Libertas || The Promised Neverland x Reader

Chapter 2: Praescisco

  You woke up groggily, waiting for your eyes to adjust to the light and your surroundings. You were on a mattress in the dining room. Rubbing your eyes and wiping the drool that had been dripping down the side of your face, you threw the blanket off yourself. You saw some young children running around, and heard the baths running further down the hallway. The shelter was more alive than it had ever been before.

"Huh." You said sleepily, rubbing the back of your head where you presumed you'd been hit. "Ugh...who knocked me out....?"

"That would be me." You whipped your head to see the black-haired boy sitting at the dining table. Along with him was the ginger girl.

"Oh uh...can't say I blame you, really." You said as you stepped off the mattress. "I would've done the same if I were in your position. What time is it?"

"You've been out for a couple of days." The ginger girl sounded a little worried as you read her face. "It's around 7 in the morning."

"Wait. First things first---what's your name again? How old are you? How do you know that man?" The black-haired boy asked you firmly. He and the ginger seemed to have their guards up. "You didn't really talk when we were all back in his room."

Not like either party really gave me a chance. You internally scoffed.

"(Y/N), I'm 17, and he's my brother." You smiled warmly. This seemed to put both the kids more at ease, and definitely got rid of the tension that had been in the atmosphere before. "A name for a name, I'd say. You are?"

"Ray." The boy replied. You looked to the girl expectantly.

"Emma." She smiled at you, causing you to widen your smile even more.

"I'm glad you and your family made it safely to B06-32." You went closer to Ray, who tensed up again at your closeness. You could see how guarded he was. He may have looked like an 11-year-old boy but one look at his eyes told you that he, even more than his other siblings, had had to mature earlier. He was hardened....but so was your brother.

"Hey, what're you--" You held out your hand in a welcoming gesture. After eyeing you warily to see if you had any ulterior motives, Ray clasped his hand in yours and shook it.

You chuckled to yourself and turned to Emma. She was much warmer than Ray, but by no means was she less ferocious or mature. You could tell that she had the spirit of a fighter and a leader from one look in her eyes. She shook your hand more enthusiastically.

"Well Ray, Emma. Welcome to our shelter."

You suddenly felt a tug on your shorts and looked down to see some of the younger children gathered at your feet.

"I'm Jemima!"
"I'm Alicia!"
"I'm Dominic!"

"Well hello, little ones, I'm (Y/N)." You kneeled down to their level and ruffled Alicia's hair. "It's nice you meet you all. Did you guys have your breakfast yet?"

"Yup!! We had toast!" Dominic replied, grinning toothily.

"And and--we had orange juice!" Alicia jumped up and down.

"You're so nice (Y/N)!" Jemima's eyes sparkled.

"Are you Mister's sister?" Alicia asked. The three giggled at the rhyme.

"Yes, I am. Though it may not seem like it."

"You're much different from that old geezer." Ray scoffed out and you snorted, straightening back up and fixing your hair. What had once been in a bun had devolved into a tangled mess, and you put what you could up into a more tangled ponytail.