Since Strawberry isn't at work today, Nil takes this chance to go meet the one she longs for even though she's not supposed to. She gets more of his attention than she bargained for, and it only makes her want him more.
Strawberry was sick today. She didn’t want to deal with anybody. Not even Nil, hissing at her when she knocked on her bedroom door.
“I’m sick! Leave me alone!” The nurse yowled. “Just do whatever! You don’t have to tell me everything!”
Nil wasn’t even that clingy. She just didn’t like stepping out of line because she didn’t want to be forced back into her place. However, Strawberry wouldn’t know if she…but that was dangerous. What if she did find out?
The deer wrote a note and left it on the fridge. She would be leaving early to help paint the set before rehearsal. And she did…kind of. Nil was given permission to do secret stuff today. At least, that’s how she justified going to see Dr. Masacrik for herself and on purpose.
“You’re here.” Buttercup said when she arrived on her usual floor. “Where’s Strawberry?”
“At home, sick. I’m just so used to the routine, I guess.” She lied.
He nodded, buying it, “Makes sense! I hope she feels better. I should send flowers! I’m sure she likes flowers. Um, what are you gonna do since she’s not here?”
“Oh, I guess I’ll hang out a bit. The next bus is in 30 minutes, and it’s chilly outside today. I’ll warm up before heading back out.” Vanilla tapped her chin.
Even this loser couldn’t dampen her spirit today.
“Alright! Sounds like a plan!” He said, “You’re very good in your role. I’ve got a patient to check on, but I’ll try to come back and ask which flowers I should send.”
Buttercup left. He seemed like he was still quite a puppy, especially when it came to Strawberry. No wonder he bothered her so much.
“Watch out!” A hand grabbed her head and pulled her in.
“You should be more aware of your surroundings, Lala.” Said a familiar voice.
She practically melted before looking up. The sound of doctors and EMTs rushing a patient to an emergency operating room should’ve filled her senses as it came from directly behind her. However, he couldn’t hear anything except their hearts beating for a long time. When it finally did come back, she felt embarrassed.
“D–Dr. Masacrik! Um, thank you for…that.” Lala fidgeted.
“Oh, you’re talking to me today? What a naughty girl you are.” He smiled. “Strawberry’s under the weather, right? And so you’re taking this chance to see me behind her back.”
She nodded.
He held her face and looked directly through her fluff into her eyes, “Wonderful!”
Her ears and horns stood up on end! He was touching her! He liked her! Masacrik wanted her just as much! That’s what this meant, right? RIGHT? Lala begged herself to calm down and get a grip, but no other grip mattered.
He giggled, “You react the same way as my Mimi does. Getting all excited from a simple touch.”
“Am…am I that much like her?” Vanilla asked.
“Well, not exactly. I made her perfect. You just so happen to have some similarities. I could make you perfect, too.” He held her chin.
“I…I…” She wasn’t sure what to say.
Didn’t he like her for who she was? Lala wasn’t Mimi. She was Lala.
“Aww, did I make you upsetti?” Dr. Masacrik asked. “That’s what you get for ignoring me.”
“I’m sorry!” The words came out before she could stop them. “I don’t wanna–”
He placed his hand on her neck, “I remember the bandages. She’s a bit too feral for me. I like pets with a good temperament.” His t’s were sharp.
Lala felt her heart and eyes flutter in sync, “I’m good.”
“I know you are.” And then pushed her back to stand up on her own. “And good girls shouldn’t be late for practice.”
“Can…can you say my name one more time, please?” Her voice barely came out of her throat.
Dr. Masacrik smirked, “Goodbye, Lala.”
She floated for the rest of the day. Everything was just perfect! Her lines, her blocking–for both her parts–painting the set, the ride home. Then reality hit again. Strawberry was on the couch watching TV and wrapped up in a blanket.
“You’re later than usual.” She said with a stuffy nose.
“I helped with the set. Before and after. Did you like the soup?” Vanilla asked.
Strawberry replied, “Yeah, it’s good.” and saw paint on her roommate’s face and arms.
“I’m glad.” She tampered her joy down. “I’m off to bed. I’ll be heading out early tomorrow, too.”
“Your checks came in today. For your children’s books.” Strawberry said. “Put ‘em on your desk.”
“Thanks!” Nil yawned.
She was an author as well as an actress. Mostly for middle school and younger due to her simplistic style of writing. It was never the same amount in royalties, but Strawberry paid for their apartment anyways. Nil would use her checks for food and lights since they were always on the low end, and her phone bill as well. It was a symbiotic relationship like that.
He called her Lala. He touched her and made her feel special. Even if she was like Mimi in some ways, it was clear they were different people. He wasn’t a dog nor a cat. He wasn’t a sheep, wolf, or bunny. Not a single pig bone in his body. If she could be free like him and reject the standards of the world, what would that even be like?
