anyabathory-blog - Tumblr blog

anyabathory-blog · 1 month ago

Text

The Hunted, Haunted and Forgotten - Part 12

[Prev] [Next] [Masterlist]

Pairing: Battle Maniac x fem!Reader

Word count: 15k

Summary: The tale of the "Barren Swamp Treasure Hunt" finally comes to a close after you meet a celebrity, get caught in a storm so bad you actually consider spending more time alone with Matteo, almost get hit by a mountain, and then definitely get hit by a tidal wave of emotions you never thought possible.

A/N: yes. you read that right. it's 15k words lmaooo i was thisss close to splitting it up again ngl (esp bc i'm always scared to overwhelm ppl with bigger chapters sksks) but now i'm glad i didn't bc, as much fun as the barren swamp arc was,, i'm ready to move on lol. so yeah, BIGASS CHAPTER AHEAD WOOO I HOPE YOU ENJOY!!!!

and as always, special shoutout to @asayamas who was the lovely beta-reader for this monster of a chapter lol. ty for all the feedback and idea bouncing and helping me babysit our stinky wabbits in between chapters, you're the besttt🤲🐰💖💖💖

***

Part 12 - Blessing in disguise and all that

"Let me guess", you said in a monotone voice as you reached the scarf wearer. "We have to climb that. Even though we could just go through the tower and follow the path on the other side. You know. Like normal people?"

"You wanna take on the hordes of Puppets down there, be my guest."

You put your hands on your hips. "Orrr how about we try and sneak past them for once?? Don't always have to be all guns blazing- swords blazing."

"We?" Matteo snorted, and you immediately rolled your eyes, knowing exactly what he was about to say. "We won't be doing anything. No, you stay in the background from now on. I don't wanna piggyback you the rest of the way because you slipped on the smallest of puddles and broke your leg."

Your mouth fell open as he turned his back to you and looked up at the stone wall. "You...!! You are the worst, you know that?!"

Admittedly, not your best comeback... But still better than stamping your foot in frustration. Which had actually been your next thought...

The Rabbit made an amused sound. "You couldn't handle me at my worst."

"Of course I could!", you snapped back. "That's basically all the ti-!"

You broke off as he held out his hand. At first you considered just ignoring him and sitting on the ground in silent protest. You were tired of always being the one who had to give in. Why couldn't he try to be the bigger person for once, huh??

In the end, however, you just gave an annoyed huff and let him pull you close again. This time he could take his bloody hug and shove it, though...

You stiffened as he wrapped his arm around your waist, trying to keep any physical contact to a minimum - which made the grappling hook ride surprisingly short. As soon as you reached the top, you immediately pulled away and put some distance between you again.

Then you turned around and let your gaze wander over the vastness of the swamp below... until it landed on an area to your right, at the foot of the watchtower. Most of the terrain was once again covered in the stinking green sludge. The rest consisted of small islands of garbage or sickly-looking earth covered in dead grass. Here and there a tree grew, gray and withered. But the real eye-catchers were the two gigantic "Puppets of the Future" slowly making their rounds through all this.

You shuddered at the sight of these monstrous machines and the two huge wrecking balls they had at the end of their arms instead of hands. Before the Frenzy, they had been used to move whole mountains of scrap metal; you didn't even want to imagine what they were counting to their current tasks...

And were suddenly quite grateful after all that you had chosen this route - even if you would rather throw yourself off the cliff than let Matteo know.

You were torn from your thoughts by another flock of crows screeching overhead. They were circling one of the cranes as the two of you moved to the opposite edge of the cliff and began your descent. It was easier than expected; the stone here grew in layers, which meant that you could simply drop down step by step, taking some of the weight off your shoulder. Halfway down you encountered a Puppet dog. It was one of those that could create explosions, an ability that had been used to move heavy loads out of the way. Now it was sitting patiently on a ledge, probably waiting to ambush any unwary travelers on the path below. Which... was probably less common these days, but the Puppet continued to hold its ground. At least until Matteo dropped down directly above it and plunged his sword through its body.

A little later, you were standing on said path at the foot of the rock face. To the right it wound down, to the left steeply up. You chose the latter.

The rock on either side reached so high that it was like walking through a canyon. A thin stream of water, caused by all the rain, made its way downhill and made you walk closer to the wall so you wouldn't accidentally slip.

And break a leg, you thought sourly, before squinting at the Rabbit, who hadn't said a single word since the grappling hook ride. Not that you were particularly keen on talking to him, oh no, you certainly weren't. In that respect, his silence suited you just fine. And yet it also irritated you, like everything about the guy was irritating you at this point. Because although he had never been a man of many words, you couldn't help but feel that this time he was only this quiet to get back at you...

Once again, you mourned Vito's absence. While the big Rabbit was hardly a chatterbox himself, somehow his mere presence helped to make the silence not quite so... silent. And a lot less tense.

It briefly crossed your mind that the whole thing might just be your imagination, triggered by your ever-increasing annoyance with the scarf wearer, but then your attention was diverted as the path opened up to reveal - in a surprising turn of events!! - yet another suspension bridge.

And suddenly you knew exactly where you were. After all, the two of you could admire your former workplace from here.

Beneath the bridge was a path that led to the right deeper into the swamp and to the left to a collection of gray brick buildings, dilapidated and with broken windows. Heaps of junk were piled up in front of them, blocking the rusty steps that went to the upper floors, a path you had walked countless times. You felt strange at the sight; it was as if you had suddenly taken a step back in time...

Beyond the broken corrugated iron roofs, you could vaguely make out part of the tram station at the back of the buildings, the only publicly accessible connection between the Barren Swamp and Krat City. You could still remember all too well what it was like to step through the tram's folding doors onto the platform each morning. To be enveloped in a mixture of morning mist, swamp gases and whatever was being emitted by thousands upon thousands of rotting Puppet parts.

At least you and your colleagues were issued with "work clothes". Although none of you were under the illusion that the cloth mask and thin gloves offered much protection, you didn't dare work without them. Most of you already donned your masks on the tram before the first breath of swamp air had even reached you.

It was still a mystery to you why they hadn't also used Puppets for this kind of work. Perhaps they had thought it a little too macabre to have Puppets dismembering other Puppets... But be that as it may, it would never have occurred to you to complain. The work might have been unpleasant, yes, but it had also meant a steady paycheck. And you would always prefer that to turning to crime or selling your body...

While you were lost in thought, Matteo had already crossed the bridge and was now turning to you on the other side. "You coming?"

You winced slightly. "Hm? Ah, uh... yes. Yes, I'm coming", you said before stepping onto the wooden slats as well.

However, you didn't even make it halfway before you caught movement out of the corner of your eye and suddenly spotted a Furnace Puppet trotting along the path below, belching fiery smoke and swinging its massive shovel. You immediately stopped and swallowed hard, but fortunately the Puppet didn't seem to notice you, so after a few endless seconds you dared to slowly move on. Still, your eyes remained glued to the guy until you finally reached the other side and felt safer again.

At least for a moment.

"Mr. Rabbit! What an, ahem... unexpected surprise!"

In the blink of an eye, Matteo had drawn his sword again and was pointing it at the stranger.

A few steps away, next to a burning barrel, stood another animal mask-wearing Stalker. You wondered where the rumor came from that most of them had disappeared; you'd already met two new ones in just one day!

"And here I was, believing me to be the only living organism around!", the Stalker laughed, before nodding in the direction of Matteo's weapon and adding in an almost conversational tone: "Do you mind? We're all reasonable adults here, are we not?"

"You tell me", the Rabbit simply replied, not moving an inch.

Meanwhile, you took a closer look at the stranger. He was wearing a dog mask fastened with rope - and at first glance, it looked so realistic that you shuddered. Your second glance fell on the weapons he carried on his back, which were so long that they extended beyond his head. You counted a sword, a lance and what looked like... a pickaxe? Maybe? Apart from that, he was dressed in the typical Stalker's garb of dark gloves, sturdy boots and a long, brown leather coat over a simple shirt and pants combo. The sleeves of the coat were shortened, revealing his bandaged arms underneath.

You were just wondering if he had hurt himself, or if that was just for a little extra protection, when you noticed a fleeting glint on his chest... And when you saw what it was that was reflecting the scant daylight, you couldn't help but gasp with excitement: "You are... You are Alidoro, right? Alidoro the Hound??"

Immediately, Matteo's head jerked in your direction, but you were so focused on the Stalker in front of you that you didn't notice.

The Dog Stalker reverently touched the badge on his chest, a small pair of golden wings, before exclaiming: "That I am! Alidoro, treasure hunter extraordinaire! At your humble service." He made a small bow. "I must say, what a tremendous joy it is to meet yet another survivor of this disaster - and a fan to boot! To whom, may I ask, do I owe this pleasure, Miss...?"

You opened your mouth, but before you could answer, Matteo took a threatening step forward and hissed: "Tell me why I shouldn't cut your head off your shoulders, 'Hound'."

Your eyes darted from one to the other in surprise. There was no question that this wasn't their first meeting. And apparently they hadn't parted on the best of terms last time... which didn't surprise you one bit. After all, the Rabbits were still petty criminals, while Alidoro was, well, the exact opposite. A hero of the little people! Who always helped where it was needed, whether there was a reward or not. So it was no wonder, really, that the two didn't like each other very much.

"Now, now", Alidoro chuckled, "I know our last encounter wasn't exactly... pleasant, but surely that's water under the bridge now, isn't it? ...No? Oh, well, that's a bummer."

"We had an agreement", Matteo said darkly.

Your counterpart sighed loudly and put his hands on his hips. "May I remind you that this 'agreement' was that I would stay away from your territory? It's news to me that the Brotherhood now even claims the swamp as their own."

It was certainly no accident that he sounded as if he were explaining the world to an obtuse little child. And Matteo must have felt much the same, for by now he had tensed every muscle in his body and seemed about ready to lunge at the other man. For the first time, it occurred to you that this had the potential to get pretty ugly... If there was anyone who could take on a Black Rabbit, it was probably the infamous "Hound of Krat", but you could definitely do without a demonstration...

"Then again", he continued, just as you had turned to Matteo to try and calm him down a bit, "I hear that business has been going through the roof lately, so it's only logical that you would want to expand. And quite tempting, I'm sure. Especially if you're looking into acquiring some lovely new faces for your staff..."

As soon as he finished, Matteo suddenly moved forward, so fast that you didn't even have time to react - but in the end your fears were unfounded, as he simply stepped between you and the Hound and growled: "The deal was that you wouldn't get in our way again, mutt."

Alidoro remained unimpressed and spread out his arms. "And how, pray tell, am I in anyone's way here? Huh? All I'm doing is enjoying this beautiful day with a little walk in the great outdoors! Begs the question..." He tilted his head. "What are you doing here?"

"None of your business."

"I beg your pardon", Alidoro huffed. "That was a sincere and genuinely interested question! But if the good sir doesn't feel like answering, perhaps his lovely companion is in the mood for a little chat...?"

"No, she's no-"

"You're going for a walk?", you interrupted the Rabbit, raising an eyebrow in doubt. "Here? In the Barren Swamp?"

"Are you accusing me of lying?? Why, that's simply preposterous!"

Immediately, your heart sank and you quickly opened your mouth to apologize...

But then he suddenly chuckled and added: "...and oh so astute! My, what a clever little cookie you are! Utterly enchanting. Yes yes, you are right of course, I'm not just here for a walk. Please excuse the secrecy, force of habit. Unfortunately, you can't be too careful who you confide in these days. Especially when it comes to something so, well..." He coughed. "...delicate. For, you see, I'm actually here because I... well... because... I'm looking for more survivors of the disaster! Yes, that is what I am here to do. I know the chances of some poor sod still drawing breath out here are pretty slim, but... Well, you should never give up hope, is what I always like to say! Not even in the darkest hour!"

You clasped your hands in delight. Until now, the wary part of you had always believed that the stories about him were exaggerated and that he wasn't even half as great as they made him out to be. Especially after a certain wanted poster had made the rounds, accusing him of all sorts of things that sounded nothing like Alidoro, the "Hero of Krat"... But to hear him talk like that now immediately put all those doubts to rest. This Alidoro was exactly as people had always described him: daring, selfless and incredibly brave. Like a true hero! The poster must have been some kind of vendetta by someone who had had a bone to pick with him...

"That's... that's amazing!", you finally exclaimed. Then you quickly walked around Matteo and stood directly in front of Alidoro, looking up at him with bright, shining eyes. "Especially with all the dangerous Puppets around!"

