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Their head hurts, a dull pounding echoing around in their skull. Pyro's clothes are soaked and muddy, their eyes red from crying. Their lungs ache, their throat scratchy and uncomfortable.
They know they must look a mess.
Pyro debates on whether or not they should wait to head back to their and Apo's shared house, but decide it doesn't matter if Apo sees them like this. Not when a cold shiver wracks their body, making them even more miserable than they already are.
The town is empty, and for a moment Pyro lets themself believe that Apo might not be home. That they won't have to humiliate themself in front of her.
They aren't that lucky.
Apo steps outside just as Pyro moves to open the front door. She blinks when she catches sight of them, her eyes looking their ruined clothes up and down with thinly veiled concern.
"Pyro? What happened to you?"
Pyro shrinks under her gaze. There's no way she'll believe them if they tell her what happened. Not when they aren't positive it happened at all. No matter how much more pitiful it makes them seem, they have to make an excuse.
They rub the back of their neck, face warming in embarrassment. "I went for a walk and fell into the river."
Apo stares, her eyebrows furrowing. "Are you alright?"
They aren't, not in the least, but they still nod their head. "I'm fine."
She sighs, sounding exasperated. "You have to be more careful."
Pyro nods again, trying to pretend the words don't make their heart sink.
They want to say it wasn't their fault. That they couldn't stop what had happened. That they were being careful.
They stay silent.
Apo steps past them, pressing her hand to their shoulder. It's warm and firm, grounding them to the moment. "Go inside and clean yourself up. There's some bandages in my bag you can use."
She walks away before they can thank her, that same sinking feeling weighing heavy in their chest.
Inside the house, Pyro strips off their clothes and changes into something clean. They find the bandages, sitting on the floor beside Truffle's pen as they wrap their fingers and palms. After they finish patching themself up, they curl up against the wall, trying not to have a panic attack.
Pyro must be losing their mind. There's no way what happened at the river was real, but what was the alternative? That they waterboarded themself?
If nothing else, the scrapes and bruises are real. That wasn't imagined.
They swallow hard, pressing their head to their knees. They squeeze their eyes shut against the threat of tears, startling when there's a gentle bump against their arm. Slowly, Pyro looks up, softening at the sight of Truffle looking up at them with innocent brown eyes. They pet her head, smiling when she leans into their hand.
She oinks softly, laying down on the floor beside him, her head resting against his leg.
"Well, isn't this a sweet sight."
Pyro flinches hard, startling Truffle who looks up at him in confusion.
He turns slowly, shrinking back against the wall at the sight of Czeslaw looming over him.
Pyro shakes his head, clenching his eyes shut as tightly as he can. "You aren't real."
He flinches again as a cold hand forces his head up, his eyes flying open again.
Czeslaw grins. "Not real, huh? You going crazy, Jack?"
Truffle oinks again next to him, bumping her head against his arm, but Pyro can't take his eyes off the dead man in front of him.
He swallows hard. "Don't call me that."
"Your name?" Czeslaw scoffs, making Pyro wince as his nails dig into his face. "You're such a girl, Jack. A fucking coward."
Pyro shrinks into himself, his voice small. "I'm not."
Czeslaw smirks. "What was that?"
Pyro forces himself up to his feet, pushing Czeslaw back hard, shivering as a chill runs through him when he does. "Go away! You— You aren't really here."
There's silence for a moment, then the room is filled with a mean laugh, the sound bouncing off the walls and deafening everything else. Pyro ducks his head, hands pressing firmly over his ears.
He's shoved backwards, hitting his back against the wall behind him, but Pyro manages to keep his balance.
Czeslaw forces his head up again, hand wrapping firmly around Pyro's neck. "Don't you dare speak to me like that. You want me to drag you back to the river? That'll show you how real I am."
Pyro's throat bobs against Czeslaw's hand, his palm freezing against their skin.
A tear slips down their cheek. "…You aren't real. This isn't real..."
Czeslaw sneers, pulling them back only to slam them against the wall behind them, his hand tightening around their throat.
Pyro whimpers, the noise choked off as Czeslaw presses thumb harder against their Adam's apple.
After a moment of being unable to breathe, they're released, gasping in air. Their eyes fly open when they hear a distressed squeal.
Czeslaw is crouching next to Truffle, his hand held firmly against the back of her neck. "Is this real enough for you, Jack?"
Pyro steps forward. "Let her go."
Czeslaw tilts his head, eyes narrowing. His smile is venomous. "This is what makes you grow a spine? You're a joke."
Their fingers shake. "…Please let her go."
He huffs, Truffle squirming under his hold. "I don't take orders from you. If you really want to keep your little pig safe get on your knees and prove it."
They feel stuck in place, but force themself into action when Czeslaw's eyes narrow again. They slowly lower themself to their knees, trembling as they look up at him through their lashes.
"…Please let her go." Their face burns. "I'm begging you."
Czeslaw snickers, but he lets Truffle go. She races over to the corner of her pen, shaking fearfully.
Pyro longs to comfort her, but they can't move.
Czeslaw stands, his steps too loud as he approaches them, resting his hand on their head. "You're so easy, Jack. I can't believe I thought you changed."
Pyro stares at the floor, hardly even registering it when the Czeslaw's hand disappears.
It's real.
It's real, and they're losing their mind.