As Lala emptied her bag out for the night, she realized something new was inside. It was a pin in the shape of a red heart with a monitor line on it in white. Was this Dr. Masacrik’s? He wore something similar nearly every time. Was it on purpose? She’d have to figure it out at a later time. For now, she fell asleep with it in her hands.
La-thump. La-thump. Her heartbeat found itself in her dreams. La-thump. La-thump. La-thump. La-thump. The pin flew out of her hands, and Lala chased it. She couldn’t La-thump. La-thump. Let the only thing La-thump. La-thump. She couldn’t let the only thing she had of Dr. Masacrik go somewhere without her!
La
Thump
She was face first into his chest just like before. His hand went to her cheeks and her chin, trailing down to her neck. Lower and lower. He made sure she was watching as his hand went up her skirt. Lala gasped and he kissed her, using his other hand to pull her in. With all of this action, her hat fell down onto the ground and the spots on her cheeks were smeared. Her thick coils poofed out like a dandelion.
Lala only had one wish. To never, ever wake up again.
His knee slid between her legs and–
“Ow!” Vanilla said as she suddenly woke up.
The back of the pin had pricked her palm. She went into her nightstand and slapped a bandage on it before putting the pin inside. It would be too risky to put it on top. Strawberry might see it that way and ask questions. Heavy lids. Vanilla went back to sleep.
Each chapter is about 3 pages in Docs. I intend to keep them relatively short so I don't get burnt out. This is just for fun.
Nil keeps her promise and obeys Strawberry's command not to give Masacrik any attention the next time she brings lunch. This makes the doctor confused and peeved. Nil keeps her feelings under control and lets them out during theatre rehearsal.
CW/TW: Breadcrumbing, emotional manipulation
Several days later, stuffed horns and floppy ears entered the hospital. She showed off her guest pass and went upstairs. Strawberry wanted the food brought straight to her. There was a new person at the information desk this time. Or…was she new? The deer didn’t recognize her.
“Hi, I’m here to drop off Strawberry’s lunch.” Nil used her brave voice.
The lady scoffed, “You act like we don’t already know. You do this every single day, Nil.” Then she spoke under her breath. “But Strawberry is never here on time.” Then she said, “Go sit. She’ll be here soon.”
As soon as she turned around, Buttercup was in front of her, “Heeyyyyy, Nil. Bringing lunch?”
She frowned, “Yes.” and stepped to the side.
“Your hat looks extra bright today. Did you wash it?” He asked.
“Mmmm. Don’t you have somewhere else to be?” Nil tried not to sigh as she tried to remember where the seating area was.
Buttercup grinned, “I can take a moment to talk to a sweet girl, can’t I?”
“If it isn’t me, sure.” She replied.
He was so fake. Nil didn't like it.
He laughed as if she was joking, “You’re so funny! I bet Strawberry laughs at your jokes too. She has such a lovely laugh. She doesn’t find me very funny, though. What kind of humor does she like?”
A pair of large round eyes caught her attention. Dr. Masacrick had been watching her. She wondered for how long.
Ba-thump.
Stop it! She scolded herself.
Ba-thump. Ba-thump.
The doctor waved at her, and she looked away. Strawberry couldn’t see her greeting him or else she’d get angry again. His hand stayed in the air for a moment as his eye twitched. What was that about? He put it into his pocket. She had been enamored the first time they met. Did she no longer recognize him?
“Excuse me.” Dr. Masacrik said to a fellow doctor and went over to see Lala.
She walked away from Buttercup and held out the box in her hand. It was the same one as…oh. It was Strawberry’s.
“Do you like him?” The white cat asked.
Nil shook her head, “No, I was just trying to avoid…” she glanced a little bit into Masacrik’s direction. “So, I just let him keep talking. I’m headed to practice next. Dinner is up to you tonight, but I do have leftovers in the fridge if you want.”
“Another nurse got sick after their lunch, so I’m covering their overnight shift. I might be home for breakfast. Have a good practice. Don’t forget to give me a ticket.” Strawberry said.
She stopped in her tracks before she bowed her head and walked quickly past. He was annoyed. Why was she ignoring him? He didn’t like it. Not one bit. He decided to go talk to Strawberry.
“What did you say to her?” He asked.
The nurse shrugged, “Nothing important. Maybe she’s just not that into you, Doctor. It’s not like you need her attention when you have mine~.” she batted her eyelashes.
“I don’t want anything from you.” Masacrik scoffed and walked towards his work.
Lala. Lala. La-thump. He was really calling her Lala! La-thump! Nobody had ever called her that before. Being someone. She was someone!
On the bus to the community center, Lala got a message from Strawberry. The notification interrupted her music. It was a voice message.
