Merlot × Stereo

SAD FLUFF

///////////////////////////////////////////

"Where in the fuck are ya' Stereo..." Merlot mumbles, walking up and down hallways searching for the rebel. Everybody but Stereo seemed to be having a great start to the year. She looked so messy and tired, it just wasn't normal. Merlot had checked everywhere, even the girls bathroom which he got yelled at multiple times for.

Letting out a annoyed groan, he mentally yells at himself for not checking the lunchroom sooner, because low and behold there she was. In the corner booth, her head down as her friend Emi sat with her. Walking over, Emi noticed him approaching and motioned to Stereo. Nodding as he sat beside her, looking down to her. " ...Ey' why the long face?" He tried to joke like she typically does, but when he got no response, he huffs.

"Stereo yer' supposed to be eatin' right now.." She boredly looked up to him. "Stop babying me...Im fine..." Merlot glared, balling his fist up. "Well if ya' would stop fuckin' actin' like it I would!!" He snapped, his teeth slightly bared as he grits them. Stereo looked away, her gaze shifting to the floor, her typical sharp-tongued responses gone too. He felt as if it was wrong not to be snapped back at, but he was to mad to care.

Emi sat in silence, watching the two. Merlot continued, his patience with her gone. "Ye' act as if yer' tryin' to fuckin' starve yer'self!! An I have about had it with ya' pushin' everyone away!!" He growled angrily. "Not just me, but all yer' friends as well!!" Stereo sat up, leaving the booth as she mumbled a small "Gotta Go.." Merlot sighed heavily, feeling a rush of guilt hit him.

Emi clicks her tongue, catching his attention as she didn't hold a glare, but instead it was an understanding look. "go after her... she needs you right now.." Nodding as he stood, trailing after stereos retreating form through the hallways. Managing to catch up, he wheezed from running. Controlling his breath as he looks to stereo who silently walked beside him with her hands in her pockets. Pulling her arm gently, he manages to guide her hand into his own.

Intertwining his fingers with hers as he freely lets it show he is worried. "i-im sorry doll.. i don't know what came ov'r me..." Shrugging her shoulders, she continues walking. Silently leaving the building with him still holding her hand as he followed. "...i'm just fustrated, ti's all..." He sighed, his wing twitching as her own bumped against it. Feeling the world shift around him, he blinks and then he is in a new universe. The sky dark and greenish brown as a noticible fog clinged onto the world around them.

Dead trees surrounding the land while in the distance he could make out more rubble from town ruins. Looking to stereo, his eyes widen. Tears where flowing from her eyes like waterfalls as she didn't move. Following her gaze his eyes filled with sadness, six graves lay within what use to be a home. He noticed old burn marks left in the decaying wood while the stones where cracked, the eerie presence of a bed frames and the fridge being all that was left. Taking his attention back to the girl beside him, he pulls her hand away from his.

Falling to her knees as she continued to silently cry, staring at the gravestones in distraught. Merlot crouched down slowly, looking at stereo. Carefully reaching over, he wrapped his arms around her as he sat on the perished ground. Treating her gently as if she was glass, moving her to sit on his lap and resting his head atop hers. Rubbing her back soothingly, he comforted her quietly. She hiccuped, her gaurd shattered as she started sobbing. Gripping tightly onto merlots jacket and hiding her face in his shoulder. Shuddering with each pitiful sound she made, he has never seen her this vunerable.

Her sudden change of additude throwing him off but he focused back on the task at hand Hushing her and rubbing her back, he continued to soothe her. Clinging onto him tightly she mumbled between her cries. "i-i did th-his..." Looking around at the fallen world, merlot looks back to stereo. Remembering her friends mentioning a universe falling because of an outburst of stereos magic when she couldn't control it. Her eyes looked up to him as she continued. "y-your sc-cared of-f me-e...." He sighs, looking back to her fragile form as he had her drawn into a hug.

Continuing to rub her back, he nuzzles his skull onto the crook

of her neck. "ye'r not ta' blame stereo..." She let out a choked sob, her grip tightening around him as she visibilly shuddered. "ti's not ye'r fault..." He kept mumbling reassurances to her, holding her securely while she hiccuped. Laying against him while an exhausted whimper, she held the back of his ribcage. "W-Why-y...." She mumbled into his shoulder, not meeting merlots gaze when he looked down to her. "W-Why-y ar-re y-you-u so-o fu-uck-king-g n-nic-ce to-o me-e...." He sighed, shutting his eyesockets while thinking.

Gently raising his hand up to trail underneath her jaw and tilt her head up, looking into her teary eyes. "because i love ya' stereo.. ya' should know that by now..." Her hands moved up to wrap around his neck, blushing slightly as she gazed to the side. "heh.. still nervous 'bout kisses..?" He teased slightly, trying to bring her mood up slightly. She shyly nodded, weakly hitting his back to get him to stop joking. Leaning forward he didn't give her a chance to react, and kissed her softly. He felt her jump, gripping onto him tightly in shock.

Chuckling he leaned his forehead against hers, hearing her sigh and mumble. "j-jer-rk..." He grins, pushing her down onto her back as he playfully left kisses all over her cheeks as she giggled quietly and holding his shoulders. Kissing her forehead a few times before giving her a look of genuine care, leaning his forehead against hers. "Everyone deserves happiness, that includes ya' stereo..." He seen her faintly smile before she moved to hug him tightly.

He didn't even notice through half of that, they have suddenly shifted to their home. Stereo laid back, sighing quietly as she looked up to merlot. "thank you..." She whispered, which made him smile. "any time darlin'... i hate seein' ya' so sad..." He moved to lay beside her, holding her hand while facing her. "An anytime yer' sad, just give me a call and i'll be there..." She nodded, moving over to him and cuddling against his ribcage. He wrapped one arm around her, nuzzling into the crook of her neck before they both dozed off. Feeling a lot better, a smile made its way to stereo's tired lips.