Duskwood & Moonvale one-shots

Tears (Richy x MC)

"I want to get closer."

"You do realize that this is a very stupid idea, right?"

"Well, thanks, I'll remember it!"

"I was only talking about the idea. Going into the forest alone is generally a dubious idea, and when there is some kind of scream…"

But he ignored her words and continued walking into the thicket. Emma saw only the unfocused Duskwood trees.

"Mini-tiger, someone called me. She's probably in danger. I can't just ignore it."

Emma didn't even say anything about the strange nickname. Richy often came up with something like this when they chatting in DM. He said that it suits her, — emphasizes unusual courage. She usually snorted in annoyance, but this time… It didn't seem really important.

"Richy, I'm literally begging you, don't go there alone. I have a bad feeling about this."

"No, no worries! Nothing will happen to me, I already told you. Besides." Richy paused for a couple of moments, looking at the camera. Despite the carefree words, he looked excited. Concern was reflected in his dark eyes, the usual smile wasn't on his face. "I'm not alone, Emma. You're here."

"May I remind you, I'm just on my way to Duskwood and I'm no helper right now."

Richy didn't answer. She squinted at the smartphone screen, noticing that Richy froze, peering into the distance. Emma didn't see what had shocked him so much, but for some reason she didn't like it. Some unpleasant, gloomy feeling settled in her chest, making it difficult to breathe.

"Wait, I noticed something."

Richy was running. She saw only the flashing of the forest, the glare of light on the screen. A quiet whistle — pressed the brake pedal into the floor, completely carelessly stopping somewhere on a deserted road.

"Richy?.." Silence. "Isn't your phone just buggy?" Again. "Richy, please say something!"

A ripple passed across the dark screen. Emma saw it. She saw him. Richy... her Richy was lying in the forest foliage. Fear, despair and something else were frozen in his eyes. It was impossible to understand.

"Hey, did you fall or something?.. Richy, please…"

Only his eyes spoke to her, but she could not understand the mute cry. And then Richy spoke... tried to speak. Blood flowed from his mouth, he froze, and the mobile phone fell, the camera showed only a gloomy sky.

Her world collapsed with him.

If something happened that she didn't even want to think about, if the threat came true…

For Emma, everything ceased to exist except the screen. Her hands were shaking when she took the phone off the stand, when she put the call on hold and tried to press the call button in the group. She didn't even pay attention to who connected first.

"Richy... Something terrible happened to Richy!"

She, the focus of the group's calm and logic, could not even explain what exactly had happened and where, when she immediately tried to call an ambulance.

***

"The condition is bad, but stable."

"I don't get it." She shook her head. "Richy... Will Richy live?"

"It is difficult to give an unambiguous forecast. We did everything that depended on us. Now it's important everything depends on the patient."

"Thank you… Can I... can I help you with something?"

The doctor looked doubtfully at Emma.

"Go home, please. You've been here for many hours."

"I'm his fiancee," Jessy shot her a doubtful look at these words. "And I'm not going to just walk away when someone tried to kill him!"

"Emma, the doctor's right," Jessy took her hand. "You need to rest. I'll keep watch here for you for now."

"No, Jessy. I can't do that."

And apparently, something in her gaze made the doctor nod.

"If the dynamics are positive, I will be able to allow visits in a couple of days. Sometimes the support of loved ones helps patients, too. But you," he glanced at Jessy, "better not try to get into the ward earlier."

They both looked shamefacedly after the retreating doctor. Because both of them actually had such an idea in their head.

"Did you tell Paul?"

"I couldn't. I don't think Richy would want to…"

Emma just sighed and, holding her head in her hands, slid down the wall. Tears were streaming down her cheeks.

Jessy gently stroked her head.

***

Emma practically never left Richy's ward. Day and night without leaving him as if she was afraid that something bad might happen to him if he was left alone.

Where is it even worse?

She sat next to him, not daring to touch his too pale hand, fearing that she could do worse. Her hands were shaking, her tears didn't have time to dry, but she tried to smile. Just like Richy always did. Emma whispered that everything would get better, and tried to believe it. She had to believe for both of them.

At night, she sometimes fell into a half-asleep state and woke up from the quietest rustle. It seemed that this... man without a face could enter the ward at any moment, try to finish what he had started. She saw the enemy in every shadow.

And when a slightly louder than usual squeak pulled her out of a half-doze, Emma first looked at the door-closed, then at Richy. And almost jumped in surprise. He looked at her with brown eyes and smiled at the corners of his lips.

He was alive.

Emma pressed her hands to her mouth, trying not to scream.

He was conscious.

Emma didn't know if he was talking or if it was all a figment of her imagination, but... she clearly heard his voice:

"I was woken up by your tears. Did you cry every night because of me?"