Making her Joyful Again || RF Julie x FEM reader || L1TTL3_R0TT3N

- Ch. 16: Hanahaki -

! TW: moderate intimacy !

[Name] found out that she was an ugly crier the following days. This whole scenario hurt more than any breakup ever could because she was not only rejected both mentally and physically, but she had lost a friend. Or, more so, who she thought was a friend.

All of these emotions had her sobbing into her pillow twenty-four hours a day. She couldn't force herself to go to work, and because of that, Frank was under the impression that she was severely sick.

She may as well have been.

"Child? Are you still in there?" Harold knocked on the door that [Name] had kept shut since she arrived home from the opera house. Three days ago. "I don't know where else I'd be." She spoke in a brittle voice back to him.

"Yes, well," Harold grumbled to himself as he opened her bedroom door and stepped into the dim-lit room. The only light in the room was emitted through the window's sheer curtains.

"You need to eat." He set yet another plate of food on her nightstand. Wally followed behind him, pushing a small stuffed animal to [Name]'s face. She turned over and looked at the small puppet. [Name] wondered why Walden couldn't be more like his puppet version.

"What does she see in him..?" She took the stuffed animal and held it to her chest. Harold sighed and lay down beside her. He tucked her into the bed, knowing that he couldn't make her get up. So he'd instead make sure she was comfortable.

"I told you to stay away from Julie, dear child." He raised his eyebrows as he pushed her hair out of her face. She closed her eyes, trying to will her heart to silence. 

"If I knew I'd fall for her in every meaning of the world, I would've listened." She huffed, more tears falling down her face. "It was awful, Dad. The way she just...refused to let me in. I..I thought she liked me." Her sobs started to return.

Harold enveloped her in a hug, resting his head on top of hers. "Heartbreak is the deadliest pain to feel. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you." He whispered.

A sudden fog clouded the room. The light in the hallway and throughout the house was short-circuited. Through the fog, a lime-green hand fanned through. Astaire walked through the fog, dark blue hair falling to his hips as he swarmed toward [Name] like a bullet.

He shoved Harold out of the way, having no respect for the old demon as he hugged her. "I came as soon as I heard!" He coddled her, patting her head and squeezing her tightly.

"Without notification," Harold grumbled, brushing off his jacket and cufflinks.

🌼~🌼~🌼~🌼~🌼~🌼~🌼~🌼

Julie's nails had already scratched up the bathroom counter as she dug her nails into the marble. She stared into the mirror where Julianne stood. "You should've listened to me." Her dark lips pulled into a grin.

Julie choked back her tears when she responded. "I have to protect her. That means keeping her at arm's length. You're too dangerous, too greedy for me to be able to indulge." She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and exhaled.

"Even I know that the girl plagues your mind.." Before she opened her eyes, Julianne appeared behind her. Her sharp nails stroked Julie's jaw. Her head tilted back to fight off the pain of her calloused hands.