✧THE FOURTH BETRAYAL✧ || SCARAMOUCHE X READER

8 | The Confession

WARNING ⚠ : DIRECT  IMPLICATIONS OF: 

- SUICIDE

- SELF-HARM

The day before Kabukimono's birthday

Tomorrow was bound to be a special day, full of celebration and joy. It would be Kabukimono's birthday, yet I was still desperately thinking of what birthday gift would suit him most. 

It would be a day in which Kabukimono would be able to experience a 'birthday celebration', something that he had previously stated he had never done. To him, age was nothing but a story in which people told around, but useless to their lives. He was a puppet who did not need to feel the track of life and aging, yet here he was, eyes filled with excitement for his first every birthday celebration. 

The Eternal Tree became our usual hangout spot, but every time we came before the tree, Kabukimono's eyes would become filled with awe, as if he was looking at the most beautiful thing in the world. But it was also my eyes that seemed to wander around in front of the tree, gazing at it's uttermost beauty, confined by it's glow and glistening leaves that fluttered around. 

By now, the sun was soon to set. The sky was adorned with ruby-like jewels, and when I stood beside Kabukimono, even the little things seemed to shine. The world became a bigger place, as if the lump of coal was turning into something much more extravagant. In that transient moment, the world expanded before me, and the mundane details of life took on a profound significance. 

There was no sign of water droplets falling from the sky, and it made me sigh in relief. I knew that Kabukimono never liked the rain, though he never told me himself. When it rained, he would huddle in the corner of the room, his hands trembling as it covered each side of his ears, and his eyes shaking with fear. But it came worse with thunder and lightening - was it due to his creator, Ei? He would shiver even with a blanket, and my family couldn't help but worry for him. 

So, seeing that the sky was clear and simply filled with a red and orange hue from the sun setting put me relief. On his face, a smile was plastered, and he looked genuinely happy. The only thing however that bothered me, was the fact that I had still not gotten his gift yet. I was embarassed to ask him, considering that it was only a day away. Would he think that I was a terrible friend? 

"After the sun completely sets and begins to rise again, it will be your birthday. Aren't you excited?" I asked with a smile, despite knowing full well that his eyes showed obvious glimpses of excitement. My cheeks gradually became filled with a tint of red - yet it was not cold at all, nor was it hot. Yet it felt like I was burning up, but I was not sick. My heart began to pound softly, yet as my eyes continued to peer over his face, the sound of the pounding seemed to grow as well. Perhaps it was because the Eternal Tree tied our bonds as friends even deeper, as it was because it was the place that he told me about his origins. I could still clearly feel the exact moments of that time, with the same shade of red in the sky and feeling of emotion. Those moments felt like yesterday - I cried and cried, putting him in my embrace, a small but definite spark lighting up my body. 

But now instead of crying in his arms, I was smiling. 

"Of course. Your mother promised me eleven cups of hot chocolate! Ayuto said that he would buy me a wooden toy train, sister Misen said that her gift is a secret and Emiko said that she would make the greatest 'thing' ever!" After saying that with such excitement, he simply smiled, leaning closer to me. 

"And... I just need you to stay by my side. If you stay next to me, I feel like I've become a human. I can sense your heart pounding louder than anyone else, and you're the one that understands me the most. You don't need to give me anything. I just need you to be you, and you to be with me."