“Two things. The pasta was a bit undercooked, so I couldn’t eat it. Do better next time. Also, good job for ignoring the doctor today. Keep it up.”
Thud.
Nil sighed and realized she was close to her stop. She pulled the line and waited for the bus to stop. The deer girl was incredibly careful when crossing the road. She let out a sigh of relief once she was inside. The auditorium was to the left when she came in. It was 5 minutes until call, and she signed her name on the sheet.
She sat in the back and read over the script. They’d be blocking a scene where she had lines today. Nil got into acting when she started college. She was still in college, but um, well, this was the only space she felt like she belonged. When pretending to be someone else, people noticed her with neutrality and positive interest. Unlike reality, if she wasn’t invisible, she was hated.
Group warm up. Sight reading from the script and a few markings about tone. Then it was time to do blocking. Nil suddenly was confident as she went into her character. A VERY chipper yet shy middle aged woman. She was weird and quirky since she didn’t know how to express herself very well. Though, she did love books.
“You’ve made some really fun character choices, Nil.” The director said. “I’m always surprised when you get loud because of how you are usually. The stage really brings out new sides to people, and that’s why I love it.”
“I love it, too.” She beamed.
It was the only thing in this world that seemed to love her back. She wasn’t even the greatest actress out there. That was clear in the notes she received at the end of every practice. Still, it wasn’t meant to put her down or shame her. They were done to help her grow and improve as a performer. And she really did want to get better.
Thanks for reading! Feel free to check out my pinned post to explore my other OCs/interests.
Vanilla is a big girl with a big heart. She's bullied at her first day at a new school before Strawberry lays claim to her. Vanilla (aka Nil) isn't just any type of deer, she's a reindeer. The pink haired girl makes sure to take advantage of that even as they grow up together. Inseparable, but at what cost?
“Girl deer don’t have horns!” Some 16 year old kid yanked at the fabric nubs on her hat.
“Ahh! Let go!” Vanilla tried to keep her hat on her head with the horns intact.
“Where’s your tail? Is it under here?” Someone else lifted up her uniform skirt. “Or is it Nil, too?”
“Ahh! Stop it!” She couldn’t defend herself from both ways, but she tried.
Nil started kicking and scrambling trying to get away. She had to get someplace safe. If she could get somewhere else, then they’d find another target. She didn’t want to end up like her parents, splattered on the hood of a car and smeared in the road.
It was so dark! She just had to–
“You guys are so lame!” A squeaky voice broke through the noise. “You’re all worthless and stupid. Can’t you pick on her correctly?”
A girl with long pink hair and white cat ears approached her, “You’re such a mess. Helpless, right?” Strawberry crouched above her.
Nil couldn’t help but nod. She was a deer. A fawn. She couldn’t do anything herself. Not even defend herself or anything like that. Only her cuteness helped her avoid the worst of it.
“That’s what I thought. Take her to the roof.” The girl said.
The kids cheered and grabbed her arms and legs. No matter how much she squirmed, Nil couldn’t get out! Soon enough, she got tired. There was no more fight left in her. The only thing the young girl could do was breathe and try to catch her breath.
“Oh, look! She gave up!” Someone called.
Nil couldn’t tell as she let her hair cover her eyes. This was new. At least she wouldn’t go like every other deer. Her chest felt warm as they dangled her over the edge. If they let go, she’d go splat! Maybe thud.
“Wait.” Strawberry said, “Let’s see how long she can hold on herself.”
They let go of Vanilla’s legs and placed her hands on the brick barrier. The dark skinned girl didn’t have a lot of upper arm strength. She wasn’t going to last long up here. All she could think about was how ok it was. This is how it was meant to be. As long as it made them happy.
“It’s been one minute!”
The pink haired girl then leaned down and whispered, “Do you wanna live, Nil?”
Vanilla nodded and caught a glimpse of something red at the bottom, “Yes.”
“Then obey me. You just wanna help, right? Make people happy?” She asked.
“Yes! More than, unf, anything!” The girl couldn’t hold on much longer.
Strawberry hissed, “Promise me that you’ll do what I say.”
“I promise! I promise to obey you and make you happy!” Vanilla said, “I can’t–”
“Get her! Bring her back up. She’s mine now.” The other girl walked away.
Three years later, Vanilla had a similar feeling surrounded by so many people in their work uniforms. She was scared and wanted to run. Anywhere else. Cower in some corner. She gripped the handle of the white and pink lunch box.
“I’m…um…I’m here for S-Strawberry.” She said, “I, uh. Have her lunch.”
“Name?”
“V…Nil. She calls me Nil.” The white haired young woman stammered.
Snakish eyes looked her up and down. The lady with a slicked back bun picked up her phone and called for Strawberry on the intercom. Pink hair and white cat ears showed up soon enough with everyone gawking at her legs.
