#fnf jet

Sighing in relief, Void discarded his horribly itchy, constricting jacket onto his chair and all but collapsed on his bed, shutting the door to his room behind him. From under the tiny, rickety table, a cat meowed. He smiled to himself.

It was a meager existence up here, away from the luxury of the Dearests’ living space. Void didn’t have much aside from his phone, the aforementioned furniture, a few spare outfits he never got the chance to wear, a pair of headphones, and Jet.

Jet, who he could finally hang out with, now that it was twelve and the Dearests were unlikely to summon him again.

“You can come out, buddy,” he said, sitting up and reaching under his pillow for a bag of cat treats. As far as Void could tell, Jet didn’t really need to eat if the two of them were cut from the same cloth, but he seemed to like the sensation anyway. “You hungry?”

Jet poked his little head out before trotting up to Void’s feet, next to the bed. Void offered him a treat, petting his fluffy coat. “Here you go, Jet.” He couldn’t help a small laugh as the cat devoured it at once and nuzzled his leg impatiently. “You want more?”

Jet was often the only real thing Void found himself looking forward to nowadays. He was adorable. Curious, but well-behaved. Void could let him sleep on the bed because he didn’t shed. And he was better company than anyone else in this godforsaken house. Even the Accretions had their limits when it came to Void talking, doing anything that wasn’t work. But Jet was always patient. Always there. He was the one being that made Void feel heard. Void would be lying if he said this one bubble of warmth they shared didn’t mean anything to him.

A sudden, familiar clicking sounded as expensive shoes made their way down the hall, getting closer and closer. Void startled, haphazardly shoving the bag of treats behind his pillow and shooting to his feet. Jet, sensing his apprehension, darted under Void’s chair, hidden beneath his blazer.

He shouldn’t have expected better of those snakes.

The door swung open. “Void. I need—” Psychic stopped at his doorway, gaze first fixing on him, then slowly searching the room.

Void silently cursed his life; there was no way Psychic wouldn’t pick up that something was amiss. He tried not to look at Jet’s hiding spot, knowing full well that it didn’t matter what he might accidentally give away.

Something always had to be amiss with Void, and Psychic knew it.

Hope withered into dread as the man surveyed his room, finally glimpsing a twitching purple tail. Psychic stepped forward, eyes gleaming with sharp, newfound interest. “How long have you been keeping a cat here?”

Void hesitated, trying not to feel cornered as Psychic advanced into his only real sanctuary. “Not that long,” he answered coolly, unwavering as he met Psychic’s gaze. “I found him out in the cold just a few months ago and brought him inside because it was safer.”

Psychic snorted. “Aren’t you an altruist.”

Yeah, asshole, I’m more compassionate than you’ll ever be. What did Psychic even want from him?

Without warning, Jet scampered out from beneath his chair and wove through Psychic’s legs, eager in meeting the source of new warmth. Alarm shot through Void as Psychic bent down. “Jet, no—!”

Already scratching Jet behind the ears, Psychic glanced up at him. “You named it?”

“Him,” Void corrected, stilted and frozen. What was he going to do when word got back to the Dearests? He was known to be a rule-breaker already, but this was something they could tangibly use against him. What if they took Jet away?

Psychic read his mind. “You know you’re not supposed to have pets.” Even then, he almost looked like he was enjoying stroking Jet’s fur. Void tried to still his pseudo-heart. Maybe the man would treat him with mercy tonight. Maybe he could keep his cat, even his music. As long as the wind kept blowing his way…

“I know,” he gritted out, hands curling into fists. “Jet’s…he’s a stray. He’s not mine, I’m just helping him. I’m keeping him safe.” Still, he really shouldn’t have brought the cat inside the mansion.

They both knew he was telling the truth. Yet amusement flashed in Psychic’s eyes, like he’d made a connection. Void didn’t like it. What was so funny about this?

After a pause, Psychic rose to his feet and spoke again, Jet pawing at his ankles, Void internally screeching for the cat to get away from him. “Well, if he’s not technically your pet…” He raised a brow, expecting Void to understand.

Void understood with sickening relief. He was technically safe. Where safe meant Psychic could hold this over his head as long as he needed, to get whatever he wanted in the moment out of Void. Just one more thing tipping the scale between them in his favor.

Oh, Jet…

If it were anyone, anything else, Void wouldn’t have been quite so wary or cautious. But Jet was his friend. He couldn’t risk being insubordinate.

Void nodded with an air of defiant confidence that didn’t quite resonate within. “Fine.” He’d take whatever Psychic threw at him, if only to keep the cat safe.

“Very well.” Psychic’s eyes glinted with a malevolent humor. “Now, see me downstairs in ten minutes. I have a task for you.”

Ten minutes was gracious by Psychic’s standards. Void let out a shaky sigh as he left, the door clicking shut again.

“He didn’t hurt you, did he?” he asked Jet, who was watching the door in confusion. “That’s good. Come over here, buddy.” He pulled Jet up onto the bed and offered him another cat treat, then another. Distracting himself from the idea of Psychic’s horrible little scheme.

The Dearests would find every bit of him they could somehow manipulate to their advantage. They’d figure out every way to exploit him, until his life was over and his one chance to outshine them, make his own mark on the world, was gone for good.

He had to get them both out. Free was the only way he was going to live his ideal life. And Jet…

“Sorry, Jet,” Void murmured, stroking his fur. “You don’t deserve to get tangled up in this. You didn’t do anything wrong. It’s just how our life is going to be until I can get us out.” He smiled wanly. “You’ll be patient, right?”