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mailmango · 1 month ago

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Gel-ousy

Pairing: Lucas Ron Thomas x Sanctum Alexander Arroyo (ITLITW OC)

Genre: Fluff

Notes: Jealousy; childhood crushes; misunderstanding trope

Length: 2.8k words, Fic

Synopsis: Lucas always takes forever to do his hair, and Sanctum often takes the opportunity to ogle his handsome boyfriend. Today, though, he'll get to learn why the man picked up hair gel in the first place.

A/N: This is a repost of one of my Choices fics from last year GAHHAHAHA I LOOOVE Lucas and I want the boyo to be happy so I wrote this oekmd vcjbvvjcv ALSO I apologize for the switch up to everyone here because of One-on-One, I'll post more smut soon!! ALSO I RLLY WENT OFF WITH THE OUTFIT DESCRIPTIONS LMAO MY BAD BESTIES

Credits: @/aquazero for the divider and @/whatisreggieshortfor for encouraging me to do Choices stuff <3

I picked this one just for you! I hope it's the sweetest of the bunch...

“You know, with today, you’ve brought the average time you spend doing your hair in the morning to seventeen minutes.”

Sanctum was on his and Lucas’s shared bed, typing away at his sticker-covered laptop. With confusion and a bit of concern, Lucas stopped tying his blue tie. The fabric still undone in hand, he looked to his boyfriend.

“What? How do you know that?”

“Data and observations.”

“You’ve been recording my hair routine time?”

Lucas felt self-conscious all of a sudden. When Sanctum looked at him, he could see that pang of uncertainty in Lucas’s eyes. He knew it well; it had painted Lucas’s face nearly every day of middle school when he sat down for lunch, having just been teased and ridiculed for whatever reason cruel kids would tease and ridicule him for.

“Yeah… it’s rather difficult to keep my eyes off you, so I figured I may as well be ‘productive.’ I can stop, if you’d like.”

Sanctum spun his laptop around to reveal a spreadsheet. Lucas pulled on his glasses, noting that his boyfriend had been cataloguing nearly every day since they moved in together a half year ago. A sinking doubt started to weigh in his stomach.

His words came in a mutter, almost indistinguishable and inaudible.

“I‘m surprised you’d want to watch me in the mornings that much.”

Sanctum was taken aback. He closed and set aside his laptop, motioning Lucas to take a seat by him on the bed as he sat up. He held Lucas’s shaking hands, and his thumbs brushed over the man’s knuckles.

Did Lucas really think Sanctum wouldn’t want to look at him?

“What do you mean by that?”

With a deep breath, Lucas took his seat by Sanctum’s side. Sanctum’s hands never let go of his, and his eyes never let go of a concerned expression.

“Well, I figured that without the gel and the clothes you…”

His voice trailed off as he remembered the day that cemented his daily usage of that drugstore hair gel.

“You can tell me.”

Sanctum’s hands found Lucas’s just as their eyes did. With a soft smile, he urged his boyfriend on.

“It- It started back in high school…”

“Oh, you’re here. Morning, Lucas.”

It was freshman year. Although the friend group of Sanctum, Ava, Lucas, and the others who had met Reddield didn’t communicate much, these three did from time to time. At least, they did back then.

Lucas remembered that Ava was on the steps of one of the less busy entrances to their school. Having just fully realised her true alternative style, her clothing was a mish-mash of dark leathers, spiked boots, stripped leathers, and a skirt. She had this awkward haircut, with straightened and dyed hair accompanied by some horrendously large bangs. It was so strange, too, because her makeup had yet to, well, exist. She would get her personal style well and cohesive eventually, he thought.

But Lucas couldn’t really judge. He was in an awkward phase in terms of style as well. Blazers and v-necks were being replaced by cotton sweaters and button-ups. His pants, however, lagged behind, with ripped jeans rarely being swapped out for what he would come to wear more often, dress pants.

