#'well i've been afraid of changing cuz' i've built my life around you'

[irrcdeemablearch]

"Well I've been afraid of changing cuz I Built my life around you."

[[An in depth explanation of what I was going for with this edit based on the lyrics is Billy slowly starting to change. First with the mind flayer but as time goes on he starts to fight, eventually realizing that he wants to break free not only of the flayer, but of Neil. "Well I've been afraid of changing cuz I built my life around you." is the perfect part. He spent his whole life [minus the time his mother was around] under Neil's thumb. Doing what he said. But in the end, as he's facing death in the eyes...He wants that change more than anything. Maybe that was what brought him down like a landslide. But a lovely build up to what I am wanting to do with him. Anywho, I hope you enjoy. ]]

[yandere--stuck]

I've see your yandere Tom Nook and yandere Isabelle teaming up and raise you; yandere Tom Nook vs yandere Crazy Redd

Crazy Redd: *looks at you*

Tom: *goes crazy goes feral*

---

Today was the day.

A feeling of melancholy hung over you as you made your way over to the campsite. You tried your best not to feel guilty - he had this coming. He'd been harassing your fellow islanders, his paintings had been exposed as fraudulent by Blathers, his prices were ridiculous! You could go on and on.

Everyone was in agreement - it was time for Redd to go.

The fox wasn't even using the proper campsite, choosing instead to shack up his tent beside it! You kept your face neutral as your eyes roamed over the sign across his tent - "Black Market', with the "Black" shoddily scribbled out with a red marker. You remembered thinking it cute when you first saw it.

Though, as much as you hated to admit it… Part of you was a teensy bit sad to see him go. He had this charm to him, but, it was most likely a learned trait - after all, charisma is a necessity when you're a conman. Still, you couldn't help but find him a bit endearing. His way of speaking, his playful nature, his flirtations. He seemed to favor you out of everyone else on the island, only charging you 3,000 bells your first time shopping there.

You rolled your eyes at the memory. What a gentleman.

Even still, you found yourself coming back to him, even in spite of Tom's insistence that he was a bad egg. Sometimes, you talked for quite a bit with him - about art, his travels, life on the island, your past, his past. You could tell he wasn't being completely truthful about,  well, a lot of what he told you. It was like a game. Like his artwork, it was all about seeing through the inconsistencies and finding the truth in between the lies.

And, maybe, just maybe, it'd be fine if it were just you - someone who learned rather quickly how to detect Redd's frauds and had enough bells to spare just in case you were wrong. But, this was bigger than you. Redd was robbing your friends of their bells and went so far as to verbally harass them and chase them off whenever you came around. Enough was enough. 

The only reason he was even allowed to stick around as long as he did was that Tom had a big enough heart to believe that Redd had changed.

You stepped into the tent, brushing past the tarp entrance, finding Redd dusting off his statues and paintings.

He turned about, flashing a wolfish grin as he spotted you. He set down his feather duster and trotted over to you, his tail beginning to wag.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite Island Rep!" Redd greeted you, eyes crinkling as he smiled. "What can I do ya for, Cousin? I'm afraid I don't have any new works in yet, but I do still have the ones ya turned down!"

"Redd, those are frauds." You said, deadpan.

"You wound me, Cousin!" The fox said, dramatically swooning and feigning hurt.

"I'm sorry, Redd, but it's over," You told the fox. "As Island Representative, I've come to tell you that as of today, you're being evicted from the island's premises. You have by tomorrow to pack up your stuff and leave.'

"What?" Redd recoiled in shock, his confident mask breaking. "You've gotta be kiddin' me! I didn't do anything wrong!"

"You've been selling fraudulent works of art, overcharging for them, and have been repeatedly harassing the folks living here. We have every right to ask you to leave."

"Come on, Cuz'! Anything's legal when the coppers aren't around! And, last time I checked, we still haven't gotten a police station built."

"Stop trying to weasel your way out of this, Redd! You're lucky Tom's given you the day to get out instead of just shipping you out on the next plane out of here."