“There you are! I was going to starve, Nil! What did you make me?” Strawberry held out her hand.
“A tuna sandwich with your favorite vegetables. I already cut it into fourths. A fresh Greens Only lettuce with the dressing in a cup on the side. A sugar free cupcake with very little frosting and there’s a chocolate banana smoothie with fat free milk. All made fresh.” Vanilla said.
“Hmp, good enough. I’ll let you know how to improve when I get home since this is your first time. There’s going to be room for improvement especially since you’re not good at anything.” She took the lunch box.
“Of course. I’ll see you then since I don’t have practice tonight.” She replied and felt eyes on them.
Pink hair now at her shoulders turned and left. As soon as Vanilla turned around, mint hair filled her eyes.
“Ah!” She flinched.
A tall man with dog ears began sniffing around her, “You do smell like her.”
“What?”
He cleared his throat, “Where are my manners? I’m Buttercup.” He held out his hand.
“Hi…” She didn’t shake it.
“Right. Hmm. You know Strawberry? I saw you two talking and she doesn’t really have friends outside of work.” Buttercup blabbed.
Vanilla could see him fighting his instinct. Men like him didn’t notice girls like her. They ripped out throats and left them in alleyways. Though, he seemed, softer than most. He was probably like Strawberry and only showing his good side.
“Yeah…we’re roomies.” She looked away for a moment. “I’m Nil.”
“As in nothing?”
“…Yeah. It’s short for Vanilla.” She wrinkled her nose as the smell of death got stronger.
“Ah, I was wondering who had brought homemade food for Nurse Strawberry. She didn’t have anything with her name on it in the fridge earlier.” Red hair and a dapper frame.
He was so beautiful that Nil forgot to be scared. This was a lot of attention. Also…he didn’t have a hat. What kind was he?
“Good eye. I don’t do the whole hat thing. You don’t know where to put me, do you, little deer?” He giggled.
“This is Nil. She lives with Strawberry.” Buttercup said. “Nil, this is–”
“Doctor Masacrik, at my service.” He gave a false smile that perked up when he saw how intently she was watching him from behind her fluff. “Nil, is that your full name? Your real one?”
She shook her head, “N…no. It’s Vanilla. I’ve been Nil for a long time, though.”
“Hmmm, I’m going to call you Lala. Nobody’s nothing. You’re clearly very good at making lunch for people.” He flicked her hat’s ear.
Danger! Danger! Her heart was beating so fast!
“Uh, um. Thank you. I should go. Nice meeting you, Dr. Masacrick…Buttercup.” Lala clutched her bag strap that was across her chest and rushed towards the elevator.
Vanilla’s cheeks were warm all day. She did a bit of cleaning and then read her script for the play she was in. A side character. The woman used a pink highlighter to mark her own stage directions and lines. Whenever she stopped focusing for a moment, her mind went back to Masacrick. Her heart began to pound in her ears again.
Then the door opened. She quickly stood up.
“Welcome home, Straw–” Claws were around her neck.
“What did you say to him?”
“Huh?”
Strawberry sucked her teeth, “Don’t ‘huh?’ me. I saw you talking to Dr. Masacrick. What were you talking about?”
“I…we…ouch. We were just introducing ourselves. Nothing more than that. He wanted to meet the person who made your food!” She held the wrist of the hand that dug into her flesh. “Straw-berry. Did I mess up?”
The pink haired girl let her go, “You don’t go to the hospital very often, do you?” She exhaled in a huff. “New rules since you’re going to make me food every day now. Nil, Don’t talk to him or give Dr. Masacrik any attention. He’s not interested in anyone but his precious Mimi anyways.”
“Mimi?” Vanilla caught her breath and rubbed at the indents in her throat.
“She’s a sickly thing that he made. Weak, like you, but he loves her. Or whatever.” She shoved the empty lunch box in her arms.
“Um, what about Buttercup? Is it ok if I talk to him?” The dark skinned woman looked at her roomie.
“Ugh, yeah. Sure. I don’t like him. He’s super clingy and weird about me. If you want to keep him distracted or treat him like dirt, I don’t care either way.” She began to unbutton her dress. “I’m taking a long bath.”
Nil placed the lunch box on the counter and cleaned it out. She ate almost everything. Half the smoothie was left. She wouldn’t make it again. Of course the doctor was off limits. Nil wasn’t really allowed to get anything she actually wanted. She could only get close to it. She ran dishwater and then took the lasagna out of the oven.
It would cool while Strawberry took her bath. Afterwards, Vanilla did the dishes while her cat flat mate went to bed. She was always on call, so most of the household responsibilities fell onto the deer. While washing, her mind wandered to red hair and a fluorescent lab coat. Strawberry couldn’t control her thoughts. Her hand went up to the ear he flicked and soapy water trailed down to her eye.
