The gorgon and the siren: The Fairies Curse

Chapter 15: Snakes and Mice

An hour into the party, Y/n had managed to sneak away from the other partygoers (and Hermes) and towards the school's graveyard. While she didn't much like being in there (due to some... recent events), everyone knew of her aversion to the graveyard so she figured it would be the last place anyone would think to look for her.

She slowly moved to sit down against one of the trees in the graveyard, deciding against sitting too close to a grave should a zombie or ghost come out to angrily scold her for disturbing their eternal rest.

She allowed her eyes to close for a moment, allowing the distant music to fade away, taking a long deep breath, her shoulders slumping down. Just as she'd found peace however it was very quickly taken away as the sound of a stick breaking was heard a few feet away. Memories flashed to her mind, and she instantly rose to her feet, her body growing ridged as her breathing became rapid, she kept her ears out, listening for another sound so she'd know which way to run, however the next sound was the rustling of a bush, her eyes closed as a memory returned.

Blood trickled out of her neck, a shrill scream emitting from her lips. Words were spoken from her lips and the man holding her captive's, but they were distorted. The blade was moved to her back as she was roughly pushed towards the door. And then-

"Y/n? Are you in here?" A male voice called.

At this point, Y/n had found herself unable to discern whose voice this was, but she'd also found herself unable to run, fear had turned her legs to lead, panic further set in as she quickly reached into her bag and pulled out a bronze dagger, she held it out in front of her, ready to stab anything that came too close.

"Who's there?" She called "I have a dagger and... I know how to use it... I hope."

She said that last part quietly, hoping whoever it was wouldn't hear, she clenched her eyes shut, her grip on the dagger so tight that her knuckles were turning white. She held her breath as the person came closer.

"Y/n? Are you alright?"

Without even thinking she lunged forwards, dagger raised as she moved to stab the person. Fortunately, her wrist had quickly been caught. Her eyes opened to see...

"Deuce?"

"Did you just try to stab me?" He questioned.

"No." Y/n lied quickly bringing her hand behind her back, pausing before sighing "Yes. I'm sorry. I just-"

"Hey, it's okay. I don't mind, it's my own fault." Deuce interrupted.

"What? How is it your fault?" Y/n asked in bewilderment.

"Well, I know that the graveyard has some... less than happy memories for you, I should've been more cautious of that." Deuce explained softly "I'm actually more surprised that you thought to bring a dagger with you... anywhere."

"It's the same one from... Founders Day. I keep it with me as a kind of... reminder." She explained quietly.

"Why do you need a reminder?" He asked gently, furrowing his brows.

"I uh... I read in a book once that having a reminder of the event can help it not feel so... traumatising. So far it hasn't worked but- I think I'd rather it not work." She explained.

"Why?" Deuce questioned as the two moved to sit by a tree.

"I-" She hesitated "I think I prefer remembering... knowing all I did. Keep all the pain with me and all that."

Deuce nodded, deciding against saying anything further. The two sat in silence for a minute, enjoying each other's company as distant music drifted past them. The silence was broken however by a squeak sounding from Y/n's bag as she suddenly remembered something.

"Hey Deuce?" She began "Do your snakes happen to eat live mice?"

Deuce hesitated.

"Well... I don't really tend to feed them live mice... or quite frankly mice in general but they are snakes so... I'm going to go with yes." Deuce answered cautiously "Why do you ask?"

"Can I feed your snakes a live mouse?" Y/n requested.

Deuce furrowed his brows.

"Why do you have a live mouse?" He asked suspiciously.

"Just answer the question, yes or no." Y/n requested.

"I could never say no to you." Deuce said softly.

Y/n smiled softly, moving to remove the beanie from Deuce's head, freeing the snakes from the confines.

"Hi." She greeted the snakes, carefully opening her bag to pull the mouse out, holding it by its tail.

The mouse squeaked rapidly, squirming as it saw the snakes, trying to escape Y/ns grip but to no avail. She cautiously brought the grey rodent towards the snakes, holding it above them for a moment, watching as the snakes slowly curled into an 's' shape and then- she quickly released the mouse as the snakes moved to strike.

The snakes caught the mouse in their mouths, Y/n watched in immense fascination as the snakes feasted on the poor little mouse.

"Can you taste it when they eat?" Y/n asked in curiosity.

Deuce shook his head.

"I can feel when they're eating, but I can't exactly taste it." Deuce answered.

"Does it feel weird?" She questioned, watching as the snakes swallowed the last of the mouse.

Deuce paused.

"Them eating?" He spoke "Somewhat. It's kind of like food you didn't eat going down your throat."

Y/n looked at him shock.

"Your snakes food goes down your throat?"

Deuce shrugged.

"Sometimes." He stated.

Y/n scrunched her nose.

"That sounds both disgusting and uncomfortable at the same time." She commented.

Deuce laughed softly.

"It is, but you get used to it after a while." Deuce spoke.

Y/n nodded as the two reverted back into the familiar silence they'd grown accustomed to.

"You look... really pretty by the way." Deuce mentioned, breaking the silence.

"You think?" Y/n murmured.

"Yeah... beautiful even."

Y/ns cheeks grew a soft lilac, growing cold.

"Thank you." She said softly, hesitating before continuing "You- you uh look good too."

It was Deuces turn to flush purple now, his own cheeks growing cold.

"Thanks."