Commission: Yes! Fem!Reader moving in with Natemare
Pairings: Natemare x Fem!Reader
Fandom: Youtuber Egos
Warnings: None
A/N: Thank you to @lady-bee-fechin for commissioning me to write this cute little fic! I know the titles a little weird but I got inspired by the Waterparks song of the same name while I was writing this Collage was made by me and this was edited by @semiproeagle.
Taking apart the last box in the pile you and Natemare had formed the last couple of days, you let out an exhausted sigh and tossed the last piece in the trash bag next to you. “Finally, we’re done!”
Mare tied off the bag and picked it up, placing it by the front door with the others. “We’ll throw out the bags tomorrow. For now, what do you want for dinner?”
Stretching out your arms, you let yourself relax for the first time in a while since the moving process started. “Pizza is always good after a day like this.”
“Pizza it is! You’ve earned it after all the work you put yourself through the last few days moving in with me.”
You reached out to hold Mare’s hand, squeezing it gently. “Worth all the stress if it means I get to be with you every day.”
“You also earned something else.” Mare smiled down at you, slowly pulling you into his arms.
“What is it?” Smiling back up at him, you leaned into his touch when he caressed your face in his hands.
“Kisses!” Mare kissed the tip of your nose before leaving little kisses all around your face. He grinned hearing you giggle.
“You’re adorable.” Giggling, you took a step back and reached out for his hand again. “I’m really happy we were able to do this.”
“Me too. I love that I can be closer to you now.”
“No more long car rides.”
“No more trying to work around our schedules either.”
“Not anymore.” Leaning up, you kissed his cheek. "I’m gonna take a quick shower before dinner, okay?"
“Alright, I’ll order the pizza and finish cleaning up around here so we won't have a huge mess to clean up tomorrow.”
“Sounds good, baby.” You kissed his cheek again before heading towards your shared bedroom to get your clothes.
Natemare watched as you disappeared into the bedroom, a huge grin still on his face. Taking out his phone, he placed the order for the pizza. He took a second to look at his background. He loved the picture he had of you two. It was from your third anniversary together when he took you to Disneyland in Paris. You had the biggest grin he had ever seen. Mare loved how excited you were the whole trip.
Tossing his phone to the couch, he walked over to grab the broom that was next to the fireplace. Mare hummed to himself as he started to sweep up any other trash he could find.
Passing by one of the pictures you had put up, Mare looked up at the smiling faces of you and your siblings. He knew it was pretty difficult telling them the news, but he reassured them they could come over on weekends when you two were free. Mare loved them just as much as you did, so it was no problem for him to hang out with the kids even if you were busy. Natemare even cleaned out one of the spare rooms in his house to make into their bedroom whenever they wanted to spend the night.
Finishing up the living room, Mare looked over at the front door when he heard the doorbell. “I’ll be right there!” Putting away the broom and dustpan, Natemare walked over to pick up the food. Watching as the worker drove off, he took the pizza boxes inside. Closing the door behind him, Mare laid them on the coffee table and smiled when he saw you walking out of the bedroom.
“I came out just in time, I see.”
“You did.” Mare took the towel off your shoulders and took your hand, leading you to the couch. He carefully pulled you onto his lap and started to towel dry your hair for you. “How are you feeling now?”
“Hmm…way more relaxed after the shower. Still pretty tired, though.”
“Yeah? Same here, honestly. The last few days has been hectic, hasn't it?”
“It has, but now we don’t have much to worry about, at least.”
“That’s true. Want me to brush your hair next?” Setting the towel aside, he ran his fingers through your hair.
Sighing at feeling his touch, you leaned back to kiss the corner of his lips. “After we eat? I'm also really hungry.”
“Whatever works for you, sweetheart.”
Getting off his lap to sit next to him, you reached over to open one of the pizza boxes. Mare handed you a paper plate, a napkin, and waited for you to get a slice before he did.
“Any idea of what we should do tomorrow after taking out all the trash bags?” He leaned back onto the couch after getting his slice. Taking a bite, he glanced over at you, almost laughing when he saw you struggle with a cheese pull. “You okay there?”
“Mmhm!” Giggling, you broke the cheese pull with your fingers. Taking your time to process your thoughts, you smiled at the idea you got. “How about going to Guitar Center after cleaning up? We both need new strings, and I remember Natpai said he needed new drumsticks.”
“Did he break them again?!”
“Yeah, went a little too hard the last time he was rehearsing, from what he told me. We can take him out to lunch too since I think we’ll be in the store for a while with how you always take your time to look and try out the guitars that catch your eye.”
Mare laughed, taking a second slice from the box. “You know me so well.”
“Of course I do. I still think it’s funny the last time we went you unknowingly formed a small group watching you play while testing out one of the newer guitar models.”
“I didn’t expect that at all. It was nice, but really caught me off guard.”
“You were just in the moment and it was really cute. It’s fun watching you get into that headspace.”
Wiping his face with a napkin, Natemare smiled. Wrapping an arm around your shoulders, he pulled you closer to him. “Well, we have tomorrow planned. You’re still off for the weekend, but I have to work since I had last weekend off for this.”
“I’ll be fine here till you get back. I was planning on going to buy groceries while you were at work anyway.”
Mare rested his chin on your head and wrapped his other arm around your waist. “You sure? We can do that together on Monday.”
Adjusting yourself a bit to be more comfortable, you held his hand that was around your shoulders. “Yeah, I’m sure. We can go on Monday for the rest of the week. I’m just getting what we need for dinner for the weekend.”
Kissing the top of your head, Mare gently rubbed his thumb on the back of your hand. “Alright. Sounds good.”
“Yeah.” Closing your eyes for a moment, you smiled to yourself. “I’m really happy we were able to do this. I’m excited to have a life with you from now on.”
“I’m excited too. I’m really happy I get to wake up to your cute face every morning and have your voice be the last thing I hear before I fall asleep. It'll be really nice to come home to you after work, or get to pick you up from work and come home together instead of being alone most of the time, wondering if it would be alright to call you.”
Looking up at Mare, you kissed his nose before leaving a kiss on his lips. “It’s gonna be great. This is only the beginning.”
Mare giggled and pulled you in for another kiss. “I’m so in love with you, you know that?”
“I do know that.” You started to have a small giggle fit when he left kisses around your face again. “I’m so in love with you too, dork.”
A/N: Inspired by Alfred Hitchcocks Psycho and Ice Nine Kills song The Shower Scene. Just a fun little idea I had for a while and I have other ones in the works with the other battle boys inspired by horror movies and songs by Ice Nine Kills. Hope you guys enjoy this! Collage was made by me and the fic was edited by @semiproeagle!
Turning off the stove, Bones slides the empty tray closer to him. Humming to himself, he plates the eggs and toast while carefully placing them on the tray. Walking over to the fridge, he leans down to look for the fruit at the bottom of the fridge. “Looks like I need to go shopping again, I’m running out of strawberries.” Picking up the box of strawberries, Bones continues to hum to himself as he washes them in the sink. “Now let’s see, should I cut them in half, or slices this morning?” Turning off the faucet, Bones takes a strawberry, leaving it on the cutting board while looking for a knife. “Where did I put it?” Looking around the kitchen, he finds the knife he wants to use near the edge of the kitchen table. “Weird, I don’t remember leaving it there.” Shrugging it off as he picks it up, he decides he wants to cut the strawberries into slices.
Neatly placing the strawberries on the toast, Bones licks some of the juice that stayed on one of his fingers before wiping his hands dry. He smiles to himself, picking up the tray. “A perfect breakfast for the perfect woman in my life.” Making his way upstairs, Bones turns to his left when he makes it to the top. Gently pushing the bedroom door open with his foot, he has a gentle smile as he walks in. “Good morning, Mother." Putting the tray on the bedside table, Bones is quick to help her sit up in bed. “How was your night? Did you sleep well?”
