IdentityV - Oneshots

♠︎ Anxiety - Aesop x Reader

Your team was on the second to last Cipher. Martha was currently kiting the Ripper while you, Vera, and Aesop were decoding. You could see how nervous he was, decoding with people but before starting you assured him it would be okay. You were doing very well actually, and Martha had been kiting since the first cipher. Until Aesop had missed a calibration. The machine shocked everyone for a quick second and Vera looked annoyed. Her sharp eyes lifted up to him. "Can't you do anything right?" She went back to decoding.

Your eyes drifted to Aesop as he looked extremely afraid and nervous. You weren't as self conscious as him, so you can only imagine he felt a million times worse than a normal person. His shaky hands hesitantly move towards the side of the machine but before he could touch it, you grabbed one of his hands. His eyes quickly jumped to yours in a panic. "It's alright, everyone messes up, Aesop." His eyes barely softened. The cipher machine was about halfway done, and since Vera was decent with decoding you decided to leave her. "We'll get started on the next one Vera!" You spoke cheerfully to her and she only sighed with a 'whatever'. With your hand still in Aesop's, you pulled him along to another cipher machine near the back Exit Gate.

Out of the corner of your eye on the way there, you seen him clutching his heart. Vera's little insult probably caused that. "Don't listen to Vera. Sometimes she can be really mean but once you get to know her she's really vulnerable actually." He gave a 'mm' in reply as he took a deep breath. You looked back at him and his silver eyes locked onto your (E/c) eyes. "You did really well back there, so don't worry." You gave him a smile as you arrived at the next cipher. He started on it but you did not. "Do you want me to leave?" You asked quite genuinely. He rose his head to look at you. "Huh?" You placed your hands behind your back and smiled. "Well I know you get nervous when you decode with others and I don't wanna mess you up." He shook his head, meaning you could stay. Though he didn't like how you had to ask. It made him feel as if you were scared of him or had reign over you. "Okie dokie. I won't get mad if you mess up by the way." You gave him a quick smile before starting to decode.

You had almost finished though Martha got hit and was now limping. Vera finished her cipher and came to us and you could feel Aesop's anxiety rise again. Before he could mess up you took his gloved hand again. "We'll be by the door to open it Vera!" She gave a nod and kept decoding. You and Aesop made your way to the exit gate and a second later. Martha's health was replenished and you told Aesop to start on the door as you looked out for her. Vera made her way over and Aesop knew.

While you looked out for Martha, Vera came up to you and whispered, "If you or I was doing it, it'd be open by now." She whispered but purposely said t out loud. You gave her a quick glare. "He's doing his best Vera, I think he's doing pretty well." You said the same volume as her. She pouted for a second before a warning sound was heard that Martha had gone down. Everyone looked shocked, she was on full health a second ago. "The hunter must have Detention..." You mumbled, though Aesop heard loud and clear as his anxiety grew higher than earlier. You noticed and skipped up to him. "Vera if you get the chance go help Martha." You said, and she nodded. You went to Aesop's back and put your hands gently on his shoulders. "Calm down. If it makes you feel any better he's all the way on the other side of the map. Plus, I won't let you get hurt." You gave his back soothing rubs, as your head laid on is back. His shoulders relaxed and his breathing was almost back to normal.

However as you did calm him down, a sudden black and red flashed at the door. In a panic and sudden realization, you pulled Aesop from the door and pushed him away. You felt a sudden pressure on your back as you fell to the ground. You looked up to see Jack had hit you and Vera was running to go save Martha. Aesop had landed a few feet in front of you and looked at your fearfully. You seen Jack walking past you to get to him but you grabbed his foot. "What-!" He tripped and fell on the ground himself. "Go to Vera and Martha, they should've opened the gate by now!" He stood up shakily. "Wh-what about you?" You gave him a smile but it was less enthusiastic than the ones you had showed him throughout the match. "I'll be fine, we always end up at the manner right?" Jack stood up angrily, as his eyes shifted to Aesop, but before he could hit the boy Vera grabbed him and started running. "Useless." She said pulling him to the open gate. Jack was about to go after them. "I could heal myself up you know, while your chasing them. I could open this door and escape and it's not guaranteed you'll catch them." You held your head in pain but gave him a serious look. "Very well." He then crouched right in front of you. "Then I shall watch you bleed out."

