Countdown [Natsu x Reader x Gray]

🎓 Chapter 21 🎓

"Zero," His mother whispered, "please tell me you didn't. Not again."

"I didn't do anything." Zero said nonchalantly.

"Zero," His father whisper-shouted, "this is no time for games! Where is the girl?"

"Her name is (Y/N)," Zero corrected, "and she's in my closet."

"Oh my-" His mother gasped.

"Have you lost your mind?" His father continued to whisper-shout, "Wait, of course you have. When did you stop taking your medicine?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Zero." His father warned.

"I don't know. Lost track. Maybe in September."

"Septem-" His father groaned.

"But (Y/N) is just so great! She can stay with us and it'll be fine. She understands."

"Zero-" His mother called. Her voice was soft and sympathetic. She opened her mouth to continue, but was interrupted by some voices from down the hall.

"(Y/N)!" Natsu and Gray cheered in unison.

Zero was quick to move. He ran toward his room with his parents right behind him.

In the room, you were already uncuffed and untied. Natsu and Gray were too busy hugging you to take the tape off of your mouth.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!"

Zero charged at the group hug and tackled the three of you to the floor. As he wrestled to get Natsu and Gray away from you, the police officer grabbed Zero from behind and hancuffed him.

"Not so fast, shrine boy." He said sternly.

"Please," Zero's father pleaded. He stepped forward. "allow me to come down to the station to explain. I'm a police officer for Wilshire County. I can explain what's happened here."

"I'm sure you can." The officer said with a raised eyebrow. "Don't worry, you all are coming down to the station no matter what. I've already called for backup." The officer glanced at Natsu and Gray. "Call her parents, will you? Tell them to meet us down at the police station."

PRESENT TIME

You still are awake. You refuse to sleep.

Despite the fact that you have school in the morning, you will not let yourself fall asleep.

You can still feel the handcuffs and jump rope around your wrists and ankles respectively.

When you close your eyes, you see Zero's face.

You did learn that he has a mental health issue. Obsessive Personality Disorder (A/N: refer to Ch 10 for a description). Apparently, he stopped taking his medicine, which allowed his thoughts, behaviors, and tendencies to resurface full swing.

And he's done this before. Two times actually.

Both prior incidents involved his twin brother who "had, had enough" and moved to LA to live with an aunt. Coincidentally, moving to LA provided him the opportunity to get discovered by talent agents (thus, now he's an actor).

While you still sympathize with Zero and his life, your body and mind cannot seem to shake the trauma. If you're being honest, you don't want to return to school if Zero's going to be there.

Natsu, Gray, and your parents asked if you wanted to go to school, but you refused to talk.

You just wanted to be left alone, especially after being interrogated by the police.

You want to wake up and have this be a dream.

You want to forget -- to remove this very night from your brain, if that's possible.

You want to return to your days as a child, when things were simple. You have not fully entered the world of adulthood yet, but you were already terrified.

You never wanted to leave your house -- your bed.

This is where you were safe, not outside.

No one can hurt you in here.

It's ok.

You're fine.

It's ok.

Everything is going to be ok.

If you tell yourself this enough times, you'll start to believe it, right?