Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

How does corn grow so tall in a place with no actual sunlight? Or Beans? Or any of the several dozen different fruits and vegetables growing in the rich black soil? Perhaps it was the unnaturally fertile earth that compensated for the lack of seasons and sun and rain. Not that the last part would have ever been an issue. They’d had roofs and running water since they arrived.

“Dwight? Earth to Dwight!” a voice called, directly by his ear. Jumping as he was pulled out of his thoughts, the bespeckled man almost fell over into the rows of aforementioned corn.

Grabbing his arm, Jake asked, “You’re still daydreaming about your trip, huh?”

Dwight sighed, setting aside the shovel he’d been using and dusting himself off. “Every chance I get, but I was actually thinking about all this.”

Looking over the neat rows of crops, Jake was silent for a moment. That wasn’t entirely unusual. He was normally a pretty quiet person and that hadn’t changed since they’d gotten out of the Entity’s Realm.

Finally, he said, “Sorry I can’t go this time.”

Although Dwight was disappointed, he tried not to let it show. They’d already talked about it multiple times, and he really didn’t blame him for not being able to go. “It’s fine, I understand. Do you think… Leon’s going to try and talk me out of it?”

Jake smiled. “He just might. He doesn’t like it when any of us go out alone.”

“Do you think he’s right?” Dwight asked, unable to help his nervous fidgeting. “I know none of the others have ever had problems when they’ve gone out by themselves, but… Maybe I’m not cut out for it?”

Walking with him as they made their way back towards his house, Jake offered bluntly, “He’s always going to worry when one of us goes out, especially when we go alone. But, this isn’t the first time you’ve gone on a long road trip. Nothing has ever happened before, so why would this be any different? You’re smart, Dwight. You’re capable. It’s not going to be any different than before… everything else. You can do this.”

Nodding, he tried to feel as confident as his best friend sounded. It really wasn’t like it was the first time he’d gone out on a multi-day or even multi-week road trip since they’d been back. He’d actually gotten to see over half the places on his original bucket list and dozens of new places that he’d never heard of. But this would be his first time going alone, and it left him feeling more anxious than usual.

Usually, Jake would go with him. Never one to miss an opportunity to get outdoors or just out of the pocket dimension they now called home, it had come as a shock to Dwight when he’d apologetically informed him he wouldn’t be able to go with him on his trip. He’d already volunteered to help set up a new satellite tower Jonah had designed, and the project had ended up coming together much faster than any of them had anticipated. Now, it was going to take several days to put everything together, test it, and tweak it to make sure it was working as efficiently as possible. They’d had cell service and internet for a few years -again, mostly thanks to Jonah- but it was spotty at best and everyone was getting tired of Ash complaining about his shows cutting out midstream.

“You could ask David or Claudette to go with you,” Jake offered, easily picking up on Dwight’s anxiety. “Or Meg. You know she’s always down for adventure. Or… you could postpone your trip.”

“Hmm? Oh, no,” he murmured. “You know Claudette doesn’t really like tourist traps and David and Meg are busy anyway. I already got the time off approved and if I try to move the dates now I’ll have to find someone to trade duty with and-”

Giving him his patented, ‘I know. You’re rambling again. It’s okay,’ look, Jake managed to shut him up without saying a word.

“So. Tomorrow?” he asked after a beat of silence.

“Actually… I was thinking of going now, since I'm done with my chores for the day,” Dwight admitted, rubbing the back of his head. “I know Meg is planning to ambush me as soon as I try to leave and I’m pretty sure she’s got Ash and Quentin to try and convince me as well.”

Shaking his head, Jake laughed quietly. “They should know by now, once you’ve made up your mind there is no changing it. Why don’t you ask them to go?”

Dwight smiled at that. It was true. He may be an anxious, nervous wreck most of the time, but he had a stubborn streak that often drove his friends more than a little nuts. “It’s fine, really. I’m actually kind of looking forward to doing this myself. It’s been a long time since I’ve actually gotten to get out like this and I just… I kind of need the time away.”

Jake didn’t need to say anything, fully understanding the sentiment. Sometimes Dwight wondered why he stayed in the Pocket with the rest of them. Although they’d easily come together and built a community, they were all free to go if they wanted.

Still, Dwight already knew the answer to his own question. The Pocket was a safe haven, free from the threat of Killers or being recognized as long since presumed dead missing persons. The world had changed since they’d been taken, and many of them weren’t even from this Earth Realm; a fact that the former S.T.A.R.S members had quickly realized. They weren’t the only ones, but it was by far the biggest shock to the former agents turned Survivor.

Realizing they were standing awkwardly outside his front door, Dwight grimaced, a slightly blush coming to his cheeks. “Sorry, I got lost in thought. I’ve already packed some clothes and everything, so… want to walk with me to the Tree? I know Leon’s not going to like me dipping out a day early, even if I am done with my assignments.”

“He’s going to lecture you either way,” Jake chuckled, shrugging. “But yeah. I’ll try to distract Meg if she realizes what you’re doing.”

“I thought she was on pond duty today?” Dwight asked. In all reality, he didn’t mind that Meg was so adamant about him not going out alone. It was just her way of showing she cared. Of course, if he had to sit through another of her two hour long lectures on safety and keeping a low profile, he may die of old age.

Nevertheless, he reached inside to grab his backpack. He hadn’t been joking about being ready to go, having packed his bag hours before his alarm had even gone off to signal it was time to wake up for the day. Pulling the door closed again, he didn’t bother to lock it. It wasn’t like anyone would go in while he was gone and even if they did, he trusted they’d leave his stuff alone. Well, David might go through his refrigerator looking for snacks, but that didn’t bother him. He’d already moved the stuff he didn’t want to share to Jake’s place to keep it safe while he was gone.

As they walked towards a large building in the center of the horse shoe shaped cul-de-sac that Dwight always thought was quite reminiscent of a courthouse, Jake asked, “Are you planning to bring anything back this time?”

Having been thinking about that exact question quite a bit himself, he already had an answer. “Of course. I’m going to try and get some more books. Ace asked for a couple packs of playing cards and a new set of poker chips if I can find any, and as usual, Nea wants me to bring her some more spray paint. Did you want anything?”

“You do too much, Dwight,” Jake admonished, but there was no aggression behind it. “They can go out and get all that themselves, you know? Well, I guess Nea can’t since she broke her leg… But she’ll be fine in another day or two and she’s too impatient to wait for you to get back; she’s probably going to go out as soon as she can and get more anyway.”

“I know, but she’s always running out. May as well help her stay stocked up. And the others would either have to wait for their day off, or they would have to put in a time off request, wait to get it approved- You know, the whole thing is just tedious. Besides, the less of us go out the better,” he argued half-heartedly. “And, I like helping.”

He really did. It gave him something to do, other than tend the gardens or feed the fish in the ponds they’d dug. As much as he loved the Pocket for its absolute safety and generous provisions, he found himself missing the more mundane parts of day to day life from before. He missed walking down the street to get coffee for his coworkers. The sounds of traffic whizzing by outside his small apartment. The hubbub and murmur of other people just going about their lives, unaware and unbothered by what might be lurking in the shadows around them.

Just as they were walking up the steps to the large whitewashed building, the patter of feet racing over hard ground reached their ears. Swiveling, Jake muttered, “Shit, looks like Meg figured out your plan and she is coming to get you.”

Braids flying out behind her as she ran, the former up and coming track star shouted, “Dwight! Don’t even think about it! I want to talk to you!”

“Ah, crap,” he swore. Shooting inside, he added, “Bye Jake! I’ll text you updates when I can!”

“Have a safe trip,” he called, voice becoming slightly muffled as the door shut.

Dwight barely heard him, having immediately bumped into another person. Hands grabbed his shoulders before he could fall over, helping him find his balance. Smiling apologetically, he offered, “Sorry, Tapp! Um, is Leon here?”

