognition, her face bright red.

"If you don't open it already, I'm going to explode!" She clung onto his shoulder, still really excited. Red son lifted the lid to reveal.... a necklace? He picked it up, it looked like two flames that forged a heart. He wasn't going to admit it, but he loved it. He looked up at her and gave her a brisk smile.

"Thanks." He nodded. She tilted her head and smiled, then pulled her necklace out from under her shirt, it was the same, just green, and his was an orange-red. "We're? Matching..." He whispered. Mei nodded very aggressively.

"I figured since we're... whatever we are... we should have something to show it! I don't mind if you hid it under your shirt but," She grabbed his from him and ran behind him, flung the necklace over his head and clipped it. "I like proving you're mine, and that you have part of me all the time." She winked. Red son grabbed her hand and kissed it.

"We shouldn't have to prove it to others, and you'll always be a part of me. But thank you again." He dropped her hand and she once again gave him that sweet cheeky smile. He blushed, thankfully it was night out, no one could tell. "Have a good evening." He teleported back home with a final wave to Mei. Mei ran back inside, he liked it! He actually liked it!

Red son flopped onto his bed after changing his clothes. He may be a demon but demons like to be comfortable too, and shockingly they are really similar to humans. How else would Mei have given him a chance? He laid back and stared at the ceiling for a minute. Then he grabbed the necklace which had been tucked under his shirt, playing with it in his hands. He stared at it. She really was the best thing that ever happened to him. He held it in his hand and fell asleep.

One week later (before disaster struck...)

"Okay I'll see you at the arcade tomorrow right?" Mei shouted as he left the shop once more. They always met there, usually MK was at work, even if he wasn't, everyone there judged less than Mei's parents.

"Yes, I'll see you there Dragon girl." He gave his signature wave then teleported off. Mei smiled to herself, twirling around and walking back inside the building. She flung open the door and spotted something sparkling on the ground. She dropped to the floor and picked it up. Red son's necklace... surely he'll remember he forgot it. Right? She held it in her hand tightly as she walked through the restaurant, making brief conversations with her friends as she got to the stairway.

"Sleep well!" Sandy called after her. Mo followed Mei upstairs and sat on her bed as she crawled into it. He purred and rubbed against her before jumping off the bed and returning to Sandy.

"Hmph." She looked over and MK was passed out on his bed. He must have been out training with the Monkey King. She laid back in her bed with a sigh. She held up the necklace she had given to Red son. "I can't believe he had already forgotten it." She whispered. She gripped it in her palm and held her hand close to her chest, turning to lay on her side. She closed her eyes. Surely he would ask for it tomorrow? Right. She's probably reading wayyyy too much into this. Duhhh. She tried to laugh at herself but doubt clung to the back of her mind.

Red son once again dropped onto his bed. He was about to fall asleep when his hand traveled to where his necklace was, except it wasn't there. It WASN'T there. He jumped awake and turned his room upside down looking for it. Surely it had fallen off while he was changing or something? He turned pillows inside out, threw books off their shelves, scrounging through drawers, and yet nothing. He couldn't find it. He had no other choice. He had to make a substitute one, until he found the real one. It wouldn't replace the sentimentality the real one held, but it would keep Mei from having doubts in him while he looked for the one she gave him. And at that, he got to work.

The next day,

Mei left the noodle shop with a very serious face. Now she was going to find out how he really felt. If he really cared. Yes it was just a necklace, but it just felt so serious to her. She put his necklace in her pocket, and hers was already around her neck. As it always was. Slowly she walked to the arcade, and she stood outside waiting. After a minute Red son appeared from a flameburst. He bowed to her and she giggled.

"Come on." She grabbed his hand and they went inside. She checked his neck, he was wearing the necklace? How! She had it in her pocket still, she reached her other hand back to check, and sure enough, it was still with her. "Are you excited?" She smiled, squeezing his hand. He nodded and gave her a brief smile.

"I'm just glad I'm with you. It doesn't matter where we are." He murmured to her. She just blushed. What else could she respond with? Despite all the nice things he was saying, if he could replace the necklace in a night, he could replace her too. Her smile faded and they began to play.

Finally after two hours of Mei beating Red son at almost every game, they left. He still hasn't said anything about his necklace. They walked back arm in arm, both stressing about that necklace. Red son was shocked that Mei hadn't said anything. He had made a decent replica but not very good. It's impossible to replace things like that.

"Yknow I'm glad you keep wearing the necklace. I really was afraid you wouldn't like it." She whispered. He looked at her bewildered.

"Anything that reminds me of you is important, of course I would keep wearing it." He held onto her tighter until they reached the noodle shop. When she put her hand on the door handle she paused, turned around to face him, and then pressed her hands to her face as tears began to roll down. Red son rushed to her. "Mei? What's wrong?" Mei looked at him, if he really wanted to know...

"You!" She sobbed. "Why didn't you tell me! You had almost three hours now!" She took a step away from him.

"What are you talking about?" He asked worriedly. He had never seen her sensitive like this. Mei shook her head.

"This." She reached into her pocket and pulled out her evidence. Dangling it in front of him. Red son's jaw dropped.

"Where'd you find it?!" He grabbed it from her.

"You left it last night!" She pointed towards the shop.

"I'm sorry- I-" Mei shushed him.

"No! Just listen." She glared at him. Red son was shocked, no one ever talked like this to him, except his parents. "When I realized you left it, I was nervous you would forget about it. Instead you tried to hide that you lost it. You replaced it!" She hissed bitterly. She yanked his replica from his neck and threw it to the floor, listening to it shatter.

"Dragon girl, believe me I-"

"NO!" She shouted, drawing attention to them. "What hurts is how it feels like you don't trust me! Did you think I would be mad or something if you lost it? When you agree to be with someone, you agree to share yourself with them. But I feel like you just hide everything from me. And this little necklace situation only helps to prove it!" She growled, and turned to walk away. Red son grabbed her hand.

"Mei please, just let me-" Mei pulled her hand from him.

"DO NOT. Touch me!" She ran inside, slamming the door. Red son just stood there. And for the first time he felt he may cry. He sniffed before teleporting home. He wasn't going to force her to talk with him if she didn't want to. And so for now, he would wait until morning.

Mei got up to her and MK's room. He was sitting on his chair playing video games. He turned and saw Mei.

"Oh no..." He exhaled. Mei ran over crying. MK wrapped his arms around her. "Why don't you start at the beginning. I'm sure we can fix this."

"I'm not sure." 

Words: 1515

SO UH SRRY BOUT THE ANGST. PART TWO IS ON ITS WAY DON'T WORRY :,>

I HOPE U ENJOYED THISSSSS, HV A GOOD DAY/NIGHT/ETC AND LMK IF YOU HAVE ANY REQUESTS :D