She nods while giving his hand a gentle squeeze. “My night was peaceful, though I couldn’t sleep much with how loud the pipes were being. Would you be a dear and check them today? We might have to call someone if it needs fixing.”
Setting the food down on her lap, Bones nods. “I’ll get right to it during my lunch hour, mother. Now eat up, and if you need anything else, remember to ring the bell here and the alarm downstairs or in the check-in office will sound and I’ll be right up.”
Reaching up to gently hold his face in her hands, she smiles up at him, taking in his features. “You’re so sweet, my precious baby boy. You should take some time to rest. You’re starting to get bags under your eyes.”
Holding one of her hands in his, Bones smiles, shaking his head. “I’m fine, mother. No need to worry about me. Now eat up, I’ll be back later to bring you another blanket. It seems there will be rain towards the afternoon and late into the night.”
“Alright, have a good day, sweetheart. I love you.”
“I love you too, Mother.” Walking out into the hallway, Bones straightens out his shirt and goes downstairs to grab his coat and umbrella. Opening the front door, he looks up at the sky, seeing the dark clouds start to cover the bright yellow sun. “Hopefully it won’t be too harsh today…”
Taking out his keys, Bones locks the door behind him. Adjusting his coat, he glances down at the motel, seeing cars pass by. “Wonder if we’ll get anyone new stopping by.” Putting away the keys in his coat pocket, Bones heads down to the front desk. Entering from the back door, Bones picks up his notebook for check-ins. Just as he's about to take off his coat, he hears the bell at the front ring.
“Hello? I’m ready to check out.” A male voice reaches Bones’ ears.
Quickly taking off his coat, he gathers his things and walks out to the front desk. “Sorry about that, running a little late today. Had to check the plumbing in my basement.”
The man smiles as he hands Bones the payment for his room. “No need to apologize. You hear one weird sound coming from the pipes, and next thing you know you might have a flood if it’s not properly looked at.”
“Exactly, so that’s forty for a two-night stay.” Opening his notebook, Bones slides it to the customer while handing him a pen from the pile that's by the office phone. “I just need your initials here, and the time you checked out.
Taking the pen, the man nods, quickly filling out the information. “Thank you for being such a great host, young man.” Handing Bones the pen back, he smiles as he puts on his hat. “Stay safe and dry today, kid. Looks like it’s gonna be a huge downpour tonight.”
“Sure does. Same to you, sir. Thank you again for choosing to stay in our little motel. Come back whenever you’d like.” Bones smiles, watching the man leave and head to his car.
Rolling up the sleeves of his shirt, Bones walks over to the storage closet and takes out the small cleaning cart. Wheeling out the cleaning cart, Bones picks up the room key where the man left it by the bell and heads out to the room. Unlocking the room, he walks inside, seeing it in decent condition still. Getting to work on cleaning the room, he makes notes while going from section to section, seeing what he needs to restock or replace during the week. While replacing the trash bag, there's the faint sound of rain hitting the concrete. Soon, the rain starts to pick up its pace, as does the wind.
Bones sighs as he watches the wind bring in the rain, seeing each raindrop disappear on the carpet. “I should go check on Mother. Make sure she isn’t too cold.” Standing back up on his feet, Bones double checks the room, making sure everything is ready for the next guest. “Looks like I just need to get new towels and it’ll be ready.” Stretching out his arms, Bones lets out a sigh when he feels his arms and upper back pop. Locking the room behind him, he can hear the cars pass by, splashing water as they drive over puddles on the road.
Humming to himself while putting the cart of supplies back in the closet, he looks up at the sign out front, seeing it still says No Vacancy. “I thought I changed it already?” Flipping the switch near his desk, he looks back out his window to see the sign change. “Much better.” Taking a seat at his desk, Bones goes over the last few guests, logging them in his other notebook; he has to keep track of payments and the number of guests that visit the motel.
Checking his watch, Bones leans back in his chair. “Mother hasn’t rung in a while. I know she said she was fine when I called, but the storm is picking up.”
Sitting up when he hears the timer go off on the dryer, Bones pushes his chair in that direction. Taking out the towels one by one, he folds them neatly, placing them on his lap. “Two small, one big. I should put extra in the dryer to have ready.” Glancing out the window at the rain, he notices it hasn’t let up at all. Getting up from his chair, Bones pulls on his jacket while holding the towels close to his chest.
Taking the room key from the key rack, he makes his way back to the room he cleaned earlier. Stepping out of the check-in office, Bones immediately feels the droplets of water, accompanied by the harsh cold winds, hit his face. Walking down the path to the room, a flash of light blinds him for a second. Blinking a bit, Bones realizes there’s a car driving up to a parking space near him.
A woman rolls down her window when she parks her car. “Excuse me! Sir! Do you work here?”
Bones nods, stepping closer to the car. “Sure do, how can I help you?”
Stepping out of your car, you open your umbrella and make your way toward Bones. “The sign says you have rooms available. I’d like to check in for the night.”
“Of course! I’ll be just a moment.” He points to the office down the path. “Just wait for me there. Should be warm inside. I’ll only be a moment. Just need to replace these towels.”
Nodding, you make your way to the front desk. Closing your umbrella and shaking off the excess water, you lean it against the wall. Walking into the office, you take a seat on one of the empty chairs. Looking around, you notice the paint is a little chipped and the smell of pine from the outside seems stronger.
You hear the bell chime from the door opening and you look over, seeing the owner return. “Sorry if I rushed you in any way.”
Shaking his head, Bones makes his way behind the front desk. “It was no rush at all. I just need your name, how long you’ll be staying, your payment method, and your initials here, please.” Laying a pen by the notebook, Bones smiles, watching you walk up to the desk. “So, what brings you around these parts? You look like you’re far from home.”
Taking the pen, you start to fill in your information. “I am actually, I’m on my way to visit my father. He’s fallen ill, and I promised him I’d be there by tomorrow morning.”
“How long have you been on the road for?”
“About two days now, I believe. I was hoping to make it tonight before the weather got worse, but thankfully, I've found a place to rest for the evening.” Putting the pen down, you smile up at Bones. “So, it’s just you running this establishment?”
“Oh, uh, I used to run it with my mother, but now it’s just a one-man job since she fell ill awhile ago.”
Taking his hand in both of yours, you look at him with sympathy, knowing how he feels. “I’m sure she greatly appreciates everything you do for her.”
“Thank you.”
Gently squeezing his hand before letting go, you reach into your purse. “So how much for a night’s stay?”
“Just twenty dollars will do. You don’t have to pay right now, you can pay in the morning before leaving.”
“Nonsense, I’ll pay right now so I won’t be much trouble to you then.” Taking out the money, you hand it to him, gesturing that it's okay to accept.
“If it’s what you want to do, miss. Thank you.” Bones happily takes the payment and reaches over to the key rack, taking a room key off the hook. “Room number 3. Don’t hesitate to call if there’s anything you need.”
“Please, call me (Y/n).”
“Of course.” Bones smiles as he watches you head out the door. “Oh! Mi- I mean, (Y/n)!”
Turning back around to look at him, you feel the cold drops of rain hit your legs and cheeks. “Yes?”
“Your umbrella, you wouldn’t want to forget it now.”
“Oh! Thank you, you’re right.” Laughing off almost forgetting your umbrella, you quickly grab it and head down to your room.
Hearing the bell ring by his desk, Bones quickly gets to the phone to dial his mother. “Mother? Yes, of course, I’m keeping warm. Did you need anything? Ah well, actually we did get a new guest. A very kind woman. Mother, of course not. I would never dream of thinking such things. Yes, mother. What would you like for dinner? Beef? Oh, beef stew. Alright, mother. I’ll be up in another hour to prepare. Yes, I love you too. See you soon.” Hanging up the phone, Bones lets himself relax into his chair, sighing.
