Predator (DWT x OC)

25

I shiver as the biting wind whips it's icy tendrils through my jumper, nipping at my curled up fingers that I have to shove in my sleeves to stop from stiffening in the cold. I can hear the voices of Dream and Wilbur echo from below me, in the van. Neither of them know I'm out of bed yet. 

It all seemed like too much. Too much to handle, too much to think about, too much to keep moving forward. And then it didn't. 

And so I hauled myself into the bathroom, scrubbing furiously at the weeks of grime and sweat, combing out matted tangles with slippery conditioner on the tiled bottom of the shower, when it got too much to stand. 

Eventually I materialised from the haze of humid steam, cheap soap wafting in the air, droplets clinging to my raw skin. New. As if all that scrubbing had stripped layers of me until I emerged brand new. Maybe not. Maybe all that poetic shit means absolutely nothing except for the fact that I took a shower, but at least I'm clean again. It counts for something. 

I tilt my head to the moonlit sky, eyes searching in the void of deep endless black, decorated with beautiful twinkling stars. The wind lifts the flyaways of my hair not pulled back into a ponytail, curling them almost playfully around my cheek, chilling the edges of my lips and tip of my nose.

The world is motionless, and when the voices fall silent for just a moment, I take in a deep, shuddering breath of crisp, cold air, filling my lungs with the stillness of everything. It makes me glad I got out of bed. I dangle my legs over the edge of the van, kicking them and smiling at the swoosh of air that passes my ankles and tickles my bare feet. 

I end up tip toeing through the medical wing, slightly frozen feet padding against the rough oak wood flooring. I perch on the edge of a bed, stiff sheets crumpling underneath my weight. I can still hear the heated argument between Dream and Wilbur, Dream's cruel mocking laughter rising through the hair, mixing with the faint low tones of Wilbur's voice.

I bury my head in my hands, hair still slightly damp, face freezing from the late night air. I'm exhausted, yearning not just for sleep, but for an escape from all of this. For an escape from all the sadness and anger, but most especially from the love that always seems to hurt me most. I can't keep living in a never ending cycle of play pretend normality and earth shattering numbness that paralyses me for weeks.

"Rosie?" A tentative voice calls out. I turn my head to see the door swing open fully, silent on well oiled hinges, Niki's shadowy silhouette clear against the orange glow emanated from her lamp. 

 I smile softly, guilt spiking through me at the thought of what I've put her through. What I've put them all through. She comes to sit next to me, pressing her right leg and shoulder against my left ones, letting me lean against her. Her slender hand reaches around and curls over the right side of my head, gently running her thumb over the spot just at the base of my skull. I close my eyes just as she presses her lips against my temple, holding me to the crook of her neck. 

Despite everything, I will always trust Niki. Even though I've been betrayed time and time again, even though I've fallen for people who have done terrible things to me, I'll always love her unconditionally, put every inch of trust I have into her no matter what. Maybe it's a gentle mercy. Maybe it's what's going to finally break me. I don't care anymore. 

"Are you ok?" She asks quietly, as I straighten up. I take a breath, hating the way tears spring automatically into my eyes. I let out a choked laugh, shaking my head.

"Don't ask me that Niki, I'm gonna start crying." I huff. She laughs too, tucking her legs up underneath her on the bed, and I mirror her actions, turning to face her. 

"Rose, what happened to you?" She starts, clearly bursting with questions, wide blue eyes brimming with concern. I don't answer. "One moment you were fine, you were ok, and then, then you just disappeared and we found you in here."

I clear my throat, the words getting stuck before I have a chance to get them out. 

"George." I mutter hoarsely, looking down at my palms, pressed together tightly, fingers flexing anxiously. 

She nods in understanding. "Him and Quackity." She finishes.

I clamp my teeth down on my lower lip, ignoring the way my eyes water when I bite down just a tad too hard. "It's not even that big of a deal. I don't know why I reacted like that. I'm sorry." I say quickly, uncomfortably twisting my fingers in my lap.

She gives me a look. "You do not need to apologise Rose, no one is blaming you. You were betrayed by someone you cared a lot about, you are allowed to be upset." She tells me firmly, and I don't even bother opening my mouth to argue with her. 

"This whole election was a bad idea." I sigh tiredly. "We're all turning on each other."

"And they're having childish arguments while we get left out." Niki adds, I look at her curiously. Niki is not a pushover by any means, but normally she's content to just follow along. I've never heard her speak this way. 

"Boys will be boys." I mutter, tone dripping with disdain. "They all have their stupid little squabbles about deciding what's best for us, and we don't get a say."

"I'm sick of them doing everything, while we just have to go along with it." She continues, tone burning with bottled up fury. I raise an eyebrow, tired smile tugging at the corners of my lips. "How its always been I guess."

Niki's lips purse into a thin line, eyebrows knitting together. "What if we change it." 

I scoff, tucking my knees up underneath my chin, curling my forearms around my shins. "Niki, I love you, but how the fuck are we supposed to change how this shithouse country is run." 

She shrugs, eyes twinkling. "Simple. We take control." 

"Control?"

"Win the election."

"You want to run in the election?" I say incredulously, staring at her partly in surprise, partly in awe at her gutsiness.

"Why don't we?" She giggles. "Vote Coconut 2020."

I laugh "Coconut?"

"The two parties are SWAG and POG, Coconut is not that crazy." 

"So We Are Gamers, and the Politicians of Gaming." I mock in an outrageous accent. We both burst out into laughter, rolling our eyes.

"They aren't going to take this well." I say. "Wilbur and Tommy are going to lose their shit."

"Wilbur handed you over to the enemy, I'm sure he can handle you fairly running against him in your own country." She justifies and I chuckle.

"You're going to hold that over his head for the rest of his life." 

"He deserves it." She shrugs. "We won't tell them until later, let them get at each others throats and embarrass themselves, then we can step in." 

I gasp conspiratorially. "You madam, are very smart."

She winks, nudging my with her elbow. "Well of course, why do you think I should be running the country."

And in the depth of the night, out of fiery rage and suffocating anger, Coconut 2020 was born. 

Oh, they're going to fucking hate this. 

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A/N Wow, look at me actually getting on with the plot instead of writing giant emotional depressing chapters because I'm a masochist and also deranged. As you all will know, I've replaced Fundy with Rosie in Coconut 2020, and we get a cute little girl power moment with our favourite women. Fundy will come into play later on, and we all get to experienced the evil little psychopath we all know and love. 

Next chapter will be set before the debate (we gotta confront all those emotions with George and the Dream Team), and then from there on we will be moving through the actual election story line much more.

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter!

Oopsies x