The biggest change ongoing, however, was his hair. He had been tired of sideswept hair, envious of seniors with their pushed back and immaculate hair. The cause for all of that jealousy?

“Hi Lucas!”

Sanctum Alexander Arroyo.

Sanctum and Lucas had remained the closest amongst the group, save for the former and Ava. Sanctum, in that time, also remained as a permanent and prominent part of Lucas’s heart.

Sanctum’s awkward phase had just finished by then. Once, he wore plain clothing. Sneakers, baggy pants, and plain shirts he left untucked were all slowly but surely replaced throughout middle school.

Sanctum’s style was very close to both Lucas and Ava’s, at least, what they would become. Some days, he would wear black mesh and turtlenecks, well-fitted leather pants or studded jeans, and he always had a perfect boot to match. These would often be accompanied by clip-on earring studs, chokers and bracelets with chunky spikes, and necklaces of all sorts. He often claimed that version of him to be the fault of his older sister, who would give him “advice” as to what to wear, which is to say would dress him each morning without his input. He liked it though, and never had many complaints.

Lucas found that version of Sanctum’s dress attractive. Mesh shirts that showed a bit too much skin, especially for their age, and the specifcially devious smile he would wear left a hormonal, confused Lucas’s head spinning. But what really drew Lucas in was the clothing Sanctum claimed as his ultimate favorite, his truest style.

Sanctum’s style was characterised by curly hair being done in what was essentially a fluffy poof. He wore sweaters that were just smack dab in between something loose and perfectly fitted. His pants were khakis a size or so too big for him, which he kept cuffed and held closed by a leather belt with his initials on the buckle. His socks often matched his sweaters, going stripped and stripped, dots and dots, or any manner of patterning, and his shoes were either his favorite brown boots, one of his hundreds of pairs of colored sneakers, or even dress shoes.

That day, Sanctum had opted for a deep green sweater and his boots, which Lucas had to admit he loved the most. But Lucas’s eyes never got the chance to flick down to his footwear.

“You want to have lunch later?”

He was far too focused on the way the hazel of Sanctum’s eyes became hypnotizingly vibrant and the way his voice sounded like a long-perfected orchestra.

“Yeah!”

Little Lucas shouted a bit—okay, a lot—too eager with a blush to his cheeks.

Ava snorted.

“You were really cute back then.”

Sanctum tried to lighten the mood as he and his boyfriend stared down at a picture the three had taken that day. The three were smiling—well, Ava was sort of smiling—at their usual lunch spot.

“Cute, sure…”

Lucas took another deep breath.

“But do you remember what happened that day?”

The three were hanging out in one of the back corners of the cafeteria, one with the perfect balance of enough light and little noise. They had been sitting in that spot for the two months of freshman year that they had managed to survive.

Lucas and Ava were trying to stomach the school lunch: a strangely texture pizza and some indescribable diet coke. Sanctum took pity on them and shared some of his quesadillas, although he fully hogged his bacon and rice. He even gloated a bit.

“Mm- So, Mr. Packed Lunch, how were tryouts?”

“Tryouts?”

Lucas swallowed the piece of quesadilla in his mouth. He looked between his two lunchmates, trying to gleam what they were talking about.

“I, uh, tried out for the cheerleading squad.”

“Really? That’s awesome!”

“Yeah… it’s just that I-”

All of a sudden, a large hand clapped down onto Sanctum’s shoulder.

“Did amazing?”

There, with a hand on Sanctum’s shoulder, was Jason, the student body president and vice captain of the football team. He flashed his pearly whites, taking his seat right beside Sanctum.

Lucas had to admit, the senior was really, really handsome. He was obviously well-built, dressed in nicely styled but simple clothing, had beautiful emerald green eyes, and had an amazingly styled head of sweptback brown hair.

“You guys have a little prodigy over here! Little ‘Tum did amazing!”

