#Whenever the horrors come for you just make ink about it

[monstera-tea]

making oak gall ink!!

It has been a party and also the least arthritis friendly experience if i didnt have carpal tunnel already i def do now

later ill post how it turns out and link the article im using!

[celuere]

hopefully we don‘t have no babies.

pt.2 of kiss it, bit it, can i fit it?

pairing: arlecchino x fem!reader

context: she is navigating you with slow and gentle steps (at first) through new found territory (aka sesbian lex)

cw: modern au, experienced dilf!arle, implied age gap (reader is in mid/late twenties), she yaps you an ear off about her spiders, pet names, praising, arle teaches you how to properly finger yourself ngh, mirrors, voyeurism, strap-on, rough sex, dumbification, arle is called peruere

word count: 3.8k

art credits: saditstic beauty: side story a

birthday special for you guys now WHERE are my presents. also thank you to angel and @angelic--kitty who more or less inspired me for this continuation ngh. i have to be honest, i outdid myself with this one. have with over 3k words of sesbian lex.

„are you certain you don‘t want to feed her? she is quite tame for her species.“

you watched the eight-legged creature crawl over her tatted skin in sheer horror.

how did she come up with the name „bambi“ for this monster of a spider?

„i-i‘m pretty certain. i‘d rather just… watch you feed her from a safe distance…!“, taking a step back from the woman and her…. pet. well, one of her various pets. 

you almost died of heart failure the moment you stepped foot into the entomologist‘s basement. terrariums lined up against the walls, everywhere. there had to be at least twenty of the damned creatures here. and today happened to be feeding day so you got to watch your date hand-feed them one by one. and of course, she didn’t leave out any introductions nor did she spare you the details of the individual species.

„this beauty is called a cyriopagopus lividus or rather a cobalt blue tarantula. they‘re known for their extraordinary blue coat and got often mixed up with the omothymus violaceopes even though they differentiate quite a lot from each other in my opinion. from size, color up to their natural habitat and attitude, they could not be more different. this one is actually a bit lively for her species-“ as if the damned thing seemed to understand her word for word, it took off from her palm and rushed up her arm where it abruptly stopped right on her shoulder, „my, the name freminet gave you really does suit you, speedy…“

yet your heart was threatening to beat out of your chest, not because of the sudden scare. rather because she just seemed so… different to you… how skilled she was handling the spiders to her barely lacking knowledge about each and every species she collected over the years. she seemed like a totally different person in that moment. and quite frankly- nothing turned you on more than watching those inked hands putting the haired monster back into its enclosure.

„how come you are so fond of them…?“

you almost regretted your question immediately at the way she mustered you all of a sudden. hesitant. as if she was weighing her options for the unknown. 

„i… i‘m sorry if that was too personal… you don‘t have to tell me if you don‘t feel comfortable with sharing that information with me…!“, you stammered as you tried lifting up the blanket of unease covering your heart. yet, peruere merely shook her head before guiding you out of her basement, a hand resting on your lower back when you walked up the stairs.

„i am not uncomfortable… not with you. it‘s just… it is not exactly the happiest story. it wouldn‘t be in my best interest to ruin tonight’s mood.“, she flashed you one of her rare smiles, but something sad clung to the way her eyes stared into yours.

you‘ve only been seeing each other for a good two months now, none of you dared to breach the topic of your past yet, her children had still to make your acquaintance, too. however, peruere showed great effort. daily phone calls, occasional dinner dates, randomly picking you up from your workplace whenever her schedule allowed it. she was truly, truly interested in you. and that fact caused your stomach to hit one cartwheel after the other.

who expected the 38-year old woman to still be so full of love? love she wants to share with you. 

„fine… another time then.“, you mirrored her soft expression, not wanting to pressure her any further about this topic. 

peruere could feel something in her ribcage tighten at the sight of you. goodness, you brought out a side in her that she didn‘t even know still existed in the first place. you made her feel young again. and she loved you for it.

she hadn‘t loved in a long time. 

„it is way past midnight already… do you still want to stay the night or do you want me to drive you back home?“, a tattooed hand came up to gently tuck a few lost hair strands back behind your ear.

with her children staying at certain ginger uncle‘s house tonight, the night belonged to you. and only you.

„well… what would you prefer? please, be honest… i wouldn‘t mind either options.“, instinctively you leaned into her warm palm, letting her thumb caress your soft skin as if it were the last time.

she looked like the moon on a lonely night yet her touch equaled the feeling of being kissed by the sun itself. warm. trusted. gentle. 

„i‘d love for you to stay the night…“, and so you did.

when you walked into her bedroom for the first time after going through your evening routine in her bathroom beforehand, you didn’t know what to expect. however, you weren‘t surprised, nor disappointed. 

the theme of the room was kept in a gentle dim light, a king-sized bed with simple white-black bedding was resting in the middle of the room. other than that the only things you could spot was a closet, a mirror and two nightstands. if compared to her kids rooms you‘d realize her own little abode is significantly smaller, probably because she doesn’t see a good point in taking up a lot of space which she only frequents for precisely one thing: sleeping. and something else.

otherwise it looked spotless. not a single corn of dust in sight. the sheets were laying neatly folded on top of the mattress and you could make out the soft scent of a room freshener clinging to the air.

„i apologize if my bedroom seems to not meet your expectations… i like to keep things simple.“, with her back turned to you, peruere opened her closet to fish some new sleepwear out for herself. 

but you were too focused. too focused on the fact that she was standing half-naked before you. her back muscles evidence of a strict diet and years of exercise. and you could spot three names imprinted underneath her right shoulder.

Lyney & Lynette 02.02

Freminet 09.24.

something in your chest tightened at the sight of her kid‘s names tattooed onto her skin. she really loved those rascals with her entire being even if they weren’t hers by blood, they will always be a part of her.

„do you have sleepwear to change into?“

„oh, yes i do, but thank you…“, you watch her put on a plain black shirt and a pair of red-black checked pants and now you are convinced. she looks handsome in literally anything.

the older woman didn’t expect a lot when she turned around but who would’ve thought seeing her sweet date in a tight tanktop and some shorts would blow her fucking mind. you weren’t even wearing anything sexual, yet her thoughts ran rampage inside her head while she tried to make an effort to avoid looking at anything else other than your face.

„so… ready for bed?“

„mhm… gosh, look at that pretty pussy…“

it took the two of you not even five minutes until the first layers of clothes came off.

which happened to be your shorts and panties. you were laying underneath her with spread legs and your own fingers working up and down your cunt, you wanted to give her a show.

but the longer you tried pleasuring yourself, the bigger the frown on peruere‘s face got.

the woman had precisely one question on her mind: did someone ever teach you how to properly finger yourself? you might as well be trying your luck at a lottery ticket the way your fingers… fumbled your folds. you weren‘t even wet enough when you tried to insert your index- and middle-finger.

„stop right there.“

„but-“

„stop. you will only end up hurting yourself.“, crimson eyes watched you remove your hand from your cunt as you tried masking the utter humiliation she just exposed you to.

„don‘t look away.“, with her hand grabbing your chin, she moved your head back to face her directly, „did someone ever teach you how to properly pleasure yourself?“

„h-huh? what do you mean?“

„all the men you have been with before, did they ever bother to finger you correctly or at least show you how to do it yourself?“, your ribcage is suddenly too small for your lungs at the vulgar words she‘s using.

„i… no… n-not that i remember… why are you asking?“

she looked at you for a few seconds before sighing and scooting back, tugging you up by your hand, „how am i supposed to sleep knowing such a pretty girl can‘t even get off all by herself… come here.“, she patted the space between her legs.

just what did she want to do?

when obliged to her request it almost immediately clicked when you were met with the reflection in front of you.

you were sat before a mirror. in her lap. butt-naked.

„y-you want to show me…“

„dear me, so smart… that is exactly what i want to do.“, peruere grabbed you by the plush of your right thigh before pulling your leg over her own and spreading you open in the process.

„so, here‘s how things will operate from here.“, she wasted no time and used her two fingers to spread your cunt open, „i will first give you a little… demonstration… and then it is your turn. how does that sound, hm?“

„th-that sounds humiliating, if i am being honest…“

„it isn‘t. at all. i am not offering this to make fun of you. please don‘t get me wrong, doll. i just want you to know how to take care of yourself the next time we‘re on a phone call.“, she let her lips ghost over the sensitive skin of your neck, your pussy now significantly more slick and your clit aching.

oh, that phone call. just thinking about it caused you to slightly whimper.

„i… o-okay fine… show me…“

„first of all you need to look. not at your face or mine, i need you to observe your pussy when i‘m demonstrating. understood?“, her voice had something stern in it. something that shouldn‘t be allowed to be so incredibly hot.

„understood…“

„good girl. now, first of all, you want to take your middle- and ring finger, that way it is easier for you to get as deep as possible when you are using them on yourself. got it so far?“, she waited for your nod before continuing.

„the main reason why i stopped you earlier was because you were way, way too dry. you need to be slick enough to easily wet your fingers in order for them to slide in with little to no problems. sex or masturbation is never supposed to hurt. if it does you are doing something wrong.“, her expression changed into something softer the more nervous you became by watching her fingertips circle over your sensitive clit, „shhhhh… just follow my fingers, look at how wet you are getting by just a few rubs to your clit…“, using those same fingers to spread you open by your folds. the whimper found its way over your lips all on itself.

„a-ah… th-this is embarrassing, peruere…“, you mumbled before turning your head away once again. 

but the entomologist wasn‘t having it.

„if you can send me whole videos of you bouncing your pussy on a vibrator, you can also watch me fingering you in a mirror.“, she whispered almost dangerously low into your ear, her tone laced with something sinister that caused your body to grow hot… and your cunt to painfully clench around nothing.

„let me propose an offer.“, just then, her fingertips slowly sneaked their way into your slit, „if you sit through this lesson without any more complaining and manage to properly get off on your own fingers… there‘s a little reward waiting for you… alright?“, her voice came out silky, reduced to a soft pur as she hummed, pleased to find your eyes fixed back onto the wet mess between your legs.

„a-alright…“, your breathing became heavier the deeper her fingers pushed in until she was knuckles-deep inside your warmth.

„good girl. feel that?“, slowly she began to feel up your walls that were gripping onto her so tightly. peruere only chuckled, „missed me, hm?“

„hah… hngh… o-of course i did…“, you said, as you pressed yourself more into her chest. she felt so warm. so comfortable. the faint note of her usual cologne still clung to her but it lit up a flame of desire inside of you that you only ever experienced with her.

„adorable… we have several options now. you could start to move your hand back and forth…“, she demonstrated by pumping her fingers slowly in and out of you, drawing a moan from you in the process, „or curl up your fingers and search for your g-spot. it usually sits two to three inches behind your vaginal opening, right…“, electricity suddenly shoots down your spine as her two fingertips delicately press and rub into your spot, „…here.“

„o-oh archons-! h-how-?!“, you clenched the fabric of her pants in your hand as she continued to massage the sensitive spot inside of you with ease.

„after knowledge comes experience, darling. you could also combine both methods and just…“, she had you squirming around in her lap by the first pump of her fingers, curling them up each time she slid them back into your hole, „…fingerfuck yourself however you please. you can vary the pace, the motions, just whatever feels better to you.“

something, something with motions… speed… how did she expect you to pay attention with her fingers showing you what heaven truly looked like?

you were so focused on these experienced fingers working their way inside your pussy that you didn‘t even process her next words.

„and now it is your turn, sweetheart.“, the whine you let out when she retreated almost brought the older woman to her knees. 

you were just too cute in her lap. cute and unfucked. too unfucked for her liking.

„m-my turn…?“

„how am i supposed to know that my little lesson bore any fruits without a test? come on. make good use of those fingers now and pleasure yourself.“, her voice was dripping with professionalism, as if she were talking to a student.

despite the humiliation being still very much present, you obliged to her demand without as much as a simple nod. moving your fingers down, carefully sliding them through your wetness, „a-and what about my r-reward…?“

crimson eyes were fixated on the way you circled your clit in the reflection of the mirror before she leaned back, supporting herself on the mattress with her arms, „so impatient… i will only properly reward you once you manage to get off. on your own. after all, i don‘t reward slackers.“

archons, she was strict.

but did her tone only add further to the heat resting between your thighs?

fuck, it did.

and you needed that strap-on badly.

so you watched her expression falter for the slightest moment when you shoved your fingers back inside your warmth and they went in so easily. you gasped at how smoothly they went inside you, how welcoming you were compared to a few minutes ago, that you leaned your head back onto her shoulder when you started to search for your spot.

easier said than done.

„i… i-i can‘t i find it, peruere…“

„you can, angel. it should sit right above your fingertips now. come on, we don‘t give up so easily here. think about your reward…“

she didn‘t tell you that she will still pound your cute pussy senseless, even if you fail. 

she just won‘t be as gentle with you.

„i-i don‘t have as much experience a-as you do…“, your voice trembled with your growing frustration when you missed it yet again. 

„darling, i‘m a whole decade older than you. i assure you we are getting-“, peruere watched your legs jolt as a moan rung through the bedroom, „…there. my, was that so hard now?“, a knowing smirk played around her lips as she watched you fall apart in her lap. all on your own.

this was different. so much different from someone else doing the work, it was even slightly better than that. you knew what motion felt the best already, the pace you wanted to set and quite honestly- you regretted not looking into your own pleasure like this way sooner. but having a 38 year old overworked woman lead you to the right path… oh, what a wonderful world you were living in.

your orgasm felt like warm hug embracing you, washing gently over you but leaving you nonetheless breathless, aching for more.

„my, look at that… aren‘t you just the sweetest little thing…?“, she didn‘t wait for a reply when she moved over to her nightstand and fished out… her very own strap-on.

„h-huh…?“

„what? don‘t tell me you changed your mind about the reward, doll…“, and truth was that she just couldn‘t wait any longer to fuck you into the mattress. with how needy your eyes were still looking at her, the way you rubbed your slightly trembling thighs together, your fingers already pulled out but the hand was still resting between them.

like a little lamb waiting for its sacrifice.

and she needed you. bad. she wanted to make up for the years you wasted with the wrong partners, showing you what you‘ve been missing out on your entire life.

her.

„n-no no! i-i didn‘t change my mind at all-!“, you crawled towards her side of the bed where she was currently standing when she started buckling up her fake dick.

the sight of you kneeling before her on the bed, tits pressed together in that skimpy top of yours forced her to wet her lips. 

you will be the end of her.

„lay back. legs spread. mhm, just like that.“, she had to suppress a groan when you exposed your soaked pussy to her eyes once again. the way she could make out your nervous breathing by how fast your chest rose and fell back down. you were excited.

„good girl. now show off that pretty cunt to me.“, her throat visibly moved when you spread your folds open for her once more. one moment she was standing, the next she dropped to her knees, hungry lips roaming over your warmth, a tongue greedily lapping up your juices as muffled groans filled the tense bedroom air.

it was almost a reflex when your hand found home between her hair strands, pushing her further into you when you couldn’t stop the sounds of pure ecstasy any longer.

yet, peruere didn‘t devote her mouth to your pussy much longer, already leaving a hot trail of messy kisses up to your tummy, tattooed hands working the fabric of your top over your tits, giving them both a treatment consisting of biting your nipple and making sure to cover those beautiful girls in lovebites beyond recognition.

„o-oh god- fuuuuck… p-please…!“, you whined, whimpered, whatever. hands tracing the outlines of her trained biceps when she fucking finally towered over you, lips swollen from treating your body like a temple, crimson eyes dark with nothing else other than carnal desire.

„you want me? you want my cock inside that tight pussy of yours, hm?“, she purred as she grabbed your right leg and placing it over her shoulder when you felt her rubbing the shaft through your slickness.

the way you shook your head up and down like a total maniac was all she needed. 

„then you shall have me.“

often peruere didn‘t look like she was approaching the 40 years mark.

but those hips made sure to remind you of it yet again. slamming so perfectly into you, her cock settling each and every time against your cervix when she bottoms out, like a puzzle piece falling into place.

she swore she could feel you gripping onto the silicone, how you sucked her in as if you were about to starve and despite not even being penetrated sexually herself- she was groaning from the deepest pits of her throat. not caring about your juices staining the sheets underneath you or her sleeping pants.

„p-peruere…!! p-peru-!!“, you mewled in the sweetest tone as you grabbed into the sheets until your knuckles turned white, tears forming in the corner of your eyes from how deep she was penetrating you from the inside.

„all those before me, did they ever fuck you as good as me? did they ever have you screaming over their cock like this, hm?“, the both of you overheard the sound of the bed creaking underneath her almost animalistic pace if it weren‘t for your skin slapping together. you could almost mistake it for a round of applause.

however, your answer was clear.

„n-no-! th-they didn‘t- Hngh!!“, your spine melted into a beautiful arch when she angled her hips to go after that one certain spot, stars already dangling around your vision from how well she was fucking you.

not even your climax stopped her. it only further motivated her to press your legs up until your knees were almost touching your ears so she could rut as deeply as possibly into you.

she hated how she couldn‘t get pregnant more than anything else right now. nobody ever made her feel this wanted as you in that moment. how you begged for her, pleading for salvation in form of her cock and what not. you wanted her fuck you into this mattress for eternity, to turn you into her own personal doll to play with.

„mine… mine, all mine…“, giving into the urge to kiss you stupid almost made her cum herself. the moans that were swallowed by her own lips, your arms snaking around her neck to keep her pressed against your body as she held your face in her hands as if you were but a precious diamond she needed to be careful with. a strong contradict to how she was plowing into you and how strongly the room smelled of sex.

and if your place was underneath her with seven inches filling you up, then so be it.

your world almost shattered after yet another exhilarating high when she pulled out, not even the slightest hint of her being out of breath yet.

„don‘t look at me like that, sweetheart. i‘m not even remotely done with you yet.“, her biceps strained as she picked you up as if you were nothing but lightweight to her before flipping you over on your stomach, „hips up.“, a hand patted the fat of your hips and you obliged more than happily.

a pillow was placed underneath you and you also dragged another one over to rest your head on. you knew she was about to rock your whole world.

„comfortable?“

„m-mhm…“

„then hold on tight.“

[elikajinnie]

The Frequency Of A Killer - S.J

P: Killer!Jake X Fem!Reader

Warnings: Suspense, Teasing, Murder, Attempted Murder, Stalking, Mind Games, Obsessive Behaviour kinda?

Wordcount: + 20k words

Synopsis: After moving to a small town as a horror talk show host, you uncover a deadly cover-up tied to a masked killer. As the bodies pile up, the killer becomes fixated on you. Can you unravel the truth?

a/n: her we go! another killer au but this time its not Heeseung or Ni-ki! We got Jake :) so this is inspired by my fave horror game; killer frequency - 1000% recommend.

---

You were used to the rush, the buzz, and the endless opportunities of the big city. The noise didn’t bother you. Networking came naturally, jobs were abundant, and you’d found your niche in the chaos: hosting a podcast about horror and true crime in a way that set your listeners on edge while keeping them hooked. Your show had skyrocketed to fame, and you’d connected with an entire community of enthusiasts who lived for the thrill, just like you. Life was good. Stable. Yours.

Until your company decided you weren’t “it” anymore.

The justification was laughable—“gender diversity,” they’d said. They wanted to swap you out for some guy, as if trading a seasoned, beloved host for an inexperienced one would make everything magically better. You weren’t buying it, but their minds were made up. No amount of protest or proof of your success could change their decision. And so, you left, refusing to stick around and watch them hand your hard work over to someone who didn’t earn it.

That’s how you found yourself in this small, sleepy town, working for a much smaller company that was trying its hand at podcasts. They hired you on the spot, practically drooling over your experience, and offered you a spot as the host of their horror and true crime segment. It was meant to be a temporary gig, a placeholder until—surely—your old company would come crawling back, begging for you to return.

But a month had passed. One whole, quiet month, and they hadn’t reached out. Not even a courtesy email.

At least this place wasn’t half bad. You had your own little booth, tucked away in the back of the building, with soundproof walls and just enough space to feel like your own world. The show was entirely yours to run—aside from the occasional ad spot they made you slip in—and you had free rein to do what you did best. Even the people weren’t bad.

Especially Beomgyu.

Beomgyu was technically your producer, though most of his job seemed to involve screening calls and chatting with you during breaks. He sat in the booth just across from yours, separated by a thin pane of glass, and had this habit of pulling faces at you whenever you got too serious. At first, you thought he was annoying—this twenty-something with a mop of messy hair and a perpetual smirk—but over time, he’d grown on you.

Tonight was no different. You leaned back in your chair, headphones snug over your ears as you wrapped up the last caller. A woman with a trembling voice had called in to share a local ghost story about the old mill at the edge of town, and you’d expertly guided her through the tale, adding just the right amount of suspense and curiosity to keep your listeners hooked.

When the call ended, you glanced over at Beomgyu through the glass. He was grinning, spinning lazily in his chair, and holding up a piece of paper with “9/10” scrawled on it in bold, black ink.

You rolled your eyes and flicked him off with a smirk. He just laughed, pointing to the mic to remind you you were still live.

“Alright,” you said smoothly, turning back to the soundboard. “That’s all the time we have for tonight. Thanks for tuning in, and as always—lock your doors, check under your bed, and don’t trust the shadows.”

The outro music played, and you switched off your mic with a satisfied sigh.

“Not bad,” Beomgyu teased as you stood up, stretching your arms. “But you totally rushed the ending on that last one. Where was the suspense?”

“Where was the suspense?” you echoed mockingly, grabbing a cup of coffee off the table and taking a sip. “How about I’m the professional, and you’re just the guy who answers phones?”

Beomgyu snorted. “Keep telling yourself that. One day, I’m gonna take over your job and show you how it’s really done.”

“Please,” you shot back, rolling your eyes. “You’d last five minutes before you started talking about aliens or some weird conspiracy theory.”

He grinned. “You know me so well.”

--

The night started off normal enough. You sat at the small desk in the break area, sipping on a lukewarm coffee Beomgyu had somehow convinced you to grab for him before realizing you needed one for yourself too. He lounged across from you, feet propped up on the edge of the table like he owned the place, spinning a pen between his fingers.

“So,” he started casually, tilting his head with that usual lopsided grin of his, “what’s it like being a big-shot city person stuck in our little backwater town?”

You snorted, shaking your head. “First of all, you act like I came here voluntarily. Second, backwater’s a little harsh, don’t you think?”

He shrugged. “I call it like I see it. You’ve been here a month and you still can’t hide the ‘get me out of here’ look on your face.”

“Maybe because I’m waiting for my old company to realize they made the worst mistake of their lives.”

Beomgyu raised an eyebrow. “Yeah? And when they don’t? What’s Plan B?”

“Plan B?” you repeated, narrowing your eyes. “There’s no Plan B, because Plan A is going to work. They’ll come crawling back. Trust me.”

He clicked his tongue and gave you a doubtful look. “Sure, sure. But admit it—this place isn’t so bad. It’s quiet, no traffic, and the rent is dirt cheap. I bet your apartment here is, like, three times bigger than whatever shoebox you had back in the city.”

“Okay, yeah, I’ll give you that,” you admitted, leaning back in your chair. “The cost of living here is nice. And I don’t hate the peace and quiet. But the thing about big cities? There’s always something happening. People, events, opportunities. It’s like… the energy keeps you alive, you know?”

Beomgyu chuckled, twirling the pen like he was in some kind of drumline. “Sounds exhausting. You city people thrive on chaos. Meanwhile, out here, we’ve got… cows. And maybe a parade if you’re lucky.”

You rolled your eyes. “It’s not that bad here. I just… I’m not used to it yet.”

“Give it time,” he said, leaning forward like he was about to share a secret. “Pretty soon, you’ll be one of us. Walking slow, waving at strangers, knowing everyone’s business…”

You grimaced. “That sounds like my worst nightmare.”

Beomgyu laughed so hard he nearly knocked over his coffee. He was still grinning when he asked, “So what was it like, though? Your old job, I mean. The fancy podcast thing.”

For a moment, you hesitated. You could still remember it clearly—the studio, the buzz of the city outside, the adrenaline rush of knowing your audience was hanging on to your every word.

“It was…” you began, searching for the right word. “It was everything I wanted, for a while. I worked my way up, you know? Started small, built an audience, found my voice. It was a grind, but it was worth it.”

Beomgyu nodded, his expression more serious now. “So what went wrong?”

You sighed, tracing your finger along the rim of your cup. “They wanted to ‘freshen things up.’ Change the direction of the show. Apparently, a guy hosting would bring in a ‘different perspective.’”

“That’s bullshit,” Beomgyu said immediately, his brow furrowing.

“Yeah, well, tell that to them.” You shrugged, masking the sting with a bitter smile. “They thought it was a good idea. I didn’t.”

“Idiots,” Beomgyu muttered, shaking his head. “You’re way better at this than some random guy.”

“Thanks,” you said, a small smile creeping onto your face. “I’ll remind them of that when they come groveling.”

Then the clock on the wall chimed, reminding you it was time to start the show.

“Alright, back to work,” you said, standing up and stretching. “Don’t let me catch you slacking, Beomgyu.”

“Me? Slack? Never,” he replied, mock-offended as he followed you toward the booth.

The show started as usual—smooth, easy, familiar. The first few callers were locals sharing urban legends, strange encounters, and the occasional eerie coincidence. Beomgyu stayed in his booth across from you, laughing silently at your quips and holding up cards with goofy doodles to make you break character mid-recording.

But then, midway through the second hour, a call came through that made your stomach drop.

Beomgyu patched it through with his usual nonchalance, giving you a thumbs-up from the other side of the glass. “Line three,” he mouthed.

“Hello,” you said into the mic, your voice steady despite the sudden shift in the air. “You’re on the air. What’s your name, and what story do you have for us tonight?”

There was a long pause. Too long. Static crackled faintly on the other end.

Then, a voice you didn’t recognize—low, and far too calm—spoke.

“Do you ever wonder if someone’s watching you right now?”

Your heart skipped a beat. You forced a laugh, playing it off for your listeners. “Well, I guess I should hope so—otherwise, what’s the point of doing a live show?”

The voice didn’t laugh. “No,” it said. “I mean really watching you. Right now.”

Goosebumps rose on your arms. You glanced toward Beomgyu, who raised an eyebrow, clearly unsure where this was going.

“I think that’s a little too vague to count as a story,” you said, keeping your tone light. “Care to elaborate?”

The line went silent for a moment, then the voice spoke again, quieter this time.

“Check your window.”

Your blood ran cold. You turned instinctively to the window beside your booth. It was dark outside, the glass reflecting nothing but the dim glow of your equipment.

Nothing was there.

But the voice on the other end of the line chuckled softly, sending a chill down your spine.

“Gotcha,” it said, before the call abruptly disconnected.

Beomgyu’s voice crackled through your headphones, pulling you out of the eerie fog left by the last caller.

“That was… weird,” he said, leaning closer to his mic in the booth across from you. You could see his reflection in the glass, brow furrowed in confusion. “I mean, what window? We’re on the second floor. Unless there’s some really tall guy with a ladder out there, what the hell was that supposed to mean?”

A nervous laugh escaped you as you reached for your cup of water, trying to shake off the chill creeping up your spine. “Right? Probably some wannabe prank caller. People love to act spooky when they know they’re live.”

“Yeah, but that voice?” Beomgyu leaned back, tapping his fingers against his desk. “It didn’t sound like someone joking. It sounded… I don’t know. Off.”

“Let’s not overthink it,” you said, though you couldn’t deny the unease settling in your chest. “Weird calls are part of the job, right? It’s probably nothing.”

Beomgyu nodded slowly, but his usual playful grin didn’t return. His eyes flickered to the window behind you, then back to his desk as if trying to distract himself.

Before either of you could dwell on it further, the phone lit up again. Another call.

“Line two,” Beomgyu said, pressing the button to patch it through.

You straightened in your seat, slipping your headphones back on. “You’re on the air. What’s your name, and what story do you have for us tonight?”

This time, the voice on the other end was hurried, shaky, and unmistakably real.

“This is Officer Park from the Greenfield Police Department,” a woman said, her words tumbling out in a rush. “I—God, I don’t even know who else to call right now. I just got back to the station—was out getting donuts for the night shift—and when I walked in, I found…”

She stopped, her voice catching on a sob. Your stomach twisted.

“You found what?” you asked gently, exchanging a wide-eyed glance with Beomgyu through the glass.

“Two of the officers—two of my coworkers,” the woman stammered. “They’ve been stabbed. One of them… one of them’s already gone. The other one is still alive, barely. I called for backup, but closest units are at least five hours away, and I don’t know what to do.”

Beomgyu’s jaw dropped as he mouthed, Is this for real?

You swallowed hard, gripping the edge of your desk. “Okay, Officer Park, take a deep breath,” you said, your tone steady even though your heart was racing. “Are you somewhere safe right now?”

“Yes,” she said, her breath hitching. “I locked myself in the back office. But whoever did this—they could still be here. I didn’t see anyone when I came in, but… Oh, God, what if they’re still inside?”

You leaned closer to your mic, your voice low but firm. “Okay, listen to me. First, you did the right thing by calling for backup. Stay where you are, keep the door locked, and don’t make any noise. Do you have your weapon on you?”

“Yes,” she said quickly.

“Good,” you said. “And the officer who’s still alive—do you know if they’re in immediate danger? Can you hear or see them from where you are?”

“They’re out in the main lobby,” she replied, her voice trembling. “I can hear them—barely. They’re trying to say something, but I can’t make it out. I think they’re losing consciousness.”

Your pulse quickened as you considered the situation. This wasn’t just some urban legend or creepy caller—this was real, and someone’s life was on the line.

“Okay, Officer Park, here’s what we’re going to do,” you said, keeping your tone as calm as possible. “Do you have anything with you—first aid supplies, even a jacket—anything you can use to stabilize them if you go out there?”

“There’s a med kit in the office,” she said.

“Good. Grab it. But listen—only go out there if you’re sure it’s safe. Move quickly, quietly, and keep your weapon ready. Check the corners, and don’t let your guard down. If you hear or see anything suspicious, you come right back to the office and lock the door. Do you understand?”

There was a long pause. Then she whispered, “Okay. I’ll try.”

“Stay on the line with us,” you said, glancing at Beomgyu, who was already typing furiously on his laptop, probably trying to look up news reports or police scanner updates. “We’re not going anywhere.”

You could hear her moving, her breathing shaky but determined as she whispered, “I’m opening the door.”

Your own breath hitched as you listened to the faint creak of a door opening on her end.

“I don’t hear anything,” she said softly. “I’m stepping out now.”