Locking the door behind you, you head straight to the bed, letting yourself fall onto the soft mattress while kicking off your shoes. Turning to lay on your back, you stare up at the ceiling for a moment. Your eyes turn to the phone on the bedside table. “I should probably call my father.” Reluctantly, you sit up against the headboard and dial your father’s number. After two or three rings, he finally picks up.
“Hello? Daddy? It’s me, (Y/n). Yes, I’m quite alright, just a bit cold from the storm. Oh no, don’t worry about me, you know I can hold my own. Daddy, listen, it seems I won’t be able to make it to you tonight. I thought I could drive past this storm, but it got the best of me. Oh no! Don’t worry, I found this very nice motel off the side of the road. I should be arriving tomorrow, late in the morning or early afternoon. Yes, I’ve been taking care of myself. I just hope you’re alright when I get there. If there’s anything you’d need me to get along the way- nonsense it’s no trouble. What kind of daughter would I be if I wasn’t there in her father’s time of need. Alright, get some rest. I'll be there as soon as I can. I love you too, sleep well. Goodbye.”
Hanging up the phone, you close your eyes and rest your head against the headboard. The sound of rain hitting the window floods your ears. It’s strangely a calming sound, giving you a small moment of peace. Just as you were about to let sleep take over, the phone rings again. Sitting up straight and answering, you take a deep breath in. “Hello?”
“(Y/n), this is Bones from the front desk.”
“Oh yes, um, is everything alright?”
“Everything’s fine. I was just wondering if you’ve had anything to eat as of this moment? If you haven’t, I’d be happy to make you dinner since I know the roads are a bit dangerous at this time.”
“Oh, well that’s very kind of you, sir, but I wouldn’t want to be any trouble for you. I’m sure you have enough on your hands while caring for your mother as it is. I would only get in the way.”
“Nonsense! I could actually use a helping hand with cooking tonight if I’m being honest.”
“If you insist. Alright, I don’t mind as long as I can be of help.”
“Thank you! I’ll be right out to your room in a moment.”
“Of course. See you soon then.”
“Yes, see you soon.”
Hanging up the phone, Bones nervously sighs while straightening his shirt. Gathering his things and closing up the front desk, Bones makes his way to pick you up from your room. Offering his arm while you two make your way up the stairs to his home, Bones is careful with each step you take, not wanting there to be an accident while the stone is wet from the rain.
Opening the front door for you, he smiles, letting you go inside to get warm while he shakes off the excess water from the umbrella. “The kitchens to your right. Everything we need should be out on the counter, the meat should be in the fridge. Could you start chopping up the vegetables?” You give him a nod.
“Great, thank you! I’ll get a fire started while you work in the kitchen for a bit.”
“Of course.” Nodding, you smile politely and make your way to the kitchen. Stopping at the end of the staircase, you look up, hearing a noise coming from one of the rooms upstairs. Leaning forward a bit, you see a shadow rocking back and forth. You figured it was his mother since the shadow looked to have a woman's figure. Rolling up your sleeves as you enter the kitchen, you pick up the cutting board that’s by the sink. Leaving it on the table, you grab the basket full of vegetables and get to work.
After some time, you and Bones finish preparing dinner. Checking to make sure the stew is simmering well, Bones motions for you to go sit in the living room. Stepping into the living room, you see a fire going in the fireplace. Hearing the wood crackle from the flames calms you down while you take a seat on one of the armchairs.
A few moments later, Bones enters the room with a tray of tea and small snacks. Placing the tray on the coffee table between you two, he carefully hands you one of the teacups. “I thought you’d want something warm to drink and a small snack before dinner to help hold you over.” Taking a seat in the other armchair, Bones sighs as he relaxes into the chair. “Help yourself, it's all for you, honestly. I’m fine with waiting.”
“Oh, thank you.” Taking a sip of the tea and taking in your surroundings, you notice there are quite a few different types of taxidermy birds displayed around the room. Putting the teacup on the tray, your fingers hover over the snacks, trying to decide which one you’d want to have first.
Bones smiles and watches as you pick up one of the crackers. “So, you said you’re going to visit your father?”
Nodding, you swallow the bite you took. “Yes. As I said before, my father fell ill, and has no one to care for him at the moment.”
“I see.” Bones leans forward in his seat while looking at the fire, taking in its warmth.
“Well, what about you?” Picking up the teacup, you take another sip. “I know you said you take care of your mother, but what else do you do?”
“I uh, run the Motel and keep up with cleaning and making sure everything is running smoothly. I tend to the garden out back before coming in to check on my mother or guests who come by. If I have any free time, it’s usually to stuff birds. You see, I've always found taxidermy to be interesting.”
“I can tell. Did you do these yourself?" You ask him, looking around at the birds again.
“Yes, birds seem to be the only things I feel comfortable stuffing if I’m being honest. I can never get past the feeling I’d get if I had to do things like foxes or chimps. I know the more common animals are dogs and cats, but I just can't do that, so I stick to birds.”
“What about friends? Do you ever go out with them in your free time?”
Smiling, Bones takes a second to think it over before answering. “Well, they do say a boy's best friend is his mother.”
You feel a little tense when he says that, but you can't figure out why.
Still having that gentle smile on his face, Bones says, “You seem like the type who always has the time.”
“It’s only when I can, honestly.” Finishing the last of the tea, you put the cup back down on the tray and smooth out your skirt. “You said your mother is ill, right?”
“Yes, I did.”
“What is she sick from, if you don't mind me asking? I mean, she looks well from seeing her shadow in a rocking chair, I assume.”
“She isn’t ill in a normal sense, you see. I mean she's ill. My mother raised me on her own after my father died while I was a child. She and I would do everything together. She always made sure I was alright, and I always made sure she was too. As I got older, I was able to help more around the house. My mother would always give me tasks she deemed fit for me to do. Still does to this day. She only dated one other man years after her husband passed. The man she dated convinced her to buy this motel and fix it up. But after, he too passed away. I guess it was too much of a shock for her. I guess it was too great a loss for her, she had nothing left after that.”
“Well, except for you, of course, right?”
“Yes, but a son is a poor substitute for a lover.”
Seeing his demeanor change, you notice he looks stressed when he speaks about his mother. “Why don't you go away? Take time for yourself. Doesn’t it bother you to not have that kind of time?”
“I always say it doesn’t bother me, when truth be told, it does. You know, there are times I wish I could just go up there and curse her, or at least defy her.” Leaning back into the chair, his smile fades away. “But I can’t. She’s ill. If I ever decided to leave and take time for myself, well then who would take care of her? Who would make sure she’s warm, bathed, or fed? I know my life has always been about her, but I honestly don't hate her. I hate the illness. I hate what she’s become because of it.”
Your eyes focus on the fire for a moment before you look back at Bones, feeling hesitant about what was going to leave your mouth. “Well, how about leaving her…someplace else?”
“Someplace else? Do you mean like an institution? A madhouse?” Bones smiles to himself. “They always call someplace a madhouse.”
“I- I’m sorry, I didn't mean to sound uncaring.”
“No, no I’m sure you didn’t. But I could never put her there. Have you ever seen inside one? The laughing and the tears. All those cruel eyes staring at you constantly. No, I could never put her in a place like that. I mean, she’s harmless like any of these stuffed birds.”
Feeling taken aback, you swallow the lump that formed in your throat. “I am sorry, truly, but I only suggested it since it seems like she’s hurting you. I mean well, honest.”