He smiled and chuckled, an arm coming to hug Sanctum across his shoulders. The boy was speechless, mouth agape and cheeks dusted rosy pink.

Lucas could feel the jealousy flood his system. He couldn’t bear to watch it, to be frank. Sanctum was being held so close—was it too close? And the way that this handsome, older guy made Sanctum blush without even trying… the way called him “‘Tum”? It was starting to grate on him.

“That’s… great to hear.”

His words were steady, but his hands were gripping his knees like they were a lifeline.

“Hell yeah! ‘Tum here showed up with some of the best freshman gymnastics Kate or I have seen.”

“Jason, you’re being too kind-”

“I’m just telling the truth!”

God, Lucas hated the Sanctum blushed when Jason ruffled his hair. He wanted Sanctum to blush for him, not Jason.

“Best dressed, too. We’ve gotta go shopping sometime, I admire your style.”

“Th-thank you, Jason! I… think your hair looks really nice!”

Lucas could feel a spark of anger and an explosion of jealousy inside him. He watched as Jason laughed some more, wishing with every second he had been the one making Sanctum blush that cutely.

Gah, Sanctum was cute.

“Babe, you were jealous of Jason?”

Sanctum and Lucas were closer now, resting their backs on the headboard. Their hands were intertwined, and Sanctum’s head was rested on Lucas’s shoulder.

“…yeah.”

“I see… do you want to continue? We can talk more now, if you’d rather not.”

“I… I’ll finish the story.”

Sanctum waved goodbye to Jason, who had give his own polite niceties to Ava and Lucas. But Lucas didn’t mind that, no, he simply let Jason’s words to Sanctum resonate through him.

“I’ll see you at practice, ‘Tum.”

Abruptly, Lucas shot up. As he stood, he knocked his tray, the food swishing to the other side. He couldn’t take it.

“I’ve got to go to my locker. I’ll see you guys later.”

He rushed out, his mind a mess. He focused on one step, then the next, and the next again. He was making good progress. Excellent, even.

Until he realised he forgot to give Sanctum a goodbye hug.

He was mad, sure. He was brimming with jealousy, sure. But the last person he was upset with was Sanctum, and he didn’t want him to think he was mad at him. It would be the furthest thing from the truth, in fact. He turned on his heel, steps thrice as fast as they were when he was leaving.

He could see their table. Ava and Sanctum were still side-by-side and faced away from him, Ava using her elbow to nudge Sanctum as he laid his head down.

Lucas was not pleased to hear what Sanctum was whing out.

“Why?! Ava, tell me, why is Prez so handsome?!”

Prez? Who’s Prez? Prez… president…

“I dunno. Why is he so handsome, Sanctum?”

Jason?

Sanctum groaned loudly.

“Because he looks so good in that shirt! And his smile? It was so pretty! And and and his hair- gosh, his hair! I just-”

Lucas was running again, now trying to hold it together as he ran back into the hallway. It was empty, he noticed, and boy was he glad.

He slowed down, trying to steady his breathing, removing his glasses and rubbing his eyes.

And then he walked into a wall, falling back in recoil. Except it wasn’t a wall.

“Woah, Lucas, you okay, little guy?”

Jason. Lucas pushed himself up, fumbling with his glasses for a moment before slipping them on. Jason was holding out a hand with an apologetic, perfect smile on his immaculate face.

Lucas wanted to cry, just a bit.

Instead, he took the offer, using the leverage to pull himself up.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m… I’m fine.”

“Hm. You sure? There’s something going on, I can see it on your face.”

Jason leaned in, a hand on his shoulder.

“I’m telling you, Jason, I’m alright. Thanks for asking.”

“Oh come on! You don’t gotta tell me what’s wrong, but you could at least let me help cheer you up. Is there anything at all that I can do?”

Lucas’s mouth fell open. For a second, he wanted to tell Jason to stop being so close with Sanctum. But it felt wrong. It was wrong. Instead…

“How do you get your hair to look like that?”