The seconds dragged on like hours as you listened to her footsteps, the faint hum of fluorescent lights buzzing in the background.

“I see him,” she whispered. “He’s—oh, God, he’s bleeding so much. I’m going to try to stop it.”

You could hear her fumbling with the med kit, her voice barely audible as she muttered, “Stay with me, okay? Stay with me. Help is on the way.”

Your pulse pounded as Officer Park’s frantic movements came through the line. You forced yourself to keep your voice steady, trying to calm both her and yourself.

"Officer Park," you said firmly, leaning closer to the mic. "Listen to me. You need to arm yourself before doing anything else. Do you have access to any weapons right now?"

She hesitated for a moment, her breathing quick. "There’s a weapons locker in the office, but the keys are… they’re on one of the officers."

“Okay. You need to get those keys from the officer who…” You paused, forcing yourself to stay calm. “The officer who’s gone. You’ll need them if you’re going to get out of there alive. And when backup arrives, they’ll need you armed.”

“I already told you,” she whispered sharply. “Backup isn’t coming anytime soon. This is a small town. The nearest station is in the next county over—at least five hours away.”

The weight of her words settled like a stone in your chest. “Then you need to leave now,” you said. “You’ll have to meet them halfway, but you can’t just stay there. Take the surviving officer and get out of the station. Use the police cruiser. Are the keys to the car with the officers too?”

“Probably,” she said, voice shaking.

“Then get them,” you urged. “Check the pockets of the officer who…” You hesitated again, but there wasn’t time for gentleness. “Who’s already gone.”

There was a long pause, followed by a shaky exhale. “Okay,” she whispered. “I’ll do it.”

You could hear her moving again, her footsteps echoing faintly. Then, muffled rustling as she moved the officer’s body.

“I’ve got them,” she said after a moment, her voice tight. “The car keys. And…” She paused, the sound of a locker creaking open coming through the line. “Weapons. I’ve got pepper spray, a taser, and a baton. Which one should I take?”

You exchanged a glance with Beomgyu, who shrugged helplessly. “The taser,” you said decisively. “It’s your best option for close combat if the killer comes back. You’ll still have the element of surprise.”

“Alright,” she said, her voice steadier now. “I’m taking the taser. And the med kit. I’m going to try to move Officer Kim to the car.”

“Be careful,” you said, your voice soft but firm. “Check your surroundings constantly. Keep the taser in your hand. And whatever you do, stay quiet.”

You listened in tense silence as she dragged the injured officer toward the car, her breaths labored but determined. The sound of a car door opening reached your ears, followed by the faint groans of the wounded officer being carefully placed in the back seat.

“I’ve got him in the car,” Officer Park said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I’m about to start it.”

“Good,” you said. “Start it quietly and get out of there as fast as you can.”

But just as the engine sputtered to life, a haunting whistle cut through the air, sending a shiver down your spine. It was distant but unmistakable—low and drawn out, carrying an almost mocking tone.

“Oh, God,” she whispered, panic creeping back into her voice. “They’re here. The killer’s here.”

You leaned forward, gripping the edge of the desk. “Stay calm,” you said. “Lock the doors. Don’t move until you know it’s safe. If they come close, use the taser.”

Through the line, you heard faint footsteps and the sound of shouts—angry, guttural, and close. Then a scuffle broke out.

“They’re trying to break into the car!” Officer Park shouted, her voice shaking with fear and adrenaline.

“Use the taser!” you yelled. “Now!”

There was a loud crackling sound, followed by a strangled scream.

“It worked!” she cried out, her voice bursting with relief. “The taser worked! They’re down!”

A second later, the engine roared to life, and the sound of the car speeding away filled the line.

“Are you okay?” you asked breathlessly.

“I’m okay,” she said, her voice shaking but determined. “We’re leaving. I’m heading to the next town over to meet the backup units. It’s about five hours from here—less if I push it.”

“Good,” you said, exhaling slowly. “Just stay safe and focus on the road.”

“One more thing,” she added, her tone suddenly serious. “The emergency police line—it’s been rerouted to you. I couldn’t risk leaving the station unattended, so if anyone in town calls for help, it’ll go to your line instead.”

You froze, glancing at Beomgyu, who stared back at you with wide eyes.

“Wait,” you said, your stomach sinking. “What are we supposed to do if the killer targets someone else?”

“You’re going to have to help them,” she said grimly. “Until we can get backup to the town, you’re the only ones who can.”

The line went dead, leaving you and Beomgyu sitting in stunned silence, the weight of her words settling over you like a storm cloud.

“Uh… what the hell just happened?” Beomgyu finally said, his voice cracking slightly.

You didn’t answer, your mind racing as you stared at the blinking lights on the phone.

Somewhere out there, the killer was still on the loose. And now, the entire town was counting on you.

After a while the familiar ring of the phone jolted you from your thoughts, the sudden sound piercing the tense silence that had settled in the booth. Beomgyu’s voice crackled through your headphones.

“Line three,” he said.

You nodded to Beomgyu, signaling for him to patch it through.

“You’re on the air,” you said, adjusting your mic.

“I—oh, no, no, I think I called the wrong number,” a woman stammered, her voice trembling. “I was trying to call the police. There’s—there’s someone after me.”

Your heart sank as you exchanged a quick glance with Beomgyu through the glass. “You didn’t call the wrong number,” you explained quickly. “The emergency line is being rerouted to us temporarily. But you’re not alone—we’re here to help. Just tell us where you are and what’s happening.”

The woman hesitated for a moment, her breath audible over the line. “I just left the gym. I’m trying to get to my car, but there’s this… man. He’s following me. He has a knife, I’m sure of it.”

A faint whistle echoed in the background of the call, making the hairs on your arms stand on end. The woman gasped, her voice rising in panic.

“Oh, God,” she whispered. “I should’ve stayed home. Why didn’t I stay home?”

You leaned forward, gripping the edge of the desk tightly. “Listen to me,” you said, keeping your voice calm and steady despite the anxiety bubbling in your chest. “Don’t stop. Keep moving toward your car. You can do this.”

“I’m scared,” she admitted, her voice breaking.

“I know,” you said softly. “But you’re doing great. Just keep going. Focus on your breathing and keep moving. We’re not going anywhere—we’ve got you.”

The sound of her hurried footsteps came through the line, along with her ragged breathing.

“I see my car,” she said, relief creeping into her voice. “I’m almost there.”

You let out a breath you hadn’t realized you were holding. “Good. Get in and lock the doors immediately. Don’t worry about starting it until you’re inside and safe.”

A moment later, there was the faint sound of a car door opening and slamming shut.

“I made it,” she said, exhaling shakily. “I’m in.”

“Great job,” you said, feeling a small surge of relief. “Now start the car and drive somewhere safe—”

“Oh, no,” she interrupted, her voice rising in panic again. “No, no, no! I—I forgot my keys. They’re still in the gym!”

Your stomach dropped.

Beomgyu’s voice came through your headphones before you could respond. “Wait,” he said, leaning closer to his mic. “One guy—one who works here. I’ve seen him reading magazines about car maintenance in the breakroom. He might’ve had something about starting a car without keys.”

You blinked at him, hope flickering. “Are you sure?”

“Positive,” Beomgyu said. “I saw him reading one earlier this week.”

You muted the line to the woman briefly, turning back to Beomgyu. “Where did he leave it?”

“Probably in his office,” Beomgyu said with a shrug. “You’ll have to look for it.”

With a deep breath, you stood up. “Keep her talking. Keep her calm until I get back,” you said, pulling off your headphones.

Beomgyu gave you a thumbs up as you left the booth, closing the door behind you.

You made your way toward the offices, your footsteps echoing softly on the tiled floor. The darkened corridors seemed to stretch endlessly, but you finally reached the office. The door creaked as you pushed it open.

The room was cluttered, papers and other stuff scattered across the desks. You rifled through the mess, searching for the magazine Beomgyu had mentioned, but it was nowhere to be found.

Sighing, you were about to give up when a folded piece of paper caught your eye on the desk. Curious, you unfolded it.

Borrowed the car magazine for some light reading. Left it in the bathroom. -J

You frowned, squinting at the note. The bathroom? Of course.

Taking a deep breath, you headed toward the men’s bathroom, the unease in your chest growing with each step. Standing outside the door, you hesitated for a moment before pushing it open.

The air inside was still, the lights flickering slightly. You scanned the room, your eyes landing on the floor of one of the stalls. Sure enough, there it was—a magazine, its glossy cover faintly reflecting the dim light.

Bracing yourself, you stepped into the stall and grabbed it. Clutching the magazine, you made your way back to the booth as quickly as possible, the tension in your chest finally easing as the familiar glow of the studio came into view.

Sliding back into your seat, you slipped on your headphones. “Got it,” you said, flipping through the pages.

“About time,” Beomgyu muttered, relief in his voice. “She’s still in the car. Freaking out, but holding it together.”

“Alright,” you said, scanning the pages for anything useful. “Let’s get her out of there.”

You flipped quickly through the magazine, scanning each page for something useful. Beomgyu, still connected to the call, was murmuring reassurances to the woman, keeping her calm as best as he could. Finally, near the back of the magazine, you spotted a section titled: “How to Start a Car Without Keys—In Emergencies Only!”

Bingo.

You unmuted the call, speaking quickly. “Okay, I’ve got instructions here. It’s a little complicated, but we’re going to get you out of there. Are you ready to listen?”

“Y-yeah,” she stammered, her voice shaking. “Please, just tell me what to do.”

“Alright. First, do you see the steering column? You’ll need to take off the plastic cover underneath it.”

“The plastic cover?” she repeated, her voice filled with uncertainty.

“Yes. There should be a seam where it comes apart. Can you find it?”

There was a rustling sound, followed by a faint click. “I—I see it. I think I can pry it open.”

“Good. Use anything sharp—a nail file, a keychain, anything to pop it off,” you instructed.

A few tense seconds passed, the sound of fumbling and grunting filling the line.

“Got it!” she said suddenly. “It’s off.”

“Perfect. Now, you should see some wires underneath,” you continued, flipping the magazine around to get a better look at the diagram. “There will be three sets: power, ignition, and ground. Look for the ones connected to the ignition—they’re usually red and yellow. Do you see them?”

“Wait… yes, yes, I see them!” she said, her breathing slightly more controlled now.

“Okay, here’s the tricky part,” you said carefully. “You need to strip the ends of the ignition wires—just the plastic coating—so the metal is exposed. Do you have anything sharp, like a knife or scissors?”

“Uh… I have a nail file,” she said after a moment.

“That works. Carefully scrape the plastic off, but don’t cut the wires. Just expose the metal underneath. Take your time.”

The sound of her scraping at the wires filled the silence, and you exchanged a nervous glance with Beomgyu, who gave you a reassuring nod.

“Alright,” she said finally. “I’ve got the wires stripped. What now?”

“Good. Now you’re going to twist the exposed ends of the ignition wires together. That should create a spark to start the car. But be ready—the second it starts, drive away. Don’t wait around.”

“Okay,” she whispered. “I’m doing it now.”

There was a faint crackling sound, followed by a sputtering noise. Then, suddenly, the low rumble of an engine filled the line.

“It worked!” she cried, her voice breaking with relief. “It actually worked!”

“Great job!” you said, unable to stop the smile forming on your face. “Now get out of there. Drive somewhere safe—somewhere well-lit with other people around. Don’t stop until you’re absolutely sure you’re safe.”

You could hear the roar of the car accelerating, the relief in her voice evident as she spoke. “I’m driving now. Oh, my God, thank you. Thank you so much.”

“You’re doing great,” you said, your own voice shaking slightly from the adrenaline. “Just focus on the road. Call us back if anything happens, okay?”

“Okay. I will,” she said. “Thank you again. I—I think I might’ve been dead if it weren’t for you.”

“Just keep driving,” you said softly. “That’s all that matters now.”

The line clicked off, leaving you and Beomgyu alone in the booth. For a moment, the two of you sat in silence.

Beomgyu let out a low whistle. “I can’t believe that actually worked.”

“Me neither,” you admitted, tossing the magazine onto the desk. “But if it hadn’t… I don’t even want to think about it.”

Beomgyu leaned back in his chair, exhaling deeply. “So… what do we do if someone else calls?”

You didn’t have an answer, your thoughts already spiraling with what-ifs. All you could do was hope the rest of the night stayed quiet.

The phone rang again, its shrill tone cutting through the uneasy silence that had settled in the booth. You adjusted your mic and nodded to Beomgyu. He patched it through with a flick of a switch, signaling with his finger for you to go ahead.

“You’re on the air,” you said, your voice steady despite the lingering tension from the last call.

“Hey, yeah, uh, is this the emergency line?” a cheery voice on the other end asked.

“Yes, this is the emergency line. What’s your situation?” you asked, leaning forward, bracing yourself for whatever this might be.

“Well,” the man began, his tone casual, “I just wanted to let everyone know that Hanseung’s Pizza is open late tonight, and we’re offering a two-for-one deal on our large pepperoni pies!”

You froze, your hand gripping the edge of the desk. “Are you serious right now?”

“Totally serious! Best pizza in town!”

You groaned audibly and disconnected the call before the man could say another word. Leaning back in your chair, you rubbed your temples as Beomgyu snorted with laughter.

When you glanced at him through the glass, he made a circular gesture next to his temple, miming crazy.

“I swear,” you muttered, pulling your headphones off briefly, “this night is going to kill me.”

Beomgyu gave you a lopsided grin, but before he could say anything, the phone rang again.

“Here we go,” he said, flipping the switch to route the call to you.

You sighed, sliding your headphones back on. “You’re on the air,” you said cautiously.

“H-hello?” a man’s voice came through, low and shaky.

“This is the emergency line,” you said gently. “What’s going on?”

“I—I’m still at work,” the man said, his words trembling as he spoke. “I stayed late to finish up inventory, and I… I saw someone on the cameras. He’s outside. He’s wearing a white mask, and he’s holding a knife. He’s on the first floor now.”

Your heart sank as a chill ran down your spine. “Okay, stay calm,” you said quickly. “Where are you right now?”

“I’m on the second floor,” he said. “In the main office. But… but there’s nowhere to hide. The only room I can lock is the storage closet, and the lock is on the outside. What do I do?”

You frowned, running a hand through your hair as you exchanged a tense glance with Beomgyu. “Alright, listen to me. We’re going to figure this out. Let’s think through this carefully.”

“I don’t have much time,” the man whispered, panic rising in his voice. “He’s coming in. I can see him on the camera feed.”

You flipped through options in your mind, trying to think of anything that could give him a chance. The storage room could work, but locking it from the outside meant he’d be trapping himself unless…

“Wait,” you said suddenly. “Does your office phone system let you call internal lines? Like phones in other rooms?”

“Yes,” the man said quickly. “I can call any phone in the building from here.”

“Perfect,” you said, sitting up straighter. “Here’s the plan. We’re going to distract him. You’re going to call one of the phones on the first floor, and when it rings, he’ll go to investigate. Once he’s distracted, you’re going to quietly make your way down the back staircase and get out of the building. Got it?”

“Okay, okay,” the man said, his breathing quick and shallow. “I can do that. I think.”

“You can do this,” you said firmly. “Now, do you know which phone to call?”

“Yes,” he said. “The one by the front desk. It’s closest to where he is.”

“Good. Call it now,” you instructed. “Once it starts ringing, wait a few seconds to make sure he’s moving toward it. Then make your way out. Go as quietly as you can. Don’t hang up until you’re outside and safe, alright?”

“Okay,” he whispered.

There was a pause as you heard him pressing buttons on the phone. A few seconds later, the faint sound of a phone ringing echoed faintly through his line.

“He’s moving,” the man whispered. “I can see him on the camera. He’s going to the front desk.”

“Perfect,” you said, keeping your voice calm. “Now’s your chance. Go.”

The sound of his shaky breathing filled the line as he moved. You held your breath, listening intently as he made his way down the stairs.

“He’s still at the desk,” the man whispered. “I’m almost at the back door.”

“Keep going,” you urged. “You’re doing great.”

A faint creak came through the line, followed by a quiet click.

“I’m outside,” the man said, his voice trembling with relief. “I’m out.”

You exhaled, the tension in your chest loosening slightly. “Good. Get as far away from the building as you can. Get somewhere safe with other people around.”

“Thank you,” he said, his voice breaking. “Thank you so much.”

“Just stay safe,” you said softly. “That’s all that matters.”

The line disconnected, leaving you staring at the phone for a moment, your mind racing with the implications of what had just happened.

Beomgyu leaned back in his chair, letting out a low whistle. “That’s two lives saved tonight,” he said. “Not bad for a couple of radio hosts, huh?”

You gave him a shaky smile, but the thought lingering in your mind was anything but reassuring.

Whoever was out there wasn’t done yet.

The phone rang again. For a moment, you and Beomgyu exchanged wary glances through the glass between your booths. After everything tonight, you’d learned to expect the worst. With a deep breath, you answered.

“You’re on the air,” you said, trying to maintain your composure.

“Bravo,” a smooth, amused voice purred on the other end. “Really. I’m impressed.”

Your brow furrowed. “Excuse me?”

“The way you’ve been handling these calls tonight,” the man continued, his tone dripping with mock admiration. “Guiding these poor, helpless souls to safety. It’s been a pleasure to listen to. You’re very clever, you know that?”

Something about his voice set you on edge—it wasn’t rushed or panicked like the others you’d spoken to tonight. It was calm. Too calm.

“Who is this?” you asked, your voice tightening.

“Let’s just say I’m… someone who’s been keeping an eye on things,” he replied, his tone playful. “And I have to admit, you’ve made my night much more entertaining than I anticipated.”

Your stomach twisted as realization hit you like a punch to the gut. “It’s you,” you said, your voice barely above a whisper.

A low chuckle came through the line, and it sent a shiver down your spine. “Took you long enough,” he said, his voice laced with mockery. “Yes, it’s me. The one you’ve been so desperately trying to outsmart all night. And I have to say, you’ve done quite well.”

You clenched your jaw, gripping the edge of the desk so tightly your knuckles turned white. “Why are you calling?”

“To see you squirm,” he teased. “And to thank you, of course. You’ve made this little game so much more fun than I thought it would be. Honestly, you’re much more entertaining than the usual people around here. They’re so… predictable.”

You refused to let him get under your skin, even as his voice sent an unbidden flush to your cheeks. You hated the way his words made your pulse quicken, a reaction you absolutely didn’t want to have.

“Is that all this is to you? A game?” you snapped, trying to focus on your anger rather than the unsettling heat rising in your face.

“Of course it’s a game,” he said smoothly. “But don’t misunderstand me—I’m not underestimating you. In fact, I think you’re the most interesting piece on the board. I wonder… how long can you keep this up? How long before I catch you slipping?”

Your cheeks burned, and you quickly forced yourself to focus. You couldn’t let him distract you with his taunting, no matter how strangely… confident and alluring his voice sounded. You hadn’t thought about dating or men since moving to the town—your life had been far too busy. And now here you were, getting flustered by the very man terrorizing the town.

“Do you have anything better to do than terrorize people?” you shot back, your voice sharper than you intended.

He chuckled again, low and lazy, like you’d just amused him. “You’re cute when you’re mad,” he said, and you nearly choked on your own breath.

“Excuse me?!”

“Oh, don’t get so defensive,” he said, clearly enjoying himself. “I’m just saying, it’s refreshing. I like a bit of fire in my conversations. The others? They just scream and cry. Boring. But not you. I like that.”

Your grip on the desk tightened further, your mind racing. You couldn’t let him get to you, but the way he spoke—like he was in complete control, like he knew exactly how to unnerve you—it was maddening.

“What do you want?” you asked finally, forcing your voice to stay calm.

“For now? Just to chat,” he said casually. “I thought you deserved some recognition for your efforts. And maybe a little warning…”

Your stomach churned. “A warning?”

“Mhm,” he murmured. “You’re clever, but don’t think you’re untouchable. I’ve been generous so far, letting you play the hero. But don’t get too comfortable. I’m always watching, and if you’re not careful, this little game of ours might get a whole lot more personal.”

Your heart hammered in your chest, but you refused to let your fear show. “Is that supposed to scare me?”

“No,” he said simply. “It’s supposed to excite you.”

The line went dead before you could respond, leaving you staring at the phone, your mind a chaotic mess of fear, anger, and, much to your dismay, something else you didn’t want to name.

Beomgyu’s voice crackled through your headset. “Uh… what the hell just happened?”

You turned to look at him, your face still flushed. “I think the killer just… flirted with me?”

Beomgyu blinked, his mouth falling open slightly before he shook his head. “This town is actually so messed up.”

You couldn’t help but agree.

The phone rang again, piercing through the tense silence that had settled in the booth. You and Beomgyu exchanged a glance, both of you bracing yourselves for whatever might come next. You adjusted your headphones and gestured for him to patch it through.

“You’re on the air,” you said, your voice steady despite the unease crawling up your spine.

“H-he’s coming,” a woman’s voice stammered, her tone high-pitched and frantic. “Oh God, the dead—they’ve risen! The dead are rising!”

You froze, caught off guard by the sheer hysteria in her voice. “Ma’am, I need you to take a deep breath and tell me what’s happening,” you said, keeping your tone calm and firm. “Who’s coming? What do you mean the dead are rising?”

“It’s karma,” she said, her words tumbling out in a panicked rush. “I’ve done bad things. So many bad things. And now he’s coming for me."

“Okay, I need you to slow down,” you urged, sitting forward in your chair. “Where are you right now? Are you safe?”

“I thought I was,” she whimpered, her voice breaking. “But he’s here. He’s come back. They know what I’ve done. He knows—”

The line went dead.

“Hello? Ma’am?” you said quickly, checking the call screen. You tried dialing the number back, your heart pounding, but the line just rang and rang before going to voicemail.

Beomgyu leaned forward in his booth, frowning as he studied the call log. “That was Dr. Lee,” he said, his voice low.

“Dr. Lee?” you asked, your mind racing.

“She’s one of the town’s doctors,” Beomgyu explained, crossing his arms. “Well… was a doctor. She retired a couple of years ago, but she still gets called in sometimes when the clinic’s short-staffed. People around here have… mixed feelings about her. Some say she’s a great doctor, but others think she’s shady. There’ve been rumors, but nothing ever proven.”

You sat back in your chair, your mind swirling with questions. “She kept saying ‘karma.’ And something about the dead coming for her.”

Beomgyu shrugged, though his expression was uneasy. “She sounded genuinely freaked out.”

“She did,” you muttered, staring at the dead call screen on your monitor. “And she didn’t give me anything to go on. No location, no details… I don’t even know if she’s still alive.”

Beomgyu leaned back in his chair, spinning a pen between his fingers. “Think we should call the clinic? Maybe someone there knows what’s going on.”

You shook your head, though the idea was tempting. “If she wanted their help, she would’ve called them instead of us. I think… I think whatever’s happening, she doesn’t trust anyone in town. Or maybe she thought calling the emergency line was her only option.”

“Well, what do we do now?” Beomgyu asked, though his tone suggested he already knew the answer.

You sighed, rubbing your temples. “There’s not much we can do. She didn’t give us enough information to help. All we can do is wait and see if she calls back.”

Beomgyu nodded reluctantly, though his frown deepened. “Still, the whole ‘dead are rising’ thing? Sounds like someone’s cracking under pressure. Or maybe she’s just paranoid.”

“Maybe,” you said, though her words kept echoing in your mind. The dead have risen. Karma is coming for me.

It sounded ridiculous, but the sheer terror in her voice had felt real. And in this town, you’d already learned to expect the unexpected.

You leaned back in your chair, staring as a heavy silence settled over the room. You hated this helpless feeling, this sense that something was happening just out of your reach. But until she called back—or someone else did—there was nothing you could do except wait.

And worry.

The phone rang again, and you didn’t hesitate to answer this time, though the tension from the earlier calls still lingered in the air like a bad omen.

“You’re on the air,” you said, trying to sound calm and professional, though the weight of the night was starting to press down on you.

“H-hello?” a young voice stammered. “Is this… is this the emergency line?”

“Yes, it is,” you replied quickly. “Who am I speaking to?”

“Hyein,” she answered, her voice trembling. “I—I need help. Someone’s after me and my friends.”

Your stomach dropped. “Where are you, Hyein? Are you somewhere safe?”

“We’re at… we’re at this old junkyard,” she said, her words tumbling out in a rush. “We were just hanging out, but now there’s this guy—he’s wearing a white mask, and—”

“Okay, Hyein, listen to me,” you interrupted, keeping your voice steady. “You need to find somewhere safe. Is there a place you can hide? A building, a car, anything?”

“Um, there’s a shed,” she said, her voice shaky. “But—”

Suddenly, a piercing scream erupted through the line, making your heart lurch.

“Hyein? Hyein, what’s happening?”

There was a muffled commotion on the other end, followed by… laughter?

A new voice chimed in, a boy’s voice, cracking as he burst into fits of giggles. “Oh my God, you should’ve seen your face, Hyein!”

“What the hell, Jansoon?!” Hyein shouted, her fear quickly replaced by anger. “You scared the crap out of me!”

You exhaled slowly, feeling your shoulders relax slightly. “Hyein, what’s going on?”

“It’s just Jansoon,” she said, her voice still shaking but now tinged with irritation. “He’s being an idiot, running around with a fake knife and a stupid mask. I thought—”

But before she could finish, another scream cut through the air—this one high-pitched and blood-curdling.

“Jansoon? Jansoon, stop messing around!” Hyein shouted, her voice rising in panic.

Then came the sound of something wet and grotesque—a sickening squelch, followed by the unmistakable sound of a body hitting the ground.

“Oh my God,” Hyein whispered, her voice trembling again. “Run! Everyone, run inside!”

“Hyein! Hyein, what’s happening?” you demanded, gripping the edge of the desk.

“A man,” she whispered, her breath hitching. “A man in a white mask—he just—he just killed Jansoon. He killed him!”

Your stomach churned as Beomgyu’s eyes went wide in the booth across from you.

“Hyein, listen to me,” you said quickly, trying to keep your voice steady. “You need to get somewhere safe. Stay with your friends and lock yourselves in. Keep the line open—”

“No,” she interrupted, her voice shaky but determined. “We… we’re setting up a plan. We’ll distract him so we can get away. I’ll call you back soon.”

“Hyein, wait—”

The line went dead.

You sat there for a moment, staring at the monitor as your heart hammered in your chest. Slowly, you took off your headset and set it down on the desk, letting out a shaky breath.

“Did that really just happen?” Beomgyu asked, his voice breaking the heavy silence.

“Yeah,” you muttered, leaning back in your chair. “It did.”

Beomgyu ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head. “This town is insane. First the doctor, now a group of kids in a junkyard? What’s next, a clown at a carnival?”

You couldn’t help but let out a dry, humorless laugh. “Don’t jinx it.”

He sighed, leaning back in his booth and staring at the ceiling. “This is so stressful. I mean, we’re just two people in a radio station. We’re not trained for this.”

“No, we’re not,” you agreed, rubbing your temples. “But we’re all these people have right now.”

Beomgyu nodded, though his expression was grim. “I just hope that girl and her friends make it out. That killer… he’s not messing around.”

The phone rang again, and this time, your heart jumped in anticipation. You quickly signaled to Beomgyu, who patched the call through.

“Hyein?” you asked urgently.

“It’s me,” she whispered, her voice trembling but steadier than before. “We—we’ve got a plan. We’re going to get out of here.”

You exhaled in relief but quickly focused. “Okay, what’s the plan?”

“There are four of us left,” she explained. “Minji’s going to watch him, make sure we know where he is at all times. Jaemin is going to distract him—make noise and lead him away from the van. Doyeon’s going to act as bait, keeping his attention long enough for me to grab Jansoon’s keys and get the van started.”

You felt a mix of pride and fear for these kids. “That’s… brave, Hyein. Really brave. Are you sure you can pull this off?”

“We don’t have a choice,” she replied, her voice tightening. “We can’t just wait for him to find us all. We have to do something.”

“Okay,” you said, nodding even though she couldn’t see you. “Stick to the plan. Be quick, be careful, and don’t hesitate. You can do this.”

“Thanks,” she whispered. “I’ll call you back once we’re out.”

The line disconnected, leaving you and Beomgyu in an anxious silence.

“They’re kids,” Beomgyu muttered, shaking his head. “They shouldn’t have to deal with this.”

“I know,” you said quietly, your eyes fixed on the monitor as if willing Hyein to call back with good news.

Minutes felt like hours as you waited, your mind racing with every worst-case scenario. Finally, the phone rang again.

“Hyein?” you answered quickly.

“We did it,” she said, her voice breathless but triumphant. “We did the plan. Minji kept an eye on him while Jaemin distracted him with a bunch of noise. He fell for it—totally chased after Jaemin. Then Doyeon lured him even further away, and I grabbed the keys.”

“That’s incredible,” you said, genuine admiration in your voice. “You’re all so brave.”

She let out a shaky laugh. “Yeah, well, it’s not over yet. We got the van started, but there’s a problem. The doors to the junkyard—they’re stuck. Someone has to hold them open so we can drive through.”

Your heart sank. “Who’s going to do it?”

“I volunteered,” she said quietly.

“Hyein—”

“It’s fine,” she interrupted. “I’ll be fine. I’ll call you back.”

The line went dead again, and you sat frozen, a deep dread settling over you.

Beomgyu leaned forward, his expression tight with worry. “They better not leave her behind.”

You didn’t respond, too focused on the gnawing feeling in your gut.

When the phone rang again, you answered immediately.

“Hyein?”

“I’m still here,” she said, her voice shaking. “I got the doors open, but…”

You heard her inhale sharply, and your stomach dropped.

“But what?” you asked.

“He’s here,” she whispered. “He’s right in front of me.”

Your grip tightened on the desk. “Hyein, listen to me. Don’t run. Don’t make any sudden moves. Just—just stay calm.”

She let out a choked sob. “I don’t want to die.”

“You’re not going to die,” you said firmly, though your own voice trembled. “Just keep talking to me, okay? You’re doing great.”

There was a long silence on the other end, broken only by her quiet, panicked breaths.

“Hyein?”

“He’s…” Her voice was barely audible now. “He’s walking away.”

“What?” you asked, your mind reeling.

“He just… turned around and walked off. Into the forest.”

You blinked, trying to process what she was saying. “He left you? Just like that?”

“Yes,” she whispered, her voice filled with confusion and fear. “Why? Why would he do that?”

You didn’t have an answer. None of this made sense.

“I don’t know,” you admitted finally. “But you’re alive, Hyein. That’s what matters. Get to safety. Get back to your friends.”

“Okay,” she said softly, though her voice was still trembling. “Thank you.”