“Oh!” She used her forearm to wipe it out before blinking hard. “Don’t be stupid, Nil.” she said to herself.
Thank you for reading! I'm quickly falling in love with the world and characters of PsychoCuties. I'll be putting out the first four chapters rather quickly. After that, I'll just write as my desire ebbs and flows.
Don't forget to check out my pinned post for my other OCs/interests!
PsychoCuties Fanfic. Deer!OC Nil x Dr. Masacrik MDNI
Dr. Masacrik kidnaps Nil and takes her to his house with Mimi where she will be forced to spend her off days. As twisted as it is, this is basically a dream vacation for the young woman. Nil Lala gets to make a new friend during her stay, too.
"La...la? Wake up." Something heavy was against her leg as she sat...
Where was she sitting? It should have been the warm espresso stained seat at the café. Instead, the sceptic smell of the dentist mixed with death and amber. A pair of wide and tired eyes looked up at her.
Lala was startled. That wasn't Masacrik. The girl looked familiar.
"Mimi?" The name tumbled out of her surprisingly dry mouth.
She smiled for a moment, "Yes. I'll be right back." She stood and quickly left the room.
If that was Mimi, then this must've been where the doctor lived. How had Lala even gotten here? She couldn't remember anything after noticing the red haired man reading her notebook through the café window. He had smiled at her.
Now he entered with Mimi right behind him.
"You're finally awake. I was worried I had used too much."
"Too much what?" Lala asked.
He scoffed, "Rohypnol. What else?"
"Right..."
"Oh, yeah, I kidnapped you." Masacrik giggled. "I have plans that I didn't want you to say no to. Also, we couldn't have a certain pink haired nurse getting in the way."
Lala made sure her hat was still on. Force of habit. Then she looked at Mimi for a moment.
"What plans?"
"Mimi gets awfully lonely when I'm away. You know what they say about an idle mind. Though she has quite the imagination." He glanced at her.
Mimi's cheeks got a bit pinker as she became shy. What did that mean?
"You'll stay here for the next few days. That's all you're allowed to know for now so you don't skew my data." He tapped Lala's nose. "Don't worry. You'll be back in time for your musical."
"Um...ok. Sure." She couldn't find a reason to run away.
"So docile~!" Dr. Masacrik basically moaned.
Mimi's stomach growled.
"Hungry, aren't ya? Food is on the way." He helped the deer stand. "Follow my precious kitty as she gives you a tour and don't get too curious." His voice deepened as he gave his warning.
"I won't." Lala guessed there were rooms he didn't want her looking into.
That was fine. It wasn't her place, so she wasn't gonna go snooping. Mimi showed off the kitchen and her bedroom. It was very cute and full of soft things. The top of the nightstand was covered in clean bandages and scissors. Medical needle and thread.
"That's to take care of you, right?"
"Yeah. Good care of me." Her voice was barely above a whisper. "Um, his room. Only with permission."
She pointed to the door across from hers.
"Makes sense." Lala replied.
The two approached a staircase that went down. A basement perhaps.
"We're not going there." Mimi said. "Off limits."
"Oh, ok. It's a long way anyways." She was curious but not enough to do anything about it.
There was a full bathroom and a half bathroom along with 2 other vacant rooms. One was basically a storage space and the other was a dusty office.
"You're not scared?" Mimi asked.
"I'm always scared." Lala replied and looked down. "People call me names so I don't interact with others a lot. I do a lot of things by myself."
The cat girl nodded, "Me too. But...you're nice."
"Thank you. You're nice too. Dr. Masacrik showed me pictures of you before, and you're cuter up close. I'm glad I get to meet you in person." She said earnestly.
Mimi's legs gave out as she felt weird. A compliment. Two even! She wasn't scared of her!
"Oh, are you ok?" Lala reached out.
Mimi shrunk, "Fine. I'm...fine. Weak legs."
"I'll sit next to you until you can walk again, then." Lala supported her back against the wall.
Dr. Masacrik watched the surveillance cameras through his phone. It seemed the two were getting along well. Oh, his plan was coming together! After dinner, Lala was allowed to wash up. She then put on a nightgown. If she had any clear thoughts, the deer girl would've wondered why he had this. But her mind was so fuzzy still. Had he picked this out just for her? Where would she sleep?
"Oh, hi, Mimi." Vanilla's hat was in her hand.
"What...what are you?" She asked while giving it back.
Lala looked at her hat and put it on. It had a satin lining so it would be better than nothing tonight.
"I'm a deer. It's hard to explain, but taking care of myself is really hard. I need lots of help." She gave half a smile. "I make people feel better because they feel superior to me."