The former detective didn’t answer right away, looking past him to the door where muffled commotion could be heard. Looking back at Dwight, he asked, “Meg?”

Fiddling with the hem of his shirt, he nodded. It was well known that she hated it when he went on long distance road trips, but she usually didn’t raise so much of a fuss since he had someone else with him; especially when she got to go… Now that he was going on his own however!

Laughing, Tapp shook his head. “Come on, kid. He had a feeling you were going to be heading out early so he’s already waiting for you.”

Why oh why did that make him so nervous? He knew Leon wasn’t going to not let him go; they weren’t prisoners here. Maybe it was because he always gave them the same lecture every time someone went out. By that point Dwight could practically recite the entire thing by heart…

Then again, Leon just made him nervous in general. He’d easily stepped into the role of leadership when they’d escaped the Entity’s Realm and Dwight was all too happy to be free of the burden. But he still understood the stress of wanting to keep everyone safe, fed, and happy. There were days he honestly couldn’t tell if stepping aside had made things easier or not, and he felt slightly guilty for being so glad it wasn’t his job to mediate or problem solve anymore. That didn’t stop some of the others from coming to him anyway, and he would be lying if he said he didn’t appreciate their continued friendship and trust.

“You know what he’s going to say,” Tapp said, a knowing smile on his face as they walked deeper into the building. “Where are you going again?”

Pulled out of his thoughts, Dwight explained, “Well, I’ve never been to Colorado and I hear it’s really pretty this time of year.”

“You ski? Or snowboard?” Tapp asked curiously. “I’ve known you a long time now, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard you mention it before.”

“I don’t,” Dwight admitted. “But it’s a change of scenery and I’ve always loved the snow. And… you know they don’t usually show up in places like that.”

Tapp’s expression darkened as he warned, “Ghostface was on a spree nearby there not too long ago. Over in Utah, if I remember correctly. And the Huntress and Legion aren’t bothered by snow.”

Although the idea of running into a Killer now that they were outside the Entity’s Realm utterly terrified Dwight, he wasn’t too worried. Ghostface always followed the same pattern. Show up, kill a few people, vanish. That creepy reporter Jed Olson always showed up just behind him, chasing him from city to city and state to state, never doubling back and never returning to the same place twice. Unless he was drawn back by a copycat, that was, but again, not an issue for the worried Survivor. The Legion had vanished from the Entity’s Realm and as far as they could tell, hadn’t reappeared in the twenty some odd years they’d been back. As for the Huntress, she usually seemed to hunt abroad, rarely appearing in the states and even then it was usually in heavily wooded areas.

“I’m not worried. I’ve got the latest sighting reports from Mikaela and Haddie, and they’ve given me the green light,” he promised. “Besides, we’ve been back for over twenty years and none of us have run into a single Killer even one time.”

“Yeah,” Tapp agreed slowly, sounding unconvinced. “I just don’t like it. You being so close to where a Killer was sighted. Even if it was months ago. You know he hasn’t been seen since the copycat killing in that Georgia radio station? He must be planning something…”

Tapp trailed off, lost in thought as he wondered what the Killer could be up to. Again, not an unusual occurrence. The former detective had a hatred for Killers beyond any of them, except maybe Cheryl or Laurie. Both women had incredibly personal connections to specific Killers, although the same could be said of Quentin.

Reaching a large atrium, Dwight took a moment to stare. He couldn’t help it. No matter how many times he saw the Tree, it always took his breath away. Standing almost three stories tall, the great twisted trunk was smooth and barkless, yet its branches were full of ever color changing leaves. Glittering with red and pink as if the sun was shining down on them through the large glass dome roof instead of the unending cloudless twilight, it made him think of cherry blossoms. Maybe he should go to Japan soon. He’d stuck to the US so far, but the more he considered international travel, the more appealing it became. It would take a lot more planning however, since he’d have to fly to whatever location he wanted to visit.

Of course, that meant opening a new Entryway to get back and they tried to avoid doing so as much as possible. They could only assume Killers could do the same and if they were close enough to sense it, it could lead to massive problems.

“Beautiful today, isn’t it?” a voice asked right beside him.

Jumping for at least the fourth time that day, Dwight gasped. “Leon! Please don’t do that!”

He smiled slightly, still staring up at the Tree. “So… you’re leaving early, huh?”

As Dwight opened his mouth to try and get out his -hopefully- well rehearsed spiel about how he’d already finished his assigned duties for the day, let at least two other people know he was leaving, gotten the latest Killer sightings from Mikaela and Haddie, and had his cell phone and an extra charger in his bag, Leon surprised him again.

“I think we’ve had this conversation enough times for you to know what I’m going to say, so I’ll keep it short. Be safe, be smart, and if you so much as think there’s a Killer nearby, open a new Entryway and get your ass back here immediately.”

Grinning, Dwight nodded. “Thanks, Leon. I can definitely do that. Did you want me to pick anything up for you while I’m out?”

The blond looked at him, eyes softening from the usual cold worry that seemed to plague him to a more warm, caring gaze. “I want you to have a good time, Dwight. Going out on your own is a really big step. It’ll be good for you. You’ve been working yourself too hard and you deserve the time off. And… I heard about what happened with you and Kate.”

Nearly choking on air, Dwight stammered, “I-it was just- just a misunderstanding! W-we were drunk and I- I don’t know m-maybe I-”

“Dwight,” Leon interrupted softly. “It’s okay. Just give her some space. No one got hurt. You’ll both be fine.”

Looking at the floor, he muttered, “That was so embarrassing. I really just shouldn’t drink. I always end up doing something stupid.”

Patting his shoulder, Leon chuckled, “That’s what alcohol does. So, you got your cell phone?”

“Of course,” he promised, double checking his backpack. “And before you go through the whole list, yes, I have a first aid kit from Claudette, clean socks, clean underwear, and enough money for gas and everyone’s requests. Now, can I please go before Meg gets past Jake?”

Glancing over his shoulder towards the doorway, Leon shook his head. “You sure she doesn’t just want to go with you?”

Looking at the growing number of angry texts lighting up his phone screen, Dwight grimaced. “No, no she doesn’t.”

Trying not to laugh, Leon nodded. “Alright. Have a good trip.”

Excited to get out on his own for a while, Dwight walked up to the Tree. Opening an Entryway to the out-of-Pocket safe house they used, he stepped into a quaint living room. Already entirely familiar with the layout and contents of the small house, he didn’t bother to stop and look around. Making his way to the garage, he grabbed the keys to one of the smaller, more fuel efficient sedans. It was only him so it wasn’t like he needed a lot of room, and the more cash he could save, the better.