“People always mean well, don't they?” Sighing, Bones runs a hand through his hair. “Course, I’ve suggested it myself, but I could never put her in a place like that. She needs me. It's not like she’s a maniac, a raving thing. She just goes a little mad sometimes.” Leaning back into the chair, he smiles again. “We all go a little mad sometimes. Haven’t you?”
“Yes. Sometimes, just one time can be enough.”
“I suppose you’re right on that note. Dinner should be done. Wait right here, I’ll go serve you some. It’ll take me some time since I have to serve mother first.”
“Take your time, it’s fine.”
“Would you like anything else to drink?”
“Just water will be fine. Thank you.”
Bones smiles and nods as he picks up the tray, walking out of the room.
After dinner, you both realize the rain has stopped enough to the point you can head back to the motel. Bones watches you as you make your way back down, making sure you don't slip going downstairs.
Once back in your room, you let out an exhausted sigh. Walking over to your bag, you take out an extra pair of clothes. Setting them on the bed, you start to unbutton your shirt and make your way into the bathroom to turn on the shower.
Closing the bathroom door, you check if the water temperature is okay enough for you to be under it. Smiling when the water hits the palm of your hand, you strip away the rest of your clothes, step into the tub, and close the shower curtain. Opening one of the complimentary bars of soap, you smile at the scent. Honey and vanilla, a sweet but subtle scent.
Closing your eyes, you enjoy hearing and feeling the water run down your body as you wash yourself with the bar of soap. Focusing on yourself was something you didn't think would be dangerous.
You don't realize the bathroom door is slowly opening and someone is walking in until it's too late. Feeling the shower curtain being pulled back quickly, you scream when you see a woman's figure standing there, holding up a knife in one of her hands. Pushing or blocking her attacks are useless after the first stab. Trying to turn away or slip by her is unsuccessful when she's quick with her slashes to keep you there.
Once you stop fighting back and your body starts to slide down the bathroom wall, the woman runs out of the bathroom. With the last of what little strength you have, you try to pull yourself up with the shower curtain. The weight of your body trying to pull itself up causes the curtain to come undone, making you fall forward with your upper body hanging out of the side of the tub. Slowly, you start to lose consciousness as everything fades to black. The water still running washes the blood from your body down the drain. Once again, all anyone would be able to hear is the water hitting the tub.
A few days later, Bones is busy tending to the back room of the front office when a police officer walks in. Looking around, the officer spots Bones moving around in the back. Ringing the bell next to the check-in book, he takes a quick glance at the names of recent guests.
Bones smiles as he walks out to greet the officer. “Can I help you, sir?”
Taking out a small photo, the officer shows it to Bones. “Sure hope you can, I'm looking for a young woman who's been missing for several days now. Her father called it in and says she told him she would be staying here before she had to meet with him the next day, but she never showed up.”
Taking the picture from him, he looks at it for a moment, knowing it's your picture. “Ah yes, her name was “(Y/n) (L/n), right?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Well, as you can see in our guest book, she signed in and out at these times and paid in cash. The last time I saw her was the next morning while she was checking out. I bid her farewell and safe travels as she drove off and out of our parking lot.” Handing the officer the photo back, Bones also closes the guest book when the officer slides it back to him.
“Thank you for your time Mr…?”
“Just Bones is fine, no need to be formal.”
“Right, well if anything else comes up, don't hesitate to call me on my personal number.” Leaving his business card on the front desk, the officer makes his way out the door and back to his car.
Bones smiles and watches him drive off. He gives himself a moment more before his smile falters and he heads back to his house. Walking inside, he runs upstairs to his mother's room. “Don’t worry, mother. I know you saw the police arrive, but everything's fine. They suspect not a thing…not a thing. We’ll be safe, okay? Remember, I promised I’d always keep you safe. Yes, of course. I love you too, mother.”
Bones carefully hugs his mother close to him. As he lets her go, he lays her skeleton back down on the bed. “I’ll never leave your side.”
A/N: Thank you to @forbiddenstars for commissioning me to write this! I had a lot of fun writing this for you! Hope you all enjoy it! Collage was made by me! Edited by @semiproeagle!
“C’mon, it’s my turn!”
“No way, it’s my turn! You’ve been hogging the controller for an hour already! Natemare said we get an hour each!” Natpai pouts at Bones, who just ignores him for a moment, continuing to play the game.
“I know, but I haven't died yet! That’s not fair!” Bones takes his arm back from Natpai who was gripping onto his sleeve.
“Quit being an asshole and let me play something for once!”
Phantom walks into the living room, ignoring the other two as he makes his way to the couch. Paying attention to his phone, he doesn’t notice Natpai sitting next to him right away.
“Ooh, texting your girlfriend again?”
“Dude, seriously, how many times have I told you not to do that!” Lightly shoving Natpai away from his side, Phantom goes back to texting.
Natpai rolls his eyes and crosses his arms over his chest. “Yeah, well I wouldn’t have to if Bones would just LET ME PLAY!!”
“Hey, no yelling, that shit's annoying.” Looking over at Bones, Phantom sighs. “Can you let him play? You’ve been at it for a while now.”
“No way-” Bones is interrupted when the doorbell rings.
“I got it!” Natemare walks out of the kitchen, cleaning his hands on his apron.
“Mare! Bones won't let me use the Playstation!”
“Bones, what did I tell you! You guys get an hour each, I don't care if you haven't died yet, find a damn save and give the controller to Natpai!” Mare opens the door and looks over at Phantom. “You can help, you know?”
“I could, but they don’t listen to me. Besides, I have to study, exams are coming up.”
“Yeah, and I don’t see you with a textbook in your hands, now do I?”
Phantom rolls his eyes, turning his attention back to his phone.
“Did I come at a bad time?” You smile at Mare while holding onto an empty tupperware in your hands.
“No, not at all. Oh here, let me take that back.” Reaching out to take the tupperware, he motions for you to come inside. “I just started dinner if you wanna stay for a while?”
“Oh um, some other time would be perfect, but I actually have plans with my parents for dinner.”
“I thought your parents weren’t living around here anymore? Did they come to visit?”
“Yeah, they got some time off of work to come down here today. They wanna catch up over dinner. You know how it is. My dad's probably gonna grill me on my grades, though. Kinda slipped up in math, but I mean it’s my last general course then I’m off to do my major.”
Mare puts the tupperware on the table that's by the door. “Yeah, right. Well, I hope your night is fun. I know mine will be with these guys.”
“Dude, you did not just turn off the PlayStation!” Both of them hear Natpai yell from the living room, making Mare visibly annoyed.
“I can tell. Thanks for lunch the other day, by the way. It was really good!” You smile up at him, feeling a little nervous.
“I’m glad it came out good. You and Bones both like the same thing, and since I had a lot of leftovers, I thought you’d appreciate it.”
“I did! Thanks again! Hey, maybe we can hang out tomorrow? I don’t have class all day.”
“That should be fine. I get off work around five, we can get something to eat near your place.”
“Yeah! That works for me! See ya tomorrow!” You give him a quick hug before waving goodbye.
Mare smiles, waving back as he watches you walk down the street. Closing the door, he takes the tupperware with him to the kitchen.
Bones walks in behind Mare, grabbing a cookie from the plate on the counter. Before he can take a bite though, Natemare takes the cookie back. “Hey! I was gonna eat that!”
“And now you’re not. Dinner is almost done, go set the table.” Mare checks the food in the oven and calls over his shoulder to Bones. “Oh yeah. You’re grounded tomorrow night.”
Stopping right as he enters the dining room, Bones turns back to Mare. “Seriously, again?”
Mare stands back up, grabbing the stack of plates that are on the counter. “Yes, again. Maybe if you listened for once and did what I told you instead of being a brat, then maybe you wouldn’t get in trouble.”
Bones rolls his eyes, taking the plates. “Whatever, since when did you get so parental?”
