[A Hat In Time] One-Shots [X-Reader]

[Snatcher x Reader] You . . saved me ?

Pairing : Snatcher x Reader
Reader : Neutral
Category : Fluff, a ducking Vanessa bih, tsundereness.
Words : 1456 (Most words written yet.)
Synopsis : Snatcher, in his contract spree, sends you to the creepy manor inside the frosted forest, but something goes wrong.

       Everything felt cold around me, even when I approached one of the torches on the wall of the mansion. This place wasn't naturally cold, I realised it when I saw the ice dome, blocking the sunlight from going in, above me.
I didn't bother to go near the front door, I didn't trust those angels, one of them already tried to snap my neck back when I needed to destroy the fire walls in the main part of the forest. Everything just felt so empty, too.
I wish I had my soul with me, right now.
When I got behind the mansion, the trapdoor leading to the basement opened with a jolt, making me jump. I didn't feel scared, but I was surprised. I carefully ventured down the stairs, and the trapdoor closed behind me, trapping me inside.
The first thing I saw were iron bars, like this place was, or still was used as a prison. I looked to my right, and continued down the hall, my feet constantly splashing water, that my thick boots protected me from.
At some point, I stopped in my tracks, and noticed old shackles on the wall, with what seemed to be faint blood stains. That "Vanessa" mentioned in the contract wasn't joking around. Suspicious of something, I put on my dweller mask, and the silouette of an enchained man appeared on the brick wall.
The vision would have been horrifying to anyone actually capable of feeling fear. I walked past the big wine barrels, picking up a sprint yarn, and grabbed the freezing cold metal of the golden key, not even bothering. I unlocked the door to the next floor, and went up the creaking stairs.
Right before I got at the last step, a high-pitched voice called me, and I turned around carefully.
"Hey, you ! The boss told me to tell you you can't use your hats in the manor ! You should have read the contract, before signing !"

With those words, the small minion left running, and I didn't even bother about what he said.
I continued my way up, and finally stepped on the carpeted floor, my soaggy boots soaking it with muddy water. As I went for the first door I saw at my right, a woman's voice, with a bone chilling tone yelled :
"WHO DARES ENTER MY HOME ?"

I knew that if I didn't move on the point, I'd be as dead as everyone in this damn forest. I ran up to the door, and slid down under the big piano, hoping to remain undetected, to finish that stupid contract and hopefully not die.
I heard who I assumed to be Vanessa searching for me, calling out she "wouldn't hurt me". The door infront of my vision slowly opened, and she entered the room, her aura darkening everything.

Whenever she got too close to where I was, I felt an unfaltering terror inside of me, even if I was currently lacking my soul. I let out a quiet gasp as my leg turned and cracked, which the old queen heard.

My heart skipped a beat, and I saw her turning down to me, as her clawed hands grabbed me from under the black piano, and I screamed.

Everything suddenly felt numb, but I wasn't dying. I still was conscious, but it was like I couldn't move an inch of my body. I saw her taking me upstairs, and stopping before a door, which she opened.
The inside was simply a chair, a table, a large worn-out cushion on the ground and a window, showing the snow storm hurling outside, aswell as iron bars blocking whoever would want to jump out.
She threw me on the cushion, and she locked the door, as I could hear by the "click" of the door.
I still couldn't move, and with the numb sensation and the hopelessness I was feeling, I eventually fell asleep.

          It's been a while. What, 16 hours now ? And the kid still wasn't there.

The kid . . . I wondered, what was taking them so long ? I mean, they beat that poisonous toilet in a minute or so.
I wouldn't need them after they finish the contracts, anyway, and I had their soul !
Maybe Vanessa got them ? That wouldn't be surprising, but I doubted it.
T

hey were too resistant to just die like that. Their expression when I first shouted "FOOOOOOL" at them though, it was absolutely priceless ! It was like the end of the world for them ! . . Anyway . . I guessed I'd have to go get that kid myself.
I floated up from the armchair installed in the tree I reside in, and directly went for the mansion, passing through the ice and frozen trees.
I flied up, checking each window, searching for the kid, until I arrived infront of a barred window. When I peeked inside, the kid was completely still, on a big cushion.
I phased through the wall, and shook their shoulders, to attempt to wake them up. It didn't work, but I heard a slight groan from them, indicating their liveliness.
I had to pick them up with my "noodly arms", as they call them, and I unlocked the door with a single snap of my fingers. The path was clear before me, and I floated down the stairs to the lower floor.
I heard noise coming from the "piano room", where I used to practice said instrument . . But it's all past, now. The noise stopped, and I rushed to the exit, going down to the basement then up outside. I didn't take a glance at the shackles that once held me captive, imprisoned by my ex-lover.
The kid was shivering, and I could tell they'd die if I didn't quickly bring them somewhere warm. My ghostly body didn't radiate any heat, either, so it'd didn't help.
I flied up through the hole in the frozen dome, and speeded towards the tree house, until I floated down to the ground and entered the open room. I set them on my armchair, and snapped my fingers as a blanket appeared on the kid.
Why didn't I do this earlier, you might ask ? I had my thoughts on other . . subjects.
Who'd care if they died, anyway !
I intended to leave the kid there, to go patrol for more fools to trap, but something compelled me to stay with them, until they woke up.

          I groaned, as I awoke, on something comfortable with a blanket on me. I quickly realised I was in the tree house, in Snatcher's armchair. Did he save me from Vanessa, or was it all a dream ? I raised my hand to feel my neck, still marked by the deathly grip of the monster in the manor, and knew it was all real. I took a glance at my left, and there was Snatcher, concentrated on a book titled . .  "How to kill kids".
I wonder who wrote it, I mean, did Snatcher go to his local library like "Oh mhm yes I need information on how to kill kids even if I could easily kill the one I just saved" ?
In any case, he looked up from his book and noticed me staring at him, thinking.
"Well hello there ! You slept good ? I bet you did. That old woman sure did a number on you. You're lucky I noticed you weren't coming back, or you'd already be dead by now ! Frozen to death.
-. . T-thank you. .
-Don't thank me, kid, I still need you for contracts. What about you do this one last, without actually risking your life ?
-. . Do you . . care about me ?
-O-of course I don't, you're just like any fool stepping in this forest. You sure were an exception, because I needed you alive for those contracts, but I wouldn't care if you died, freezed to death, or anything. .
I chuckled as I mumbled :
-Such a tsundere . .
-Excuse me, what ?
-Nothing. . .

Even if he appeared threatening, and tried to act so, I knew he wouldn't have saved me if he truly didn't give a peck about my life.
I kept the thick blanket around myself, as I got up and jumped to kiss where his cheek would be, and his face became a yellow-ish tint. I didn't wait for any other reaction, as I ran away to the subcon village, hearing him yell things after what I had just done.
He was my hero, even if he stole my soul, and didn't really seem like one.