"Dr. Masacrik...? Is he?"
"I'm not sure. Well, he's a doctor so he is smarter about the human body than I am."
"Yeah." Mimi agreed. "Oh. He said we share a bed."
Lala blinked, "Oh, ok. Where is he?"
"Um..." she looked at the stairs.
"I see. Let's get some sleep then." She couldn't deny that she was a bit disappointed.
Part of her had hoped for some more personal time with Masacrik, but maybe he wanted to wait until the drugs wore off. Mimi's bed was on the floor but also quite large. She slept on top of a balled up comforter. Meanwhile, Lala noted that her clothes were folded by the nightstand with a note on it.
I had some work I needed to do. Don't fret. You'll see me tomorrow. I'm off all day.
“Mimi?” Lala asked.
“Hmm?” Her eyes seemed to glow in the dark.
“I’m glad that I’m here with you and Dr. Masacrik. It’s a bit strange, and it’s only been a short time. Still, I’m happy…I think.”
It was quiet for a bit before Mimi replied, “I’m…happy too.”
Lala smiled off stage for the first time in a while, “Goodnight, Mimi.”
“Goodnight, Lala.”
Strawberry had an extra long shift at the hospital today. Though, she was surprised her phone had been silent this whole time. Some apps talking about discounts and emails about the same and new releases. However, there wasn’t a single message from Nil. Maybe she was getting some sleep or going over her lines again. Depending on the style of the musical, she could have been practicing her makeup.
Buttercup approached her, “Hey, Strawberry!”
“What do you want?” She scowled.
“I’m just glad to see you feeling better. Did you like my flowers?”
“No.” The pink-haired woman scoffed. “I threw that shit out as soon as it arrived on my doorstep. Nil nearly tripped over it.”
Buttercup’s ears went back, “Oh…well, um. I’ll just have to send you something better.”
“Or, you could do the best option?” She scrolled through her apps and emails to make sure she really had no messages from her roommate.
“What’s that?” He seemed so excited for the answer.
Strawberry rolled her eyes, “Don’t. I hate your gifts and I hate you. You’re annoying, boring, clingy, and a loser.” She exhaled with a huff. “Now go away.”
Buttercup sulked as he walked away. He knew it was just because she didn’t know him yet, but it still hurt his feelings. That just meant he had to try harder! Maybe big declarations weren’t her style. Yeah! Something small and personal would be better.
While ignoring her current patient struggling to eat some pudding, Strawberry texted Nil to see what she was up to and make sure she was still alive. It wasn’t like her to go silent like this for so long. Well, not when she was healthy.
It was such a shame that Dr. Masacrik had already turned off Lala’s phone and placed it in a faraday bag. No annoying sounds or interruptions. He was glad his girls were getting along but they still waited for him. He made fruit salad for breakfast and warmed up some store bought muffins that were going stale.
They both entered and Mimi sat in her usual spot. Lala blinked and looked around. Ah, he hadn’t bought another seat for her. Well, that was fine. Masacrik had Mimi get one out of the garage. She looked at him blankly for a moment before he sighed.
“Did you really forget?”
She shrunk back, but nodded.
“Fine!” He grabbed her by the scruff of her neck and brought her to where the garage was. “Now find a chair for our lovely guest!”
He came back into the dining room and smoothed his vest, “Sorry you had to see that. Incompetence reeeeally sets me off. However, this does give us some time to chat.” He sat down and looked at her. “Do you love me?”
“I…I um. I think so. I like you a lot. My heart doesn’t know what to do when you’re around, so it just beats faster. My mind races. I think about you even when you’re not around. I’ve never.” Lala breathed in and exhaled. “I’ve never been in love before, so I’m not sure.”
“Then why do you stick around…her so much? I don’t even want to say her name. Though I’m sure you know who I’m talking about.” He flicked one of the ears on her hat.
Lala looked down, “It’s because she’s confident. I don’t think she’s a great person or anything, but she’s not afraid. She goes after what she wants. I wanna be like that.”
“She tried to kill you.” He was deadpan.
“She’s not the only one. It’s common when you’re prey.” With a bright smile, she added, “I’m a weakling, Dr. Masacrik. What else am I supposed to do?”
Wood scraped against the floor, paired with small grunting sounds. Mimi had found a chair and it must’ve been too much for her to simply carry. Masacrik went to help her. All three sat down to eat, enjoying the meal. The man of the house then sent the girls to play while he cleaned up.
“Um, are you sure?” Lala asked.
Mimi held her hand, “It’s ok. He likes cleaning.”
That meant he was particular.
Masacrik smiled and nodded, “Go have fun.”
From what Strawberry had told her, Mimi was probably around 19 when he got his hands on her. Transformed her. Saved her. She played with dolls and offered one to the guest. Lala had grown up fast. The last time she had played with toys like this…it was a lifetime ago.
