Curiosity Kills the Cat (An IDFB Fanfic)

Chapter 23

"Hey Leafy," he greeted, concern twanging in his voice, glancing up at her. In an instant, Leafy picked up on it. Her face softened at the sight, her brain trying to figure out what to do.

She had comforted him once, and, to her luck, she had a clear head that day. Even then, it had been a while since she last comforted him or someone else. Someone that wasn't—well, herself. And even then, she preferred to bottle it up and ignore it. Her hand fell beside her hip, her eyes following the guy as he sat next to a bush, using it as a backrest.

She couldn't help but notice the way he flicked his jacket's zipper, the frown drawn on his face. Leafy could tell he was thinking, but it wasn't like the last time when he wasn't in the best of circumstances. He was preoccupied.

"How've you been?" she asked, cross-crossing down next to him. It snapped him out of his thoughts, causing him to jump from the sudden noise. "Oh. Uh, it's been better," he trailed off, trying to figure out how to bring up the topic. He looked away; worry stuck in his mind.

Maybe everything was a mistake.

She rolled her eyes at the bland response. She knew him—maybe not too well—but she knew him enough to know it was a lie. "What's the issue?"

He turned his sight back to her, his breath heavy.

"It's a," he anxiously chuckled, "rather big issue." He swallowed down the fear that clung to his throat.

"What?"

It was a blank response, something he expected.

"It's a long story, to be honest, but long story short, I'm not supposed to be here," he said, seeing her blank face turn confused. Her eyes never stayed still, jumping from his eyes before darting down to the ground. "And those cans? I wasn't supposed to give them to you."

She pressed her lips together, a frown forming the moment he said "you".

Internally, she knew it was bound to happen. That at some point the bubble would burst—her sense of safety would be at threat. But not at that moment. Things had been going so well. Instinctively, she brushed it off with a scoff, forcing a smile as she asked, "What do you mean?"

Denying—she was going to deny it as much as she could. Not now.

Coiny shook his head, letting it hang low as he ruffled his hair. "Leafy, what I'm saying is that everything I've been doing has been at a risk. Me just being here," he exclaimed, dread in his voice, "is a risk, a massive one since..."

The words he'd prepared left his mind before he could say them. Everything he'd done fell down in front of him, and he wasn't sure if anything would hold up.

"Leafy, did you steal from the pantry before?"

A flood of confusion struck her at the question. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Did you take any cans? "

"Coiny, if I had taken any food beforehand, I would be far from here. Probably back at Goiky." She let her back fall onto the bush behind her, sighing as she closed her eyes. Her mind raced; every part of her being didn't want to deal with it. Everything had been going so well.

Silence. He didn't reply, letting the wilting wood fill the surrounding air. He was too afraid of what she'd think. And if he had to be honest, he liked the silence between them. It was a simple thing that made him calm. Especially with her. Maybe it was the outdoors that was more relaxing, far from the troubles of the city.

"I only went to the city twice," she spoke, startling him. He faced her, her eyes half-lidded, full of melancholy as she spoke again. "The first time I was," she stopped to take a deep breath. "I had finally made it. After months of walking by myself, I had made it to Yoyle City."

She turned her sight from the fire to her hands.

"I had followed the river, feeding off of fish and yoyleberries—and anything I could scavenge together to eat. I thought I wouldn't ever have to worry about anyone being after me if I came here, since..." She stopped, a faint smile on her face telling Coiny just enough for him to speak up.

"You don't have to continue, Leafy."

With a glance towards him, she meekly responded. "I know."

"I had assumed you guys wouldn't be here. And when I walked into Yoyleland, the first thing I heard was his voice." She snickered as she kept her sight on the palm of her hands. "I thought I was going insane. Imagining Firey's voice around me but then I saw him talking to some green-haired kid. Jelly or something like that," she said, recalling everything from that day.

"I saw how happy he was, talking with him. Some part of me thought he replaced me, until I saw more of the contestants. They were everywhere."

Her smile faded, turning into a frown as she softly spoke. "I had arrived too late. I don't know what happened, but everyone was there. Except Pin, Needle, and—funnily enough—you."

Slightly shaking her head, she closed her eyes, her voice softer than usual. "I just remember wanting to run away: run back to Goiky. Run anywhere, anywhere but there. Except I had nowhere to go. I didn't know where. And I had spent so much time getting here—so many hours. So much fear, just for it to be thrown out the window for nothing."

Her hand fell beside her hip, grazing the grass. "I stayed, and set myself here. Far enough from the city, but close enough if I ever needed something."

Leafy finally turned his sight to him.

"And that's the second time I went to the city. I was tired of eating the same thing, and needed some basic supplies. So I went to the city, found the supplies, but I couldn't find any food. I looked everywhere I could and there was nothing. And just as I was leaving, I heard GB. She was looking at me, dead in the eyes, so I ran. I never went back."

She sighed profusely, letting her head fall into the leaves behind her again.

"I stole nothing and did nothing against any of you," she said. She turned to the boy beside her, chuckling before she spoke. "So how about you tell me how bad our situation is, alright?"

A/N: I was already dozing off when I suddenly remembered I had to publish it. ^^; Other than that, I really like writing this. And I will not lie, I had forgotten I wrote Chapter 12—one of my least favorite chapters I've written.

Also, would anyone be interested in an Inanimate Insanity fanfic? Or maybe a CoinPin fanfic? I have ideas for both so I kinda wanna know. On another side note, I watched ONE for the first time in December and I kid you not I cried more than I would like to admit.  It was really good. 

Chapter 24 will be out next week! Bye!!