Chapter Text
In the cool and dull static of summer's late evening, Furina took to wandering the streets. Her feet walked along the pavement and old cobblestone in a city that never slowed. A car horn blared loudly as a small congestion at roadworks had caused someone's frustration to boil over.
She turned away, trying to trace more quiet places while still keeping her eyes wide and careful. Steps down to the river looked inviting despite a rope's lackluster attempt at keeping people at bay.
Furina leaned over, checking no one was down there before heading to the stairs. She slipped under the rope, treading down carefully to reach a forgotten stone edge of the river. Graffiti lingered on the wall, and trash was strung around where others had thrown it down.
Staring out into the murky river, Furina sat on the balls of her feet, pulling out a cigarette and setting it alight. Across the water, the lights of the city hummed dim and dull in some orchestra of artificial plastic stars. She looked up at the grey and overcast sky, and Furina wished she could see the actual constellations.
Another drag and time stilled, passing all the same, but with each second worsening. Furina stilled for a while, letting the solitude give some sort of numb comfort. It wore off when her cigarette turned to ash, and she flicked the butt into the pile of waste.
A tuft of black and white caught her eye.
Furina looked over to see a ragged old plush of a rabbit. The creature was in disarray, a slit down the left-hand side of the face with all the stuffing spilling out. The fabric was matted with mud, and the arms were ripped and full of holes.
Such a disgusting old thing.
Furina should have turned away and ignored it, but something called her to stand for a while, simply staring. It was filthy, and she didn't even want to touch something so dirty. However, such a pitiful sight was hard to ignore.
Carefully, Furina reached down, pinching the top of its ear between two fingers to lift the plush up. Wet mud dripped from the body, and she grimaced as she held it in the air for a few seconds.
What was she even supposed to do with this?
Furina sighed, resigning herself to this fate as she made her way up the steps, still trying to hold the rabbit in a way where she was touching the least amount possible. Furina tried to ignore how strange she looked carrying a grotesque-looking old plush as she walked back home.
She set the thing down at the door, then fumbled around for her keys. Finally, inside, Furina washed her hands and wondered what the fuck she was supposed to do now. Maybe she should have just left it there.
She found a bucket and dishwashing gloves buried under the sink with some cleaning supplies. Sighing to herself, Furina headed back out the door to give the rabbit a soak in water. She pulled out old stuffing, too rotten to be kept, before grimacing at how quickly the torn-apart fabric remains turned the water murky brown and turbid.
After repeated attempts to submerge the rabbit in, disinfect, soap, and water before pouring filthy muddy water down the drain, the color finally started to clear.
Furina pulled off her gloves, resting them to drip dry on the bucket's edge while the plush still sat inside. She sat on the doormat, pulling out her phone in a desperate attempt to look into 'how to repair second-hand plushies'.
At this point, she was ready to give up. Furina looked at the poor thing and felt all manner of hope fade. What on earth was she doing? She'd need new stuffing and fabrics to repair the damaged arms anyway…
This was not exactly what she expected of her night, and it had grown far, far too late. She sat mindlessly, pulling out another cigarette and setting it alight. Just before she slid the pack back into her pocket, she jokingly gestured the pack towards the ragged rabbit before scoffing in disbelief. Was she really that lonely?
Furina took a drag, letting the smoke fade into the air until it was nothing more. Then she flicked the butt on the driveway and rested the plush to dry.
She went to sleep that night, strongly unnerved by something she couldn't quite grasp.
The next morning was filled with thread as a needle pushed through, pulling worn fabrics together with new ones. Furina found black and white similar to what remained on the rabbit, using it to remake and repair the arms. She restitched the face, reinforcing a few other seams before giving it one final good scrub now that it was able to withstand more pressure.
When the rabbit finally dried, she restuffed the plush, filling it firm enough that it could stand, and there was a weight to the body. Furina gave the plush a hug to feel how soft and squishy it felt. She didn't know what to look for, so she just settled with that—probably—being good enough.
