tranquility - Fushiguro M. x Gender Neutral! Reader

05| long winter

      BY THE confused answer Fushiguro gave me, I knew that he had absolutely no idea what in the hell I was talking about.

"The Noppera-bō is a creature from a long time ago," I said. "It started out as a myth, and for centuries, that's just what people thought it was. There were old tales about people battling against it, but no real records. Everyone thought it was a wise tale. But, it's not. It's very much real and very much terrifying."

"What exactly is it?" Fushiguro asked. I shrugged.

"Even I don't really know. I don't know what it looks like, or if it's a curse or just a plain-out monster," I replied, scratching Gus' head. "All I know is what I've learned from others and from legends. The Noppera-bō is a face-stealing creature. It preys on humans, much like mimics, and lures people in with the faces that it's stolen before. If you face the Noppera-bō, if you show any kind of emotion to it, it will take your face."

"That's why you wear a mask?" He asked.

"You probably should wear one too," I said, taking my mask from the floor. I pulled the string around my head before adjusting it over my face, standing up after I made sure it was covering my face. Gus hopped up to follow me, his tail swinging back and forth as I walked to the table.

"Where is it?" Fushiguro asked, turning to look at me.

I peeled a piece of rabbit meat off and tossed it to Gus. "Don't even think about it, Fushiguro," I said. "And besides, even I don't know. So once you get moving around again, I'll make you one. That way you can go outside without getting your face ripped off."

"Scout," He began. "You mentioned someone before...who are they? Were they killed by the Noppera-bō?"

"Jett?"

"Get away!"

He stumbled back, raising his arms to shield his face from the book I'd picked from the bed and threw. Gus barked and snarled at my feet, standing in front of me protectively. It hurt, so bad, unlike anything I've ever felt before.

"J-Just wait a second! I-I didn't mean it! You know that, Y--"

"Shut up!" I screamed, bringing my hand to the side of my face. My own blood was hot, seeping between my fingers and rolling down my arm before dripping onto the wooden boards. I fell back onto the bed, my body curling in on itself from the pain.

"H-Hey, c'mon, I-I didn't mean it! Y--"

"What's going on?!"

The deep voice that filled the cabin made both of us freeze. The door swung open, making Jett's face flood with fear. He stepped back, stammering to try and form some kind of excuse as to why I was covered in my own blood, curled on the bed, and crying in pain.

Boone looked at Jett, and I could see the anger in his face. But he didn't say anything to him. No, instead he walked towards me, easily moving me into his lap. He pried my hand away, examining the wound. He took a cloth from beside him and bunched it up, placing it over my face before looking to Jett. Half of my vision was clouded by red, the other just darkness, so it was difficult to see Jett.

But I could see the utter fear in his face when Boone looked at him. If I was in that position, I'd be like that too. Boone was pissed and that was easy to see.

"Jett," He snapped, making him jump. "What the fuck were you thinking?"

"I-I was j-just me-messing around, a-and--"

"With a hunting knife!" He yelled, making Jett flinch. "Scout could go blind now because of you! Do you even fucking think before you do anything, boy?"

"W-Well, you're always babyin' Scout!" He yelled back, making my eyes widen. "You always pick Scout over me! You never do anything with me like you do Scout! You're always lovin' on 'em! Scout's just a crybaby!"

"Scout's eleven and you're sixteen!" Boone shouted. "Scout's a kid and you're older! You should know this by now, Jett! Dammit, boy! Why can't you grow up?! You gotta start looking out for Scout, not hurtin' em!"

"Well, it ain't happening! I hate Scout!" He yelled. "Stupid, Y--"

Boone placed me on the bed, making me quickly sit up. He got to his feet, making Jett immediately back down. I swallowed hard as Gus jumped on the bed, crawling up in my lap.

"You best choose your next words very carefully if you still want that goddamn tongue in your mouth,"

I watched Jett's Adam's apple bob as he swallowed hard, lowering his gaze away from Boone. He slowly turned his head away, balling his hands up in fists. The next thing I knew, Jett was swinging at Boone. But he had caught the younger man by his wrist, tripping him off his feet and slamming him down onto the ground. I gasped softly.

"That's enough. Now you can fix yourself or I'll fucking do it for you," Boone spat. "You ain't gonna swing at me, boy. I'll show you that you ain't so big and strong like you are against Scout. Now you keep your damn hands off the kid, you understand me?"

"F-Fuck you!" He suddenly exclaimed rolling onto his feet. "Fuck you, Boone!"

"I'm gonna whip your ass--"

But he didn't catch Jett. No, he swung the door open and darted outside before Boone could even grab him. He yelled after him, slamming his hand on the doorframe in frustration. He looked back at me, and the blood rolling down my arm, back out of the door, and then cursed.

"Stupid damn boy," He said, walking towards me. "Get over here, Scout."

I jumped down from the bed and went to his side. He wrung a cloth out before bringing it to my face, taking the bloody one away. Gus waddled after me, his ears flopping over his head when he tilted it to the side.

"Jett ain't coming back."

"Boone--!"

"Shut up. Jett comes back around here and it'll be a miracle."

"No," I said, snapping myself back to reality. "Jett's gone for another reason. If we're both alive by Spring, that bastard'll show his face."

"If?" Fushiguro repeated.

I tossed a log into the fire, watching it break down in the flames.

"It's gonna be a long winter."

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Fact: Jett and Scout have known each other since Scout was five and Jett was ten.