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bambi-slxt · 7 months ago

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🤍𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 ~ 𝐩𝐭. 𝐨𝐧𝐞🤍

𝕔𝕙𝕣𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕠𝕡𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕤𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕟𝕚𝕠𝕝𝕠 𝕩 𝕗𝕖𝕞!𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕖𝕣

previously titled Talk Dirty

word count: 1.7k

genres/tropes: romance, dealer!chris, sturniolo au, slow burn, strangers to friends to lovers

teaser: here

summary: Christopher Sturniolo has built an unshakeable empire in Los Angeles, California. He manages "business transactions" and "cargo export and intake" along with his two brothers, Matthew and Nicolas. One night the three gentlemen attend a high-end nightclub in the more affluent district and are met with a nervous bottle-girl working her first shift. Christopher strikes up conversation in the way only confident men can until an accident causes her to spill a drink on him. In a panic, she drags him to the bathroom to clean him up, and, quite amused, he lets her. Thus, their strange friendship begins.

warnings: drug usage, alcohol consumption, guns mentioned and used (non-sexual context), smut, mature themes and topics

notes from bambi: this is a multi-part series, and updates will be sporadic. lmk if you're interested in this one <3

Cassandra's POV:

The year I almost died held more excitement, danger, and tenacity than any one person deserves to encounter. Definitely more than I knew to prepare myself for…I wonder sometimes, as I look back on the events of these last few months, if the choice to go back and change anything is one I would make.

But then, if I did, I would never have met Christopher Sturniolo, and I can confidently say he is worth every moment I spent at gunpoint.

My life as a bottle girl seems so far away now, though at the time, I couldn’t imagine anything more glamorous. Every darkened hour of my shift filled with music and soft neon, running trays of drinks beneath beautiful people on shining poles, weaving past tables covered with swaths of chips and cards and surrounded by only the most elite clientele Orange County, California so graciously offered.

It stands to mention that at the time I felt I had no talent, no prospects, and no education, and therefore would only get so far in life. Until Christopher, I sold myself short in every aspect of my life.

The hour of 2 a.m. always buzzed–the air itself breathed to the rhythm of some unknown heartbeat, all exemplified by the lively hum of the building of vices I called “work”. At 2:07 a.m. three gentlemen in dark suits accompanied by a small entourage were ushered into Private Room 9 and as I only just clocked in, I took them onto my books for the evening.

Pressing my hand on the opaque glass, I pushed the thin, floor-to-ceiling door inward and braced myself for whatever I might encounter. Working in the pleasure business left no room for shock or awe, and though I knew better than to comment on anything I may see, my face hadn’t quite picked up that particular skill.

The entourage caught my attention first. A dark-haired and strikingly beautiful young woman sat primly on a cushion near the darkest corner of the room, running her elegant fingernail along the edge of her empty glass. To one side of her sat a scantily-clad, gorgeously built man with a side shave, his curls tamed into a neat row down the back of his neck, and to the other side, one of the men in suits. I realized then that every man in a three-piece that sat before me also wore the same facial structure–I was looking at identical triplets.

“You look so pretty!” the man with the side shave said to me, reaching over to lay an arm behind the girl.

“Thank you, sir, I try,” I responded, hoping to keep the conversation light and fast to disguise my glaring inexperience. I was rewarded with a simple chuckle–nice job. “How can I serve you tonight?”

One of the triplets spoke up. His voice had a gravelly quality that I made sure to note internally. “Pinot noir for the room, please.” He carried on with his individual order as I kept meticulous, if not shaky, written record in my notepad.

“For you sir?” I directed this to another suited man, this one sporting a deep red tone to his hair.

“Champagne, thank you.”

“Are we celebrating?”

The last triplet, who had up to this point remained silent, cracked a smile in the soft lighting. “You could say that.”

“And you, sir?”

He lounged in the plush couch beneath him as if completely at ease, which rendered me baffled–though perhaps this scene didn’t phase him as it did me. The first shift at a new job has a funny way of making you forget everything you’ve ever known.

“What do you recommend?” This one’s voice flowed like honey, smooth, slow, warm.

I paused, thoughts trampling over themselves in an effort to tumble most ungraciously from my tongue. “...That depends, sir. What taste are you looking for?”

He waved his hand. “Christopher. Call me Christopher. You’re an employee, not a servant.”

The room chuckled along with him and returned to their own conversations.

“Alright…Christopher,” I said, tasting the name for a moment before releasing it. “We have an excellent collection of reds, if you’d like a variety…Though I have to suggest the Oak Knoll Merlot, she has a bit of a plum taste without being too sweet,” I suggested. I clenched my fists slowly in the hope none of them would notice they’d previously been shaking–I really hoped I’d just told him the right shit, because if not, this night was about to go downhill very quickly.

Christopher nodded. “That one, then. Thank you.”

I dipped my head and turned to leave.

“Miss,” his voice hummed, “What was your name?”

I looked back at Christopher and his loosened black tie, laid in such sharp contrast to his white button-down. “Cassandra.”

He smiled again. “Pleasure, Miss Cassie.”

I ducked out of the room as blush bloomed across my cheeks.

My heart thundered down to the main floor and all the way to the bar. With trembling hands I poured the wine, and unsure wrists did their best to support the tray of drinks. Weaving back through the crowd, I managed to keep from any mishaps, but only barely. One misstep and hundreds of dollars would splash all over patrons, staff, and the freshly cleaned floor–and off of my already-measly check. Finally off the social level, I ascended the underlit staircase and made my way toward the private rooms. The music pounded through the walls, our DJ losing himself in the height of his set, and the floor seemed to breathe in time with the sultry bass. Room 1, 3…5, there’s 7, 9, here we go…

I leaned against the door with my hip and entered the room once more. A faint, sweet smell touched my nose, and it twitched of its own accord.

“She’s back,” said Side Shave. “Hey, girl.”

“Hi,” I offered weakly, trying my hardest to focus on the drinks in hand. “Champagne…for you,” I said as I placed the tall flute in front of what I hoped was the right triplet. He smiled, revealing a small gap in his teeth. Dark red hair, gapped teeth…that’s one of them. Now how to tell the other two apart?

“For you…” I murmured to the one with the gravelly voice, and he nodded his thanks. “The Pinoit for the room,” as I placed it on the low center table, “And the merlot for you, Mr. Christopher.”

At that moment, the glass door shattered into a thousand pieces, and I yelped, jumping in shock as the wine went flying all over Christopher.

Christopher's POV:

A man fell unconscious on the floor as bits of glass tinkled down around him. The culprit responsible for the door, I assumed. Looking around, I took note of the lack of injury, at least injury of the physical. Poor Cassandra stood frozen in shock, hands trembling, face drawn, taught with fear. “Matthew. Nicolas,” I said, “Please call security and have this man removed.” My brothers nodded and, after carefully stepping over the slovenly, drunken man on the floor, disappeared down the hall. “Ms. Thompson, take our lovely server to the bathroom please-” Tara stood to lead her out, but Cassandra suddenly leapt into action.

“Your shirt, I am so sorry sir, let’s get you cleaned up, I–oh god, I’m so sorry, so sorry, I–” As she rambled, Cassandra took a firm and unyielding hold on my wrist, dragged me up from the couch, and before I could say a word, she tugged me around Tara and Larray, out through the door frame, past the arriving security guards, and down the darkened hallway. I blinked rapidly for a moment as my body ceased to become my own, held captive by the strange woman who led me toward…the bathroom?

Sure enough, she ducked into the Women’s room, and I couldn’t help but smile a bit in apprehension. “What exactly are we doing in the restroom?”

Her breathing had become labored as she gulped oxygen around her stuttered apologies. “Your shirt, sir, it’s going to stain, we’ve got to–here I’ll just…”

My jaw went ever so slightly slack at the sight before me. Cassandra, who only moments before had been a simple picture of nightclub elegance, now furiously loosened my soaking tie, unbuttoned my dripping shirt, slipped them off my body, and threw them into the sink, running the water as cold as she could manage, scrubbing away at the red-stained fabric. “I’m so sorry sir, I didn’t mean to–You have to know that was an accident, oh god, I’m so sorry, so sorry–”

In her manic cleansing, she failed to notice my hand until it rested on her shoulder, at which point she jumped, and my lip twitched. “My apologies. I don’t think you’re of any use to anyone if you deprive your body of air and keel over dead on the tile.”

She stood stock still, panting from the exertion of the past few minutes, her eyes locked onto mine.

“I know this wasn’t your fault. It wounds me that you think I’d be so unfair,” I said with what I hoped was a comforting smile. “After all we’ve been through together, you really think I’d take something so accidental and make it so personal?” I prayed she understood the sarcasm.

Cassandra cracked a smile that vanished as quickly as it appeared, though I would have none of it. “I saw that smile. There’s no going back now, I’m afraid.”

She looked to the floor and took a moment to breathe, or so I assumed. When she turned her gaze to me again, I saw a pooling of tears at the base of her eyes.

Change the subject, you idiot. “Where did you learn the cold water trick for wine stains?” I asked, hoping to give her time to recover.

Cassandra went back to scrubbing relentlessly at my now-sopping wet shirt. “I know that cold water is best for blood stains, so I assumed it would work for wine as well,” she said quietly, the soft hiss of the water almost beating her out for volume. I snorted. “Do you deal often with blood-stained clothing?” Her gaze snapped to mine, and, realizing my mistake, Of course she does, you dolt, she’s a woman, I tried to recover myself. “Or do you take every man to the bathroom and strip him naked?” And now you’ve accused her of prostitution. Zero for three, Christopher.

pt two: here

request to be on the taglist here

thanks for reading!

- bambi <3

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crownlesswizard · 6 months ago

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🚨ALERT GAMERS🚨

it's 🏳️‍🌈PRIDE101🏳️‍⚧️ time!!!!!!!!!

it's time for my favorite part of the year; drawing the gays for the greater good

as is tradition, i will be holding my fifth annual pride101 giveaway contest!!!! and its the eighth annual pride101!!!!! wtf that's so long!!!!!!!

the prizes:

each week, I'll be selecting someone from the wizard101/pirate101 community to receive a free pride themed drawing of one of their wizards/pirates for the month of june! it'll probably be head shots more than full body shots, but i might do one or two (ya boy is a full time scientist rn!!)

check out examples from last years pride101 contest and this years pride101 drawing of my own ocs!

anyways here are the rules:

reblog this post for a chance to enter. likes do not count this year

you do not need to be following me, but it is appreciated (especially after i accidentally nuked my account last year lol)

i will be selecting a winner once a week at the beginning of the week (sundays) using a random number generator, which means there will be a total of four winners

the winner will be messaged privately, so make sure your dms are open! if not and/or i get no reply after 48 hours, then ill select a new winner

if you've been selected but you've decided you no longer want the prize, please lmk so i can select a different winner

when i dm you, ill ask for a reference photo of your character and which pride flags you'd like featured. when sending pride flags, PLEASE send an actual image of the flag, as flags change over time with different meanings or if it's a more niche identity that i might have trouble identifying the correct one you want. there's no limit to how many flags you can have

all identities are welcome except those who inherently are harmful to others and/or nonconsensual (exa. MAPs). if you ask for that not only will you lose your prize but i will fucking block you!!!!!

remember to check out the previous years masterposts! and this years pride101 post of my characters :)

love u all, happy pride

#wizard101 #wizzy fandom #wizart #pirate101 #pride101 #and yes i KNOW the first sunday of the month has passed so im drawing the first winner tomorrow probably