When the call ended, you sat back in your chair, your mind spinning.

“What the hell was that?” Beomgyu asked, breaking the silence.

“I don’t know,” you muttered, staring at the empty screen. “But I don’t think we’ve seen the last of him.”

The clock on the wall ticked steadily, and the tension in the room hung like a heavy fog. It was 3:17 a.m. when the phone rang again, the sharp sound cutting through the oppressive silence.

You leaned forward and answered, trying to keep the fatigue out of your voice. "You’re on the air."

For a moment, there was just static and the faint sound of someone breathing. Then a male voice, low and shaky, spoke.

"This is... this is so scary," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

You straightened in your seat, your exhaustion replaced by unease. "What’s scary? Can you tell me where you are?"

"I’m at home," he said. "But I keep hearing things outside. Footsteps. Whistling. I’ve locked all the doors and windows, but it doesn’t feel like enough. This… this town isn’t supposed to be like this. It’s supposed to be quiet. Safe."

You nodded, even though he couldn’t see you. "I understand. It’s been a rough night for everyone, but you’ve done the right thing by securing your home. Stay inside. Stay quiet. Do you have anyone you can call to stay with you?"

"No," he muttered. "I live alone."

His voice broke slightly on the last word, and your chest tightened. "Okay. Listen to me. You’re not alone right now, all right? I’m here. If anything happens, you call me back immediately."

There was a long pause before he whispered, "Thanks."

Then the line went dead.

You sighed, leaning back in your chair. Beomgyu, who had been silently watching you from his booth, gave you a small nod of acknowledgment.

"You’re handling this like a pro," he said.

"I’m just trying to keep people calm," you replied, though the weight of the night was starting to press down on you.

The hours crawled by, the silence in the studio broken only by the occasional hum of equipment and the distant sound of a car passing on the street. It was around 4:30 a.m. when the phone rang again.

Your heart leapt as you quickly picked it up. "You’re on the air."

"It’s me," a familiar voice said.

"Hyein?" you asked, relief flooding your voice.

"Yeah," she said, and you could hear the exhaustion in her tone. "We made it. We’re home. All of us, safe. Thanks to you."

A smile tugged at your lips, the first genuine one of the night. "That’s great to hear, Hyein. I’m so glad you’re all okay."

"You… you really helped us," she continued, her voice soft. "I don’t think we would’ve made it without you. I mean, we were so scared, but you kept us focused. Gave us hope."

"That was all you," you replied. "You and your friends were brave. You came up with a plan and stuck to it. You saved yourselves."

There was a pause, and then she said, "Still… thank you."

"Of course," you said, your voice warm. "Now, get some rest. You’ve earned it."

"I will," she promised. "Goodnight… and be careful, okay? I don’t think this is over."

"Goodnight, Hyein," you said softly before the line went dead.

You set the phone down and leaned back in your chair, exhaling slowly. Beomgyu looked over at you, his expression a mix of relief and exhaustion.

"At least there’s some good news," he said.

"Yeah," you murmured, though Hyein’s parting words echoed in your mind.

I don’t think this is over.

And deep down, you knew she was right.

The phone rang again, cutting through the brief calm. Unknown caller. You knew who it was even before you answered.

"Let me guess," you said, trying to keep your voice steady. "You’re calling to congratulate me on something, right?"

A soft, mocking chuckle came through the line, chilling and deliberate. "You’re starting to understand how this works," the killer said, his voice smooth, almost amused. "But no congratulations this time. Just a little... advice."

You gripped the phone tighter. "And what kind of advice would that be?"

"Dr. Lee," he drawled, his tone teasing. "She seemed... stressed earlier, didn’t she? Want to know what really happened to her?"

Your breath caught, and for a moment, you didn’t know what to say.

He chuckled again. "Pick something up for me, and maybe I’ll give you a clue. Check the alleyway behind your building. I left you a little surprise."

Beomgyu immediately leaned toward his microphone, shaking his head vehemently as he heard the exchange. “Don’t do it,” he mouthed, his face pale.

But the killer wasn’t done. "Go on," he said, his tone turning low and taunting. "Be brave. Or stay in your booth and let the mystery eat away at you. Your choice."

And then the line went dead.

"Don’t even think about it," Beomgyu said, his voice cutting through the silence. "He’s baiting you. It’s a trap."

You turned to him, trying to muster some confidence. "If it’s a trap, then it’s a bad one. He wouldn’t tip his hand like this if he really wanted me dead."

"Or maybe that’s exactly what he wants you to think," Beomgyu countered. "Don’t go."

But you were already getting up. "I’ll be fine. Stay here and keep the phones running."

Beomgyu sighed, muttering something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like “you’re insane.”

You left the booth, stepping into the hallway. The silence of the empty building was oppressive, and the faint hum of the fluorescent lights above did little to calm your nerves. Descending the staircase, each step felt louder than the last, echoing in the quiet.

At the bottom, you approached the glass front doors. Outside was nothing but darkness, the alleyway barely illuminated by a single flickering streetlamp in the distance.

You tried the door. Locked.

Frowning, you turned back and made your way behind the reception desk, where the backdoor led to the alleyway. Pushing it open, the cool night air hit you immediately, carrying with it the faint scent of rain and garbage.

The alley was narrow and lined with dumpsters, shadows stretching and shifting in the dim light. You hesitated, the weight of the situation settling on your shoulders.

Then, you saw it.

An old, stained mattress lay discarded against the wall, and on top of it was something that made your stomach drop—a bloodied ID card.

Your hands trembled as you approached, the name and face on the card coming into focus. Dr. Lee.

You bent down, your breath hitching as you picked it up. The blood was dry but unmistakable, the edges of the card sticky.

You turned it over in your hands, a cold dread creeping up your spine. What did this mean? Was she—

A rustling sound.

You froze, your heart hammering in your chest. Slowly, you looked up, scanning the alleyway. There was nothing.

But past the fence, just beyond the edge of the alley, you could feel it—someone was watching you.

The air seemed to thicken, your skin prickling with unease. You couldn’t see anyone, but the presence was unmistakable.

Swallowing hard, you clenched the ID card in your hand and straightened up, forcing your legs to move. You turned and walked back toward the door, refusing to look back, even as the sensation of being watched grew stronger.

You reached for the door handle, only to find it wouldn’t budge. Locked.

“Damn it,” you muttered under your breath, shaking the handle one more time as if sheer willpower could force it open. The sensation of being watched lingered, making the hairs on your neck stand on end.

The sound of something faintly rustling outside sent a jolt of panic through you. You turned away from the door, scanning the dimly lit alley for another option. That’s when your eyes landed on the basement access door.

You cursed under your breath, knowing it was your only choice. "Great," you mumbled sarcastically, stepping toward it. Pushing the creaky door open, you descended the narrow staircase. The air grew colder with each step, the faint smell of mildew and rust wrapping around you like a damp blanket.

At the bottom, you reached a landing, the dim glow of an old overhead light flickering ominously. Shadows danced across the walls, making everything feel smaller and more claustrophobic.

Trying the first door, you found it locked. So was the next. You kept moving, your footsteps echoing faintly in the eerie silence. Finally, you reached a door that opened easily.

You stepped inside cautiously, your phone flashlight illuminating what could only be described as the janitor���s office—or, more accurately, a forgotten relic of one. The room was cramped and chaotic, filled with old supplies, broken equipment, and… mannequins?

You froze for a moment, your light catching the lifeless forms of several mannequins standing in one corner. Their chipped paint and blank expressions made your stomach twist. Who keeps mannequins in a basement office?

“Okay,” you whispered to yourself, “this is officially creepy.”

Pushing past the eerie sight, your flashlight settled on the far wall, where a corkboard hung. You stepped closer, curiosity outweighing your unease.

The board was covered in newspaper clippings, photographs, and handwritten notes. Your pulse quickened as you scanned the array of items.

The photos were of people—townsfolk, by the looks of it. Some of the faces you recognized, including Dr. Lee. Others were strangers. Some pictures had red X’s drawn across them. Others were circled.

The clippings were just as unsettling. Headlines like “Local Man Disappears Without a Trace” and “Small-Town Tragedy: Young Man Found Dead” leapt out at you, along with handwritten notes like “Knew too much” and “Still watching.”

“Jesus,” you muttered, taking a step back.

You huffed, grabbing the corkboard from the wall and tucking it under your arm. Whatever this was, it wasn’t staying down here. You needed to get it upstairs, show Beomgyu, and figure out what the hell was going on.

The mannequins seemed closer than before as you turned to leave, but you tried to shake off the unease crawling up your spine.

"Don’t think about it," you muttered, stepping back out into the hallway.

With the corkboard in tow, you made your way back toward the stairs, trying not to think about how quiet everything felt.

Back in the booth, you placed the corkboard on the desk, your fingers trembling as you leaned over it. Beomgyu hovered behind you, peering at the chaotic arrangement of photos, clippings, and notes.

"Okay," you muttered, mostly to yourself. "This is a pattern. It has to be."

Your eyes scanned the board feverishly, focusing on the photos of the townsfolk. There were three with red X’s—you recognized two as victims you’d already heard about. The doctor’s photo, Dr. Lee, was circled in red but had no X, at least not yet.

The notes were cryptic but telling: "Knew too much." "Always works late."

Your heart skipped a beat as you landed on a photo of a man you vaguely recognized from a newspaper clipping you’d seen earlier—James Choi, the owner of the general store. His picture was circled too, with a note scribbled beside it: “Stays late, alone.”

You felt your stomach churn. “Beomgyu, who’s James Choi?”

Beomgyu squinted at the board. "James? Oh, he runs that little general store by the gas station. Nice guy, kind of quiet. Why?"

You jabbed your finger at his photo. “He’s next. Look at the notes. It’s all here—he works late, and the killer knows it. We need to call him now.”

Beomgyu grabbed the phone without hesitation, quickly dialing the number written on a post-it note you’d found pinned to the corner of the board. You paced nervously as the phone rang.

"Come on, pick up," Beomgyu muttered.

Finally, a voice answered. “Hello?”

“Mr. Choi?” Beomgyu asked, his voice tight. “This is from the late-night show—listen, we don’t have much time. Are you still at the store?”

James sounded confused. “Uh, yeah? Why? What’s this about?”

You leaned in, speaking quickly. “You’re in danger. You need to leave now. Grab your keys, get in your car, and just drive. Don’t ask questions, don’t wait—just go.”

There was a pause. “Danger? What are you talking about? This some kind of prank?”

“It’s not a prank,” you snapped, your voice rising in urgency. “There’s someone—”

The sound of something crashing interrupted James on the other end of the line, followed by a low, guttural noise that made your blood run cold.

“James?” Beomgyu called, his voice cracking. “James, what’s going on?”

The line went silent for a moment, the faint sound of labored breathing coming through. And then—

“Well, well,” came a familiar, taunting voice.

Your stomach dropped as the killer’s smooth, mocking tone filled the line. “You tried,” he said, almost lazily, like he had all the time in the world. “I’ll give you credit for that. But you’re just not fast enough, are you?”

Your hands clenched into fists. “You son of a—”

“Ah-ah,” the killer interrupted, a smirk evident in his voice. “No need for name-calling. I’m just doing what I do best. And you? Well, you’re doing what you do best—sitting in that little booth, thinking you can save people. How’s that working out for you so far?”

You swallowed hard, your throat tight. “Why are you doing this?”

He laughed, the sound cold and detached. “You really think I’m going to explain myself? What kind of killer would I be if I gave away all my secrets? Let’s just say… I like keeping you on your toes. It’s fun watching you try so hard.”

Beomgyu’s face was pale, his eyes wide as he stared at the phone. “You’re sick,” he muttered under his breath.

The killer ignored him. “Oh, and one more thing,” he said, his voice dropping to a chilling whisper. “The game’s far from over.”

And then the line went dead.

You stared at the phone, your heart pounding in your chest. Beomgyu looked at you, his face etched with fear.

“What do we do now?” he asked quietly.

You took a shaky breath, your mind racing. “We keep going. We figure this out.”

Beomgyu nodded, though his hands were trembling. "And what if we can’t?"

You didn’t answer. You couldn’t.

--

You sat hunched over the corkboard, piecing through the clues when Beomgyu cleared his throat, his voice hesitant. "Hey, maybe you should go back to the janitor’s room. There might be something we missed."

You glanced up at him, skeptical. “Like what? I already grabbed the corkboard.”

He shrugged, fidgeting with his pen. “I don’t know. It just feels like… that place might have more to it. There’s no way someone went through all the effort of pinning up all this stuff and didn’t leave more behind.”

You sighed, rubbing your temples. He wasn’t wrong. “Fine,” you said, pushing back from the desk. “I’ll check again. Just… stay here and keep an ear on the phones.”

Beomgyu nodded quickly, relief evident on his face. “Be careful, okay?”

You didn’t bother replying as you headed back downstairs, retracing your steps. The basement was even creepier now, the flickering light above casting strange, shifting shadows along the walls. Pushing the janitor's office door open again, you stepped inside, the stale air immediately making your nose crinkle.

The mannequins were still there, standing motionless in the corner like silent sentinels. You forced yourself to ignore them, focusing instead on the cluttered room. You rummaged through drawers, boxes, and even under the dusty desk, finding nothing but old cleaning supplies and forgotten tools.

Just as you were about to give up, your fingers brushed against something cold and metallic under a pile of papers. You pulled it out—a key, small and rusted, with no label.

“Okay,” you whispered to yourself, standing up and looking around. “What do you open?”

You left the janitor’s office and started trying the key on every locked door in the hallway. It wasn’t until you reached the very last door—a heavy, steel one with a faded "Storage" sign on it—that the key finally turned.

The lock clicked, and the door creaked open, revealing a dimly lit storage room filled with shelves of old files, boxes, and equipment. You stepped inside, the smell of dust and mildew filling your nose.

Grabbing your phone for light, you began rifling through the shelves. Most of it seemed mundane—inventory lists, outdated maintenance logs, and other boring documents. But then you found a box marked “Incident Reports.”

You opened it, pulling out a stack of files. One in particular caught your eye—a report on someone named Sim Jaeyun.

You skimmed the pages, your brow furrowing as you read. According to the report, Sim Jaeyun was a young man who had been found dead in the town’s river. The official cause of death was ruled as reckless behavior, with high levels of alcohol detected in his blood.

But something didn’t add up.

You found another document tucked in the back of the file—a copy of the autopsy report, signed by none other than Dr. Lee. The details in the report were vague, almost suspiciously so. It noted the alcohol levels but didn’t mention any other significant findings.

Flipping through more of the file, you found a handwritten note from a police officer who had initially investigated the scene: “Something doesn’t feel right. Jaeyun was a good swimmer.”

Your stomach churned as you read on. The note went on to mention that Jaeyun had been arguing with someone at a local bar the night he died. The name of the person he argued with was blacked out, but whoever it was, they were never questioned.

Your mind reeled. Something about this was definitely off. Why would Dr. Lee sign off on such a suspicious autopsy? And why had no one followed up on the blacked-out name?

You gathered the files, clutching them tightly as you made your way back upstairs. Your thoughts were racing, pieces of the puzzle slowly starting to fit together.

Beomgyu looked up from his seat as you entered the booth, his eyes widening when he saw the stack of papers in your hands. “What did you find?”

You dropped the files on the desk, flipping them open. “A death report. Sim Jaeyun. Found in the river, officially ruled as reckless behavior and alcohol poisoning. But…”

“But what?” Beomgyu prompted, leaning closer.

You pointed to the autopsy report. “It doesn’t add up. Just alcohol levels that don’t make sense. And guess who signed the autopsy?”

Beomgyu’s eyes widened. “Dr. Lee?”

“Bingo,” you said grimly. “And there’s more—apparently, Jaeyun got into an argument with someone at a bar that night, but the name was blacked out in the report. Whoever it was, they were never questioned.”

Beomgyu leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his hair. “So, what are you saying? That Jaeyun didn’t just… fall into the river drunk?”

You nodded. “That’s exactly what I’m saying. Someone’s been covering this up. And I think it ties back to everything that’s happening now.”

Beomgyu stared at the files, his face pale. “This just keeps getting worse.”

You didn’t respond, your mind already racing with what to do next.

You tapped your pen against the desk anxiously, the silence between you and Beomgyu growing heavier by the second. Finally, you broke it. “We need to talk to someone who knew Jaeyun. Someone who can tell us more about what happened that night.”

Beomgyu nodded, already pulling up the town directory on his computer. “There were names listed in some of those files,” he muttered, scrolling through the screen. “Here—Kim Jihoon. He was one of Jaeyun’s friends.”

“Call him,” you said firmly, leaning forward.

Beomgyu hesitated for a second but then grabbed the phone, dialing the number. You both waited as the line rang, the sound stretching your nerves thin.

Finally, a groggy voice answered, “Hello? Who’s this?”

“Hi, this is Beomgyu from the town’s late-night talk show,” Beomgyu began cautiously. “We’re trying to get some information about Sim Jaeyun. You were listed as one of his friends. Do you have a moment to talk?”

There was a pause on the other end before Jihoon spoke again, his voice laced with confusion. “Jaeyun? Why are you asking about him? He’s been gone for years.”

You leaned toward the mic, speaking gently but urgently. “We’re trying to piece together what really happened to him, Jihoon. There are some things about his death that don’t make sense. Can you tell us what you remember from that night?”

Another long pause. Then Jihoon let out a sigh. “I don’t know how much help I’ll be, but… sure. I’ll tell you what I can.”

You exchanged a glance with Beomgyu, who nodded for you to continue. “Okay,” you said. “Start from the beginning. What was that night like?”

“It was supposed to be a fun night,” Jihoon began, his voice tinged with sadness. “We were celebrating Jaeyun. He’d just gotten a big promotion at work, and we all went out to the bar to party. Everything was fine at first—laughing, drinking, just having a good time. But then…”

He trailed off, and you prompted him gently. “But then what?”

Jihoon sighed again. “Jaeyun got into an argument with someone. I didn’t see who it was—I was across the bar at the time, talking to someone else. But I heard voices getting louder, and when I looked over, Jaeyun was face-to-face with this guy. I couldn’t make out what they were saying, but it looked heated.”

Your grip on the pen tightened. “Did you see what the guy looked like at all? Anything about him?”

“No,” Jihoon admitted. “It was dark, and the bar was crowded. I only saw his back. But… I don’t know, there was something off about the guy. The way he was standing, the way he moved… it gave me a bad feeling.”

“What happened after that?” you asked.

“Jaeyun stormed out of the bar,” Jihoon said. “The guy followed him. I tried to go after them, but by the time I got outside, they were both gone. I looked around, called out for Jaeyun, but… nothing. It was like they’d disappeared.”

“And then?”

“The next day, I heard the news,” Jihoon said, his voice breaking slightly. “Jaeyun was found dead in the river. They said he’d been drinking and must’ve fallen in, but…”

“But you didn’t believe that,” you finished for him.

“No,” Jihoon said firmly. “Jaeyun wasn’t that kind of guy. He could hold his liquor, and he would’ve been careful. It didn’t make sense then, and it doesn’t make sense now.”

You sat back in your chair, your mind racing. Jaeyun had argued with someone—someone who followed him out of the bar. Someone who might have been responsible for his death.

Beomgyu’s voice cut through the static over the intercom, calm but clipped. “The other line’s ringing. I’ll take care of it.”

You nodded to yourself, still holding the phone to your ear. “Alright.”

Turning your attention back to Jihoon, you settled into your chair and tried to ground yourself.

“Jaeyun was just… he was the kind of guy everyone liked, you know? He always made time for people. Even when he was busy, he’d stop to check in. If you were upset about something, he’d notice—he always noticed.” Jihoon’s voice broke slightly, and you could hear him swallow hard.

You nodded, even though he couldn’t see you. “He sounds like a really good person. Someone who didn’t deserve what happened.”

“No, he didn’t,” Jihoon agreed softly. “He’d do these little things, you know? Like, one time, I forgot my wallet, and he just covered everything without even saying anything. He didn’t want people to feel bad, didn’t want anyone to feel like a burden. That was just Jaeyun.”

You found yourself smiling faintly, despite the grim topic. “He must’ve been an amazing friend to have.”

“He was,” Jihoon said, his voice thick with emotion. “Losing him… it wasn’t just hard. It was—” He paused, and you could hear him take a deep breath. “It was like losing the glue that held us all together. He was the one who brought us all into the same orbit.”

Your chest tightened as you listened, the weight of Jihoon’s words pressing down on you. Jaeyun had been more than just a name on a file or a tragic story in the town’s history. He’d been a real person, someone loved deeply by those around him.

“I’m sorry, Jihoon,” you said softly. “I wish I could’ve met him. He sounds like he left a mark on everyone he knew.”

“He did,” Jihoon whispered. “And that’s what makes it so hard to believe… what they said about him, that he was drunk and reckless. That’s not him. It never felt right to me, even back then.”

You nodded, the puzzle pieces in your mind continuing to shift and rearrange themselves. “I understand. And I think you’re right to trust your gut. There’s more to this story, and I’m trying to piece it together.”

Jihoon let out a shaky laugh. “Thanks. I don’t know why you care so much—"

The lights in the booth flickered and then abruptly went out, plunging you into darkness. You froze, the silence suddenly suffocating.

A second later, Beomgyu’s voice came over the intercom, slightly muffled but urgent. “Uh… the power just went out in the whole building. I think you’ll need to go down to the basement and reset the breaker. I’d do it, but I’m kinda stuck here monitoring the calls.”

You clicked your flashlight on, its narrow beam cutting through the pitch-black room. “Got it,” you said, trying to keep your voice steady. “Stay up here. I’ll be back in a minute.”

“I’ll keep an eye on everything,” Beomgyu promised, his voice a little shaky but resolute.

You stood up, your flashlight casting eerie shadows as you moved toward the booth door. The air felt colder now, heavier, as though the power outage had sucked the life out of the building.

Exiting the booth, you walked down the hall toward the staircase. Every creak of the floor beneath your feet made your stomach tighten.

The door to the basement was slightly ajar when you reached it, creaking as you pushed it open. You descended the stairs, each step echoing loudly in the stillness.

The basement smelled of damp concrete and old cardboard. The beam of your flashlight bounced across the walls, revealing cluttered shelves, dusty equipment, and the same door to the janitor's room you’d searched earlier.

Something felt... wrong.

You paused at the bottom of the stairs, your breath catching as the sensation of eyes on you. It was that prickling feeling, the kind that made the hairs on your neck stand up.

You swung the flashlight around again, the beam slicing through the shadows. Nothing. “Get it together,” you muttered under your breath.

Moving cautiously, you made your way to the breaker panel in the corner of the room. The metal door was slightly ajar, as though someone had been there recently. You frowned and reached out, pulling it open.

The switches were all flipped off. You began resetting them, flipping each one back to its original position. As the last switch clicked into place, you heard a faint sound behind you—a scuffling, like a shoe sliding against the concrete floor.

You froze.

“Hello?” you called out, your voice echoing in the stillness.

No response.

Your flashlight beam darted across the room again, settling on nothing but dusty shelves and discarded junk. The sensation of being watched was stronger than ever, the weight of unseen eyes boring into your back.

Swallowing hard, you gripped the flashlight tighter and turned back toward the stairs. “It’s just your imagination,” you told yourself. “Just nerves.”

But as you climbed the stairs, the creak of a floorboard behind you made your blood run cold. You spun around, flashlight trembling in your hand, but there was no one there.

Heart pounding, you hurried up the remaining steps and shoved the door open, stepping back into the main hall. The lights flickered back on, flooding the building with their harsh fluorescent glow.

You walked back toward the booths, your thoughts still caught on Jihoon’s words, and your pulse quickened when you noticed something strange—the door to Beomgyu’s booth was open. Beomgyu never left it open when he was working.

Curiosity and concern flared in equal measure as you stepped inside. “Beomgyu?” you called softly, but the booth was empty.

The faint smell of his cologne lingered in the air, but there was no sign of him. You frowned, glancing around, trying to spot anything out of place. The silence felt oppressive, thick, like the air itself was watching you.

Turning back toward the hallway, you froze.

A figure was walking toward you, their movements deliberate and slow, as if savoring every step. They were dressed in black, a pale white mask covering their face, and in their hand gleamed a knife.

Your heart leapt into your throat. Thinking fast, you slammed the door shut and locked it just as the figure lunged. The door rattled violently as they crashed into it, and you stumbled back, gasping, your chest heaving.

The sound of the knife scraping against the door sent shivers down your spine.

You turned, instinctively seeking safety, only to feel your stomach drop.

Someone was standing in your booth.

On the other side of the glass separating Beomgyu’s booth from yours, the killer stood, their white mask tilted ever so slightly as if they were studying you.

You stared in disbelief, your pulse pounding in your ears as the killer leaned casually against the glass. Slowly, they raised their knife and tapped the blade against the glass, the metallic tink tink tink reverberating in the confined space.

"Hey there," their distorted voice drawled, smug and taunting. “Miss me?”

You didn’t answer, too frozen by the weight of the moment.

They chuckled, the sound muffled but chilling. “C’mon, let’s make this interesting. Open the door for me. I just want to play.”

Your stomach churned, and you shook your head, your voice trembling but firm. “Where’s Beomgyu?”

The killer tilted their head, tapping the knife against the glass again. “Oh, he’s around,” they said, their tone lilting, as if they were enjoying a private joke.

Panic clawed at your insides. “What did you do to him?”

The killer leaned closer to the glass, the mask distorting their features into a sinister blur. “Why so worried? Shouldn’t you be more concerned about yourself?”

You clenched your fists, forcing yourself to hold their gaze despite the fear threatening to crush you. “What do you want?”

They leaned back slightly, tapping the glass once more, their knife dragging a slow, deliberate line down its surface. “For now? I just want to see how long you can last.”

The killer’s mask shifted slightly as he glanced toward your desk, his knife tapping idly against the glass again. “Well, well,” he said, his voice dripping with mock surprise. “You’ve been busy, haven’t you?”

You glanced at the desk, realizing he was looking at the scattered clues you’d been piecing together: the newspaper clippings, the notes, the photo of Jaeyun.

“What are you talking about?” you asked, trying to keep your voice steady, though your hands were trembling at your sides.

The killer tilted his head, almost amused. “Don’t play dumb. You’ve been digging, haven’t you? Going through things you shouldn’t, asking questions. Connecting dots. You’re smarter than they gave you credit for.”

You clenched your fists, anger bubbling up beneath your fear. “Why are you doing this?” you demanded, your voice sharper now. “What’s the point of all this? Why terrorize the town? Why kill all these people?”

The killer let out a low, humorless laugh, the sound muffled behind his mask. “You really don’t get it, do you?”

You glared at him, heart pounding. “Then explain it. Make me understand.”

The killer stood straighter, the playful tilt of his head replaced with something colder, darker. His voice dropped, the teasing edge gone. “This isn’t random. This isn’t chaos for the sake of chaos. This is revenge.”

You froze. “Revenge? For what?”

“For Jaeyun,” he said simply, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “For what happened to him. For what they did to his life.”

Your breath caught, the weight of his words settling over you like a heavy blanket. “You’re doing all of this… because of Jaeyun?”

The killer nodded slowly. “He didn’t deserve what happened to him. He didn’t deserve to die the way he did. Alone. Cast aside. Written off as a reckless drunk when everyone knew that wasn’t who he was.”

You swallowed hard, the pieces clicking together in your mind. “You… you think someone in this town killed him. Don’t you?”

The killer laughed again, but this time it was bitter, full of venom. “Think? Oh, no. I don’t think. I know.”

Your pulse raced as you stared at him, trying to make sense of it all. “Then why target the town? Why not just go after the person responsible?”

The killer leaned closer to the glass, his voice low and menacing. “Because they all played a part. They turned a blind eye. They lied. They covered it up. And now? They’re going to pay.”

You shook your head, panic and disbelief swirling in your chest. “This isn’t justice. This is—this is insanity!”

“Call it whatever you want,” the killer said, stepping back slightly, his knife still glinting in his hand. “But by the time I’m done, everyone will know the truth. And Jaeyun will finally get the justice he deserves.”

You stared at him through the glass, trying to piece everything together. “What connects you to Jaeyun?” you asked, your voice shaking slightly. “Why are you doing this in his name? What was he to you?”

The killer chuckled darkly, the sound vibrating through the air like a warning. “Oh, come on,” he said, tilting his head mockingly. “You’ve been working so hard. And yet you haven’t figured it out?”

You frowned, frustration mounting. “Stop playing games and just tell me!”

Before you could say anything else, he suddenly stopped pacing, his hand reaching up to the edge of his mask. “You want answers?” he asked, his tone laced with something dangerous. “Then pay attention.”

Your heart thundered in your chest as his fingers gripped the mask. Slowly, he pulled it off, revealing the face underneath.

Your breath caught in your throat. “No,” you whispered, stumbling back a step. “That’s not possible…”

It was Jaeyun.

His face was unmistakable, though there was something different now—harsher. His features were gaunter, his eyes darker, filled with a cold fire that sent a chill down your spine.

“But—you’re dead,” you stammered, shaking your head in disbelief. “They said you were dead. I saw the reports.”

A grim smile tugged at the corners of his lips. “Dead?” he echoed, his voice dripping with venom. “I was supposed to be. The man who killed me certainly thought I was.”

“Then how are you alive?” you asked, your voice barely a whisper.

He stepped closer to the glass, his expression hard. “Sheer will,” he said, his tone icy. “I wasn’t supposed to survive that night. But I did. Barely. They threw me in the river, thinking they’d silenced me for good. But they didn’t count on me crawling out, broken, bleeding, but alive.”

Your stomach churned as you processed his words. “Who did this to you?”

Jaeyun’s jaw clenched, and his eyes burned with rage. “The man who killed me is now the town’s mayor,” he spat, his voice thick with hatred. “That promotion was supposed to be mine. I earned it. But he couldn’t stand the idea of me taking what he thought was his. So he decided to remove the competition—permanently.”

Your breath hitched. “They covered it up,” you murmured, the realization hitting you like a punch to the gut.

“Of course they did,” Jaeyun sneered. “They spun a pretty little story. Made me out to be reckless, irresponsible. A drunk who couldn’t handle himself. And everyone believed it.”

“And no one knew you were alive?” you asked, your voice trembling.

He shook his head, his expression cold. “Not a soul. They all thought they were free of me. That their secret was safe.” He leaned closer to the glass, his voice dropping to a deadly whisper. “But I’ve been watching. Waiting. And now, I’m back.”

You stared at him, your mind racing. “You’re doing all of this… to get revenge?”