“Since you started being an ass for no reason. You’re gonna apologize to Natpai later, alright?”
“Yeah, yeah. I am.”
“Good!” Mare ruffles Bones’ hair, turning back around to finish dinner.
After dinner, Phantom helps Mare clean up while the other two get ready for bed. He notices Mare being more quiet than usual. Picking up a napkin, Phantom balls it up in his hand and tosses it at Mare, catching him off guard when it hits him in the face.
“What the hell, Phantom?” Picking up the napkin, Mare places it with the rest of the trash.
Phantom shrugs as he puts another plate in his pile. “You’ve spaced out lately, especially after (Y/n) came by earlier. What’s up with you two?”
“Nothing's up. I’ve just had a lot on my mind with everything going on.” Making his way to the kitchen, Mare throws out the trash he collected from dinner. Passing Phantom on his way to finish clearing the table, Mare stops when he sees him giving him a look. “Seriously, it’s nothing.”
“I don’t think it’s nothing. I think you like her and don’t know how to confess.” Phantom takes the dishes to the sink to start washing them. “You can just tell her, I don’t think it’ll turn out bad.”
Bringing Phantom the last of the dishes, Mare carefully puts them in the sink. “Look, so what if I do? I can’t just confess to my best friend like that. (Y/n) and I have been friends since middle school. We’re practically like siblings.”
Phantom hands Mare a few dishes to dry and put away before he responds. “Is that how you really feel?”
“No, but it’s probably how she feels.” Mare dries each dish carefully, putting them away.
“Why not at least try? Instead of going to a restaurant why not just go to a park before the sunsets? You guys can just bring the food there, and it wouldn’t be noisy. You’d be able to talk and bring it up. It’ll be fine.” Handing him the last of the dishes, Phantom turns off the water and washes away any soap that was leftover in the sink. He glances at Mare who stares down at the cup he’s drying. “You have every right to be nervous, but c’mon, you've got this. When has being nervous stopped you from doing anything?”
Mare sighs, putting the cup away. “You’re right, I just don’t want to risk losing another friend.”
“Last time wasn’t your fault. Fallouts happen between friends, it's normal.”
Mare smiles at Phantom, tossing the rag over his shoulder. “Go to bed, it’s getting late.”
“You better take my advice.” Phantom smiles back at Mare before heading up to his room.
~
The next day after work, Natemare rushes home from work almost tripping over his own feet as he stumbles inside.
Bones looks up from his laptop where he’s sitting on the couch. “You okay?”
“Fine, where’s Phantom?” Regaining his balance, Mare walks into the living room looking around.
“He’s at Lexi’s, he said they were gonna study for exams.”
Mare sighs. Feeling exhausted, he runs a hand through his hair, calming himself down. “Right. I forgot he asked me if he could go over this morning.” Reaching into his wallet, Mare hands Bones a couple of bills. “Order pizza for you and Natpai for dinner tonight. I won’t be home late, but still.”
Taking the money, Bones shoves it in his jacket pocket, nodding at Mare. Relaxing back into the couch, he goes back to finish up his homework for the day while Mare makes his way upstairs to change.
After putting on his shoes, Mare picks up his phone and texts you that he’ll be there in a couple of minutes. Grabbing his jacket, he passes Natpai’s room on his way downstairs. “No fighting while I’m gone, you two!” Taking his keys from one of the hooks, Mare double checks that he has everything he needs before heading out the door. “I’ll be back later!”
“'Kay! Have fun!” Bones shouts at Mare as he walks out the front door. “Natpai! What kind of pizza do you want?”
“Anything but no pineapple or mushrooms!”
“Got it!” Bones takes out his phone to start the order when he gets a text from Mare.
“Don’t be a dick and order what Natpai doesn’t like. You did last time and he didn’t eat all night.”
Bones giggles to himself before he orders the food and makes sure he doesn’t do what he did last time since he doesn’t want Mare to scold him again.
Turning up the radio in his car, Mare drives off towards your place. His grip on the steering wheel tightens the closer he gets to your apartment. “There’s nothing to be nervous about, it’s just dinner with a friend.” Parking in front of your building, Mare turns off the car and sinks in his seat. “Yeah, a friend you have feelings for.”
Sighing, he sits upright again, taking out his phone to let you know he’s there.
Leaning his head against the window, he lets his mind drift off for a moment. Thoughts start to race as he starts to forget his surroundings. Tapping his fingers on the steering wheel, thoughts of everything that could go wrong keep popping up, making him feel more anxious by the second.
Hearing tapping on the passenger window, Mare jumps, getting startled till he sees you waving and smiling at him when you get his attention. Unlocking the door, he smiles back when you climb into the passenger side. “Hey! Ready to go?”
Closing the car door, you put on your seatbelt, still smiling at him. “Yup! I’m honestly starving, I wasn’t able to eat a full lunch since I forgot I had a meeting with my professor today.”
Starting the car, Mare carefully pulls out of the parking spot. “Everything okay?”
“Oh yeah, everything is fine! Just going through the lessons again since finals are coming up and I just didn’t understand a few things.”
Mare nods in response, keeping his eyes on the road ahead. “You can listen to whatever you want. Also, I was thinking we could just pick up the food and take it to the park nearby. What do you think?”
“Sounds good to me! I’m glad it’s still kind of warm out around this time.” Scrolling through your phone, you decide to put your playlist on shuffle for the rest of the drive.
After picking up the food, you two arrive at the nearby park. Mare takes the bags of food with him when he gets out of the car. Walking over to your side, he waits for you to get out.
Double-checking you have everything in your bag, you step out of the car, looking around and closing the door behind you. Mare puts the alarm on his car and hands you the bag with your food. “Hilltop, or by the water?”
“Hilltop, I think it’d be nice to see the sunset today.” You both smile at each other as you make your way up the hill.
Feeling the breeze pass by makes Mare feel a bit calmer about the situation. He was starting to feel like things would be okay, even if it doesn’t go the way he hopes it will.
Reaching the top of the hill, you set the food down on one of the picnic tables. Taking a seat, you two immediately dig into your dinner. If Mare was honest, he’d also confess that he was starving from not eating all day since he was feeling anxious up until this moment.
Finishing up your meals, Mare asks how it went when you met up with your parents the night before. You tell him everything, making him laugh over a joke your dad told your mom. Things were just like how they always are between you two, full of laughs and great stories to tell.
Mare offers to throw away the trash while you go sit on the grass facing the sunset. He smiles softly as he makes himself comfortable sitting next to you.
Feeling the sun hitting his face as he closes his eyes, Mare takes a deep breath in. The nervous feeling slowly starts to build up again, but he pushes it aside as he looks over at you. “Hey, (Y/n)?”
Humming in response, you smile when you turn to look at him. “Yeah? What’s up?”
Mare glances down at the grass, realizing he’s been picking at it. Quickly brushing off the few blades of grass from his palm, he looks back up at you. “Uh, well, I wanna tell you something, and you don’t really have to reply to it or anything, but I’ve just been thinking about us. How we’ve been friends for most of our lives.” Mare’s cheeks start to turn a light pink and he’s too busy rambling to see yours are too.
“I treasure our friendship. You know I love hanging out with you and everything, but I can’t stop thinking about being something more.” Nervously, Mare bites the inside of his cheek as he lets out everything he wants to say. “You have no idea how much I’d love to take you out on dates, to cuddle up with you on cold nights, to be the person you’re always happy and feel safe to be around. (Y/n), I love you. So much.”
Gently, you raise your hand to his face and wipe away a few tears falling down his cheeks. “You’re always so sweet, Mare. I always liked that about you. Well, there’s a lot of other things I like about you too.” Giggling, you lean in and kiss his cheek, seeing him start to smile again. “To be honest, I’ve also been feeling the same way, but was afraid of ruining the friendship we have. I was fine with the idea of us just staying friends because that was enough for me.”
