Work Text:
- Genre: Fluff, soulmate au
- Prompt: Trinket (@Flufftober) / Never have I ever… taken a bike ride through the woods (@slumberpartybingo Fall Flash)
- Word Count: 3,315
- Pairing: Reader x Floyd
- World: Twisted Wonderland
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You groaned, letting your head fall back to stare up at the ceiling of your classroom. It was lunchtime so most of the students had retreated to the cafeteria but your head was hurting too bad to deal with the noise.
Kazu, your childhood best friend and fellow degenerate, entered the room with an armful of snacks and drinks. He made a beeline for your desk, dropping off his haul onto it before sitting the wrong way at the desk in front of you.
“I managed to get some goodies today. Look at this!” He grabbed a bag of combos, waving them at you frantically. “Every single time, they’re out of combos because of Billy in class C. Today, I finally beat him!”
You scoffed, sending him a look as you grabbed your favorite drink. “Only because he’s not here today.”
“Hey!” He pointed a finger at you, his ring glinting under the bright lights of the class. “A win is a win, no matter the circumstances.”
“Uh huh, sure. Whatever helps you sleep at night, my guy.” You leaned forward, scanning the pile of snacks for something that looked appetizing. You would have preferred to get lunch from the cafeteria, but they didn’t allow you to take food out of the room, much to your annoyance.
“By the way,” he popped a twizzler into his mouth, talking as he chewed. “Did you hear that they finally reopened the Coral Cove trail?”
“Yeah?” You quirked a brow, your interest peaked as soon as you heard the name. “Did they catch the murderer?”
“Nope. Dad says they’re still completely clueless,” his nose wrinkled in annoyance. “It’s been months, they can’t keep the case open forever.”
“Isn’t it against police code or something to talk about cases outside the force?” you wondered, snatching the pizza-flavored combos before he could.
“Oi, those are mine!”
“Says who?”
“Says me!” he scowled, smacking his hand on the desk.
For a moment, the two of you just stared each other down, daring the other to give in. His eye twitched and you grinned, slowly leaning forward. Finally, he broke.
“Damn it, fine! Don’t say I never do anything for you.”
“Sure, sure.”
“Anyway, do you wanna hit the trail this weekend? We haven’t been allowed to ride there in ages and it’s not like we have Halloween plans.”
“Bold of you to assume I have no plans.”
His eyes widened as he sat up straight. “What? Did you get invited to something?!”
You snickered, turning your gaze to the window. Despite being nearly one in the afternoon, the sky was covered with grey clouds, the sun nowhere in sight.
It truly did feel as if an age had passed since you were last on the trail. After a bird watcher spied a body floating in the lake, the cops completely cordoned off the lake, the trail, and the surrounding forest. It seemed a bit overkill to you, especially since there were always cops guarding the area.
You and Kazu had been caught sneaking in a handful of times when they first closed it off. It was a shame because the trail was quiet and peaceful, usually devoid of other people. Growing up, the two of you spent more time there than at home.
“Oi~” Kazu pouted, resting his upper body against the desk, pushing the snacks closer to you. “Answer me.”
“No, I didn’t get invited to anything. I’m as big a loser as you are.”
“Good,” he nodded, seemingly satisfied.
“Wait for it,” you whispered to yourself, watching as realization flashed across his face.
“Hey, I’m not a loser!”
You just laughed, leaning back in your chair.
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The day of Halloween was cloudy and grey, rain falling from the sky as a fine mist. The wind was strong and chilly, something you thoroughly enjoyed. Most people didn’t want a rainy Halloween but, for you, it was perfect.
You threw your leg over the bike, stifling a yawn as you started down the quiet street. Most of the people in your neighborhood were older couples, so only a couple of houses had Halloween decorations up. It honestly hurt your soul, though you couldn’t judge – there were none up at your house, either. Not because you couldn’t be bothered but because you didn’t have the money to spare.
