From the Stars (Davy Prentiss Jr x Reader)

6: A Lot Of Truth

YOU

"I just saved yer life."

Staring at him, through the cloud of dirt and smoke and ash, you blinked, eyebrows furrowed. How did you get outside? Where was the clinic, the doctor? How did you-

Unless-

Unless the boy-

Unless the boy carried you out.

Why? you wondered.

"Why?" you asked aloud.

A wrinkle formed between his eyebrows. "I don't... I don't know." He shook his head, and then he started to slide off of you. His hands went just above your elbows and held on tight. He pulled you up, letting you lean into him until you were both on your feet. You look around at the debris.

"Those b-"

"Don't," you said, shaking your head. "Don't say what you're going to say."

He gave you a look.

"Where did they hit first?" you asked.

"The Spackle farm," he said, not really thinking.

Dread filled you from top to bottom. Your heart fell somewhere on the ground. You gasped, a noise full of pain and disbelief. "The Spackle-" You took off, running in the direction of the first explosion, tears pricking your eyes as the smoke burned them.

"Hey, wait!" he cried, chasing after you.

You thought of your Spackle and her baby. Were they safe? Did they make it?

"Hey, stop!" he said. He reached out and grabbed your sleeve, yanking you back into his arms. He trapped you against his chest and held you back. "Are you kidding me?" he asked, lips next to your ear. "Yer going to get yerself killed!"

"Let me go," you said, thrashing.

"I'm trying to help you," he said. Why? Why am I trying to help her?

"My Spackle," you cried, and you fell limp in his arms, heart breaking. You had no way of knowing if they were alive or not, 'cause if someone besides this boy and his friend saw you, they could be killed. Or you. If Mr. Hammar didn't hesitate to attack you, no one would. "Please- they're all I have left. They're all I h-have..."

"Please," he said, voice strained. "Just let me see if she is okay. I'll tell you if she is."

You hesitated, giving a weak yank.

"Please," he said. He was saying please. "You'll get yerself killed real quick if you go off runnin' towards the Spackle farm like a maniac." He shook you. "They'll think yer planting bombs or something."

"Okay," you said. You stopped crying for a moment. "Promise me," you said.

"I... promise," he said. He let you go. You slid to your knees. "Go home. I promise I'll tell you. You can trust me."

Can I? you thought.

"You don't have a reason to trust me," he said. "I get it. But if you just believe me, then that's all I want." He looked so defeated. "C'mon - I-I am going against everything my pa is telling me to do right now. Believe me. Please."

"I... believe you," you said.

"I'll meet you at yer home tonight," he said. "Where I brought you... before."

"Okay," you whispered, and you both went your separate ways.

...

You waited at the window with a cup of coffee in your hands. It was bitter but creamy with milk. You sipped it slowly, trying to look preoccupied so that the soldiers passing by your window wouldn't think you were trying to escape.

You had heard the rumors of those who escaped. Those who weren't part of the Answer and got away with it. They were taken to the Office of the Ask and tortured.

You were almost taken.

But that boy-

That young boy-

Saved you.

And he saved you again.

And now he was coming to meet you.

You could see him approaching the property on a horse, looking like a solider coming in for questioning. You opened the front door and let him in. He gave you a brief smile.

"Are they safe? Are they okay?" you asked, hands moving with yer words.

"Yes," he said, "yer Spackle is okay."

You let out a sigh of relief and smiled. "Thank you. Thank you-"

"Davy," he said.

"___," you replied, and he nodded. You added, "Thank you, Davy. For telling me and for saving me. I.. owe you my life."

He swallowed. "You don't owe me nothing yet," he said. "I. I need to tell you something."

"Okay?"

"My pa ordered all of the Spackle to be numbered," he said. "With bands. Like sheep."

"What?" Blood drained from your face as you saw in his Noise flashes of memories. Spackle after Spackle getting numbered, getting beat, getting mistreated.

Your Spackle, holding onto her baby as it screamed and cried and got numbered, too.

A baby.

You called out and covered your head, wanting so badly for his Noise to just go away. It hurt you so badly, but you could also see in his eyes the regret.

"I am so sorry," he said. "I tried to make it as painless as possible for yers-"

"But the others," you spat. "Yer torturing them!"

"I am doing my job," he said harshly. He stomped his foot. "We have all got jobs to do here!"

"Yer a monster," you said, shaking yer head. "Only monsters hurt people that didn't do nothing wrong."

"They ain't people," he said.

"Then neither are you," you said. You turned away from him.

"Hey now-" he warned, and his hand shot out-

Shot out to grab you-

Grab you like he did before-

But he stopped-

He stopped and his anger melted away and he stared at you-

At your bruises-

At your skin-

And he just stopped.

"I-I," he choked and stuttered. His Noise was buzzing and pink and he was embarrassed of himself. He looked at you and shook his head. "I am sorry. I am so sorry." He stumbled backwards and fell against the door.

You took a single step forward. "Davy?" you whispered, unsure of how to take his reaction to himself.

He gave you a long look and then opened the door and walked out, slamming it behind him. As he climbed on his horse, his Noise was filled with your name and your face.