Mare holds one of your hands in his while rubbing his eyes with his free hand. Laughing to himself, he grins, gently squeezing your hand. “So, does that mean you’ll say yes to a date this weekend?”
Commission: Yes!
Pairings: Phantom x Witch!Reader
Fandom: Battle Egos/NateWantsToBattle
Warnings: none
A/n: This was commissioned by the lovely @extraroseystuff! Thank you so much for commissioning me for this! It was a very fun piece! I loved working on it so much! The Collage was made by me and it was edited by @semiproeagle! Hope you all enjoy it!
“There’s no way you haven’t heard of the witch that lives in the woods just outside of this town.” Someone nearby spoke to their friend as they walked by Phantom and Bones
“This again?” Phantom swung a bag of food behind his back as he looked over at his brother, Bones. “Don’t people have anything else to talk about?”
“Oh, c’mon, you can’t tell me you’re not curious about it? A witch living in the woods. Who knows what she does out there.” Bones picked up another bag with food, following behind Phantom.
“I’m curious, yeah. But this is all I ever hear. What if there is no witch and she’s just all stories?”
“Well, why don’t you go and find out?” Catching up to his older brother, Bones smiled. “We’ll be fine if you wanna go on a trip by yourself for a day or two.”
Phantom stopped walking and shook his head. “I can’t do that. I promised Mare I’d help him with his kids. I can’t just pack up and leave for a couple of days when they’re expecting me.”
“Those kids will be fine. They’re babies, anyway. They won’t tell the difference if Natpai or I go instead. Besides, it’s been a while since I’ve seen them. Take the break, you need it. You’re not the only one who can do work around here.”
“You sure?”
“Of course! Even if there isn’t a witch out there, at least you get some time to yourself.”
“Alright. I’m not going out there looking for a witch, though.”
“That’s just a neat bonus if you do, honestly. I’ll let Mare know, I’m sure he’d be fine with it anyway. He just wants to make sure you’re safe when you’re on your own.”
Phantom nodded and continued walking with Bones back to their shared house.
Heading into the kitchen, Phantom dropped the bag of food on the counter. Turning to help his brother, Bones shook his head. “I got this. I just need help figuring out what our neighbor asked us to get.”
“Just put it on the counter, I can sort through everything.”
“Alright, I’ll go get dinner started and call Mare to tell him about your trip.”
Phantom ruffled Bones’ hair, making him laugh. “Thanks.”
----
The morning of the trip, Phantom felt a little off. Maybe he was just feeling nervous about leaving for a couple of days...or maybe he was scared of what he’d actually find out in the woods.
Bones packs up the last of the food he'd made for Phantom in his bag. “Are you ready?”
“Yeah, definitely. Thanks for helping me pack.” Closing his bag, Phantom adjusted it on his shoulder. “Want me to find anything for you while I’m out there?”
Bones smiled excitedly. “Actually, I just wanted to ask if you can take some pictures of the scenery. Anything you think looks beautiful.” He put his camera around Phantom’s neck carefully.
“Just pictures?” Phantom looked down at the camera.
“Well...okay, if you do possibly meet that witch...do you think you could ask if she has anything that could help me with the pain?”
Phantom softly smiled as he pulled Bones in for a brief hug. “I got you, that’ll be the first thing I ask if I meet her.”
Bones held Phantom tightly in his arms, making the hug last a little longer. “Be safe, okay?” Letting him go, he watched Phantom head out the door.
Heading out in the direction of the trail leading to the woods, Phantom took a deep breath in and looked around before heading deeper into the woods. Taking out the little map that Bones made him, he saw the hill that he was supposed to walk over.
Folding up the map, he placed it back in his pocket, bracing himself for the long walk up ahead. The view looking up the hill was pretty, in his opinion, with a few blooming flowers scattered about, swaying in the breeze that passed through. Getting the camera ready to take a photo, he saw a bright green light shining in the distance.
Feeling confused, Phantom looked away from the lens, looking around for the green light. When he checked the sky, he saw a bit of the green fading away. Looking through the lens again, Phantom took the picture and continued on his little journey. “That can’t be anything...can it?”
Reaching the top of the hill, Phantom sat down, setting his stuff next to him. Closing his eyes, he felt the breeze rush by, hitting his face. Smiling, he took out an apple from his bag. Just as he was about to take a bite, he saw a pink light in the sky. Putting the apple down, he followed the light with his eyes, noticing it left a faded trail behind.
Squinting, he noticed another light, this time purple, appearing from the trees on the other side of the hill. “That doesn’t look too far- oh shit!” Leaning forward, Phantom lost his balance. Trying to grab his bag, he pulled it close to his chest while he rolled down the hill, landing in a bush.
Looking up at the sky, Phantom saw a small pink light circle around him. His vision was a bit blurry, and he felt like he was about to pass out from the fall.
“Good job! You found someone! Don’t worry, I’m here to help. Luna, come here, girl, I need your help!” The only voice he could hear sounded like a woman. Before Phantom could turn to the source of the voice to see who it was, he blacked out.
----
The smell of herbs and the sound of a teapot going off on a stove in another room awakened Phantom. Groaning while trying to sit upon the bed he was laying on, Phantom touched his head and felt that it’d been bandaged. He looked down at his arms and saw they’d also been tended to. Quickly looking up at the door when he heard humming on the other side, he sat up straight, seeing the door to the room he was in open.
Opening the door with your elbow, you looked over at the stranger, seeing he was awake and sitting up. “Oh! You’re awake! How are you feeling?” Moving over to the counter that was in the room, you placed a tray down. Turning to face him, you gave him a warm smile. “Are you dizzy at all? Does your head hurt? You must be thirsty! You’ve been resting for a couple of hours.” Turning back to the tray, you fixed him a cup of tea. Carefully taking it over to him, you handed him the teacup. “Careful, it’s still very hot. I made some peppermint tea to help if you’re still feeling sore or tired.” You saw he was a little hesitant to drink it. “It’s okay, really, it’s just tea, nothing else. Well, unless you’d like a little sugar in your tea, I will gladly give you some.”
“Oh no, no it’s perfectly fine. Thank you.” Phantom gently blew some steam from the cup before taking a sip.
“How is it?”
“It’s great, thank you. Um, I’m sorry, who are you?”
You took a seat on a nearby chair, scooting it closer to him. “My name is (Y/n), I’m the healing witch of these woods. So, to answer more of the questions you probably have, yes, I helped you from your fall with my horse, Luna. She’s the one who carried you here to my shop. And these!” With the motion of your hand, a little rainbow light appeared, seemingly out of nowhere. “These are my emergency signals. I let them fly out across the woods, and they signal me whenever they find someone who might need my help and aren’t able to get to the shop on their own.”
“So you really can do magic?” Phantom’s eyes grew wide when he saw the little bright lights.
The lights faded as you put your hand down back on your lap. “Well, yes. Partially, that is. Most of what I do is herbal medicine and tea from my surroundings. But I do also tend to the otherworldly requests with what I learned over the years. It’s just the basics, but if you would like to see, you can follow me to the front of the shop.” Standing up from your chair, you lend a hand out for Phantom to hand over the empty teacup.
Phantom nodded, handing over the cup. “Sure, I’d love to.” Standing up, he held onto the bed when he felt his legs were a little weak. Looking around, he realized he doesn’t see his bag anywhere. “Um, excuse me, but where’s my stuff?”
“Oh! I’m sorry I didn’t say anything right away. Your things are in the front by my desk. I was fixing the camera you had.”
“Oh, okay. Thank you for that.” Phantom followed you out of the room and down the hall. The different smells hit him all at once when you both entered the front of the shop. Looking over at a shelf, he saw bottles filled with glittery liquid, some were glowing a light shade of green, blue, or pink.
