I'll break you (Dottore X Fem Reader)

~ 5 ~

The trees were thicker, blocking out any sunlight. Dottore suggested we slow down and stay close. He seemed to know which direction to go so I didn’t object. I studied our surroundings cautiously. Despite how close it was to my lab, I’d avoided coming through here at all costs.

There were many mysteries surrounding this forest. It wasn’t called the Green Thorn Grove for nothing. They say that the abandoned church was burned down long ago and all survived but one little girl who supposedly haunts the forest, controlling the thorny vines and bushes. People rarely came out of this forest sane. The darkness and the eerie quiet was the perfect mix to throw someone into a living nightmare. Suddenly I was glad Dottore was close. Not that I believed the stories of course.

“This is as far as I know. The maps of this area are very outdated. Your turn to be useful. Lead the way,” ordered Dottore.

The church was obscured by moss and overgrown vines. Much of it was charred and broken down… So it really has burned to the ground.

I knew the direction from this point on. My lab was directly north east of the church. We set off slowly at first, but quickly picked up the pace as the atmosphere grew colder and darker. About half way along, I felt the first rain drop. My hood was up in an instant because one thing about Snezhnaya was that snow fell often but rain fell hard. It didn’t matter how thick the trees were.

The rain came down in sheets. Dottore was soaked within seconds and I wasn’t afraid to admit that if I looked in his direction, the murderous glare he was sending from beneath his mask was enough to make me curl up in a ball and die.

“You are going to die for this Y/N. We both know this wouldn’t have happened if you had just listened to me and hurried up.”

I could hardly hear him over the sound of the rain. A bolt of thunder flashed, lighting up the dim forest. I couldn’t help but flinch a little at the familiar sound. All I could think about was the moment I was supposed to be tumbling to my death. The smell of the rain was so familiar.

My throat constricted as I blinked hard to make myself forget. Thankfully the darkness concealed my expression. If Dottore knew what scared me then he no doubt would use it against me. I could not afford that.

Eventually, we reached our destination. The lab was essentially a bunker and as the Fatui had so rudely blown their way in, the trap door detached from its hinges and was lying on the floor some distance away. Luckily the bushes concealing the entrance had protected it from the rain.

“It’s down here. Let’s hope the rain hasn't gotten in yet,” I said.

Leaving the stallions outside, we descended the staircase splattered with drying raindrops. It was a relief to see no flooding had occurred. That relief dissipated upon laying my eyes on the state of the lab. This room was my pride and joy. Many of my most successful feats happened in here. My eyes couldn’t help but wander to the bloodied spot on the floor where I so vividly remember the death of my subordinate. He would forever remain in my memory as the most reliable and trustworthy assistant. May he rest in peace.

Another smudge of blood caught my eye on the back wall. Ah… That would be my own blood. I looked away, not wanting to relive the memory.

The rest of the lab was no better. Smashed test tubes, overturned tables, broken tools. It was painful to look at. At least they had the decency to remove all the bodies left in the aftermath of the fight.

“So this is your place, huh? Smells funny,” said Dottore with a sniff.

“Yeah well someone died in here no thanks to you.”

I walked to the back room where the door had also been blown off. It seems even after I went unconscious they continued to search the lab for anything useful. I picked up a towel from the room I used as my locker of sorts. Extra clothes, towels and a sink with toiletries in the cupboard above it were still intact. Sighing, I left the room in a low mood.