Punching in the address to a museum on the Colorado, Utah border, he was on his way.
~~~~

Chapter Text

Somehow, Dwight ended up entirely lost. It should have only taken him a day to get to his destination, but after being forced to pull over for the night so he could sleep followed by another full day of driving, he realized something was very wrong. Fiddling with the GPS on his phone, he sucked air through his teeth as he realized… he’d had it set to the wrong address the entire time. He’d gone straight past his destination and was heading to the opposite side of Utah.

Messing with it some more, he ended up deleting the entire trip by mistake. Tossing the phone on the dashboard, he smacked his head into the steering wheel. This was part of why he never went out alone… he was absolute garbage with directions. It had taken him forever to learn the layout of new maps when the Entity would bring in new Killers, and that had led to Jake once telling him that he’d get lost in a paper bag with a clearly marked exit… Looked like there was more truth to that than he’d have liked to admit…

Looking up when his phone chimed, he picked it up to find a new message from Jake.

’Have you found the abominable snowman yet?’

Grinning slightly, he texted back, ’Not yet. I got lost and ended up in the middle of Utah by mistake. I’ll find a hotel for the night and head back in the right direction tomorrow.’

’How do you not get lost between your living room and the front door?’

Actually laughing, Dwight shook his head. Setting the phone aside, he looked up and down the street. He was sitting in a gas station parking lot, but there wasn’t much else around. A strip mall that had long since closed for the night, another gas station across the street, but that was it. Deciding to just drive and see what he could find, he ended up coming across a small motel rather quickly.

Despite the less than inviting area, he figured it would be best to try and get a room for the night. Tired from driving for two days and starting to get hungry, he really just wanted to lay down and sleep. Looking around the barely lit parking lot, his mind immediately filled the shadows with barely there shapes and creatures…

Shaking his head, Dwight firmly told himself that it would be fine. He’d be fine… He was smart and he had years of experience running from people who wanted to hurt him. Besides, even if someone did decide to murder him, they’d have to get tired of killing him eventually, right? Wow, dark humor was just not his thing…

Finding a relatively well-lit parking space by the front door, Dwight went inside the office. No one was around, but there was a small bell on the counter. Reaching out, he dinged it once, jumping slightly at the suddenly loud sound in the small area.

A sleepy looking older man with watery red eyes poked his head around the corner. Sliding over on a rolling chair, he stopped behind the counter, asking, “Yeah?”

“Um, could I please get a room for the night?” Dwight asked awkwardly.

“Yeah,” the man huffed, rattling around behind the desk. Passing over a key, he held out his hand saying, “Forty.”

Jeez, was everyone in Utah this gruff and unfriendly? Trading the money for the key, Dwight muttered a quick thank you before hurrying out of the office. Dropping his backpack in the small room, he double checked that the door was locked properly before heading back to the car. He was hungry, and now that he knew where the hotel was, he should be able to get back no problem. Just as he was pulling out of the parking lot -perhaps a little too quickly- something ran in front of the car and he hit it with a thud.

Slamming on the brakes, he looked up and down the road. Whatever it was wasn’t running away, but at least no other cars were coming. Throwing the car in park, he jumped out to check the damage and look for the animal. If he’d just hit someone’s dog he may have to cut his trip short after paying for the vet bills. Not seeing anything under the car or in front of the tire, he started to relax. Must have been a trick of the headlights as he hit a pothole or something.

That was when he noticed the blood. There wasn’t a lot, but he’d long since learned to notice fresh blood, no matter how little. Following the direction of the trail, he gasped when he spotted a scraggly gray cat hobbling away. Its tail was gone and blood was dribbling from the raw pink stub.

“Oh no,” he whispered, hurrying after the struggling animal. As soon as he got close to it, the cat let out a horrific gurgling hiss, all of its muscles seizing as it fell over on one side.

“Oh no!” he shouted, horrified. Yanking his sweater off, he scooped the cat up as carefully as he could. It hissed quietly, showing it was still alive at least, but didn’t struggle at all. Not wanting to waste any time, Dwight rushed into the office. The man was gone again so he slapped his hand down on the bell several times.

The man popped his head around the corner again, eyes even more bleary red and a lit cigarette hanging from his lip as he snapped, “What?!”

“Is- is there- uh, a vet? Is there a vet nearby?” Dwight babbled.

“What?” the man asked, and he started to wonder if that was the only thing he knew how to say. Shaking his head, the clerk grumbled semi-coherently, “G’down th’ road to th’ left ‘bout five blocks.”

“Thank you!” Dwight shouted, already halfway out the door. Leaping in the car, he kept the unmoving bundle on his lap as he drove. Not bothering to park correctly when he got to the clinic since he was the only vehicle in the lot, he ran up to the door.

It was already locked but he could see someone in scrubs behind the counter, halfway through pulling a hoodie over their head. Knocking on the door, he waved apologetically when the man jumped.

A slightly suspicious look crossed his face, mismatched eyes narrowing as he studied him through the glass. After a moment, he shouted, “Sorry, we’re closed!”

Dwight got the strong feeling that he had picked a pretty bad part of town to stop in if he of all people was being given such a suspicious once over. Still, he didn’t let that deter him. Shouting in hopes his voice would carry through the door, he offered, “I know! I’m so sorry, but I hit this cat and-”

The ginger was moving before he’d finished his sentence. Unlocking the door, he ushered Dwight in, demanding, “What happened?”

Unsure what else to say other than the truth, he admitted, “I was going to pick up some dinner and it ran out in the road in front of me! I’m sorry, I know I should have taken it somewhere that’s still open, but I’m not from around here and I had no idea where to go!”

Leading him to one of the exam rooms, the vet instructed, “Table, over there. Was it still breathing when you picked it up?”

“Y-yes,” Dwight stammered, pushing his glasses up his nose. “Um, it made this awful hissing sound and kind of seized up. Also… Its tail is missing, but I don’t think that was my fault. I- I looked around but I couldn’t find it and I didn’t want to waste time. But it was still breathing when I got here!”

“Jesus Christ,” the vet snapped and he flinched slightly, startled by the anger in his tone. Expression softening, he said more kindly, “You did the right thing, bringing it in. Most people would have just kept driving.”

“Oh, it’s- I wouldn’t do that,” he muttered nervously. He couldn’t imagine doing any such thing. People needed to take responsibility for their mistakes, and if that meant bringing an injured animal to the vet in the middle of the night, so be it.

He must have still looked pretty upset, as the vet offered, “It could have been attacked by something before you hit it. That would explain the missing tail and the seizing.”

Jumping slightly when the bundle moved and squeaked quietly, Dwight worried out loud, “I hope I didn’t hurt it. But I guess I did hit it with a car.”

Coming to the table, the ginger shook his head. “It’s okay, accidents happen,” he offered, beginning to unwrap the injured feline. “What matters is that you- Fuck! That’s not a cat!”

“Wait, what is it?” Dwight asked, horrified that he’d mistaken what might actually be a giant rat for a cat. Did they have giant rats in Utah? He’d thought the face looked kind of weird, but he’d assumed it had been from getting run over.

“It’s a Virginia opossum,” the vet said, smiling slightly as he began checking it for other injuries. “Hmm… She actually seems okay, but I’ll take her home with me for the night so I can keep an eye on her. If she’s doing okay, I’ll release her after my shift tomorrow.”

“What’s she doing in Utah?” Dwight asked, squinting at the little animal. He’d never actually seen one up close before. Jake was never going to let him live this down…

A tired look crossed the vet’s face, but he sighed before explaining in a rather kind tone, “It’s… Honestly, this is one of the most widespread species of opossum in the US. You can find them in a lot of places.”

“Aah, I see,” Dwight muttered, shifting nervously from one foot to the other. That still didn’t answer why they were called Virginia opossum’s, but he wasn’t going to press the issue. “Look, I’m sorry about this. I still would have brought it in, I just… can’t believe I didn’t recognize an opossum. I feel like an idiot.”

“Don’t feel too bad,” he comforted. “I’ve had people misidentify hamsters as guinea pigs and one guy bought a bear cub thinking it was a chow mix. That was… an interesting visit. Anyway, you said you’re not from around here?”

Chewing on his thumbnail, Dwight nodded, wondering just what the hell kind of backwards town he’d gone and gotten himself lost in. At least the vet seemed pretty nice. He was cute too, but that was no real basis for trusting someone. Not wanting to be too specific in hopes of avoiding any hard to remember lies, he answered vaguely, “Yeah… It’s… I’m on a road trip and stopped here for a few days to rest.”

“You picked an awful town to stop in,” the vet told him bluntly. “How long are you planning to stay in the area?”

“Just a couple more days,” he offered. “I’m dealing with some stuff at home and I’m just… not ready to go deal with it.”

It wasn’t a total lie. He really didn’t want to see Kate at the moment… Just thinking about what had happened sent a blush creeping up his neck. She probably never wanted to see him again and he wasn’t sure how the hell to face her again.

“I feel that,” the vet chuckled, wrapping the opossum up again so he could safely transport it to a cat carrier. Getting it settled in for the trip home first, he stripped his gloves off before holding out a hand.

“I’m Marcus, by the way. If you’d like, we can meet up tomorrow and release this girl together. And, if you’re up for it, I can show you some of the better places in town.”

“Huh? Really? That would be great!” Shaking his hand, he began to relax slightly. “Oh, um, sorry. My name’s Dwight. Nice to meet you, Marcus.”

Head tilting in a curiously familiar fashion, Marcus seemed to be studying him more closely. Dwight took the opportunity to do the same, although he was slightly more concerned than curious.

Marcus was shorter than him but with a slightly more defined build. His messy coppery-red hair did nothing to detract from his mismatched eyes, and Dwight found himself wondering what they looked like in the sunlight.

Smiling suddenly, Marcus asked, “You still need dinner?”

“Huh?” Dwight asked, slightly startled. “Um, y-yes?”

“I know some places that are close by, if you want something specific. Or, I can make you somethi- noo I don’t have any groceries, never mind,” Marcus muttered, shaking his head. “Sorry it’s been a long… while.”

Laughing a bit, Dwight nodded. “Yeah, I understand that. Hey, I actually have my car so if you don’t live too far I can take you to drop the opossum off… and I’d like to buy you dinner, if you’re hungry.”

Marcus looked startled at first, before settling to a more amused expression. “You don’t have to do all that. I mean, I’d love a ride home but I’ve probably got some ramen or something I can eat when I get there.”

“Well… are you charging me for the medical care for the opossum?” Dwight asked slowly.

“Oh, no not at all,” Marcus promised, shaking his head.

“Then let me buy you a burger or something,” he insisted. “I really appreciate you letting me in and helping me with her and I want to make it up to you.”

Smiling gratefully, Marcus finally nodded. “Okay. Thanks, that’s really cool of you to do.”

Smiling as well, Dwight decided that maybe the trip wasn’t off to as bad a start as he’d thought.
~~~~

