Protection- DST Wes x Reader Oneshot

Protection

I've been surviving in the Constant for quite a while. I've seen other survivors but I had decided to avoid people since there was no telling what they would do the second they found someone else. I recall exploring a new area far from base when I saw a little girl lighting trees on fire. I would have assumed that she just needed charcoal, if not for the fact she was lighting so many trees on fire all at once. There's something about her I just don't like. I was travelling through the marsh in need of reeds for making healing items and a bird cage. I generally don't like the area because of how dangerous it was but the lack of healing items was starting to freak me out. Spider glands don't heal that much, you know! Dusk was going to approach soon so I need to hurry up! It was only until I looked ahead of me that I saw what looked like a male mime on the brink of death with a tentacle wrapped around his body. I froze. Who was this? Why was he in the same marsh at the same time as me? Now, I most definitely weren't keen on helping survivors, seeing as I myself had enough trouble getting prepared for the seasonal changes. I already killed Bearger so now was the time to prepare for Deerclops. The world around me seemed to be at a standstill as I think about my decision. I look at the trapped mime once more and I feel myself come to my final answer. It wouldn't hurt to have another helping hand at your base, would it? I rush in with gunpowder from my inventory and absolutely D E S T R O Y the tentacle. A tentacle spike, tentacle spots, and a tentacle spike appear where the corpse faded. I was hoping to save such a valuable item for a boss monster but protecting this mime was my top priority right now. The mime falls to the ground, bleeding yet still maintaining a smile through all the hell it's been through. "Need help, sir?" I offer a hand, looking the mime in the eye. He looks back and takes my hand with a happy grin. Suddenly, dusk falls and I search for my torch in my backpack as I frown. When you live so long in a place as unforgiving as the Constant, you're going to need survival materials with you every step of the way. This torch won't last the night. "Follow me. I seem new here, so here's a word of advice: ALWAYS have a light source with you at night. I' m not sure how or why, but something in the dark really doesn't want us to survive here." you warn him. The french clown tilts his head in confusion but doesn't say a word. I lead the two of us on the path back home. I hear howling from a distance and I stop for a moment. I quickly grab 2 pieces of cut grass and 2 twigs, then craft torches. Since my torch won't last, I should probably make another one. I don't think I'm going to make it there before nightfall. The mime is silently follows me around as I go through the said process. I continue to lead him to my base, when I feel a draft. I don't have much time before nightfall, do I? "We need to hurry on up. Take my hand, will ya?" I ask, which the mime takes my hand with a confused look on his face. I start dashing off with this clown all the way to the walls of my base. Thank you me for building a side gate to my base! I hurry on up and rush the poor mime into the base I practically dragged him to. I slam the gate and I see the sky getting darker. Son of a... I throw a log in my firepit which makes spontaneous fire. "I have logs in the chest there, but try using them sparingly. Those will be your firewood, and be sure to remember that fire works a little wonky here. Look, hounds are about to attack, so stay inside while I try to kill them off, mystery man. Do you understand?" I ask with my torch ready. He nods and does a weird thing with both of his hands. "What the... ok, I'll ask what you said at a later time. Stay safe, bud." I dash out of my safe space and prepare to get ripped apart for a stranger, torch in hand. Barking from the dogs gets louder and louder as hounds run closer and closer to me. At least the mime-guy is safe. I hold a spear in my other hand, ready to spill animal blood with my light by my side. A hound emerges from the shadows and into my view. I kite the bastard, when a fire hound comes from the side. It doesn't help that the base is surrounded by wood walls, does it? I get away from base, trying to stop any spread of fire from happening. I make it into a field without anything flammable and tighten the grip on my spear. Things are about to get rather messy. The barking hounds find there way back to me and I make sure to kill each and every one before I kill the fire hound. Piercing skulls, earning wounds, struggling with hounds to the death... all in the name of protecting my silent guest. A fire is started upon killing the fire hound, as one would imagine, and monster meat from the other corpses of hounds are burned to ashes, leaving the teeth left. I grab the teeth and store them in my backpack, thinking I may need them for tooth traps around my base. Really, I mainly use them for combat but making the base a little safer wouldn't hurt I guess. I find the side door through the dark and I find a certain mime sitting on the ground while badly hurt. He turns to me and waves happily. I wave back with a smile and go to one of the chests near the fire pit. I grab some materials and get to crafting. My guest looks at what I'm doing with a curious silence before pointing at the things I'm crafting. "I'm making healing items and doing a mental checklist for what I need for a bird cage. Nothing important." I say without taking my eyes off the task at hand. He then does fast movements with his hands like he's building something, then presented thin air with pride. I chuckle and shake my head. A question suddenly pops into my head. "Hey, mime. Have you been choosing not to talk or are you mute?" I ask. He points at his throat, then makes an 'X' with his bloodied up arms. That would mean he's mute. I nod, though mostly to myself. I guess that makes sense, considering the whole mime getup. An interesting way of turning your disadvantage into an advantage! Supposedly, he could have gotten any job involving computers, but considering how dramatic this man is? He probably wouldn't like that anyway. I finish making healing salve and honey politice, and put 3 of each next to my guest. I can use the rest for myself later. "A good place to start should be your arms. Show me one of your arms, silent man." I ask with my items ready. The mime expresses shock by putting one hand on both of his cheeks and opening his mouth wide. He then bows from his spot and gives me an arm to work on. Compared to the other one, this one looks bad. I apply the healing salve, which the mime flinches. "Stay still, please." I ask. The mime continues to dramatically express pain like a damsel in distress. No wonder he got to the brink of death on day one. I sigh, then continue trying to heal him. When I'm done with all of his injuries, he stands and falls to the ground like he's just died from the pain. I giggle to myself at how dorky this man is and kneel down. "Get up, goofball. We've got tomorrow to prepare for." I say, a smile and blush illuminates my face. The pale-faced man sat up with a silly smile on his face. Maybe it was his now messy hair, his somehow still clean makeup, his rosy cheeks, or even just the fire, but my heart sped in the presence of the mime. He gets up and bows as a way of saying 'Thank you.' He stands up off the ground and hugs me. Now, I'm sure he's trying to express gratitude, but feeling his arms around is causing these mystic feeling inside of me to fluctuate. I feel a calm, content, breathless wash over me as I hug back. It feels like I'm on some sort of drug right now. I can barely focus, new emotions are rising in me, and my heart is beating awfully soft yet passionately. He lets go and looks into my eyes with gratefulness and innocence highlighted in his gaze. He looks up as day shines through once more. "Say, you're rather new here. Although I've been surviving on my own without the help of other survivors, I wouldn't mind if you stayed here with me. I could protect you this way and you'd never have to get as hurt as badly as you did before. I have areas I need to go that are a little bit of ways from here, but you could always get materials nearby my base. If you run into trouble, you could escape into here. Chances are, when I'm coming back here to offload materials, I can help you in whatever position you find yourself in." I offer. The mime puts a hand over his mouth to signify surprise before nodding enthusiastically. A smile paints itself on the mime and I mirror his happiness. "It'll be nice to have you here, stranger. What's your name?" I ask. He spells something on the ground. It reads 'WES' with a smiley face next to it. I chuckle to myself.

I'm glad to have Wes' company in a place like this. I'll protect him to the best of my ability.