“What? Really? That’s… that’s what you need?”

“Yeah.”

He was stone faced. Inside, on the other hand, he was waiting with bated breath.

“Gel. I buy it from Marv’s in town. Are you sure that’s all?”

Lucas was already setting off, eager to get his phone. He had to tell his mom he was going to get something from the store. He needed to do this.

“Yeah! Thank you!”

“That’s where you got the idea?”

Sanctum laughed a bit, and Lucas did as well. He wanted to begin reassuring his boyfriend, but he could see it in the way Lucas’s face returned to a bleak expression.

“You can keep going, Lucas. I’m here, and I’ll listen.”

The next day, Lucas was running late. Late for Lucas Ron Thomas, at least.

With an absent Ava, who had gone on a trip with her dad, Sanctum was alone on those steps. When it had reached twenty-two minutes prior to class starting, he sort of lost hope. Lucas was ten minutes later than normal, and he figured he probably had something going on and had forgotten to text Sanctum about it.

Sanctum, crestfallen, stood up. He dusted his pants off, pulled his backpack straps taut, and began to turn on his heel. Lucas, emerging from his car, noticed and began to run with an accompanying cry.

“Sanctum! Wait!”

“Lucas?”

Sanctum turn around mid-step, seeking a slightly-out-of-breath Lucas. Something was different today, something had to have changed.

“Your hair…”

His dad had helped him brush and style his hair that morning. Lucas’s hair was brushed back, swishing to the side as it got further and further from the base. It was so, so very new, and as Sanctum noted, it all held in place even as Lucas moved his head.

“I, ahem, tried gel. For my hair. What do you think?”

The next few moments were tense for Lucas.

Lucas’s left hand fiddled with his right hand pointer finger as he gazed at Sanctum with uncertainty. Sanctum had his arms crossed by then while his face was scrunched in a look of scrutiny. His eyes seemed to track the flow of his hair, his weight even shifting in an effort to get another view.

Lucas’s chest let out the tension when he got finally a beaming smile back.

“You look very handsome, Lucas!”

“I was never handsome to you before that.”

Sanctum tried. He really, really tried. His darnest, in fact. But he couldn’t hold back his laugh.

“Lucas, I love you!”

“What?”

Lucas looked up as his hands stopped their nervous fidgeting. Sanctum’s smile was so wide Lucas was almost offended.

“Lucas, do you know who ‘Prez’ is?”

Lucas winced at the mention of Jason. He could feel his chest tighten with jealousy.

“Jason Rousseau.”

More laughter.

“Lucas, my stupid, lovely, handsome genius, you’re ‘Prez’. Have been ever since you were student body president in middle school.”

It was like a chord being plugged in and a circuit starting. Lucas’s breathing began to steady once more, only for him to break into a chuckle as well.

“What?”

“Babe, Ava and I were talking about you that day—we were most days. I was obsessing over how handsome you were in your cute new blue polo.”

Lucas saw it then: Sanctum’s eyes, wiped clean of laughter tears, were filled with nothing but affection.

“I remember it, in fact. I was talking about how if you ever came home in a polo like that, I probably wouldn’t be able to stand. Just drop to my knees out of pure joy; your pretty face would be the culprit.”

“‘Come home’? You were thinking about us moving in by then?”

“Moving in? No, not just that. As embarrassing as it is to admit, I was imagining our life together, idiot. Do you know how long I’ve liked you?”

Lucas let out a chuckle of disbelief and relief. His body felt lighter, his heart less sunken, and his cheeks starting to ache from the abrupt and overwhelming amount of smiling he was doing.

“I bet no longer than me. I’ve been imagining it since fourth grade. Well, I was imagining us holding hands at that age.”

“...I suppose you’re right. But we’re tied! And I was imagining us dancing by then! So really, I win.”