He nodded solemnly. "Yes, that is very true. What I'm doing is certainly not for the faint-hearted, there's danger around every corner! But...!!" He raised his chin proudly. "As a descendant of the city's most aristocratic families - the very best families, mind you - I have a duty to the common people. Repaying debts is what we nobles do. I live my life fulfilling that duty, and part of that is to ensure the safety of anyone in need of help, whatever the cost. Even if it is my own life..."

At that, Matteo let out a soft snort, but not soft enough, for the Dog Stalker soon turned his head in his direction and added, a little miffed: "Some may regard self-sacrifice with cynicism and contempt, but to this hound there is no greater honour! And..." He turned his attention back to you and gently took your hand. "I can sense the same noble spirit in you, young lady. Say, what was your name again...?"

"Oh, it's-"

But you got no further. Because suddenly you felt yourself being grabbed and pulled backwards, just as Matteo announced: "We're leaving."

He started to drag you along - only a few steps, however, until you managed to come to your senses again and tore yourself away from him. "Hey, wha- Let go of me!", you shouted angrily. "What is wrong with you?!"

You had no idea what had gotten into him all of a sudden. But whatever it was, and whatever had happened in the past between the two former Stalkers, it didn't give him the right to decide how you should behave now!

There was silence for a moment, and all you could hear was the whistling of the wind and the soft pattering of the rain, which had regained some of its intensity during your conversation.

Then Alidoro suddenly laughed out loud. "Oh-ho, I see! So that's the way the wind is blowing! Well, I should have known, but I just thought to myself: 'Surely they aren't planning to... Surely not in the swamp!' Though, at the end of the day..." He snorted in amusement. "Who am I to judge, eh? After all, even I had my fair share of thrill rides, back in the good old days. As such, I suppose I do see the appeal of this, er... special ambience."

You started frowning halfway through his little monologue, and even after he finished you still had no clue what he was talking about.

But before you could verbally express your confusion, he continued: "Thus, I believe an apology is in order!" Again he dipped into an elegant bow. "Please excuse my unseemly behaviour. I have a bit of a... penchant, I guess you could say, to forget myself when I'm in the presence of a pretty lady, hehe... Believe me, it was never my intention to cause trouble in paradise."

As soon as his last words reached your ears and you finally realized what the Hound was alluding to, your jaw dropped. Quickly you waved him off, stuttering: "O-oh, no, this isn't-"

Just as Matteo said: "We're not-"

You both fell silent and looked at each other. Shortly thereafter, you heard Alidoro laugh again, and your face grew warmer still (if that was even possible).

"Ahh, to be young again", the Dog Stalker sighed. "So full of love, full of life... Yes, even the darkest nights never once diminished my lust for life... Oh, but look at me; going on and on, even though you're obviously in a bit of a hurry, aren't you?" (You imagined him winking at you.) "I won't keep you any longer then. How about we just forget this conversation ever happened and you just carry on doing... what you were doing. Besides, I'm sure it won't be long before we meet again, Mr. Rabbit! Although hopefully under, ahem..." He cleared his throat, clearly very amused. "...less heated circumstances. Until then: 'Remember this Hound when Golden Wings shine'! Farewell, you two, and enjoy your alone time!"

He raised a hand in goodbye and, without waiting for a response, promptly turned and strolled off towards the bridge, chuckles in tow.

You couldn't help but stare after him with your mouth hanging open. Only when he was out of sight did you turn and blink at the scarf wearer, still completely flabbergasted. "Did he just imply..."

"He ran his old mouth again, that's what he did", Matteo simply said, before sheathing his sword and following the path. "About time someone put a muzzle on that self-absorbed prick. He may have been useful once, but now he's nothing but a nuisance on two legs..."

However, you didn't really listen to him. Your thoughts were still revolving around: "Alidoro the Hound... The Hound, the 'Guardian of Krat'! I still can't believe that just happened... I mean, that's gotta be the biggest coincidence ever! Running into him out here, of all places!"

"Coincidence? More like bad luck", Matteo grumbled.

"He's exactly how I imagined him, it's crazy!", you continued excitedly, ignoring his remark. "I used to think that people were just exaggerating and embellishing things, but turns out-"

"He's even more annoying?"

Finally, you gave the Rabbit an exasperated look. "Oh, come on. Even you have to admit that the stories about him are incredible. He's a legend! Rumour has it that he's even tangled with the Alchemists! And then there was that thing with the big fire a few years ago", you counted on your fingers, "when he fought his way through a literal sea of flames in search of survivors! Not to mention, of course, him saving all those lives when the Workshop Tower fell and he-"

"Was just one of several dozen rescuers on the scene", Matteo interrupted while suddenly picking up his pace so that you had trouble keeping up. "So could you stop singing this guy's praises? He's an opportunistic fraud, nothing more."

"What? No he's not, he helps people!", you exclaimed indignantly.

The Rabbit scoffed. "Helps relieve them of their money perhaps. Believe me, I know him. He's a conman. He only masquerades as this hero type figure and uses his reputation as a cover to trick people into giving him what he wants. Of which you and your little crush are a prime example, really."

You stopped walking, outraged, ready to refute his every word. But in the end, all you managed to come up with was a sputtered: "Cru- Wha- I don't have a crush!!"

A humorless laugh. "Yeah. Sure."

You were speechless yet again. Then you narrowed your eyes and hurried after him with strong strides. "But then again", you finally said, voice challenging, "What does it concern you who I have a crush on, huh? That's my business and mine alone!"

"Oh, I don't care who you're keen on."

"Uh-huh, sounds like it." The corners of your mouth twitched as you were suddenly struck by a very delicious thought. "And not at all like someone's a little jealous of the success and popularity of a competing Stalker..."

For a brief moment, it seemed as if you had caught him off guard, which only added to your amusement - but you should have known better, really. If there was one thing that was as sure as night follows day, it was that it was next to impossible to get under this Rabbit's skin.

And so, the next moment, Matteo just snorted loudly and replied: "You wish. No, it's just that the embarrassment I feel for you is slowly getting to the point where it's causing me physical pain."

Your smile vanished in an instant. "Oh, fuck off!"

The fact that it had only taken those few words from him to change your state of mind from amused to seething with rage was just another testament to how incompatible you were. Once again you wondered how you could ever have felt anything for this man other than annoyance and utter contempt. Every time this happened, your brain must have partially shut down, you couldn't explain it any other way. Like this morning, when you were actually worried about him. Worried, ha! If he turned out to be terminally ill after all, you wouldn't shed a single tear for him, oh no, not anymore. He was an unapologetic jerk at best, an obnoxious asshole at worst, and you were frankly sick of it.

"You know what?", you hissed. "Even if everything you said about Alidoro was true, I'd still rather be with him than willingly spend a single second alone with you!"

With that, it was you now who quickened the pace and took the lead, not even waiting for a reaction from him. He could swan dive off a cliff for all you cared!

In keeping with your mood, the next moment a bolt of lightning flashed across the dark sky, followed by the rumble of thunder. The rain had also drastically increased in intensity, now whipping across your masked face, accompanied by the howling of the wind. But even that didn't affect you in the slightest; your mood was already so bad that it couldn't have gotten worse even if it was raining Puppets.

You turned right onto a steep path with tracks running down the middle. In the past they had been used to transport Puppet parts deeper into the swamp - now they were nothing more than a tripping hazard. But your footing was secure, after all you knew this area fairly well. At the top, you rounded a minecart that was parked here, then turned your head to the right, where one of the massive watchtowers loomed above. However, your gaze lingered only briefly on the stone maw of the building and the motionless darkness within before you made a sharp left turn, heading instead for an open wooden shed.

"Back left under the floorboards, back left under the floorboards...", you muttered as you stepped under the wooden roof. Your gaze wandered over broken barrels and crates, torn out wooden slats and-

"Did you find it?"

You rolled your eyes, but otherwise ignored the Rabbit and continued your search. Eventually, you climbed over a pile of rubble until you found yourself in the far left corner of the dilapidated building, where you crouched down. Immediately, your gloved fingers went to work, knocking on the wood beneath you. The poor lighting back here didn't exactly help your progress, nor did the roar of the storm outside, so you soon found yourself crouching even lower, your ear to the ground, listening for the slightest indication that...

And then you heard it: a faint, hollow sound beneath your knuckles. Your heart skipped a beat as you searched for a notch in the wood, something you could grab onto so you could get to the space beneath the floorboards. A few minutes (and another annoying inquiry from Mr. Jackass) later, you had finally done it and reached into the small hole in front of you...

Only to pause again, slightly perplexed, as your fingers closed around a metal object. It didn't weigh much and was shaped like a... cylinder? You could feel intricate details running all around it, indentations in the surface... Until you suddenly startled when your hand passed over the top (or bottom) of the cylinder, and over something very pointy sticking out of it.

You frowned. What the hell...?

"You still alive back there?", Matteo's voice brought you back to the here and now.

Your gaze flickered in his direction for a moment before you awkwardly pulled yourself to your feet. "Yeah, I'm... I'm coming," you replied, the strange discovery making you momentarily forget your resolution to punish the Rabbit with silence.

He had also stepped under the roof by now, which meant that you had to huddle together due to the confined space as you finally presented him with the "treasure". Here in the light, you could see that your description had been rather accurate; it was indeed a bronze-coloured, slightly dented metal cylinder. Definitely not what you had expected from this treasure hunt...

"That's all there was back there. Seems to be some kind of... coil. A mechanical component...? I've never seen anything like it before, maybe-"

"It's a bloody 'Cryptic Vessel'", the Rabbit almost spat, "that's what it is."

You looked at his masked face in surprise. "A 'Cryptic'... what?"

"A storage device. Very popular with the upper class for storing important documents and small valuables because only the manufacturer and the owner knew the code to open it. Been a while since I saw one of these - a real one, I mean. The market was full of knock-offs that were a lot easier to crack." Your fingers brushed briefly as he took the object from your hand to inspect it up close. Then he dropped it back into your open palm and added dryly: "But unfortunately for us, this seems like the real deal."

"Ohh... So the treasure's inside then?" It certainly wasn't intentional, but his words awakened a faint glimmer of hope in you. You had already considered the mission a failure. After all, even the most expensive component wasn't worth a penny these days. But then something dawned on you that crushed your new-found hope in one fell swoop. "But if only the manufacturer and the owner know how to open it, then..."

"Doesn't matter, as long as you have the right tools. But it takes time, and that's what's annoying about it. You can't just go at it with a hammer, or you'll activate the self-destruct and risk destroying everything. No, this will take a couple days. At least." You were sure that if it wasn't for his mask, he'd be ruffling his hair now. But as it was, the Rabbit just put his hands on his hips and turned his head towards the rain before uttering a soft curse. "Just when the broker decides to make a fuss..."

You bit your lip. While you had no idea what that last mumbled sentence meant, it sounded anything but good, and you couldn't help but feel partly responsible. "I'm sorry, I... I didn't know."

For a little while, no one said anything, and all you could hear was the pattering of the rain, the roar of the wind and the occasional rumble of thunder.

Then Matteo suddenly exhaled loudly and said: "No, fuck it. Let's just go. We got what we came for."

You were still chewing on your lower lip when you stepped out into the rain again and walked back the way you came. You hated that you still felt the need to apologize. And to Matteo no less! Ugh... But you rationalized that this whole thing would probably affect the other Rabbits as well, and suddenly your guilt felt all the more justified.

Even though none of it was really your fault! How could you have known that there was a... a "Cryptic Vessel", or whatever Matteo had called it, buried here?? You just hoped that the contents were satisfactory. Otherwise, you would feel really really bad...

It seemed that the storm had reached its peak by now. The wind-swept rain was so heavy that even with your mask on you couldn't see five steps ahead and kept squinting your eyes. Not to mention your soaked clothes, which clung to your body like a second skin and made you chatter your teeth with every step you took. Every step, getting heavier and heavier the longer you braved the storm... Not for the first time, you wished you had taken shelter in the watchtower. The thought of having to spend an indefinite amount of time alone with the scarf wearer didn't sound too thrilling either of course, but it would have still been better than being swept away out here.

It seemed like an eternity before you finally reached the small suspension bridge where you had met Alidoro earlier. It swayed dangerously as you shimmied across (luckily, the Cryptic Vessel fit just so into your jacket pocket, so you had both hands free to hold on to the railing), and more than once you feared slipping on the wet wood and falling off - but three almost-heart attacks later, you were back on solid ground.