Chapter Text

Marcus wasn’t sure what to make of Dwight. He’d met a lot of people through school and work, but he was positive he’d never met anyone nearly as jumpy as the dark haired man. It wasn’t just that he was jumpy either.

Much like Frank, Dwight never seemed to let his eyes rest on any one thing too long. It almost seemed like he was waiting for something to pop out of the shadows and attack him. It suddenly occurred to Marcus that literally any Slasher could pop up in the clinic looking for him at any given moment and he made a small sound.

“Everything okay?” Dwight asked, catching himself before he could start biting his nails.

“Ah, yeah,” Marcus deflected. “Just forgot I have a cat. I hope she won’t be too much for this girl.”

Sounding as confused as he looked, Dwight repeated, “You forgot you have a cat?”

Wow, he wasn’t making a good impression and this poor guy was being so nice. Now he felt like a dick. Rubbing the back of his head, he offered sheepishly, “I’m just… dealing with a lot. I haven’t had her for long and I’m so used to seeing her here at the clinic instead of at home. It just kinda blurs together sometimes.”

“Oh, well, that makes sense,” Dwight agreed. “Wait, why was she here so much?”

“She’s old, has health issues. Her owner actually passed away not too long ago so I took her in,” he explained, locking up the door again. Noting the haphazardly parked car taking up two spaces, he asked, “You don’t drive on snow much, huh?”

Cheeks flushing, Dwight shrugged. “I promise, I’m a better driver than this. I was just trying to get the opossum here before it died, but I guess I kind of overreacted… You’re sure I didn’t just ruin that poor thing's life?”

“I’m sure,” Marcus laughed, buckling the crate into the back seat. It didn’t matter how good of a driver someone was, black ice was a bitch. Settling into the passenger seat, he explained, “I’ll put some balm on her tail nub just to keep it clean, but opossums are incredibly resourceful little things. Growing up, there was one that liked to visit my parents backyard. He only had one eye and half a tail, but he was the king of that forest.”

Looking very relieved, Dwight asked, “Where do you live?”

“Not far,” Marcus assured, before telling him which way to turn out of the parking lot. “It’s been a while since I haven’t had to walk home. My car broke down a few months ago so I’ve been walking to and from.”

“In this weather?” Dwight asked, sounding shocked. “Don’t you get cold?”

Shrugging, he admitted, “Yeah, but if I walk fast and keep my hands in my pockets I can usually get there or home before it gets too bad. Of course, once I get my car fixed I’m going to have to find a way to keep my roommates out of it.”

He could just picture the Legion taking it out for a joyride and wrecking it beyond repair or ending up on the five o’clock news in a police chase down the highway. Or worse… fucking in it. How they would accomplish such a feat in a forty plus year old two-seater hatchback was beyond him, but he was still positive they’d find a way.

“None of them have a car?” Dwight asked curiously.

“They’re… not from around here,” Marcus offered, only half lying. Technically they were from Canada…

Thankfully Dwight didn’t ask where they were from, instead inquiring, “How many roommates do you have?”

“Four,” he sighed. “They’re something else.”

Sounding concerned, Dwight questioned, “Do you all not get along? Or is it a family thing? Siblings and cousins?”

“Oh, hell no,” Marcus laughed. “I don’t have any siblings and the rest of my family is… a whole other story, but I won’t bore you with that. My roommates are– they’re not… terrible. They can just be a lot to deal with. Especially Frank. Half the time I’m not sure if he wants to kill me or sleep with me.”

Making a horrified sound, Dwight’s hands tightened around the steering wheel until his knuckles were white. “Why would you live with someone like that? He sounds awful!”

Realizing that did sound pretty fucked up, Marcus shook his head. “That’s a very long, very complicated story. But, the simple version is, they don’t really have a lot of options and I’m not going to close my door in their faces. Frank can be a dick but at the end of the day, I know he won’t do anything to me. But if they ever do get too rowdy I can always have my partners kick them out for me.”

“Partners?” Dwight asked, eyebrows knitting together in a confused frown. “You lost me.”

“This house,” Marcus said, pointing to the approaching dwelling. “Ah, they’re home…”

Frank was sitting on the front steps, only illuminated by the cigarette between his lips. With the porch light out and his hood up, the only reason Marcus knew it was him was because the others didn’t smoke.

Unsure how the Legion would react to him bringing a random stranger home and not about to walk the poor guy into what could end up being a brutal murder, he proposed, “I’ll be right back. I’m going to put the opossum inside and change clothes real quick.”

“Sounds good,” Dwight agreed, pulling up to the curb.

Pulling the crate out of the back seat, Marcus did his best not to slip as he approached the front door. Once he was close enough, Frank asked curiously, “Coworker?”

“Not quite, the guy hit an opossum,” he explained briefly, glancing back at the car. With the distance and the dark, it was impossible to really see Dwight, so he added, “He’s pretty cool, actually. We’re going to go grab a burger, then I’ll be home for the night.”

Squinting at him, Frank asked, “You make a habit out of letting random people know where you live?”

“Ah, no,” he admitted as the Legion leader followed him inside. Joey, Susie, and Julie were sitting on the couch watching TV but looked up when he came in.

“Another cat?” Julie asked curiously.

Barely registering the question, he stared at the brand new flat screen sitting on the floor, a DVD player hooked up and sitting on the carpet nearby. Both were pretty nice and he knew there was no way he or any of them had the money for it. At least, not in the right currency.

Raising an eyebrow, he asked, “Where did you all get this? I have Danny’s credit card.”

“We found it,” Susie volunteered, grinning at him. “Wanna join us for a movie marathon? Apparently there's more movies in the Alien franchise now, and I want to see them all.”

“You’re going to have nightmares,” Joey sighed, one arm around her waist. “You always do.”

“Where did you get this stuff?” Marcus sighed. Before any of them could answer, a thought occurred to him and he almost shouted, “Please tell me you didn’t break into someone's house and steal their TV!”

“We’re not that stupid,” Frank scoffed, squeezing onto the couch between Julie and Joey. “We went to the grocery store up the road. There was nothing to eat, and we just happened to find a TV while… checking out the parking lot.”