So, she tried. It seemed the kitten was very glad to have someone to play with. It was some nonsense story about a girl and a bellhop represented by a cat and a mouse. The girl was a mouse and the bellhop was the cat. Lala was having fun. Then she remembered her script. She should probably look over it.
“Are you bored?” Mimi asked.
“No. I just thought of something important. I wonder where–”
“Mimi, dear,” Masacrik entered the living room, “I know this is usually the time where you lay on my lap, and we enjoy the sun. However, you’ll have to enjoy it on the floor today.” He sat in his patched up recliner. “Lala,”
The white haired woman looked at him in her magical way, through her curls. He was patting his lap and looking at her expectantly.
“Come here.” He used his gentle voice. “Let me show you what love feels like.”
“O-ok. Let me know if I’m too heavy.” She sat on his lap and he hugged her from behind.
Touch starved.
That was the phrase that came to mind for the deer girl. She didn’t have anybody to call a friend outside of her roomie. They didn’t make physical contact very often. When holding Mimi’s hand, it was nice, but she was cold. Like a snack. An appetizer. Being hugged like this by Masacrik felt like a buffet. He was warm and firm. Lala made a content noise before leaning into his embrace. Her eyes closed.
“Isn’t this nice?” He asked.
“More than nice.” Lala replied in an unfamiliar register.
Mimi sprawled on a warm spot on the floor. A pang of jealousy in her reanimated heart. She felt lonely even though he was right there. And he was bringing another person so much joy. Lala looked so happy. She had played with her earlier even though she was older. She wasn’t the only thing Masacrik made. Still, she–
“You’re being such a good girl.” He said and looked at his blue haired pet. “Don’t ruin this, Mimi.”
“Mimi’s a good girl.” Lala said in her dazed state.
The doctor smiled and softly chuckled, “Yes, she is.” and pet the deer’s head.
Whatever thoughts she had before were gone. Nothing was as important as this moment. Lala curled up on Masacrik’s lap. Mimi content by his feet. Was this love? It was more…comfortable than she had ever imagined. Even in this moment, Lala knew she’d have to put it in a box. Someplace safe in the corners of her mind to remember when times got really rough.
When the night came, Lala wandered around the house a bit but ended up falling asleep in Mimi’s room alone anyways. The blue skinned girl was let into the doctor’s room tonight. Probably to make up for before.
This chapter is double what I usually do. I just had so much I wanted to write about for this mini arc. Lots of setup to do.
Despite trying not to run into the red headed doctor, Nil and Masacrik share an elevator ride together. He doesn't give her false hope about his interest in her. She has a chance, right? Even with Mimi being the object of his..."affection"...well. There's no harm in dreaming.
CW/TW: Breadcrumbing, emotional manipulation
Vanilla got up and took off her deer bonnet and combed out her hair before putting on her usual tan hat. After getting dressed for the day, she saw that Strawberry was already gone. She wanted another tuna sandwich today but no tomatoes. Well, duh, the ones they had gotten were rotting on the counter. They had been mislabeled, so nobody was eating them. Why hadn’t she thrown them out?
Vanilla sighed and pushed it into the trashcan.
The nurse would have her break in three hours. Travel took 50 minutes on a good day by bus. Deer like her were too skittish to drive since they caused too many accidents. So they got free bus rides. She started on making Strawberry’s lunch while packing her purse for practice. Script, pen, pencil, highlighters, good.
She also did a load of laundry before she was on the bus. Nil hoped she wouldn’t see Dr. Masacrik today. She didn’t want to ignore him again. He had been busy the last two times she went, and didn’t notice her then. Hopefully it would be the same today.
La-thump.
He greeted her before she even went upstairs. The man was waiting on the elevator.
“Oh, Lala. You’re here. Was the bus late?” He asked.
She looked around and then nodded.
“I just came back from taking care of my own roommate. I’m sure she told you all about Mimi. Have I shown you pictures, yet?” His eyes seemed excited.
What had he done with her? Lala shook her head. Masacrik showed pictures. He really did make her. She had stitches on her translucent blue skin and sunken eyes. At the same time, she was adorable.
“Cute.” Lala said. “You did a good job.”
He smiled and put his phone back in his pocket, “Thank you! She’s my pride and joy! Is there anything you want to improve about yourself?”
“I shouldn’t.” The deer said.
“And why not? Because Strawberry would get upset?” Masacrik folded his arms.
She nodded.
“Do you want to know why I rejected her?” He looked down at the young woman.
Though he couldn’t see her eyes, it was clear that Lala was looking up at him expectantly. The doors opened, however. Strawberry was at the door.