“Ah, I see you found the potions.” You smiled as you handed him the camera. “Good as new! I replaced the broken glass and fixed the strap since I saw that it tore.”
“Thank you again.” Phantom took the camera, looking back at the shelf. “What are all these?”
“Uh, well on the top shelf, I have some invisible potions. Depending on how long you need to be unseen, you can get a potion that lasts from just one hour, a few hours or a whole day. The second shelf is potions for poison immunity. These depend on how strong the poison will be. The third shelf contains potions for sleep. The dimmer the glow of the potion indicates the less time the person or yourself will be asleep. The lowest I have is an hour and the most I have is a month.”
“A month?!” Phantom looked over at you with wide eyes while you shrugged it off.
“Sometimes I don’t work with the nicest people.”
“Right...um, do you happen to have anything for pain?”
“What kind of pain? Joint, stomach, head, full-body?”
“Full body if you have it.”
You paused and squatted down at the last shelf of glowing pink potions. “I have several for full-body pain. How long did you want the relief to last?”
“Preferably forever, but how long do you have it?”
“I can’t do forever just yet, but,” your fingers hovered over the four bottles before you grabbed one and stood back up on your feet with a smile. “This one should last up to four years. If you need more after that, you can always stop by and I’ll be happy to make you another batch.”
Phantom reached into his pockets for money, but you stopped him before he could pay you.
“No need. On the house this time, consider it a favor for now.” Handing him the bottle, you motioned for him to follow you to the front counter. “Pick a box and I’ll pack it up for you.”
Looking down at the three boxes, he saw a bright blue box with tiny frogs around the border, the second one was a black box with little white skulls all around the lid, and the third box was a deep purple with little pink flowers all around. “Uh, I think I’ll take the black one. Please?”
“Perfect! I’ll have it ready in a bit. You can look around some more if you’d like!”
Phantom nodded and tapped the glass as he wandered over to another counter. Half of the space was made up of jewelry while the other half had boxes or bags of all kinds of tea. “Are these magic, too?”
Looking over your shoulder, you saw him staring at the jewelry. “Yes! They help with various things, like talking to animals, being able to breathe underwater, I believe I also have one for shapeshifting.”
“Incredible. What about the teas?” Phantom picked up a mix of peach and mint.
“Oh! No, those are just teas to help with anything you could be feeling like any other tea. Remember the one I gave you a bit ago? How are you feeling now?”
“Well, the headache is gone and I feel way more energized than how I was before.”
“Then it’s working! Peppermint is supposed to help with that.”
Phantom nodded and walked over to a table with various cookies. “Are these just cookies?”
“Hm? Oh, some are, some aren’t. The ones on your left are regular cookies, and the ones on your right aren't. Those are poison-filled cookies…” You looked over at the space with a confused expression. “Now, who took down my sign?” With a wave of your hand, a sign now sat in front of the right side of the display. Written on it in big red letters was, ‘Caution: Poison cookies!’
Walking back to the front counter, Phantom leaned on his elbows on the glass. “Why don’t they just use the liquid potions you have up there?”
Turning to face him, you slid his gift towards him. “Some people find the sweets to be less...brutal. In a sense.”
“That sort of makes sense. You know, out of everything here, I’m surprised you don’t have any love spells.”
You giggled while stepping to the right so he could see what was on the desk behind you. “Funny you say that. I usually have a policy for love spells. I rarely ever make them because it’s dangerous to mess with someone like that, but this person was very insistent that I make one for them. Love spells come with a contract, though.”
“A contract? Why’s that?”
“It’s just something for my protection. If something bad happens, they can’t hold me accountable for the consequences they have for using a potion I was adamantly warning them about.”
“That’s smart, honestly.”
“Yup! By the way, what’s your name?”
Phantom blushed, having a nervous smile on his face. “I’m sorry! I should’ve said something earlier.”
Waving your hand, you giggled, thinking he was really cute when he was nervous. “Don’t be sorry, I tend to talk a lot when I meet new people. I get customers from time to time, but it’s rare when I get to actually talk to someone like this.”
“Well, before I forget, my name’s Phantom.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Phantom.” You both blushed when the silence in the room grew.
Phantom cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck. “You said you get customers but never actually had friends come visit?”
“Ah well, no, not really. It’s all work, no play, social-wise. My job's fun to do, but I will admit, it gets a little lonely.”
“Maybe you don’t have to be lonely anymore? I can stop by whenever I’m able to. I can be that friend that’ll bug you while helping out around here.”
Giggling, you rested your head on the palm of your hand, looking up at him. “That sounds fun, honestly. I wouldn’t mind the company from time to time.”
“Great! You, uh, wouldn't happen to know a place I can stay for the night, do you?”
“Oh! You can stay here with me. I can make one of my client’s rooms into a bedroom for you for the night, or however long you plan to be out here.”
“Are you sure that’s okay? I don’t wanna be more in the way than I have been already.”
Shaking your head, you stood up straight. “You haven’t been in the way at all today. It’s fine, really. I have other rooms if a client comes in for a session.” Motioning for him to follow you again, you led the way to the back rooms. Snapping your fingers, you opened the door to the room he woke up in to reveal a brand new bedroom. “You can rest up here.”
“Really, you’ve done enough for me already-”
“It’s okay, I really don’t mind at all. It’s my job to help others in need.”
Phantom chuckled, shaking his head while walking into the room and putting his things on the bed. “Alright. I’ll accept the offer to stay here. But I’ll help around the shop if you need it while I’m here.”
“That’s fine by me. Thank you.”
Phantom smiled, looking around the room seeing how different it had become. “You said you hold sessions in these rooms? What are those, exactly?”
“You’ve been curious this whole time.” You leaned on the doorframe, relaxing a bit.
“I’m sorry, that must’ve been annoying of me for asking so much.”
“No, not really. I very much enjoyed it. I haven’t had this much interaction in a while. But to answer your question, these rooms are for relaxation sessions. Depending on the type of stress my clients feel, I use certain types of teas, potions, oils, or sweets to help them destress, or words of affirmation and light touches or light massages if they’re comfortable with me touching them.”
“That actually sounds very nice. I might ask for a session in the future.”
“You can if you’d like. First sessions are always free.”
“Maybe in the near future?”
“Whenever that is for you, you know where to find me.” Smiling at Phantom, you felt your cheeks get warmer. “Well, I’ll let you get settled. If you need anything for sleep, let me know.”
“I will, thank you again, (Y/n), for everything you’ve done for me today.”
“Don’t thank me, I’m just your friendly local witch.” Stepping aside, you waved. “Goodnight, Phantom.”
“Goodnight, (Y/n)”
Closing the door behind you, you headed back to the front of the shop, getting everything ready for closing.
Do you think you could write some hcs for how the Battle boys would react to someone that likes them back but believes that if they persue anything they will ruin it or disappoint the boys in some way. It’s perfectly okay if you dont want to do this, I just think it’d be a nice idea
Mare and Phantom are the two that will immediately be comforting and reassuring that nothing would ruin the relationship if thats what you want to have with them. They do anything and everything to make sure you're okay, that whatever you're thinking isn't going to happen. But they are honest that relationships aren't perfect and there's going to be ups and downs but they are never yours or their faults. It just happens and that doesn't mean the relationship would end, it just means you have to work on it and talk it out to solve it and make things better.
Natpai and Bones are the ones that are in the same boat. They have their doubt in themselves but Natpai would reassure himself that he deserves to be happy with the person he likes so in turn hed help you understand it as well. He doesn't care about the faults you might have about yourself because he understands and will be super reassuring when you voice them to him.