“The parking lot?” Marcus questioned. “Did- Oh, my fucking- Did you all steal someone’s shopping cart?!”

“Maybe next time the guy will load his shit while he’s waiting for his car to heat up instead of sitting in it like a coward,” Joey offered. “So, when were you going to tell us that TV’s are flat now? Like, we thought for sure this thing was fake until we actually got it plugged in.”

“Why would someone buy a fake- No, no, I don’t have time for this,” Marcus groaned. Dropping the opossum off in the bathroom, he pulled the door closed before quickly explaining, “Don’t let her out, don’t let Jude near her, and please don’t do anything else illegal while I’m gone.”

“If we’d known you wanted to join us we could have waited,” Julie teased. “Wait, where are you going now? And what’s with the cat?”

“It’s an opossum,” he shouted from his bedroom. Yanking off his scrub pants, he tugged on a clean pair of jeans before grabbing a shirt and wandering back into the living room so he wouldn’t have to yell. “The plan is to keep her warm and contained for the night, and if she’s looking okay I’ll let her go after my shift tomorrow. Right now, I’m going to go get a burger with the guy who ran her over. I’ll be home soon.”

“It’s gonna get real awkward if you two hook up,” Frank scoffed, watching him change his top.

“What, why? And what makes you think we’re going to- You know what, never mind. That’s fair. But why would it be awkward?”

The rest of them tore their attention from the pilfered television to stare at him, Joey asking, “Did you forget about the tattoo on your chest?”

“You realize most non-Slasher affiliated people won’t recognize this as PH’s helmet, right?” he asked in return. “Sure, we all know what it is, and yeah, it does kinda look like him… But, I don’t think that’s where the night is going. Besides, if I really want some tonight, I’ll just call Myers or Voorhees. Or Pyramid Head, although I might end up late for work…”

“Oh, god, please don’t,” Frank groaned. “We’re still iffy on Doors and we’re not waiting outside in the cold all night while you and whoever destroys the bed.”

“Kitchen table too,” he offered, grinning wickedly at the horrified looks he received.

“We eat breakfast at that table!” Frank snarled, lunging off the couch.

“Jesus fuck!” Marcus yelped, bolting outside. Managing to stay upright as he navigated the icy walkway back to Dwight’s car, he ended up slipping on the last step. Arms flailing, he failed to catch himself in time and slid into the car door with a thud.

There was a stifled shriek from inside and he wondered just what the hell had happened to the poor guy to make him so jumpy. Managing to right himself, he cast a quick glance back to make sure he wasn’t about to get shanked before flopping into the passenger's seat with an awkward, “I’m so sorry.”

“N-no, it’s fine!” Dwight offered quickly, trying to smile as he fished around on the floor for his phone. “Um, I’m sorry I’m so jumpy. It’s not you, really.”

He hadn’t thought it was, but the comment made Marcus wonder if maybe he was coming across as a weirdo. Then again, he kind of was a weirdo… “So… burgers? Or we can grab pizza or chicken or something if you’d prefer. I’m not vegan, but I do know of a little place that actually has some good stuff.”

“Oh, burgers are fine!” Dwight told him. “Where are we heading?”

Realizing he hadn’t given him directions yet, Marcus quickly told him which way to go before saying, “You were trying to ask me something right when we pulled up, but I missed it.”

Hesitating slightly, he said, “You mentioned your partners. I was just wondering what exactly that meant; Like, your roommates or others? If that’s not prying too much! Sorry, I’m not trying to overstep or pry into your business.”

“I don’t mind at all,” Marcus promised. “I’m actually in an open, polyamorous relationship. But both my boyfriends are currently dealing with some personal stuff, so I’m on my own for the night.”

Dwight somehow managed to look even more surprised and for a moment, the vet wondered if he was going to say something negative about it. Instead, it was his turn to look surprised when he said almost excitedly, “That’s so cool! Can I ask- Do you all- Um, how do you balance that kind of thing? If that’s not inappropriate to ask.”

Excited himself to have found someone who was actually curious about it without sounding judgmental, Marcus offered, “Well, it’s different for every relationship, but I’d be happy to tell you about what works for us. Are you interested in poly or open relationships? Or are you and a partner thinking about trying it?”

Fidgeting slightly, Dwight admitted sheepishly, “Oh, no. No, I’m very single. Besides, I've never, um… been with anyone? Wow, that was too much information, I’m so sorry.”

Almost asking ‘how?’ Marcus caught himself. Dwight was really sweet and he was cute, but he really didn’t want to come across as rude. Not everyone wanted a hyperactive sex life or even had the drive for it, and he could respect that. Instead, he promised, “You’re fine. Do you mind if I ask why?”

Dwight was very quiet for a minute and Marcus started to think he’d crossed a line himself, when he said, “I’ve had opportunities, I guess… But I just… couldn’t. It’s not that I didn’t want to, it’s just the people I live with are too much like family. I don’t know, I just can’t bring myself to see them like that and I don’t want to ruin things by trying to force it.”

“I get that,” Marcus admitted. “I’ve ruined a few friendships by pursuing things that, in retrospect, would have been better left alone. But, I’m sorry, I wasn’t trying to change the subject. For my partners and I, we have a few rules to help ensure no one feels lied to or used.”

The conversation was put on hold briefly as they pulled into the parking lot, Dwight asking, “Drive through, or go in and eat?”

“We can go inside if you want,” Marcus offered. “I’m working a mid-day shift tomorrow so I can stay up for a while. And I’m having a good time getting to know you.”

Even in the dark, he could see the flush creeping up Dwight’s neck as he stammered, “I-inside is fine!”

Not saying much until they had their food and were sitting down to eat, Marcus picked up where they’d left off. “With my partners, we make it a point to be honest about who else we’ve been with if the others weren’t there too. Unless it happened before the relationship, in which case it’s really not a problem.”

Looking thoughtful as he munched on some fries, Dwight asked, “What if it’s just two of you?”

Marcus shrugged. “That’s not really an issue either. They’ve been fuck buddies for years and now that I’m dating both of them, it’s kind of a given that we’re all going to fuck around with one another. We have a few mutual… acquaintances we will occasionally hook up with, but that’s the kind of thing we tell one another about. Beforehand if there’s time, otherwise after.”

He had almost said friends, but he wasn’t really sure either Danny or Evan considered many of the others friends. Then again, he wasn’t sure if the Trapper ever hooked up with anyone besides Ghostface. But he wasn’t going to try and figure out how to explain all that without revealing the fact that both his boyfriends were mass murderers previously trapped in an alternate hell dimension ruled by some kind of spider god. Dwight would probably either assume he was insane and call the cops, or believe him and still call the cops for his admission of affiliating with Slashers..

“So… how long have you lived in Utah?” Dwight asked, seemingly satisfied with their previous conversation.

Thinking back, Marcus answered, “About five years. I moved here at sixteen and I’ve been here ever since. How about you? Where are you from?”

Choking slightly on his food, Dwight cleared his throat several times before stammering, “I-it’s complicated. Um, v-very complicated.”

Marcus considered pointing out that his car had Kansas plates and that may be a good place to start, but once again caught himself. He of all people knew that some things were better left unexplained.

Before he could apologize, Dwight continued, “I’m kind of staying in Kansas, I guess, but that’s not where I’m originally from.”

“Someone you’re avoiding back home?” he asked. It was a sentiment he understood all too well and it must have showed in his voice, as Dwight looked at him curiously.

“I… Yeah, you could say that,” he finally said. “We… got pretty drunk at Thanksgiving dinner and I… did something really stupid. You?”

Although he was curious, Marcus didn’t press for more information. He knew how he got when alcohol was involved and it usually wasn't pretty.

“Yeah. Unfortunately I’m going to have to see them again soon,” he griped, glaring at his fries. Shaking his head, he muttered, “I’m sorry. You don’t want to hear about all my bullshit. So, what brought you to Utah at this time of year?”