Jaeyun smiled, but there was no warmth in it. “Revenge? Justice? Call it whatever you want. But this town took everything from me. My life. My future. And now, I’m going to take everything from them.”

You swallowed hard, your pulse pounding in your ears. “This isn’t justice, Jaeyun. This is—this is murder.”

“They murdered me first,” he snapped, his voice sharp as a blade. “They thought they could bury me and move on. But they were wrong. And now, they’re going to pay.”

You opened your mouth to respond, but no words came. All you could do was stare at the man in front of you—the man who had risen from the dead, consumed by a need for vengeance.

Jaeyun’s gaze stayed locked on yours, his lips curving into a sly smile. He leaned against the glass, tapping his knife against it rhythmically, the sound unnerving in the silence. “Come on,” he murmured, his tone low and coaxing. “Open the door. Let’s talk properly. Face to face.”

Jaeyun’s smile faltered, his eyes narrowing as you stood your ground. He straightened, stepping closer to the glass, and his voice dropped into a darker, more threatening tone. “You think you're safe in there?” He tapped the knife against the glass again, this time with more force, his breath coming faster as his frustration grew. “You really think you can stop me by just hiding?”

When you didn’t respond, he slammed his fist against the glass with a deafening crack. The force rattled the walls, sending a shiver down your spine. He glared at you, his chest heaving, rage and amusement mixed in his expression. “You’re making this harder than it needs to be. Open the damn door.”

You stiffened, gripping the edge of the desk in front of you as if it could anchor you. “Why would I do that?” you asked, your voice sharper than you felt. “So you can kill me too? No thanks.”

His smile didn’t falter, but his eyes glinted with something almost playful. “Kill you?” he said, feigning offense. “Why would I do that? You’re the only one who’s actually listened to me. The only one who’s tried to understand.”

“Forgive me if I don’t find that comforting,” you shot back, but your voice wavered slightly.

He tilted his head, the knife pausing mid-tap. “You’re scared,” he observed, his voice soft, almost gentle. “But you don’t have to be. I’m not your enemy.”

“Not my enemy?” you echoed, incredulous. “You’ve been terrorizing this town for days. You killed people, Jaeyun.”

“They deserved it,” he said flatly, the warmth in his tone vanishing. “Every single one of them was complicit. They lied. They covered it up. They let him get away with it.”

“And Beomgyu?” you demanded, anger rising in your chest. “What did he ever do to you?”

Jaeyun hesitated, his smile faltering for a fraction of a second. “Collateral damage,” he said eventually, his tone colder now. “I don’t expect you to understand.”

“You’re right,” you said, your voice firm despite the fear twisting in your gut. “I don’t. Because what you’re doing isn’t justice—it’s just more bloodshed.”

His expression darkened, but then he sighed, as if trying to calm himself. He stepped back from the glass slightly, sheathing the knife at his side. “You’re different,” he said after a moment, his tone soft again. “You’ve got a brain. You’ve been piecing this together all night. You know I’m not lying about what happened to me. So why not help me? Why not open the door and join me?”

You stared at him, stunned. “Join you?”

He nodded, his expression earnest. “You said it yourself—this isn’t justice. But maybe you could help me make it right. Maybe you could keep me… grounded.”

“You’re insane,” you whispered, shaking your head.

“Am I?” he countered, stepping closer to the glass again. “Or am I the only one who’s willing to do what it takes? Think about it—you’ve seen what this town is like. Corrupt, rotten to its core. You’ve been digging up its secrets all night. Do you really think anyone else is going to pay for what they’ve done?”

You hesitated, his words stirring something in you. The town was corrupt. The mayor had gotten away with murder. And Jaeyun… as twisted as his methods were, he wasn’t entirely wrong.

Seeing your hesitation, his smile returned, wider now. “That’s it,” he said softly, his voice almost soothing. “You’re starting to see it, aren’t you? This town doesn’t deserve your loyalty. They’ll betray you the first chance they get. But I won’t. You and me, we could fix this. Together.”

Your grip on the desk tightened, your knuckles white. “No,” you said finally, your voice shaking but resolute. “I’m not opening that door. I’m not like you.”

Jaeyun’s expression shifted, his smile fading. “Pity,” he murmured, his tone more disappointed than angry. “You would’ve made a good ally.”

He turned his back to you, walking toward the door to your booth. But before he left, he glanced over his shoulder, a dark smile curling his lips again. “I’ll be seeing you soon,” he said softly. “One way or another.”

And with that, he was gone, leaving you trembling in the eerie silence of the room.

══════⊹⊱≼≽⊰⊹══════

Taglist: @ilyunjina @nshmrarki @laylasbunbunny @kiripimaspillow

@wensurr

Wanna be in the perm taglist? Lmk <3

[hoffmanxfurthermore]

Make Me Disappear

(Erik Campbell x reader)

Content: piercings (including genital piercings), stranger hookup, public-ish hookup (in a business but it’s after hours), female/afab reader, p in v penetration, unprotected sex, teasing, cunnilingus, mentions of death, mentions of breakup, mentions of consuming alcoholic beverages, Erik being dominant/reader being submissive, aftercare

Author's Note: this is my first one after not having written in like, a year. Welcome to my comeback xD idek if this is good but I will let yall be the judge of that! <3 also. I only watched the movie once and I swear he had his tongue pierced too but apparently he does not lol.

Word count: 3.4k

“I want to get my tongue pierced. I don’t know. It seems like an impulsive move, I know. But like, I can always take it out if I don’t like it. Not like I’m getting a tattoo or anything.” 

It’s a warm night in mid-May, unusual for the usually rainy Pacific Northwest during this time of year. Shadows in the park grow longer as the sun sets. The atmosphere quietens, people scarce as the day comes to an end. You two are among the few still in the park.

“I mean, I’ve seen people doing worse after a breakup. Permanent tattoos, shaving their heads…” She smiles at you as you head back to her car, ready for a girl’s night with horror movies, pizza, and lots of drinking. You need it after the week you’ve had. 

The next morning, you wake up, confident with your decision. You’d decided not to drink last night as to not wake up feeling like shit. Your best friend was ecstatic at the fact of having all the alcohol to herself. It shows, too. She’s still passed out cold beside you. Careful not to disrupt her slumber, you slip out of bed and head to the bathroom to get ready for the day.

Just before you leave, you fill up a tall glass with water and place it on her bedside table, along with a couple of ibuprofens for her to take whenever she wakes up. 

That evening, you step into Bloodlines Ink, a place you found on Google Maps that has the highest rating. A lot of reviews mentioned an Erik Campbell. Apparently, he’s “the best piercer in Portland.” It was about a 35-minute drive, but you don’t mind the drive. Driving helps to clear your head. 

Your ex, who hates piercings on women for some reason, called you twice during the drive. Both times, you hit the fuck you button on him. You’re doing this, you decide. He won’t come trying to crawl back to you if you have a piece of metal in your mouth.

“How can I help you?” the man at the front desk asks as you walk up.

“Do you take walk ins? I want to get my tongue pierced. I’ve heard good things about one of your guys. Erik?” 

“You’re in luck. Erik just had a cancellation,” he chuckles, “Erik! Feel like doing one more before you leave?” he shouts behind him.

A man dressed in black, with shaggy hair, tattoos, and a septum piercing, walks up. Holy shit, you think. He’s hot as fuck. His blue eyes seem to glow under the ceiling lights as he shakes your hand. You introduce yourself, trying not to sound nervous.

Not nervous about the piercing, nervous about if you’ll accidentally say something stupid to him and embarrass yourself. He cocks his head at you, motioning for him to follow you to his station. 

Erik hands you the consent form to fill out, takes your identification card, and goes over the process of the piercing and the aftercare. You can barely focus because, holy fuck. He even has his own tongue pierced, and you wonder how it would feel on you…

“Erik! I’m done for the night. Lock up when you’re done, will you?” Erik’s boss bellows to him from the front, wrapping his body in a black jacket. Erik simply nods, determined to finish what he’s started. 

And maybe take it further.

The bright neon lights in the shop window shut off as Erik’s boss leaves the shop. You glance over at Erik, who has a scowl on his face.

“I come in as a favour, my old man just died, and now they want me to lock up. Unbelievable,” he mutters to himself as he picks up the clamp and rips open the packaging. 

Your curiosity eats at you, but you decide that Erik probably doesn’t want to speak of it. He probably only came into work to take his mind from it. But nonetheless, you feel pity for him. You suddenly feel bad for internally lusting over this man you just met. 

“I’m sorry about your father,” you manage as you stare into his eyes.

The look in his eyes says he doesn’t wish to talk about it, so you lean back in the soft leather chair.

“Let’s do this,” you say with confidence, mostly, a hint of nervousness in your voice.

Your heart races as he grips your tongue between his latex clad fingers, picking up the clamp and gripping the muscle tightly with it. 

Just a pinch, lasting shorter than a second, and it’s over. Just like that. You’re surprised at how fast it was. 

“Alright, I’ve already told you all about the aftercare. Swish with salt water, avoid spicy, acidic, and hot foods, no alcohol,” his eyes meet yours, “No kissing or oral sexual contact. It’s all on that paper I gave you.” His voice is low and sultry. “Lightly sucking on some ice can help with the pain and swelling.”

“Okay,” you say with a slight giggle as you start to stand up, “I guess I should go now before I start to drool all over your floor ha-ha.”

“Too late, you’ve been drooling since the second you sat down in my chair. I notice things.” 

You can’t deny that he’s right… Fuck. You didn’t mean to be so obvious. Goddammit. 

“I gotta go.” You’re desperate to leave at this point, embarrassed as fuck. What were you thinking? You literally just got out of a relationship two days ago. 

Before you can take two steps, Erik makes a show out of snapping the latex gloves off his hands. He doesn’t say a word, but he stops you in your tracks anyways. His eyes are dark.

Seductive. 

Erik’s hand rests on his belt buckle. You’re frozen in place. The air is suddenly unbelievably thick as he slowly looks you up and down. You suddenly feel exposed, despite being fully clothed in simple jeans and a t shirt. 

“You’ve been eye fucking me since the second you laid eyes on me,” he murmurs, “So, are you going to leave, or stay and finish what you started?”

Seconds seem like hours as you simply stare at him, completely at a loss for words. Just his fucking stare alone is making you feel needy. You can already feel your arousal building. 

“Fuck it,” you finally say, and before he can protest, your hands are in his hair and you’re kissing him hard. Wincing from the fresh piercing in your tongue, but you ignore it as he grips your hips, pushing you back down into the chair. His grip is almost hard enough to bruise, his nails leaving little crescent shaped indents in your soft skin. 

“Guess you’re staying then,” he murmurs, his voice low and rough. His hands travel all over your body, sliding under your shirt, skimming your sides, his thumbs grazing over the swell of your chest like he’s trying to memorise the feel of you. 

“Tell me to stop,” he says between nips to your neck, “or I’m not holding back.” 

Your breath catches. You should be stopping him. The timing is terrible, this is just a distraction for both of you. You, with your recent breakup, and him, having just lost his father. You should care about that. But you don’t. You’re too far gone now. High on the way he smells like heat and ink and adrenaline. Lost in the way his touch makes your skin tingle. 

Your whole body is lit up like a live wire, just from him. In this moment, stopping is nowhere near crossing your mind. 

“Don’t.” Your voice is breathy, hoarse. “Don’t stop.”

Without skipping a beat, Erik’s hands are under your shirt once more as he pulls it from your body and drops it to the tiled floor beneath you. The leather chair is cool on your skin as you lean back, allowing Erik full access to your body. 

A low growl escapes Erik’s throat as he wastes no time working to get your jeans undone. You silently curse yourself for wearing skintight jeans as you lift your hips up to assist him. But he takes his time removing them, his fingernails intentionally scratching at your thighs lightly. Giggling, you quickly kick off your Vans so your jeans can be taken off easily. 

“Fuck,” you breathe. Your arousal is already starting to show as a damp spot in the middle of your pink lacey underwear. Erik notices it too. His fingertips lightly trace over your mound, causing you to shudder and involuntarily buck your hips up.

“Someone’s excited,” he says teasingly, tracing his fingertips along the waistband of your panties, slowly and sensually. Your fingers claw at his shirt, desperate to tear it off his body as his lips leave light kisses all over your throat and collarbone, his scruffy facial hair tickling your skin in just the right way. 

His black shirt hits the floor, and he leans back so you can admire his body as he makes a show of unbuckling his belt and unbuttoning his tight, black jeans. He’s teasing you, and, fuck, he’s doing it so well. He’s practically giving you a strip tease like a dancer at a club. 

You gasp as he lowers his pants. You can see the outline of his cock through his red underwear. It’s hard, throbbing, and… is that a piercing at the tip?! Fuck. You feel the wetness pooling between your legs just at the simple thought of feeling it inside of you. 

Wanting nothing more than to feel it in the back of your throat, you lunge at him, eager to rip the only remaining piece of clothing off his body. But lightning fast, he grabs your wrists. 

“Not so fast. You’ve got a fresh tongue ring. Remember, I said no sexual activity for two months,” he growls at you. You pout as he releases your wrists, only to swiftly reach behind you to unclip your bra. Your breasts bounce free as he tosses the garment behind him, doing the same with your underwear next. 

“Maybe when it’s healed,” you purr seductively, opening your legs just slightly.

“Maybe,” he growls in response as his fingertips graze your cunt. It’s like a shot of electricity shooting through your body, making you pulse with need. Erik chuckles as he holds his finger up, slick with your arousal. With wide eyes, you watch as he brings the digit to his mouth, his pierced tongue slowly lapping up your wetness.

“Mmmmm, fuck,” he groans. 

Holy fuck. That’s so hot. You moan just at the sight of him doing that… Erik making eye contact with you while he did it did not help at all. Your thighs clench around nothing, you want nothing more at this point to feel him between your quivering legs. 

“You taste so fucking good,” he says, lowers his head, “I think I want more.”

“Oh fuck,” you breathe, “Take whatever you want from me, please, Erik,” you beg desperately. You didn’t mean to say that, overtaken by lust, but Erik just looks at you with dark eyes. 

“Oh, I will…” he simply growls before he immediately dives in. Before you can even think, his head is between your legs. Licking, sucking, and nibbling at your most sensitive spots. 

“Fuck!” … you were not expecting him to just take you like that. 

He eats your pussy like it’s the first meal he’s had in weeks. He’s so fucking good at it… God, you’re seconds away from coming already. The way he moans and groans from your taste doesn’t help your case at all. His fucking tongue piercing seems to add onto the pleasure… you’ve never been with anybody who’s had… those piercings before. 

“Erik! Oh god, fuck!” you yell, your fingers gripping your hair as you buck your hips up to exacerbate the pressure, the friction, the passion. Erik grips your hip with one hand as his other hand reaches between your legs, and you feel two long fingers slide inside your slick pussy. 

You’re going to come right now if he doesn’t stop, you swear…

Erik hums against you as his fingers press your g spot repeatedly, sending a shockwave through your entire body. You yank at his hair so hard; you can feel stands snapping off in your grip as your other hand grips the edge of the chair you’re sprawled out in. Goosebumps cover your body, and your breath hitches. 

“Fuck! Erik!” you cry as the overstimulation takes over your body. You clench your quivering thighs together, and only when you shove his head away with all your might does he look up at you, a shit eating grin stretched on his face. 

You’re shaking, breathing heavily, barely able to think about anything other than the mind-blowing orgasm this man just gave you from his mouth and fingers alone. Fuck. 

“Tell me you want more,” he begs, “because I sure as fuck do.”

“Yes… please... I want you,” you breathe, still trying to catch your breath. You can’t think of anything else, all you want is Erik Campbell. 

And he’s about to give you all of him. 

“All of me huh?” His voice is so fucking low and velvety… “Don’t say that unless you really mean it.”

He immediately pulls your hips forward. In all of that, you hadn’t even noticed that he’d removed his underwear. You glance down and… He’s even bigger than when you saw the outline. Thick. At least seven inches. With a fucking Prince Albert piercing… Oh God. 

You quickly lean forward, grabbing the back of his hair and pull him into you, wrapping your legs around his waist.

“Fucking take me, Erik,” you gasp as you feel him throbbing against your clit. He adjusts his hips, so his tip is just teasing your soaking opening. 

He pushes inside of you. Slowly, at first. It burns deliciously as you stretch around him, inch by inch. His piercing adds extra sensation, making you moan loudly.

“Fuck,” he groans, “you’re so tight, I can feel your heartbeat.”

“I can… feel you, too,” you gasp as your body adjusts to his size. He bottoms out inside you and doesn’t move. You both just breathe, heavy and tangled in each other. Then he pulls out and pushes back in you. The pleasure tears through you like lightning. 

Your thighs’ grip around his hips tightens, and you grind your hips up into him. You’ve never felt anything like this before, and you’re determined to feel every little bit of it that you can. 

You moan incoherently as he moves at a slow pace. Your legs shake as that damn piece of metal rubs against the inside of you, intensifying the feeling, rubbing every sensitive spot inside of you.

Taking your noises as encouragement, he picks up speed. One hand grips your hip, holding you down, the other holding your leg up as he fully sheaths inside of you. 

Your mouth flops open, your eyes roll back. You’ve never been cock drunk like this before. You feel the heat pooling in your lower abdomen… You’re going to come again. It’s coming on hard and fast.

“Harder, fuck, please Erik!” you whine, chasing that high you so desperately need, for the second time. 

He leans down, his mouth meeting your right nipple as he thrusts faster. Goosebumps sprinkle all over your body and you scream a second time as another orgasm takes over your body. 

You can barely catch your breath before he yanks out of you. Grabbing your hips, firm and commanding, he forces you to roll over so you’re on all fours. You look behind you, staring him in his eyes as he lines up with your entrance once more. 

“Fuck, look at you…” he says in a low voice as his fingers slowly trail down your spine. Your shaking legs can barely hold you up at this point, but you force yourself to hold steady. You want everything he has to offer you, and you’ll be damned if you give up this fast. 

Erik yanks your ass up swiftly and slams his hips up against you, the slapping sound reverberating through the shop. He grips your waist so hard that you fear it may leave bruises. 

“This is all mine now,” he growls as he slides his cock into you once more, “every trembling inch of you.” His voice is low, possessive. He thrusts into you, hard. This new angle has you shaking as his piercing hits your cervix, dragging a moan from your throat.

“I’m… Yours…” you gasp as he fucks into you relentlessly. You make a mental note to get this man’s number after all of this because, holy shit, he’s amazing. 

“Don’t hold back on me now, I want to hear every noise I can pull out of you,” he says as he grabs your hair, pulling your head back so you can’t try to bury your face into the soft cushion of the chair. 

You’re about to come once more, and he can tell, because he just stops all movement right before you crash over the edge.

“Erik,” you whine desperately, looking back to meet his eyes, “Don’t stop, please!” 

“If you want it so bad, fucking work for it.” He smirks at you, enjoying how desperate you are. Your thighs are burning and threatening to collapse under you, but you muster up your last bit of energy and slam yourself back on him, chasing your own climax. Finding a rhythm, you continue to move, each stroke bringing you closer and closer…

“Just like that,” he murmurs, his voice dripping with need, “You’re driving me insane, y/n…”

Just hearing your name on his lips causes the knot inside you to finally snap, and you just know your voice is going to be hoarse in the morning from the way you’re screaming his name. Trembling violently, your legs buckle as you begin to collapse, but Erik wraps his arms around you as he thrusts deep. Once, twice, three times… A low groan, followed by a “Fuck!” escapes his lips as you feel his dick throb and spills his release inside you. 

Gasping deeply as you come down, you finally collapse onto the chair as he pulls out of you. Oh god, you really hope things aren’t awkward now. You know it’s only a one-night stand, but like, you really hope he will want to see you again because nobody has ever done to you what Erik has done to you tonight.

As you catch your breath and your thoughts become coherent again, Erik brings a warm, wet paper towel between your legs to gently clean up his cum that’s started to dribble out of you. You hadn’t even noticed that he got up, you were so out of it. He discards the soiled towel and grabs your hand, slowly helping you up into a sitting position.

You’re sweaty, your throat is raw, and your legs are literally shaking.

“Drink this,” he says, handing you a cup of ice-cold water. Chugging it down, you watch Erik as he collects your clothing from the floor. Still crouching, he looks up at you.

“You good?” he asks, reaching a hand out and brushing your damp hair away from your forehead.

You nod slowly. “Yeah, I’m… good. Just…” You contemplate your next words, “That was really good, and… I’d love to see you again after tonight.” Fuck it, like, the worst he can say is no. 

Erik smiles at you. “I was just thinking the same.”

You can barely contain your excitement as you hand him your phone to put his number in. Erik hands it back, then helps you to stand up so you can get dressed, standing next to you to make sure you’re okay. You almost want to cry at the sentiment; most dudes you hook up with simply just give you like a minute to collect your shit and go.

He softly kisses your temple as he wishes you a good night, walking you to your car. 

The next morning, you wake in your own bed, already smiling from the memories of last night. God, you couldn’t wait to see him again… As you unlock your phone, your news app displays the headline “Tattoo shop Bloodlines Ink burns down.”

The same shop you were at last night. 

A gasp catches in your throat. Your blood runs cold. You can’t move. Your eyes well up with tears.

“Erik…”

[derangedanomaly]

How would the boys react to reader being a skellie bunny?

Kinda like this.

But female and all

Decided to do the star sanses too, since you didn't specify which characters you want.

MASTERLIST

WARNING: Suggestive

BAD SANSES AND STAR SANSES X SKELETON BUNNY READER

NIGHTMARE:

He'd probably feel really conflicted, and confused lmao.

He's so into you, but wouldn't want you to know. He's not exactly the loving type...

Finds your whole persona weird... he's never seen a skeleton bunny before, and it looks... strange?

He'd just watch in complete silence as your ears just hop on your head along with your steps. He wonders how you'd feel if he pulled them... (Take it suggestively or not 🤷‍♀️)

He feeds you carrots. And if he could, he would keep you in a cage. Caged like an animal on loose.

He'll actually start to think you look cute, after getting used to your look.

He'll still be a little shit though. No one can change him. 🤷‍♀️ (But you COULD make him worse...lmao.)

KILLER:

Would find you pretty cute to be honest.

He wants to squeeze the ever living shit out of you.

His head will be filled with.... obscene thoughts, whenever you walk in the room..

He's also never seen a skeleton bunny, so he'd just ask a ton of questions.

Like, do you have powers similar to him? Do you have a similar appetite to Horror? Ooh, can you summon a gaster blaster??

So many questions.

Usually, he's not one for caring this much when it comes to new species of monsters, but he just finds you so interesting actually.

He'll 100% want to touch your ears. And you'll have to let him. There's just no other way.

DUST:

Normally, Dust would be pretty surprised, and immediately start writing your species down with excitement, but....he already knows the type of monster you are.

Shocking.

He doesn't seem fazed at all when seeing you. In fact, he already knows almost everything about your species.

He tries to connect with you through this fact. (But not gonna lie, it's a little creepy that he knows so much without you telling him....)

He tries to be respectful at all times...but you make it too hard sometimes.

He's also not spared from inpure thoughts about you.

He probably really likes the way your ears bounce with every step..

HORROR:

He's just munching on his food while silently watching the bunny tail twitch ever so slightly..

He doesn't EVER want to appear to you like he's some uncontrollable horn dog that can't keep his hands to himself. (That's Killer's job)

He probably has the best self control over ALL of them. (Yes...even Dream and Swap)

He just has a problem of drooling sometimes too much..

But Horror will actually find you pretty cool. You're a bunny AND a skeleton!! He's never seen that before.

He 100% carries you on his shoulders. He loves it!

You're so soft and fluffy, and he wants to pet you SO bad, but he'll be too scared to hurt you, to actually touch you.

Yeah, you'd have to reassure him.

DREAM:

Much like his brother, he'll also treat you like an ACTUAL bunny. (But it's more innocent)

He just doesn't know much about your species. So he'll be probably pretty confused.

Also isn't spared from inpure thoughts.

Keeps scolding himself whenever he has a...not so PG thoughts about you. He's supposed to be the guardian of positivity dammit!

Tries to actually distract himself to stop thinking like that. Even goes that far to actually try to avoid you. Surely if he doesn't see you, he won't think about you! (He's oh so wrong)

Give a small hello to him as you pass, after not seeing him the whole day, and he'll already be on his knees before you.

On the other hand, he'll find your whole species interesting.

Will also ask a ton of questions. (After he gets a lil bit over his simp phase)

INK:

FLIRT FLIRT FLIRT FLIRT

He'd be soooo flirty. He doesn't want to lose his shot.

He snickers whenever your ears bounce on top of your head, or if your tail twitches. Finds it incredibly cute.

Ironically, Ink's flirting is probably worse than Killer's. He stares at you a lot.

He'll want to touch your ears SO BAD.

It's gonna get to the point where he'll get obsessed with touching your ears.

You'll probably find many drawings scattered around. Of you. Yes, that's right. He'll draw you all the time.

Sometimes, he will jokingly feed you carrots. He'll have a blast making fun of you. (Please, I beg you, PUT HIM IN HIS PLACE)

SWAP:

Admires Horror for not giving in to his thoughts. Swap is that ONE person that is secretly a little horny.

Also likes your fluffiness. Seriously wants to cuddle up to you.

Will also carry you around.

Lmao, Error will be so dumbfounded when Swap visits him with you on his shoulders.

Occasionally asks you questions about your species.

He doesn't want to insult you somehow, so he'll probably NOT give you carrots, unless you ask for it.

He giggles whenever your tail twitches. (Don't ask him why he's staring at your ass)

He's gonna scold himself so hard for actually objectifying you like this. The guilt will probably make him actually admit to looking at you like this. (The only that was brave enough to admit to to you)

A/N: How the hell did this turn into a SIMP post? 💀 I apologize if this is not what you wanted, my mind just drifted off to other places while writing this.

[chaaistained]

☕️ . careful ! you might burn yourself ≈≈

hi, i’m chaai !!

.

.

.

🗝️ you’ve now unlocked my ingredient list—what goes into this cup of chaai?

chaai has layers—the usual sweetness of sugar and honey can be formidable when melted into scalding hot water—such is the very girl who steeps the leaves of this blog.

with a cinnamon spiced tongue, she speaks, she whispers, she sings her dreams into reality.

for all the burns that this world gives her, there is but only one truth and it is imagination.

chaai finds solace in solitude, she finds comfort in creativity, she finds motivation in music and inspiration in intricate stories.

a writer, a poet, a singer, a dancer / a crier, a screamer, a laugher, a prancer.

a childlike whimsy will forever permeate the aroma of chaai. drenched in jasmine and sandalwood and frangipani intoxication, she will braid flowers into her hair and use the fallen petals to cast her spells.

the bursting flavours of ideas that she has bubbling inside will leave stains with every single klutzy stumble she makes as she tries to reach her point in a concise manner.

chaai is a welcoming drink, an open hand, palm outstretched to the sky, ready to be held by another (you only need to ask!).

brewed just right

what chaai likes

☕︎ chai (shock horror), talking about her dr’s i beg you, send an ask, journals, notebooks, ink stained fingertips, stories, poems, essays, analysis, romanticism in art, the sight of rain from a window, the strength in one’s imagination, the multiversal theory, when the world used to feel more vibrant and saturated, love letters, rnb and classic jazz, her beloved friends and mutuals

when you steep it too long, it bitters

what chaai dislikes / dni

☕︎ racism, homophobia, xenophobia, classism, colourism, sexism, not being a decent human being, unacceptability of other’s choices when it comes to their dr’s (if it’s not your dr, don’t police it—there is nuance in feats as ancient as reality shifting , things like aging up/down, race swapping, gender swapping - idgaf, do what you want and let me do what i want), general rudeness and self entitlement (be respectful or be blocked), anti-shifters because we really needed more attention whores in this world apparently . if i feel like it i WILL add to this list

tea bags come with tags

my most used tags :

#by chaaistained — anything that i created or wrote and would like to share with my name proudly declared in the tags <3

#chaai chats ≈ — random musings, muddles rambles, whatever sparks my interest, plagues my thoughts, something i want to speak on or ponder about, no rhyme, reason, or rhythm aside from the fact that i thought it and i needed to share it

#chaai recs ๑° — my recommendations, whether it is for scripting or manifesting, shifting advice, even post ideas or inspiration, anything i enjoy and i reckon others should see

+ and additional tag of #highly recs !! when i feel that spark of interest or inspiration burning bright from your post

#signs from the universe… — for the odd serendipitous piece of art or quote or poem, wtv of the sort, that i believe has a double meaning more inclined to shifters, also the tag for whenever i come across a post that personally feels like a sign for me

#chaai channels ; [insert dr-self]༄ — when i find a post that aligns with my dr-self, or when i make such a post

#chaai for : [insert s/o] ৻ꪆ — when i find a post that reminds me of any of my s/o’s, or . more accurately, when i’m raving and jumping around in my feels for them ..

#chaai’s moodboards .•° — my moodboards !! i’m proud of them :)

#chaai loves » [insert moot] ✿ — personal tag for my moots

#teacup anons !! — personal tag for anons

+ claimed anons : bodygaurd anon . 🍦 . 🦊 .

don’t swallow the tea leaves ! for they leave you a message 🍂

this is my first shifting/loa blog !! i was really inspired by @hrrtshape to finally move my ass and make one (you should definitely follow her !!).

if you see similarities in what i post it is because of this (i HAVE spoken to emma and have informed her that i’ll be ib-ing her and/or tagging her in my posts).

i look forward to making friends on this blog≈≈

and if you find my main . no you didn’t, got that?

chaai brews; tea assortments — dr archive

cuppa queries; order in — ask responses

chaai ponders; ring stained pages — on loa/shifting/manifestion/creativity

2024 © chaaistained

[rekino2114]

Oooh~ how about a full alphabet for our danganronpa despair time spooky girl Veronika~

Veronika grebenshchikova fluff alphabet

☠️A=affection(how affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)

Veronika is very affectionate. She loves just surprising you by showing you random affection like hugging you from behind or kissing you when you least expect it

☠️B=baby(do they want a family? How are they with kids?)

She's....not great with kids. Every time she tries to play or talk with one, they get creeped out and, most of the time, start crying. That problem would be solved if that was her child, though so she would definitely like to have a kid with you, mostly to pass down her horror love to them

☠️C=cuddles(do they like to cuddle? How do they cuddle?)