Bones is the one out of the four of them to be VERY doubtful of himself even after finding out that the feelings are mutual. Hes so worried and stressed out. Mare has to sit him down and have a very long and serious talk with Bones to try and calm him down. Mare reassures him that everything will be okay and that he deserves to have the person he likes in his life. It gives Bones the push he needs to be open about his feelings which in turn, makes you feel more comfortable to tell him about yours. Hes crying a bit because hes so overwhelmed but he does make sure youre okay with everything before going forward.
(I read this ask and immediately felt like I got hit by a train cause that's me too.)
A/n: This is set before Bones’ accident, so he’s very protective, concerned, and caring. It’s also very self-indulgent, I just wanted to write out how I’ve been feeling the past week or couple years actually...and when I heard the song Overdrive by Conan Gray I just knew I had to write this with Bones since the song reminds me of him. The collage was made by me! Edited by @semiproeagle23!
“You have no idea what it’s like out there! You won’t be able to survive on your own! You need me!” Your mom was shouting at you from across the living room. Her face was bright red from screaming at you for a while.
You weren’t having it this time though. Standing your ground and looking over at her, you shouted back. “No! YOU need ME! I pay for most of the rent, I take care of YOUR other kids when you work. I left college to help YOU survive. I’ve only stuck with you because of my siblings! They were kids when everything happened. I’m an adult now, you don't get to tell me how my future is going to turn out!”
Puffing up your chest, you turned to walk away towards your room.
“Where do you think you’re going?! Get back here! (Y/n)!!”
Ignoring her screams, you slammed and locked your bedroom door behind you. Breathing heavily and making your way to your bed, you picked up your phone from your nightstand.
Tears began to fall down your cheeks while you were unlocking your phone. Wiping away the tears with your sleeve, you opened the first conversation in your texts. Looking at the picture of Bones, you hesitated for a moment, not wanting to bother him.
The pounding on your door caused you to flinch, and without a second thought, you texted him quickly. “911, please get me out of here!”
Tossing your phone on the bed, you headed to your closet, grabbing your jacket. Slipping it on, you heard a notification from your phone.
Checking the message, you saw it was from Bones. “Be there in 5, get your things.”
Sighing, you slightly smiled, reading the text. Looking around your room, you grabbed your bag with your charger, wallet, and anything else you needed.
It was a while later when you heard tapping at your window. Opening your curtain, you saw Bones on the other side, smiling at you. Glancing back at your bedroom door, you felt the fear start to bubble inside your stomach.
Hearing Bones tap at your window again reeled you back into reality, and you quickly opened your window. Bones helped you crawl out your window, carefully helping you back on your feet.
Picking up your bag and swinging it over his shoulder, Bones wrapped his arm around you after you closed your window. “C’mon, let’s go!”
Running with him to his car, he tossed your bag in the back seat while you got into the passenger seat in the front. Bones hurriedly got into the drivers’ side and after putting on your seat belts, he drove off.
It took you a second to realize Bones took his convertible. Feeling the wind against your face, you smiled when you started to feel less tense and fearful.
Bones turned into an empty parking lot and handed you a water bottle when he parked the car. “Alright, lay it on me.”
Taking the water bottle, you opened it to drink some before you answered him. “The usual, though all I did was tell her how I was talking with a friend because they’re getting an apartment and I told them I’d be happy to move in with them.” Putting the water bottle in the cupholder, you looked over at him. “She yelled at me, telling me I wouldn’t be anything without her. That I’m the one that needs her to survive in this world. She used the kids against me, saying they would be devastated if I just left them like that.”
Feeling yourself starting to cry again, you let Bones pull you into his side. He gently pets and kissed the top of your head. “It’s okay. You’re gonna be okay. Trust me. Fuck her, alright? She doesn’t understand that you’re ready to move on with your life. You deserve to leave that hell hole and go somewhere that’ll actually make you happy.”
“You know it’s not that easy…”
“It’s not, but...why don't you move in with me? Or the friend you were talking to. I’ll help you. I’ll take care of dealing with your mom. You don’t have to do this alone, (Y/n).”
You shook your head and looked up at Bones. “I couldn’t ask you to do that for me. It’s my battle to fight, Bones.”
“Well, you don’t have to fight it alone. I told you. I’m here for you. You’ve got me to fall back on. You’ve fought enough, let me take charge.” Bones caressed your cheek and softly smiled down at you. “Please?”
You sighed and held his hand in yours. “Okay...I’ll follow your lead. I’m just really tired.”
“I know...and I’m sorry it’s taken this long, but I’ll make sure you’re going to be okay.” He pulled you into a tight hug and gently rubbed your back. “You know what will cheer you up for a while?”
“What?“
“Driving down the highway.” Bones grinned when he saw your eyes light up. He knew you loved it when he drove down a particular highway that was completely empty around this time of night.
Starting the car, Bones drove off, heading in the direction of the highway. Feeling the wind back on your face, you grinned while turning up the radio.
Only met on the weekend, said I'm not catchin' feelings. Oh, I guess I lied. Divin' off of the deep end. I can't think of a reason. We should take our time. All or nothin'. Let's just trust the night.
Bones smiled when he looked over at you, He slowed down the speed he was driving at while you were unbuckling your seatbelt and carefully standing up, closing your eyes and holding onto the windshield. Feeling the airflow through your hair, you opened your eyes, seeing the street lamps pass by and all you heard was the music becoming louder from the radio. For once, you were feeling free, like you could take on the world.
Burnin' down the street, no left, right, left, right. I don't wanna see no red light, red light. Fast lane on the beat, go ten, five, ten, five. You right next to me, feel the heat. Goin' overdrive.
You smiled down at Bones as he smiled up at you, both of you knowing this was the beginning of something incredible.
“Grab your things, you better come with me.” with mare?
“Grab your things, you better come with me.”
Rubbing your eyes you sit up in bed trying to process what’s happening. “What’s going on??” You feel your bag being tossed onto your lap.
“Grab your things, quickly!” Natemare looks at you seriously for a second before he walks over to your closet starting to throw random sweaters and shirts in your direction.
“Hey- w-wait! What’s going on first!?” Putting your stuff to the side you feel the cold wind come in through your window when you climb out of bed. Grabbing the pair of pants on your desk chair you quickly put them on.
Mare throws one last shirt before he looks over at you. “Hello?? I’m not gonna say it again. We need to hurry!”
Suddenly you both hear a loud thud coming from downstairs. “What was-”
“Shh!” Mare quickly puts a hand over your mouth waiting for any other sound. After not hearing anything he takes his hand back. “Okay, here.” Natemare stuffs all your clothes in the bag and pushes it into your chest. “We’re gonna go somewhere alright? My brothers are already there. Uh shit, here you’ll probably want this too.” he hands you the picture of your family that’s on your desk.
“Natemare, seriously what’s going on? Why do I need this? Where are we going?!”
You both turn your attention to your door when you see the doorknob moving. Natemare grabs your hand and pulls you into his chest. Hearing someone or something slamming against your door, you hold onto Mare’s sleeve.
“Don’t worry, you’re gonna be okay. I won’t let anything happen to you.” Noticing his smoke starting to surround you both you look at your door before the smoke covers your eyes. The last thing you see is a figure running towards you.
“Hey...you can open your eyes now…”
Slowly opening one eye you look around to see Phantom, Natpai, and Bones. Letting go of Natemare you look up at him confused.
Natpai gently takes your hand leading you away from the group. “Here.”
Taking the remote from him you turn on the tv to see a news broadcast.
“If there’s anyone still alive, please stay inside. Don’t open your door for anyone. We don’t know what exactly caused this to happen...we just know that people started murdering others in rage in any way they could. They don’t seem to talk but they understand what they’re doing from what I’ve been told. Stay safe out there. And whatever you do. Don’t trust anyone…”
