The Humanoid ~Vash x OC AU~

Chapter 1: Crumbling Towers

**Mature content ahead – reader discretion advised**

Leilani

There is a fire.

Burning. Deep, deep down in the hollow pit of my chest. It burns and aches, the tall flames towering over me, swarming and surrounding.

It flows through my veins in the same way it slithers through my mind, haunting my memories and dreams. Images are forever seared into the fabric of my mind, replaying whenever I close my eyes, reminding me of how those flames stitched themselves into my skin.

The scar. It is a long and ugly thing that stretches from the left side of my ribs, falling to the right side of my lower abdomen. The flesh there is gnarly. A bubbled pinkish white that has faded over the years. But no matter how long it has been, it will always be the same angry scar created by an unholy fire.

And just as that fire will forever be sewn into my skin, his face will forever be etched into my memory, burned into permanency.

But as I lay here in my thoughts, a gentle knock comes upon the door, ripping me from the isolation of my mind while thrusting me into reality. My eyes drift to the door just as Meryl, a petite woman with cropped black hair and dark eyes pokes her head in. Almost instantly her gaze meets mine and she flashes that same concerned expression that I have seen repeatedly over the last few days.

A sickening feeling consumes me every time I see it. That look. It pulls and gnaws at me, reminding me of how broken I am right now. Of how fragile they think I am. I hate it, but I do understand it.

"Hey," she says. Her voice is small and soft. "Agatha is here. Do you want me to go ahead and bring her in or...?"

The truth is that if I could, I would send them all away. Not just Agatha, but all of them – Nicholas, Roberto, Meryl, even Vash. Especially Vash. I would wave my hands and make them all disappear. Or rather, maybe I'd make myself disappear. To just wave my hand and teleport somewhere else. Somewhere that isn't filled with so many complications and burdens. Somewhere that isn't hellishly hot and grimy. Somewhere where I can just exist.

But the reality is so different. I can't wave my hand and poof myself into another dimension. I am here, and because of so many stupid decisions, I am now in this position. I am now stuck in this, and I need to know for certain what lies ahead. No matter how terrified I am.

Slowly, I start to sit up, my bones cracking away the stiffness as I do so. My throat is dry and raw, leaving my voice croaky as I speak. "Yeah. Go ahead. We might as well get this over with."

But even as I say that I shrivel up a little more on the inside.

Meryl scans me, then nods, "Okay. Just give me a minute."

She pops back out into the hall, leaving the door cracked. I can hear her say something, but I don't care to put much effort into figuring out what, then reemerges. This time, Agatha follows behind her, flashing a warm smile at me.

Agatha makes her way into mine and Meryl's shared room, the floor creaking under her weight with each shift. Her warm blue eyes are already trained on me, her light brunette locks pulled back into a frizzy ponytail. Her features, though light and gentle, are aged and tiny wrinkles crease the corners of her eyes. But she is just as she always is – bright and kind.

"Thank you for coming at such short notice," Meryl says, making her way to my bed. She stands, meeting Agatha's stare. "And thank you for being discreet. This is all kind of sudden. Though, I must admit, when I asked about this town's midwives, I wasn't expecting you to say you're one. Between that and the hotel, how do you manage it all?"