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cheesiedomino · 10 months ago

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Bittersweet ✦ . ⁺

synopsis: your early twenties are said to be the most crucial times of your life — endless career opportunities, heightened sense of identity, and dating dilemmas all wrapped into one. as you attempt to navigate your way through adulthood, you manage to land a once in a lifetime internship of your dreams, in Paris. though you had to make several sacrifices, it would all deem worth it in the end once you get inspiration for your new novel. you just can’t help but feel slightly annoyed by one of the tenants who seems to always smoke in front of the entrance — oh, and he never shuts up.

genre: non-idol au, slow burn, slice of life, hyunjin x fem!reader, strangers to lovers, photographer!hyunjin x author!reader, pg-15 wc: 10-11k ish

tags/warnings: fluff, angst, lots of cursing, kissing, heavy themes of anxiety, depression, and body dysmorphia, mentions of past trauma (will include some flashbacks), heavy alcohol usage, cigarette smoking (i do not condone this irl), reader is hella mean to hyunjin in the beginning LOL, hyunjin’s kinda mysterious ooohh, mentions of heartbreak/break ups, jealousy, suggestive moments but nothing too detailed, may be more once i upload the full fic

[yayyy, i’m back to writing again !! :D not sure if anyone missed me or even noticed i was gone lol but i really did miss this acc and can’t wait to share this all with you cause i’m working so hard on this 🥲 i hope this long one will make up for my severe absence and as always lmk what y’all think <33]

this story should be posted by Friday/Saturday, depending on how fast i finish but we’ll see ! if anyone would like to be tagged once it’s up please comment down below - yuri ★彡

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monkeyzilla · 5 months ago

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CAN I RANT ABOUT KEN SATO??? AM I ALLOWED TO? BECAUSE I WILL. ALSO LMK IF I GET DETAILS WRONG!!! LMAO!! I watched the film like 4 times I don’t think I should have missed out on anything or gotten anything wrong but if I do let me know I’m not good at writing shit like this😭

I wanted to talk about the themes of “balancing” mixed cultural identity being kinda hinted at bc it’s something I immediately picked up as an Asian living in a western country. I’m not even gonna say it’s an “interpretation” because I feel like it was quite obviously hinted at would be pretty easy to pick up for anyone that has a similar experience as mine.

In that first interview with Ami, Ken stated that people made fun of him for the way he looked, talked and behaved when he first moved to the US. Since he was born and raised in Japan for a bit, he kept most of that culture that he grew up suffered by with him and got alienated for being too Japanese or not white enough. It’s a really negative experience that I think most people, me included can relate to because you can’t control the fact that you have a particular ethnic background, or that you look a certain way.

But like I also think living in the US for a significant amount of time has also influenced the way he thinks and talks too, the press conference scene stands out with him repeatedly saying bro, as well as the baseball match where he got mocked and told that he should just “go back to America”. It’s kinda clear for most of the film that he’s “not Japanese” enough too.

It’s a difficult situation because on one hand he’s “too Japanese” in America but not “Japanese enough” in his home country. There’s this feeling that there’s no pleasing anyone here! So I believe to avoid having to “balance” his American and Japanese identity, he does things “his own way”. Or “giving the people something else to talk about” in his own words. At least that’s how I’ve interpreted it, idk if I’m stretching or yapping too much.

Him doing things the “Ken Sato” way is a kinda funny excuse for him to do whatever he wants, but I also think it’s just an excuse to avoid sticking to one “culture” (identity), because he can’t. Going back to the the first one-on-one interview with Ami, she points out that he’s eating noodles the “wrong way” and while it is just one single action, to me it seems representative of Ken’s behaviour as a whole when being confronted about tradition or culture. Am I wording that right? I’m not good at articulating complicated thoughts because I have A LOT!! It’s just difficult to type it out.

I just think the inclusion of all of these seemingly insignificant scenes makes Ken’s character seven more meaningful as a someone who’s Asian-Australian because I relate to it so much!! I just wanted to share my own thoughts and feelings about this movie and the little themes it hints at bc I don’t know any other big animated film that mentions this kinda experience😭 I’m not sure if Ken’s experience with his heritage/identity was intentional or not but it seems hinted at enough for it to be a purposeful inclusion, at least that’s how I see it.

I do wish they could’ve explored it a bit more in depth, maybe showing Ken’s life in America a lot more because I doubt they’d go back to it in the possible sequel, but I’m happy nonetheless because I feel really seen when I watch Kenji talk about his own experience. Sorry for yapping too much omfg

#ultraman rising #kenji sato #ken sato #personal rant

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stanleypinesgf · 1 month ago

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Falling for Mystery - Chapter Eleven*

Falling for Mystery Masterlist Warnings: nsfw (mdni), smut, 18+ only, praise kink, oral (m receiving), light choking, fingering, p in v, unprotected sex, stan is possessive in a gooood way, (they drank whiskey but they're not drunk). if i missed any warnings lmk, my first time writing anything like this, i hope y'all enjoy! Please note: this is a slow burn fic with smut and mature themes, 18+ only and please check warnings at the start of chapters! TYSM for all the support so far!!

w/c: 4,647

Some days had passed since we slept together, but things between us were better than ever. The once-awkward balance between work and companionship was slowly giving way to something easier. Mornings were filled with the usual chaos of the Mystery Shack—customers streaming in and out, Stan spinning tales while I manned the counter or sorted through the ever-growing stockpile of bizarre trinkets. We had fallen into a kind of rhythm: work, banter, quiet evenings together on the porch. There was something about those moments after the day's rush, when we’d sit side by side, watching the sky turn colors as the sun dipped below the trees, that made everything feel... well, simpler.

It was different now; instead of the stolen glances and keeping our distance, we would often hold hands, cuddle up, or sometimes Stan would pull me into his lap. He wasn’t one for big displays of affection, but it was the little things, a shoulder bump here, a gruff “You did good today, doll” there. It made me feel like, despite his grumbling and tough exterior, I mattered to him.

Still, even with the comfort of our growing bond, there was something I hadn’t been able to shake: the box of fake IDs.

I hadn’t meant to find them. A few days ago, Stan had asked me to grab a stack of old posters from his office, something about using them to restock the gift shop with "limited edition" Shack memorabilia. I had been in his office before, but never for long enough to look around and take in the contents.

“They’re in the back, on the left shelf, behind all that junk,” he’d grunted, waving me off while he handled some rowdy kids in the gift shop. More than happy to help and get away from the noise, I nodded and went on my way.

I’d gone in, half-expecting to get lost in the clutter. Stan’s office was more like a black hole for random objects; old trinkets, odd tools, boxes stacked haphazardly on top of each other. In all honesty, I wasn’t even sure what he had the office for. Most of the work he did was right in the gift shop and I was his only employee. Mulling over these thoughts, I carried on digging through the dusty trinkets and battered boxes. It was while rummaging through the chaos that I found the smaller cardboard box, tucked away behind a stack of Mystery Shack t-shirts and under a pile of dusty paperwork.

I hadn’t meant to snoop. Honestly, I hadn’t. But curiosity got the better of me, and before I knew it, I was lifting the lid, my breath catching in my throat as I saw what was inside.

Fake IDs. At least five or six of them, each with a different name but the same face—Stan’s face. Stetson Pinefield. Hal Forrester. Steve Pinington. I stared at them, my mind racing. Rumors in town had always swirled about Stan’s shady past, about the "conman days" that no one ever talked about outright, but this... this was more than rumors.

For a long moment, I just stood there, the IDs in my hand, my heart thudding in my chest. What did this mean? Why would Stan need so many fake identities? And why did I feel like I was prying into something I wasn’t supposed to know?

Eventually, I shoved the box back where I found it, grabbed the posters, and hurried out of the office without digging through that box any further, my thoughts a mess.

That had been days ago, and I still hadn’t confronted him about it. Part of me wanted to, needed to, but another part held back. Stan had been nothing but good to me, even if he was rough around the edges. I wasn’t ready to throw all that trust into question, it was still so new to me.

A knock on my bedroom door pulled me out of my thoughts. Stan’s voice followed, a little too casual. “Hey, you decent in there? I’m not about to walk in on somethin’ I shouldn’t, am I?”

I rolled my eyes, smiling despite the tight knot in my stomach. “Yeah, you’re safe. Come in.”

He stepped in, leaning against the doorframe, hands shoved into the pockets of his vest. “So, I’ve been thinkin’... We’ve been workin’ our butts off lately, and, uh, I figured maybe it’s time we take a break. You know, do somethin’ fun. Like a date.”

“A date?” I blinked, caught off guard by the suggestion. It had been almost a week since we had slept together, and honestly, I was feeling ready to take things a little further before I found those damn IDs; they had me trapped in my own head again.

“Yeah, you know—dinner, small talk, maybe I don’t act like a complete idiot for once.” He scratched the back of his neck, looking anywhere but at me. “Figured I owe ya, considering I keep you holed up working here at the Shack day in, day out. So, whaddya say?”

I smiled, feeling a little warmth push through the nervousness that had been gnawing at me. This was Stan; awkward, rough around the edges, but in his own way, he was trying. And that meant something.

“Alright,” I said softly. “I’d love that; it’s a date.”

Stan’s grin turned smug. “Great! Just make sure you get all dolled up; I wanna have the best-looking date in town.”

I blinked, caught off guard. “Dolled up? I don’t know... it’s been a while since I tried that.”

He raised an eyebrow, amused. “C’mon, you’ll knock it outta the park. Trust me, I know you clean up nice.”

I shifted, feeling a little uncertain. “Yeah, but... what if I overdo it? I’m not exactly used to... y’know, dressing up.”

Stan chuckled, his hand brushing my arm. “Relax. Whatever you wear, you’re gonna look great. Besides,” he added, smirking, “it’s not like I can get any luckier.”

I smiled, a bit shy but feeling reassured. “Alright... I’ll try not to disappoint.”

“You couldn’t if you tried,” he said softly, his grin never fading.

I took a deep breath, smoothing the fabric of the only dress I owned—a simple black number that, while not fancy, clung in all the right places. I’d paired it with my nicest shoes, a pair of slightly scuffed heels that hadn’t seen much action lately. I’d even dusted off some of my nicer makeup, just enough to give myself a bit of colour and added some sparkly earrings for good measure. As I stepped out into the living room, nerves twisting in my stomach, I wasn’t sure what to expect.

Stan’s reaction was immediate. His eyes widened, his usual cocky grin fading as he stared at me like he’d never seen me before. He blinked once, then twice, his gaze slowly sweeping over me from head to toe, like he was genuinely speechless.

“Holy—” He let out a low whistle, rubbing the back of his neck. “You look... wow.”

I felt my face flush under his intense stare, suddenly more self-conscious than I’d anticipated. “It’s nothing fancy,” I mumbled, fiddling with the hem of my dress.

“Nothin’ fancy?” Stan’s voice sounded almost hoarse as he stepped closer, still taking me in. “You look incredible, sweetheart.”

But then I caught sight of him, and the words I’d been about to say stuck in my throat. He wasn’t in his usual black suit. Instead, he’d gone all out, wearing a light brown jacket over a burgundy shirt, the top few buttons undone just enough to reveal the glint of his gold chail resting against his chest. Paired with light trousers, the whole look somehow made him seem taller, broader, and more effortlessly handsome than I’d ever seen him. I couldn’t help but stare, feeling my breath hitch.