However, your relief didn't last very long. For no sooner did you reach the spot where you had climbed over the rocks and encountered the Puppet dog than Matteo suddenly announced in a loud voice: "My grappling hook is useless in this wind, we have to find shelter somewhere!"

Your temple twitched. Couldn't you have thought of that when we were still standing right in front of the watchtower?!

Instead of saying that out loud, however, you just shouted: "Then let's go back to the buildings!"

It was the closest and therefore best option you could think of.

So of course the Rabbit immediately shook his head. "There's a cave down there!"

You followed his outstretched arm and looked skeptically at the hairpin bends that ran down the slope until they disappeared behind some more rocks. But well, he ought to know... He seemed to have been here before, while you had never ventured this far into the swamp. So, in the end, you did your best to swallow your annoyance before nodding your okay.

You walked shoulder to shoulder to avoid any unpleasant surprises, but the descent was relatively uneventful. Once Matteo had to pull you out of the way of a giant bear trap because you were momentarily distracted by a crane directly above you, its wire ropes swinging wildly in the wind. Another time, you encountered two Worker Puppets, but because they also had limited vision due to the heavy rain, they weren't much of a threat. Though other than that, you made good progress and reached the bottom sooner than expected.

Where you immediately grimaced as you promptly stepped into ankle-high swamp water again. You quickly took a step back onto dry land - just as Matteo walked past you, pointing to a vague rock formation on the other side of the poison lake.

Great...

You sighed loudly, but then resigned yourself to your fate and followed him...

Before something launched itself out of the water and straight at the Rabbit.

You heard him utter a short curse as you staggered backwards, and then quickly scanned for the attacker, which soon turned out to be a Crawlie; apparently the storm had stirred up the water so much, that the Puppet had been able to approach unnoticed and actually achieve the impossible: surprise Matteo. At least for a brief moment, before he had already skewered its skull with his sword. Naturally. However, the expected respite never came.

For then the water suddenly became turbulent again and another Crawlie jumped out. And then another, and another... It was as if you had stepped on some kind of underwater nest. A chill ran down your spine at the thought of what else might be lurking in the dark waves, unseen until you were close enough for it to...

You decided not to finish that thought and instead dashed forward as fast as you could, your gaze fixed on the fighting Rabbit. By now, his sword was whirling through the air almost non-stop, spraying water in all directions, but that didn't mean he was struggling, oh no, on the contrary: despite the difficult weather conditions and the fact that he couldn't see his opponents until they shot out of the water towards him, he was dispatching them one after the other with playful ease. The problem was, however, that there was no end to them. Wave after wave approached, coming at you from all directions, as if answering a call that only they could hear.

The reason why you were currently waving your arms and screaming your head off to get Matteo's attention, but only succeeded when you were practically right behind him. He turned around in an instant, sword raised, but immediately lowered it again when he recognized you.

You didn't hesitate for long, quickly grabbing his arm and moving your masked face close to his ear before shouting: "This will go on forever! Let's go to the cave, I don't think they'll follow us, not all of them!"

For a moment, it looked like he was going to argue. After all, it wasn't like him to run away from a fight, especially when Puppets were involved...

But then he suddenly grabbed your arm and pulled you along without a word. From time to time he had to swing his sword when one of the Crawlies got too close, and once you had to dodge a minecart that had materialized right in front of you through the thick veil of rain. Nevertheless, you were moving much faster than the Puppets, so your prediction was right on the money, and you had already shaken off a substantial amount before you even reached the cave entrance. Only a few particularly stubborn ones had followed you this far, but you quickly got rid of them too. And this time you were even able to help, as it was much easier to take them out when they had to crawl onto land where you were waiting with your knife raised.

After you had killed the last one, you stayed in attack mode for a few more seconds, your eyes glued to the swamp in front of you. But when all remained quiet, you finally let your shoulders drop and exhaled in relief. Soon after, your gaze fell on one of the dead Crawlies in front of you, and you couldn't help but grimace. They were really too disgusting...

Without further ado, you kicked it back into the lake before raising your head to the rainy sky and musing: "You'd think there'd be no water left by now..."

Getting no answer, you turned around. After a brief moment of confusion, you finally spotted Matteo's red scarf a little further inside, where he was standing next to a rock behind which the cave made a sharp bend. Already you started to move, but then the Rabbit turned and came back.

"We're alone", he finally said when he was only a few paces away. "At least for now. Not far beyond that bend there, the cave opens outside again, so we have to keep watch in both directions."

You sighed. "I hope we won't be stuck here for too long... I would really rather not."

Matteo didn't respond, but instead went to examine an old fire pit next to a broken tent; apparently you weren't the first to rest here.

"Think you can get it to work again?", you asked, rubbing your upper arms as you looked back towards the cave entrance. It seemed even colder in here than outside in the rain... "If we have to live in each other's pockets from now on, it would at least be nice not to have to freeze your arse o-"

"Why don't you just ask your lapdog to come and warm you up."

You froze. Then you slowly turned around and looked at the Rabbit, who was now crouching in front of the fire pit and had his back to you. "You can't be serious." When there was only silence again, you couldn't help but scoff in disbelief. "You're insufferable, you know that."

He let out a quiet snort. "And you're so trusting it borders on naivety."

For a moment you just stared at him with your mouth open. Then you crossed your arms again - a pose that was in particularly high demand today. "Why, because I refuse to assume that everyone has bad intentions??"

"No, because you refuse - against all logic, might I add - to accept that the guy is bad news. Like I told you."

"If you call it naive not to think, as you do, that everyone in the world is bad and selfish, then I'm happy to be naive", you proclaimed, raising your chin defiantly.

"See what I mean."

Another bright bolt of lightning flashed across the dark sky, bathing the inside of the cave in a dramatic play of light and shadow. The rumble of thunder that followed rattled your eardrums and was still ringing in your ears seconds later when you finally shook your head and said: "I'm glad these damn treasure hunts will be over soon. I can really do without infecting myself with whatever it is you have."

With that, you were just about to demonstratively turn your back on him now...

"Shit- Get away from there!!", Matteo suddenly shouted.

...when you suddenly found yourself face to face with a Puppet.

And not just any Puppet. This one towered over you by several heads, forcing you to crane your neck to stare at its expressionless face - and at the wires sticking out of its open skull like little black antennae. For a brief moment it flashed through your mind that this must be a decommissioned Constable Puppet... Then it raised its arm, and your eyes immediately fell on its dangerous-looking weapon, an electrified club with a cluster of spikes at the end.

Before it already swung down on you and all you could do was open your mouth to let out a terrified scream...

Just as you were knocked over by something slamming into your side.

You heard the Puppet's weapon whiz past your head before crashing into the cave wall with a loud WHAM. Then the hard impact on the ground crushed the air from your lungs and you found yourself buried under a warm body as the world around you seemed to collapse like a house of cards.

For the next few minutes you were only aware of the hard stone beneath you, Matteo above you, and the deafening rumble and crash around you, mingling with your racing heartbeat. You had made yourself as small as possible and kept your eyes tightly shut, even though Matteo's body completely shielded you from the chaos surrounding you. Every time you felt him tense his muscles and the arms around your head tighten their embrace, you expected the worst.

But miraculously, the two of you were spared the falling rocks, and could eventually breathe a sigh of relief when the world stopped shaking and silence returned.

Still, Matteo decided to play it safe and let another minute pass before he pushed himself off the ground and, hovering above you, asked in a hoarse voice: "Are you alright?"

"Y-yeah, I... yeah", you breathed out.

"You sure?"

You cleared your throat so that your voice didn't shake as much. "I think so... Thanks."

The Rabbit made a short sound of acknowledgment, and then pulled away from you completely. As soon as his weight was gone, you tried to get up as well and- promptly hit your head on the rock above. Apparently, the ceiling was now a little bit lower than before... You stifled a groan and rubbed the sore spot as you stared into total darkness. At first you wondered if you had even opened your eyes at all. But after blinking a few times, you finally had the terrifying certainty.

Oh-oh...

You swallowed hard. Then you felt around your immediate surroundings (mumbling a quick "Oh, sorry!" as your fingers briefly brushed over warm fabric), hoping that this would at least give you some orientation. At first you felt nothing but stone and dusty earth. But after crawling around a bit, your fingertips suddenly brushed against a smooth, cold surface...

Before you jerked back in shock when there was a crackling sound and then a blue-white surge of electricity lit up the darkness. It had only lasted a moment, but that had been enough to reveal the full extent of your situation - and confirm your worst fears.

You licked over your trembling lips and slowly turned away from the Constable Puppet, which lay motionless, half buried under the rock. There was still small stars dancing in front of your eyes, thanks to the sudden flash of light, as you stared in the direction you assumed Matteo to be, and finally said in a thin voice: "I... think we're trapped in here."

Your words were followed by silence. Then, all of sudden, you heard the rustle of clothing as Matteo started moving through the small space as well, feeling his way along the rock face just as you did. Wordlessly, accompanied only by the steady sound of his breathing. For the first time you wished he would say something, no matter how annoying it might be... It would at least offer you a distraction from the ice-cold panic slowly making its way through your veins.

Eventually, the Rabbit paused somewhere to your left and, from the sounds of it, went to work on one of the cave walls. It probably wasn't a bad idea to try and dig your way out, but after a little while you still found yourself furrowing your eyebrows as you continued to listen into the darkness; somehow you couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't quite right here...

And then the cave began to shake again, and you heard the loud rumbling of stone.

From Matteo's direction.

In an instant, your heart stopped before it began to beat twice fast, and you rushed forward, towards the Rabbit. Arms outstretched to feel for him in the darkness, mouth open to gasp his name... Until your fingers finally found the stiff fabric of his leather jacket and-

Lost it again when he pushed past you and, soon after, got to work on the opposite wall.

For a moment, you could do nothing but blink in surprised confusion, hands still raised, as that unnerving feeling hit you again... Only this time you realized why: Instead of his usual methodical and deliberate approach, the Rabbit's movements seemed almost erratic, frantic even, while his breathing came in quick, choppy bursts now.

You were just about to frown again, when suddenly there was another quake, showering you in dust once more - and finally making up your mind for you.

"Matteo- Matteo, stop!", you exclaimed, moving towards him again. "What are you doing?! You'll bring the whole cave down!"

He tried to shake your hand off his arm before saying, a little breathlessly: "No, we... we have to get out of here... The oxygen won't last forever, and then... We need..."

Now you were definitely worried. You had never ever heard him lose his words like that before. Just what was going on with him?? A few minutes ago he'd been his usual self!

"...Yes. I know", you said slowly, trying to make your voice sound as self-assured as possible and swallow your own panic - panic at your terrible situation of course, but also at the Rabbit's frankly bizarre behavior. "But if you keep this up, keep going without a plan, the rest of the cave will fall on our heads too! And then we'll have a real problem!"

At first you thought he hadn't heard you, or was just ignoring you, as usual. But eventually you felt the muscles under your hand relax before his arm fell away again as he sat back on the ground. Then you just remained in silence for a while, his rattling breath mingling with the wild drumming of your heart.

You nibbled at your lower lip. It was a complete mystery to you what had suddenly gotten into him, let alone how to deal with it. He seemed like a different person; gone was the calm and collected Rabbit jackass. Who was rarely rattled by anything and always kept a cool head. In his place was now a man who seemed completely beside himself, so much so that you hardly recognized him. Your first thought was claustrophobia, but-

"We're done for."

Your mouth fell open. "What do you m-"

"This is it. We'll never get out of here alive", he continued, the strangely distant undertone in his voice really making you feel like he hadn't heard you at all this time. "The walls are too unstable, if... if we start digging from in here, we'll bury ourselves alive, and no one will dig from the outside because no one knows we're fucking stuck here, so if we don't suffocate, then-"

"Hey! Heyheyhey, that's not true", you quickly interrupted his torrent of words and slid closer. For a brief moment, your hand hovered over the spot where you suspected one of his legs to be... but then you lowered it again. You had a vague feeling that this would only make him more upset.

"It is. And it's all my fault, I didn't pay enough attention, I didn't-"

"Well, I think if anyone's to blame here, it's the Puppet", you chuckled, but immediately became serious again when you realized that this was probably not the best reaction. Quickly, you added: "Besides, I wasn't exactly paying attention either, so..."

