Forgive Me, My Love ~ ReddNook

Chapter 5

Redd hummed happily as he dusted the paintings. "Redd, you clever fox did it again," he said to himself. "I wonder who the next idiot will be."

He pricked up his ears when he heard heavy footsteps. "Ah, there we have our victim." The door was forced open and a familiar face appeared. Redd's heart skipped and he stood there for several seconds.

"Look who we have here!" The Tanuki growled angrily. "Long time no see, Redd." Redd's voice failed, he could hardly believe his eyes. "T-Tom ...?" He whispered hoarsely. "Tom Nook ?! Is it really you?"

"Who else should it be, hm?" He replied scornfully. But Redd ignored his dislike. He was overjoyed to see his ex-boyfriend again. He wagged his tail excitedly and stepped closer.

"I didn't know you were here! I missed you, Nooky." Tom stared at him with cold eyes. "Don't act like that! Have you forgotten what you did to me twelve years ago ?! You stole from me and left! How can you hurt me like this? I trusted you back then, you bastard!"

Redd hung his ears and looked guiltily at the floor. He had known that Tom would not forgive him for this betrayal. This guilt had been with him all these years. "Tom, listen to me," Redd sighed.

"I used to be a selfish idiot and was only focused on money.  I deeply regret everything I did to you, but believe me, I've changed!" Tom grimaced and pointed to the paintings on the wall.

"You call that change? You're selling fake art. It's illegal!" Redd's fur bristled with nervousness. "I know, but somehow I have to earn my money. I have no other choice!"

Tom shook his head. "You are impossible. You really haven't learned anything from your mistakes." Redd lowered his tail. "I don't ask you to forgive me. I just want you to know that I'm sorry for what I did to you. If you gave me a second chance, I could prove to you that I've become a better fox."

Tom's gaze softened a little and a glimmer of hope glistened in Redd. "No," the tanuki replied icily. "I just can't trust you anymore after this incident." The glimmer of hope faded.

"But it was so long ago!" The fox defended himself. "It doesn't matter!" Tom yelled. "You're only lying, I know that for sure! As soon as you have regained my trust, you'll snatch the money and disappear again! But I won't let myself be fooled a second time!"

The tanuki walked up to Redd and roughly grabbed his fur. "Get off this island!" He hissed spitefully and stared at him with a deadly look. "I never want to see you again. Do you understand that ?!"

Redd shuddered and tried to hide his fear. "Now that I know you live here on Te Fiti, there is no way I will go!" He replied boldly, suppressing a tremor when he saw Tom's angry face.

"Please, give me a chance," Redd begged before the Tanuki could say anything. "I really want to change! Besides, not all artworks are fake. A few are real."
"That doesn't make it any better!" Tom yelled.

"Oh, Nooky, come on! We had a perfect relationship." The tanuki let go of the fox so that he fell roughly to the ground. "Yes, we had a perfect relationship, Redd. Until you betrayed me! And stop calling me Nooky!" Redd got up carefully.

"Can't you just forget the past? I told you I was sorry! What else do I have to do?" Tom's eyes narrowed. "Your apology doesn't change anything! And if you think you can correct your mistakes, you are wrong."

Redd looked desperately at his ex-boyfriend. "I missed you, Tom ..." The tanuki winced slightly. "I don't care."
"I ... I loved you so much," the fox whispered. And still do ...
"You were everything to me."

"That relationship was meaningless," he replied coldly. "That wasn't love." Redd stared at him in horror. What? He had to hold back the tears that welled up in his eyes. "You ... you can't be serious."

The tanuki did not answer, but moved towards the door and added in a threatening tone: "Leave me and the residents alone, or you will bitterly regret it!" He stepped out of the room and slammed the door with a bang.

Redd sighed. His gaze wandered to the paintings. He's right. What I'm doing here is not right. But how else am I supposed to stay afloat ?!

He strolled sadly into his room and threw himself on the mattress. He couldn't afford a real bed. Redd stared at the cracked ceiling and thought for a long time before he made up his mind. "Maybe Lucifer will help me, if I talk to him again." he muttered to himself.

"The question is whether he wants to help me."