Chapter Text
Y/n pov.
Days seem to be getting longer and the cold air is slowly making it's way out of the creaky floorboards. I hold my legs tighter to me, the blanket draped over me drooping onto the floor, it being too big to all fit in the chair with me.
My teeth sink into my bottom lip while I pick at a loose string on the arm of the seat. I should get up, eat something, do something. Something. I sigh heavily before letting my feet slide off of the old love seat and onto the slightly cool floor, a chill running down my spine. One hand pulls the blanket closer to my body as the other supports my weight while I stand myself up right. I release my grip on the blanket and it drops on the floor. I put one foot in front of the other as I walk over to the windows in the rooms, pulling open the heavy curtains. The sun shining through the windows and warming the room, a line of dust visible in the ray of sunlight let in through the now uncovered glass. I stare out at the skyline, the clouds covering the sun just enough to make the picture in front of me feel unreal. My breath sighs heavily, I can't help but wish I was brave enough to leave the house, my thoughts starting to swarm me.
Sushi, my cat, rubs against my leg and purrs quietly, breaking me from my spell. I kneel down and rub the white spot between his eyes with my thumb. He bites my hand softly before licking it. I shake my head slightly, my hair falling in front of my face, a small smile escaping my lips, "Thank you for the reality check, Sushi." I pat his back softly, his black fur shedding slightly from the touch.
I stand up again and make my way to the kitchen, running my hand along the wall of the hallway as I walk, the dust collecting on the tips of my fingers. I take my hand off the wall and wipe my hand on my cardigan, the dust on my fingers wiping onto the worn fabric. I stop walking at the doorframe of the kitchen and look around, "When was the last time I cooked for someone..?" I sigh softly before starting to turn, my thoughts turning towards my last company, only stopping when I notice something outside the kitchen window. I stare for a second before moving to the window, squinting slightly to see what it is.
There's a single flower, a kind I've never seen before. It's growing in a field right in front of the house. I look out at the tree line, looking for a sign of anything or anyone. I stare out at the deepening shadows for a moment before making up my mind. I take a deep breathe and march back to the living room, "Sushi!" I approach the door and put my hand on the door knob before stopping, "I'm going outside okay..? If something happens, you know what to do without mommy right?" The cat only stares at her before rolling over again to soak in the sunlight that was let in through the window.
I twist the door open and pull it towards me, the sound of birds making it into the house. I step outside and close the door behind me. My eyes adjusting to the brightness, I take a deep breath. The fresh air is so different from the stuffiness of the cabin, I almost forgot how nice the cool air could feel.
I look around for the field I saw the flower in. I smile when I spot it. It's like looking at one of the old paintings inside the cottage. I'm here, but not really. The colors are so vivid and real, as if I could reach out and grab ahold of them and pull them straight out of the scene. The bird swooping down in front of me pulls me out of my amazement, I remember my original reason of coming out here. The flower, I can't help myself but smile.
I pick up a stray basket and an old travel shovel. I put the shovel in the basket, and then used both hands to hike my skirt up, the basket hanging from my elbow. The long grass scratches against my ankles as I trek my way through the meadow to the flower. 'I haven't asked anyone to help me tend my yard for a while... perhaps I should write to him..?' I let out a huff and drop my skirt once I make it to the flower. I kneel down, setting the basket down next to me, "I haven't come outside in what feels like forever..." I stop and look at the flower underneath me and then dig out the shovel, "I'm out here just just you, little thing." I hum softly as I begin to dig the shovel into the dry dirt around the flower, avoiding the roots.
I squeeze my hands into the space between the freshly cut ground and the uncut soil. Gently, I start pulling the flower and a large clump of dirt out with it until a shadow falls over me and the flower. I stop. I stop everything. Every. Little. Thing. Stops.
I hear a deep voice say something, the voice sounds aggressive, I don't understand anything he says. I slowly start to look up at him, my breath hitching and my hands begin to shake. I can hear his voice coming in and out, but I can't understand any of it. What was I told to do in a situation like this? What was it? My mouth opened slightly, but nothing would come out, my airways closing off. The man's glare seemed deadly, as if it he could take me out without even wanting to. The flower slips through my hands as I manage to croak out a simple sound in an attempt to call for 'him', "ph...?" The man standing in front of me freezes, "What?" He looks confused.
"Aye mate- Holy shit dude, move."
Another man comes into view, he nudges the other male out of the way and kneels in front of me. His voice feels familiar, but I can't see him. My vision begins to fade in and out as I can't seem to find my air, my lungs burning from the effort of keeping me alive. He puts one hand behind my head and the other grabs a hold of my hand. He helps me lay back in the tall grass, "Y/n relax.... calm....focus on my voice..." He squeezes my hand tightly, and I can finally breathe. I take deep shaky uneven breathes as he talks me through it. "Good, good, Y/n, you're doing great, just keep focusing on my voice." I turn my head to him and blink at the brightness, his face is silhouetted by the sun for a moment before my eyes adjust, "In... Out... In.." He repeats in an even voice. I begin sitting up, "phil..?" He let's go of my hand and pats my head, "yeah it's me kiddo, holy shit don't scare me like that-" I lean forward, my forehead colliding with his shoulder. We're both quite for a moment.
"Who..?" I squeak out quietly, now embarrassed for having such a reaction. Phil only smiles, "Y/n, meet Techno, Techno, meet Y/n." I tilt my head up, still leaning on Phil and look up at the man standing behind us. He doesn't seem as scary as he did before. His posture has relaxed as he slouches slightly, his eyes refuse to meet mine. He looks regretful, awkward even.
"Halloo." He speaks casually despite his royal appearance. "Hi..."
Techno Pov.
"We should be getting there soon, so we won't have to walk much longer thank god.." Phil was rambling, although I didn't mind. It gave me something to distract myself with. He looked happy to be going wherever this place was, he'd mentioned something about an old friend living there. "You've got to be careful not to scare her, Techno, she probably hasn't gone outside in a while..." Phil paused between his thoughts, "I wonder when the last time was..?" He began to lecture me about being friendly before his mind wandered again.
I roll my eyes as the voices' interests are piqued, I hear a spew of words rushing over one another, "girl...Who...Dadza....blood for the-" Phil stops walking for a moment, seeming distracted by something. "You go ahead mate, make sure she's home, I'll catch up." I roll eyes and walk ahead, "Okayy." I can tell by the trees thinning that I was coming up on a meadow, maybe this is where she lives?
I look around and listen, hearing a soft humming noise and I follow its direction, leading me right to her. I straighten my posture and put my guard up, "is this your home?" I wait for a response. She remains unmoving, she could have convinced me that she was fake. Her face slowly tilted up to meet my eyes. She resembled the look of a deer caught in headlights, her eyes wide wide full of fear. Why did she look like that? "Uhhh," I cleared my throat, "Do you live here?" I feel awkward, as if I should have just waited for Phil to come before approaching her. "Ph..." A soft noise escaped from her, I couldn't quite make it out, "What?"
"Aye mate, holy shit dude, hang on move right quick-" Phil squeezed in between us. I took a step a back to give them space and only watched. The voices in my head getting mad at me for scaring her. I hit my forehead with my palm to try and quiet them and run my hands along my hair down to my neck, keep my hands there for a second. I sigh and drop my hands, my eyes glancing over to look at the two only to see her resting against Phil, her doe eyes staring up at me from behind Phil's shoulder. "Y/n, meet Techno, Techno, meet y/n."