He couldn’t help himself from leaning over and pressing a kiss to Sanctum’s cheek. Sanctum huffed and pouted before pulling Lucas in for a proper one. Then another, and another, and another.

When he finally stopped, he felt obligated to explain something.

“Lucas, you look handsome with the gel. But you’ve always been handsome to me. Always have been, always will be.”

His hand rested on his boyfriend’s cheek.

“Always?”

“Always. Even when you had those chunky Simon glasses.”

Lucas laughed properly now, letting any tenseness fully melt away. He pecked his boyfriend on the lips yet again.

“So, if I stop wearing gel tomorrow, I won’t get any less kisses?”

“Less? Babe, you won’t be able to keep me off you.”

His smile was wide and his ears were red.

“I’m throwing my gel away. Immediately.”

Laughter and kisses kept them occupied that day. So did Sanctum running his hair through his boyfriend’s soft, luscious hair.

THANK YOU to any and all Choices enthusiasts. We are TOO many, but we're here!

@whatisreggieshortfor @darlingminjin @worstwolverinesbf @inhumanshadows @ellxio @starboye @yoursweetdxll @boypied

LMAO TO EVERYONE EXCEPT REGGIE IF YOU DONT WANT TO GET TAGGED IN THESE JUST TELL ME!! Reggie, you can't escape me bestie

#mango's harvest #lucas thomas #lucas thomas x male reader #lucas thomas x reader #lucas choices x reader #choices x male reader #choices x reader #choices #it lives in the woods #x male reader #xmalereader #male reader #x reader #x male oc #gay

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rosesnink · 5 months ago

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The Way To Rome, Chapter Two: New Routines

Author's Notes

After months being on a depression slump, here I am, back on my TWTR groove! Exams start tomorrow, but the muses were faster. Oh well!!!

English isn't my first language, so please forgive any typos/grammar mistakes

My OC's Choices sprite was made by the talented @peonyblossom all credits to them!!

If you'd like to be tagged on these series or in the It Lives stuff in general, send me an ask!

Summary: After Tallulah's anniversary, it's time for Faye to finally face college, but the forces of nature just don't seem to agree with her...

Word Count: 1.8k

Category: Angst, hurt-comfort, horror, nightmares, grief

Rating: PG-13

Pairing: Lucas Thomas x F!OC (Yun Faye), mentions of Stacy Green x F!MC (Tallulah Hunter)

CW: This series will deal with themes of death, grief, horror, sexual themes and strong language, and other recurring themes of the It Lives Anthology, including the It Lives Project. Reader's discretion is advised.

Book: It Lives in the Woods

Beep beep. Beep beep.

Faye opened her eyes, sighing as her senses and body awakened. The fun was over, and it was time to prepare for the real challenge: college. Throwing back the covers, she got up and yawned as she scratched her head.

After going to the bathroom and brushing her teeth, she brushed her hair, did a simple makeup with some blush, a small eyeliner and lip gloss. Spraying her coconut perfume, she put her MacBook inside of her bag alongside her charger and went straight to the cafeteria for a good cheese bagel with its seasonings and a strong coffee. Faye had always been a morning person, she enjoyed how foggy and silent Westchester looked, the birds singing in the distance, the fresh air and how the sun wasn’t out yet, but it wasn’t dark either. A calming, comforting grey. Paying for the bagel and coffee, she started walking towards the campus. People were either groggy or already running, laughing, talking and simply living. Back in high school, people in Westchester would want your head for being so energetic. But that was the magic of college: it was not like high school.

Suddenly, woman with familiar blonde hair and blue eyes laughed with an equally redhead woman, both talking about something. She froze. No. It couldn’t be them. They were dead. They were both dead. She had seen them die.

She shook her head. Her brain was playing tricks on them. Jane hadn’t even been ten when she died, and she had buried Tallulah a year ago, and visited her grave a few weeks ago. Yet, she could feel their absence more than ever. Not when she had died. Not when Redfield killed them both. Not while watching her coffin be laid six feet down. Not during her anniversary. Today. Right here. Right now.