Kazu was waiting at the start of the trail, taking shelter under the seating area on the right side of the parking lot. When he noticed you approaching, he stopped sipping on his Kool-Aid Jammer to scowl at you. “What the hell took you so long?”
“I was enjoying the rain,” you shrugged, coming to a stop in front of the seating area.
“Your love of rain is bordering on unhealthy.”
“Your love of Kool-Aid Jammers is, too.”
“Hey! It’s a delicious drink for all ages.”
“Keep telling yourself that. Let’s go!” You started to bike down the dirt trail, tall pine trees towering over you on either side. Despite being autumn, the needles of these trees didn’t change color, remaining a rich dark green. It was a shame, really, because it made it feel less like Halloween.
“Move it, granny!” Kazu grinned, racing past you, his legs pumping as if he were being chased by Satan himself.
You rolled your eyes at him, continuing your leisurely pace down the path. You just wanted to take in the nature around you since it had been so long since you were last here. The trees blocked most of the rain, though every minute or so a large drop would hit the top of your head.
After about fifteen minutes, the path started to veer toward the left, right up against the side of the lake before following around its length. As you started to ride beside the water, you caught sight of something glinting just beneath the surface.
“Oi, Kazu -” you turned toward your best friend, only to find him halfway to the other side of the lake already. Shaking your head, you climbed off your bike, resting it against a thick tree just off the path. It was doubtful that anyone else would be riding by, but better safe than sorry, you supposed.
You squatted down at the water’s edge, squinting your eyes to try and make out what the object was. It appeared to be a necklace of some sort, with a round pendant stuck in the dirt. You reached out for it, hand sinking into the ice-cold water, but the tips of your fingers just barely scraped it.
You should have just given up and returned to your bike ride, but something was compelling you, whispering to you. You needed that trinket. Shifting onto your knees, your palm pressed into the dirt, water coming up to your elbow and lapping against the t-shirt you wore. You stretched your body as far as you could, reaching desperately for the metal chain.
The dirt gave way beneath you and you cried out as you fell face-first into the cold water, fingers curling around the chain and yanking it free from the dirt. The pendant sent a ripple through the water before it started to glow a bright blue, forcing you to close your eyes. There was a sudden yanking sensation, as if you were being sucked into a drain or something.
When the light faded and you opened your eyes again, you were surrounded by inky darkness so thick that you could barely see your hand in front of your face. You glanced upward but couldn’t see the surface of the water.
Your need for air was growing so you started to swim upward, sure that it couldn’t be that far off. The lake was only about twenty-five feet deep at its deepest section and you had been right at the edge and yet… no matter how far you swam, the surface never came.
Your heart was racing in your chest as your lungs started to burn, desperate for air. You were trying not to panic, knowing it would only make things worse, but what other options did you have?
A long shadow darted through the water to your left and your head snapped toward it, eyes frantically searching for the source but it was too dark. Was your mind playing tricks on you? You whipped around when you caught sight of it again, this time behind you but again, there was nothing there.
Panic was beginning to rise because you knew you couldn’t hold your breath much longer, plus there was now something circling you, most likely waiting for you to run out of air so it could strike.
A pair of strong arms slithered around your waist, a firm chest pressing against your back. Lips pressed against your ear, voice amused as it spoke to you as if you weren’t underwater. “What do we have here? A lost little starfish~”
A man appeared in front of you, a frown on his face. His skin was blue-green in tone and he was covered in scales, the lower half of his body fading into an eel-like tail. Your wide eyes met his mismatched ones, lips parting in shock. This was a poor choice on your end as water invaded your lungs.
Your body tensed, hands grasping at your throat.
“Huh? What’s wrong, little starfish?”
“I believe they’ve run out of air, Floyd,” stated the male before you, bringing a hand to his chin.
“Oh, right,” giggled Floyd. His clawed hand gripped your chin, turning your face toward him before his lips pressed against your own.