She very much likes to cuddle, especially while watching horror movies, but even just without any movies, she loves wrapping you up in her arms and cuddling She likes being the big spoon but doesn't mind if you want to switch. Her body temperature is pretty low, so you fix that by putting a lot of blankets around when you cuddle

☠️D=Domestic(do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)

She would definitely like to move in with you, maybe in a cozy cabin in the middle of the woods. She's actually quite good at cooking (even if she might joke about using human meat), and while she can clean too, she prefers not to do it too often since she "likes the aesthetic more"

☠️E=everything (you are ........... example: my life,my world)

"You are my heart, I don't think I could live without you in my life"

☠️F=flirting (how do they flirt? Does it continue even after they're in a relationship?)

She flirts in a classic way but with her classic creepy spin on it, she'll tell you that you look so beautiful that everyone will look at your body when you'll die, she'll write you a note with ink that looks suspiciously like blood telling you to turn around, and when you do she'll give you a hug, and yes she still does that after you got together

☠️G=gifts(what gifts do they like to give you? When?)

Veronika loves giving you gifts, plushies and horror merchandise especially, she gives them to you whenever she feels like it but especially on special occasions or when a new horror movie/game comes out so she buys you merch of it

☠️H=hug(do they like hugs? how do they hug?)

As stated earlier, she's very affectionate, and hugs are obviously part of that. She particularly likes hugging you from behind. You don't even know she's in the room with you until you feel her arm grip you and pull you close to her with a giggle

☠️I=I love you (how fast did they say it? Do they say it often?)

She said it when she was sure you weren't actually scared of her and loved her back. Now that she knows you actually want to be with her, she says it very often, and she also loves hearing tht from you

☠️J=jealousy (how jealous do they get? What do they do when they're jealous?)

She actually doesn't get jealous too often, only when someone actively flirts with you. But she's scary when she's jealous. She'll hold your hand and enter the conversation like nothing while creepily grinning with her eyes closed at who's flirting with you and making veiled threats at their life

☠️K=kisses(how do they kiss you? Where do they like to kiss you?)

Veronika's kisses are very passionate. Basically, every time she kisses you, the moment is sure to turn into a make-out session just because of how good her kisses feel. Her favorite place to kiss you is your neck, and she'll often leave lipstick marks or hickeys there because it makes her feel like a vampire

☠️L=love confession(how did they confess to you?)

She left you a note in your dorm (she later apologized for breaking in) where she told you to meet her in a location in the middle of the woods, you were kinda scared you were gonna get murdered but you found her in the middle of a heart made of roses where she confessed to you, when you accepted she squealed of happiness, tackled you into a hug and kissed you

☠️M=mornings (how do they spend mornings with you?)

She actually wakes up pretty early, so she likes to get ready before you and make breakfast.....and maybe check if any horror stuff came out that night

☠️N=nights (how do they spend nights with you?)

Horror movie night. Every. Single. Night......ok not actually that would get kinda boring, and there aren't enough Horror movies, but it's still really common, like three times a week maybe more if a new movie came out

☠️O=overprotective (how protective are they of you?)

She's protective of you only on certain occasions, like when she feels someone weird is around, but for most of the time she's pretty chill. She does really like holding your hand just in case though

☠️P=pet names(what nicknames do they like to call you?)

She's definitely a darling type of person. It's the perfect mix of affectionate and classic that she likes. She also calls you boo from time to time just because of the spooky connotation

☠️Q=quizzes(how much do they remember about you?)

Veronika actually remembers quite a lot...it's kinda creepy. You'll tell her that you don't feel well that day, and she'll pull up your entire medical history like it's nothing because she's worried about you....wait you never actually told her that how did she knew?

☠️R=rain(how do they spend a rainy day with you)

It depends on how she's feeling that day and how bad the rain is. You'll either stay inside and watch a horror movie while cuddling or go outside and just hang around having fun and playing

☠️S=service (what are some acts of service they do for you?)

She actually quite likes cooking for you, baking sweets especially, she loves feeding them to you too and for you to tell her how it tastes

☠️T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)

She genuinely puts a lot of effort into stuff she does for you, gifts especially, she picks out what you like (mostly in the horror genre) and gives it to you with a wide smile. She just wants you to think she's a good girlfriend

☠️U=unhappy (how do they cheer you up?)

She hugs you really tightly and lets you cry if you need it. She asks you if you wanna watch a movie and puts on horror comedy to hopefully cheer you up. She constantly complements you while hugging you, telling you how amazing you are both as a partner and as a person and how you changed her for the better so much

☠️V=value (How important is the relationship to them? What is it’s worth in comparison to other things in their life?)

You're very important to Veronika. She doesn't have many friends as most people think she's creepy, and she's so grateful she has someone who loves her for who she is. But most importantly, you helped her stop hurting herself, and she could not be more thankful for that. You helped her so much, and she's not sure she can fully repay you, but she'll try her best

☠️W=wound (how do they react to you getting injured?)

She creepely asks who hurt you while smiling and helps patch you up. She knows her way around injuries because of the horror movies she watches, so she's actually a pretty great help. She does ask to kiss your injuries in the meantime, though.

☠️X=Xtra (a random fluffy headcanon)

She can read people very well, and that's especially true when it comes to you. She knows your mood from just one looks and picks a movie to go with it. That's part of why movie nights with her are so good, because she especially picks what movie you'd like to watch even without having to ask.

☠️Y=yes (how do they react to you proposing to them?)

"OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! s-sorry, sorry, it's just *squeals* I'm so excited, I've been waiting for this moment for so long, of course my darling, I love you so much and want to spend aaaalllll of my life with you. Thank you......do you think I could wear a bloodstained dress at the wedding?"

☠️Z=zzz (how is sleeping with them?)

She kinda likes watching you sleep. She tries her best not to be creepy, but you just look so adorable. She waits for you to fall asleep while you cuddle and just smiles at how cute you look. She starts kissing your face gently, hoping to not wake you up

[zelphin124]

Dust x YN Short Story

You simps... this is the result of this poll.

Uh, yeah... Here we go I guess.

THIS IS YOUR FAULT @kuuuuro YOU BIAS LIL NUGGET /lh

I swear I have motivation somewhere-

~o0o~

Twenty weeks.

You started to lose count of the days as you circled your cell. The sun was setting again, so your evening meal would arrive soon.

Nightmare had kidnapped you not so long ago. All you could gather was you were being used as a bargaining chip. If your friends didn't make enough negative energy in your AU, you would die.

Depression would be achieved either way.

You heard tales of the negative king. You know that he had a brother who was the positive opposite of him, you also heard fantasies of him having a soft spot for people, wanting to just have a time of rest.

None of those were true at all.

He was the definition of evil. He was cruel and treated everyone poorly to feed off it. He didn't care about anyone, not even his own employees, who were the ones that brought you food. He laughed in the face of requests and always got what he wanted, one way or another, often making others kill for him.

This led your train of thought to the various employees. There was Killer, the smiley, toxic one. He never shut up and obeyed Nightmare like a dog. He was the one who wanted to cause you the most pain. His addiction to blood and knives didn't help with that. You found it unsettling how much black ink dripped from his eyes when he looked at you. You knew he saw you as an object, nothing more. He has threatened to do horrendous things to you to please his boss... but... he hasn't laid a hand on you yet.

Horror was the second employee. He appeared to be the polar opposite of Killer in personality but equally as unsettling. He would stare at you for long hours, his bulging red eye unwavering and not blinking. You have overheard many conversations that he wanted to save you for a meal. Whenever he was hungry, he lingered not too far from you. If it weren't for the negativity he gave off when he was unable to eat you, you were sure Nightmare would've let him already.

Then there was Murder Sans. He was the quietest, and the one who didn't say much, if at all. The entire time you've known him, he lurked in conversations and only gave off nods, shrugs, and head shakes as communication. The other two employees were terrified of him; they often talked about his LV levels and how he could kill them easily. Although all of them were murderers, he was the only one reluctant to do it again.

Especially to you.

When he came to give you food, you didn't have to cower in the corner or tell them to leave. He barely said anything to you, but he's whispered enough words to tell you his voice was rasp and aloof. His eyes never narrowed at you, and he didn't stare like the others. If you caught him staring, he would respectfully look away, going about his business. He always ensured that you got the best food and that none of it dropped before it reached you. Sometimes, he would take the food that he got and give it to you. His coworkers always said he acted weird when he saw you, but you couldn't quite tell why.

You couldn't tell anything about him, in reality.

The door to your cell opened. You pressed yourself against the damp, cold, stone bricks of your cell, the chains around your ankles clamped tight. You prayed that it wasn't Killer again; you didn't want to fake happy feelings in your heart for Nightmare to come take him away.

You couldn't tell which coworker it was until their entire body walked down the stairs. They all wore the same clothing, and the only difference they had from one another was their faces.

You saw the hooded employee holding a candle in one hand and your food in the other. You sigh in relief, the pace of your heartbeat slowing down tremendously. His red eyes glowed softly as his gaze shifted towards you. He looked more tired than usual.

"Your food," he raises it up before setting it down by your feet.

You were starving. Before he could say anything else, you gulfed down the food before him, delighting at the taste of mashed potatoes and green beans. Although you used to be picky, prison has taught you to like every form of food. Anything that Dust brought you tasted good.

He watched you eat before sitting down in front of you. You didn't notice until your food was good. Thanking him for the food, you lay back down on the paved floor, hoping that you wouldn't get back pain as you slept.

Murder traced his hands across the floor before he looked back up at you. "It's boring in here, do you wanna watch a movie?"

At first, you were confused. Did you want to watch a movie? Of course you did; anyone would take that over sitting in a cell again all night. Heck, you haven't been out of the cell in weeks, and you started to smell, let alone go crazy. You nod, telling him you wish to, but you couldn't because you were chained-

The bones that flew through the chains around your frail body shattered as bones shot up from the ground. For the first time, the weight of the metal was off your skin, setting you free. You reach down and rub your ankles and wrists, which you were unable to touch weeks before.

As you were distracted, you felt hands wrap around your waist and legs. Your eyes widen as he hoists you up into his arms and carries you out of the stall. You yelp from shock, asking him what's going on.

"I need a movie partner. Horror doesn't want to watch movies with me anymore," he explained nonchalantly. "And call me Dust, please."

You were about to ask more questions but kept your mouth shut as he carried you through the castle and up the stairs. You passed the dining room where the rest of the castle inhabitants were.

"Pass me the sauce Horror!" Killer cried.

"No, I'm using it." Horror dumped a large amount of sauce onto whatever he was eating.

"You're going to eat it all!" Killer whined.

"Both of you shut up," Nightmare twirled his food around with a fork, looking slimy as ever.

Despite being so close to your kidnappers, they did not notice you and Dust. Not even Nightmare caught a glimpse of the silent worker carrying you up toward his room, as if he had years of practice slipping away...

As he opened the door to his room, you were greeted with a heavy scent of forest pine. His windows were open and a soft breeze blew into his room. It wasn't the most tidy room, there were a few hooks and a red scarf lying across the floor. His bed was massive and faced a TV, which was on its home screen. There was little to no light besides the gaping moon outside.

Dust set you down by the bathroom door. "Shower, clean, whatever you do I guess," he scavenged through his dresser. He pulled out a hoodie and some sweatpants. "I just washed these, will these work?"

The clothes he gave you looked so comfortable, and nothing would do besides the rags you were in currently. You didn't waste time and headed into the shower, finally cleaning yourself of the prison stench you had become so accustomed to. Despite Dust's appearance, it was clear that he took good care of himself. He seemed to have a higher respect for himself than the others.

As you walk out, you barely put on the hoodie, finding Dust on his bed scrolling through different videos. He glanced you up and down and patted the bed next to him. "Do you have a movie preference?"

You inform him of one of the movies you used to watch. Dust shrugged and pulled it up on screen as you sat beside him. Although you tried to keep your distance out of respect, he pulled you closer to him and wrapped an arm around your shoulder. A single pillow was what kept you from being buried in his chest.

You felt the blood rush to your face. Why was he being so nice? You were a prisoner, yet he treated you like a comrade, if not like royalty. He offered you popcorn and watched the movie in silence, asking only two questions throughout the show. He was polite, and he made sure you had enough blankets to keep you warm, and he offered his hand to squeeze when you got scared at certain parts.

When Killer came banging on the door, Dust gestured to you to stay quiet as he changed his voice, barely talking to Killer through the door and telling him to go away. However, he seemed very tired when he sat on the bed again... and fell asleep on your lap.

At first, you panicked. What happens if someone barges through the door? If someone sees you, what will you say? Would they finally kill you?

But something else told you that there was a reason why you weren't dead yet. Perhaps Dust advocated for you and kept you alive behind your back. Perhaps he didn't want you dead. After all, he did want to watch a movie with you.

You gasp from surprise as Dust's arms wrap around you like he is hugging the most treasured thing in the world. His face was buried in your shoulder, and he breathed slowly. If you hadn't fallen for the skeleton and all the kind things he's done for you yet, you sure did now. He was so peaceful as you stroked his head, not moving so he could sleep. He was so kind to you, giving you food and finally freeing you from prison.

You couldn't figure out why but decided not to think about it as your own eyes got droopy. Despite your situation, you had no trouble falling asleep in Dust's arms.

Maybe you'll wake up from this wonderous dream.

Or maybe you'll find out that there is good in everyone after all.

[choccy-zefirka]

Once again, I was inspired by another person's writing to reblog my own, but Tumblr pretends it does not exist, so I guess I am posting it all over again

Thank you @rowanisawriter for giving me Durgewyll feelz on AO3 (I am GeweonAwexius)

"It's not fair," Wyll cries out.

The weight of this entire day — long, long day, the longest in his seventeen years alive — comes crashing down onto his shoulders and presses him onto his knees. So far, somehow, he has remained stalwart and strong like the heroic champions of all things good and bright from his childhood books. He has stood firm against everything: even the hot drill of pain that dug into his socket; even the cutting, jagged ice-floe edge of his father's voice. It all almost seemed distant, unreal, flat as an inked page; a whirlwind of misadventures happening to someone else, a dramatic scene that he was reading in his idle hours. But now, suddenly, in a tremendous terrible instant, it all becomes real.

The world swims and wobbles before him. Ever so slightly off, ever so slightly alien, now that he has only one eye to see with. And the sob at the back of his throat turns into a high-pitched squeak, like the ones he'd make not so long ago, when his voice first started breaking. This is probably the last he'll hear from the child who still lives within him. From Ulder Ravengard's boy.

Behind him, leathery wings flap softly. A long tail thrashes against the ground, thump-thump-thump, a cat all coiled up in an ambush. He shudders head to toe, a cold pit opening within him — and braces himself to feel those claws on his face again. But the cambion does not grab him this time. She only murmurs, her gloating woven from the sleekest silken thread,

"Of course it's not fair, dear boy. Get used to it."

"It's not fair," Wyll croaks, nigh without sound, on his knees again in a puddle of darkest crimson.

He can barely muster control over his numb lips, his stifled voice. Every last droplet of his dwindling strength has been poured into a single desperate action... Clutching on to the limp, blood-drenched body in his arms. A grey-skinned Tiefling with oddly shaped horn stumps — like imprints of giant fingers that once molded her out of clay — and with a crude makeshift amulet resting on her marble-still chest. A little acorn on a chain. 

Just moments ago, he felt so proud of her. His beautiful champion, good and bright, stalwart and strong, looking her profane father in the face and defying him.

That acorn was his promise to her. They were supposed to make it through this, like storybook wayfarers returning home from lands of fire and death; they were supposed to build a life together, sheltered from the darkness that has been tormenting them both. 

They were so close. So close. Maybe they still are, maybe she is just asleep in his arms, exhausted by battling her father from within her very flesh... No. That is just that child again, the ever-hopeful little Ravengard. He never thought he'd come back. 

The child still dreams, still years for tomorrow — but his tomorrow is cold, empty-eyed, with not a whisper of breath between her darkly bitten lips, or underneath the little acorn.

Behind Wyll's back, there are no footfalls. Not a hint of presence, until the silence is broken by that peculiar dusty drawl. Withers has this way of hovering slightly above ground, whenever his fancy strikes him. This would have been a great subject for frivolous camp gossip in another lifetime, when among the tadpole squirms and the horrors of Faerun's deepest long-forgotten corners, Wyll still had his love, his poem incarnate, by his side. But now he could not care less about skeleton antics. Until —

"Tis not fair," Withers agrees, softly, with a hint of what, in any other being's tone of voice, might have been... Tenderness. 

"And I shall not allow it."

[eliza-and-her-monsters]

Anything > Human

Part 1

characters: rin shinonome x oc / fem!reader contains: NSFW but can easily skip the smut if that makes you uncomfortable and you won’t lose too much, big bro narumi, fluff fluff and more fluff, a taller rin because fuck you that’s why, some brief hints of a smau(?)/texts, slight displays of rin’s anger issues and a slightly jealous oc (if you squint) and a bit of a crybaby oc as well 💔 beginning is NOT a canon event but takes place after she’s attacked by no. 9 and saved and then goes into various flashbacks.

wc: aroooound 7.6k?? yeah i know- I KNOW okay? i’m out of control and i WOULD apologize but i’m not even close to being sorry (or done.)

a/n: you guys may be resistant to me but i will STILL be filling your yuri void even if only two of you read it! 🖤 also trying a new setup with these one-shots because i feel like it’s prettier! written with an oc in mind HOWEVER if you still want to read it as x reader you’re free to ignore all of that stuff just know you WILL be gen narumi’s younger sister regardless so have fun w/ that besties! 🖤

link to my kn8 ocs if you haven’t read it yet!

It was a horror movie. It was what I had had nightmares about since the moment I stepped on base for the first time. At some point I guess I should’ve expected it. A cataclysm with mass casualties and all I could do was pray that the ones I loved weren’t one of them. It was pure helplessness. Pure unadulterated helplessness.

As a medic you couldn’t afford to lose your cool though. There wasn’t time to cry or even to breathe, really. Your job was to save people. Arguably the most important people if you were a higher medic (which I had now landed myself the status of) still stationed on base caring for the wounded officers and determining if they were stable enough to go back to the battlefield or not.

Fuck, it was such a selfish thought; that I’d rather be on the front lines. I would’ve rather have been made into a crushed spectacle underneath layers and layers of rubble of the destroyed city instead. Anything to have had to see her flatline.

~

I’m convinced whenever someone you love dies, even if it’s just for a moment… their life flashes before your eyes too.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

The first time I saw her, I think it was the universe’s way of trying to prove something to me. I had never believed in love at first sight. Infatuation maybe. Lust definitely. And maybe, in reality, that’s all it was. Still every time I snuck off to training behind my one way ticket in the know of most things, my older brother (dimwitted older brother but somehow still the captain), I caught myself staring at her. Losing track of almost every thought I currently had swirling in my head, besides the ones that she occupied. She seemed to train harder than the others, zipping around the track like a superhuman and benching more than some of the men. No matter what the activity though I always found some excuse to get myself involved.

In the first division my technical title was medic. My brother was lazy enough whenever it came to most things that weren’t brute force though I usually got roped into doing a lot of the technical jobs of captains. Even though as of now, it was starting to look like a mistake.

“Ummm, hello?? Earth to Iris.” My brother waved his hand in front of my slowly glazing over expression while I chewed on the end of my pen. “Did you come out here just to ogle? Because it’s fine if you did. I’m just saying I’d like a heads up first.”

“I’m not ogling… I’m concentrating.” I finally spoke up before giving my head a firm shake regardless as I tried to pull my eyes from the girl currently stretching out on the track.

“On what? Ass? Tits? Or are you more of a gentlewoman and you’re just focused on her eyes?” He questioned before snatching my notebook clean from my hands causing me to scramble up to my feet with a start. “Wow, you are such a total creep.” He snickered down at the ink sketches occupying most of the page alongside the various pieces of officer names and their current distance and times.

“Give that back, you asshole!!” I exclaimed with a groan, pathetically attempting to jump up after the notebook that he currently dangled way above my head. “Before I get Hasegawa on you!”

“Oooh, Hasegawa I’m so scare- what the hell, Iris?!” He yelped the moment I sent my foot sailing into his shin causing him to drop the notebook right to where I could yank it from his hands.

“Just because I’m not an officer doesn’t mean I don’t know how to pack a punch!” I huffed, only relishing in a few seconds of victory before I noticed him launching forward to chase after me. His long legs making it infinitely easier for him to do so.

“Okay, we can test to see who’s the strongest if you really wanna do that-”

“No, no I don’t, I told you I forbid you from chasing me!” I exclaimed as I tried to take off at a faster rate only causing me to trip over my own two feet the moment I tried to curve around somebody else. Landing me right behind, of course, the woman of the hour.

“Really? You’re gonna chicken out in front of my best platoon leader?” He teased, my cheeks as red as roses as I nervously shoved myself up to my feet while clutching my notebook to my chest for dear life.

“Ummm… no, no I’m not-”

“C’mon, I hardly think that’s a fair fight, don’t you, captain?” Rin’s voice was smooth as she took a sweeping step in front of me, my head coming straight to the height of her shoulders as she did so.

“Maybe so, but that’s what makes it fun, don’t you think, Shinonome?” He asked just before shooting me a knowing smirk from over her shoulder which only caused me to glare back in response. “At any rate, I’m gonna head back in. You can let me know that data later on, shortstop, if you got it that is.”

“Shortstop?” Rin snickered before glancing back at me as I let out an annoyed groan.

“I hate it whenever he calls me that.” I grumbled.

“To be fair, he’s right. You are, well, short.” She added with another airy laugh as she took another step towards me. My muscles tensed in anxiety as I tilted my chin upwards to meet her gaze. All the while Gen’s frustrating and far more confident voice echoing in my mind, ‘If you like her that much, why don’t you just don’t talk to her?’ Now I was finally starting to realize why. She was intimidating as fuck. “Nice drawings of me by the way.” She covered my awkward silence with ease, my cheeks almost feeling like they were being set ablaze as I quickly swiped the notebook behind my back.

“Ummm, sorry I-I don’t know what you’re-”

“Sweetheart, he waved it around the whole track whenever he was holding it above your head.” She interrupted before I could make any more attempt to lie. And in that moment I thought this was it. Gen had embarrassed me countless amounts of times before, however out of all of them, this one might’ve been enough for me to want to make a break out of base and hide my face for the rest of my existence.

“I’m really sorry- I’m really- I- I know it’s creepy.”

“Don’t apologize.” She giggled before flipping back her already short hair as she folded her arms across her chest. “I think it’s cute that I have admirers.”

My expression almost saddened as I dropped my hands in front of me in slight defeat, the spiraling of the notebook biting into my hand as I sighed softly. “You’re a nice subject… I guess. You’re easy to draw, got great bone structure-”

“Keep talking and walk with me.” Rin grinned just before I felt her arm being swung around my shoulders making me jump for just a split second before she could lead me towards the exit of the track. “Tell me more about my striking beauty. What else do you love about me? Are you flustered yet? Charmed yet scared maybe?”

“Flustered? Usually. Scared? Definitely. Charmed? Still up for debate.” I answered with a little giggle as I watched her jaw drop in mock offense.

“Wow, gonna have to work harder then.” She said with a little wink that I was ashamed to say made my stomach do flip-flops. “Seriously though… can I see those? Like, actually see them?” She wondered with a gesture towards the notebook, and for the millionth time I could feel my heart clenching as I clutched the notebook almost protectively to my chest at the question. “It’s okay if not I just… thought I’d ask.” She said with a casual shrug, cool as ever as she whirled around to face me before leaning against the concrete wall that lead back inside.

“Oh- no… no, o-of course you can. Th-They’re of you anyways so- i-it’s only right you see the drawings the creepy younger sister of your captain drew of you.” I tried to laugh, cover up my general anxiety before passing over the notebook for her to take.

A soft little grin stretched across her face as she took the notebook in victory, “Atta girl.” Her words almost made me shiver, the true definition of ‘gay panic’ as my cheeks turned into a bright red.

Her eyebrows furrowed in concentration as she scanned over the pages, various doodles of her sketched across the paper from a detailed head shot, a darkened sketch of her back and side profile with her fierce eyes and gas mask complete with the rest of her combat suit. There was a medium sized image of her wielding her custom machine gun (that I had basically given up on drawing halfway through). And lastly the most recent sketch of her taller figure stretching out her shoulders at the start of the track.

I expected the worst in all honesty, already forming a pre-wince as I awaited her no doubt, probably negative response. But all I did was watch her eyes widen as she peered down at me with a slightly softened expression, “Iris, these are really good. Like- really really good. A-And I’m not just saying that because it’s me.” She said with a little giggle of her own, “Do you post any of your art at all or-?”

“Ummm, I did but- then people found out I was Gen’s younger sister and it blew up and I got anxious so… I ended up going private.” I voiced, gnawing on my bottom lip with a tiny shrug as she passed me the notebook back, already reaching for her phone tucked away in her pocket.

“You care if I follow it?” She questioned with a lifted brow, and if anything would’ve caused my heart to completely stop it was that. Her holding her phone out to me, instagram app already pulled up and logged in to her own very public account.

And against all of my better judgement I gulped an anxious lump down my throat and nodded, “Yeah, o-of course you can. Just- don’t show anyone else?” I asked, shaking fingers typing out the familiar username to my account before handing her phone back.

“I’ve got you.” She added with that same growing smile as she slid it back into her pocket. “Well, I’ve gotta run but… I’ll see you around, Picasso?”

“Yeah, for sure.” I answered, and I was certain my blush remained long after she dashed off.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

The remainder of the weeks after that were quiet, and I nearly caught myself missing her. The usual struggle of being the person who was too scared to initiate anything themselves. She said ‘hi’ occasionally though. Dropped by the infirmary with mild injuries from past smaller missions. And I had definitely seen her profile pop up in my notifications since then. Her profile that I was of course already following on both of mine. Overall though, after the first conversation I caught myself longing for her a bit more than usual, and Gen must’ve had enough of hearing me whine about her.

“Hey, hey c’mon. You’ve gotta get to bed, lights out was a long time ago.” The feeling of a pair of hands on my shoulders made my eyes flutter open with a start, jumping at the sudden touch with a small gasp. I had dozed off in the library again it seemed, surrounded by a multitude of medical books, notes, and the lone sketchbook that had probably imprinted on the side of my face by now.

“R-Rin?” I questioned in a groggy voice as I lifted an ink covered hand to wipe at my eyes. “What are you- Wh-What time is it?”

“Your brother sent me to get you. I think he might have ulterior motives though.” She chuckled lightly just as I could feel her thumbs softly kneading into my tense shoulders. “Geez, are your shoulders always this tight?”

“I can’t remember the last time I’ve actually been relaxed honestly.” I murmured just as I was about to let my head drop back into my arms.

“No… no no no, we’ve gotta get you to bed, sweet girl. C’mon, I’ll help you.” She gripped my cheek with the utmost gentleness to lift my head before sliding a soft arm around my shoulders.

“W-Wait! Nobody can see this!” I exclaimed, darting out a hand to grip my sketchbook right at the last minute as she scooped me up into her arms. My hands shook as I tightened my arms around her shoulders, trying to keep my breath from being swept right out of my lungs as I finally felt her body so close.

We had only had subtle touches until now, despite the fact she was significantly more touchy than I expected her to be. A brush of the hands, a ruffle of the hair, her arm around my shoulders; but we had never been pressed together like this before. She smelled fancy, rich even, cherry and amber, seductive but gentle at the same time. The cyan tips of her asymmetrical hair barely brushing my forehead as I tilted my head upwards to look at her. But even that felt too difficult. Too impossibly heavy.

“You can lay on me, it’s okay, I’ve got you.” She stated, my eyes fluttering as I let my head drop against her.

The rest of the walk was a blur up until I felt my body being laid against my unmade bed. The departure of her warmth nearly made me want to dart my hand out to tug her back down with me. It felt like I had been dreaming of these moments for so long now, too long to let it go after such a short amount of time. “Rin… wait.” I hated how pathetic I sounded as I wrapped my hand around her wrist, just tired enough to be delusional as I caught myself attempting to pull her back towards the bed.

An anxious lump felt like it was growing in my throat as I pushed myself up to a sitting position with all of my strength. I fought sleep with everything in me, because the moment I was awake I wouldn’t have the courage to do this. I barely did now. “I- I need to talk to you about something.”

“Darling, you’re half asleep, we can talk in the morning.” She insisted, ever so responsible with anyone who wasn’t her as she gently placed her hands against my shoulders as if attempting to get me to lie back down. I was stubborn though, I tried to fight back, she wasn’t even using about an eighth of her strength though and she still could’ve pinned me directly to the bed if she wanted to.

My hands trembled as I pressed them firmly to her chest as if to get her to let up. However this time she did succeed in sweeping the air out of my lungs as my body hit the mattress once more. My eyes flew open in shock at the sight of her hovering over me, confirming about 15 different realizations I had made about myself in the course of a few seconds. “I-I like you!” I finally exclaimed the dreaded words, hearing the tremble in my voice that only spread to the rest of my body as I hugged my greedy hands to myself as if certain she’d be pushing me away anyways. I was too afraid to touch her. I was too afraid to be touched, wincing as if waiting for the absolute worse. “I- I’m sorry I- I’m really sorry.”

“Hey, wait-“ Rin muttered causing me to flinch for the millionth time as she placed a delicate hand against my cheek. “You know that I already know that, right?”

“You… You do?” I sniffled, tears of embarrassment already flooding my vision as I blinked up at her.

“Yeah, I’m not blind, baby.” She said with a weak and airy chuckle just before letting her eyes soften as she let out a heavy sigh. “Okay, scooch over.” My blurry eyes widened once more as if in shock this time, lifting a hand that still trembled up to my eyes in some attempt to dry them up before I could scoot closer towards the wall. Rin kicked her sneakers off before fitting herself right next to me, arms wide open for me to crawl into. “C’mere.”

I hesitated a moment, almost as if not understanding fully what she wanted me to do. Or maybe I was just still in shock. That someone I had liked for so long now was in my bed, holding her arms out for me. Her scent enveloped me all over again as I felt her arms wrapping around my body. It was such an unfamiliar position, her back lounged against the two pillows I always slept on, now replaced by her chest against my cheek. A soft rise and fall with each breath, the gentle thump of her heart nearly enough to lull me right back into whatever dream state I had been in before.

But my pathetic emotions seemed to win over it all. A wave of sobs finally pushing their way upwards now that my face was thoroughly muffled in her chest. I didn’t even know why I was crying. Why everything seemed to hit all at once as my hand curled into a trembling fist against her. Maybe I was scared. No actually, I was definitely scared. I was fucking terrified. To admit feelings like that to somebody who already felt light years ahead of you was the scariest thing in the world.

“Hey, look at me.” Rin spoke, careful hands moving only to cradle my face. And I hated how every little gentle touch made me want to cry even harder. Her eyes furrowing in concern as she brushed her delicate thumbs underneath my sore eyes. “Why are you crying, baby?”

