Infectious Crimson (M. Yandere x Fem. Reader)

The Worrying

A/N: As usual, I would recommend putting the video on loop.

Left fingers trailed across the softness of the female hare's coat, and the hare's eyes were closed. The hare's breathing was steady, and (f/n) figured that the small creature was fast asleep. She would've smiled at the cute animal's action, but her lips couldn't upturn themselves. Instead, she almost had a neutral expression if it weren't for the very slight frown on her lips. Having heard Emorie's account of what Jetta had done, she knew that Jetta had every intent to woo Emorie into liking her.

"Perhaps, I shouldn't have offered to help her." His right hand moved away from the male hare, and he sat up a little straighter on the ground. "I've upset you." He gently grabbed her left hand. "But, that's why I wanted to tell you now so that you wouldn't think worse of me later."

Slowly, she shook her head, and there was a smidgen of heat in her cheeks at him holding her hand so tenderly. "No, you haven't upset me. You were being kind and helping an injured woman." That time, she managed a smile and sent it his way. "I can't get mad about that, but Jetta ..." (F/n) trailed off. If she said anything more, she might embarrass herself too much.

Thankfully, Emorie managed to understand her dilemma, and he didn't ask her to explain herself further. Rather, he lifted up her left hand and kissed the back of it. "Thank you, (f/n)." Instantly, her cheeks grew hot, and she averted her eyes from his. "You honor me with such kindness."

Shaking her head again, she responded, "Again, there was nothing that caused me to be angry with you, but there is something strange I noticed on my way here now that you've mentioned her." His hand left hers, and he rested his arm on his knee. He raised a brow in puzzlement and concern. "Jetta, I saw her heading down the path into the woods. Not the woods by the river. She was going straight into the ones at the end of Levonshire's main path. She's never gone down that way before, at least from what I've seen of her when she's outside her home."

Now, a heavy frown met Emorie's lips, which caused (f/n) almost to lean forward out of worry, but she recalled the hare on her lap, so she maintained her current position so as not to disturb the small critter. "... When did you see her going down that path?"

"Before I came here. At the time, I was the only other one out on the street." Her left fingers wrapped around some of the fabric of her dark blue skirt, and her toes curled in her leather shoes. The frown on his countenance didn't let up. In fact, it deepened, and a pit in her stomach began to form.

"That is strange." He tapped his fingers against his right leg. "I saw Jacob head down that path before you came here. There were people on the street at the time, but no one seemed to pay him mind."

"They wouldn't." He met her gaze head on. "Jacob and I use to go down that path all the time as children. Even when we talk together, we sometimes walk down that path, but if Jetta went down there too ..." She didn't like where this was going. Maybe, Jacob had decided to court Jetta, and that was why they were off meeting secretly, but something in her gut told her otherwise. If that truly were the case, why would they need to keep it a secret? Jacob knew that she didn't like him back, and Jetta would be a good choice for him since she didn't have a trade of her own to take care of.

"Do you think that they're planning something together?" Emorie's question only caused her to sink more into her thoughts. But, what would they plan? She didn't want to travel down that path anymore, but the circumstances were leading her right to that. If Jetta liked Emorie and Jacob wanted her affection, they very well might be working together to get the partner they each wanted. Still, would Jacob really go that far? Her parents probably would have no hesitation to agree that he would take such measures. Needless to say, it unnerved her.