"Oh, Nook's an old fuddy-duddy! And he's gone soft, anyway." Redd replied, waving you off. "You know, he didn't use to be as much of a goody two-shoes as he is now."

"I'm aware." You said, frowning deeply. "Everyone has their past. Everyone can change. Tom thought that, maybe, you had changed. But, you didn't. And Isabelle, Tom, and I… We all decided that it'd be for the best if you leave."

"Aw, c'mon! Listen, Nook is an old fool and that Isabella-"

"Isabelle." You corrected.

"Whatever. She's just a goody two-shoes! And everybody else on this island is a sucker! You're one of the good ones, though. You're smart. You can see what's real and what's not. We could make bank together! You and me, we could go places!"

"Redd, stop, it's over."

"But-!"

"No, it's done."

You watched as the fox's face fell, his body looking as though it was deflating as his arms hung limply at his sides. You didn't like how it hurt your heart.

He sighed deeply. "Okay, okay, I see I can't convince ya. I'm sorry."

You didn't respond, trying your best to keep your face neutral and your gaze stern.

"Okay, look," The fox spoke up again. "I… I actually really care about you, okay? So, if I can't convince you to let me stay or join me, then the least I can do is make it up to you."

You quirked your brow. You… Certainly hadn't expected this. It wasn't like Redd to be giving. Or to give, at all, actually.

The fox moved over to a sheet that had covered a large object of some sort. You had figured that it was merely keeping the dust off one of his statues… But now, you were curious.

With a flourish, Redd removed the tarp, revealing… A metal cage. You blinked in surprise, you face scrunching up in confusion. What on Earth had made Redd come to the conclusion that you would have wanted this?

As quickly as the thought came, though, you suddenly felt guilty. Crazy Redd had gone out of his way to get you something, despite how outlandish it may seem. Goodness knows you'd received stranger gifts - Kody had gifted you that utility pole the other day… And, even still, you didn't want to turn down an opportunity to push Redd in the right direction.

"Thank you, Redd." You managed a nervous smile, stepping toward the cage.

You stared into the open maw of your gift.  You had to hold back a shudder - the cage seemed to radiate a cold feeling of dread. You noticed a lock by where the door would close, and wondered if there was a key that went with it-

You were suddenly slammed forward, soaring into the cage and crashing against the bars of the cage, the metal pressing coldly against your skin. You stumbled, in a daze, as you turned about. The sound of metal clashing against metal rang in your ears as the fox slammed the door, sharp teething flashing as he smiled deviously. In his paws, he held a key, quickly locking the door before you could get your bearings. 

You launched forward (as much as you could, considering the small space), hands grasping against the bars. Your eyes were wide and wild as you bore into the fox.

"Redd! What are you doing?!" You cried, heart rabitting in your chest.

The fox's tail flicked playfully, his smile wide. "Hey, if I have to leave this little vay-cay spot, I might as well take a souvenir, right?"

"This isn't funny," Your voice was shaky, and you could feel tears building within your eyes. "Let me go!"

"No can do, Cousin," The fox tutted. "You're one in a million. You see… I've really grown to like you. I can't just let ya go! You don't belong here with these nobodies. So, I'll do like ya ask and get outta here by nightfall, and you're comin' with me!"

Dread filled you to the brim as the fox chuckled. One of his paws reached out to grasp your wrist, pulling it past the bars. He leaned down to press a kiss to it, purrs and chuckles bubbling up from his throat.

---

Tom was worried.

Of course, there was a constant feeling of worry in the back of his mind when it came to you - how were you doing? Were you getting enough rest? Getting enough to eat or drink? Was anyone bothering you? Where were you? Did you need any help?

But, now, he had a real reason to be. He had sent you out earlier that day to kick out a...Particular nuisance, a ghost of his past, a reminder  of pf everything gone wrong in his past and everything he could have ended up being, if he hadn't learned from his mistakes. And, he wanted to believe that the same could be said for Crazy Redd. 

Now, he knew that he should have followed his gut and booted that fox off the island the moment he set his thieving paws on the soil. 

