Nightmares *Rogue X Female!Reader*

Present

Present: in a particular place.
or
existing or occurring now.

Riko's story drew to end, and as it did you didn't know what to think.

"The old couple took me in, he even taught me magic, the old man. Insisted that I called them mum and dad, I did to satisfy them, but it never felt right. Just before I came to lavender town he passed, of old age, nothing serious, and not long later so did the old lady. And then, I found myself remembering the days in that little hut in the woods. Went to look for it myself, didn't find it. But eventually wound up in Lavender town, confused, lonely, a little afraid because I didn't really know what would become of my life now. I was only 16. I found this little guild that wasn't even official yet. Give it a year and it would be. I met this lonely, magicless girl with the prettiest smile telling me about her missing friend with the same name as you. I could see right through her, how she felt left out because she couldn't really join the guild with no magic, she could never be anywhere near as special as her missing friend without it. So I shared mine with her. I think you're aware of the rest."

You just sort of stood there, gazing out of her window. The window that revealed the woods you'd stayed in for a while, there was no sign of that cabin. Just the sublime, unforgettable forest view.

It was hard to believe that you had met Riko before the date you remember, but the details were correct, the timing added up. But you just hadn't met her before, even when you first remember meeting her, just before the GMG she didn't even seem familiar to you.

"Do..." you struggled to start the sentence, but managed to continue, "do you think... Yuuki's done something bad..."

"Do I think he's the bad guy?" Riko laughed, "I don't know, I don't know a single thing about the intentions of that man, or Itzal in fact."

"He knows I'm not going to do it." You added, sitting on the sofa this time, trying to appear in control of your body and your emotions. Trying to keep the neutral expression you so easily utilised before you returned to lavender town. "Itzal pretty much told me, on the last day of the grand magic games... I hadn't even decided I wasn't going to kill him back then." The last part came out as a mutter.

"I wonder what he'll do now." Riko said, with an almost amused tone you instantly repulsed.

"Nothing bad... I hope." You would love to see your brother again, but also you hoped he wouldn't renter your life and try to get you to kill Rogue again. "Do you know what happened to Itzal?"

"You think we could ask him..." Riko pondered, "I already asked around, the entirety of Crimson Inferno vanished before the dragons appeared, like they knew it would happen."

You sighed, well that lead was out the window. You tried to relax yourself by staring down at the trees outside, how they peacefully swayed, like the were basking in the summer sun. Why did people even think those woods were dangerous?

"I feel like I've only given you more questions." Riko shook your head, "but don't worry about that now! You have a date!"

Oh, crap, you completely forgot about Akio. A new form of anxiety began to well in your stomach. Riko laughed as she watched the expression on your face change to one of concern.

"But before you go," you listened to how the tone of her voice slipped from playful back to serious. "A gift."

As she said this she pulled her glasses off her face, folding them and then placing them safely into your palm. "This is only precautionary, but he isn't going to come after me again, these are better off with you." Without her glasses, Riko's face was entirely different, like it had been reshape and belonged to someone else. Her eyes slightly smaller, the lines under her eyes were more prominent and her silver eyebrows were on clear display. "Itzal broke my other pair, so make sure you keep these safe."

"Are you sure?" You asked, you felt like you were taking something special from her, something that held meaning.

"They're just a pair of glasses," she scoffed, only now releasing the hand she placed them in, "just hold onto them, just in case. Now you're date! The sun is setting you need to hurry up and go meet him!"

She pretty much shoved you out the door of her house, "make sure you're honest!" Was the last thing she shouted before shutting the door on you.

You sighed, rubbing your forehead with a fed up expression. This, meeting, with Akio seemed so trivial now. Yet it was in full control of the butterflies in your stomach.

For the last time in a while, you examined Riko's glasses, slightly dirty around the edges, well worn, probably didn't even fit your face. But they fit perfectly into your jacket pocket, you just hoped you didn't need to use them.

For now, your next issue was Akio. You had to turn him down, gently. You still wanted to be his friends.

Besides, Riko and Marie may of been right. There was another guy who took up far more of your attention, a planted seed now waiting to bloom and grow with every interaction from now. Let's hope your next meeting wasn't a battle field.

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Wow two updates in one day (wow) I know, they're like almost 24 hours apart but.

This is quite short but I didn't want to mix the conversation with Riko with the next bit because those are two entirely different atmospheres.

I'm feeling motivated to write so maybe another update soon?