He tried not to be too critical, but something told him it definitely wasn't skiing or snowboarding.

Smiling sheepishly, Dwight pushed his glasses up before explaining, “Some stuff happened a while back that really made me appreciate just… being alive. So, now that I have the time, I’m going out and seeing all the places I’ve always wanted. I was going to go on a circuit of museums around Colorado, starting just on the Utah border, but as you can probably tell, I way overshot my destination.”

Bursting out laughing, Marcus asked, “How on earth did you do that?”

Laughing as well, Dwight shook his head. “Honestly, this is the first time in a long, long time that I’ve gone on a trip by myself. I’m garbage with directions. My best friend always tells me I’d get lost in a paper bag. He’s not wrong, especially without my glasses.”

“No wonder you didn’t see the opossum,” Marcus joked, and Dwight made a face at him.

“Oh, haha, poke fun at the blind guy. I still feel terrible about that.”

“It’s okay. You did a good thing, bringing her in.”

Sitting and chatting for a while longer, Marcus found Dwight extremely easy to talk to. Although both of them tended to shy away from certain subjects, they actually had a lot in common; Between video games, general interests, and the odd aversion to their shady pasts, they easily moved from subject to subject without having to scramble for things to talk about.

It wasn’t until they decided to exchange phone numbers that Marcus realized just how late it had gotten. Not only was it already past midnight, but he had three texts from Danny. Opening up his messages, he was met with several dick pics and quickly shut off the screen. Looked like someone was happy, but he highly doubted Dwight would enjoy the sight as much as he did.

Shaking his head, he offered, “I didn’t mean to keep you out so late. Do you think you can get back to your hotel from my place? Or would you like to go straight there? I can walk home.”

Checking his phone as well, Dwight breathed, “Ooh, wow it is late. Um, no I’ll take you home. My hotel is actually just up the road from the clinic, so if I can get back there, I can get to bed.”

Feeling slightly bad for inconveniencing him, Marcus said, “I appreciate it. If I didn’t have four roommates already I’d invite you to stay with me and save your money.”

Dwight looked shocked, a slight blush creeping into his cheeks. “Um, you would do that? For me? You barely know me.”

“What can I say? I’m a risk taker,” he half-joked, grinning. Or a danger magnet, depending on who was asked…

“I really don’t think I’m much of a risk,” Dwight chuckled, blushing ever redder as he led the way outside.

About to make a cheeky comment about making him blush, Marcus shuddered as a cold blast of wind rolled over them, cutting through their clothes like they weren’t even there. Without thinking about it, he muttered something he’d heard Danny say a hundred times.

“Fuck the Entity, that’s cold.”

Dwight stopped in his tracks, car key in hand, but a strange look on his face.

Not noticing until he tried to open the still locked car, Marcus looked back to see the man staring at him. He almost looked… afraid? Oh, shit, what the hell did he think he’d said? Oh, no… Realizing he must have either sounded crazy or like a pervert, he winced. Hoping he was wrong about what Dwight may have thought he heard, he offered weakly, “Sorry. Um, it’s just an expression?”

That seemed to snap Dwight out of whatever pit his mind had fallen into, and he asked quickly, “Wh-what? What did you just say?””

Scratching the back of his head, Marcus said sheepishly, “F-fuck this entirely?”

Several different emotions flitted across Dwight’s face, fear, confusion, concern, and finally, much to the vet’s shock, embarrassment. Readjusting his glasses several times, he finally stammered, “Um, wow. I- I’m sorry, I thought you said something else. I’m- I’m not used to people hitting on me and it kind of sounded like…”

Marcus’s mind short-circuited at the realization that Dwight had misheard and assumed he’d said something more along the lines of ‘fuck me’. “Oh, no, I’m sorry! I’m not… hitting on you… unless it’s working? But that’s usually third date stuff.”

“W-was this a d-date?” Dwight asked, eyes widening.

“Was it?” Marcus asked. It had been a long time since he’d actually flirted with someone that wasn’t a Slasher and he was so used to letting potential partners take the lead, it hadn’t even occurred to him that Dwight may be interested in him.

“I-I’m not looking f-for anything… serious,” he offered. “If- if that’s what you were implying. Or… looking for?”

Feeling bad for making him uncomfortable and worse for having to lie about what he’d actually said, Marcus said, “I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to be a creep, I just spoke without thinking. I usually don’t hit on other guys unless I know they’re into men.”

“I’m gay,” Dwight told him bluntly before immediately blushing bright red again. “So… um, I’m… into it.”

Marcus blinked several times, entirely unsure what to say. Finally grinning, he asked, “Well… Do you want to hang out after I get off work tomorrow? We can let the opossum go and after that I can take you to a small historical museum in the next town over.”

“R-really?” Dwight asked, face lighting up. “I mean, yeah, that would be awesome. I’ll pick you up after work if you want. Just- um, just shoot me a text when you’re ready. My hotel is only a few minutes up the road.”

The wind started picking up slightly and both of them shivered.

More careful about his language, Marcus proposed, “Why don’t we get home for the night? It’s cold and you don’t have a jacket.”

As if just remembering his jacket was still being used as temporary nesting material by an upset opossum, Dwight nodded quickly. Turning the heater on full blast as soon as the engine was running, he asked, “Um, your partners? You’re sure they’d be okay with us hanging out? Without them around? I’m not trying to imply anything is going to happen! But, I don’t want to… cause problems for anyone.”

Appreciating his concerns despite their earlier conversation, Marcus promised, “This is the kind of stuff we were talking about before. There’s no pressure for anything to happen at all. We’re just hanging out, but if anything does happen, it’ll be fine. I’m not going to hide any of it from them, but there’s no obligation on your part to meet them regardless of what we do.”

Looking flustered, Dwight nodded quickly. Fingers fidgeting on the steering wheel, he finally said, “You… sound like you have a lot of experience with this kind of thing.”

“I do,” Marcus confirmed. “And I feel like I know my partners well enough by this point to safely say, they won’t have a problem with us hanging out.”

“Or… or possibly…”

Although Dwight didn’t finish the question, Marcus knew what he was getting at. Smiling softly, he promised, “They wouldn’t mind.”

Driving in silence for most of the short trip, Dwight asked suddenly, “Were you… aware of the recent killings around here?”

Marcus felt his blood run cold. Oh, he was well aware…

“Do Killers show up around here often?”

’Killers?’ Marcus wondered, slightly surprised by the term. Shaking his head, he said cautiously, “No, not really. I mean, why would anyone want to come to bum-fuck Utah? There’s way better parts of the state to visit, especially when it’s this cold. I guess we just got unlucky there for a minute.”

“Yeah,” Dwight mused. “I guess it’s probably good it was just Ghostf-”

“Don’t!” Marcus shouted without thinking.

Dwight jumped, swerving and almost taking out a mailbox in the process. Getting the car back under control, he shot the vet a concerned glance. “Don’t?”

“Um, just… saying their names is bad luck,” he bluffed. “Like… Bloody Mary or Beetle Juice. You know? Sp-speak of the devil, and all that?”

Jesus, it was nerve wracking. Trying to explain why not to say a Slashers name without explaining the real reason why... He should have been thinking of this kind of thing from the moment he and Danny had become friends.

“Riiiight,” Dwight breathed, still giving him a sideways look. “Were you… close to anyone involved?”

Unsure how to get out of the conversation without sounding like a crazy person or just being an absolute dick, Marcus wracked his brain for an answer. Realizing he had something he could use, he said, “One of the people he killed actually used to bring his dogs into the clinic all the time. He was… fine, I guess, but his dogs were just the sweetest babies. You got any pets? Dogs? Cats? Birds?”

“Nope, but the community I live in has some livestock,” Dwight answered evenly.