“Stan... you clean up pretty well yourself,” I said softly, my eyes tracing the lines of his suit, lingering on the gold chain that hung so casually beneath his shirt. He looked sharp, and it was suddenly impossible not to feel the pull between us.

He grinned, that familiar spark returning to his eyes. “Told ya I could make an effort when I want to.”

The restaurant he took me to wasn’t anything fancy, but it was a little fancier than Greasy’s. A small place on the edge of town, with white tablecloths and the smell of good food hanging in the air. It was perfect. Stan was in rare form, regaling me with stories about the Shack, the customers, and even a few tall tales about the strange tourists that wandered through Gravity Falls. For a while, it felt easy, like there was nothing weighing us down.

But even as we laughed over our meals, my mind kept drifting back to that box of IDs. Who was Stan, really? And why was he hiding so much? I pushed these thoughts down, determined not to let my own head ruin anything else for me.

Back at the Shack, we settled into the comfortable quiet that had become familiar. Stan leaned against the counter, pouring two small glasses of cheap whiskey. “You want one?”

I nodded, watching him as he handed me a glass, our fingers brushing for a moment. There was that spark again—the unspoken connection that always seemed to hover between us, even in the quietest moments.

We sat down together on the worn couch, the room dimly lit by the soft glow of the moon outside. I sipped my drink, feeling the warmth spread through me, but my thoughts kept drifting back to the IDs, the questions I couldn’t shake.

Stan seemed to notice my silence, glancing over at me. “You okay?” he asked, his voice softer than usual.

I nodded, forcing a smile. “Yeah, just... thinking.”

He grunted in acknowledgment, his eyes lingering on me for a moment before he looked away, as if he could sense the questions but wasn’t ready to answer them.

As the night wore on, the air between us remained charged. Not just with the usual tension, but with something else, something unspoken yet heavy. Eventually, I curled up against him, letting his arm drape around me and seeking comfort in the familiarity of his presence. I could feel the warmth radiating from him, enveloping me in a cocoon of safety.

“Hey,” Stan murmured, tilting my chin up gently to meet his gaze. “What’s really on your mind?”

I hesitated, caught in the intensity of his stare. The questions lingered, but in that moment, the space between us felt electric, and I realized I didn’t want to think anymore; I wanted to feel.

“Just you,” I admitted softly, my voice barely above a whisper.

His expression shifted, surprise flickering across his face before it melted into something deeper. “Yeah? What about me?”

I leaned closer, drawn in by the gravity of his gaze, my heart racing with anticipation. The warmth of the whiskey in my stomach only heightened the clarity of my feelings; I was here, fully present and aware of the moment.

In that charged silence, I felt the decision wash over me. I wanted this, wanted him. My lips found his in a deep, slow kiss. I rested my forehead against his, gauging his response.

Stan’s breath hitched as he closed the distance once again, his lips capturing mine in a hungrier kiss. It was as if all the tension, all the unsaid words, poured into that moment, igniting a fire that had been simmering just below the surface for days.

I melted against him, my fingers tangling in his hair as he deepened the kiss, exploring with a mixture of urgency and tenderness. The world around us faded away; all that mattered was the taste of whiskey on his lips, the warmth of his body against mine, and the way he made me feel alive.

Stan pulled back slightly, his breath warm against my skin as he searched my eyes for any sign of hesitation. A flicker of uncertainty danced in his gaze, but it quickly turned into a more daring spark. “Hey,” he murmured, his voice low and inviting, “do you want to maybe head to my room for a bit? Only if you wanted to. I just thought... we could keep this going.” His teasing grin was there, but the way he looked at me was earnest, making it clear he wanted to gauge my feelings before moving forward.

I felt a rush of excitement mixed with nervousness, but I nodded, biting my lip. “Yeah, I’d like that.”

He flashed that signature smirk, and I couldn’t help but return it as he took my hand, leading me through the dimly lit hallway. As we reached his room, I was surprised by how tidy it was. His clothes neatly folded, the bed made, and even a faint scent of something fresh lingering in the air. It was a side of Stan I hadn't seen before, and it made my heart race just a little faster.

As we stepped into his room, the warmth from our earlier kisses lingered in the air. The soft light from a lamp cast gentle shadows across the walls, making the space feel almost cozy, a stark contrast to the bustling chaos of the Shack. I took in the little details, the framed posters of oddities he’d collected over the years, the quirky knickknacks scattered on shelves. I felt a sense of intimacy settle over us.

“Nice place you’ve got here,” I said, trying to keep the mood light, but the tension crackled just beneath the surface.

Stan chuckled, a hint of bashfulness creeping into his demeanor as he glanced around. “Yeah, I don’t usually let it get this tidy. Guess I wanted to make a good impression.”

His honesty caught me off guard, and I took a small step closer, drawn in by the moment. “You definitely did,” I replied softly, our eyes locking again, and in that instant, the world outside faded away.

The air felt thick with unspoken words, and I could see the flicker of desire in Stan’s eyes, mirrored by my own feelings. He took another step forward, closing the distance between us until there was barely any space left. “I... I really like being here with you,” he murmured, his voice husky.

“Me too,” I breathed, my heart pounding as he reached out, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear, his fingers lingering against my skin.

With a shared, silent understanding, we both leaned in, the kiss rekindling with a newfound urgency. My hands found their way to the back of his neck as he pulled me closer, our bodies fitting together perfectly. The kiss deepened, our breaths mingling, and I could feel the heat radiating between us, amplifying every pulse of longing in my chest.

When we finally broke apart, both of us slightly breathless, Stan’s eyes searched mine again, looking for confirmation. “You’re still sure about this?” he asked, his brow slightly furrowed with concern, as if he wanted to make absolutely certain I was okay.

I nodded, feeling bold and exhilarated. “I am.”

He smiled at that, a mix of relief and joy washing over his features. Without breaking eye contact, he guided me further into the room, his hands resting on my waist. The moment felt electric, a dance of anticipation and desire as we explored the boundaries of our connection.

As the tension thickened, I felt a surge of confidence. I took his hand, guiding it gently to my neck, the warmth of his touch sending shivers down my spine. “I trust you,” I whispered, my voice barely above a breath.

His breath hitched, and I could see the heat in his eyes ignite.

“Fuck,” he muttered, a grin spreading across his face. “You really know how to push my buttons, don’t you?” He leaned in closer, his breath warm against my skin. “But if we’re gonna play like this, we need to make sure we’re on the same page.”

I felt a thrill at his words, drawing me in even deeper. “What do you mean?”

He held my gaze, his voice dipping into a husky whisper. “I wanna take charge, but I also want you to feel safe. Let’s set a safe word, somethin’ we can use if things get too intense. How about ‘pinecone’?”

A laugh escaped my lips, and I nodded, the absurdity of it only adding to the excitement. “Pinecone it is.”

“Good girl,” he said, his eyes darkening with desire as he tightened his grip slightly, his thumb brushing along my collarbone. “Now, let’s see just how far we can take this.”

With that, he leaned in again, capturing my lips with his, and the world around us faded away, leaving only the heat and hunger between us. As his hands roamed my body, I felt a rush of confidence surge through me.

“Stan,” I breathed, pulling back just enough to catch his gaze. “I want you.”

A smirk played on his lips, and he leaned closer, his voice low and sultry. “You think you can handle it? I wanna see you down on your knees for me. Show me how much you want it.”

My heart raced at his words. The thrill of his command sent a shiver down my spine. I nodded, my breath hitching in anticipation. Slowly, I sank to my knees, feeling the power shift between us.

Stan’s gaze was intense, filled with approval and desire. “That’s it. Just like that. You look so pretty on your knees for me,” he praised, his voice dripping with lust. “Now, take your time. I wanna feel every bit of you.”

Slowly, I unbuckled his belt, pulling down his trousers and boxers, peppering his thighs with kisses. His bedroom was lighter than mine, and I found myself wide-eyed at his size. My mouth watered at the sight of his hard cock, and with a deep breath, I licked a stripe from the base to the tip. His hands flew to my hair, eyes screwed shut and head thrown back as he sucked in a sharp breath. I leaned in, my lips brushing against his tip as I took him in my mouth, savoring the taste and the moment as I started slowly bobbing my head.

“Just like that,” he encouraged, his fingers tangling in my hair. “You’re doin’ so well. I knew you would be so good for me.”

I looked up at him through my lashes, meeting his gaze, resulting in a low, drawn-out moan from Stan that shot straight to my cunt. He noticed me squirming, desperate for any friction I could get.

“Good girl,” he said, his voice low and gravelly, sending shivers down my spine. “Lift that dress for me.”

I hesitated for a moment, but the intensity in his gaze urged me on. Slowly, I raised my dress, exposing my thighs, and I could see the hunger in his eyes grow.

“Now, I want you to touch yourself, over your panties,” he commanded, his tone firm yet laced with desire. “Show me how much you want this.”

I felt a rush of heat as I obeyed, my fingers brushing against the damp fabric as I took his cock deeper and deeper. The thrill of his gaze made me wetter by the second, and I could hear his breath quicken when I moaned around him.

“Look at you,” he murmured, leaning back slightly, his eyes never leaving me. “You’re so beautiful when you’re like this. Just for me.”

The words sent a jolt of pleasure through me, and I let out a soft gasp, my fingers moving with more urgency. Stan watched intently, the tension between us thickening as I surrendered to the moment, lost in the sensations and his commanding presence. I had newfound confidence, taking his cock all the way to the back of my throat, earning a higher and more desperate moan from him. His fingers tensed in my hair, tugging at my scalp in a way that felt delicious.

“Fuck, baby, I won’t last if you keep on like that,” he panted, ragged and urgent.

He pulled me to my feet and straight into a frenzied kiss. He walked me back toward the bed and almost threw me onto it. His careful demeanor from the other night was a mere ghost; Stan was filled with desperation and passion, and it was driving me wild.

“Arms up, doll, let’s get this off,” he panted, helping me out of my dress. He lay me back, making quick work of pulling my underwear off and getting started on his shirt buttons.

He caged me in underneath his large frame, arms either side of my head, his gold medallion dangling in my face. In the heat of the moment, I opened my mouth, allowing the cool metal to drop onto my tongue, closing my lips around it.

“You’re so filthy, doll; you have no idea what you’re doing to me,” he breathed before sucking a dark purple hickey onto my collarbone.

“Keep it in your mouth for me, like a good girl,” he growled.

I moaned around his medallion, arching my back as he continued licking, biting, and sucking all the spots that drove me wild. His fingers dipped down between my folds.

“Shit, you’re soaked,” he rasped into my ear, pushing back to look into my eyes. “You’re loving this, aren’t you? Letting me take control.”

I nodded frantically, my lips still wrapped around his chain. His fingers slipped inside me as he rubbed my clit with his thumb, my hips bucking wildly as I was reduced to muffled moans. The wet sounds of his fingers spurred me on, tightening around him as he watched me, an intensity in his gaze that made me weak at the knees.

“I know you’re close for me, doll; you can let go,” he cooed. “Show me how good I make you feel.”

And with that, the coil within me snapped, and it felt even better than before. My jaw went slack, and my eyes scrunched tight as I rode out the pleasure. As I came down from my high, I could feel the wetness between my legs. Opening my eyes, I saw Stan gawking at me, as if he’d never seen anything like it before.