She sat the rabbit on her lap, taking a brush and carefully working through tangles and mats. Each small section took forever and multiple runs with different brushes, but eventually, the fabrics softened. Furina ran hand along it carefully, amazed to feel that fluffy texture returned.
She set the rabbit down on her desk and stared at it for a long while.
“I'm not sure why I bothered with all that, honestly…” She stood up from her chair, took her cigarette pack, and slid it into her pocket. As she made her way to the door, Furina turned to the rabbit and sighed. “You're kind of cute, so I guess it wasn't a waste.”
Furina left it at that, heading out to get some air. The sun had already set, and the city streets were illuminated by lamplight that fell dull on the monochrome concrete. She lit a cigarette and wandered around aimlessly. The night was so idle and stagnant; Furina figured she was going insane.
She reached a Monoprix, finishing her smoke before heading in and buying a drink from a cashier who looked even more vacant. Furina headed out the sliding doors to see a tall woman lingering, a hoodie covered most of her head, but Furina noticed black and white hair that was usually striking. It was unusually familiar too.
“Hello.”
Furina didn't like this. “Hello?”
“What are you doing wandering around at night?”
Furina blinked, immediately warning signs blaring. She should just ignore this weird person and get away. “Sorry, I don't have any change.”
With that excuse, she stepped away, quickening her pace to get home as fast as she could while still acting nonchalant. After a short while, she peeked over her shoulder and let out the breath she was holding, then the coast was clear.
What on earth did that creep want? She should be more careful on her walks and possibly avoid that place from now on.
Back home, Furina headed up to her room to feel unnerved and uncomfortable. She looked at the rabbit plushie, slightly confused by the fact something didn't feel right. Was there any point worrying? She was tired, and her heart rate hadn't calmed down yet.
Furina lay down in bed, trying not to think of the woman outside Monoprix. It didn't really work. She lay restless for a while until she got bored of stilling mindlessly in the darkness. Her head sure wasn't on straight, but Furina headed over to her desk, picking up the rabbit plushie.
“I wonder if you're still dirty after all that cleaning…”
She was too tired to care. Furina picked up the rabbit, giving it a soft hug before taking it to bed with her. She held it close, softly stroking the fur and keeping it in a sweet embrace. The quiet soon lulled, and Furina fell into slumber.
The day was dull as always, mechanical and repetitive. Furina stayed out late to walk across one of the various bridges. She ignored the various streams of cars and people to light a cigarette. Blowing smoke into the night brought a sense of calm that barely kept away a deeper languish.
“You really shouldn't walk around so late at night.”
Furina felt her pulse freeze. “Are you fucking stalking me?”
The very same woman had come to stand beside her, the hood still up and her eyes still staring intently.
“You didn't come home, and I was concerned for your well-being.”
What the fuck? Furina stared blankly, taking a step back as she tried to figure out how she was going to call the police. There were people around, so someone had to help her?
“Leave me alone.”
In a single flicker, the woman looked genuinely confused. It soon turned to nothing. “You were the one who brought me into your home?”
“What?” This woman had to be insane. Like actually insane. “I don't know what you're talking about.”
“Really?” She reached up, slowly pulling her hood down to show off two very familiar black and white rabbit ears. “I figured with all that time you spent repairing me, you would have been able to recognize me.”
They looked real. They didn't seem real. Someone was seriously fucking with her, and she was in serious danger, wasn't she? Furina reached for her phone, but the woman took her by the wrist.
“You don't recognize me?”
“Whatever fucked up game you're playing, I don't want to be a part of it. If you want your stupid fucking rabbit back, then have it, just leave me alone.”
She let go, perturbed and taking a momentary pause. “My apologies. I will leave you be.”
As soon as the word left her mouth, she stepped back before she turned tail and walked off. Furina stood for a while, unable to process what on earth just happened. She shook ash from her still-burning cigarette and then took a drag.
Furina was unnerved the entire walk back home, constantly looking over her shoulder. What the fuck was happening, and was the fuck was going to happen to her? The woman said she would 'leave her be' so did that mean she was going to back off for good? Furina didn't want to be hopeful, but God did that thought bring some relief.
