The Host is mad... (Hostiplier X Reader)

Chapter 8 - The newcomers

-(Y/N) POV-

Two days. It's been two days since the incident with Host and I've done nothing but sulk and avoid everyone else (not that anyone else is actually many people, mainly just Anti and Jack), and I know that it was extremely selfish and Anti and Jack hadn't actually done anything that would justify them being ignored, but I just couldn't bring myself to speak to anyone. However, over the last two days I had taken the liberty of doing a bit of 'spying' as you might call it. As I was in the cafeteria the day after the incident, I avoided Jack and Anti (and hid from them every time they tried to find me) and had a look around to see if I could spot anyone else interesting in the plain, white, boring hall that would catch my interest. Surprisingly, there was. I spotted the man that I saw in his cell three nights ago with the purple streaks down his cheeks, he was cowering over in another corner of the cafeteria, he looked extremely scared and as though he was shaking quite violently (possibly from fear, or he could be extremely cold? Probably fear.) I took note and made sure to go and talk to him at some point when I was done being selfish and could actually go and talk to people again.

Once I'd finished looking 'purple cheeks' (as I had nicknamed him due to the lack of a name) over, I continued my search of the cafeteria and two people walked in, one of which I especially didn't want to see, Dr Iplier and an accomplice. I had never seen the other person before but I could take a guess, based on what he was wearing, he must be another doctor here at this hell hole. His appearance was rather strange, I suppose, he wore a long, white doctors coat (like Dr Iplier), but his seemed to be covered in something that I didn't want to find the source of. He also wore a doctors cap, latex gloves and glasses, but, contrary to the fact that his attire looked professional, his face certainly did not. When I looked at his face, his expression was one of madness, he looked like he belonged in this asylum more than most of the actual patients!

About half way through the designated lunch period, I decide to go and talk to Jack and Anti and explain why I have been avoiding them for the past two days. On my way over there, I see one of them do a double take after spotting me out of the corner of their eye, probably not believing that I had emerged from the shadows to come and talk with them once more. They watch me approach but cast their eyes to the floor once I sat down at the table.

"Oh, hi (Y/N)..." Says Jack dejectedly, "We didn't think you wanted to see us anymore, we thought that you'd finally seen how terrible we are." His eyes drift up to meet mine but his head stays locked in a concrete stand off with the floor. We sat in silence for a bit as I tried to figure out how I wanted to word what I was going to say; I could just tell them outright that Host accidentally pushed me, but then I'd be scared that they'd try and stop me from ever going to see him again (and I know that they technically had no power over me, but if I still went to see Host against their wishes, then I'd run the risk of losing the only friends I have in this hellhole that I don't have to hide)!

"I want to talk to you about where I've been these past two days that you haven't seen me," I start, trying to prepare myself for whatever reaction they might have to what I'm about to tell them, "it all started when I went to Host's cell three nights ago. When I first arrived, everything was fine until I started talking about what happened with Dr Iplier. When I had finished talking about it, Host seemed to have gotten really mad about it, I saw that he was getting angry so I reached out to try and calm him down and he pushed me, with incredible strength, off the side of the bed. I know he didn't do it on purpose as he immediately tried apologising over and over again, but being the little stubborn brat that I was, I just stood up and left without another word." Out of breath, I look to their eyes for any sign of emotion toward the story that I just let tumble like a waterfall over the brink of my lips. Shock and fear was what I thought I saw first, and it's definitely what I expected to see, I mean, I did just tell them that I'd been injured by the one person they warned me would do the exact same thing. But then, something strange happens, their expression changes to one of almost understanding?

"Yeah, we expected something like this to happen, but it's okay, he didn't mean to do that, Mark was like that too sometimes... before that happened at least" They gave some brief insight into their understanding and then glanced back at their meal with a face of utter distaste.

Suddenly a thought hits me like a steam train, I wanted to ask Jack and Anti if I could bring that other guy over to sit with us! I make quick work of asking them and, once they cautiously agreed, I ran over to find that other man.

As I rushed towards the corner where I last saw the man, I spot him still shaking, and ponder as to why he seemed ten times more scared than any of the other inmates here. Maybe he had a similar experience to Host where something traumatic happened, maybe he's just like that, or has some form of anxiety. As I took my final steps towards the table, I greet him with a simple "Hi!", which, despite my slow approach, still seems to scare him out of his skin.

I sat down at his table before he could protest and introduce myself, and ask him for his name, he said that it was Natemare, but I could call him Nate. "Well hi Nate, I thought I'd come over and see you because I saw you a while ago-"

"More than a month ago..." He interrupts quietly and I laugh nervously because I swear it was only two nights ago. It also put me slightly on edge when I brought that up and he immediately agreed with me and denied ever saying that it was otherwise...

"Aha...well, I was saying that I thought I'd come over here to ask you if you wanted to come and sit with me and my friend or friends, Anti and Jack? I thought you seemed really lonely over here by yourself and you looked scared to the point of shaking earlier. So would you care to join us?" I question him and he looked like he was heavily contemplating it for a bit but eventually gave in and agreed.

"Okay then patient no #230916 I'll sit with you, but I have a few questions of my own for the pretty little murderer..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WOW!

Another chapter over, another cliffhanger left for you to grab onto

What are we thinking of Natemare at the moment then?

I know I missed my upload date for November, but I have so much written in notes that there's a strong possibility of a second chapter this month, just in time for Christmas!

Thank you for all of the positive comments left on the chapters, it really motivates me to write this story and I love looking to see where in the world you all are reading from! Why don't we all say hi to each other in the comments in our native languages, then we can all become a little more diverse in our own special way!

Any and all constructive criticism and feedback is appreciated

I'll see you inthe next installment

~A