Choke [MCD x Reader] [DISCONTINUED]

On The Line

"So," Aaron said, finally breaking the silence. "They know your face." He was calm, unlike (Y/N). They had pressed themself into Aaron's side about half an hour ago, offering no explanation. As far as Aaron could tell, they were scared.

"I'm sorry." (Y/N)'s apology was barely heard, spoken quietly and muffled by Aaron's jacket. "I fucked up really bad." There was something different in their voice, something Aaron couldn't quite place as he ran a hand through their hair.

"You don't have to apologize, you had no other choice." Aaron's voice was little more than a whisper, his eyes focused on the ceiling. He had some experience in comforting (Y/N), having had to do it a few times before. It was a far more common occurrence when they first met, (Y/N) having been more vulnerable at the time. They had grown and matured, no longer easily falling prey to their emotions.

They shook their head, moving back to look Aaron in the eyes. "I've endangered all of us, I should've done anything else than show them. Maybe run away, not have faced them directly." It was heartbreaking, Aaron thought, to look into their beautiful eyes and see all the emotions that lived in them. The guilt, sadness, and regret was almost tangible.

"You would've gotten shot. No one would want that. We need you here."

"I'd rather get shot than deal with what's to come. You could've replaced me, you're a good leader. They listen to you. I'm not much of necessity."

"We don't need you as a leader, we need you as a friend." Aaron's words shocked (Y/N), any refute dying on their tongue. They buried their head into Aaron's side again, holding onto his hoodie with a tight grip.

"Do you think we can fix it?" (Y/N) asked after a while. They sounded tired, as if they were seconds away from falling asleep. Aaron wouldn't have been shocked if they did. As far as he was concerned, they hadn't gotten a wink of sleep in the past three days. He would've confronted them about it, but something in his gut had stopped him.

"No, I don't think we can." If Aaron had known that (Y/N) began to cry at that point, he didn't mention it.

(Y/N) fell asleep at some point, finally giving into their exhaustion. Aaron hadn't known what to do, so he stayed on the couch. He didn't make an effort to move or turn on the TV. It could've awakened (Y/N) and they desperately needed the rest.

"How are they?" Travis had walked into the living room, taking a seat on one of the other couches. There was an unreadable expression on his face as he asked the question, Aaron had just assumed it was concern. The thought of it being jealousy never crossed his mind.

"Upset, I guess," Aaron sighed. He moved a strand of (Y/N)'s hair from their face, a slight frown on his face. "They think that they've doomed us all. Kept saying that we're all endangered now. It's bullshit, but they wouldn't listen to me on that. How's everyone else?"

Travis merely smiled, trying his hardest to not focus on just how in love Aaron looked. "Any and all injuries have been patched up. Right now, everyone's just tired. Getting sleep, relaxing, and all that. I think you should try and do the same."

"I can't just-"

"Leave them alone, I know," Travis huffed. "You need sleep as much as they do. If you're so worried, I'll stay with them. Maybe move them to their room, these couches aren't the best places to spend the night."

Aaron looked unsure, like two parts of his mind were fighting each other on what was the right course of action. "Okay," he said, carefully moving (Y/N) off of him as he stood up. "Thank you Travis." Without much else, he wandered off to his room, leaving Travis and (Y/N) in the living room.

Travis looked to (Y/N), trying to decide if he should just leave them sleeping on the couch. It would be much easier than carrying them to their bed. It was decided, Travis would leave (Y/N) where they were. That would mean Travis had to sleep on one of the couches as well, but there were far worse things in the world.

+

(Y/N) woke up early the following morning, slipping out of the apartment before the sun even had a chance to rise. They didn't have a destination in mind, they just wanted to walk around. Maybe get everyone some breakfast if they had the time.

They were, to say the least, very embarrassed about their actions the prior night. It wasn't in their plan to cry in front of Aaron, it wasn't their plan to have Travis somehow end up looking after them when they fell asleep. Last night was a mess. If they could, (Y/N) would do anything to forget it all. Unfortunately that couldn't be done without some drugs and alcohol, which they didn't like to mess with. 

That's the whole reason they left the apartment that morning. It was an attempt to clear their mind, to chase off the fog that seemed to settle in their head. But with every step they took down the road, the feeling seemed to get worse. They were greeted with an emotion they hadn't really felt in a while.

Paranoia.

They were fearful that someone they passed would recognize them, would follow them home. They were worried that something might happen to their friends, feeling terrible that they left all of them alone. (Y/N) kept walking; ignoring the fear, the worry, the anxiety.

It was too cold for a mid-spring morning, the temperature reaching far below forty degrees Fahrenheit. (Y/N) began to regret leaving the house without any extra layers besides a hoodie. They felt like they were freezing, the cold seeping into every corner of their body. Even so, the weather managed to put them at ease. 

(Y/N) walked the quiet streets, focusing on their feet as they did. They had left that morning expecting a quiet, uneventful walk. What they didn't expect was bumping into Ein. Ein, with his navy blue hoodie and gray eyes.

While Ein regarded them with a smirk, (Y/N) froze up. Most interactions with him weren't the friendliest. They hoped he was in a good mood today, for their sake and his. "Isn't this a treat? Didn't expect to see you so soon, (Y/N)," he said, eyes flicking between them and the building across the street.

"What are you doing out here so early?" (Y/N) asked. If Ein was acting civilized, so would they.

"I could ask you the same thing." Ein's smile broke, his focus no longer on (Y/N). He seemed much more interested in the building, his eyes trained on a certain window. "But if you really want to know, my sister lives in that building right there. I was maybe hoping to catch a glimpse of her and her family."

(Y/N) vaguely remembers Ein mentioning his sister to them. They remembered Ein lying on the pavement, filled to the brim with alcohol and covered with cuts and bruises. They remembered his slurred voice as he recounted stories of the family he ran from. 

"That's sad and all, but isn't it sorta creepy to stalk her?" (Y/N) asked, taking a quick look around the park. "I'm sure she wouldn't be opposed to seeing you again."

Ein rolled his eyes, a certain sort of sadness radiating off of him. "I can't risk her safety like that."

"That sounds like an excuse."

"Fuck off." 

The silence that followed was tense, leaving a feeling of discomfort and unease to creep into (Y/N)'s mind. They left Ein seconds after. Without much second thought, they headed towards a shop they were semi-familiar with. The sun was rising faster now, the city waking with it. Their friends would wake up soon enough and (Y/N) was determined to get home with breakfast before any of them had the chance to.