“Do you have any idea how terrifying it is to feel like this for somebody else?” I questioned, almost reaching my hand upwards to brush away my tears on my own once more, before I realized hers were still there. “L-Let alone somebody like you?”

“Somebody like me?” She questioned with a perfectly sculpted brow. Even at 3 am whenever she was already dressed for bed she still seemed to be flawless.

“Rin, e-everybody wants you! Everybody throws themselves at you! Civilians, your own officers, even some of the goddamn platoon leaders, h-how do you not see it?!” I sniffled, letting my voice raise almost in frustration. Frustration for the world, frustration for myself… just not frustration towards her. Never towards her. All I was doing was getting myself worked up. Trying to justify every tearful overreaction that I seemed to exhibit, probably making myself seem like nothing more than a lunatic.

Nothing seemed to phase Rin though, watching her brows furrow as she sat back against the mound of pillows and crossed her arms. And I hated how much I wanted them back around me. “I do see it.”

“So h-how am I any different then?! H-How-”

“Because I don’t want them- I want you.” She replied as simply as ever, eyes seeming to scan me up and down just as she sat forward which nearly made me bristle in response.

I wrapped my arms around my body as if in a shield, my eyes widening in disbelief, blinking as if I had heard her wrong, hallucinated in some way. I certainly wouldn’t have put it past myself. “Wh- What?” Was the only word I could seem to get out, mouth still hanging open like an idiot. “D-Don’t just say that to make me happy-”

“I’m not really in the business of lying to people to make them happy.” She replied with a little flip of her already cropped hair before sliding her arms back around my waist. But this touch felt different. It was slower, more sensual, pressing her body directly against mine until there was no room in between.

I wasn’t even sure who kissed who first, just that I wasted no time reaching for her. Arms sliding around her shoulders as her lips finally pressed firmly to mine. Firm but gentle all the same. Protective but also in a possessive way. But I caught myself almost wanting it to be exactly that. A kiss of ownership, belonging, and after already a second I knew I didn’t want to kiss another pair of lips ever again.

Her fingers just barely grazed my bare skin as my shirt inched up ever so slightly. A touch that almost felt like an electric shock in the best way possible, goosebumps blooming along my skin with every place she touched.

Once more she pressed my body to the mattress below, the sight of her hovering over me nearly causing me to gasp as she shook off her zip up jacket. “Fuck.” I cursed, eyes probably widening to an embarrassing size as she only smirked in response before devouring my lips once again. The kiss grew deeper by the moment, hungry and needy. My own hands slipping up her bare arms, tracing the curves of her muscles just before I heard her soft moan against my lips. And I swore it nearly launched me into overdrive. I made her moan? I actually was able to make her moan?

“Rin-“ I whimpered her name almost in desperation the moment I felt the cool metal of a tongue piercing pressing into my own bare one. Tangling up together as if they were in the middle of some sloppy dance. I could almost feel her smirking against me at the response, the way I reacted to her touch as if I hadn’t ever been touched before. “Please…” I was barely able to get the words out in between kisses as the space in between my legs ached for contact. Ached for her to press her piercing elsewhere as an uncomfortable pool of need seemed to flood my core. “Rin.”

My breathing came out heavy as she broke away only to draw her lips along my jaw. A curious hand slipped up my shirt causing my breath to hitch as she drew her long fingers along my skin. As if she just wanted to torture me even more, “Please what? I need you to use your words, sweet girl.”

“I need you- I- please.” I felt so pathetic as I could barely even get the words out, and even then there wasn’t much I could say. I didn’t know how to ask for something like this. And even whenever I opened my mouth to try it seemed impossible to even get anything besides little whimpers out.

“You need me to fuck you, baby girl, is that it?” She whispered against my neck, teeth lightly nipping at my skin as her finger seemed to carefully trace the curve of my breast. The other tugging almost impatiently at the end of my shirt, “Can I take this off?”

“Please.” The same statement came out in a breathy moan as I lifted my arms to allow her to pull the fabric from my body. Her eyes seemed to widen before scanning down my exposed chest, almost causing a faint shiver to radiate through me as I felt her calloused fingers tracing down my ribcage.

“Oh fuck-” she almost seemed to whimper, her hands on my bare skin causing me to arch against her with one of my own. Quickly she reached for the end of her tank top and pulled it over her head with ease as she shook her cropped hair out. “This your first time, baby?”

In the heat of it all I had almost forgotten the newness of the situation. She had just felt so natural, the way her body seemed to meld to mine so easily. I nodded, a hint of nerves finally creeping over me as I inched upwards onto my elbows with reddened cheeks. I let out a little gasp at the sight of her bare body in front of me, and I questioned how someone could be so perfect. So flawless. My hand shook as I lifted it, wanting to press it against her so badly, feel her skin underneath mine. Though I questioned if I was even worthy enough to as it hovered just inches from her chest.

My breath hitched in my lungs once more as soon as I felt her fingers wrapping around my wrist, pulling my hand until it landed against her soft skin where she pressed her own a top mine. “You can touch me, you don’t have to be so scared.” She murmured with that same knowing smile on her lips, cocky yet curious. She knew she was hot shit, but she wasn’t going to make me feel inferior either.

That simple motion nearly had me throwing myself at her, keeping the one hand pressed to her chest where I could faintly feel her delicate heart thumping underneath. Sometimes living with Narumi I almost forgot that’s all most of the officers had. They were humans. Humans with exceptional strength but still humans at the end of the day. They didn’t have the power of a kaiju weapon constantly sucking their life away every time they used it. It was just her. Just us. And I really thought, at least for one night, that we’d be okay. It only made me want to cling to her even more.

Her lips crashed back into mine as I encircled my other arm around her shoulders as if to pull her even closer as they moved in sync with my own. Reaching downwards she let her fingers graze the waistband of my pants, my breathing only growing heavier at the sensation of her hand tracing down my figure once more. “Can I?” She murmured.

“Please.” I almost whined at the anticipation as she slipped away from me only to inch the remainder of my clothes down my legs. The tiniest shiver creeping over my body at the bare skin hitting the air. And I nearly caught myself fumbling around for something to cover up with on instinct until I heard her gently shushing me from above. Lips grazing against my jaw, my neck, my collarbones with little kisses that covered me in goosebumps and made the space between my thighs ache all the same.

“You’re so fucking beautiful, sweet girl.” She muttered against my skin as she let her kisses trail lower… lower… lower. Her muscular arms wrapped around my thighs to pry them apart just for her. A sharp gasp springing from my lips as she pressed her lips to my inner thighs, taking her sweet time with me. Torture but incredible all the same as I felt her hot breath dancing across my center. “So fucking beautiful.”

My jaw dropped in relief the moment I felt her tongue prying at my folds, shooting up onto my elbows as she trailed it upwards through my arousal. Shaky moans fell from my lips as I felt the vibrations of her moan rocking through me, my hips already bucking against her face just as her cyan eyes flickered upwards to meet my own that could barely stay open at this point. My eyebrows furrowing together at the pleasure that seemed to seep through me at every angle.

“R-Rin!” I let out another sharp and heavy moan the moment I felt her piercing wrapping around my sensitive clit, pressing in and massaging the bundle of nerves. My eyes rolled back at the incredible feeling, though it only made me want to cry out louder. Louder until everybody in the defense force could hear. My shaking hand rose up to slap over my mouth to muffle the noises until I felt Rin’s hand jerking mine away.

“Don’t you dare.” She ordered with darkened eyes, and I was already whining at the lack of contact from her tongue. “You try to muffle yourself again and I’m going to stop, understand?” I nodded, almost hating how she had reduced me to such a whimpering puddle, but loving it at the same time. “Good girl.” She whispered against my cunt, another loud moan bringing itself to the surface as she dove back in.

My traitorous hand stretched downwards, a silent plea for help, beckoning her to take my hand into her own. “Rin, please- please…” I begged, chest rising and falling with heavy breaths as her tongue parted through my folds and she sent another moan of her own through my body. I could’ve sworn I saw her own eyes roll back as if she was the one being pleasured rather than me. I let out a sigh of relief that only turned into a cry of ecstasy the moment I finally felt her fingers slipping through mine, a soft thumb brushing over my knuckles.

“Gods, you taste so good.” She whispered, and I watched her eyes soften below me as her slender fingers prodded at my entrance ever so slightly. “Can I, love?”

With a quick nod I felt the stretch of her fingers slipping inside of me. A mix of pain and pleasure looped together as she let them curl up just right to run along my sweet spot, a sharp cry of her name sounding from my lips as I seemed to squeeze the life out of her hand. “Right there, baby? Does that feel good?” She whispered against my core, middle and ring finger pumping in and out of me at a slow and gentle pace at first, so careful not to hurt me but my god did it still feel so good. Each time she let her long fingers drag along that one magical spot inside of me. All the while connecting her lips and tongue back to my swollen clit. Bouncing back and forth between using the tip of her tongue to massage the area and swirling the metallic piercing around the circumference.

“Yes… yes- o-oh gods yes!” My moans were incessant, loud cries of her name as each touch seemed to launch me into different heights of euphoria. Tears burned my eyes at the intensity of it all and she hurtled me closer and closer towards the edge until I couldn’t take it anymore. “Rin-” I whimpered, the tears spilling from the corners of my eyes with a cry of pleasure as I knotted a fistful of her hair into my hand. “Rin I’m- I think I’m gonna cum.”

“I’ve got you, baby.” She whispered, picking up the pace of her fingers and replacing her lips with her thumb with just the same amount of pressure for the time being. “Just let go, okay? Just let go.” The moment she connected her lips and tongue back to my center I could feel the high rumbling to life.

I almost felt like I was floating as my orgasm hit, my thighs tightening around her head and hips buckling as if afraid she’d slip away much too soon. Rin was determined to take her time though as she lapped away at my folds, taking in every bit of the mess like she was starved. Tears still flooded my eyes after the aftermath, my heart racing in my chest as I tried to stop myself from saying anything stupid like I loved her. You couldn’t decide that after one fuck, could you? But gods it had felt like so much more. It had felt more than incredible, more than pleasure, fuck, it had almost felt chemical the way she worked with my body like she had know it for years.

“Rin?” My voice cracked, the tiniest sob catching in the back of my throat just as I felt her soft hands cradling my face. The white noise of her shushes being one of the only things to make my breathing settle.

“I’m right here, baby, right here. Just breathe for me.” My breathing slowed as she pressed her forehead to mine, thumbs tracing underneath my cheeks with the utmost gentleness. “You okay, love?” She finally asked once I seemed to calm down, my hands encircling around her wrists as if to hold her closer. “Was that okay?”

“I’m- yeah… that was- that was more than okay. That was incredible.” I stammered with a nod, still taking in a few heavy breaths as I leaned my head against her hands, the weakest smile already tugging at my lips.

“You promise? You’re not just saying that to make me feel better after I just fucked you so hard you cried?” The corners of her lips were already upturning in a smug smirk that showed she knew I wasn’t however.

I let out a weak chuckle, lifting a hand to curl around her fingers, “I promise… you were- you were incredible. I-I don’t even know why I started bawling like that.” Her smile only felt more genuine as she let it grow ever so slightly just before brushing her lips to my forehead.

“It’s normal, I think. Crying after your first time… it can be a lot. But if you are okay let me get you cleaned up because you actually look so fucked out.” She let out a giggle of her own that I only echoed, cheeks as red as roses as she scooped me up into her arms, still as easy as ever.

“Wait… hang on, wh-what about you?” I began with an almost saddened expression as I braced a soft hand against her chest once more. “Don’t you want me to-”

“No, baby… it was your first time, I’m okay.” She denied the offer with a little shake of her head as she carried me off towards the attached bathroom. “Besides, I- I get a lot more from giving than receiving either way. But… in the future, if you want to, I won’t say no. Just- don’t feel obligated.”

It felt as close to a boundary as she was going to set, so I didn’t press on any more as she placed me on the tiny sink counter. “Okay… i-if you’re sure.” I spoke in a softened voice, and she only took my hands in hers to bring them up to her lips and press a soft kiss to my knuckles.

“I promise, I am.”

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

The bed was cold whenever I woke up the next morning, her chest replaced with the fabric of a pillow and the warmth of her arm unraveled from my shoulders. Immediately I was gulping an anxious lump down my throat, trying not to think of the worst scenarios as I reached for my phone. A long gust of air blowing from my lungs the moment I saw the text reflected across my screen that made my heart skip.

I was still shaking as I made my way towards the training grounds, nervously gnawing on my bottom lip as her texts seemed to dance in the back of my head. Her girl. I was her girl now? Was that short for girlfriend? Or just simply semantics? Did I even want to know the answer or would it just hurt me?

“Finally you’re here! I thought you were gonna miss the show!” Gen’s voice carried the moment I stepped outside, eyes barely moving from where his fingers darted across his switch. “I texted you this morning but you didn’t say anything!”

“Oh uhhh… sorry I-”

“Funny, she texted me back.” Rin drawled on with a smirk tugging on her lips as she swung the practice spear around like it was a lightsaber. Gen’s jaw dropped open in slight offense as he whipped around to face me just before shooting me a wink and whipping back into action. “Alright, break’s over.”

I almost flinched as the spears started flying, taking a cautious seat next to Gen’s chair. “Alright spill!” I heard him whisper-yell from behind me without a moment of hesitation.

“What?” I huffed in mild annoyance as I glanced back at him with a glare.

“What happened between you two! It’s like she pulled a Kafka and swallowed a kaiju overnight! She’s been nuts all morning!” He responded causing my eyes to fly open and my cheeks to feel like they were being set on fire at his choice of words.

“Given the circumstances I feel like that’s a really inappropriate thing to joke about.” I stated, brows furrowing in mild frustration as I sat back on my hands. “Plus, that skill is all her… you know that.”

“So are you guys girlfriends now or-”

“I… don’t really know exactly.” I mumbled as I nervously wrung my hands in my lap, eyes briefly scanning over Rin’s figure as she dodged and countered every single one of Shinomiya’s attacks while barely breaking a sweat herself. “I mean, I- we- ugh! I don’t wanna tell you about this stuff!”

“She came out of your room this morning, I’m not an idiot. Besides, I’m not trying to hear about all of that anyways I’m just… trying to see how our progress is going. Seems like last night was a good move but my work is far from over.” He spoke through a longing sigh before drawing himself back to his game with a quick glance upwards at the two sparring officers. “Oh hang on, she’s getting sloppy, I’ve gotta start some shit.”

Gen proceeded to let out a theatrical sigh before lounging back on his lawn chair. “Ugh, I’m so bored!” He groaned, causing me to shoot him a look of confusion. “Man, I wonder when you’re gonna get to a level where I can take you on myself.”

“Please don’t make me associate with you.” I muttered with a roll of my eyes, though quickly raising up to my feet to step out of the way the moment I saw Hasegawa approaching with that familiar scowl on his face.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

Rin was pissed by the time she had me follow her back to the women’s locker rooms. A scowl that seemed to be deeper than her usual one as she stormed through the doors with her arms crossed tightly over her chest. “She hasn’t even beat you yet, I don’t know why you’re so upset.”

I hadn’t even recognized the error of my words until she whipped around to face me, “Yet. That’s exactly it. She hasn’t beat me yet! But she will one day and then whenever she does he’s going to be sitting there and watching while she fucking surpasses me in the course of a few fucking months while I had to work my ass off just to get here!” I jumped the moment I heard the clang of the lockers as she rammed her open hand into them, pressing her forehead to the metal with a heavy sigh.

“Rin, just because she surpasses you doesn’t mean you lose all of that. I-It shouldn’t discredit you at all. And I- I know she wouldn’t do that either- try and discredit you.” I tried to be gentle, approach her with quiet steps as she stayed with her forehead pressed to the lockers until I got close enough.

My hand was just hovering in the air, wanting to touch her, comfort her, something I hadn’t been able to do yet. But I only drew it back the moment she whirled around, running frustrated hands through her hair, “That’s so much easier for you to say though, Iris, you don’t have the entirety of fucking humankind resting on your shoulders every single day!”

The words stung more than they should’ve, a subtle slap in the face that I had been hearing since Gen had shot up so fiercely in ranks and I had stayed put… in a completely different department… only there because of him in the first place. The same words I had been hearing ever since he was discovered by the defense force at all. ‘You’re not cut out for this, Iris.’ ‘Just stay behind, Iris.’ ‘Stay where you’ll be safe, Iris. You’re a casualty waiting to happen.’ “Right.” I whispered, eyes glued to the floor as if afraid to meet hers at all.

“Wait, baby, I-I didn’t mean it like that.” Her hands gently wrapped around my arms causing me to flinch on instinct for the millionth time. “That came out wrong, I didn’t mean to- I’m sorry.” I gulped the painful lump down my throat, willing myself not to cry on her for the third time in what hadn’t even been 24 hours yet. All for vastly different reasons.

She gently pulled me into her once I finally let myself relax, letting out a heavy sigh of my own as I hid my face in her chest. One of her arms slipped upwards to practically cradle my head as a few loose tears pricked at my burning eyes. But no, I will not cry. I will not cry. I will not cry. “I’m sorry.” She repeated, and it felt as if she was never going to stop saying the words as she leaned her cheek against my head. “I just… I’m so scared of being left behind, Iris.” She spoke through another heavy breath that she muffled into my hair, arms tightening around me ever so slightly to the point where it almost hurt. I didn’t hate the feeling though. Her arms around me so tight I could hardly breathe, I liked the security of it all. The safety. But sometimes I just wished I could’ve brought that safety to someone else.

“I know.” I murmured into her chest with a softened expression of my own, debating if I even wanted to speak or not. I didn’t want to ruin this. I didn’t want to cause what had been so perfect so far anymore undue stress.

“It feels like… no matter what I do I’m always just- one step behind what everyone needs me to be. Until he picks someone else that can eventually pass me up and I- I’m sorry. I-I know you probably don’t wanna hear any of this.” She shook her head, finally letting her arms unravel from around me, and I almost felt a lingering ache whenever they did.

“No, it’s okay.” I shook my head before lifting my hands to brace against her flushed cheeks, eyes watery with frustration though she wouldn’t dare let anything fall. “You’re more than just a vessel of muscles though.” I let one of my hands cautiously slip down her neck and shoulders until it was cautiously pressed to her chest, right where her heart thumped quietly underneath it all. “I know you like to keep it hidden but… you have a good heart too. Don’t let them take it from you.” I inched up onto my tiptoes to place a kiss to her jaw, only to feel her lean into it even more as her hand snaked around my wrist once more.

“I think you might just be the only person that makes me feel like that.” She muttered with a soft sigh, her free arm slipping around my waist to pull me in and meet my lips in a kiss that felt more familiar than ever. Her thumb carefully stroking the delicate underside of my wrist as she made no effort to move my hand.

However the sound of the door creaking open caused me to let out a nervous gasp as the two of us jumped apart. I whipped around to see Kikoru’s confused and slightly mortified expression staring back at us, red faced and clutching her water bottle for dear life. “S-Sorry, Platoon Leader Shinonome, I-I can come back later.”

“Oh- at ease, you’re fine.” She said with a simple wave of her hand while her other seemed to squeeze my shoulder almost possessively. “We were just about to head out anyways. Hey, good work out there today though.” She said with a little nod of acknowledgment causing Kikoru’s face to momentarily beam with pride.

“Thank you! I- I’ll make sure to keep working at it!” She exclaimed with a firm salute, a little smile forming on my face in response as Rin let her arm slip around my waist to tug me towards the exit.

“I know you will, I’ll see you around for our next session.” Rin added with a smile of her own before leading me out of the locker rooms. “Okay, so we’re definitely gonna hear about that later.” She added with a nervous laugh once we were out of earshot as she ran a vaguely shaking hand through her hair. A nervous tick she seemed to have.

“That’s only if she tells.” I said with a little shrug as a knowing smirk crossed my lips. “At any rate, it’s not like we were doing anything illegal. Besides, I’m the captain’s sweet and innocent little sister which means… I can do whatever I want.”

“You know,” Rin began with a simple little shrug of her own before tugging me back into her arms once more, “I think I might be okay with that.” She smirked before bringing me in for just one more kiss.

a/n: oh my GOOOOOD- okay so this fic has seriously shaved YEARS off of my life. i haven’t even checked the word count yet but i know it has to be one of my longest ever. at any rate i hope you enjoyed and if not- i will be seeking legal action for emotional damages 😭

credits: dividers by @saradika-graphics 🖤

[nextikeu]

i'm sorry — psh.

SUMMARY. a dark forest during winter wasn't the way you thought you'd die,but here you are.

GENRE. vampire!sunghoon, vampire!reader, established relationship, character death (kinda), mentions of blood, drinking blood, rivalry between brothers, angst, fluff (if you squint), crying,suggestive content (not really)

side note : I have no knowledge of this vampire stuff so some things might not make sense :/

. . .

It is often said that love is another reason to give you motivation for living. Love. Something you never knew since your parents abandoned you from a young age. Until he came into your life. Park SungHoon. He used to be a competitive ice skater,until his parents divorced,not willing to keep him in the rink.

Sunghoon made you feel in ways you never felt in all of your years of living. He made you feel alive. He gives that boost of energy whenever you need it,enveloping you in hugs,planting kisses on your face while whispering soft praises in your ear every time.

Of course,like every couple,you had numerous fights,often ending with you both stripping each other's clothes,waking up together every morning. And that's how you always forgave him. Either he fucked you real good,either he apologized with his eyes puffy while you let him cry in your chest.

Not long enough you found out that Sunghoon is a vampire. You wish he was just joking but you saw him with your own eyes. He killed your ex boyfriend, sucking the blood out of him while you watch the scene in front of your eyes in horror.

Ever since you found out he was a vampire, you practically begged him to bite you, completely not believing that you'll turn into one. And he did bit you. While walking through a forest, he found himself very thirsty and lucky for him, your neck was next to him. However, you did turn into a vampire,according to him. Yes, you do have fangs,but you never felt the need to drink blood and you thank whoever made these vampire laws for that.

Being a few years older than you, he spoiled you more than anyone. Buying you flowers almost everyday, walking you to highschool and waiting for you to go home together. Everything was great until you went home after school alone,finding Sunghoon in the living room,lying on the floor,blood coming out of his stomach.

Like every other relationships,there is someone who doesn't stand the fact you are dating each other, and that someone is his best friend, Jay.

He is the one who hurt Sunghoon,threatening to kill him if he doesn't stay away from you.

Sunghoon always assured you that everything will be okay, lying that Jay would probably lose interest if you didn't give him any attention,which you didn't. But things did turn worse, each time Sunghoon came home injured, wounds decorating his pale skin, while you blame yourself every time it happens.

And here you are now, running away from Jay and his friends. Among the freshly fallen snow, Sunghoon stood out like a drop of ink on a white canvas,dressed in black from head to toe. He was already injured, and you could feel his body weaken,having to carry him in your arms.

Out of nowhere,just like a hard rainy day,Jay stood in front of you, hands balled up in fists,while Sunghoon grabbed your arm,telling you to run. On your way out,you meet a boy who you assume it's Jake,one of Jay's friends. He is quick to grab your wrist, while taking you somewhere else.

In reality,Sunghoon knew everything about Jay and his friends. All of them are brothers,well not blood-related brothers,but growing up together tightened their bond,being inseparable. But that didn't stop Sunghoon from betraying them, dating a human. You. He betrayed his brothers because he loved you too much to let you go,not caring about what the others will think. A vampire and a human, something that others will say it's a cliché, but you worked it out.

But if there's one thing he had forgotten about his brothers is that they have superpowers. Something he was never gifted with,making him the powerless brother,always left out.

Sticking his dagger in Jay's stomach,Sunghoon feels that something isn't right. Just a second ago, when he thought he was fighting Jay,he quickly took out the dagger,breaking the illusion,revealing your figure.

Just as the illusion crumbled,his heart did the same.

With his lips parting in shock,he watched as your body went limp,falling to your knees like a trampled flower by the road. He is quick to throw away the knife,catching you in his arms.

It feels funny to him the way he didn't hesitate to end the life of his own brother,but yet he is witnessing you die right in his embrace. Regret washed over him, feeling his eyes watering.

You were fighting with your own body to keep your eyes open,your breath shortening,struggling to let words out. Even if you are a vampire,your body weakens more each time you take a deep breath.

A petrified Sunghoon stood in place,his brain not comprehending what's happening at the moment as he stared at you: your face was pale,lips almost blue while you pressed your palm on your wound trying to stop the blood from pouring. He watched as soft whimpers escaped your mouth,closing your eyes as you pressed harder on the cut on your abdomen. Tears were rolling down your cold cheeks,feeling his hands shaking under you.

With the way his hands were holding you and his voice trembling while calling your name simultaneously it was evident you're slipping away from him,death approaching you.

He couldn't believe it. How could he let this happen to you? If only he had listened to his brothers, if only he realized he's putting you in danger - how is he going to live knowing what he did to you?

All the pain you had suffered from was always caused by him and he wishes he was in your place now, dying so you wouldn't have to deal with his bullshit anymore. The broken sob your throat emitted made his inside burn,holding onto your fragile body as you struggled to sit back on your knees,trying to face him.

He even thought about taking you to the hospital,but it was too late. Then he finally realized that no matter what he does - he will lose you, right now, in a forest, a place you were always afraid of.

How would your friends react? He had just taken away someone's life. Your future,all your hopes and dreams - he stole them away from you.

Something flashes before his eyes, a foggy memory of his younger self. His limp body lying down on the cold snow,while his brothers were pacing around him. Then he remembered. His older brother,Heeseung. He told him that if vampires get badly injured, drinking another's vampire blood will cure them,so he immediately thought of you. But Heeseung also told him that once you drink another's vampire blood,that vampire will fade,vanishing in thin air. And so he is willing to take this risk if that is what will make you live,for both of you.

He grabs your shoulders,leveling his face with yours,his cold breath fanning over your features. His voice was shaky,preparing himself to leave you,willing to end his own life.

"___ you have to bite me."

"no,no I can't."

You shake your head in despair as he cups your cheeks,wiping the tears away. He nods and hums,begging you to do this,telling you he will not be the one who'll live. You wrap your hands around his shoulders,holding him tight,your tears wetting his coat. You feel him kiss your shoulder,then your forehead and then finally your lips. The kiss was a soft one,almost nonexistent,not like you could feel anything from how hard your body was bleeding. He breaks the hug,kissing your blooded hand,placing his own ring on your finger.

He whispers soft praises in your ear ,casually muttering apologies, while his hand is patting the side of your head as you sob uncontrollably. You bring your head back from his shoulder,looking in his eyes.

"Please don't make me do this."

Your eyes were begging him,your croaky voice telling him that this is not the only way you'll live.

your body slowly gave in as your head dropped in his chest,his arms supporting you.

"___ ,I'm sorry."

He gave you a final nod and you felt a tear stopping on your cheek. Not running down,just laying flat on your cheek,almost if it had frozen.

You frown,confused why it had to happen to you. Why do you have to lose the only person in your life? Why are you out of everyone?

And so you did it. You sunk your teeth in his neck,starting to suck his blood. You felt so disgusting and dirty, how can you do this to him? Why is he letting you live? Hot tears were now cascading on your cheeks as you watched his figure slowly vanish in thin air,leaving you alone.

Fragile snowflakes started to fall down on the surface. Broken sobs fell out of your mouth as you stared at your hands. You bring your hand to your mouth,kissing the ring he gave you. The snow under you was now melting,your tears falling down like a river.

Trying to get up,your weak body betrays you as you fall to your knees again,feeling a sharp pain in your chest. You touch the wound on your stomach,feeling dry blood,realizing it healed.

He healed it. He gave his life for you,so he wouldn't feel guilty.

You look around yourself in a way of getting familiar with the place. But the only thing you could see were trees,snow and your blood decorating half of it. You place your hands on the ground trying to stabilize yourself as you slowly get up. Then you feel a presence behind you,making you turn your heels.

You see him. Sunghoon. Standing tall in front of you. You feel like your mind was messing with you because there was no way he was still alive after you saw him practically disintegrate in the air. He smiles at you and you feel your heartbeat quicken, a warm feeling settling down in your chest.

"If I pretend you're still here then I'll go insane. You know I hate that."

This is not real,none of this is real, you tell yourself, feeling frustrated and confused. You shake your head again,finding your way out of the forest.

And that was it. Four years of relationship were gone just like that. You concluded that you have to live your life,for both. Damn you,Park Sunghoon. Why did you have to save me?

[angelofthepage]

Renegade Rose: Return to the Cycle

I got hit with a brilliant idea for a potential Bendy fan game that focuses on characters from the books. Most notably, I'm focusing on the cast of Fade to Black, so if you're still spoiler dodging for that entry, here's your content warning. Disclaimer, I am not a game developer and have no idea how one would feasibly create this, this is all just for fun as a hypothetical. (That said, if any fan devs are interested in this concept, my DMs are open, would love to chat with you.) Now, let's get on with the show!

Let's set the stage:

It's been a few years (maybe 1956 since that's when the VCR was invented?) since Rose and Ollie Sorenson’s daring escape from Joey Drew's twisted cartoon world, the Cycle. Ollie is well on his way to becoming a teenager, and Rose has been trying to move forward with her life. But no matter where she goes, the hallucination of Bendy follows her, and the guilt of losing Evan and Archie still eats at her soul. 

By some miraculous chance, Rose ends up with a VHS tape with a recording of the Joey Drew Show on it (maybe she recorded a rerun, or maybe she found it in someone else's junk/the library discards). The special TV has been unplugged for years, and her 3D glasses are snapped in half. But she wonders if maybe, just maybe, there's a way to go back and save them. So she tapes the glasses together and pops in the tape to see if her access point is still there. And sure enough, she's got a way in! 

With the help of Ollie and Dot, Rose makes it her mission to rescue Evan and Archie from their inky fates. Will she be successful, or will she find the ink pulling her under?

Gameplay:

I imagine this would work well as a first person action adventure experience that's mission based. (That said, upon consulting friends, I've had the suggestion for a Nancy Drew visual novel styled game, and that feels like it would be fun and maybe more achievable if I tried to make it real.) It has elements in common with BATDR, but the world isn't quite as open. Taking some inspiration from FNAF Security Breach Ruin and FNAF Help Wanted 2, Rose puts on her 3D glasses to dive into the cycle, which is our primary environment for exploration. In the cycle, she travels through a variety of areas to look for Evan and Archie, encountering a cast of quirky characters, some known fan favorites, and some new. On her quest to find them, Rose finds several items to help her solve puzzles and leave notes for her friends/mark her path. 

