Forbidden Flame (Mafiatale Grillby x Reader)

Chapter 4- Meeting Grillby

(~Your POV~)

I've been resting in the void darkness for so long that I almost forgot the outside world. Every now and then I feel sensations in my hands or I hear muffled whispers. Sometimes there is one voice and other times it's two. Both voices are male. They're worried about me. They don't know when I'll wake up. It's safe to say that I don't know either.

'I just want to be left alone. I want to sleep.'

The voices seemed familiar, especially the one that spoke to me the most. My soul pulled weakly every time he was talking. I wanted to comfort him. My soul didn't want him to worry. It even came to a point where my soul could sense him when he came into the room. I don't understand why.

'Am I really that lonely here?'

I'm too weak to think much about it. My soul and my mind shrink back into the deep darkness to rest.

More time passes before my thoughts begin to form again. Being semi-conscious is quite exhausting. I don't want to fight with it anymore. It would probably be easier for everyone if I disappeared. Although, part of me is saying not to give up. That I have to stay alive for them, my soulmate. It's odd for me to be feeling that specifically now.

'I've never even met them and yet they still guide every choice I make.'

The time spent here feels like an eternity.

'Am I gone for good and I just don't know it?'

I know they say that the soul can live on but I wasn't expecting this. A low groan escapes my throat, startling me. Then, a line of gradual light begins to form. My eyes finally open. I sit up slowly, weakly wrapping an arm around my aching torso.

I look down and notice that I've been changed. Instead of my dress, I've been put in a long button down shirt. My groggy mind is still too out of it to be freaked out by the occurrence. I lift the shirt up. I see that my waist has been wrapped firmly with clean bandages.

'So.. I'm alive.'

The pain is definitely proof of that. "Ow.." I mumble. I pull the shirt back over my thighs and start to look over my surroundings. The room around me is dark. It's filled with nothing but the bare essentials: a dresser, one single window, a closet, the bed I'm currently in, a small bathroom, things like that.

'Who does this room belong to? It doesn't matter. I have to go home.'

I slip to the edge of the bed and stand up shakily. Despite the growing aches in my waist, I stagger to the open doorway. It's a staircase going down, suggesting that I'm in one of the small town homes with two floors. At the end of the staircase is another doorway with warm light spilling out from it. There is the sound of music, laughing, with the occasional clink of two glasses. I lean myself on the wall, wincing with each step I take.

'One step at a time, Y/N.'

The pain and weakness throughout my body increases. I nearly miss the last step but thankfully catch myself. Now I can see that there are two doorways and not just one. To my left leads into a very clean and organized kitchen. Straight ahead leads into...

'A bar?'

I step forward, motivated by my confusion. I'm behind a long bar top that reaches from one end of the room to the other. Behind the bar is a room filled with tables, booth seats, and chattering customers sitting at them. They're all drinking, playing cards, laughing, and having a good time. None of them have appeared to notice me.

Until I look to the left. I see the very same skeleton from that night sitting at one of the high bar seats. I don't remember him being tall enough to reach the seat but whatever. His eyes are glued to me before he visibly gets flustered.  His cheeks glow a tint of blue as he looks away. He clears his throat and holds his fedora beside his face. "Grillbz.." He mutters. I notice the blue fire monster standing on this side of the bar, facing the skeleton. He looks up toward the skeleton. It was hard to see beyond his fedora but I think he nodded his head in my direction. I take a step back.

The fire monster quickly turns to me. He walks over and respectfully uses his body to block me from the rest of the monsters' view. I looked down and realized why. I'm half dressed. "Hey, just step back some. They can't see you behind the doorway." He whispers to me. I do as he requested and step back. His voice is low and calm, the same voice that my soul reacted to. My soul jumps and I clutch at my chest, losing my breath temporarily.

'What the..'

Despite the crazy things happening with my soul, I'm not even afraid of this stranger. He speaks up again, "Miss, I must insist you go back to bed. Your wound may reopen with too much movement." "How long was I out?" I ask him, but it only comes out in a hoarse mumble. "Four days." He responds sadly. I take a deep breath and look down, trying to process this. "Are you in any pain?" He asks in a worried tone.

'I can't lie to him.'

I nod silently. He lets out a deep breath and then looks up the staircase. "Pardon me, Miss. But this will be easier on you.." Before I realize what he means, he bends over. With one movement, I'm suddenly being carried in his arms. One of his arms is hooked under my knees and the other is rested around my back. He apologizes softly when I wince. I can see his brows furrowed. He's both concerned and nervous. My soul speeds up being this close to him.

'What is wrong with me?'

As he brings me up the stairs again, he explains, "We can talk later when the bar closes. For now, I recommend rest." I think about fighting against him, but resting sounds a lot safer than going out and being attacked again.

We soon reach the darkened apartment. He goes to put me in the bed. "Wait." I command. He hesitates, "Ma'am?" "I think it would be respectful to know the name of the person I'm staying with." I tell him firmly. He can act like a gentleman all he likes but I still need to know who he is. "Ah-yes. My apologies. My name is Grillby." He tilts his head in a notion of respect. I start to feel more relaxed. That pulls a large weight of puzzlement off of me. "Okay.. Thank you.. My name is Y/N." He helps me into bed and covers me with the sheets. "The pleasure of meeting you is all mine, Miss Y/N. I'm glad that you're alright."

'Why am I listening to him?'

I pause and go through all the possibilities.

'Exhaustion, confusion, recklessness, fear???'

I continue to fry my brain. On the other hand, Grillby doesn't attempt to do anything suspicious, much to my relief. Soon, he's going right back downstairs. Despite not knowing this man or place at all, it feels familiar. Not in my head, but in my soul. Why? My soul's actions since I've woken up are really starting to bug me.

'I'll deal with questions later.'

Just as quickly as the feeling appeared, I laid down and the familiarity left.