"No. No, this is different, I should... I should be the one protecting you. A-and I didn't, and now you're... I hurt you, again, I-"

You shook your head vehemently until you remembered that he couldn't see you in the dark. "But you didn't! Nobody got hurt, we're fine! And you'll see, we'll soon come up with a plan that-"

"Plan? What plan?!", the Rabbit suddenly snapped, making you jump. "There is no plan! No, it's just like back then, if no one comes save us, then... Fuck, we're stuck here and it's all my fault again. It's my fault that... my fault that you... my fault... my..."

Once again he seemed a million miles away, munbling the same words over and over. Sometimes you could make out others, like "tower" or "Stalker" or the names of the other Rabbits. But mostly it was just him blaming himself for your misery.

Until his breathing suddenly got faster again. A lot faster.

And to say that you were freaking out would be an understatement.

You knew what this was by now, recognized the signs. They were, after all, very familiar to you. So familiar, in fact, that you almost thought you could feel them yourself now: the racing heartbeat, the tightness in your chest, the gasping for breath... The feeling of losing control of your own body as it slowly closed in on you, all that dread, all that fear and terror...

You quickly blinked away the wetness in your eyes and exhaled shakily. Your experience was mainly based on helping yourself through such an episode, but this procedure couldn't be all that different from person to person, right?

Right...?

You took a deep breath.

"Matteo? Can you... can you hear me? Hey. Hey, listen to me. Listen to my voice. You hear my voice?" You nervously passed your tongue over your lips, waiting for a reaction. When there was none, you swallowed and, simply hoping for the best, continued: "If you can hear me, try to follow my voice and do as I say, okay? Okay. Try and... concentrate on your breathing. Take slow, deep breaths. Just like I do."

You breathed in and out loudly. Your first attempt wasn't ideal, you were also pretty on edge, after all. So you just carried on with the demonstration and tried to calm yourself down too while doing so.

Every time you exhaled, you paused to listen for Matteo, but couldn't tell a difference. On the contrary, it sounded like his condition was getting worse even. Apparently, there were indeed differences in how people dealt with these situations...

Fuck, what do I do... What do I do?!

Never before had you felt so helpless. Fear bubbled up inside you and wrapped its icy fist around your heart. You felt as if you were running out of air, just as Matteo had predicted, even though you knew that was just your imagination and wouldn't happen any time soon. Nevertheless, the familiar panic made you bite your lip again, so hard that you tasted blood. For a moment, the pain broke through the disorienting fog in your head...

Just long enough for you to suddenly remember something from a few weeks ago, something Massimo had told you:

"...You see, Matteo's developed this... habit. Back when this whole shitshow started and we lost the HQ and he was... Well, I'll spare you the details, but believe me, it wasn't pretty and really messed him up. To the point that every time someone he cares about is in danger now, he just freaks out until he's made sure they're all right..."

You lost your breath for a moment - and then made a decision. A decision that could backfire completely, you were only too aware of that... But frankly, you were out of options.

And it's definitely worth a try, you thought before focusing your attention on the Rabbit in front of you again.

Who seemed to have taken off his mask in the meantime, at least judging by the gasps for air that sounded much clearer now. Thinking back to your last episode and how much your own mask had bothered you, it was understandable.

Without further ado, you followed suit and undid the clasps at the back of your head. After all, you were only wearing it as an alibi anyway. And with what you had planned, it was better for Matteo to hear your voice as clearly as possible.

Your hand trembled as you slowly reached out and made your way across the ground until you touched leather. You knew from experience that this was not without risk; you yourself were pretty touch averse when you found yourself in a similar state. You had learned that when poor Leonora had found you cowering in a back alley once. Back then, all it took was a little tap on the shoulder to send you into a tailspin for a good hour.

So you were well aware that this required a great deal of sensitivity, and were all the more careful now as you gently ran your fingers down the Rabbit's right arm until you reached his gloved hand. Your heart skipped a beat when your fingers touched, though you took the fact that he didn't pull away as a positive sign.

Meanwhile, you had already thought of what to say. "Hey, you feel that...? That's me, my hand. I'm here, Matteo, I'm right here. You're not alone and... and I'm not leaving you, okay? Because you did nothing wrong! This is not your fault, you hear me?" You gave his hand a reassuring squeeze to emphasize your words. "I'm not hurt! You didn't hurt me, you protected me even, remember? When the cave collapsed? And before that, when the Puppet almost..."

You trailed off and pricked up your ears. At first you thought you had only imagined it, but no; his breathing had definitely slowed. Minimally, barely noticeable... But it was still a huge success, because it meant that your plan was working. He could hear you, he was actually listening. You were definitely on the right track.

The thought made your heart beat faster - and you promptly decided to go one step further even.

You gently released his hand from your grasp and removed your gloves. Then you slid even closer to the Rabbit, so close that your legs touched and you could feel the warmth radiating from his body. Your own breathing grew a little labored as you repeated the previous action on him, slowly peeling the stiff leather from his right hand, finger by finger. In constant expectation that he would pull away, that in the end it would prove to be a mistake after all, that it would only make things worse... But he let it happen, or maybe he hadn't noticed.

What followed, however, he noticed without a doubt. Because as soon as you touched the clammy skin of his hand, you felt a shudder run through his body. It made you pause for a few heartbeats before your fingers moved on and soon slipped under his again, clasping them tightly. Your thumb stroked the scarred back of his hand in gentle motions as you picked up where you left off, reassuring him again. That he was safe, that he wasn't alone. That you were all right, that everything would be all right...

Until suddenly you felt his fingers twitch and then give the tiniest of squeezes back. Immediately, a wave of relief washed over you. And when you noticed that he had begun to take deep, deliberate breaths, just as you had explained to him earlier, your heart seemed to overflow with joy.

"Yes, that's it, just breathe. In..." You took another deep breath and then exhaled loudly. "...and out. In... and out. Slowly, just like that, yeah. It's going to be okay, I promise, I... I got you. I got you."

You had a vague feeling that you would feel a little sheepish afterwards, about all the things your relief made you mumble into the darkness. But at the same time, you couldn't care less.

Especially when the darkness mumbled back: "...you... okay...?"

In an instant, your mouth twisted into a smile. "Y-yeah", you said. And then, in a burst of... whatever, you took his hand and pulled it towards you, pressing it against your neck, right on top of your fluttering pulse. "I'm okay." You closed your eyes and slumped your shoulders, tension slowly leaving your body. "I'm okay..."

So you stayed for a while, just enjoying the moment and the sensation of Matteo's cool palm on your heated skin as your heart rate slowly returned to normal.

Until the Rabbit suddenly went rigid and tried to free his hand from your grip, bringing you abruptly back to your senses. Of course, you instantly let go of him before straightening up, your cheeks aflame.

"I can't, I..."

You shook your head quickly, an awkward laugh on your lips. "Ah, no, it's... it's fine! I'm sorry, I wasn't really... thinking, I guess."

"...just don't wanna hurt you again."

Immediately, you stopped.

Then you furrowed your brow before starting: "But you... didn't. You didn't hurt me, you..." Only to break off as you finally realized.

That was it? The reason why he'd been acting so weird all day? Why he'd always bolted as soon as he'd gotten close to you, touched you? He was afraid of hurting you...? But why??

It didn't take long for you to remember the last time the two of you had been alone, back in the Town Hall, in Giulia's room. And the guilt-ridden look he had given you before storming out of the room, right after...

But that was so long ago. Had he really been... for so long...?

Without giving it much thought, you reached out and grabbed his hand again, so quickly that Matteo didn't even have time to protest. "You didn't. Hurt me", you then repeated firmly. "How about you get that through your thick skull already??"

When he still wouldn't listen, you gripped his hand even tighter. "Matteo- Teo, listen to me. Listen to me. I want this, okay? I want you to touch me."

Perhaps it was his name that finally made him stop and contemplate your words. Perhaps it was just your shameless honesty, which, admittedly, surprised even yourself. But whatever it was, he suddenly stopped struggling and sat very still as you added in a whisper:

"So touch me."

What followed was a silence as absolute as the darkness that surrounded you.

It lasted so long that you grew restless, doubt creeping in... When, all of sudden, a soft exhale reached your ear, so faint that at first you thought you had imagined it.

But then you felt Matteo's hand give beneath yours, his fingers slowly relaxing, melting into the curve of your neck. It sent a shiver down your spine. Especially when, after a little while, he splayed his thumb and let the rough fingertip wander along your jawline. Mapping it, tracing an invisible trail up to your cheek. A touch like a bird's feather, gentle, careful... a little shaky. As if you were made of particularly fragile glass and he was afraid you would shatter at the slightest pressure.

The fact that you couldn't see any of this only heightened the sensation, and you let out a silent gasp when he finally cupped the side of your face and cradled it in cozy warmth. Automatically, you leaned into the touch and placed your hand over his again, over the scarred skin, your fingers resting in between his own like matching puzzle pieces.

You didn't know what this was exactly, had no idea where it would lead you... but that was okay. Because at the same time it felt so right, so true, that you didn't feel the need to explore this feeling. No, all you wanted now was to stay in this moment a little longer, here, with him, and-

Suddenly his hand slipped from your cheek and he slumped forward.

"Wha-?!" Your eyes widened in alarm as you felt his weight tipping you backwards, and quickly grabbed his upper body to support him, already fearing the worst, already thinking he was-

Then an arm snaked around your back and a soft mop of hair pressed against your shoulder before all tension left his body in one big sigh.

And your head grew so hot it seemed about to explode.

It was as if you sensed everything at once in the next few seconds: You smelled his familiar scent, felt the stiff leather of his jacket and the soft fabric of his scarf under your fingers, the steady rise and fall of his chest that reached your ear as even breaths... But above all, you felt the gentle pressure of his hand on your back and his strong arm hugging you close, further into the warmth of his body.

You only hoped that the thick fabric of your own jacket would hide how wildly your heart was beating...

"Moe told you. About what happened in the Workshop Tower", the Rabbit murmured into your shoulder the next moment.

It took a few more seconds for you to calm down enough to trust your own voice again. "N-no. No, he didn't. He just... vaguely hinted. But I can put two and two together, you know." The corners of your mouth twitched into a small smile. "Especially when I'm forced to listen to you two argue about it."

He scoffed, but otherwise remained silent.

Your smile faded. "Besides, I know what a panic attack looks like. We're... pretty well acquainted by now, you might say."

"Because of your father", he said simply.

"Yeah..." Again you received no response, which you took as an invitation to continue. "I... I know how this sounds, but sometimes I think I... see him? In the bodies lying on the side of the road, or leaning against a wall... Always dead. Always there to remind me that I..." Now it was your turn to sigh. "That I didn't do enough. Let him die in the Frenzy."

"You said your father was called to Rosa Isabelle Street. There was nothing you could've done for him, that place was hell on earth back then, even for us."

"No, I know", you laughed, "believe me, I know. Or, well, at least I do when I'm in my right mind, but... sometimes it just sneaks up on you anyway, you know? And then you can try to rationalise it all you want, doesn't matter. Especially when you're alone. When everything's dark... It's worst at night." You paused as a thought suddenly popped into your head. "...Is that why you don't sleep? Because you're afraid of nightmares, too?"

No sooner had you finished speaking than you got the strong feeling that you had overstepped the mark and wished you could take it all back. A wish that grew exponentially the longer the following silence lasted.

When you couldn't stand it any longer, you hastily added: "Ah! Sorry, that was... Please, just pretend I didn't say anything, you don't have to-"

"No, it's not that. I'm not afraid of nightmares, I'm..."

You stared into the darkness, waiting with bated breath for him to continue.

"I can't have them stop", he finally said firmly. "They... remind me of what's important. Keep the memories alive."

It briefly occured to you that this could very well be the first time he had shared this with anyone. Ever. Been that vulnerable. After all, not even his siblings seemed to know. Your stomach fluttered at the thought before you cautiously pressed on: "Of Nino and Lucia, right?"

You had vowed to forget these two names immediately after witnessing Matteo's violent reaction to them weeks prior - so, naturally, they had burned themselves into your brain.

Even now, you could hear his breathing falter, felt him tense every single muscle under your hands. Since you couldn't see anything, you kept imagining what he'd looked like back then, how murderous his gaze had been... Your mouth went dry. Once again, you couldn't help but wonder if this had really been such a good idea, or if you'd made a mistake in mentioning them, read the room wrong maybe...

But suddenly the tension in his shoulders disappeared again and he gave a simple "Yes" in response.