When she finally reached her door, Furina looked around a while before heading inside. She made her way to her room right away to stare at the bunny plush still sitting peacefully on the bed.
“Why?” Furina groaned, trying to recall the night she found the plush. She pinched the bridge of her nose, closing her eyes tight. “You were abandoned, right? So why the fuck is your creepy owner stalking me…?”
“Creepy owner?”
Furina opened her eyes to see the woman sitting on her bed, her hood down with the same ears poking up.
“My apologies, but I figured returning to your room as normal and then transforming while we were alone was the quickest way to show you.”
This was too much. Furina blinked once, then twice, hoping it would all make sense. It didn't. This wasn't real.
Yeah. This wasn't real.
She found some comfort in identifying that she was probably having a hallucination right now. She didn't find much comfort in the fact she was having hallucinations, in fact, that freaked her out a lot. But probably not as much as it should have done.
She pulled up her phone, ignoring the hallucination of a weird rabbit woman on her bed as she tried to search for probably her most bizarre question of the day.
'How to tell if you're having a hallucination'
She stared at the screen for a while, unable to gain anything of merit. The woman was sitting there on the bed, looking just as confused.
“What's wrong?”
Was this real? Are you supposed to talk to them?
Furina stepped forward, pinching the top of one of the ears and yanking it to see if it would come off. The woman recoiled and gave a grimace of pain followed.
“Why would you do that?”
“It feels real…”
“They are real.”
“No.” Furina stared blankly for a while, still scanning her eyes over the ears. “I mean, you feel real.”
“I assure you that I am real.”
She shook her head. “That's not possible. It's much more likely I'm having hallucinations than magic existing.”
“Furina, take my hand.”
She held it out, and Furina spent a few seconds staring, trying to work out how she knew her name. After a long while, she took it, clasping her hand around gently before giving firm squeezes to test reality.
“I am real, and you saved me.”
“I saved you?” Her grip slacked until her hand fell away. “What do you mean?”
“I had a curse embedded inside my plush form. It kept me immobile for far, far too long. I was discarded and fell to ruin, but you removed the curse.”
“I did not.”
The woman smiled. “It was entwined with my stuffing. You removed it and repaired me.”
“I'm glad my hallucinations have a whole heroic narrative, but…” Furina sighed, picking up her pack of cigarettes and heading to the door. “I need some air.”
“May I come with you?”
“Do you smoke?”
“No. That would upset the stuffing inside me.”
“Okay.”
Furina said nothing more, ignoring how incomprehensible that sentence was. She headed out, setting a cigarette aflame and taking a couple drags while the woman stood idly beside her.
“What's your name?”
“Call me Arlecchino.”
“Arlecchino… Okay. And you're a rabbit?”
“Rabbit-Wolf Hybrid.” Arlecchino corrected, flicking an ear at the same time. “I'm a plush toy that was brought to life a very long time ago.”
“I think I'm going crazy.”
“You're not.” Arlecchino smiled, some keen interest lingering in her gaze. “I don't think you're crazy at all.”
Furina fixed a glare onto her, not sure how to proceed. Tomorrow, she would go to the doctor. For now, she might as well kill time with this very strange hallucination.
“...Thanks. So, what do you want from me?”
“I'll be leaving soon, but I wanted to thank you for saving me.” Arlecchino's ears perked up. “I couldn't exactly leave without a word after everything…”
“Ah, don't worry about it.” Furina waved it off. “I only gave you a bath and stitched a few things up. It's nothing.”
“I…” She averted her gaze. “Yes, you did, but… I wasn't really talking about that.”
Furina flicked away ash. “What is it?”
“I suppose you were unaware at the time. I wish I could have informed you beforehand because I don't know if you would have still done it.”
She could, for some reason, feel her pulse start to increase, and her face felt hot. “Done what?”
“I think the best way to describe it is 'snuggled' me in your bed.”
Oh god.
Furina coughed, a bit more than she should have done. “I didn't know, sorry.”