Seeing an even better out, Marcus tried to keep his voice neutral as he asked, “Community? Are you a monk or something?”

Dwight snorted, sounding amused at least. “No, not at all.”

Pulling up to the curb again, he added sincerely, “I had a really great time tonight. Thanks for hanging out and for all your help.”

“Thanks for not thinking I’m a weirdo,” Marcus returned. “I really am sorry about earlier. I never meant to put you in a position that made you uncomfortable.”

Looking genuinely happy, Dwight smiled at him, promising, “Don’t worry, you didn’t. I’ll text you when I get back to the hotel for the night.”

“Please do,” he chuckled. “I really do want to make sure you get there safely. This isn’t the best town to get lost in, especially at night.”

Waving goodbye, Marcus watched him drive off. Smiling to himself as he made his way back up the walkway to his front door. It had been a long time since he’d made a new, non-Slasher friend. Speaking of Slashers… he had some texts to catch up on.
~~~~

Chapter Text

“Danny… Danny… Ghostface? …Goddammit Ghostface, pay attention!”

Head snapping up, Danny forced his eyes off the picture Marcus had just sent him. Fucking tease had been out all night with some moron who had somehow mistaken an opossum for a cat; now that he was finally home, he was taking a shower and sending pictures of the process.

Sliding his phone into a pocket, Danny tilted his head to Amanda, asking, “Yes, mom?”

Scrunching up her nose in disgust, she ordered, “Don’t ever call me that, you gremlin. Have you been listening at all?”

Realizing both Evan and Philip were also glaring at him, he grinned maniacally. “Well, let’s see… Bases one through four were all a bust, as was the meetup location dear old Kenneth gave up. It seems like Blight is just one teensy-weensy step ahead of us and it’s making tracking him down a real pain in the potatoes.”

“You’re a pain in the potatoes,” Evan growled irritably. “Stop whatever the hell it is you’re doing on your goddamn phone, you reek.”

“Wow, I’m only at half-mast and you can already smell it?” Danny taunted. “Maybe if you’d let me get you a phone, you could enjoy seeing Doc’s wet naked body too, without having to constantly look over my shoulder.”

Philip made a high pitched trilling sound, quickly looking away in embarrassment when both he and Evan looked over at him.

“Just tell him already,” Evan grunted, shaking his head. “He already likes you well enough.”

The Wraith glared at him, one hand reaching for the Wailing Bell.

“No! Philip, no,” Danny ordered. “Remember last time you did that?”

Crossing his arms, Philip slouched in his chair to pout. He remembered. He’d walked in on Ghostface taking a very lewd picture for Marcus and immediately disappeared in embarrassment. That had been a mistake; They all assumed he was in the room with them when they decided which of Talbot’s hide holes they were going to next, and it wasn’t until several hours later that they realized they’d left him behind.

“I still think this is our best bet,” Amanda interrupted, tapping one of the remaining locations on the list Wesker had given them. “Looking at a map of the area, I’m pretty sure this is the biggest hideout he has. If he’s trying to move all his shit to one location so he can lock down for a while, it’s most likely this one.”

Evan had just started to agree when Danny chimed in, “But what if that’s not the right location? For all we know, he could have a hundred different bases that Wesker doesn’t know about.”

‘Not this again,’ Philip chirped, throwing his hands up.

“We won’t know unless we try,” Evan huffed, rolling his eyes. “The last three places we’ve looked have been stripped down to the fucking screws. What the hell do you suggest, other than keep looking for him?”

“Don’t doubt I want to find the slobbery opium addict as much as the rest of you,” Danny clarified, “but it’s starting to feel like splitting up is the best option. We can hit four locations at once!”

“I can’t take Blight in a fight by myself,” Amanda argued. “He’s too fast and he’s stronger than me, so unless I can get the jump on him, he’ll beat me almost every time.”

Danny knew he was at the same disadvantage. He was fast and strong as any Slasher, but Blight’s power gave him additional speed that he had long since perfected his control over. The man could launch off of walls and close distances in the blink of an eye, striking devastating blows before once again darting out of striking range. Then again, Talbot wasn’t faster than a bullet and he did have his pistol…

“No more splitting up,” Evan snarled. “Didn’t you learn that lesson last time?”

Gritting his teeth, Danny shot back, “But Doc’s life isn’t literally on a countdown! And we’re ensuring it won’t be again. Splitting up is actually a good idea this time!”

Amanda gripped his shoulder so tightly he winced. Leaning in close, she said warmly, “No, it’s really not. And if you end up with your guts separated from your cold dead body because you decided to be a moron and tried to go after Blight alone, I’m going to kill you myself when you get back to the Realm. You’ve seen what a reverse bear trap can do? Right, Danny? Would you like to wake up in one? I have. It’s life changing.”

Both the Wraith and Trapper leaned away slightly, entirely put off by the cold finality of her threat matched to such a friendly expression.

Swallowing thickly, Danny nodded, not trusting himself to not say something stupid. Then he fucked it anyway up by muttering, “Yes, mom.”

Philip and Evan just watched the ensuing beating with a great sense of entertainment.

~~

Marcus was toweling off when his phone chimed. Grinning when he spotted Danny’s name on the screen, he opened it to a new text. There was a video attached, so he hit play, expecting something lewd or at least some kind of response to the last picture he’d sent.

Instead, he was greeted with Evan growling at Philip, voice half muffled by a thumb over the speaker as he griped, “I know how to point a fucking camera. I’m out of date, not a moron.”

A second later, the camera whipped around to catch Amanda sitting on Danny’s back as he laid face down on the floor, arms and legs flailing as she dug an elbow into the back of his neck.

“Are you done being an idiot?” she demanded, jamming a heel into his ribs.

“Yes, Mommy!”

“What did I say about calling me mom?!”

“OW! OUCH! FUCK! Evan! Make her stop!”

“No.”

“Philip?!”

There was a whistle, followed by soft laughter as the Wraith obviously declined as well.

“Evan?! Are you- Ow! Stop that! Are you recording this?! Ow ow ow! That’s my hair you- OW!”

There was a low laugh, then a blunt, “Yes.”

“Why?! Oooow! Ow! Amanda, stop, that's my kidney!”

Marcus laughed, watching as she shifted her weight further up towards his shoulders so she could reach back and jam and elbow into his lower back. As much as he wanted to feel bad, it was pretty obvious Ghostface had brought it on himself and was continuing to do so.

“Fuck! Doc! You see what they- Ow! -do when you’re no-oouch! Not around?! Okay! Okay, I’m sorry, Amanda!”

Giving him one last hard jab, she stood and brushed herself off, asking, “Was that so hard?”

Groaning into the floor, he raised one hand to flip her off. “I was… until you decided to bully me for no reason. Doc! I think you need to cut Evan off, by the way. He’s being mean to me too, so he doesn’t deserve sex when we get home!”

“WHAT?!” he roared.

The video became a blurry mess, backed by a soundtrack of Danny’s shrill screaming, Evan snarling like an animal, and Philip loudly whistling and clicking in what sounded suspiciously like him cheering the whole thing on.

The screen went black for a moment as the phone fell camera down on the floor before Amanda picked it up. Looking at the screen, she shook her head. “Sorry, Doc. We’re doing our best-”

She ducked as what looked like one of Danny’s boots went flying past her head. Glaring at the others who were all off-screen, she promised, “We’re narrowing it down. Danny will text you… soon. Probably. Bye!”

Smiling at his phone, he shook his head again before saving the video. Noticing a text from Dwight, he opened it as he made his way into the main part of the house.

‘Made it to my hotel in one piece. I even managed not to hit any other critters this time!’

Snorting, Marcus sent back, ‘Glad to hear it. The opossum is doing better and it looks like releasing her tomorrow is still on. Want to grab some food after, then head to the museum?’

“Who you texting?” Susie asked, breathing down the back of his neck.