And you breathed a sigh of relief.

When your ears stopped pounding, you turned your head until his soft curls tickled your chin and asked: "What happened back then?"

"I thought you can put two and two together."

Your mouth opened - and then closed again when you couldn't think of what to say. Instead, you just frowned, a little confused...

At least until you recognized the words as your own and could only roll your eyes. "Oh, ha-ha. Very funny."

"Took you long enough. You sure your head's all right?"

"Maybe you're just not as smart as you think you are. Ever consider that?"

He scoffed. "Yeah, sure. Keep telling yourself that."

Again you sat there with your mouth open (The nerve of that guy...!) before you said huffily: "Well, if you can crack jokes, then I guess you're fine and I no longer need to..."

You made as if to break away from the Rabbit, but he immediately tightened his grip around your body and wordlessly pulled you back. It made your heart do a little somersault - and your mouth twist into a triumphant smile.

"Fine", you said and added in a stern voice: "But then you tell me about your two friends."

Silence once more. Until...

"We weren't friends." He cleared his throat, as if his voice had suddenly gone rusty. "We were... colleagues. They were Stalkers, too."

At first it seemed as if he was going to leave it at that, and you already had another question on your lips when he finally continued: "We went to the same school, but were in different age groups - which didn't stop them from always wanting to hang out with us, though." A quiet snort. "It was like they imprinted on us or something. Called themselves our 'biggest fans', talked about how they wanted to be like us when they grew up. Can you imagine? Moe thought it was hilarious of course..."

You could indeed imagine that.

"...to me it was mostly annoying."

Imagining that was even easier. The corner of your mouth twitched upwards, but not for long, because the very next moment the Rabbit turned serious again.

"After graduation we didn't see each other for a long time and I had all but forgotten about them. But then came the Frenzy... Right around the time they were about to graduate themselves." He paused, then went on in a flat voice, as if reciting a report: "Our opponents far outnumbered us, so the higher-ups threw everything we had at them. Active Stalkers of course, inactive ones... And those who were just about to enter into service."

You blinked in disbelief as you realized the meaning of his words. "You mean... they enlisted the students??" You'd never heard of that before, but, well... The reporting at the time left a lot to be desired.

Matteo nodded. "The graduates, yeah. They thought that since the students would soon be working as Stalkers anyway, they were prepared enough. But of course", he let out a short, humorless laugh, "of course, they had not a single goddamn clue what hell was waiting for them out there. We were in an unprecedented war. Something even the most veteran Stalkers had never seen before. But the situation was dire, and they were desperate, and that justified it all in their eyes. Anything. Even sending literal children to the front, without any practical experience, without the slightest fucking idea of what they would have to..."

He broke off and your throat tightened. Almost automatically, your left hand slid over his shoulder and along his back, returning the half hug. Your right hand, however, found its way into his curls and let your fingers run soothingly over his scalp.

"We met again during the siege of the Workshop Tower", Matteo eventually continued. "They tried to put on a brave face, but even a blind man would have seen through that. Fear oozed from their every pore. The same fear that we more experienced Stalkers felt, only they didn't know how to deal with it. With the chaos around them, all the brutality... Their many dead comrades, their classmates. And the realisation that they were nothing but cannon fodder from the start."

Suddenly his shoulders tensed again, a silent justification. "I sent them into the tower. Told them to check our ammunition supply. I had no say in this, let alone the right to give orders, but at that moment I didn't care. Letting them fight on would only have resulted in two more unnecessary deaths, so I was convinced I was doing the right thing. That was, until word reached us that the Puppets had infiltrated the building.

From then on it was pure chaos. Orders were being shouted all over the place, either contradicting each other or being absolute nonsense. Then there was talk of a fire somewhere in the tower, and within seconds everything was filled with smoke. Smoke and panic and death... and those bloody Puppets. They were everywhere all of a sudden, simply overrunning us. As if everything before that had just been a little warm-up for them. At the same time, the chain of command broke down for good, and everyone was basically just trying to save their own skin. But I couldn't just leave, I had to..." He took a deep breath. "I headed for the ammunition depot. I... remember that Moe was trying to stop me, but I wouldn't let him. And then the building collapsed."

In the pause that followed, you noticed that your mouth felt bone dry. As if it was also full of smoke and ash and dust...

"When I woke up, it was pitch black", the Rabbit went on, his voice hoarse. "I couldn't even see my hand in front of my eyes, I was completely disoriented. My leg was pinned under the rubble, so I couldn't move either, no matter how hard I tried. All I could do was sit and wait. And listen to the other people trapped in there with me. Their pained screams and cries for help... Until they fell silent, one by one. And all I could do was wait."

He exhaled loudly and seemed to collect himself before saying: "They told me later that it was only a few hours, but it felt like an eternity before they pulled me out of the rubble. I was badly bruised, had a gash on my head and a concussion, a skewered leg and several broken ribs... But I was alive."

The bitterness in his voice made a lump form in your throat. "So Nino and Lucia, they were...?"

"Yeah", he rasped. "They didn't make it."

"Oh, Matteo... I'm so sorry, that's horrible."

You could feel him shake his head. "There were still occasional small-scale Puppet attacks, so it took several days to recover all the bodies. But I wanted to be there when... I didn't want to look away. It was the least I could do, memorise them so I wouldn't forget. And I didn't, not ever. I take them with me wherever I go, their white, sunken faces... Blood all over. Staring at me, day and night. When I close my eyes and when I open them. I see them when I look back and when I look forward, see them in... in Giulia. In Moe and Vito. Even now I see them, watching us from the dark... Always reminding me, always. Of what needs to be done to atone. To make it right..."

He trailed off and again there was silence between you. Your mind was reeling with all he'd just told you, all this new information that explained so much... Especially what Massimo had meant by "it wasn't pretty" when he had talked about Matteo's past. You would never have thought... It suddenly made you see the Rabbit in a whole new light.

And made you finally say with full conviction: "There's nothing to atone for. It wasn't your fault..."

"Yes, it was."

"But you said it yourself, it was pure chaos! How could you have-"

"We were trained for this. As a Stalker, you should be prepared for anything and always keep a cool head to make the right decisions."

You shook your own. "You're only human. And humans make mistakes, that's our whole thing! You could never have known that the Puppets-"

"Yes", he countered again, vehemently. "Yes, I could have. If only I was more observant. I should have realised that the Puppets were only stalling us, that they were planning something. I should have seen the signs. Should have realised that it was too easy, that... I should never have sent them in there, I should have..." He paused before breathing out: "I should have been the one they pulled out of the rubble days later. Not them."

You felt as if someone had poured a bucket of ice-cold water over you.

A feeling that became even stronger when he continued in a low voice, as though he was talking more to himself than to you: "I always felt like I was living on borrowed time anyway. Doomed to keep going and make the same mistakes, over and over. Pull everyone down with me, time and time again... Like a curse. Like I was cursing them all."

Suddenly, he also wrapped his other arm around you and nuzzled deeper into your shoulder. As if he was afraid you would run. As if you were his anchor, the only thing preventing him from drifting away when he murmured:

"I wish it would just stop."

And broke your heart in two, once and for all.

You didn't know what to say. Your mind was empty except for the echo of his words, each feeling like a knife thrust deep into your gut. Finally, you wrapped your arms around his head and hugged it close, tucking it under your chin. Clinging to him like he did to you, hoping that this would give him some comfort and express at least a fraction of the feelings whirling around inside you.

"Do the others know?", you asked into the quiet darkness.

It took a while before you got a muffled "No" in response.

"Why not?"

"This is not their burden to carry."

"But... maybe they want it to be. Because they care about you and want to help you. Like family does." Your voice softened some more. "Maybe you should leave that decision up to them."

You felt him shake his head again - as much as he could anyway, given your tight embrace. "It's better this way. It's better if they don't-"

"Says who?", you interrupted him, gently but firmly.

"They rely on me", the Rabbit said. "They need me to be strong. To protect them, take care of them."

And who's gonna take care of you...?

"Maybe you should give them a bit more credit. They're strong too, you know. They don't need to be protected all the time, around the clock. And you heard what Moe said; they don't like seeing you like this, working all the time... Walling yourself off and trying to shoulder this all on your own. It hurts them."

"No, you don't get it, I just... I can't tell them. They won't understand, they..."

"I think you'll find that they understand just fine", you said, remembering Massimo's words once again...

"...There's nothing to make up for, you know? You're not to blame for what happened to Nino and Lucia. Even if you keep telling yourself that..."

"And even if they won't... Matteo, they know you. They care about you and want to see you happy. You're family. That isn't going to change just like that."

When he remained silent, you went on: "You know, every time I get lost in 'what ifs'... When I catch myself thinking that searching for my father would have been worth the risk, then... I try to remember all the good things that have happened because I survived and am still here. And every time I find that... it's a lot. A lot of good that wouldn't have happened with me being gone. And it's the same with you." You gave him another squeeze. "It wasn't fate that you survived, and it definitely wasn't a mistake. You didn't take someone else's 'survivor spot' or anything, you could easily have died with everyone else down there. There's no logic to it, you surviving... It was just happenstance - and a very lucky one at that. Nothing more to it. You dying would have been entirely senseless and only led to even more grief. Something Nino and Lucia definitely wouldn't have wanted for their big Stalker idol. No, they would probably freak out if they knew you were still honouring them like this."

You heard a soft snort and couldn't help but smile in return. "Not to mention the other Rabbits: Giulia, Moe, Vito... They would have been devastated, their whole lives turned upside down! You being here matters, Matteo. You matter. To so many people!"

You tried to put as much sincerity as possible into your words, to make him understand what he could not see for himself. To give him what you had often wished for yourself when you had become caught up in similar spirals of thought, unable to-

"That include you?"

Your heart stumbled in your chest. You opened your mouth - and closed it again when your voice failed you. However, it wasn't because you didn't have an answer for him, oh no, quite the opposite; you were rather surprised at how obvious it suddenly was. How simple. For a long time, you had closed your eyes to it and ignored the truth for fear of the consequences. Of what would happen if you acknowledged it. What it would bring about if you admitted to these feelings. Afraid of what it would change, not only around you, but also within yourself...

But suddenly, you found that this fear wasn't as big anymore. Perhaps it was because of the impenetrable darkness around you. Because it felt like a heavy blanket that would keep any secret safe and sound. True to the motto: "What happens in the dark stays in the dark..." Or maybe it was simply because of the man in your arms, this sad and complicated man... The fact that he had poured his heart out to you, a show of trust so unexpected... It had suddenly brought you much closer together (and not just in a physical sense), despite all of your differences. Had made you feel warm and cozy... safe...

Or maybe you were just tired of being afraid. Of dancing around this subject and keeping it quiet out of some confused sense of decency and morality, as if any of that still mattered. Especially now, so close to...

You let your tongue trace over your lips before saying:

"Yes... It does."

As soon as you finished, it was as if the whole world stopped... Until you realized that you had involuntarily held your breath.

And then Matteo shifted positions.

Immediately, fear set in. Fear that this was not the answer he had wanted to hear. That he was suddenly embarrassed by the physical contact and now wanted to distance himself from you...

But instead, he pulled you even closer. Instantly, you were matching his movements and arched into his touch, shuddering as he lifted his head out of your embrace and his lips fleetingly brushed over the exposed skin of your neck. An accident, you were sure, nothing but a-

The thought remained unfinished when you felt his breath dance over your chin and your brain officially shut down.

You hadn't realized before just how close you were. Your faces could only be a hand's width apart - a suspicion that was all but confirmed when the tip of his nose briefly bumped against your own, followed by him pressing his forehead to yours.

All at once, your whole body seemed to be electrified, your closeness so overwhelming that you had to gasp, shaky breath mingling with his in the heavy air between you. Your face was practically glowing by this point, so much so that, for a few heartbeats, you couldn't help but wonder why it was still so dark in the cave. Or why Matteo didn't burn himself when he stroked over your cheek again the next moment, until his fingers moved on, soon resting on the side of your head... before they gently guided you forward.

As soon as you felt his hot breath on your mouth, your heartbeat resembled a veritable drumfire, and you leaned in of your own accord. Drawn to his warmth, his touch, you closed your eyes, until you bridged the last distance and there was a feather-light touch on your lips...

And suddenly heard a loud rumble before glaring daylight fell into the cave.