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It had been a while since the match ended, about 20 minutes since the return of the three escapers. "I wonder what's taking (Y/n) so long." Emily stated. It was currently dinner and almost everyone had arrived, a few empty seats. Then there was yours. You hadn't returned with the others so everyone was quite worried. "What happened in the match you guys?" Emma asked, eating bread before dinner officially started. "Well we were doing really well. Martha had kited the Hunter since the first cipher. We were on our second to last when Aesop messed it up." She scoffed but continued. "But (Y/n)'s always being too nice, so she took him to another cipher to decode when we could've just had him watch out for the hunter."

Emily giggled. "Well the crows would call out your location if Aesop didn't do anything dear. I think it was a very kind and a good idea of (Y/n)'s to take him to another cipher."

Emily finished passing out drinks and the three empty seats had been filled. Now they were just waiting on you. "Hmm, surely Jack must be doing something to poor (Y/n). What happened?" Emily asked. She was getting worried of your tardiness. "Well I seen from a distance that when (Y/n) was incapacitated, she held onto Jacks legs so he ended up tripping. That way he wouldn't get to Aesop." Vera started picking at your food. "Can we start eating? If anything she's gonna say oh you didn't have to wait for me." "She would say that, but we'll wait a little longer." Emily said, with a small laugh.

"He's probably watching her bleed out." Everyone turned to Naib. "What'd ya mean?" Emma asked, still stuffing her mouth with bread. "She tripped him right? He doesn't like being made a fool. I know that since I'm so good at kiting him." Emily stood up. "Well, then I'll walk to the course myself and go see what's-."

There was a knock on the front door and Emily scampered over. "Doesn't (Y/n) have a key?" Emma said. Still eating. "She should." Martha stood up as well and followed Emily. "She probably dropped it." Eli said. However at the door their was a different scenario.

Emily's eyes lingered on a tall figure at the door who seemed to be carrying a severely damaged (Y/n). He was silent and the doctor was in shock. "I- uhm. I'm terribly sorry. It seems my anger took over me in the moment." He gently handed Emily the bleeding girl. "What happened!?" Martha said running over to help support you. But when Emily looked back up the Hunter was gone. She shook her head and closed the door. "We'll have to pass everyone at the table to get to the medical room. But I don't think they'd be in a mood to eat anymore..." Martha quickly tried thinking of something.

She ran into the dining room and everyone looked at her confused. "Uhhh, Whoever keeps their eyes closed for the longest- gets uhh- all the snacks they want without being scolded by Emily!" Everyone laughed nervously at the girls attitude except Emma who had closed her eyes tight. Her plan didn't work, only on Emma. "CLOSE YOUR EYES NOW!" She yelled in her very loud military voice, startling everyone. It worked. "No." Naib said. He was the only one and she didn't care enough to yell at him. "Fine." She opened the doors to let Emily and yourself through. "Holy shit." He said. The girls gave him a scowl. "What's holy shit mean?" Emma asked which gave the table small fits of laughter.

As they made it inside the medical room, Martha told everyone it was okay to open their eyes. "We can start eating by the way." However Emma's gaze lingered on the pools of liquid on the floor. "What's that?" Martha looked down and mentally slapped herself for not cleaning that up when they had their eyes closed, so she weakly said. "grape juice?" A mop quickly appeared into her hands and she started cleaning while nervously laughing.

Aesop instantly stood up and quickly walked to the medical room, guessing it was (Y/n)'s. While he did, Martha quickly finished cleaning up the 'grape juice'. When he silver haired male walked into the room, he seen Emily tending to your wounds. As he examined you, it seemed you were a lot more scratched up then when he last seen you. Emily noticed his heavy stare. "She'll be fine. Just needs a few days of recovery." He sat down on the other side of her and sighed. It was his fault. If he hadn't been so nervous, that door would've been open and you three could have escaped. Even Martha if she had enough time to self heal. "I'm sure whatever your thinking it's wrong. (Y/n) always has very good judgement. So she probably knew she would end up like this. She cares a lot for her teammates."

After Emily finished, she told Aesop she was going to finish eating with the others, or who was left eating. He stayed there with you and held your hand until he fell asleep. You were the only person who seemed to understand his anxiety in matches. And he was very grateful for that. He loved that. And before he knew it, he loved you as well.