“There's no need for apologies.” Arlecchino seemed firm with her words despite the kind intent. “You couldn't have known. I wish I had told you, but my transformation capabilities are limited…”
“Is it on demand?”
“In theory, yes. But it is extremely exhausting that most can only manage switching forms every few days. I am able to push myself to complete more. It is, however, not without risks and complications.”
“Right. Be careful.”
“I will.”
Furina flicked away her cigarette, gesturing back inside the house. “It's cold.”
“It is.”
Furina said nothing more as she headed back to her room with Arlecchino following.
“It's late.”
“It is.”
She paused. “You can't transform again, can you?”
“It would be extremely difficult.”
“Then no.” Furina thought for a while, debating how to proceed. There was the couch. It was an old gift from Neuvillette that was horrendously uncomfortable to sleep on and wouldn't be suitable for a guest. Furina figured she could force herself to sleep there just for a night. She gestured to the bed. “You can sleep here.”
“Are you sure?”
She dreaded sleeping on the couch, but she was a good enough actor to not let it show. “Yes, I'm sure. Let me put on some fresh sheets for you.”
“Okay.”
Arlecchino stood awkwardly watching, an ear flicking while Furina changed the sheets and made the room a bit fresher. It wasn't suited for guests, but considering where Arlecchino was found, it was probably a step up from a trash pile by the river.
“There.” She lingered awkwardly, looking at Furina for a while. Something carried across in her gaze, and Furina didn't even need her to ask to understand. “How did you feel when we slept together while you were a plushie?”
The hint of excitement was only a flicker, but Furina saw it in an instant.
“Well, I had been on my own for a while, so the sensation was somewhat calming… I apologize if that makes you uncomfortable.”
Christ, what the hell was she doing? Had she no instincts of survival that she would engage this much with her own insanity? Actually, for all the times she debated putting herself out of misery early, she found it hard to care if her actions created good mental health habits. She was tired.
“Do you want to sleep in my bed together?”
Arlecchino's ears drooped down in her own sudden bashfulness. “Only if you're comfortable with it.”
“Yes, it's okay. Let's get some sleep, yeah?”
So she wasn't good when someone was directly entering her affection? Perhaps she wasn't used to it. Furina looked her up and down. Arlecchino was pretty fucking attractive, so people being interested in her should be commonplace. Why was she so shy? Had it been that long that she was stuck as a plushie?
Furina didn't let her questions get too much as she pulled out an oversized tee and comfortable shorts, offering them to Arlecchino with an awkward shrug.
“Want to wear these to bed? They might not fit, though.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.” Furina placed them in her hands, looking to get changed into her own pjs. She blinked for a second. “You saw me change before, didn't you?”
Arlecchino looked to the ground, hanging her head in some sort of guilt. “I did.”
She sighed, picking up her pjs and heading to the door. She lingered in the frame, staring at Arlecchino for a while. “Just forget you ever saw that. I'll be right back.”
“Okay.”
She wasn't expecting her private solitude to have someone looking in so intently… It wasn't exactly a comfortable feeling, but Furina looked at Arlecchino and found it hard to care. Still, she had some self-respect not to go stripping off again.
She returned to see Arlecchino had changed into her clothes. They didn't quite fit right, but it was cute in a way. Some scars lined her arms, and Furina felt sympathy etch into her heart. She guessed that the state of disarray of her rabbit plush previously was interconnected with this one.
Poor thing.
“There's a toothbrush in its packaging on the side for you. Feel free to open it and get ready for bed.”
“Okay. Thank you.”
Arlecchino left the room, and Furina lay down on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. Would the hallucination end in the morning? She was going to have to see a doctor after this, right? She didn't find an answer in time before Arlecchino returned, and her wandering thoughts halted.
Arlecchino climbed into bed next to her, staring for the longest while. In the hazy night, static lingered in the air. It buzzed in Furina's ears and left her lingering on a note she couldn't quite understand. Why did she feel the need to say something that wouldn't come to mind?
Too tired to care, Furina shut her eyes, settling for the next best thing. “Good night.”
“Good night.”