He had plenty of reasons to be concerned, to be angered - Redd was up to his old, slimy tricks, making bank off of scamming poor innocent folks. Though, as much as it shamed him to admit, what really got his hackles raised was how much he seemed to distract you. Redd was no good, and you were practically the definition of goodness! Redd didn't deserve to be near you. He didn't even deserve to be on the same island as you!

The tanooki fiddled with his paws nervously. What a fool he was, sending you off to deal with Redd on your own. You may have been the Island Representative and he and Isabelle knew you could hold your own, but… Redd wasn't like the other villagers.

He maintained a causal visage as he made his way over to the campsite, waving as various villagers as he did. He didn't want anyone to panic. Once he was out of view and the fox's tent grew closer, he steeled his gaze, marching faster and with purpose.  It was becoming difficult to quell the anger boiling within him, unconsciously unsheathing his claws.

Upon closer inspection, a new sign was hung across the tent. In big bold letters, "CLOSED! NOW SCRAM!" was scrawled, along with a doodle of an angry fox. Tom's fur bristled and stood on end as he almost tore open the tent's tarp entrance.

He paused mid-step, eyes going wide as he took in the sight before him. Redd was pushing a gag into your mouth as you squirmed and fought within the confines of a cage. His mind went totally blank as he stood, frozen by the sight in front of him.

Redd jumped as he spotted the figure out of the corner of his eye, glaring and turning about. "Hey, can't you read!?-"

The fox fell deathly silent and still, the wind taken out of his sails. Both animals simply stared at each other..

You spat out the gag, breaking the silence. You grabbed tightly at the bars. "Tom, please, help me!"

Your voice brought him back to the present.  Fury rose up within him, the only thing within his mind was his anger at the fox in front of him - not just for bringing his slimy, horrible business to his island, but for trying to capture you and take you away from him! A deep growl built up in his throat as he shook  with rage.

Redd took a step back, smiling nervously. "Heya, Tom, ol' buddy, ol' pal-!"

Redd was silenced as both you and he witnessed something neither of you had ever seen - Tom growled loudly, opening his maw to reveal a set of sharp teeth, drool dripping from his mouth.

Redd couldn't even more before the tanooki charged forward, running on all fours and colliding with him, slamming him to the ground. Tom hissed and growled at him, raising a paw in the air and unsheathing his claws. Redd squeaked in fear, curling in on himself and hiding his face. 

Tom's paws dove into Redd's pockets, digging out a key and scrambling off of him and rising to his full height. He bayed and hissed and growled and screamed at the fox, chasing him as Redd got to his feet, darting out the door. 

You watched from the cage breathing heavily and blood pounding in your ears. You listened as the Tanooki's roars faded away. And you waited.

It wasn't long before you heard fast footfalls returning to the tent.

And you almost cried with relief when Tom returned to you, hurrying over and fumbling with the key in his paws to free you.

You fell into his arms, weeping as he held you. You let him shush you and hold you and rub at your back. He whispered soft comforting words and nuzzled against you. 

When you looked up at him, you noticed his fur was a bit disheveled. Cute.

"I'm sorry if I scared you," He apologized. "I… Must have lost myself back there."

You couldn't help but laugh, sniffling somewhat. "S'okay, I… Just, thank you so much. He wanted to take me away. I don't know what would have happened if he managed to sneak me out."

"I would never have let that happen," Tom reassured you. "I chased him all the way onto the seaplane, so you don't have to worry about him anymore, hm?"

"Thank you…" You closed your eyes, melting into his warmth as he held you.

"... If you wanted to take a break from your duties as Representative, I'd understand. You went through so much... You deserve a break, yes?"

You simply hummed in response.

Tom knew it was wrong, but… In a way, he was grateful for what had happened. This had sent you right into his arms, where you belong. It felt so nice to hold you.

You were safe, you were still here and you always would be, you were his, he would protect you.  Tpm nuzzled against you, rubbing his cheeks against you as he held you, scenting you - that way, everyone would know you were his, and nothing bad would ever happen again.

He promised.