Rose’s central hub is in the living room of her real world house. Here, she can consult Ollie and Dot, look through notes of things she's seen on her adventure, and equip items to take with her into the cycle. That said, some of the horror would come from having something in the real world that shouldn't be there. The farther Rose goes, the more her hallucinated Bendy shows up. Sometimes he's there to tease her, and sometimes he has helpful hints about how to traverse the cycle. (Keep this in mind for later, this will be story relevant.)

While having the VHS tape means Rose can enter the cycle whenever she wants, there is a limitation. She can only stay in the cycle for as long as the tape runs for. This means she has to get in, complete her objective, and get out. Given this game would have some puzzle elements, I would feel bad putting someone in a time constraint to solve them. So rather than taking a Hades or Splatoon 3 Side Order approach, I'd rather let the levels themselves take however long they need to. The time limit wouldn't be imposed until Rose has completed her objective, where it's a mad dash to get back to a designated safety area (like Joey's office) so she can take off the glasses and get out. Think of it kind of like Pizza Tower. It could also lend itself well to some close encounters running away from monsters at the end of a mission. It would be interesting to use the Little Miracle Stations as a potential safe area to pause and exit the cycle mid-mission, given the ad for them that exists in BATIM Chapter 5. (This is the thing I wouldn't know how to translate if this was tackled as a visual novel instead.)

I’m tempted to throw something in here with closing your eyes as a mechanic, given the scene in FTB where Ollie walks back up to the entrance by imagining he’s walking on clouds. Letting Rose have one moment to do something impossible by focusing and using her imagination would be great. It would take a lot out of her, having it as a once-a-mission kind of deal might make sense. 

Another mechanic is the tape player. Per the Fade to Black moment of Joey talking to Rose ala the tape player, Rose being able to communicate with Dot or Ollie would be useful. It could work as a hint system, but it also works for plot elements. Using the tapes as a walkie talkie of sorts would also be interesting for having some interference from our antagonist, or for keeping in touch with allies we meet along the way. 

Characters: 

Rose Sorenson: Our ever optimistic protagonist. Rose looks on the bright side, but more importantly, she’s driven. While other Bendy protagonists have endurance and magical powers to help them along, Rose has her wits and a strong imagination.

Ollie Sorenson: Rose’s little brother who has been through a lot. Ollie is a good kid, he means well, but he’s getting to an age where his whole world is changing. As his sister embarks on this heroic quest, he’s feeling like he’s brave and strong enough to take on the cycle and lend a hand too. This may get him into more trouble than he bargained for. 

Dot Lastname: Former writer at Joey Drew Studios, Dot is a curious soul who lost everything. Having never been able to find her friend, Buddy Lewek, she’s harbored so much guilt. Making sure Joey can never hurt anyone again would leave her satisfied, and being able to locate her lost friend would be even better. She agrees to help Rose one more time, in the hope that maybe, just maybe, Buddy is still alive. 

Buddy Boris: Since getting dragged down by the hands of the ink demon, Buddy has found himself trapped in the body of Boris the Wolf, struggling to maintain control. Upon encountering studio newcomer Rose, his memories are hazy. But the more she tells him stories of the past, the more he starts to remember. Buddy can’t speak verbally, but he can communicate through drawings and writing on the wall. (Need to have a moment where he hears Dot through the tape recorder and recognizes her, gotta have it be a little heartbreaking).

Evan: A former employee of Joey Drew’s and Gent, Evan is a big grump with big dreams of innovating the world. He’s a foil to Rose’s endless positivity with an air of irritation, but he means well. Except for trying to dismantle and steal the ink machine, that was a bit foolish and morally gray. Evan met his fateful death at the hands of the ink demon in Fade to Black, but as other characters have shown us, those who die in reality can end up reborn in the cycle. Where is Evan, and what has he become? Is there a way to bring him back home? 

Archie Carter: A mysterious Englishman who ended up as a lab rat for Gent, Archie is desperate to put an end to their reign of terror. Having gone from being suspiciously not human to a faceless ink creature, Archie sacrificed himself for Rose not once, but twice. He’s already encountered so many horrors in the studio. What kind of state will he be in if Rose finds him again?

The Projectionist: The monster that was once Norman Polk has caused a fair share of problems within the cycle, but perhaps he’s not as monstrous as he seems. After all, he’s only defending what’s rightfully his: a pile of ink hearts. (It could be fun to have him as a monster, then have Evan help repair his speaker so he can communicate with the group, showing he’s more confused than he is hostile.)

There are others I'd like to include of course. There's people like Jacob from DCTL that would make a fun ally, might be indulgent and put my “Abby Lambert is a perfect Alice” theory to good use. Depending on how far along Joey is, maybe there's an early attempt at Audrey somewhere in here. Maybe there's Wilson! There is a very small chance of Wilson, it's not likely, but I'm considering it. Twisted Alice showing up? Definitely considering it given the timeline would be fun to play with.

That's all I've got in my notes so far. Whether this ends up as a real fan game or stays as a concept for a fic/au, it's been really fun to brainstorm, and I want to keep playing with it. I feel like we're onto something here.

[ofgoldandfear]

Prologue - To you, who is so far away

The light of a lonely oil lamp could be seen from afar, a golden speck breaking the darkness of the estate and its dense surrounding forest.

The man sat at his desk and carefully placed the bottle of ink, the pen, the paper and a bloating sheet according to a precise order and placement. It had to be done that way, otherwise he wouldn’t be able to focus. Once everything was exactly where it should be, the man sat and took a deep breath as he rolled the sleeves of his woolen night robe. Another night, another letter to write.

“To you, who is so far away,

Whenever I look at your mother, it feels like I see your ghost. I do remember your hair and eyes, your mannerisms – just like her, truly. And every time, it makes me wish we could meet again. It’s not possible, yet before sleeping, I often find myself wondering where you are exactly, what you are doing, what you look like now – I can only hope that you’ve become a fine young woman, that you can enjoy a peaceful life. Your birthday is approaching again, do you have someone you can celebrate with? This is the least you deserve, after all. Here, nobody talks about it, but I secretly request the cook to make a small one – always your favourite, with golden apples, candied elderflowers and marigolds. I put the candle myself, light it then blow it – would you find it rude to know I’m making a wish on your behalf? I can’t tell you what it is or I’d jinx it, but you can guess what it is, can’t you? You’ve always been clever and quick to pick up on the little things. Surely the patterns in my letters wouldn’t be missed on you.

It may not be much but for your present this year, you may be pleased to learn your mother has finally stopped printing posters for you. It seems she finally came to her senses in that regard, and remembered you’re not the child depicted on them anymore. I apologise for failing to stop that earlier, anytime I’d see a new batch of these damned posters sent to the surrounding cities, it’d bring me back to the day I had to burn the more recent drawings I had of you – anything that could make finding you easier had to be destroyed. It wasn’t much, yet it felt like a lot. While it certainly succeeded in stalling the research effort, losing these drawings felt like losing you a second time.

And now, well. Your mother’s black hair is gaining some salt, yet she keeps going with her research despite my stalling attempts. One life has already been lost in the hope of getting another one back, I don’t have the heart to endure that yet again. Alas, I also have to keep my hands dirty to keep up appearances – right until I can find the best timing to depart. I know what you would say about it, it’s better to expect and wait than simply hope, but you can certainly trust my opportunism has increased over the years. Doing everything in my power to erase your traces and blur any potential lead taught me to wait and swoop in at the right time, just like these crows you had started befriending.

But one day, one day I promise I’ll come and find you again. Do you think we will jump into each other’s arms? Or look at each other like strangers for a second? I shouldn’t let my imagination run wild, as time wouldn’t have spared either of us and we won’t be who we used to be. Nonetheless, one day we’ll meet again, little bird, little spark. When this day will come, I will let you know how much I’ve been missing you this entire time. Do you think you’ll be able to forgive me for all the horrors I contributed to? Sometimes, I do think that I could have left with you that day, that I have been making excuses for myself the entire time. Yes, I will tell you how much I missed you, and then I’ll ask for your forgiveness, without expecting it.

Until that day.

J.’

The man neatly applied the bloating sheet on the letter with one hand, while the other one was reaching for a handkerchief. He had been doing that for years now, yet the exercise never felt easier. Time was burdening his shoulders, making each step heavier than the last. Up until now, he had been holding out decently well – for all of his reproaches, his work still provided a solid distraction. But Time was a burden and he was starting to feel a strain, something that made him want to rush forward and steal his turn to flee the estate. Yet, anytime he felt this urge, his own guilt would jump in, telling him he had been there of his own volition the entire time anyway.

When contradicting feelings became too much to bear, he would sit at his desk and write a letter.

The man folded the letter ever so carefully, and slipped it in a blank envelop. Once he felt like he was done for the night, he knelt and partially pulled the rug next to his bed. The lose slat came off easily, revealing a hidden hole under the floor. He slipped the letter inside, letting it join the now large piles of letters never sent.

[the-pessimists-paradigm]

Random but I hope you have a good day/night and don't forget to drink plenty of water ✨

(Also what's your favorite hc about each of the bros, if you don't mind answering?)

Aww, thank you so much!

Lucifer is the type of guy who practices calligraphy. Pristine handwriting, cursive loops, and edges. Ink quill, 15 different bird feathers. All to send you the most heartwarming love letters you have ever received. Essays about how beautiful you are, inside and out, laden with symbolism and metaphors amongst the starry skies.

Mammon would totally get lost in an airport with you. He'd arrive all pristine in a nice coat and jacket, and be frantic by the end of the day. You'd be exploring terminals, baggage claims, and restaurants just before missing your flight. Totally cute disaster couple.

Leviathan usually doesn't watch horror, but when he does, he always cuddles into your side, turning his face away. The only indication of his presence is the pressure and heat on your shoulder.

Satan is secretly a cat dad. He started fostering a kitten in his room, begging Lucifer to let him keep the small thing. Whenever you come over, there are always soft meows coming from inside.

Asmodeus has a fashion blog. He curates his ideal outfits, asks Levi to help him sew, and then has you model with a smile on his face. He loves how you pose, and you love how happy it makes him to see you in something he picked.

Beelzebub has a passion for baking. On birthdays and anniversaries, he's always there with a baked good. He started learning by watching YouTube tutorials with Barbatos (my self-sufficient man). Whether it's biscuits or cookies, he always knows just how to make you smile.

Although he would rarely admit it, Belphegor cherishes it when you cuddle, preferring to hug you from behind after a tiring day. You hug him when you're done with class as he dozes off in your arms.

[derangedanomaly]

Woi!! You're still taking requests, right? If it's okay, can you do any sanses x fem!reader who's kinda like Niffty from hazbin hotel? You know, like obsessed with cleaning, extremely hyper, and a little,,, deranged? [Cute emoji]

Bonus points if reader is short. The chaotic little rat <3

Yes! I love my girl Niffty! I swear, she's so silly. I think that this is a fun request! Thank you! And since you left me to pick out the Sanses, I'll do those that aren't requested much! Thank you for the request!

Masterlist

SANS AUS X READER THAT ACTS LIKE NIFFTY

(Sci, Fresh, Epic, Horror, Ink)

Sci:

Likes having you around, because you clean up his lab 💀

I swear, he tries to clean it up, but he just doesn't have patience and the time for it.

You're a blessing for real.

The thing he's not very happy about, is how hyper you are.. you have too much energy, that you sometimes mess up an experiment of his on accident.

He tried to observe why you're so hyper all the time, but you just kept staring at him, doing absolutely nothing

He got shocked when he realized that you completely took over his normally busy schedule.

Doesn't comment on your height, but he will laugh whenever you're trying to get something that's too high up.

Do you need a lift?

He doesn't know why, or how, but you somehow wormed your way to his heart.. this needs to be figured out!

Fresh:

The first thing he immediately noticed, (besides your height), is that you like to stare. A lot.

He gets a little uncomfortable at your staring... So he will probably just leave while you're having your own staring contest. 💀 (Him?? UNCOMFORTABLE?! The skeleton that makes everyone else uncomfortable??? Well that's a first.)

Laughs whenever you're running around cleaning everything. But when he accidentally mentions that his house is a mess, he'll immediately freeze upon noticing the FATAL mistake he just did. 💀

Shares the same amount of hyper energy as you. Which makes you a pretty good duo. That's rad brah!

I swear, everyone audibly groans whenever they see you two together. They just know that it's gonna be pretty unbearable when you're both involved.

Likes your shortness. Gives him an excuse to hold you. ❤️

Epic:

Lmao this meme master constantly jokes about your height.

Tell the bugs I said hi.💀

Doesn't appreciate whenever you're cleaning because you pay no attention to him! :(

But you're a pretty good motivation if he does say himself. Like, you're always so determined to clean everything you come across! It's a motivation, really.

Doesn't know what to think about your derangement. Kinda creeps him out at times, not gonna lie.

Horror:

Horror is pretty big, so you look like a leaf next to him.

But the difference is, is that Horror is like a cuddly bear towards you, and you're like a menace to society.

It makes him feel warm whenever he finds you cleaning.

After awhile, Horror will probably start to think that you're a married couple. You're cleaning for him, cooking for him (which he helps you out with), hell, you do SO many things for him. (He's just confused with what your relationship is 😭)

He likes how deranged you are. Makes him at ease knowing that you won't freak out when he brings a dead human home.

He keeps saying that you're like his sun. (MY HEART)

Ink:

You're both short asf. So when he makes a comment about you being short, you make one right back.

You're both just stuck in a never ending insult game about your heights. 💀

Doesn't get why you're always cleaning. He doesn't see the point if it's gonna get dirty again anyways.

The only thing he probably likes about you is how hyper you are. (You're matching energies.)

You, Fresh and Ink would be a really dangerous trio 💀

Overall, you both don't really get along. But that's only because Ink is always salty. 🙄

[dragon-creates]

She Was Like A Sunflower

Read on AO3

1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12

Yeah, I just finished this so there may be some spelling mistakes. I just didn't want to delay the second chapter any further so I'll fix them when I wake up. Also, WHO PUT DOOMED YURI IN MY FUNNYBUNNY FIC?!?! Also, come support me and Pandora's new au on our shared tumblr called 'The Amazing Digital Redacted AU'. If you love indie horror like Bendy and the Ink machine, Poppy Playtime, FNAF then you'll love this AU. Here's the link Don't forget to check out twitter as well All that said, enjoy chapter 2! (and dont kill me pls)

2. Marjorie

What died didn't stay dead

You're alive, so alive

And if I didn't know better

I'd think you were singing to me now – Marjorie by Taylor Swift

.

.

.

Cloudy skies, not a hint of light coming through. It was going to be that type of day today, and that type of mood by the way Winter observed Riley’s behaviour this morning. The redhead was at the table, drinking coffee and bouncing Percy on her knee. Winter could tell whenever a smile was pretend, and the way her wife smiled right now was no exception.

Could she blame her? Winter was a wreck when Jack went missing and knowing how close Penny and Riley were, it made sense for her wife to behave the way she did. But the thing is, Riley didn’t, or scream, or get angry. The passionate, loud, amazing women she married wasn’t the one holding their son at the table. There was only a shell. And after that visit she had with David, Riley’s shell had only gotten tougher.

If Riley said anything that related to Penny, it would be to trying to find her. She never spoke about how it made her feel, never saw a tear, or the grieved anger that one would expect. Riley was always so loving towards anything about her sister, it unnerved Winter seeing her wife like this.

“Look at him,” Riley cooed at the little baby on her lap. “We have the cutest kid in the world, look at him.”

Percy giggled as his mother held him up under the arms, thrashing his legs about as he peered at his mama over the kitchen island. “He is the cutest baby in the world,” Winter agreed. “Um, I know Captain Rae is okay with you working on this case. But are you sure-”

“We should get him a new mobile,” Riley cut her off, focusing her attention on Percy. “I think the other one isn’t working to well, he never pays attention to it.”

Winter pursed her lips, tapping her fingers on the kitchen counter. She wanted to at least say something about Penny before Riley had to leave to drop Percy off at Laura’s. “Listen, Riley,” she spoke, making her wife turn to her. “You have been nothing but patient when I found out Jack went missing, I know this type of this is so fucking far from easy. Whatever you’re feeling, I’ve felt it too. You…you know that right?”

“I know,” Riley smiled warmly. “You know, you can say if you’re missing Jack again. You don’t have to be light about it to make me feel better, okay Hun?”

“No, no, that’s not what I’m trying to say,” Winter pinched the bridge of her nose. “I’ve heard you in the night, waking up crying. I understand what you’re feeling, you can talk about Penny-”

“-Okay Percy,” Riley turned back to her son. “Are you ready to see Grandma?” She immediately stood up, holding him by her hip as she grabbed her own bag, Percy’s baby bag and car keys from the table.

It was as if a switch was flipped, a wall was put up and the shell was hardening. “Riley, wait!” Winter went round the kitchen island as she chased her wife to the door, “Riley.”

Riley froze as she opened the door, facing the outside, her face hidden. Winter heard her take a sharp intake of breath before facing her with the same faux smile that she had been wearing ever since she came back from David’s “Yeah?”

“I…It’s just,” Winter tried to find the words, to say something that didn’t involve her life leaving without at least finishing a conversation. But she knew that no matter how hard she tried, Riley would find an opening in order not to face it, and it would only make Winter’s efforts even harder. The dark-haired woman sighed, “I’ll see you at work later. I…love you.”

A glimpse of a real smile appeared on Riley’s face, “I love you too carrot cake.” The redhead pressed a kiss to her wife’s cheek, “I’ll see you soon.”

“Yeah,” Winter nodded solemnly, “See you soon.”

With that, Riley turned her focus back on Percy and shut the door behind her. Winter let her soldiers sag, a painful ache forming in her heart. She knew Riley was hurting, she saw it flicker in her eyes every time a dead end came up for Penny’s case, she heard it when Riley awoke crying from nightmares – yet Winter pretended she was asleep in order for Riley to not feel ashamed – and she felt every single anger and grief that she knew Riley was having because she had felt it when Jack went missing.

So why wouldn’t Riley talk to her?!

Winter took a deep breath, trying to cancel out the negative energy. Everyone copes differently with these types of things. Besides, she and Riley were as strong as cement, they could work through this despite how bleak everything seemed.

Riley would come to her eventually…maybe…hopefully.

So why did Winter feel so lonely?

.

.

.

“Okay, let me understand this as best as I can,” Ragatha started. Pomni and Jax had set up some bean bags for everyone while they sat on the bed, just finishing up their rundown of everything that happened in the last day. “You two have your memories back?”

“Yup,” Jax nodded.

“And you two were engaged before you got sucked in here?” Zooble questioned.

“That would be correct,” Pomni agreed.

“And now you guys might know a way to escape this place?” Gangle asked.

“That is a plausibility,” Jax replied.

Ragatha pressed her hands together and held them near her face, taking a long, deep, exhausted breath, “This is a lot to take in.”

Pomni bit her lip nervously, “I know this is the last thing you were all expecting, but you’re all handling this well all things considered.”

“I’m just confused on how you managed to fall in love with Jax of all people,” Zooble muttered, glaring at the rabbit.

Jax rolled his eyes, “Thanks Zooble.”

Pomni frowned, taking his hand into hers and squeezing it tight, “Because he loved me despite everything, saw me at my worst yet stayed because he knew I could thrive into my best. And right now, he helped me find a possible way to get everyone out of here. Do I excuse what he’s done to all of you? No. And I’m still not happy with how he treated me and Ragatha on my first day. So don’t think I’m taking sides, I’m simply observing.”

Zooble sighed, almost feeling guilty…almost. But they trusted Pomni’s word, not Jax’s (they didn’t know if they ever would) but definitely Pomni’s. “Fine” she muttered.

Kinger looked more lost than he usually did. The usual quiet brainstorm he would have in the middle of the room increased like wildfire. “Memories…returning,” he mumbled. “This…I don’t…I haven’t seen anything like it.”

Jax turned to the chess piece. He didn’t like this reaction, not one bit. It brought up too many painful flashbacks of someone similar to Kinger going through the same thing a long time ago, “Kinger, buddy, stay with us.”

It was like going in one ear and out the either for the royal character, still shaking like a leaf, “How…what is…something is…a trip?”

Trip? Jax didn’t want to see how far this would go, how far Kinger would go unless he’d – no, he wasn’t going to finish that thought and he wouldn’t let this continue. “Kinger!” Jax clapped his hands, the sound ringing through the room and snapping the chess piece out of his mumblings.

Kinger blinked. Once, twice, “Oh Jax.” And once again, he was back to himself, “Apologies, I must have been lost in a dream. But it’s so nice to know you and Pomni were together, young love finds a way.”

Despite the chess piece giving them all a scare, that statement alone made the rabbit and jester blush. Would it be rude if he kicked everyone out and smother his fiancé with attention? Yes, yes it would. And while it was tempting, Jax couldn’t afford to indulge. Not when the giant elephant in the room was still being addressed.

“It is really sweet,” Gangle whispered. It sounded like a genuine compliment from the masked woman – and it was don’t get her wrong – but there was something else lacing her tone. Something else that suggested the bodied ribbons couldn’t be as happy as she wanted to be. But she didn’t say, it wasn’t her place. No one could even tell from that slight lilt in her voice that she felt this way.

But Zooble noticed.

“Okay, still a little confused but I think I’m getting there,” Ragatha finally spoke up again. “Listen, Pomni. You know I trust you whole heartedly, but we’ve been here for years and no one has seen an exit until now, are you sure that what you’ve seen is accurate?”

Pomni’s face fell. Despite the door in front of Ragatha, despite everything she told her, why did the ragdoll still doubt her? “But we told you. The exit door is right there,” Pomni pointed to the door on the wall, desperation filling her eyes. “I know it seems impossible but I really think we can get out of here!”

Ragatha gasped, covering her mouth with guilt at what she said, “Sorry, sorry Pomni I phrased that wrong. It’s just…we’ve all tried looking for a way out and it always backfired, even when we think we’ve gotten so close. I don’t want the same thing to happen to you.”

Pomni opened her mouth, about to speak when-

“Ragatha,” Jax spoke. Everyone’s eyes widened, he never said Ragatha’s actual name, and so seriously either. “We saw her mother. She saw us send out a message to her. She knows we’re alive.” He paused, watching the ragdoll process everything with shock written all over her face. “Someone knows we’re here now. I know you’re scared, but this is a real chance of finally leaving.”

Ragatha’s mouth opened and closed, cutting off words before they even arrived at her lips. She thought she knew everything about the circus, had accepted that no matter how much they tried they could never escape. It was a horrible thing to accept, but she had to if she wanted to stay sane and not end up like…she could still feel herself almost crumbling away when Kaufmo’s abstracted form attacked her. No, no! She can’t lose herself now. She should be grateful that Pomni and Jax managed to find a way to be free, so why did it feel so hard to grasp onto that hope? “Okay,” she sighed. “I trust you, Pomni. But what about Caine, do you think you’ll tell him-”

“NO!” Pomni cut her off, fear swimming in her red and blue eyes. Even everyone seemed shocked by her sudden volume. Jax held her close, hugging her trembling form as the jester took a few breaths to calm herself down. “No, I-I don’t think that’s a good idea. He already had a weird way of trying to make things ‘fun’ here, I don’t know how he’ll feel when we say we’ve found a legitimate exit. What if he tries to take that away?”

The rest of the group nodded slowly. Even before Pomni arrived, Caine had always shut down the possibility of an exit being possible. And every time it was shown to him, he would twist it and prove to them that it was just another part of the circus. It was like he feared an exit even existing.

“It’s just your imagination!” he always said, leaving them to doubt if what they saw was actually there. And if you lost yourself in those thoughts, then it was a one-way trip into the cellar. And nobody wanted that.

“Well in that case…” Ragatha trailed off, closing her eyes for a moment. When they opened, they were fierce and determined. “Keep doing what you’re doing. This actually seems like a true way to finally get out of here. But do not let Caine find out. Keep pretending that everything is the same, you two are just friends, you don’t remember your past and that there is no way an exit is even here.”

“Got it,” Pomni and Jax said in unison.

“Which means that you two should stop acting like a couple whenever you’re in public,” Ragatha stated.

“Oh we know,” Pomni smiled innocently.

“Yeah, it’s not as hard as it seems,” Jax replied cooly.

Ragatha raised a coy brow at the two of them, “Pomni, darling, you’re sitting on Jax’s lap.”

Oh, right, the two of them forgot about that. They were both quick to slip back in to how they used to be before the circus, which meant a lot of trusting physical contact that the two were proud to have developed over the years. But then again, Ragatha was right. Something like that would be extremely obvious to Caine that something was up.

Pomni slid of the rabbit’s lap, rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly while Jax coughed nervously behind his fist. “Right, sorry,” Pomni laughed sheepishly, while Jax pouted at the lack of contact.

Ragatha pinched the bridge of her nose again, this is gonna be a disaster.

.

.

.

Riley paced back and forth in her mother’s living room, her phone held to her ear as she chewed on her fingernail. “Oh god I fucked up, I really fucked up,” she mumbled as the dial buzzed in her ear.

“Riley, sweetie, it’s gonna be okay,” Amber put her hands on her daughter’s shoulders, ceasing her pacing. “If this Samual boy is as nice as you say he is I’m sure he’ll listen to you.”

“I was really awful the last time I saw him, Mom,” Riley winced as she remembered his cries, ignoring him as the elevator doors shut behind her. “And the worst part was, I genuinely believed he was telling the truth. You always told me to trust my gut and I did! With him! But then Jason Wood said stuff that sounded plausible, and I feel so fucking stupid because even my head was screaming at me not to believe him. I didn’t know whether to trust the facts because both of them were laid out to me and I-”

“Hey, hey,” Amber’s voice was soft yet firm.  “This isn’t like anything you’ve ever worked on before. We are dealing with something that we didn’t even know existed, and its personal since both Jack and Penny are involved in this. In a normal case, maybe someone like Jason is right about this. But this isn’t a normal case, and we have proof that this Jason guy isn’t to be trusted.”

Riley nodded, “I have to let him know how sorry I am. This kid, he’s been through so much, all I did was make his situation worse. If Jason really treated him like that them…oh god…oh god Mom we really need to help him!”

Amber nodded feverishly. When Riley told her what Samual went through, with his parents going missing and how Jason was like to him whenever they were brought up, all the mother saw was nothing but red. The only time Amber looked like she was ready to kill was with David after the car crash all those years ago, and again when he showed up at both of her daughters’ homes unannounced.

Riley was about to speak when-

“Hello?” Samual’s voice answered through the phone.

“Ah, Samual!” Riley gasped, keeping the phone tight to her ear. “Samual you were right about everything! We couldn’t trust Jason!”

“M-miss Riley?!” His tone was small and frightened, almost trading on eggshells at the sound of her. “What are you talking about?”

Riley only wanted that type of fear from the voices of those who wronged her, not from innocent kids trying to help. She wanted to slap herself in the face for making that mistake, “Samual, you know the emails you showed me? Of the mystery person? The same thing happened to my Mom, my sister, I think she’s trying to get into contact with us.”

There was a small pause on the other line, before the boy spoke meekly, “You…you believe me?”

“Yeah, yeah kid I do,” Riley was nothing short of breathless. The last twenty-four hours have been nothing but a blur. But the way she spoke to him, at the height of her anger. Even if this situation wasn’t real, she shouldn’t have spoke to a hurting kid like that. “Samual, I owe you an apology.”

“Oh no, you don’t need to-”

“Samual, please,” she gently cut him off. “The way I spoke to you was nothing short of cold and rude. I was in a bad place and me and my family have gone through so much pain, but that’s no excuse and I should never have taken my anger out on you. I’m so sorry Samual.”

There was a pause, Riley waited with bated breath. Mere seconds felt agonisingly long until Samual finally answered, “I forgive you.”

Riley felt her lungs fill with air, finally letting herself breathe, “Really?”

“Yeah, I get it. Jason has a history of getting people to believe his stories,” Samual said. “I don’t blame you. And now I’m guessing we have more proof that he’s lying?”

“That’s right,” Riley confirmed, “Are you free to come check it out?”

“I’ll be there as quick as I can,” Samual’s excited and curious tone returned. “I can’t wait to get started on our secret FBI work!”

The line cut off before Riley could say another word. She grinned, shaking her head.

He forgave her.

“I’m guessing it went well?” Amber asked, her own smile gracing her lips.

Riley nodded, relief washing over her again and again, “We might actually be getting somewhere.”

Amber faltered a little. For a while, she was starting to lose hope that she would ever truly hear those words. But somehow, mercy was gifted to her and her family. “We’re gonna find her,” she stated firmly to her eldest daughter “We’re gonna get Penny back.”

“We will Mom,” Riley agreed, “We will.”

.

.

.

Yes the option to not go on Caine’s adventure was always available, but it didn’t mean that the ringmaster was too happy whenever someone decided to stay behind. Right now, Zooble was idly walking down one of the hallways on the tent, kicking their foot against the carpet a few times. Ironically enough, Zooble wasn’t the first and only one who volunteered to stay behind for the day. Nope, it was Gangle who asked first.

Normally the ribboned lady wouldn’t mind tagging along on an adventure with everyone else, but today she turned away at the offer trudging back into the circus. Zooble had instantly recognised that it wasn’t Gangle’s usual behaviour and decided to stay back too. He would deal with Caine’s shenanigans once the pair of dentures came back with the rest of the crew.

Zooble paced up and down the hallway, the day was nearly up but she hadn’t actually worked up the courage to see if Gangle was okay. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to, but Gangle was one of the sweetest and sensitive people here. Zooble cherished the fact that someone like her wanted to be friends with someone like him, to the point that they even got a bit nervous when talking with her one on one. But right now, there was something obviously wrong with Gangle and Zooble made the choice to stay behind to make sure that she didn’t feel less alone. Yet here she was, keeping a distance from the masked lady because he was nothing but afraid.

But then they stopped. When he was in the gloink hole, Gangle was the only one to realise he was missing, even being brave enough to try and bring her back. It would be selfish of Zooble to not at least try to comfort the girl and see if she was okay. Swallowing both his fears and pride, Zooble marched themselves down the hall to find Gangle.

He found her sitting on the stage, her silk legs drawn up to her chest as she sighed to herself, her comedy mask was once again broken and she had to rely on her secondary, sombre one instead. Under Zooble’s stoic expression, she was absolutely terrified. They didn’t know why, Gangle was their friend. Why did they feel afraid to start a conversation alone with a friend. Their sweet…kind…pretty friend. Ah! Pull yourself together! Gangle needs you!