Your heads immediately whipped around, towards the small hole in the cave wall, which shone as brightly as the sun against the backdrop of the darkness you had become accustomed to. You had to raise your hand to shield your eyes, but still couldn't stop squinting into the light. At least until you heard a faint sound...

A familiar voice grunting with exertion...

In an instant, your eyes widened and you called out: "Vito?! Oh my- Vito, in here! We're in here!!"

Not a second later, a shadow darkened the light as the big Rabbit pressed his mask against the hole to see inside. You laughed with relief and waved at him. It felt as though you had never been happier in your entire life.

As he moved away again and continued working on the rock face, you turned your broad smile back towards Matteo, who you could now see for the first time since the cave-in - and who, at the moment, probably didn't look much better than you did. He was covered in so much dust and dirt, that his dark hair, sticking in sweaty strands to his forehead and the sides of his face, looked almost gray now.

You chuckled and raised a hand to brush a few small stones off his shoulder while saying: "See? I knew we'd make it out of here."

He snorted. "Yeah, right. You knew nothing."

"Nope. I knew it", you insisted with a grin - until your gaze fell on his dirty face. Or, more precisely, on the red cut at his temple, that immediately made you exclaim in alarm: "Wha- You're bleeding!"

You knew that head injuries tended to bleed more, so it probably looked worse and deeper than it actually was. Still, you couldn't help but anxiously run your fingers over the unbroken skin underneath, smudging the thin trail of blood in the process.

"It's fine."

"But...!"

The rest of your objection caught in your throat as Matteo suddenly grabbed your hand and brought it to his mouth to press his lips against your knuckles.

"Don't worry", he mumbled into your skin.

At first, you could only stare at him, mouth slightly agape, before your heart began to race as if wanting to jump out of your chest.

And then, all at once, you realized what had actually happened, and was still happening between the two of you since becoming stuck here. The isolating darkness from before had made the whole situation seem almost dreamlike; had torn you out of your previous roles, leaving you only a man and a woman seeking comfort in each other when all seemed lost.

But now that there was Matteo, a member of the Black Rabbit Brotherhood, sitting in front of you again... very real and unmistakable. Now that you could not only hear and feel him, but also see him - see how close you were, see how he touched you, see how he looked at you... It suddenly sent your mind reeling, especially when you thought about how you'd almost been at each other's throats not so long ago. Especially when you remembered that it hadn't been that long since you'd seen him as nothing more than a rude, arrogant jerk.

A rude, arrogant jerk who was now looking at you as though you had hung the moon in the sky, as he slowly, gently lowered your hand... Closely followed by his gaze, which all but darted down to your mouth after you carelessly chose that exact moment to glide the tip of your tongue over your dry lips. Suddenly, the air between you was as thick as before, almost buzzing with your combined tension and unnamed desires. It filled your cheeks with heat again, especially when it seemed as if the Rabbit was about to lean forward for the second time...

Only to flinch back once more when there was another loud rumbling sound and then a veritable flood of light illuminated the small space inside.

Your gaze wandered from the now quite sizeable hole in the cave wall back to Matteo, where it was met by gray-green eyes - however, only for a moment, before they turned away. For a brief moment, your joy about your rescue turned into an icy sting at the thought that this was it now. That all this had just been a lapse after all, born of the fear of never making it out of here alive. That everything would be the same as before after this, as if the last few minutes had never happened...

But then the Rabbit squeezed your hand, and as the relief came back so did your smile.

The two of you quickly grabbed your gloves and put your masks back on before squeezing through the hole in the cave wall into the open, Matteo letting you go first. The storm had cleared by now, but you paid it no mind. No, instead your attention immediately turned to the big Rabbit, whom you pulled into a giant bear hug the moment you reached him.

"I swear, I've never been happier to see someone!", you cried, voice muffled by his broad chest.

Vito simply chuckled warmly and wrapped his huge arms around you in return.

After a little while, you raised your head and looked up at him. "But... how did you find us?? It's not like..."

You broke off when he suddenly reached into his coat pocket... and presented you with a Cryptic Vessel soon after. No, not a Cryptic Vessel, your Cryptic Vessel. The same one you had found in the shed by the watchtower, before putting it in your jacket where...

It wasn't anymore.

Oops...

You sheepishly pulled your hand from your empty jacket pocket just as Vito pointed first to the item in his hand and then to a spot right next to the collapsed cave. Apparently, it was the Vessel that had put him on your trail.

"Hard to believe that it was your old scatterbrain that saved our arses", Matteo commented.

You had to agree with him. Really the definition of a blessing in disguise... Nevertheless, your face grew warm with embarrassment as Vito handed the Cryptic Vessel back to you and then turned to his brother. After sharing a quick hug as well, the two of them caught up while you let your gaze wander over your former prison. You were surprised that Vito had recognized more in it than just a big pile of stones. It was nothing short of a miracle that you had survived the collapse.

Blessing in disguise and all that...

When you turned back to the two Rabbits, Matteo just said: "What do you mean?"

Vito raised his hand, chortling with amusement as he flicked the right ear of his rabbit mask - which no longer stood up straight like the other one, but had a distinct bend now.

After the three of you had set off again, you bumped into Matteo's shoulder and said with a grin: "Hey, we're matching!" To emphasize your words, you wiggled the droopy left ear of your own mask.

The Rabbit just grumbled something unintelligible.

"What, you don't like it?", you laughed.

"I don't like the comments I'm gonna be subjected to as soon as we get back."

You nodded solemnly. Moe and Giulia would definitely have a field day with that one. Nevertheless, you gave the scarf wearer a mischievous sideways glance before saying: "Sooo you do like it, then."

"I didn't say that."

"Oh, okay, in that case..." You stretched and reached for the ear of his mask... but Matteo suddenly ducked away, leaving you grasping at air. "Wha- What are you doing? I just wanted to fix it!", you laughed again.

"Knowing you, you'll only make it worse."

"No, I won't", you protested, already raising your arm for the second time...

But then the Rabbit quickly grabbed your hand and pulled it down, interlacing your fingers for good measure. "Stop that."

Your eyes involuntarily flitted from your joined hands to Vito; but as the big Rabbit was walking a few steps ahead, he didn't seem to have noticed anything. And so you allowed yourself to smile once more and enjoy the warm, tingling sensation Matteo's touch sent through your body as you walked side by side in comfortable silence. At least until...

"You so like it."

He groaned. "And you're insufferable, you know that."

You could practically hear him rolling his eyes, which made your smile grew even wider. "Well, I learnt from the best~"

***

i always spend ages editing my chapters bc i can't not think,, it can be even better!!! lol. but this one set a new record i think. idk it was very emotional to write and i put a lot of myself into it, so i just wanted it to be the best it can be yk. i hope i succeeded, even if it's just in part, that would already make me very happy:'))

thank you sm for readingg, i hope you enjoyed it!! feedback is welcome and very much appreciated~

33 notes · View notes

anyabathory-blog · 3 months ago

Text

The Hunted, Haunted and Forgotten - Part 11

[Prev] [Next] [Masterlist]

Pairing: Battle Maniac x fem!Reader

Word count: 6.8k

Summary: The march continues and you get more and more fed up with this stupid, irritating, annoying, infuriating, scarf wearing enigma of a man.

A/N: hi!!! *tosses this into the tumblr void* bye!!! akskdkd this chap is super late (apologies) so i won't annoy you w an equally long A/N now. just wanted to give a quick shoutout to @asayamas for feeding me the rabbit brainworms, you're a doll and this story wouldn't be the same w/o you atp mwah mwah🤲❤🐰

***

Part 11 - Lucky You

"Whoa...!", you exclaimed as you stepped out onto the platform. You had already marvelled at the size of the lobby, but the train shed actually managed to top that. At first glance, it seemed almost endless to you.

Of course, it was pure chaos here too. Mountains of luggage were piled up everywhere, and the floor was littered with loose paper and other garbage. The flickering lamps on the platforms illuminated pools of blood and even more unsightly things, and every now and then a red-eyed Puppet staggered into their cone of light. Far above, you could see the sky through the glass roof; the storm had covered it with dark clouds, but sometimes a bright flash of lightning would flash across, casting the glass-and-steel structure of the building like a shadowy cobweb on the ground below.

Astonished, you spun around - until suddenly something dripped onto your head.

The macabre discoveries from earlier already had you fearing the worst about the nature of this mysterious drop... But then you breathed a sigh of relief as you looked up and noticed the hole in the roof directly above you.

Before it disappeared.

Blinking in amazement, you stared for a moment at the scuffed, grey surface that was now in its place. Then you followed its length with your eyes and finally found Vito's arm at its end. Which was unceremoniously holding his sword over your head. You let out a surprised laugh at the discovery before thanking him, which the big Rabbit acknowledged with a curt nod. As if using a sword as an umbrella was the most normal thing in the world.

You were still smiling when Matteo led you down a small ramp and to the left towards a barrier that separated the tracks from the platform.

"This way", he said as he nonchalantly chopped off the head of a charging Conductor Puppet and brought it down with a well-aimed stab to the chest. "There's a ladder on the other side."

You couldn't help but be a little annoyed that he didn't even seem to be out of breath after all that. But in the next moment, any anger was instantly dispelled as suddenly a shrill, distorted sound rang through the air, followed by a female voice cheerfully announcing:

"Welcome to Krat Station, everyone! Here you will witness the most spectacular display of human endeavour on Earth! If Krat is your final destination, we wish you a safe and prosperous stay!"

The last words echoed around the room for a few seconds, then there was nothing to be heard but the rain pattering on the roof and the wind rattling the glass panes. And yet the hall suddenly seemed much quieter than before the scary announcement. You shivered and thought you could feel your heartbeat on the tip of your tongue even.

All of a sudden, you were quite glad that Matteo seemed so unfazed by everything...

That makes one of us at least...

On wobbly legs, you climbed over the barrier and landed on the tracks behind it. Looking to your right, you saw the nose of one of the trains, now lying in the track bed like a giant metal caterpillar, motionless and patiently awaiting the end. You couldn't help but imagine what it would be like to see the train hurtling towards you, its headlights blindingly bright and moving so fast that it would shake the very ground beneath your feet...

No sooner had the image flashed through your mind than you were already moving again, heading for the opposite side of the tracks as quickly as possible. You felt a stabbing pain in your shoulder and had to clench your teeth to keep from crying out. But fortunately, it only took one more attempt for you to lift yourself back onto the platform.

However, any sense of accomplishment over this was erased in one fell swoop when, not long after, you finally stepped in front of the aforementioned ladder. You had to swallow as you looked up. Oh yes, this was definitely going to be a challenge...

Your eyes automatically searched for Vito (even though this immediately made you want to kick your own butt in shame) - only to discover him halfway up the ladder the next moment.

Leaving you with Matteo.

Great.

You could have screamed.

Instead, you just closed your eyes in resignation and took a deep breath. Well, what was the big deal anyway? He already knew about your shoulder. You'd just have to put up with a few snarky comments, but you were pretty used to that by now, so...

"You need a hand?"

"No."

Fuck you, mouth!!!

The scream was already sitting in your throat, but you did your best to swallow it down again and just resign yourself to the fact that you were a fucking idiot. Who made her bed and now had to lie in it, because taking back your no and asking for his help after all was definitely out of the question. Especially since the scarf wearer had already stepped in front of the ladder by then.

You watched anxiously as he climbed higher and higher until he disappeared over the edge of the platform, just like Vito before him. Then you slowly lowered your head before your eyes found the rungs of the ladder in front of you. Okay, time to get down to business...

You took another deep breath before raising your arms and grasping the handrails... and then finally pulled yourself up so that you could place your feet on the first rung. There you paused for a moment, pleasantly surprised that your shoulder didn't hurt nearly as much as you'd feared - but the very next rung already put a damper on that. As did the one after that, and the one after that... Until your shoulder felt like it was literally burning and you basically had to continue on with only one hand.

Only six more to go, come on... Now only five...

Eventually though, you had worked your way up to the fourth-last rung. Only one more separated you from seeing over the edge of the platform, but your joy was immediately tempered by the thought of the final hurdle: pulling yourself all the way up. Something that wouldn't work if you relied solely on your healthy shoulder, that much was certain. At least not if you didn't also want to look like a fucking idiot.

You paused again and leaned your masked forehead against the ladder with a sigh, inwardly bracing yourself for what was to come...

Then, out of the corner of your eye, you noticed movement to your left and turned your head to see a leather-clad hand reaching out towards you. This time you didn't hesitate and quickly accepted the help before the idiot part of you could sabotage it again. No sooner had your fingers closed around each other than a jolt went through your body and you were pulled up.

