The Assistant (Toymaker x reader)

Another Way

"...Y/N..." Peter stared blankly down at the page. He looked like he was thinking hard about something. Then he looked up at you. His expression made it look like he could break apart at any second.
"You... would do that for me?" He asked softly.
"Well, of course I would. I care about you after all." You said.
"Y-you... care-" before he could say another word, you placed a gentle kiss on his forehead.
That really did him in. He froze entirely and couldn't stop the raging blush coming to his cheeks. You could see he was thinking very hard.
But then, in an instant, he was shaken out of his freeze by the thought-
"No- no!" He said, and grabbed you by the shoulders.
"I would never let you do that to yourself, Y/N. You couldn't handle it... well, maybe you could, but I wouldn't want you to because... because..." he searched for the right words, "because I care for you too. So very much. I hadn't expected it when I first put you together, but Y/N, you have come to mean so much to me."
This made you blush in turn. You hadn't even realized it until now. He really does care for you. And maybe in a way that you hadn't anticipated. No wonder he had been so flustered all day.
All of your thoughts from the past few days clashed together, and without really thinking, you pressed your lips to his.

There was a moment of hesitation. One so long, you worried you might've been wrong about his intentions. But right when you were about to pull away he pulled you close and reciprocated the kiss. You felt so much softness and affection in that moment you thought you might melt.
It couldn't last forever though. Peter gently pulled away from you with the biggest smile you had ever seen on him.
But then his eyes shifted in emotion.
"Y/N..."
"Yes?"
"I appreciate you wanting to help me. I really, really do. But I don't know if there's really a way to do so without sacrificing something in return."
You thought for a moment.
"But do you know that for sure?" You said. "Surely there's something we could do. You can't be like this forever."
You pulled away from his embrace to look back at the book.
"I stopped at this page because I thought it was the best I could find at the moment. But maybe..." you took a few minutes to scan through the rest of the pages. Then you found something.
It was a ritual, and honestly it looked just as complex as the other one you had found....but this one claimed to break any unholy contract entirely.
"This has got to be it!" You said with excitement, showing Peter the page. He took the book for you and examined it.
"This... could work. Yes, I think we could do this!" He said.
"But we've got to get to work right away. Tonight is supposed to be a full moon, and it says in the book that it has to happen during one."
"Right."
You helped the Toymaker as he guided you through the steps, reading from the book.
He handed you the chalk and you drew the sigils on the ground, in order.
You took three candles, one red, one black and one green, and dipped them in oil. Then you carved a pentagram on each one and lit them. You placed them in a semicircle around the sigils, then surrounded them with lemon juice.
"Good. Now we need the silver bowl."
You went to fetch it, and filled it with black salt.
"Ok. Now for the last part." Peter said as he held up the knife to you.
You hesitated.
"Peter... are you sure I have to do that? I don't want to hurt you."
"That's what it says in the book, isn't it? Trust me, we have to do this." He said.
You nodded, and as gently and quickly as you could, you took his hand and cut a slit down his palm. He flinched, but didn't make a sound. He let a few drops of blood fall into the bowl.
"Ok, say it together now, alright?" He said. You nodded.
"contractum separa, salva anima nostra. contractum separa, salva anima nostra. contractum separa, salva anima nostra." You said in unison.

It was quiet. Almost too quiet.
"... Did it work?" You said.
"I... I don't know. I don't feel any different."
But before you could question it any further, a tingle went up your spine. You felt the energy shift in the room and suddenly everything went dark, even the candles.
"Did you feel that-" you said, but when you looked at Peter you saw an expression on his face you hadn't seen before.
It was raw fear.
"He's here." He said with a croak.
The salt in the bowl burst into high flames and you jumped back.
A dark shadow began to rise out of the bowl, and you scrambled to Peter's side to take his hand.
As you watched, the shadow slowly took form. It was the shape of a man, and as it formed, it turned a deep red and two horns grew from its head.
Then you heard a deafening voice.
"What... have you done"
Peter held on to you for dear life.
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?"
The creature was fully formed before you now.
"I-I..." Peter swallowed. "I've broken our contract."
"What."
"I've broken our contract. I don't want to do this. Not anymore."
The demon growled. A low, guttural growl.
"You... foolish child. You think you can break our agreement without consequences?" He said.
"You will pay dearly!"
You felt a pulse of fear and cowered as the demon rushed toward the two of you.
You waited for the pain.

... but nothing came.

"What... what is this?!"
When you opened your eyes you saw the demon clawing at you mere inches away, but he couldn't get to you.
"WHAT DID YOU DO?"
"Peter... what's happening?" You asked.

"It... it must be you, Y/N." He said.
"Me?"
The demon continued to claw and gnash at you but still, nothing happened.
"Yes, it makes sense!" Peter turned to you. "You see Y/N, when I made you... I was very careful to pick out a completely pure soul. That way, I hoped, maybe you wouldn't be dragged into my mess."
You looked between Peter and the demon.
"But it seems that in being a pure soul, you must be protected from the touch of the demon!"
"No... it can't be!" The demon said.

Peter stood, now finding some of his confidence.
"Well it looks like it's true, old friend. You can't touch them."

"Maybe not..." the demon said, "but I can still hurt you!"
He went to attack the toymaker, but quickly you grabbed his hand and stood in front of him. Once again the demon was deflected.
"NO!" The demon howled.
"Not so fast." You said, now confident in your power. "As long as I'm here, I won't let you hurt him."
The demon let out an unholy screech, and tried and tried to attack you. But nothing came of it.
"You will leave us alone, and never hurt him again." You said.
Huffing and puffing, the demon stood back.
"I may not be able to get you now, toymaker. But I will find you. There will come a day when you are off your guard, and then I will be there to strike."
"Not likely. I'll always be here." You said, smiling back at Peter.
The demon howled again, and a whirlwind of salt and smoke surrounded him. Then in an instant he was gone.

It was silent for a while.
"Is... is that it? Did we really do it?" Peter asked.
"Yeah... I think we did." You said, smiling at him. He returned with an even wider smile, and brought you into a tight hug.
"Y/N... thank you! Thank you so much... I couldn't have done this without you."
You squeezed him tight, not wanting to let go.
Then you thought of something.
You broke away from the hug and went back to where the book was sitting.
"Y/N? What are you doing now?"
You flipped through the pages to try and find it... there.
"Here!" You said. You grabbed the knife from before and slit your palm.
"Y/N! Why did you do that?"
"Here, give me your hand." You said.
He seemed confused, but did as you said.
You took his bloodied hand in yours and squeezed.
"If there's ever a time that I have to be away from you... now we're bound by blood. He will never hurt you again." You said. Peter looked to your hands, and then back at you. He smiled. Then he leaned in and gave a gentle kiss on your forehead.
"Thank you, my dear Y/N... you have no idea how much this means to me."
You gave him a sweet, genuine smile. Now that you knew he was safe though, your tiredness caught up to you.
You couldn't hold back the loud yawn you let out.
"I'm sorry... I'm so tired. It's been a long day." You said. Peter laughed.
"That it has. Maybe we should get some sleep."
You nodded, and with his hand still in yours, you went to your room.
"Good night, Y/N. And thank you again." He said as he let go.
"Of course. Anything for you." You said. "Sweet dreams." And with that you closed your door.
You might not have realized it, but for the first night in years, Peter had a good dream.