Zooble took a deep breath, he could do this. And so, he walked up to the stage, slipping into their usual and calm posture, “Hey Gangle. No adventure today?”

She jumped a bit at the sound of her name, relaxing when they saw who it was, “No, not today. I wasn’t in the mood.”

“Oh,” Zooble nodded awkwardly. They weren’t really good at the emotional fluffy stuff, every time they tried she somehow always reached a dead end. But he didn’t want Gangle feeling this lonely, he had to at least try and help her out, “Any reason why?”

Gangle rubbed her arm, giving Zooble a sad smile, “It’s okay Zooble. If you have somewhere to be then you can go, you don’t need to stay and talk to me if you don’t want to.”

“No I do!” Zooble said a bit too quickly, making Gangle squeak. “Gah, sorry, sorry! I didn’t mean to sound like that. It’s…ugh how does Ragatha do this so easily?” They closed their eyes for a moment, breathing deeply before opening them again. “I’m here because I want to be. And I’m always willing to lend an ear if you need to talk. Gangle, if there’s anything you wanna say or do, I’m here.”

The ribboned woman seemed to be taken aback by that, not fully expecting that level of support from the usual reclusive assortment of parts. But she wasn’t complaining, she liked seeing this side of Zooble. “Well, it’s just…” she started, fiddling with the ends of her ribbons for a moment. “I’m happy that Pomni and Jax have their memories back, really I am. And it really is sweet that they used to be together, but…”

“But?” Zooble asked.

“…Jax has done nothing but torment us, prank us and make our lives miserable,” Gangle spoke. “Every day, he’s done nothing but go out of his way to annoy us just because he likes seeing funny things happen to people. And now he has his memories back and we’re suddenly happy for him?! After all he put us through. As if it erases everything he did to us! With Pomni, I’m glad that she remembers who she was. She was so scared when she got here and Caine has done nothing to help her, so it’s good finally seeing her smile. But with Jax? It might be wrong for me to say but it doesn’t seem fair! We’ve been trying everything to remember who we were, all the while he laughed at us for doing so! Like he hadn’t tried doing so in the first place as well yet he still made fun of us! And now he gets them back just like that! I wanna remember! I tried so hard to! Yet he berated me for trying and he-”

She covered her mouth, ashamed. She said too much. “Oh gosh, that’s horrible what I just said!” her eyes darted round the area. “I need to find my comedy mask, that why I’ll stop talking like this and be happy! Where is it? I swore I had it here somewhere, it’s not broken. Oh god, what if it is?! No, no, no! I need my comedy mask! I need it! I wanna stop feeling like this!”

“Gangle! You’re okay!” Zooble quickly caught Gangle’s flailing hands in theirs, holding them firmly yet gently. “You’re not a horrible person for saying that and I get what you’re trying to say. I know you don’t mean anything bad by it and I understand your frustration. Am I glad that bozo has his memories back, sure. But it doesn’t mean that I forgave and forgot all that he put us through, and you don’t need to either. If someone as weird as Jax can get his memories back, then someone as amazing as you can get yours back too.”

Gangle lips parted for a moment, speechless at the honesty in Zooble’s tone. “Y-you think I’m amazing?” she whispered.

Zooble’s voice got caught in her throat, her entire face flustering up as she removed his hands from Gangle’s. “Well, yeah,” they replied nonchalantly. “You don’t overwhelm me like Caine or annoy me like Jax. Plus I like your acts you put on.”

Gangle practically beamed at that, “You like my acts?”

“Hehe, of course,” Zooble’s eyes gleamed. “You got a real talent for that.”

The masked lady giggled, “You know, for someone who doesn’t think they’re good at soft stuff, I think you did a pretty great job with talking to me.”

“Oh,” Zooble blushed, clearing their throat before mumbling, “Thank you. And your comedy mask, you wanna leave it or…”

“No I can’t leave it,” Gangle quickly told her. “Everything just gets too much in here, I need my mask to make it easier, to make me happier. That way I won’t bring everyone down and I’ll be as happy as I need to be.”

Zooble furrowed his brows at Gangle’s statement, “But you don’t bring-”

“Oh, I think I know where it is!” Gangle grinned. “I’ll be back soon! Thank you Zooble!” She then tore off down the hall, all the way back to the bedroom quarters.

“Wait but…” Zooble reached out an arm to her, but Gangle was already gone. “But you don’t need your mask to be happy.”

They sighed. They had seen Gangle smile without the mask, a real genuine smile that wasn’t forced by some code from the character model forced onto her. If anything, Zooble swore that the mask only made things worse for Gangle, making her rely on it more and more. Zooble wished to see that real smile again.

Their train of thought was interrupted by the sound of a group of voices, tired and groaning. She turned, looks like the adventure was over for today. “Jeez, what happened to you guys?” they asked.

“Football stadium adventure,” Ragatha mumbled, rubbing her lower back. “Turns out when you put four inexperienced players against a group of NPC’s coded with tons of knowledge about it, you tend to face a lot of back pain.”

Zooble hissed through his teeth, “Yikes.”

“But it’s all a part of the adventure!” Caine boomed, making them all jump. “After all! How boring would it be if you didn’t learn at all!”

“You couldn’t at least give us a tutorial?” Jax grumbled. “Was that really too hard for you to do dentures?” He wasn’t really angry for himself. Well, he was. But Pomni had a really hard time on her feet during the whole game, easily being outnumbered and beaten by the NPC’s.

At one point, one of them kicked her in the leg instead of the ball, sending her to the ground. For a moment, Jax had forgotten all about the pretending, tackling the NPC to the ground before checking on his secret fiancé. Thankfully, Caine saw it as Jax thinking they were playing soccer (despite him literally kicking the ball for hours on end) and being a good teammate. Jax had never been more thankful for the AI’s naivety, especially when it gave him a chance to take Pomni to a nursing room and dressing her wound (he wouldn’t forget about how her cheeks turned red when he kissed the side of her bandaged knee).

“Anyhow!” Caine fiddled with his cane before tossing it away, a cartoonish sound effect resonating from where it landed. “I suggest you all rest up! We’ve gotten even more adventures planned for tomorrow and you’ll all need a good feast and rest before that!”

“Oh great, its not as if we heard that line before,” Jax muttered. Pomni crossed her arms over her chest, raising a brow at the rabbit. Jax only grinned, rolling his eyes at the pair of dentures before circling his finger at the temple of his head, clearing stating his opinion of the ringmaster. Pomni scoffed, failing to hide a smile at her fiancé. Jax’s face softened, he’ll never get tired of making her smile.

 “I’ll leave everyone to themselves before dinner!” Caine boomed with his usual, yet unsettling, toothy grin. “Take care my superstars!”

Like the same song and dance he had done many times before, the pair of dentures vanished in a puff of smoke. Jax waited a few seconds, making sure that the ringmaster was gone before rushing over to Pomni. “How’s your knee? Does it still hurt?” he asked, brushing his hand over the bandage.

“Yeah Hun I’m okay,” Pomni reassured him, petting behind his ears. “I’m sure it’s just a bruise now with the way things work here.”

His brows furrowed worriedly, “You sure? No more aches?”

“No more aches,” Pomni repeated.

“Good, good,” Jax let his thumb brush over the bandaged skin one more time before standing up. “So, you ready to get back to business.”

Pomni took in a sharp breath, both excitement yet a hint of nerves washing through her, “Yeah, let’s go see my Mom.”

Jax nodded, the two of them going down the hall again, unable to feel the gaze of everyone else’s eyes on them.

“Still having doubts Rags?” Zooble turned to the ragdoll.

“A little bit,” Ragatha nodded, a bit of shame shown on her face. “It’s not that I don’t trust them. I guess I’m just…scared. We never had anything like this. It could go either really well or…” She didn’t want to finish that sentence. She didn’t want to finish that thought! Never before had they tittered on a tight rope so close to collapsing. If this went wrong, then all of them could suffer a fate worse than abstraction. No, no she wasn’t going to think about that. It she was brought down, then so would everyone else. And she wasn’t going to allow herself to act so selfishly, “Never mind, how about I go see if Bubble would like help making dessert?”

Zooble frowned at Ragatha’s shift in mood, “Don’t do that.”

“Do what?” Ragatha questioned innocently.

“You always do that, act like you’re not sad when you are,” Zooble told her. “You’re allowed to not have good days, you know that right?”

“Oh Zooble, you worry too much,” Ragatha patted his arm. “I’m absolutely fine, no bad thoughts in my head whatsoever. Now, I think a pie would do well for dessert for tonight, don’t you think?”

With that, the ragdoll turned on her heel and headed to the kitchen. That was two people in a row that pretended to be happy to Zooble. He hated when that happened, when they forced down any type of negativity in the fear of being abstracted. It wasn’t fair that this threat kept hovering over everyone’s head, and Zooble hated it that Caine didn’t do anything to sooth their worries, instead leaving them to wallow with shallow adventures that they all hated. It was another reason why Zooble felt bitter with Jax, he kept pushing them on the brink every single time while knowing how much they all feared the fate of the cellar, yet he never stopped. Zooble felt frustrated tears at the corners of her eyes, allowing them to fall. The others might be too scared to cry, but they didn’t want to (part of them was glad that Pomni felt the same way as well).

He felt a hand cover her shoulder, rubbing it carefully like a parent would do with their child. Zooble turned his hand, it was Kinger. His eyes didn’t meet theirs, still lost in his own worlds of chaos and insects. Yet his hands moved on their own, as though another part of his mind wanted to reach out and sooth them. Zooble sniffed, if they could smile then he would be smiling at Kinger right there and now. As crazy as it sounded in her head, Kinger somehow seemed to be the sanest of them all.

.

.

.

Knock, knock

Riley rushed to the door, opening it wide as it revealed the startled face of one Samual Abel. “Samual,” she gasped. “Thank you so much for coming! I’m so, so sorry!”

“Miss Riley, it’s okay,” he smiled softly. “I already told you I forgive you.”

“I know, I know,” Riley brushed back some of her red hair. “But you didn’t need to. You could have just accepted my apology and moved on, but you forgave me. Why? The way I spoke to you was awful.”   

Samual shrugged, “When I was a kid, my Dad always taught me that forgiveness is a heavy thing. Many people will feign an apology just so they can unburden themselves with forgiveness without actually being sorry. I don’t forgive a lot of people, I don’t think I can forgive some of the people at C&A for lying to me and letting Jason control me, I know that if they said sorry it wouldn’t erase all that happened over the years. But you, you didn’t know. You were tricked and I know that you meant how sorry you were. That’s the difference that my Dad taught me about, I’ll know the right people to forgive and not to bring myself down with the people I don’t choose to give that right to.”

This kid was just too kind, speaking with a wisdom many people who lived longer on this earth lacked, “Your father sounds like a good man.” Not many people have that luck.  

“Both he and my mother were great people,” Samual’s eyes were warm, lost in a memory of love and comfort from so many years ago. He blinked them away, his face simple yet determined. “Anyways, you got something to show me?”

Riley nodded, slipping back into business, “Yeah, let me introduce you to my Mom. She’s the one who got the messages.”

She led Samual into the house, shutting the door behind him. Amber came into the room, her hands clasped together and a cardigan wrapped around her shoulders. “Oh, hello,” she blinked in surprise at the sight of the boy. She turned to Riley, “Is this Samual?”

“Yeah, this is him,” Riley confirmed.

“Hi, it’s so nice to meet you,” Amber walked over, wrapping her arms around him, his eyes widening in surprise. “Riley told me what happened, I’m so sorry all this happened to you.”

He stood frozen for a moment, as though he wasn’t used to someone wanting to hug him back. But his arms wrapped tight around Amber like Riley expected, burying his face into her shoulder. He was shaking a bit, she couldn’t hear any sobs but Riley was certain that the kid hadn’t received this level in security in a while. Hopefully with how things were going so far, that would change soon enough. Soon, Samual pulled away, trying to still his shaking hands. “Right, so,” he took a step back, his hands shoved into his pockets. “Ready to get to work?”

Amber nodded, grinning, “This way.” She guided him to the sofa, letting him sit down as the computer switched on next to him. “It was so bizarre. I’m not sure what your experience was like, all I know from Riley was that you only received messages.”

Samual lifted a brow, “I guess yours had more to it.”

“Yes,” Amber confirmed. “Before I got the messages, all my lights were flickering, like something or…someone was controlling it. That’s when I got these.” Once the computer was up and functioning, Amber clicked onto the documents that held the words from her daughter.

Samual shifted closer, “Yeah, this is certainly…different. I only got emails, but it looks like someone wrote this if it’s on a document.”

“That’s the thing,” Amber turned to him. “I don’t know how but Penny was in this room. I couldn’t see or feel how but she was there, controlling the lights and writing to me.”

Samual’s eyes widened, no disbelief was seen but rather surprise at this new revelation, “Your daughter is trying to communicate with you. She even managed to be here with you somehow.”

“Yes, yes!” Amber exclaimed, grinning. “She was right here in this room.”

“But you said not physically?” Riley asked, her tone curious rather than accusatory.  “She managed to speak to you but her body wasn’t here?”

“Unfortunately,” Amber’s face fell slightly.

“So wherever she is, she’s still trapped,” Riley sighed.

Samual got up, facing the two women, “But it doesn’t seem impossible to find her. If she managed to get here the first time than its possible that she could come back.”

Riley bit her lip, “But how would we know?”

“Riley’s right,” Amber agreed. “I might have spoken to her then but I don’t know how to get in contact with her again-”

The lamp flickered, the trio’s attention focused in on it. “I’m guessing that wasn’t my eyes playing tricks on me?” Riley observed, her toes curling at the thought of who she hoped it was.

“Nope,” Amber’s grin returned, whipping back round to the computer. “Penny, is that you baby?”

Hey Mom

I’m back

Riley’s hands covered her mouth, her knees dropping to the ground, “Penny? Is that really you?”

Unbeknownst to Riley, Pomni had done the same thing. Matching her sister as she tried to stifle a sob, “Hey Jax, do you mind?”

The rabbit chuckled behind her, watching the exchange go down. There were no memory-like pathways this time, just a simple walk through the door and they arrived right back in the living room, “Yeah babe, I got it.”

She’s here, she just got a little overwhelmed seeing you all again

Hi Mrs Reed

It’s good to see you again

Amber brows furrowed in confusion for a moment before realisation struck. There was only one other person that she knew who disappeared the way her youngest daughter did, “Jack?”

Yup, that’s me

Hope you’re not too disappointed

The older woman let out a breathless laugh, about to reply with how happy she was to see him…until she was interrupted by another voice, “YOU SON OF A BITCH!”

Jax’s ears pressed flat against his head as Riley stood from the ground, fury written all over her face. Pomni, Amber and Samual had to take a few steps away from the raging woman.

“YOU TELL MY SISTER THAT YOU DON’T WANT TO MARRY HER AND TRY TO MOVE AWAY ON THE DAY OF YOUR WEDDING! WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU!” Riley screamed loudly. “YOU’RE SO LUCKY I CAN’T SEE YOU OTHERWISE I WOULD RIP OFF BOTH YOUR ARMS AND LEGS AND FEED THEM TO WOLVES WHILE WATCHING YOU BLEED OUT!”

Jax gulped, he should have known this was coming. After all he heard from Winter how Riley slammed someone’s head against a table just because they looked at Penny funny, if he wasn’t in the circus he would be on a missing poster by now. He took a deep breath, typing away on the keyboard.

You’re allowed to be angry

Furious

What I did was unforgivable and I understand if you won’t forgive me

But please understand then when I say sorry, I mean it

I’m so sorry Riley

For hurting your sister the way I did

For everything

Riley crossed her arms as she scowled, letting herself think long and hard about it, emphasise on long (she wanted to make him suffer at least a little bit). Jack was an asshole for what he did, but she knew what he went through as a kid and how hard he tried to make things right both for himself and for everyone else. She looked to Samual, the boy giving her a smile and a thumbs up before she turned back with a sigh, “Thank you for your apology.”

Jax’s stomach did a flip. There was a thank you, but no forgiveness. It was expected, a bit disappointing, but also a good start.

You’re welcome

Riley’s face turned soft again, shifting her feet on the rug below her, “Penny, are you…can you speak to me?”

Pomni clenched her hands, grinning and trembling with excitement as she rushed over to the computer.

Hey Riles

Please don’t kill Jack when we get back

Riley sniffed, wiping a stray tear from her cheek, “I’ll try not to, but I’ll do it for you Pen. Oh my god I missed you so much.”

Pomni bit back her sob, if she missed her mother so much already, then the weight of missing Riley hit like a bag of bricks.

I missed you too

You’re making me cry Riles

“I can’t help it,” Riley laughed. “You’ve been gone for three months.”

I know

You have no idea how much I wanna hug you all – Penny (did that so you can tell who you’re talking to)

Jax hummed, amused by her quick choice, “Smart.”

She gave the rabbit a quick grin before she turned her gaze to the boy in the living room, tilting her head curiously.

Who’s that guy?

Jax followed her gaze, letting out a small gasp of realisation at who it was, “Samual Abel?!”

“Wait, you mean-?” she realised now who he was talking about.

“Penny, Jack,” Riley walked over to the boy. “This is Samual Abel, son of Kaleb and Quinn Abel. He’s gonna be helping us get you home.”

“Uh, yeah,” Samual replied nervously. “Hi again Mister Jack, nice to meet you Miss Penny. Um, I’m really sorry I couldn’t do more for you when Jason came up to you that day Jack.”

Jax frowned as his fingers reach for the keyboard again.

It was nobody’s fault but my own kid

I was the one who took up Jason’s offer

Don’t beat yourself up about it – Jack

“Copycat,” Pomni stuck her tongue out at him.

Jax chuckled, “Couldn’t help it little lady,”

“But I should have done something!” Samual stood so fast it nearly gave him whiplash. “Jason always does this! He knows it’s dangerous when people touch that stupid game! The moment he said where he was sending you I knew what job he was talking about! I could have stopped all this!”

Riley faced the boy, confused, “Game? What game?”

“That fucking game!” he cursed. “It’s been the root of all of our problems yet he never got rid of it! It started small with people disappearing in the company with headsets left behind, but then it started spreading somehow to the public! And now we lost the file! It keeps jumping from place to place and we can never catch it! All because Jason was too stubborn to get rid of it!”

“Sam, Sam, hey,” Riley clicked her fingers in front of his face, his attention solely focused on her. “What game are you talking about.”

Samual’s buried his face into his hands, a stressed groan leaving his mouth, “It was supposed to be a VR remake of the first game my dad made, but Jason kept making too many shaky choices with it. Then my parents disappeared. I hate that game… ‘The Amazing Digital Circus’.”

Pomni gasped, “That was the game I saw when I tried to find you!” She turned to Jax, “We’re stuck inside the game!”

“I-I remember!” Jax clenched his hands. “When I disappeared! That was the file I saw!”

It fell on deaf ears. “The reason why Jason wanted to send Jack away was because that was where the last person went missing, the last time we saw the file,” Samual told them. “He wanted to send Jack there as a way to retrieve the file and get back to working on the game again, even if he knew it wasn’t safe. Unfortunately the file routed its way back to this city and took Jack with him.”

“And then it took Penny,” Amber whispered.

“Okay,” Riley gathered herself, her mind settling back into business. “Jason sent Jack away and lied to everyone for all these years. That wasn’t your fault Samual.”

“But I-” he tried to speak.

“You told me that whenever you tried to speak up to talk to someone then Jason would get in the way and scare you into stopping,” she stated firmly. “Don’t blame yourself because a grown man was enough of a coward to bully a child.”

He looked like he was about to retort, but a stern glare from Riley was all that he needed to heed what she said, “Ok Miss Riley.”

“Next,” she moved on. “What should be our second course of action.”

Pomni quickly moved back to the computer.

No one else in the circus has their memories

Is there a way we can try and help them get them back? – Penny

“Oh, oh wait!” Samual piped up, an idea bright in his mind. “I overheard Jason talking about this. He has USB files of each person that went missing, including their past leading up to this point.”

“You overhear a lot of stuff kid,” Riley crossed her arms. “I didn’t mean that as a criticism, just observing.”

“Hehe, well, when you’ve been isolated from everyone and everything all your life you tend to get a bit bored,” Samual replied with a wry smile. “Case in point, eavesdropping on the guy you’re suspicious off in order to gather information.”

“So if we get the USB files and hook them into this computer,” Amber started to catch on.

“It could help get their memories back,” Samual finished. “I’ll get to see if my parents are there!”

“This is amazing!” Amber cheered. “Well, not fully amazing because their all still stuck but we’re getting somewhere. Oh wait till Winter hears about Jack being alive!”

A wide grin appeared on Jax’s face. Winter, his sister, he could finally see her again! Reassure her that he was alive-

“-Wait! No, no!” Riley quickly interjected, making everyone become quickly confused at her sudden outburst. “We can’t tell Winter, not yet at least.”

Amber blinked in surprise, “Honey, she’s your wife. She’s been missing Jack for so long, she needs to know the truth.”

Pomni watched as Jax’s ear twitch, a slight scowl was on his face. He didn’t like this one bit.

 “I know that,” Riley said. “But you weren’t there when Jack was gone. She went nearly catatonic, unable to move, speak or eat. The devastation of losing him for so long nearly broke her. We nearly lost Percy in birth because of the impact. I…I can’t risk that happening again.”

A slow, angered breath released through Jax’s nose as he started to type again.

This is a mistake Riley

Winter deserves to know

You can’t keep this from her – Jack

Riley shook her head, “I’m doing this to protect her. It’s for her own good Jack.”

He wasn’t convinced, turning away from her. Riley shouldn’t have to make that choice for Winter, it wasn’t fair! She needed to know, not be kept in the dark!

Pomni patted his hand softly as she went to the keyboard.

But he’s right Riley – Penny

“I’ll tell her eventually,” Riley reassured everyone. “J-just not now, until I know for sure that everything will be fine.”

Pomni sighed. Riley was as stubborn as they came, there was no changing her mind with this.

Both rabbit and jester jumped when they heard the dinner bell ringing from outside the exit door. It was time to go.

We have to leave

You better know what you’re doing Riley – Penny

“What? But you just came back!” Riley cried.

Amber put a hand on her daughter’s shoulder, “Don’t worry. If this interaction has proved anything, they’ll be back.”

Riley was unconvinced, but if there was anyone she trusted more than anything, it was her mother. “Ok,” she nodded, “Just…please be safe Penny.”

I will

And like that, both rabbit and jester rushed out the door. They were able to make it on dinner on time, and Caine was none the wiser about what happened. But despite the feast laid out in front of him, everything that Riley said left a bitter taste in Jax’s mouth. After Penny, Winter was the one he was closest to out of anyone in his life. He might not have been the greatest person, but Winter was the furthest thing from bad. She was the reason that he started to believe that good things could happen in his life, and now Riley was refusing to tell her that he was here and alive.

It felt so wrong.

Pomni’s hand was on his leg, still yet reassuring. It was a silent confirmation that she was on his side about this. He laid his hand atop hers, making sure it was out of Caine’s sight. He squeezed it, hopefully things would be okay…they had to be.

.

.

.

“Riley…”

Black, everything was black.

“Riley…”

It was like she was stuck in inky tar, unable to move her feet, stuck in the black substance.

“Riley.”

She looked up, the redhead gasped as she saw one very familiar, visible figure.

“Penny?” Riley’s voice sounded louder in her ears.

The brunette was wearing the same outfit Riley had last seen her in, a plain white T-shirt and grey leggings. Though it looked dirtier than she last remembered, and why were her eyes shut?

“Why did you leave me?” Penny’s voice echoed.

Riley was startled by the sudden statement, “What?”

“You’re my big sister,” Penny mumbled. “You’re supposed to protect me…yet you didn’t.”

“No, Penny I didn’t mean for you to get trapped!” Riley yelled out for her. “I’m doing everything I can to bring you home!”

“You said you would always be there for me,” Penny whispered back. “You said that no matter what happens I would be safe if you were there…but you weren’t…you didn’t save me…you’re a liar.”

“I’m so sorry Penny,” Riley sobbed, hands on her leg as she tried to pull them out, but to no avail. “I’m really sorry!”

“Liar,” Penny repeated.

“Liar!”

“LIAR!”

“L̷̩͚̯̲̖͖̙͔̹̬̮͉̲̝̑̊̀́ͅỈ̸̢̹̝̝͓͔̟̠̌́́̆͝Á̵̬͎͛̐̑̔̃̈́̓R̶̳̪̩̹̳̬̻̜̫͇̓̏̀͐͒͂̚͠͝͝”

Riley gasped, trying to run but she was frozen solid in the ink. Suddenly, the darkness was replaced by thousands of multicoloured eyes staring at her as Penny drew closer.

The brunette grabbed Riley by the collar of her shirt. It was nothing but silence.

Then her eyes opened.

Riley screamed when she saw that they were as hollow and black as the ink.

Penny opened her mouth again, the same ink leaking out from her lips as she screeched one more time.

Ļ̷̨̛͚̙̭̖̩̥̝͇̮̻̼͍͎̗͉͍̦͖̹͎͔͈̞̰̟̯̩̝̠̻̫͕̱̝̎͊̽̈́̇̀͊̄̑͋̅͊̔̄͒̃̀͌̈́̏̈͆͐̋̓͐̾͛̊̈́̈́́̏̋̀̄̏̈̚̚͘͘̕̕͠ͅÌ̶̧̧̧̛̛̪͔̝͚̫͎̝̬͈̺̫̭̱̞̹͖̞̹̳̻͖̫͉̋̓͋̈́̓͂͗͐̈́̐̈͐̒͗͆̏͛̈̏͌͗͑̈́̐͐̔̂̊͊́͆͆̒̓̾̀̀̾͘̚̕̕̚͜͝ͅͅA̷̢̧̛̛̻̳̞̬̟͇̟̟͉͔̻̻͙̩̣͈̖̘͙̪̱͎̰͙̝͚̣͈̓͒̎͛̆̓̋͌̅̈́͂̏̎̈́̅̍̈̈́̆̕͜͝͠͝ͅR̴̡͈̞͔̮̻̩͋͂͑̚ͅ

.

.

.

Riley awoke with a scream tearing from her throat, her hands fisting the bed sheets beneath her. She failed her, she failed Penny, she couldn’t save her, she was nothing but a failure-

“Riley, Riley!” Winter reached out, taking her wife’s hands in hers. “It’s okay, see, everything is ok.”

Riley was still trembling, tears streaming down her cheeks.

“Breathe with me babe,” Winter told her, taking deep breaths in and out again. Riley gulped down a sob, repeating her wife’s pattern. Eventually, she breath was even again and she was calm enough to see her surroundings. There was no ink, no eyes. She was in her bedroom with Winter as the other woman turned the lamp on beside the bed. “It’s okay, it was just a nightmare.”

She was about to bring Riley back into her arms, before the redhead pulled away and stood up, “Sorry I didn’t mean to wake you. I’ll go sleep in the guest room, to let you rest before work.”

“No, wait, Riley!” Winter shouted as her partner gathered up her pillow and a spare blanket. “I just wanna talk, you don’t have to do this.”

“I want to get some sleep before work, alright? Conversation over,” Riley stated, gathering what she needed in her arms before marching to the door.

“Riley enough!” Winter yelled, making Riley freeze in her tracks still facing the door. “We can’t keep doing this.”

“Doing what?” she retorted bitterly.

“You avoiding me,” Winter told her. “Especially when you’re hurting. You can’t keep pretending that I don’t exist just because you’re too scared to talk about Penny.”

Riley bit her tongue, nearly drawing blood, “I’m not scared Winter. Stop it.”

“Where were you last night?” Winter questioned, unrelenting. “Yesterday you wouldn’t answer your phone after I tried calling you for hours. Where were you?”

Riley couldn’t say, she couldn’t. If Winter was told about Jack, she feared about what could happen. She still remembered Winter’s pale face, nearly slipping in and out of consciousness during Percy’s C-section. She nearly lost both her wife and her son that day. She couldn’t tell her, it’s for her own good.

“My mom’s house, my phone was on silent,” she said, her voice void of emotion. “I’m tired.”

She slammed the door behind her, leaving Winter all alone. The black-haired woman brought her knees to her chest, too exhausted to cry. Too tired to keep having these moments with Riley. She would give anything just to have her wife back.

.

.

.

“Well good morning little lady,” Jax bowed as he walked out of his room the next morning. “And how was your sleep last night?”

“Aren’t we supposed to be subtle?” Pomni placed her hands on her hips. “Cause as far as I can’t tell, I don’t think this is what it’s supposed to be.”

“But it made you smile, right?” he smirked.

Pomni blushed, he was right, she was smiling, “Shut up.”

He chuckled, nudging his head to the direction down the hallway, “Hungry?”

“Yeah, I could eat,” Pomni nodded. She was about to walk beside him when she noticed something in the corner of a door from one of the past circus members. She cocked her head to the side as she inspected it further.

Jax paused in his tracks when he noticed that his fiancé wasn’t next to him, “Pen?” He saw her staring at the door of an old string-worm character, coming up behind her carefully so he wouldn’t spook her. “What is it?”

“Do you see that?” she inquired.

“See what?” he asked.

She pointed to the corner, “That.”

Jax’s eyes squinted as he followed her fingers, they widened when they finally noticed what Pomni was talking about. The corner was glitching, similar to how Ragatha was when Kaufmo attacked her on the jester’s first day. “How is this possible?” Pomni observed.

“I…I don’t know,” Jax replied honestly. “I don’t think we’ve seen anything like this.”

Suddenly, the glitch sparked wildly and loudly, making them jump back in surprise. It started to spread across the door, erasing the face of the string worm with its flashing colours. Jax held Pomni protectively, guiding her away from the door as they stepped away slowly. They watched as little by little, it swallowed up the door, before disappearing entirely.

Both of them panted in surprise, this wasn’t good. It wasn’t good at all. “I think we need to hurry with our escape plan,” Pomni told the rabbit holding her.

“Agreed,” Jax nodded. “We’re on a timer Pomni.”

“The question is how long do we have?” her voice shook slightly, gripping onto him.

“Long enough for us to get out of here,” he told her, reassurance in his voice. “That much I know.”

“O-okay,” Pomni hated that she was stuttering, but the sudden fright of what happened didn’t seem to be letting go of her anytime soon.

“Come on, let’s get downstairs before Caine tries to find us,” Jax stood, holding out his hand and helping up the jester.

While the two walked down the hallway, they couldn’t ignore the sinking feeling of what just happened. Did they really not have enough time? Was it just another strange part of this world?

Those questions rung through their mind as they walked down the hall, unaware of a second little glitch behind them in another little corner of the hall.