Her chest swelled, and her throat closed, her body going limp. Tears threatened to drop, and her body didn’t feel hers. She was sure she was about to collapse when a familiar pair of steady hands steadied her and embraced her “Easy,” it was Lucas, “it’s alright. I miss them too.”

She didn’t even remember why she was mad at him, or why she didn’t want to even breathe the same air as him. She simply laid on his chest and cried silently, clinging to him like a lifeline.

“Why them, Lucas?”

“I’m afraid we’ll never know, Faye.”

She sniffled, grabbing his napkin as she wiped her tears and took a few steady breaths. He stroked her back gently, drawing comforting ghosts on it, soothing her. She looked at him, and for the first time, didn’t see the man who broke her heart, or the one she fell for. He was tired, sad and full of regret, just like her. Two broken children bearing in their backs the pain of losing a piece of their past, someone they loved for so long, it just left a gaping hole in their hearts.

“Let me walk you to class.”

“Please.”

He walked her there, and even got her a good seat, and squeezed her arm “If you need someone to talk to, or just to cry with, my number hasn’t changed.”

She nodded, squeezing his shoulders before he left to his own class.

At first, it was hard to focus on class, but then she felt Tallulah a few feet away, encouraging to do so, and found strength in it. It was probably stupid, but grief was odd like that. And as long as one found comfort in that oddness, it was okay to lean on it for a bit.

After a long, emotionally exhausting day, she dragged herself to the room and closed the door, and opened her computer to start working when she saw a message of Stacy that read ‘vc me when u get back from class? Xx’ and decided that talking to her would be nice. They were very different people, but they understood each other very well, and had been on good terms during cheer.

The window opened to a red-eyed Stacy with run-down mascara and a weak lip, but nevertheless smiling at her with her familiar blue orbs “Hey, girl. Tough day, huh?”

Faye chuckled “We both felt the same despite being a few states apart, didn’t we?”

Stacy sighed “I don’t know about you, but I tried it with my first class, then had a whole meltdown and called Connor crying like crazy because… because it hurts, Faye.”

Tears threatened to spill them both “You think the same as all of us: it’s not fair.”

Stacy started crying “She should be here, Faye. In my bed, talking, cuddling, watching our annual rewatch of ‘You’ve Got Mail’, not six feet deep into the mud because of that rat’s delusions.”

Faye finally said it out loud “What was he thinking, that we’d perform the ritual and a grown Jane would come back, and we’d all eat cake and be merry?!”

“Right! Noah clearly did not think of anyone but his own desires. And Tallulah—,”

“Was too good to let him face the consequences of his actions. I told her, Stace, I told her a million times that her kind, golden heart would be the death of her!”

Faye realized what she said, and covered her mouth. Waiting for Stacy to blow up at her, she closed her eyes, but instead met a sigh “But that wouldn’t make her our Tallulah. My Tallulah was always so kind, gentle, brave and full of love and life…”

“I’m sorry, that was too far.”

“Maybe. But I think it’s time I accept that. Besides, I told her too, back when we were children, that the adult world was ‘full of meanies’ and it’d eat her alive.”

“Yet, that didn’t stop her from being kind and caring. I cannot see her as a cold-blooded murderer, no matter how much Noah deserves it.”

Stacy sniffled “If only he had learned from her instead of looking back, huh?”

Both stared into the distance, sniffling in silence and remembering Tallulah. The exchanged looks in the halls after that night, silently celebrating when she succeeded, watching her change her colors from pink, to blue, to red, to lilac. To think to herself how well it suited her, to hear her laugh or hum her quirky songs in the distance, telling Britney to screw off, watching her come late to class because a hungry cat wanted her to pet them, or because the petting session with Hilda had prolonged itself, or when she missed a day because she was sick, and how charged the air was in her absence.