"Thanks", you breathed out in relief, just as your foot touched the metal surface of the platform...

Only to almost lose your balance again when Matteo suddenly let go of your hand as quickly as he had grabbed it. You just so managed to keep on your feet before your nose hit the ground. After that, you could only stare speechlessly after the scarf wearer, who soon disappeared around a bend, seemingly without giving you a second thought.

"What. The fuck...", you muttered under your breath before slowly following him.

For some reason, the guy was acting completely baffling today. Which was saying something, because of course he was also anything but a ray of sunshine usually. But you just couldn't shake the feeling that he was extra grumpy today... And had been so ever since you'd started your march, as if he was annoyed that he had to come in the first place. But it wasn't like you'd asked him to! And yet you felt that he was giving you in particular the cold shoulder.

But then he also... wasn't?

Sure, he seemed even more tight-lipped and sarcastic than usual, and acted as if he would rather do anything than help you out. But at the same time, he was also always close by and right there when you were in trouble. Whether it was a simple stumble or the sudden appearance of a stranger... It was almost as if the Rabbit anticipated your movements and constantly had a hand out in case you needed help. No, you certainly wouldn't call that a fear of contact.

But why he always shied away from you afterwards, as if you had burned him or as if you were the most disgusting thing he had ever touched, was a mystery to you. And yes, also a little hurtful. Especially since, again, you'd never once asked for his help, it had always been initiated by him!

You just couldn't think of anything that would have justified such a reaction. After all, it had been weeks since you had last seen each other! And back then, as far as you could remember, everything had still been fine...

Could it have something to do with the Weasel Stalker? Was that it? Was he mad at you for helping her...? But no, wait, that couldn't be it. If he was still miffed about that, he wouldn't have offered to help you with the ladder earlier. Besides, he'd already been acting strangely dismissive long before your encounter with the Weasel. Back in the Central Station Plaza, for example, when he had caught you after your little stumble, only to take flight just as quickly right after. At the time, you had still tried to explain it away, but now...

You were so preoccupied with the inner workings of your head that you didn't stop once to take in the vastness of the train shed from this far up before you were already walking around a steel beam and then, like Matteo before you, turned right into a gallery-like corridor. Where you promptly saw the Rabbit stepping through a large open gate further ahead. Behind which his brother had apparently been waiting for you two to catch up. Oops. You bit your lower lip and moved a little faster.

Vito signed something as soon as you rejoined them - and did your best to spare the scarf wearer not a single glance.

"Yeah, but we're here now, aren't we?", the very same replied the next moment. "So let's go."

The big Rabbit slowly lowered his hands, a sign that he wasn't particularly pleased with this answer to whatever it was he had been asking. But then he just gave a quick huff and nodded towards a doorway to your left, as if to say: "Well, lead the way then."

The three of you entered what might have been a waiting room, judging by the benches and the display board on one of the walls. Your eyes glanced briefly at the cancelled train connections, before casually wandering back to a certain piece of red fabric... At which point you gave a slight jerk and then quickly lowered them to the floor, admonishing yourself for being so absent-minded. You were still in Puppet territory after all, so you really should be paying more attention to your surroundings. Especially since all that pondering wouldn't lead to anything anyway! The only one who knew what was going on inside the scarf wearer's head was himself. Although... his contradictory behavior did raise some doubts about that as well...

The thought made you snort softly as you walked down some stairs and moments later stepped back outside onto another platform. You had to cross an open train wagon to get to the other side, where you were immediately greeted by another pair of Conductor Puppets. But again, your two companions made short work of them, and so you soon reached the far end of the building. Here you stopped in front of a wooden ramp that led down into the track bed - or rather, into dirty, greenish-brown sewage that stank absolutely abominably. You grimaced and wished that what the Rabbits had told you about the tunnel connecting the train station to the Barren Swamp had been confirmed in a... less disgusting way. At least this meant that the new pair of waterproof boots you had bagged last week had already paid off...

"The stuff's poisonous, so hands off", Matteo said before half turning his head towards you. "Wise decision to finally get some proper footwear."

You stared after him, open-mouthed, as he walked down the ramp and stepped into the water with a loud Splash.

He really doesn't miss a thing, huh, you thought before following him. But he was a trained Stalker, so you shouldn't be too surprised.

You'd only walked a few steps in the nasty sludge before your face twisted into a grimace. The confined space down here intensified its fumes to the point that you imagined them burning your face off, even through your mask. You couldn't remember smelling anything like that during your time in the Barren Swamp. But who knew what had happened to that place since then. You wouldn't be surprised if there was more than one "Swamp Monster" by now...

You shuddered and quickened your pace to catch up with the scarf wearer in front of you.

The tunnel ran in a straight line, so you had a clear view. At its end, you could make out a wall of wooden planks stretching from floor to ceiling, blocking your way. Red light shone through gaps and reflected in the wetness below, while the accompanying alarm sound was ringing in your ears, amplified by the narrow stone walls.

It probably would have been quite easy to break through the blockade, but then Matteo took a different route all of a sudden and went up another ramp that led deeper into the tunnel system.

Tock, Tock, Tock your footsteps made on the wooden slats beneath you as you entered the new corridor. You were glad to be out of the toxic sewage, but your relief didn't last long as you soon found yourself standing in front of yet another ladder. Which, to make matters even worse, led downwards this time.

You stifled a frustrated groan. The red light of the alarm lamp above your heads made it look even more ominous...

Again, Matteo turned towards you. But before he could say anything, you suddenly felt an arm wrap around your middle - and then you lost the ground beneath your feet. The whole thing happened so quickly that you didn't even have time to let out a surprised scream before Vito's feet already hit the dusty ground below and he released you from his grip.

You quickly waved him off as he started to apologize for the sudden action and gave him a simple (if shaky) thumbs up. All your concentration was on forcing your legs not to kick out from under you, making it so you were only vaguely aware of Matteo landing next to you. He muttered something under his breath, which made Vito chuckle and give you a good-natured pat on the back.

Just as you noticed the bodies lying on the ground a few steps to your left... And quickly decided that just because your legs were shaking like a leaf didn't mean they couldn't walk.

The air down here was damp and cold, and smelled musty and stale. A definite improvement on before, but still not very pleasant. You had to fight the urge to stick your clammy hands into your jacket pockets. Eventually the stone walls turned into dented, rusty metal. This was still a long way from your idea of a "mine", but the wooden struts spaced at regular intervals to support the ceiling brought it a little closer.

"We're almost there", Matteo announced as you arrived at a green door.

Your eyebrows shot up in surprise as you watched the Rabbit push open the wings, flinching when they let out an awful high-pitched squeak. You had been travelling for some time now, but still you had assumed that you would have to follow the tunnel system for a little longer. It had never occurred to you that the swamp was this close to the city...

A couple of Crawlies were waiting for you on the other side of the door, Puppets without a lower body, that moved by pulling themselves across the floor with their hands. You were pleased to be able to take one of them out yourself, even if it had its back to you because it was distracted by Vito. It felt good not to be completely useless for a change.

At first you thought the warm orange glow in this part of the tunnel was from lamps, like the one just above the door. But then you stopped in amazement as the room suddenly opened up into a large cavern. A cavern full of piles of garbage, some of which were literally on fire. They covered almost the entire floor, with only a narrow path leading through to the other side.

You looked at the charred Puppet remains and frowned.

As the name suggested, the Barren Swamp had never been a place that had seen many visitors. This was, of course, partly due to the fact that it was a bloody swamp, and partly due to its rather remote location and the fact that the many ravines and rock formations made it unsuitable for any serious construction. For a long time, this had made the Barren Swamp rather uninteresting to the local population - until a few shrewd factory businesses came up with the idea of disposing their scrapped Puppet models here, eventually turning this place into a gigantic dumping ground. Illegally, of course.

At least on paper.

For the higher-ups soon realized that this place just might have a right to exist after all. Not only in terms of Krat's optics (of course, none of the townspeople, and especially the visitors, were particularly keen on looking out the window and seeing a giant garbage dump across the street), but also in terms of health benefits; many of the discarded Puppets were releasing substances that were not harmless to humans. And animals of course, plants... But in the beginning, the most important thing was to protect the people. So what if that meant using a piece of untouched nature! Especially as it would only be a temporary solution anyway, until they would find a better place.

A temporary solution... Which, of course, was kept deliberately vague, and so turned from weeks into months into years. Until the dump had finally grown so large that any promise by the city council to redevelop or somehow transform the swamp back to its original state was nothing more than empty talk. Good publicity, just as it had always been. The gullible public was led to believe that this whole enterprise would not be tolerated, while behind the scenes the city was freely colluding with the factory owners, even providing them with funds to develop the whole thing further. Building a tram station, supplying huge cranes... and hiring even more workers, mostly from the slums, of course.

At least this "secret" cooperation between the city and the factories led to stricter safety precautions and the introduction of new regulations aimed at more careful waste disposal. However, this was rarely, if ever, checked up on. And certainly not in the more remote corners, like this cave, where every single regulation had obviously been smoked in a pipe. Perhaps that was how the many fires had started...

"'Progress justifies the means'. Or something like that...", you murmured as you trotted after the two Rabbits who had already moved on.

It only took a few steps before you felt a slight burning sensation in your eyes, but you didn't know if it was because the combination of the fumes and smoke was so strong that it even penetrated your mask, or simply because of your vivid imagination. Either way, you had to blink a few times before your vision came back into focus.

Which happened just as Matteo stopped and turned towards you and Vito. You tilted your head back and saw that you were standing just below the highest point of the cave. Not far from a ladder either, as you realized as soon as you looked back at the scarf wearer, right as he said: "We're going up."

You briefly wondered why something so obvious needed an announcement... Then the Rabbit suddenly turned right towards a garbage pile. You frowned before looking up again to see a large drainpipe protruding from the cavern wall ahead.

"Through... Through there?", you blurted out. "But can't we just..." You gestured towards the ladder, but stopped when Vito shook his head.

"No", Matteo said, without even looking at you, "we can't. It's not safe."

But climbing through a drainpipe and wading through literal poison is safer...??

Though you kept your mouth shut. What were you to argue with trained Stalkers, they probably knew what they were doing. So you just gave the ladder one last, wistful look (oh, how the tables had turned...) before you set off after the Rabbits and started climbing.

Fortunately, this part of the pile hadn't caught fire yet and was also relatively low, so it didn't take too much effort or time until you reached the top, just below the big pipe. Of course, you knew that you wouldn't get any further without help, so your eyes immediately searched for Vito again...

Only to jump and whirl around when you suddenly felt someone enter your personal space.

Someone who, in the next moment, turned out to be Matteo. Who was now unceremoniously wrapping his right arm around your waist to hold you tightly against his body.

In an instant, your head went completely blank, except for one thought:

Huh?!

The Rabbit coughed slightly before saying in a low voice: "It's faster this way."

Maybe it was the fumes in the air. Or your surprise, and the fact that you had been feverishly trying to figure out why this guy was acting... the way he was acting today. Or maybe it was simply the fact that he was holding you so tightly now that you imagined you breathing the same air and felt every little movement of his body as if it were your own...

But whatever it was, as soon as Matteo had finished speaking, your face felt ten times as warm and you were suddenly extremely grateful for your mask. Any confusion and irritation the man had caused you earlier was all but forgotten. Instead, you suddenly found yourself transported back in time, back to the Town Hall, to Giulia's room, hair still damp from the shower and dressed in nothing but a thin nightgown, which made it all the easier to feel how he-

No, stop. You quickly forced your thoughts in a less head-exploding direction and eventually landed on the memory of your first grappling hook ride. You'd been quite embarrassed back then as well, but mainly because you didn't know where to put your arms - a problem that solved itself now.

"Hold on to my shoulders", Matteo murmured as if on cue, and so close to your face that you had to suppress a little shudder.

"O-okay", you breathed out.

Then you did as you were told and stiffly moved your arms around his neck, automatically bringing you even closer together. For a brief moment you thought you could feel a slight trembling beneath you, could hear a sharp intake of breath... Before the pressure of his arm around your midsection increased and you lost your footing once more, thinking that you would probably never get used to this kind of transportation.

Eyes squeezed shut, you clung to the Rabbit as the air whooshed past your ears. Last time you had travelled the length of a tower. This time you didn't go quite as high, but again the ride felt like it lasted half an eternity. Until...

