Reborn into The Promised Neverland//RayxReader//

//Catch me if you can//

Cozbi leaned into my face. "Did you hit your head against that fountain?"

"It's..." I puffed out my cheeks in frustration. "...complicated."

"What is so complicated about that?!"

I dragged Cozbi into an alleyway, glancing out into the street.

"All of it!" I exclaimed after checking the coast was clear, tucking my mask into my cloak.

"They're supposed to think I'm dead! Well, all of them but one, but they're here now, regardless of reason, and now they've seen me, so OBVIOUSLY they know I'm not dead!"

"Isn't that... a good thing?"

"No!" I shot back. "I made a promise with The One! And they said that if my friends knew I was alive, they'd rewrite their stupid memories to have me dying in them! And then there'd be no chance of me ever going back. Zero! Nada!"

"So... that's why you ran?"

I paused. "Well..."

"Oh, so, you ran away and THEN thought of that."

"Don't blame me!" I blurted out. "They surprised me!"

"How??"

"I'm running on solely adrenaline at this point! That, coupled with the fact that I haven't slept more than 3 consecutive hours in the past week is making me a little jumpy!"

Cozbi blinked. "Aren't you always jumpy??"

"No!" I paused. "Well, I mean, I have been for a while, but no!"

"So... it's not normal for you to sleep with a knife under your pillow?"

"For the love of god, that was one time 'cause you snuck up on me." I started. "And if it was like two years ago, no, sleeping with a knife under my pillow would not be normal!"

"So... you're telling me that 'usually' ...you aren't super-paranoid, jumpy, and scarily armed to the teeth?"

"No! Get with the memo! And shut up!"

Cozbi's mouth clamped shut.

The silence was short-lasted, though, as she soon leaned over my shoulder while I scanned the street. "So? What's the plan...?" she asked.

My eyes continued focused outside the alleyway while I spoke. "I've got to get to my room in the castle so I can go to the seven walls."

"...then why not just go?"

"Because it's quiet."

"...what?"

"It's quiet, because they're looking for me." I elaborated with a hint of exasperation. When Cozbi seemed even more confused, I continued explaining. "Normally, if someone ran away, you'd be like 'Y/N! Come back!,' right?"

"I mean... that's what I said...?"

"Do you hear any of that?"

"...no?"

"Exactly. So, presuming they are here for me, why are they being quiet now?"

"Why would I–"

"Rhetorical question, Cozbi." I sighed. "The answer is that they've probably figured I'm going to go to the seven walls to try and make another promise. Though, instead I'm going to ask X not to rewrite their memories, but that doesn't matter– what matters is what they think."

"And, supposing they are here for me, even though they should think I'm dead right now, it would mean they're rejecting the promise I made– though if I did leave that loophole intentionally... Regardless, it means probably, they don't want me making another promise.