Even if they didn’t talk, Lula was always there, lingering in a corner, and every time she felt the fear and guilt, she could always watch Tallulah from a distance, eating her spanakopita in peace as her headphones vibrated of how high the volume was.

“You know you’ll be deaf when you’re forty if you keep it up, right? Sooner, even.” A thirteen-year-old Faye told Tallulah. It had been the first time that they had talked properly since Jane died and both went into a depression and PTSD slump. Tallulah removed them and shrugged.

“The thrum comforts me. Having noise all around my ears does. Silence…”

“Reminds you of that night.”

Tallulah nodded, her black highlights based on Avril Lavigne now looking less bright. Faye squeezed her hand “I don’t like complete silence either, but not too much noise. That’s why I always put on some water noises. Reminds me of home, and I sleep easier without the nightmares.”

“…Do you see her? Lying there, eyes wide, looking at you for help?”

Faye nodded “And Redfield there, looming, smiling creepily as she dies.”

Tallulah took her hand and smiled at her “I’m glad I’m not alone in that.”

Faye hugged her tightly “Never, Lula.”

That had been the last time they had hugged one another. When they found each other last year, she was too hung up on her jealousy of Lucas that she lost her chance of reconnecting. She had her right there, and she had taken her for granted, all because of a boy who’d never love her back.

“Tallulah had always been there, now that I think about it,” she mused, breaking the silence “I could always find her in her spots every time I felt overwhelmed, but now…”

“Her absence feels as heavy as your whole body? Yeah. I looked for her, on the way back. To see her in the entry stairs, or the theater, or the back of the cafeteria, but then I remembered that this isn’t Westchester, and Lula’s gone. Forever.”

“Yeah…”

Knock knock.

Faye looked up to see her dormmates with something in their hands asking for her to come “I should go. But you take care, and shoot me a text if you need anything.”

“Okay. Tell Lucas I said hi.”

“I don’t—,” But she had already hung up.

She sighed, and looked at her dormmates: Silvia, from Massachusetts, Chandini, an exchange student from India and Sky, their non-binary dormmate from New Zealand.

“We saw that you were feeling down, and then heard that your friend passed away, so we decided to bake you cookies.”

“I baked them,” Chandini responded, and pointed at Silvia “you scrolled all through the Marshall case and Sky stood there like that one Robert Pattinson meme.”

Faye chuckled “They smell nice. Come in, tell me about yourselves.”

They talked for a while, exchanging tales of their homes and lives, and laughed at some oddities from professors of their majors and its students, and all was well until Connor texted her ‘turn on the tv rn!! news of noah dropped”. She frowned but went to the living room of the TV.

“As you were telling us, fugitive Noah Marshall, accused of killing fellow classmate Tallulah Hunter a year ago, has been seen in New York running away on a getaway car with an unknown man, allegedly stealing a worthy possession. The police are now looking for any witness who may have seen him or may have reached out to them. Here are the phone numbers to call if anyone spots him. Catching him is crucial, and the Oregon government offers 5,000$ of reward to whoever turns him in.”

Silvia placed a hand on her shoulder “How do you feel, Faye?”

“…If that rat even approaches this school, it’s on sight.”

She was back at the threshold of that cave. In there, Tallulah sat on the grass, her dress ripped to shreds, her hair messy and tears in her eyes, a haunted expression on her face. Faye ran to her, but a barrier seemed to stop her. Tallulah looked up “You left me, Faye. Again. Left me alone. Trapped, with it.”

“Who?! Talk to me, Lula!”

Then, Redfield appeared behind her. Slowly, the monster grabbed her neck and scalp, and Tallulah gasped. Faye screamed, trying to get through “No! Nooo! Not again! Leave her alone! Take me!”

But the monster had taken over her. It looked at her through those powerful blue eyes, void and lifeless. Then, it lunged at her. All Faye could do was scream.