Your body stiffened in shock and you wanted to push him away, but he was providing you with much-needed air so you refrained. It helped that his lips were plush and soft against your own, feeling as if they were made just for you. He felt it, too, becoming intoxicated by the way you felt against him. He gripped you tighter, tilting his head to the side and swiping his rough tongue across your bottom lip.
Jade frowned as he observed his twin, realizing that the taller of the two had just imprinted on you, claiming you as his soulmate without even realizing it. This concerned him for multiple reasons, the biggest of which being the fact that neither of them knew who you were. He couldn’t prove it, but there was a voice at the back of his mind saying that you didn’t belong in this world.
You shoved at his shoulder, trying to push him away but he was like a stone wall, unmovable. When you tried to pull away, he followed you, tail swishing back and forth in the water. Since neither was working, you did the next best thing – you bit down hard on his bottom lip, making him whine in pain and pull away, blood staining the water red.
“That wasn’t very nice, little starfish,” he scowled, eyes narrowed at you. “Don’t make me squeeze ya!” As if to prove his point, he increased his grip to an almost painful degree before lessening his hold.
You wanted to yell at him, to tell him to let you go, but you couldn’t speak underwater like he could. Instead, you clenched your fists and started to kick and punch him, eyes narrowed to try and communicate how angry you felt.
“Stop it,” he scowled, grabbing hold of your wrists so you’d stop hitting him. In response, you leaned forward and bit his slender wrist, tasting blood and saltwater on your tongue. He hissed in pain, jerking back from you and loosening his grip enough so you could slip away.
You turned, trying to swim away and up toward the surface, desperate to find air and safety. In the blink of an eye, he had swam past you, coming to a stop directly in front of you with narrowed eyes and a scowl on his lips.
“You’re gonna drown, little starfish,” he pouted, reaching out for you again but you flailed wildly, trying to put some distance between the two of you. He moved easily through the water but you were awkward, barely moving at all.
You knew he was right. The need for air was growing again, your head feeling light and your vision blurring. Like it or not, he was your only chance at survival and he knew it.
Floyd grinned, showing off his sharp teeth. He held out his hand to you and you glanced nervously at his sharp nails. “Do you want me to save you, little starfish?”
You quickly nodded, squeezing your eyes shut tightly, lungs burning. A strangled sound left you and he quickly closed the distance, his lips finding yours again, filling your lungs with air that you accepted greedily. His tail shifted into the water, propelling both of you upward at a rapid pace. He passed twice the distance you had in just a few seconds.
You felt yourself break through the surface and you gasped loudly, sulking in air greedily as you coughed and sputtered. Rain was falling steadily from the grey sky above, creating tiny ripples on the surface of the water.
Floyd watched you closely, head tilted to the side and a grin on his lips. He couldn’t explain why, but he felt protective over you.
More than anything, he just wanted to be close to you. He shifted closer and you quickly moved backward, eyes wide. Seeing the fear in your eyes made him frown, hurt and annoyance swirling in his gut. He had just saved your life, why were you acting scared of him?
“What… what are you?” you breathed out, eyes flickering to Jade when he broke the surface behind his twin.
“We’re eels, silly little starfish,” giggled Floyd, his tail breaking the surface of the water before sinking back under with a splash.
“E-Eels?!”
Though Jade couldn’t be sure that you weren’t from this world, he decided to bluff it and ask if he knew it to be a fact. “Do people like us not exist where you’re from?”
You quickly shook your head no and he hummed in interest.
Floyd frowned, glancing between the two of you. “Whatcha mean, Jade?”
“Your little starfish is from another world. One without magic, correct?”
You nodded, looking between the two. Your eyes were filled with confusion, a twinge of fear, and you looked exhausted.
“Come, we must get your starfish to land.” Jade swam past you with ease, dipping his head beneath the water.
Floyd swam closer to you with a grin. “Get on my back, little starfish~”
You hesitated, glancing around but you could see nothing but water. You had no choice so you slowly got behind him, your chest against his back and arms loosely around his neck.