“Stan? What is it?” I asked, starting to feel shy.

“You just... did you know you could do that?”

Looking down, I saw the drenched sheets before me, shaking my head. Before the embarrassment could set in, his lips were on mine, setting an aggressive pace.

“You’re so hot, sweetheart, soaking me like that,” his voice dripping with pride.

He reached up, pulling the chain over his head and placing it around my neck. “Think you can wear this for me while I fuck you, hm? A little reminder of who you belong to,” he murmured against my lips.

“God yes, Stan, I’m yours,” I breathed.

He froze for a second as he was lining himself up with my cunt, slowly dragging his cock through the slick mess he’d created. He had to stop himself from slamming all the way in at the sight of me wearing his chain.

Once he was all the way inside, he whispered, “Say that again for me, baby, please.” It was a plea, as if it meant more to him than I could ever know.

“Stan, I’m yours and only yours, please,” I pleaded. “Fuck me and don’t hold back.”

It was like something snapped inside him at my words. He drilled into me at a punishing pace, each thrust sending waves of pleasure coursing through my body. I could see the fire in his eyes, a mix of desire and determination that made my heart race.

“Look at you,” he growled, his voice low and gravelly. “So goddamn perfect.” His gaze dropped to my chest, where his medallion lay, glinting between my breasts. “You don’t know how much I love seeing my chain on you like this,” he said, a smirk playing on his lips. “It suits you.”

With each thrust, he leaned in closer, his breath hot against my skin. “You’re mine,” he murmured, his hands gripping my hips as he drove deeper. “And I’m gonna make sure you remember it.”

I could feel the heat radiating from him, and it only fuelled the fire within me. “Stan,” I gasped, losing myself in the rhythm of our bodies.

He chuckled, a wicked glint in his eye. “That’s right, keep saying my name. I want to hear you scream it.” His pace quickened, and I could barely keep up with the pleasure building inside me.

“Just like that,” he encouraged, his voice thick with desire. “You’re doing so well. Let go for me. Wanna feel you cum on my cock.”

As the tension coiled tighter, I couldn’t hold back much longer, surrendering to the waves of ecstasy threatening to wash over me. His thrusts became erratic, the world blurred around the edges, lost in the moment and the connection we shared.

“God, you feel amazing,” Stan gasped, his voice thick with desire. “Look at you, absolutely perfect.” His hands gripped my hips, guiding me as he moved with a relentless rhythm, his eyes locked on mine, filled with admiration.

As the heat surged within me, I felt him lean in closer, his hand wrapping lightly around my throat, applying just enough pressure to heighten every sensation. “That’s it, just let go,” he urged, his tone both commanding and encouraging. “Squeezing me so tight, cum for me.”

With a final wave of pleasure crashing over me, I surrendered completely, gasping as I came undone. “Stan!” I cried, feeling the rush of ecstasy wash over me.

His breath hitched, and I could see the moment he lost control too. “That’s it, doll. Just like that,” he groaned, his eyes widening with pleasure. As he reached his peak, he pulled me closer, his hips stilling, pushing himself deeper as he tensed.

In that shared moment, we both succumbed to the intensity, lost in the bliss of our connection.

As the afterglow settled in, I felt a warm heaviness in my limbs, the world around me softening. Stan’s arm was wrapped securely around me, his presence both comforting and protective in a way that took me by surprise. I glanced up at him, trying to gauge his expression.

“Didn’t know I had it in me, huh?” he said with a smirk, but there was a softness in his eyes that betrayed his confidence. “You really unlocked something in me. You feelin’ okay?”

I couldn’t help but smile, feeling a rush of affection. I nodded. “I didn’t expect you to get so… intense.”

“Yeah, well,” he chuckled, brushing a strand of hair from my face. “Guess I got a little carried away. But I liked it. A lot.” He leaned closer, his gaze steady. “And I like you. A lot.”

The way he said it sent warmth through me, a mix of protectiveness and genuine care that felt new and exhilarating. “You’re not usually like this?” I asked, still processing the intensity of the moment.

“Not really,” he admitted, his voice low. “But I think you bring it out of me. Just don’t go thinking I’ll let anyone else have you.” There was a playful edge to his tone, but I could sense the sincerity behind it.

I nodded, feeling a sense of safety and warmth in his words. “I wouldn’t want anyone else,” I replied softly, curling into him.

“Good,” he said, his grip tightening around me as if to emphasize his point. “Now get some rest. I’ll be right here.”

As I drifted off, I felt the reassuring weight of his arm around me, knowing that whatever this was, it was something special. Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

#gravity falls #stan pines x reader #stanley pines #slow burn #eventual smut #eventual romance #first fic pls be nice #reader insert #stan pines #stan pines smut #stanley pines smut

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imminent-danger-came · 4 months ago

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Monkey MK: "There's something inside you, that you can't control. You know what you are, deep down. A beast, a monster—harbinger of chaos! This thing, that wants to hurt, that wants to destroy, that wants chaos! You're so terrified to let it out! But the truth is, you like it. It makes you feel strong. It's who you are!"

(5x04 The Storm Within)

Nine: "No, I told you, I get out either way! But, I have had enough of control, enough of watching people put themselves in cages! Of...watching them push away the chaos, when the chaos is what makes them who they are!"

(5x09 Sacrifice)

*sweats*

#*cough* didn't uh #Didn't realize these were so on the nose as parallels. Like that each line is the opposite of the other #oh we're fucked in s6 #oh hello #lego monkie kid #lmk #lmk parallels #lmk theme: identity #lmk MK #lmk Nine #lmk spoilers #lmk s5 #*cough*.....eamk for s6.....in a way. In the way that matters to me #Like I've been thinking about the difference between like #Yellowtusk wanting to believe in Azure (''But at the cost of the world?'') and the gang wanting to believe in MK #and how there really is no difference. but YT's belief was framed as ''bad'' and the gang's was framed as ''good''#''I'm sorry pal. But ain't nothin` worth that price!'' uhuh and then it was. Pigsy u little hypocrite #everyone was happier to die with MK than to live without him??? Because they are insane???#and I'm like #bro #the rammies #the rammies next season bro #like MK. MK did kinda choose his friends over the GUARANTEED safety of the world.#He's so funny like that #I just am assuming the open door to chaos is going to have rammies

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yaekiss · 1 year ago

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#mailroom open! i hope the event is still open —if not, feel free to disregard !! i’m looking to send a letter to cyno confessing my love, and looking for a letter w/ yan + nsfw themes back! i love the petname bunny, but any are fine with me!

letter and gift below the hearts. congratulations on 400 !!!

the letter is scrawled on parchment paper, the handwriting a bit messy and hurried. the craftsmanship looks like it was a draft of many — is it possible the sender sent the wrong version of the letter?

“to cyno,

to think it has been merely two weeks since my departure from under your watch. i understand i’m supposed to be focusing on my work, completing my assignment and coming back, but i keep getting distracted.

i wouldn’t say it’s my fault in my entirety, because frankly, it’s you who is distracting me from the duties you sent me on. my mind keeps racing back to thoughts of you, you, you, and it’s impossible to look forward when all i want to do is have you order me around again in the desert.

leaving you was a pain. i didn’t want to go. i crave to be curled against your side and to really, truly love you, but it’s so inappropriate of me. insubordinate.

i’m writing this because i know i can never send it. my thoughts, my emotions — i would be jeopardizing my station. i need to focus, but it’s hard when i know you’re so far.

how embarrassing of me to write this to you. it’s childish of me to think you would really ever take notice.

i should throw this letter away before i fall asleep at my desk and mess it up with the one i really want to send you.

signed, your wannabe beloved.”

the letter makes no mention of the gift that came wrapped with it. it seems that the author really did send the wrong version. the gift enclosed was a bottle of wine, some photos to be included with a report, and some paperwork regarding the assignment they were on in liyue. when opened, it smelled faintly of perfume. “for filing, so they don’t get lost.” read a note attached to the papers and photos.

꩜ Letter Content: GN! Dom! Reader x Yan! Sub! Cyno, no gendered terms for reader, Cyno calls you "bunny", implied abuse of authority, unhealthy obsessive and possessive relationship from Cyno, lmk if I missed anything ! ꩜ Delivery Notes: You wouldn't believe the number of puns I had to listen to... they were all rabbit related too... ꩜ Wanna write a love letter yourself? Check out it out here!

There’s a cardboard box dropped off at your hotel doorstep when you return from your day’s duties.

It reminds you of the kind you see hugged in your colleagues’ arms when they transfer out of your office and to a different jurisdiction or during the bittersweet retirement of a senior staff member. For a moment, the thought of Cyno, the General Mahamatra, taking offence to your confession letter cruelly crosses your mind and you dejectedly bounce the notion of getting fired from your job around in your head as you move to go pick up the box.

However, you soon discover that it is anything but a termination, evident from a heart-shaped envelope that rests shyly on the top of the box. A sense of hope bubbles up in you and you quickly move everything inside, eagerly opening up his letter. Inside the romantic envelope is his response, folded flawlessly into a heart as well. After unfolding it and doing your best to smooth out all the creases in the paper, you rake your eyes over the parchment, noting how his handwriting is identical to the one you always see in official reports. But to see such a font spelling out his love for you has you in disbelief. His letter reads:

“A reply to my dearest bunny. Can I call you bunny? Or should I call you mine?

Starting off, I need to reciprocate your confession, it won’t be ice of me to leave you in the cold. Haha, I wish I could’ve seen your reaction at that joke. On a more serious note, I would be lying to say that I don’t have any feelings for you. You caught my eye when I first saw how admirable you truly are, bunny. Now, you might not think so yet yourself but I’ve personally witnessed it in the little things you do, in your passions, in your dreams. Truly inspiring, bunny.

Thank you for the timely submission of your report again, bunny. Impeccable work as usual, I can always count on you for a job well done. The wine was a thoughtful gift too, if only I were able to share it with you in person. Perhaps I should reward you for being such a hard worker, I could be all yours to use, if you’d want me. Gods, I might be the General Mahamatra but the power you have over me is unfathomable. Would you allow me to lay my head in your lap, to let my hands trail up your calves and thighs, to bury my head between your legs? Maybe you’ll even have me call you General for the night instead, perhaps I’ll scream your title until daylight. I can satiate you in any way you’d like, I’m giddy with desire for you, bunny.

You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to get closer to you, it was simply fated that you were transferred under me a while back, bunny. That previous superior of yours wasn’t the best either, always so harsh on you, aren’t you glad you’re under my watch now? If I can be frank (even though my name is Cyno), I never wanted you to take up the Liyue assignment, it wasn’t my idea in the first place. I loathe that I had to send you for it. What if you got hurt? What if you went missing? What if you fell for someone else? It simply won’t do, bunny.

Thankfully, I’ve managed to find someone to relieve you of your post in Liyue. Let’s just say that they needed this “learning opportunity” more than someone as experienced as you. In the box are all the required paperwork for you to hand over your duties and return to Sumeru. I expect to have you back by my side within a week. Don’t keep me waiting too long, I want to finally show you how much I’ve yearned for you all this time. I just hope you’re a hands-on learner, my bunny.

Fated to be yours,

- Cyno -

P.S.: Would you ever show me the version of the letter you originally meant to send?”