“Oh! Dr. Masacrik…what are you and Nil doing together?” She asked, stuck between trying to be polite and not tackling her roommate.
“It was just timing. She was alone in there and the doors didn’t close fast enough.” He lied on her behalf. “She’s so quiet.”
La-thump. La-thump. Did he care about her? La-thump. La-thump. La-thump. La-thump.
“Yeah, she usually is.”
Masacrik looked at the two before saying, “I’ve got my rounds to do. Safe travels.”
“I made your sandwich without tomatoes.” Nil said and held out the bag. “I have practice tonight.”
“I know. I looked at the calendar before I left. What did he do to you?” Strawberry lowered her voice.
“Just showed me pictures and videos of Mimi.” Her gaze stayed on the ground.
“Oh…okay.” She said, “Well, at least now you know you don’t stand a chance with her in the way. Don’t miss your bus.”
Nil nodded. The doctor made sure she didn’t get in trouble. He didn’t have to do that. She really tried not to think too much about it. It wasn’t like her to zone out during her time on the stage, but things were different than they used to be.
“Nil!”
“Huh?”
“Are you feeling ok?” The director asked.
She cleared her throat, “Uh, y-yeah. Just a bit tired is all.”
“Well, wake up. You’re at rehearsals for a show.” He said.
“Right. Sorry. Sorry, everyone!” Nil apologized and started to pay attention.
For the rest of the night, she made sure to say her lines and do her blocking correctly. Next week, props would be completely done, but cast members could come and help out at any time in the time before that. Either staying late or coming early were acceptable.
“Nil, come here for a second.” The director asked, a bear.
“I’m really really really sorry about today. I promise it won’t happen again.” Vanilla said before he could explain.
He nodded, “Yeah, I know. I wanted to ask you if you would want to be Miss Red instead of Lady Yellow. It’s a slightly bigger role, but we’re not sure if Mari will be able to stay a part of the show. You’re the only one I know who can learn lines and her blocking in the time we have left.”
“I..I’d really like that. Is she ok?”
“Yeah, she just might be moving sooner than she thought. Got a job somewhere else in a big city. You know how it is.” The director shrugged. “You’ll be her understudy for now, and I’ll find someone else to be your understudy just in case.”
She jumped up and down, “Thank you, thank you, thank you! I won’t let you down!”
“Alright. Now go home and get some rest!” He called after her.
On the hour and a half bus ride home, Vanilla was on cloud 9! She danced as she took off her clothes and got ready for bed. There was no practice for the next three days to account for some holiday. That would give Vanilla time to learn her new lines and also get some rest. All she had to do is cook for Strawberry’s lunch and then come straight home.
“You seem like you’re in a good mood. Ever since last night.” The pink haired nurse said. “Did something good happen?”
“Yeah. I might be getting the main lead instead of being a second or third lead.” The white haired actress replied. “Right now, I’m an understudy, but the main actress got a job she has to move for. It might overlap with the actual shows.”
Strawberry blinked, “Oh, congrats! I’m looking forward to watching you.”
“What are we watching Lala do?” Dr. Masacrik’s voice asked from right behind the deer.
“She’s a stage actress. One of her director’s favorites if you ask me. I watch her every opening night.” The nurse replied. “Isn’t that right, Nil…wait. Did you call her Lala?”
“Yes. Your nickname for her bothers me, so I gave her one when we first met. She hasn’t told me to stop, as if I’d listen anyways.” He said and looked at his coat. “You should get me a ticket, too. Then I could watch you as well.”
Fear and hope struck her chest at the same time. She looked at Strawberry who pulled her away from the doctor whose hot breath felt dangerous on her neck.
“I didn’t think you were the type to sit down and watch a show. You’re always doing something or with Mimi. You might even distract the poor girl.” She said.
“You can’t really see the audience when you’re on stage like that. I couldn’t distract her if I tried.” Dr. Masacrik played coy.
“That’s true.” Lala piped up. “You remember when you first came to see me and tried to wave while I was performing? I couldn’t see you then. I’m glad you came back, though. It means a lot to me.”
Strawberry didn’t like being corrected in front of her crush. It was like they were teaming up on her. That’s not how this was supposed to go!
“I’m gonna head out now. Let me know if you want baked or fried fish for dinner tonight. I’m heading to the market to get the ingredients now. Bye!” The deer left with a smile on her face.
“Technically, she wasn’t talking to me.” Dr. Masacrik said, “She was talking to you. Whatever rules you set for her, she followed.” and he went to check in on his patients. “Come along, now.”
The pink haired nurse was still upset, but she didn’t let it distract from her work. All the other nurses were too creeped out by the doctor to work with him very often. He didn’t want to go through the trouble of dragging them along his rounds. She stared in the direction of the elevator for a moment.
“Quickly!” Masacrik called out.
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