“You gotta hold me tighter than that or you’ll fall off!” His fingers wrapped around your arms, tugging them tighter around his neck. “Hang on tight, okay?”
“Y-Yeah,” you replied shakily, swallowing hard as he shifted beneath you, his body easily sliding through the water. Though he hated swimming slowly, he knew you were already scared so he refrained from going too fast.
You felt relief wash over you when land finally came into sight and you relaxed against him, closing your eyes. A smile came to his lips when he felt the tension leaving your body. All he wanted to do was hold you tightly, to bury his face in your neck and mark you as his.
When he finally reached land, you slid off his back and pulled yourself up, the cold wind making you shiver. You wrapped your arms around yourself, trying to find some warmth but since you were soaked to the bone, it did little to help.
Floyd frowned, pulling himself up onto the earth with his tail still in the water. He held his arms open, motioning for you to come closer with his hands. “Come here, little starfish.”
You crawled over to him, teeth chattering. You honestly didn’t expect much warmth from him at all because he had felt cold under the water, but now that he was on land, his body was a bit warmer. You clung to his scaly body, trying to soak up what little bit of warmth he offered.
Floyd held you tightly, a frown on his lips as you trembled against him. “Hurry up, Jade.”
The shorter twin stepped out from behind a tree, in human form and dressed in his NRC uniform. “Don’t be so impatient, Floyd.”
Floyd cupped your cheek with one hand, nuzzling his nose against the other. “I’ll be right back, little starfish.”
Confused, you watched him slip back in the water. Your eyes fell on Jade, brow furrowed. “How did you… you can change your form?”
“This is my human form,” he explained, eyes landing on a cluster of mushrooms at the base of a tree. He squatted down to inspect them, humming softly. “With the help of a potion, we are able to exist on land with very little trouble.”
Floyd burst out from behind the tree, his uniform messy and half-heartedly thrown on his body. He, too, was in human form, a grin on his lips as he rushed over to you. The air was knocked from your lungs when his body crashed into your own, arms tight around your body.
You wanted to complain, but he was so much warmed now and you found yourself leaning into him, much to his delight. He placed his jacket around your shoulders before returning his hold to your waist, face buried in the crook of your neck.
“Floyd,” said Jade sternly, sending his brother a look. “We should return to Night Raven.”
“I don’t wanna,” he muttered, lips brushing against your skin when he spoke. You were glad that you were already trembling because the action brought goosebumps to your skin.
“Do you want your little starfish to get sick?” Jade quirked a brow, holding back a smirk when his brother’s shoulders fell. He chose not to mention that NRC was probably the only way you were gonna be returned home.
“Fine~” He pulled away, bringing you to your feet with ease. “Ne, little starfish?”
You offered him your name and he tested it out before wrinkling his nose and shaking his head.
“No, you’re my little starfish!” He pouted, resting his forehead against your own. “Promise me you won’t ever leave me. If you do, I’ll squeeze ya!”
You didn’t know what that meant and you really didn’t want to find out so you hesitantly nodded. The bright smile that took over his face after this surprised you. He grabbed your hand and started to run through the woods, giggling like a boy on Christmas morning.
Despite your current situation, his carefree laughter brought a smile to your face and you soon found yourself laughing along, your worries temporarily forgotten.
Jade sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. This whole situation was quite messy and he knew Floyd wasn’t going to take it well when it was time for you to return to your own world. He was the last person that Jade would have expected to imprint on someone, especially upon just meeting them.
Of all the people to be his soulmate, why was it someone from a different world? It made no sense to Jade. He started to follow the two of you when something caught his eye, glowing softly among the grass. Curiously, he leaned down to pick it up, eyes widening when he realized what it was.
What was the Jewel of Mamoten doing there? His eyes narrowed at you, a feeling of worry settling in his gut. It was no coincidence that both you and the trinket had appeared at the same time, he knew. This might get more annoying than he had originally thought.
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