Lifting the cover off the cardboard box, you see an assortment of gifts he prepared for you. Bundles of your favourite snacks, little trinkets, and a small journal tucked to a corner. Opening it up, you glance over the different lines scribbled on it and realise that they’re all cheesy pickup lines and puns from Cyno. There’s one that says, “Nobunny (nobody) compares to you” and another that reads, “You got my heart jackrabbiting for you”. A lewder one says, “Let’s fuck like rabbits” At the bottom of the first page, he wrote, “I save my best jokes for you, bunny ♡”.

Additionally, what also catches your eye is a holographic copy of a TCG card of you in a durable clear casing, it produces a brilliant iridescent sheen when you slowly turn the card side to side in the light. Did he specially commission one of you? Setting the card on your bedside table, you continue going through the box.

True to his words in the letter, there’s a neat stack of paperwork stowed carefully in it. Flipping through the pages, you discover that it comes along with paid for travel arrangements from Cyno. A closer look reveals that all of them are scheduled to get you back to Sumeru as fast as possible. Just as you want to place the stack back into the box, a loose scrap of torn paper slips from it and flutters onto the floor.

The only few words on it you can unfortunately make out are “pulled strings”, “transfer”, and the crossed out name of your previous superior.

Thanks for reading! Consider supporting me on kofi if you enjoyed this or check out my other works hehe ♡

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hoonieyun · 1 month ago

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oblivious

pairing: jongseong jay park x reader “y/n”

genre: dark, serial killer!jay, slasher

warnings: murder, violence, major character death, drugs and alcohol, manipulation, assault, very dark themes and as always, MDNI 18+ (lmk if i forgot anything)

summary: for the last few months, a serial killer named “nightbird” has been causing chaos and havoc in your small college town. it’s the start of your final year of university and everyone is walking on eggshells. your town has created a mandated curfew since the summer started, fearing that they might be the nightbird’s next victim. after being convinced to go to a halloween party at one of the university frat’s, you find yourself the possible target as the nightbird’s next victim. you were the perfect victim, clueless, helpless, and oblivious. just how the nightbird likes them.

characters:

park jongseong “jay” - the nightbird

reader “y/n”

lee heeseung

sim jaeyun “jake”

park sunghoon (ex!sunghoon)

kim chaewon

notes: do you like scary movies..? LOL i love slasher films so this was a bit self indulgent hahaa, but it’s loosely based off of a movie named you’re next. i took some themes from that movie and other popular slashers and combined it into this fic. i hope you enjoy!! ahhhh halloween is coming up soon!! not proofread huhu

word count: 10380

─── ⋆⋅ ♰⋅⋆ ─── ♰ ─── ⋆⋅ ♰⋅⋆ ─── ♰ ─── ⋆⋅ ♰⋅⋆ ───

“welcome back ravens! the 2024-2025 school year is a-go and we’re so excited to have you back! the summer has been eventful to say the least so we hope you all have your thinking caps ready for a new school year! this school year is going to be one to remember.” a student says enthusiastically but disingenuously through the school intercom. tall standing speakers erect from the grounds of the college campus scattered everywhere so that no student misses out on announcements as if anyone even cared.

“god, do they always have to do these. i thought we were going to get rid of that when we left high school.” chaewon, your best friend and roommate, says as she rolls her eyes. her stark black bob-cut hair dancing with each step she takes. “please chaewon, morning announcements are like what keeps the education system going.” you explain, causing the two of you to stop in your tracks to look at each other; bursting out into laughter after your sarcastic remark.

“no, but seriously; they just do that to get students hyped but as you can see…” you pause, motioning to the students all wearing headphones or too busy running to their classes, “no one cares.”

“don’t forget, with the events of the summer, senator park has issued the curfew mandate to be extended only for an hour as he is aware of several college campuses that have courses that end in the evening. go ravens!” the student says before finally signing off.

“an extra hour, isn’t that like… not safe?” chaewon asks you and you just shrug. not thinking about how the extra hour would affect anyone, especially you and chaewon since the two of you had identical classes for the semester and finished the day at 5PM, before it got dark out.

“there’s my two favorite ladies!” jake says as he runs up behind the two of you, hanging his arms around both your shoulders. “ew jake, never say that again.” chaewon says, brushing his arm off of her shoulders. jake takes the hint and removes his arms off your shoulders, stuffing his hands into his pockets. “sooo, you hear about the curfew?” he asks, an ulterior motive waiting at the back of his tongue.

“yes, jake. they literally just announced it. dude, stop drinking so much it’s making you stupid.” chaewon says. jake and chaewon were cousins so their banter was normal. you couldn’t help but laugh at them because they were practically siblings. “well, since the curfew got extended a bit. i was thinking maybe we should go to this halloween party?” jake says, jutting out his bottom lip into a pout with a shrug.

“a halloween party? september isn’t even over yet.” you respond to him, chaewon rolling her eyes at her cousin’s suggestion. “also, just because there’s an extension on the curfew doesn’t mean it’s an encouragement to go out for longer. i don’t want to be murdered. especially y/n, she’s like the perfect victim!” chaewon says. “what’s that supposed to mean?” you ask, confused at her remark. “oh! sorry, i didn’t mean it like that! i’m just saying, you’re pretty similar to all of the victim’s so far. same characteristics and features is all.” chaewon explains, panic spreading across her face as she realizes what she said was slightly offensive. you just nod with a tight lipped smile in response and reflect on her comment.

“the party isn’t for another few weeks, but they sent out the invites early because they’re doing preparations to make sure that everyone is safe.” jake explains. “plus, i got into that frat i was telling you guys about and they said i could bring as many friends as i want.” jake says with a proud smile on his face.

“okay, first of all, joining a frat in our last year of university is loser behavior. and two, we’re the only friends you have so the “bring as many friends” that your frat bros told you, is two.” chaewon retorts, always quick witted, especially when it came to making fun of her cousin.

“whatever chae! you don’t have to come but y/n you should. i know how much you love halloween, plus it’s a costume party!” jake says, adding the last part to try and sweeten the deal. it did sound tempting but with the serial killer still on the loose and the number of victims getting higher everyday, you weren’t entirely sure you would be down for it. “we’ll see jaeyun, i’m still a bit shaken up about the murders, but thank you for the invite.” you say, smiling widely at jake and he returns the smile. “well you guys just let me know ok!” he says, jogging in front of the two of you. “i gotta get to class, see ya!” he says, giving you a peace sign while flipping off his cousin, to which chaewon responds with a middle finger of her own.

“you know you should really be nicer to jake. he’s sweet…” you say softly and chaewon makes a puking sound. “ew, i can’t believe you just called him sweet. i’m never telling him that it’s gonna go to his big head.” chaewon says while linking your arms as the two of you enter the science building.

your first class of the day was a lab with chaewon. you were both science majors. you were studying forensics while chaewon was studying biology. you loved science but you didn’t often tell anyone about your love of science, fearing that you would bore them to death. chaewon on the other hand flaunted her intelligence like it was a luxury handbag. boasting her smarts and physical prowess being not only your college’s top student but also the captain of the school’s women’s soccer team. she was perfect, like she was written from a book with archetypes of various character’s most perfect qualities. you on the other hand, kept to yourself, jake and chaewon were really your only friends.

you met chaewon you freshmen year as you two were assigned roommates and have been best friends since. you met jake through your ex-boyfriend, sunghoon, when you met with sunghoon one day for a double date with jake, sunghoon encouraged you to bring chaewon as he thought she would be a good match for jake. needless to say, when you all arrived and chaewon and jake recognized each other, you and sunghoon spent the whole night laughing at the two cousins as they were almost each other’s blind date.

you and sunghoon were high school sweethearts. you started dating when you were sophomores in high school and by the time you were sophomores in college, you two had broken up as sunghoon became too busy after he became the school’s ice hockey captain. you saw the breakup coming but a part of you wished that you had chosen to be selfish. instead of encouraging sunghoon to focus on ice hockey over you, but you wished you pushed for it to be the other way around, but you weren’t like that. you always put others before you. your grandmother always said that was a double-edged sword and your breakup with sunghoon proved that.

“hey…” chaewon says, stopping you to stand in front of you to look into your eyes. “you know i didn’t mean anything by my comment earlier right? the one about you being the perfect victim…” chaewon says, eyes clearly looking for a sign to see if you were offended. you weren’t but the comment did leave you to think about how you appeared to others. “don’t worry chae, i know what you meant. plus if the nightbird ever came after us we can just push jake to him and he’d probably yap the nightbird’s ear off and he’d just give up and leave.” you say, making chaewon laugh; glad that you weren’t upset at her. when you and chaewon first became friends, you quickly learned that she was very blunt and said most things that came to her mind. most of which weren’t offensive but her bluntness definitely rub some people the wrong way if they didn’t know her the way you and jake did.

you and chaewon entered the lab, students already geared up for the first session of the day. you scanned the room to find an open section that you and chaewon could work at when you spotted a familiar boy. thick pair of eyebrows that were furrowed as he wrote some notes down in a notebook. “okay if i join you?” you ask, causing sunghoon to raise his head to see who the voice was coming from.

“y/n- uh yea- yeah…” he says, a slight stutter in his voice as he clearly wasn’t expecting to see you. “y/n, you found us a spot. nice- you!” chaewon says as she joins you after grabbing some things from the professor, seeing your ex made chaewon almost throw her phone at him. chaewon didn’t really like sunghoon, even though you are still okay with him after your breakup.

sunghoon almost instinctly flinches after seeing chaewon because when she heard about your breakup, chaewon dumped an americano on him in the middle of the cafeteria. luckily, it was iced. “down girl!” you say jokingly, motioning for chaewon to relax and not to make a scene. “you’re lucky i love y/n…” she says, narrowing her eyes at sunghoon almost like it was a threat.

you shoot sunghoon an apologetic smile before getting to work with chaewon. this lab was just a continuation of research the two of you did over the summer so you just continued whatever you needed to for the day.

“hey, thanks man. sorry i’m late.” a guy runs up to sunghoon, pulling out a stool next to him to have a seat. he hands sunghoon an americano and starts taking things out of his backpack. “no problem, thanks for the drink.” sunghoon says, taking a sip of his coffee. you and chaewon just stared at sunghoon until he realized he hadn’t introduced his friend to you guys.

“oh! uh, y/n and chaewon, this is jongseong. he just moved here and he’s on the ice hockey team with me.” sunghoon finally says, introducing you to the mystery man. you and chaewon smile at him, “you can call me jay.” he says, extending his hand out to both of you. chaewon smiles and gets back to finishing her notes while you accept his handshake. it was firm but not in the way where it was intimidating, but in the way that showed he was secure. “heh, your hands are soft.” jay randomly blurts out. “shit, sorry i didn’t mean to say that out loud.” he says, slapping his hand over his mouth. you laugh at his reaction and let him know it’s okay, earning a weird side-eye from chaewon.

the rest of the day went by pretty quickly, you and chaewon only had a lab and one class on monday’s so you were back at your shared apartment before it was even 3PM.

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you got back to your apartment alone because chaewon had soccer practice. you changed into comfy clothes and made your way to the kitchen to grab something to eat. deciding on heating up some leftovers from last night. you sit down at your couch and switch the tv on only to be met with another update from the news.