"You can let go now."

You opened your eyes a crack and squinted at a grey mass in front of you; the inside of the pipe, you realized the next moment. Along with the fact that you'd been standing here for quite some time now... And that the Rabbit had long since removed his arm from your waist, while you still had yours wrapped around his neck as if your life depended on it.

Your heart skipped a beat before you jerked back, putting the necessary distance between you again.

"Yes, sorry, I...", you began, your cheeks flushed with embarrassment - but stopped as soon as Matteo turned away and walked deeper into the pipe, completely ignoring you. Again.

Immediately, your embarrassment turned to irritation and even a little anger.

The same old story. Again, it seemed that he only saw you as some... annoying dead weight to be transported from point A to point B. As if he couldn't get away from you fast enough otherwise, even though it was him who had invaded your personal space in the first place! Hell, if it bothered him that much, he could've just let Vito take you again, like last time. Problem solved! But no. That made far too much sense, apparently, for this guy's brain to come up with...

No sooner had you finished that thought than you caught something out of the corner of your eye and looked to your left, where Vito was standing, arms folded, leaning against the pipe wall. Seemingly having the time of his life, watching you make an absolute clown of yourself. For a few moments you just stared back... Then you abruptly turned away and stomped after Matteo, causing the big Rabbit to send an amused laugh after you, which made you want to throw yourself headfirst out of the other end of the pipe.

Instead, you stopped a small distance away and crossed your arms yourself now, as Matteo explained your next move.

"There's a lake on the other side, surrounded by high cliffs and full of the same poisonous shite we had to walk through earlier. The only way out is right over here, in the wall." He nodded at an invisible point to your left. "An old staircase, half destroyed. It leads to a suspension bridge that spans the entire lake and will get us deeper into the swamp, where we-"

"Great, let's go then", you cut him off, stepping right to the edge of the drainpipe - where you paused again, turning around as you felt the Rabbit's intense gaze on you. "What? You said it yourself this morning: 'We haven't got all day'. So what are we waiting for?"

With that, you took another step forward and dropped down. Fortunately, you hadn't misjudged the height or the trajectory of your fall, so your boots landed right on top of another pile of scrap metal. They were scattered all over the poison lake, little islands of pale Puppet parts that looked like gruesome piles of bones from a distance. And formed a rather useful path to the staircase Matteo had mentioned, making you quite grateful for them in the end.

Without further ado, you set off, determined to do this on your own this time, without help.

You didn't even know why you were so frustrated. Why the scarf wearer's behavior irritated you so. He seemed to be solely focused on your mission. The only time he had deviated slightly was when you had met the Weasel Stalker, but apart from that he had been the picture of efficiency and professionalism all day. A businessman through and through. And at its core, that was exactly what this was: business. There was no room for bruised egos or - Heaven forbid! - hurt feelings.

There wasn't even room for such thoughts, and yet you couldn't help yourself as you reached the outer wall and, soon after, began your climb. The rain had eased up a little during your underground walk, but the rock was still slippery enough, so you had to remind yourself to concentrate. It would be the most embarrassing thing in the world if you were to fall and break your neck now, especially after your little speech earlier. No, you definitely didn't want to give Matteo that kind of satisfaction.

But all went well in the end. Most of the climb consisted of rough steps carved into the rock face, which wasn't too big of a hurdle. Sometimes they had broken away, requiring a bit more physical effort; but your shoulder endured, until finally you reached the top and found yourself on a paved road all of a sudden. No, not a road, a bridge. Not the one Matteo had been talking about, definitely not. Because for one thing, this one was made of stone, and for another, it had half collapsed, leaving a gaping hole in the middle. On the other side, you could make out a small plateau from which the aforementioned suspension bridge spanned the rest of the lake.

You tried to estimate the distance between the two bridge sections and came to the conclusion that it was manageable. At least, with enough momentum. Your head turned to your two companions, who were hot on your heels, and then back to the collapsed bridge in front of you. It would probably be wiser to wait for them, just in case something went wrong...

But at the same time, this felt suspiciously like giving in, and that you definitely didn't want. You would manage on your own. After all, it was just a little hop, no big deal. Besides, what was that saying again? "Intelligence without ambition is a bird without wings"...?

And I could really use some of that now, you thought, before taking a deep breath, shaking your hands nervously... and then launching yourself forward.

Keeping your eyes on the wide gap in your path, your feet thundered across the stone, splashing puddles in every direction. The closer you got to the edge, the more your muscles tensed, until finally you clenched your teeth and pushed yourself off the ground.

For a moment, you floated weightlessly through the air... But the plan worked. Well, apart from the fact that when your feet hit the ground on the other side, you had to flail your arms at first to keep your balance. Eventually though, you had a firm stand and could breathe a sigh of relief.

Your heart skipped a beat as you looked around from your new vantage point. You were on the aforementioned rocky plateau that jutted out of the center of the lake like a stone needle, connected to the mainland on either side by a suspension bridge. You eyed the wooden structures skeptically; at first glance, they seemed much more stable than the ones in Moonlight Town, but that didn't mean much. Especially looking at the other dilapidations all around you...

Suddenly, you heard cawing and then saw a flock of crows fly past you and up into the sky. Your gaze followed them until it caught on one of the steep cliffs - and what lay behind it. Something that looked all too familiar. After all, your workplace had provided you with that exact same view for years.

In the distance, snow-capped peaks could be seen through the fine veil of rain, and in front of them, the huge watchtowers, ancient stone giants from a time long past. They were surrounded by a multitude of cranes, not even half the size of the three towers, but some were still rising above them due to their elevated position. They had always reminded you of steel dragons guarding their treasure, only in this case the treasure was a mountain of garbage, consisting of factory waste and piles upon piles of bodies and body parts. A real Puppet graveyard...

And the ghosts of this graveyard were not far away, you knew that from experience. Corrupted animals had already existed long before the Krat catastrophe, before the Carcass phenomenon. Tragically, they had fallen ill from the toxic substances released over time by the discarded Puppets. Animals and plants alike. Here and there you could still see the branches of a tree protruding over the rock formations, but they too were nothing more than dead wood by now. Black needles threatening to pierce the grey clouds behind them.

Not to mention the frenzied Puppet workers you would inevitably encounter. Automatically, your eyes flitted back to one of the stone towers. Some of the machines and heavy equipment they had worked with here would be immensely dangerous if used as weapons. You only hoped that someone had managed to deactivate them in time...

Suddenly you heard a noise behind you and quickly turned around. Only to see Matteo straighten up after his jump and then promptly walk towards you, saying: "You know that was really stupid, right?"

"Why? It all worked out, didn't it?", you defended yourself, automatically crossing your arms in front of your body again. His voice just had that effect on you.

"Yeah, because you have more luck than sense", he huffed.

You rolled your eyes, but otherwise ignored the snide remark. "What other choice was there, huh? I don't see any other way to get here."

"You could have waited for us."

"That wouldn't have fixed the bridge either."

"No, but it would've been a whole lot safer."

"You took too long."

"So you just take the risk of falling and breaking your neck." He turned and walked away from you. "Like I said. Stupid."

You furrowed your brow in irritation just as Vito joined your merry duo. But your attention never once strayed from his infuriating brother.

"So what if I did!", you shouted after him. "What do you care?? I'm sure you would have been only too happy to make some money off my corpse!"

Matteo stopped dead in his tracks and whirled around. For a moment, you half expected him to charge at you... But then he didn't move an inch, just kept staring. You didn't know what to make of it, but there was no chance in hell that you were going to back down from whatever this was, so you just stuck out your chin and took him up on the challenge, staring back defiantly...

Until the Rabbit finally shook his head and muttered: "Whatever. Do what you want." before walking away.

You grinned triumphantly, but only for a few seconds. Then your confusion at his reaction got the upper hand again.

Was this what the entire rest of the day would be like...??

Before you could get lost in thought again, you saw Vito signing something in your direction. Your eyes automatically darted back to Matteo, your designated translator, but he still had his back to you of course, so you had no choice but to give his brother an apologetic shrug.

After which the big man simply turned around, pointed to the hole in the bridge and then gave you an impressed thumbs up.

You blinked in surprised silence before your mouth twisted into a genuine smile and you copied the gesture with a laugh. Thank the Saints for this big softie... You didn't want to imagine what this day would be like without him there to cheer you up every time his brother drove you up the wall.

But, as your ever generous luck would have it, you didn't have to imagine for long...

First, however, you found yourself on the much-mentioned suspension bridge, whose sturdy railings were held together by thick ropes - but that was where the meticulous engineering already ended, for the actual bridge, the wooden slats you were walking on, were so shoddily constructed that there were gaps as wide as your arms sometimes. And you didn't dare take your eyes off your feet until you reached the other side, where you immediately heaved a sigh of relief.

The path continued uphill, between two rough stone walls so close together that it was almost like walking in a tunnel. You didn't like it at all, especially since you just couldn't not imagine something jumping down on you from above. What made you feel even more uncomfortable though, was when the path finally opened up again and the "tunnel" led you to a small, oval-shaped square...

Whose ground was covered in Puppet parts.

In some cases, they looked downright draped, with arms and legs sticking out of the dirt like macabre plants, and heads positioned as if they were about to start talking if you looked at them a little too long. At the same time, this bizarre display also reminded you of a nest; the nest of a predator that brought its prey here to play with it, to tear it apart limb from limb...

You shuddered and were all too glad when you had passed through this place.

Only to stop just outside.

Further ahead was another wooden bridge leading to one of the huge watchtowers. You had to tilt your head back to see the merlons far above. These stone giants had also seen better days and had lost quite a bit of substance over the years, falling to the ground in an avalanche of rubble.

Hopefully it hit some of the frenzied Puppets...

You were so distracted for a moment that you only picked up on your companions' conversation when Matteo suddenly said: "Alright. We'll meet back here in the evening then."

Instantly, your head whipped around. "Wait", you blurted out as your eyes darted back and forth between the two Rabbits, finally landing on Vito, who already had one foot on the bridge. "We're splitting up? Was that part of the plan...? W-why?"

"Vito's meeting one of our partners and also has some personal business to attend to", Matteo explained matter-of-factly. "We'll team up again on the way back."

So much for the "big softie buffer" between you and the scarf wearer...

Just my luck, you thought glumly. The prospect of having to spend the rest of the day alone with him made your stomach flutter uncomfortably.

You swallowed nervously, before daring another attempt, not wanting to admit defeat so easily. "But... But this won't take that long, right? I mean, we've only got, what, early afternoon? And as far as I remember, the treasure is not that far from the here! So surely we can juggle... both..."

You trailed off as Vito shook his head and then said through his brother: "I have to go to the other end of the swamp. It's better to travel alone, so as not to draw too much attention to myself."

"Besides, our partner values secrecy", Matteo added. "Vito's the only one he meets with."

You briefly wondered who this ominous "partner" might be, before admonishing yourself to stay focused, and demonstratively took a step forward, still not ready to throw in the towel. "But..."

However, before you could continue, the big Rabbit shook his head again with an amused snort and then signed a simple: "Go!" which even you understood.

Matteo had already turned away and disappeared from your field of vision by that point, but you stood firm. At least until the next moment, when Vito stepped in front of you and put his big hands on your shoulders... before turning your whole body around. You let him, albeit pouting and with a sour expression on your face, knowing full well how senseless and childish you were behaving. But you just couldn't help yourself.

Just as you couldn't help trying to at least turn your head in Vito's direction again - which the Rabbit knew to prevent, however, by giving you a gentle push forward, all the while chuckling softly. After that, you only dared to look back at him once you had taken a few steps in the direction you had come from.

But by then the big man was already gone.

You bit your lower lip. Instead of acting so immature, you should have wished him a safe journey... You knew Vito was very strong, and it wasn't the first time he'd done this, but accidents could happen to anyone. Or to anyrabbit! Now you just had to hope that your bad luck hadn't rubbed off on him.

And speaking of bad luck...

You sighed loudly before dragging your feet towards the scarf wearer, who was waiting for you a little further ahead, tapping his foot impatiently.

Lucky you, indeed...

***

i wrote this chapter and chapter 12 as one initially, so that's why this one feels like yet another set up chapter (apologies apologies),, but fret not!!! that also means 12 is gonna pack aaaaaall the good stuff hehehe trust🤭

thank you sm for readingg, i hope you enjoyed it!! feedback is welcome and very much appreciated~

34 notes · View notes