“breaking news, the nightbird has claimed another victim. cassandra kim, a 3rd year student at…” when you heard the name you began to tune out the news anchor. cassandra was a student you mentored over the summer. you were both in the forensics program and she had fallen behind in some classes so she reached out to you for some help. your ears began to ring at the news of the nightbird not only having his first victim at your college, but the fact that during your mentoship with cassandra, several people made comments about how the two of you were so similar you could be siblings.

this felt like the summer when one of your coworker’s fell prey to the nightbird. you were originally supposed to have the closing shift at the flower shop but an emergency with your grandmother prevented you from attending your shift. your coworker, emily song, who your boss often confuses you with, decided she could close the store by herself. she was the nightbird’s 4th victim that summer and it was only june. her body was found mutilated near the roses, her thick blood coating the flowers as they began to wilt under the pressure of her body.

you’re snapped out of your thoughts when your phone begins to ring, chaewon on the other end of the phone. “chae? is everything ok?” you ask her as she should still be in practice right now. “uh kinda, i’m heading back early, coach cancelled practice because of what happened to cassandra, did you see it?” chaewon explains.

“yeah, i just saw the news. it’s terrible.” you say, voice getting softer at the thought of cassandra’s lifeless body. “it’s fucking insane is what it is!” chaewon yells on the other side of the phone, you can hear her car door being slammed shut. “sorry, i’ll see you soon. did you eat already, i can grab dinner on the way home?” she asks but you decline telling her that you were going to eat but the news about cassandra made you lose your appetite and that you were just going to get a headstart on some assignments.

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a few weeks go by and the nightbird has only claimed one more victim since cassandra’s death. a freshman from a university on the other side of your city. you still didn’t feel safe but clearly the governor did as he lifted the curfew. deeming the decrease of nightbird victims as the start of a new era. claiming that he probably wasn’t going to be killing anymore, thinking the curfew extension helped, governor park pats himself on the back for his “heroic” decisions and everyone just goes back to living their lives as if there isn’t a serial killer still out there amongst all of you. it could be your neighbor, a classmate, someone in your home, hell it could even be jake for all you knew but deep down you knew jake couldn’t do such a thing. jake didn’t have a bad bone in his body, he got punched once at a party by some drunk guy and instead of fighting back, jake offered the guy a glass beer to just leave you and your friends alone. chaewon on the hand, slapped the drunkard assailant and kneed him in the groin, earning a round of applause from the rest of the partygoers as the man was pushed out of the party.

text from: jaeyunie

“so… curfew lifted, is it party time???”

text from: bestie chaewon

“so… are you stupid???”

text from: jaeyunie

“y/n? can you tell my cousin to stop being so mean to me :/”

text from: y/n

“chaewon stop being mean to jake, he’ll cry :(”

text from: bestie chaewon

“never!!”

jaeyunie responded to your text:

“not what i meant!!!”

“anyways, here’s the invite and details to the party. just show the bouncer this pic and he’ll let you in. hope to see you there y/n!! chaewon, you can choke!”

bestie chaewon has disliked this message

y/n has liked this image

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it was 2 days before the party and you were starting to think the nightbird had finally hung his serial killer hat and was done. there hadn’t been any new updates and people were truly going back to their normal lives. even chaewon had stayed out close to midnight at some point and confessed that she missed be out late at night.

“pleeaaaase!! come on, i’m throwing a party at my frat and you guys don’t wanna go?” jake begged the two of you as he was laid across your couch in the living room. a part of you was set on going to the party but only if chaewon went. “y/n, please! convince chae to go. i’ll look like a loser if none of my plus ones don’t go.” jake says, crawling off the couch and grabbing your hands while he was on his knees pleading; looking at your with his puppy eyes.

jake has had a crush on you since the first day he met you, but since you were dating sunghoon at the time, he put a pin in his feelings. when he heard the news of your breakup, he felt guilty that he was glad you had broken up but because sunghoon and jake had become good friends within that time, he didn’t think it was write to try and get with you. especially since his cousin was your best friend, chaewon would die before she ever let her best friend date her cousin.

you give chaewon a pleading stare. half saying, please come to the party, the other half pleading for her to help get jake off of you. “shit! i’m gonna be late.” jake says, scrambling to get on his two feet. he rushes to put his shoes on and grabs his bag from the floor. “i expect to see you both there! please, don’t let me look like a loser!” jake says as he makes his exit. “you’re already a loser jaeyun!” chaewon says and jake yells something back but he’s already too far away from your apartment for the both of you to hear.

“sooo… should we go?” chaewon asks.. “i’m only going if you go.” you further explain. you and chaewon list out the pros and cons of going to the party.

pros:

free alcohol

you haven’t been to a party in months

free alcohol

cons:

serial killer is still on the loose

you both decide that the pros do indeed outweigh the cons, convincing yourselves that because there would be so many people at this party there would be no way that the nightbird would attack and claim another victim because there would be tons of witnesses.

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you and chaewon threw on last minute costumes, opting to do a generic angel and devil duo. you being the angel to chaewon’s devil. you each borrowed clothes from each other to complete the outfits. you donned a white ensemble, a white dress and heels to match while you had quickly bought angel wings and a halo from the halloween store. chaewon was wearing red leather pants and a matching leather top that you had in your closet, you had bought it on whim when you were feeling adventurous but when it had arrived you suddenly realized that wasn’t something you thought you could pull off. chaewon’s outfit was finished with devil horns that you also had gotten from the halloween store.

the two of you did the last touches of your makeup before you realized that your uber was outside, deciding that it was probably for the better if you two got a ride there so that you could both enjoy the night and drink without having to worry about driving later on.

the ride to the frat house was pretty sure, in all honestly you and chaewon could’ve walked but neither of you wanted to because you were in heels and it was pretty chilly outside. you could’ve brought coats or jackets but it was just one more thing you had to carry around at the party. as the driver dropped you off and big you farewell, a huge gust wind of blew past you and chaewon. you both shiver and jog quickly to the entrance. the house was already bumping with loud music and different colors of lights can be seen from the outside as they peeked through the windows.

you show the bouncer the invititation and before being let in you’re scanned with a metal detector. chaewon is in the clear but the detector goes off for you so you have to explain to the bouncer that it was your belly button piercing, you even showed him a photo on your phone to prove it and he lets you enter. with a sigh of relief you join chaewon who was patiently waiting for you just a few feet away.

once you enter through another set of doors, you realize that this party was a lot bigger than jake made it out to be. you assumed it would just be a few people because of the whole serial killer thing but you were now realizing that it seemed like half your graduating class was probably in attendance. you and chaewon make your way to drinks, pouring yourselves a mixture of a few different types of alcohol and juice to sip on all night.

you were almost done pouring yourself a drink when a random man in skeleton costume wraps his arms around you. in your surprised state you instantly grab his arm and twist it behind his back in submissin. “ow! y/n that fucking hurts!” the guy behind the masks exclaims and you realize the thick accent instantly.

“jake?” you ask, his arm still restrained behind him. chaewon snatches the mask off, revealing a jaeyun with now disheveled hair and a painful expression on his face. “can you let me go now?” he asks pleadingly and you realize you were still twisting his arm so you let go. “sorry, you scared me.” you mumble and jake rubs his arm. “you deserve it! why would you scare us like that, i almost dropped my drink you idiot!” chaewon says while jabbing her elbow into jake’s side, causing him to hunch over in pain.

“geez! sorry, stop beating me up!” he says half jokingly. you shoot him an apologetic look and he shares a smile back. “how do you even know how to do that y/n?” jake says, referring to the instant reaction you had to him. “yeah, that was kinda cool. you need to teach me that!” chaewon says and you just shrug, telling the pair of cousins that you had learned it from a movie. they don’t press any further but you could tell jake didn’t buy your tale.

“so angel and devil huh? fitting for chaewon, she’s like lucifer.” jake says teasingly and chaewon threatens him with a fist to which he fake flinches, acting like he’s scared but he wasn’t one bit. you explained that it was a last minute decision to which he says that you both looked good, even complimenting his cousin but not without theatrics as he pretended to barf and choke in the middle of the compliment. chaewon just rolls her eyes and makes about how jake’s costume was scary but what’s under the mask was scarier. she soon walks off to the dance floor, gesturing for you to come with her.

as you pass jake you quickly tell him that he’s not scary at all and that he actually looks cute. advising him that he should take the mask off for the rest of the night so everyone could see how cute he looked. you don’t get to see or hear jake’s response but a bright red makes their way to his cheeks as he smiles at your compliment.

chaewon pulls you into the dance floor and your bodies are moving against each other to the music. a euphoric feeling of freedom that you hadn’t felt in a while, having felt like you had to constantly be on your toes because of the murders but tonight you had practically forgotten all about it.

the music shifts from house music, to edm, to pop, and you’re truly enjoying your time. occasionally taking sips from your drink as you danced with chaewon and a few other girls you recognized from the finance program at your school. “psst, i think you caught the eyes of that guy.” one of the girls says into your ear, the music is too loud to hear anything without having to speak directly into each other’s ears. you turn your head to see where she’s pointing and a certain thick browed vampire is staring at you from across the room. a drink in hand like you and a smile now on his face as you guys make eye contact.

you let chaewon know you’ll be right back and you make your way over to sunghoon, who was leaning on the wall, smile growing bigger as you got closer to him. “care to explain why you’re staring at me like a creep?” you ask him teasingly and he chuckles at your comment. he leans down to you, lips almost grazing your ear, “couldn’t help but think you wore this costume for me.” sunghoon says. referring to your angel costume as angel was a petname he often called you during your relationship. you scoff and roll your eyes at him, clearly he’s had a few too many drinks because he doesn’t usually talk about your relationship unless he was drunk.

remembering the time he called you at 3am when he got too drunk and needed a ride home. this was 3 weeks after your breakup and although you didn’t want to see him, you were too kindhearted to leave him stranded at some random club. the whole drive back to his apartment he babbling about how pretty and nice his girlfriend was as if he was talking to some stranger, not realizing he was talking to you and that you were indeed not his girlfriend anymore. needless to say, he made sure not to get drunk around you again.

you turned on your heel to walk away from sunghoon but he grabs your wrist. he motions with his head to walk with him so you do. the music was too loud for the two of you and clearly sunghoon wanted to talk to you about something. whatever it may be, you finished the rest of your drink to prepare yourself.

sunghoon pushes open the sliding door that led to one of the many balconies at the frat house. the cold autumn air pinching at your cheeks, causing you to shiver and like it was a reflex, out of instinct, sunhoon wraps his arms around you to provide warmth.

“is this okay..?” sunghoon asks and you nod. “what did you wanna talk about?” you ask and sunghoon is quiet for a moment. “i just wanted to tell you that i have a girlfriend. i wanted you to hear it from me first and not anyone else.” he says. this wasn’t the news you were expecting to hear from him. you instantly threw his arms off of you in disgust, “are you kidding me?” you ask him, irritation and disdain clear from your tone. “you pulled me out here to tell me you had a girlfriend? as if i fucking care?” you say to him. sunghoon imagined this going better in his head but soon enough it had turned into an argument. similar to ones you had when you were still dating.

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“i don’t give a fuck. go fuck yourself!” a voice says as jay watches from the shadows. he had been watching you since you had gotten to the party. he found several hiding spots around the frat house where he could easily stalk and lurk in the shadows without being seen. when he saw you and sunghoon make your way to the balcony, he watched from the window of the library, a room none of the frat brothers ever went into. he watched you storm away from sunghoon, cussing him out as you made your exit. sunghoon soon enters the house from the balcony, running his hands through his hair, clear disappoint on his face from how the interaction went down.

sunghoon has his down but not for long as he hears the floor creak just a few feet away. his gaze averting to the direction of the sound, jay quickly positions himself behind the door but it seems sunghoon is too curious for his own good as he makes his way towards the direction of the sound.

sunghoon slowly pushes the door open to the library and from there jay, with a quick swift movement, jabs a knife into sunghoon’s neck. blood spraying into the library as sunghoon’s body falls to the ground. blood splatters onto jay as he finishes the job, not caring about the blood on his skin as no one would question it because they were at a halloween party. he drags sunghoon’s body further into the library, behind one of the shelves before rejoining the rest of the party. now on his way to look for you.

jay had eliminated one obstacle in his way. he felt somewhat bad because sunghoon was a good friend to him but he was just in the way. now he just had to get rid of your two pesky best friends before he could have you all to himself.

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you made your way downstairs and reunited with chaewon and some of the other girls. you were partying it up but chaewon seemed to notice your mood had shifted. “are you okay?” chaewon asks into your ear and you give her a nod. she doesn’t believe you but she lets it go because she doesn’t want to push it. you tell her that you were going to grab another drink and that’s when you find run into jay in the kitchen. he’s picking up various bottles to see which one he wanted to drink, “you should choose the tequila.” you say as you get closer to jay and when he looks up at you and smile spreads across his face. “hey, it’s you!” jay says and you realize that he may not remember your name.

“y/n?” you say and jay smiles and nods at the realization of your name even though he’d never forget it. you’re all he has been thinking about since the moment he first laid eyes on you. “right! sorry i’m pretty drunk.” jay says with a chuckle and you can’t help but smile at him. the way his eyes crinkled when he smiled gave you butterflies inside your stomach and you hoped that he didn’t notice the redness in your cheeks and assumed it was from the alcohol.

you and jay got to talking and learned about one another, sharing your interests and hobbies, and you eventually forget about sunghoon. your conversation however is interrupted when a group of guys barge into the kitchen to refill their drinks. the room becoming way too crowded, “wanna head outside?” jay asks and with a nod, he takes your hand in his as he guides the two of you to a side door of the frat house that led to the backyard where several party goers have passed out on the grass.

the two of you sit next to each other on a lawn chair and chat about life and the events of the party, choosing to not bring up sunghoon because you didn’t want it to further ruin your night. “wait, what is your costume?” you ask, just now realizing that you didn’t know what jay was dressed as.

jay looks down at himself with a chuckle, “oh, haha um. well i’m dressed as ted bundy.” jay explains slowly, afraid that it would cause alarms to go off in your head but to his surprise it doesn’t. you tell him about how you actually listen to true crime podcasts pretty often and that ted bundy, although a monstrous serial killer, was an interesting individual. jay was relieved to hear this and somewhat glad as he found it as a way to only get closer to you.

in the heat of the moment, you don’t why but you find yourself moving closer to jay and sitting on his lap. “is this okay?” you ask him and jay swallows even though dry. he nods eagerly and you smile at his reaction. you found him so cute and the glasses he wore only made him look cuter. you snuggled closer to jay and he snakes his arm around your waist, although a new feeling it felt right and jay made you feel comfortable.

you find yourself staring into jay’s eyes and due to your close vicinity, the lenses of his glasses fog up from your breath. you take them off of him and wipe them clean and place them back onto his face. “you okay?” you ask jay and he seems stunned by your actions. jay wouldn’t admit it himself but you truly had him too stunned to speak. he didn’t expect your usual quiet nature to be so forward with him. jay didn’t know what to say as you got closer to him, “can i kiss you jay?” you ask him and jay slowly nods as your soft lips in contact with his.

the kiss starts off slow as the two of you get used to the feeling and after a few quick moments, the kiss heats up. jay adjusts your position on his lap so that you are now straddling him. one arm around your waist and the other was holding your face softly as he deepened the kiss. you leaned into the kiss and you could feel yourself melting into him.

this wasn’t a part of jay’s plan but he wasn’t complaining. he was enjoying the moment with you and if he was being honest, he wished that it wouldn’t end. the two of you were so immersed into the kiss that you don’t realize the music inside the house had halted for a moment but what caused the two of you to break off from one another is when an ear curdling scream echoes throughout the frat house. you quickly pull yourself off of jay, a confused expression on both your faces as you try to catch your breath and understand if what you heard was right.

just as you were about to say something, another scream can be heard from inside the house and the two of you rush inside to see what all the commotion is about. you could see that people were crowding up the stairs but you couldn’t tell what they were looking at or talking about. you and jay pushed your way through the crowd, hand in hand, as you climbed up the stairs.

when you reached the top you could see jake knelt over a body and chaewon standing over the two of them with both hands over her mouth. “guys what’s going on?” you say and jake and chaewon whip their hands in your direction. chaewon walks over to you and tries to tell you what happened but she doesn’t have the words to break it to you.

when jake gets up you got a better view of the person on the floor and you recognized the costume he was wearing. the same vampire costume that sunghoon was wearing, “is that sunghoon? what is he doing on the floor, is he okay?” you ask, trying to walk towards him but jake and chaewon hold you back. “y/n… sunghoon is dead.” jake says and it feels like time has stopped and you begin to hyperventilate. you were just with sunghoon, how could he suddenly be dead? you were confused and you truly didn’t know how to feel, you didn’t end on good terms but you would’ve never wished death upon him.

chaewon consoled you as tears began to fall from your eyes, all the while, jay was rubbing your back, trying to stop a smile from spreading across his face.

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a few hours have passed and everyone has left the party, leaving you, jay, chaewon, and jake at the frat house. the police had questioned the people at the party who didn’t immediately leave as soon as the cops showed up. you felt numb, you didn’t know what to feel or think because all you could replay in your head was your last moments with sunghoon. feeling guilty that maybe if you didn’t leave him behind, he would still be here, but he wasn’t.

when you were being questioned by the police you had asked several times if they thought it could be the nightbird but each time you asked they didn’t give you a definitive answer, telling you that they couldn’t clarify that because so far, all of the nighbird’s victims were female. you couldn’t wrap your head around what was going on, who would’ve killed sunghoon and just leave him in the library for everyone to find.

when the police left, you took a seat next to jake on the couch while chaewon was pacing around the living room. jay leaned on the entryway of the living room, observing the three of you to see what his next move would be. he needed to study the three of you further to know what he should do next but all he knew was that chaewon would be his next target.

“chae can you sit down you’re stressing me out!” jake says, breaking the silence and chaewon stops in her tracks with an irritated expression on her face. “fuck off, i’m just as stressed as you are.” chaewon scoffs at her cousin and they soon break out into an argument.

you were too emotional for their bickering so you abruptly got up and walked off, chaewon and jake suddenly stopping their argument when they realized you left. the three left in the take a seat on the couch, “should we go after her?” jake says and chaewon shakes her head, explaining that you probably needed some time to yourself.

“we probably shouldn’t leave her alone after what happened. what is the nightbird is who attacked?” jay says and he could tell that the pair of cousins were now considering that as an option. they all exchange silent glances before jake speaks up, breaking the silence once again. “do you really think it’s the nightbird?” jake asks and jay just shrugs, explaining that none of them could be too sure and that they probably should look for you before something bad happens.

the three of them split off on their own to look for you and neither of the cousins see the smile across jay’s face as his plan to induce paranoia in them succeeds.

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jake is wandering around the various halls of his frat house, not realizing how big it actually was. he’s entered a few rooms and quickly scanned them but you weren’t in any of them. he continues his way through the house but he hears a sound come from one of the storage closets. jake slowly approaches the closet, afraid at what could jump out at him, he slowly reaches for the door knob and with a twist and swift pull, he opens the door and a gasp leaves his lips.

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chaewon found herself roaming around on the top floor of the frat house, annoyed by all of the stairs she had to walk up, only to realize that when she got to the very top floor there was an elevator waiting for her. “are you fucking kidding me?” chaewon sighs with annoyance. she searches through the few rooms on the top floor, mostly storage as most of the rooms were filled with boxes. chaewon gets distracted as she sifts through the boxes, most of which were all old items from previous frat brothers who lived there and seasonal items that the members used throughout the year.

chaewon was too busy digging through the boxes that she doesn’t hear the floor creaking behind her and without a notice, a pair of hands are shoving her back and she goes flying through a window and lands on the grass outside of the house.

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jake gasps as he opens the door and he finds you crouched down in a coat closet. knees up to your chest as tears fall from your eyes. he kneels down to your level and consoles you, letting you know that everything is going to be okay and after a few moments, you let jake know that you’ll be fine and he helps you up from your spot in the closet.

as the two of you get to your feet and leave the closet, you both whip your heads towards the direction of the window when you see a silhouette quickly pass by the window with a drowned out thud following right after. “what was that?” you ask and jake silently shrugs. the two of you walk over to the window and a shriek leaves your lips as you see chaewon’s body on the ground.

you and jake quickly run outside and find jay already there, knelt down next to her, checking to see if she’s okay. when you get closer, tears once again start to fall from your eyes at the realization that your best friend was lying dead on the grass. you try to run to her side but jake stops you and you crumble in his arms as you hysterically cried for your best friend.

the two boys decide that it would be best to move chaewon inside so they carry her and place her limp body on the couch. you watched from afar, tears still in your eyes as you watched your best friend be carried away. even more questions were now swimming around in your head and it felt like this was a confirmation that the nightbird was here. although chaewon didn’t seem like the usual victim of the nightbird, alarms were now ringing in your head that you and your friends were getting picked off one by one.

“we need to protect ourselves.” you say and jake looks at you like you’re crazy. “what are you talking about? we need to call the police and leave.” jake says and as he grabs his phone it suddenly fades to black, indicating that the battery had run out.

when he asks if you or jay’s phone works, you realize that you hadn’t seen your phone and can’t remember the last time you saw it. jay held his up and his phone was also black. with no other option, jake refers to your plan. none of you could call the police and it was clear there was a murderer roaming around the house.

you instructed the two of them to grab something to defend themselves with and to make sure all doors and windows are locked so that way if the murderer were to try and escape or hide in any rooms, they wouldn’t be able to because it was locked and if they tried to break any doors or windows, all of you would hear it.

the two boys looked at themselves, questioning this behavior as they’ve never seen you act this way before. you stared at them and when none of them made any movement, you snapped to get them to start. the two boys ran in different directions, following your orders, and going off to look for something to defend themselves while locking all doors and windows.

you rolled your eyes at their reluctance to move but with two people dead, you weren’t about to let any more people die. you go in the same direction as jake, choosing to leave jay alone as he seemed more capable than jake, you see him in the kitchen grabbing a knife. you take the knife from his hands and hand him a mallet. “sorry jaeyun but i think i’m better off with this.” you tell him and he chuckles and agrees with you.

before you could walk off, jake asked you if you were okay and where this behavior was coming from. he had never seen you like this before and quite frankly it was a bit scary to see you go into this fight or flight mode, emphasis on the fight. you brushed off jake’s question and told him that it doesn’t matter. you mutter that you were going to find jay to make sure he was fine and jake just nods as he makes his way in the opposite direction of you.

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you roamed the halls of the house, knife close to your body as you quickly made sure to lock each door and window you passed by. you had just finished clearing one of the floors but hadn’t found jay when the lights inside of the house suddenly turned off. you expected this so you were able to keep your composure. you were beginning to try and think ahead of the nightbird, trying to figure out what his next move would be and turning the lights off made the most sense.

the three of you were all separated and turning off the lights would only cause more paranoia. you abandoned going onto the next floor as you rushed down the stairs carefully to go back to the living room. as you jog to the living room you trip over something and land on the ground with a thud, a grunt leaving your lips.

you scrambled as you tried to find a light source, patting the ground for anything and your fingers grazed over a phone. you quickly pressed the flashlight button and another shriek leaves your lips as you see jake unconscious on the ground. you had tripped over jake and soon realized that the nightbird had gotten to jake. you nudged jake and tried to get him to wake him up but he didn’t respond at all. you were now crying once again and you hear someone approach, you slowly raised the light upwards and the light flashes over jay.

“is he dead?” jay asks in a low tone and you could only respond with a grumble. jay kneels down and picks you up off the floor just as the lights turn back on. you wince at the bright light and when your eyes open you make eye contact with jay and he’s staring intently into his eyes. you were almost lost in his eyes but couldn’t shake the fear out of you. you separated from jay and began to pace around the living room. you were staring blankly at a wall and when your eyes focused over one of the photos, you noticed that jake and jay were standing next to each other in the photo.

you didn’t know that they knew each other let alone that they were also in the same frat. things were beginning to click in your head and puzzle pieces were falling into place. “hey jay… how did you like being in this frat? bet you never expected there’d be a murder huh?” you ask and jay instantly answers. telling you that it was cool and it felt nice to have made new friends and in the middle of his sentence he randomly stops. realizing that you had put two and two together.

you slowly turned around and watched jay, he had his gaze fixed on jake’s body and you were now for sure that your suspicions are correct. “it’s you isn’t?” you ask and jay chuckles at your question. he didn’t need to answer but the laugh told you everything you needed to know.

“how’d you figure it out?” jay probes as he looks up at you, a smile so sick it could cause heart attacks spread across his face. jay was not only the one killing your friends but was also the nightbird. your chest began to rise and fall a lot faster as you tried to come up with a plan in your head. “you’re new, i doubt anyone would’ve just invited a new kid into the party and since you needed an invite to get here you must’ve not needed one since you’re in the frat.” you began to explain as you took a few steps to create a bigger distance between the two of you. jay watching you from a distance and it seemed his eyes had gotten a lot darker.

“you also seemed way too familiar with the house, being able to navigate comfortably, even in the dark.” you continued, swallowing the dryness in your throat. only someone who knew the layout of the house could easily find their way in and out and around the house without a problem. easily carrying out each kill and slipping away without being noticed. you were trying to go through all of the signs you had seen but completely ignored. “and you also forgot to clean off the blood on your face.” you say, voice slightly trembling after you realize that the blood on his face wasn’t a part of a costume but probably sunghoon’s after jay had stabbed him.

jay is silent for a moment and a laugh erupts from him as he claps his hands, like he was amused by your findings. “wow. such a smart girl you are. i didn’t expect that coming from you.” he says, now trying to slowly close the distance between you but you oppose by continuing to step away. the two of you were now circling the living room, trying to keep your distance from him.

“you know i didn’t peg you to be very smart, but i stand corrected.” jay says, stopping and pulling out a knife from his pocket. when the blade flashes in the light you could see that it was still covered in blood and it makes you gag. the idea that he didn’t even bother to clean sunghoon’s blood off his knife made you sick.

“why did you do it?” you ask in a hushed tone.

jay smiles at you before answering your question. “well do you want the whole story?” he asks, almost like he was a bit excited to explain his murder sprees and why he gutted all of those women. your eyes narrow at him and he jokingly throws his hands in the air. “fine. i killed all these people because…” he pauses before continuing. the smile was no longer on his face and you could tell something had just shifted inside of him.

“i wanted to.” he says and a shiver runs down your spine. he found it amusing and that’s what terrified you. “do you know how satisfying it is to hold someone’s life in your hands, having them beg for their lives as tears run down their face, and giving them the smallest sliver of hope only to tear it away as i plunge my knife into them one last time?” jay says, his voice getting louder and more aggressive with each word.

you flinched at his answer and he could tell he was starting to get to you. “you know i wasn’t really going to kill you. i actually enjoyed what we were doing outside but i had to make sure none of your stupid friends got in the way. especially that jake, you know how much he would tell me how he liked you so much but didn’t have the courage to ask you out? it was fucking irritating and i’m glad i took care of him.” jay says as he kicks jake’s body.

“now, be a good girl and come over here. everything will be fine just as long as you listen and do whatever i say okay? i want to kill you and hear you beg, you’re the perfect victim. so innocent and oblivious you hadn’t even realized i’ve been stalking you for weeks now. i will say it’s very impressive that you figured me out. kudos to you angel.” jay says, a cocky smirk on his face and it only makes your blood boil.

“see that’s where you’re wrong. i’m not so innocent nor am i oblivious.” you begin to respond and jay becomes intrigued, eager to hear what you have to say. “go on, angel…” he says and you furrow your brows at his comment.

“i’m way more capable than you think. i may not have noticed you stalking me but trust me when i say this. i’ll be the only one making it out of this house tonight.” you say and it seemed like your body was moving before you could process it as you made a dash for the stairs but jay was quick and strong. before you could make it three steps up the stairs his arms were around your waist and he was pulling you to the ground. you land with a loud thud and the wooden floors make a cracking sound as you come in contact with it. the breath is knocked out of your lungs and jay takes this as an opportunity to grab your wrist and slam it in to the ground, causing you to drop your knife. he kicks it away and it slides towards jake’s body.

you struggle under his grip as you try to free yourself but it was to no avail. jay was just much stronger than you and although you were 100% sure you were a lot smarter than he was, you couldn’t fully get him off of you with just strength so you did something unexpected.

as jay held your body down, an angry expression on his face, you leaned forward and connected your lips together. jay’s eyes widen at the feeling of your lips on his and for a moment his grip on your hands loosen. when you pull away from him, jay is still shocked so you use all your strength to swing your head back and forward, headbutting him right in the nose. this causes him to stumble off of you as his hands fly to his nose, blood now dripping from it. you scramble to get up and crawl towards the knife but jay quickly realizes what you’re doing and grabs your ankle.

with blood still dripping from his nose, he drags your body across the room with his strength and your body slams into the wall causing picture frames to fall and a crack to appear from where your body was thrown into the wall. you wince in pain and are suddenly jolted forward when jay grabs a handful of your hair, “you think that was gonna work huh? stupid girl.” he says with a scoff. he begins dragging you by your hair and you thrash around, trying to escape from his grasp even if it meant ripping your hair out.

jay stops and kneels down towards you and before he could even say a word, you’re jabbing your first into his side and kicking him in the stomach as he falls to the floor from the pain. you both get back on your feet, quick breaths leaving both of your lips as you huff and puff for air. jay lunges at you but you quickly move to the side, causing him to stumble forward and into the wall. you kick his back and swiftly elbow the back of his neck, trying to incapacitate him but it seems nothing is working.

you look around the room and your eyes land on the knife laying next to jake. you try to reach for it but jay trips you over with his feet and jumps onto you. you were now in the same position as before, jay on top of you as you tried to push him off. an amused smile on his face as he watched you struggle trying to fight him off. his amusement in your struggle and will to live only pissed you off further, you averted your gaze from him to the knife and that was when you realized that jake’s eyes were open and he was staring at you.

you bring your gaze back towards jay when he starts talking, “i really like you, you know? if you hadn’t tried to kill me i think we would’ve made a hot couple.” jay says and you don’t respond with words but spit in his face instead. as the spit hits his eyes and he recoils, jake grabs the knife and slides it towards you. with the knife now in your hands, when jay opens his eyes they widen at the image of you plunging the knife into his stomach.

jay falls off of you and onto the floor as his blood pools around you. you quickly get off the ground and make your way to jake who was surprisingly awake. “how are you alive right now?” you ask him and he shows you that the knife didn’t puncture him because of the skeleton part of his costume. he then goes on to say that he didn’t immediately let it be known he was still alive because he didn’t want jay to panic and run away.

you close your eyes in relief and give jake a hug, glad that he was alive and was there to help you kill jay. “i can’t believe chaewon is gone…” he says and you just hug him tighter. “we should probably call the police.” you say and you bend over to grab jay’s phone. if your assumption was correct, jay’s phone was actually not dead but he just showed the two of you a black screen to make it seem that way.

you grab his phone and your assumption was right as when you grabbed it from his pocket, his phone lights up. you quickly unlock the phone by placing it in front of jay’s face and dial 911. tossing the phone onto his body as you and jake walk to the front porch to wait for police and paramedics to come. the two of you sit together on the steps and you lean your head onto his shoulder.

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soon after, bright blue and red lights appear in the distance and the sounds of sirens become louder as they get closer. you explained to the police officers that jay was the killer the whole time and that he was the nightbird but your conversation with the officer is halted when you see paramedics roll chaewon out of the house on a stretcher, her eyes open as she breathes through an oxygen mask. “chaewon!” you say, running past the officer and over to here. “is she gonna be okay?” you ask the medical specialist and they tell you they aren’t sure but there’s a high chance she’ll make it. you watch them wheel her away and she gives you a small smile.

“maam?” a voice says behind you and you turn around to find a different police officer behind you. “there isn’t any more bodies inside.” he says and your eyes widen at his statement. “what? no that has to be wrong, he was in there i stabbed him and he fell to the ground!” you yelled and when the officer doesn’t respond fast enough, you run back inside and find nothing but a puddle of blood where jay was originally laying.

you couldn’t believe that he was still out there and that this wasn’t over.

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you were sitting in your apartment, preparing for chaewon’s return home. she was extremely lucky that she had only broken a few bones and that the impact wasn’t hard enough to kill her. you were cleaning and making sure the apartment was clean and tidy so that she had no worries when she came home and that she could focus on just fully recovering.

your attention is caught by the tv as a news reporter talks about the nightbird. it had been about 2 weeks since that night and every day the news dedicated a segment to the nightbird. exposing his identity as jay park, 22 year old student, and the person better known as the nightbird serial killer. they even note that he was never found at the crime scene and that there was still an ongoing investigation to find him.

a knock on your door brings you out of your thoughts and you assume it’s chaewon. you check your phone and don’t see a text from her saying that she was there but you just figured she forgot. you walk over to your front door, ready to greet your best friend with a smile, but your smile quickly fades when you’re met with none other than jay. standing at your doorway, the same menacing and creepy smile plastered on his face, and the last thing you remember was him lunging at you before everything went dark.

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“the nightbird has struck once again. his last victim being a male from the local university, park sunghoon, killing him at a halloween party where he attempted to kill three other students who also attended the same school. last night, calls were reported to an apartment complex where it seems the nightbird has claimed yet another victim. y/n y/ln, 22, who was one of the survivors from the halloween party, falls victim to the nightbird 2 weeks after the original event. if you have seen this man or have any information, do not hesitate to phone in. we must put this to rest and get justice for the victims.” the newscaster reported.

the tv suddenly turns black as jay shuts off the tv. smiling at the news and feeling victorious that you fell victim to him in the end. sure you were a smart girl, but at the end of the day, you were just as naive and oblivious like the rest of his victims were; and to him, you were the perfect victim.

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all writing here is fiction & not in any association with characters mentioned.

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