Jumping almost a foot, he turned to glare at her. The Legion members had still been up when he got home, embroiled in the third Alien film. They’d pretty much ignored him in favor of their movie which had been fine with him. It gave him time to shower and have some fun with the pictures Danny had sent him, including sending back a few of his own.

Glancing at the TV, he noticed it was shut off, the other three in various stages of stretching before making their way to the bedroom. Jude rubbed against his legs, letting out a happy meow before padding off to the bedroom as well. Man… the sleeping arrangements had gotten so weird since they’d moved in.

He wasn’t given much time to dwell on it before Susie was asking slyly, “Was it your mysterious new friend from work?”

“None of your business,” he complained. “Unless we start sleeping together, it never will be.”

“You may want to keep repeating that last part,” Frank whispered in his ear, having crept up behind him when he turned around.

“Gah! Fuck! Don’t do that!” Marcus snapped, whipping around to face the Legion leader. Unfortunately, that left him with his back to Susie, and he really wasn’t sure which of those options scared him more…

Snickering, Frank asked, “You coming to bed now, or what?”

“Am I being given a choice?” he deadpanned.

Although he’d firmly stated he wasn’t going to be evicted from his own bed when the Legion had moved in with him, he’d given up almost immediately when they dog-piled him the very first night home. When he tried to wriggle out from underneath the pile of bodies, they’d collectively pinned him to the bed and fallen asleep, trapping him until morning.

Cocking his head in mock confusion, Frank asked, “Why wouldn’t you be given a choice? It’s your house, man.”

Squinting at him, Marcus argued, “Because when I tried that the other night you psychopaths waited until I fell asleep, then dragged me off the couch and into the bedroom. I thought I was going to get murdered!”

“I can’t sleep without a teddy bear,” Susie pouted, wrapping her arms around him from behind.

He let out a small sound of surprise, squirming futilely as she easily pinned his arms by his sides. Maybe it was because she was so cute without her mask on that he always forgot just how freaking strong she really was.

“I’m not a stuffed animal! And you already have someone you can use as a teddy bear!” he complained. “Joey! Come get your girlfriend before Frank kills me!”

Yelling tiredly from the bedroom, he warned, “Sorry, bro. Can’t do it.”

“Why?!” Marcus shouted back. “Please, Joey! She scares me!”

“Yeah? She scares me too!”

Frank just shrugged noncommittally, which Susie took as a sign that it was time for bed.

Easily pulled Marcus with her as she backed towards the bedroom, she mused, “We need the extra body heat. It gets too cold in here at night. If you sleep by yourself on the couch, you’ll freeze.”

“Or I won’t get kneed in the dick again,” he complained, going limp as he was hauled into his own room. He’d long since realized it was pointless to fight back. It usually just excited whichever Slasher was tormenting him.

“Be glad it was just a knee,” Frank said, grinning wickedly.

It was unclear if he was threatening violence or something fun, but Marcus didn’t get a chance to figure it out. Quite literally tossed onto the bed, he wasn’t even given a chance to get comfortable before he was being buried again.

Wheezing slightly from the weight of at least two other people on his chest, he asked, “Why am I always on the bottom?”

“Isn’t that what you’re used to?” Julie asked, somewhere beside him.

Unable to come up with a retort, he just grumbled, “Shut up and go to sleep.”

~~

Dwight was still running over the events of the night several hours later. He’d had a surprisingly good time with Marcus and he found himself equally nervous and excited about seeing him again.

Obviously it wasn’t going to go very far, but maybe… maybe he had met someone who could be a real friend. Real friend… It wasn’t that he didn’t have friends, but he didn’t know anyone outside of the Pocket. He’d gone into the Entity’s Realm alone and the only people he knew anymore were the ones who’d gone through it all with him. They were safe to talk to because he didn’t have to hide anything from any of them.

But maybe that was why the prospect of spending time with Marcus was so exhilarating. He was so far removed from the horrible things they’d gone through, even if he was carrying his own burdens. The vet may not have talked about it, but Dwight recognized the signs. The far away look he’d randomly get in his eyes, the nervous, barely controlled fidgeting, the way Marcus would suddenly stop mid-sentence or even mid-word before redirecting himself.

It sounded like some kind of family trauma, based on his distaste when talking about seeing them again. That idea made Dwight sad. Marcus seemed like such a nice person. What could his family possibly be like for him to revile them like that?

Texting Jake, he flopped onto his bed. He was tired but he couldn’t sleep. Technically it was ‘night’ in the Pocket, but maybe he’d be up too. He’d gotten a text back from Marcus, but it was pretty late and he didn’t want to keep him up if he was trying to sleep. Besides, he would be seeing him in a few hours anyway.

Jumping slightly when his phone started to ring, Dwight’s mood lifted when he saw Jake’s name on the screen. It was easy to sound cheerful as he greeted, “Hey, what are you still doing up?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” he chuckled, but he sounded tired. “Your last text said you had a pretty interesting night? What’s going on?”

Filling him in on the opossum incident and the events that followed, Dwight paused when he got to the part in the parking lot. If he told Jake he’d misheard a common phrase for ‘the Entity’ he’d probably demanded he come home immediately. Deciding to leave that detail out, he skipped it and said, “We really hit it off and… he’s really cute.”

“Oh?” a second voice demanded.

“Meg?!” he shouted, then immediately demanded, “Jake? Why am I on speaker and who else is there?”

“It’s just us,” he promised. “And Claudette. They wouldn’t leave me alone until I called you. Apparently just texting isn’t good enough.”

“Hey, Dwight!”

“Hey, Claudette,” he greeted, a wave of emotion almost making his voice waver. It seemed like regardless of how much time passed, the four of them always came back together no matter the circumstances. They had been the first four Survivors taken by the Entity for its sick games, and for a while they were all each other had.

“Texting is not good enough,” Meg scoffed, thankfully pulling him out of his emotional reminiscing. “Some crazy, serial killer, snowboarder, yeti person could have murdered you and was just pretending to be you so they’d have time to get away before the cops got called.”

“But you all wouldn’t call the cops,” Dwight pointed out, grinning.

“Yes, but they wouldn’t know that!” Meg argued, missing his amusement. “So, what are the details on this guy? How cute? And you’re sure he’s not a creep? What’s his na- hey!”

There was a muffled scuffle on the other end of the line, followed by Claudette saying, “Go on, she’ll be quiet.”

Laughing, Dwight shook his head. “Well, he’s ginger, like Meg.”

“Bonus points, but not good enough,” she shouted, obviously being kept back from the phone.

“Um, he’s really easy to talk to. Kind of a flirt, but not in a pervy way. He’s got really pretty eyes,” he added, smiling again.

“Are you going to hook up?” Jake asked, straight to the point as always.

Blushing and stammering, Dwight was finally saved by Claudette.

There was another short scuffle on the other end of the phone, then, “Ignore him, he’s thinking like a guy.”

“I am a guy!” Jake could be heard complaining. “What else am I supposed to think like?”

Laughing so hard he didn’t hear what she said next, Dwight stopped to catch his breath before asking, “Sorry, Claudette, what was that?”

“Don’t feel pressured to hook up with him,” she repeated, before adding, “By anyone... Jake.”

“I asked one question,” he griped, and Meg made an exaggerated ‘haha’ sound at him.

“I don’t know,” Dwight admitted. “He made it pretty clear he’s interested, I think… And it could be fun? I mean, I want to-”

All three of them went “Ooooh,” at the same time and he blushed. Just thankful they couldn't see it, he hurried to add, “He was very non-aggressive about it. He made it pretty clear he doesn’t expect anything from me, and his partners are cool with whatever ends up happening.”

“Partners? Plural?” Meg asked, sounding confused.

Realizing he hadn’t actually told them about that yet, he went on to explain what Marcus had told him.

“That’s… actually kinda cool,” Jake finally said. “I’ve never met anyone in an open relationship before.”

“Wait, so… does that mean you’re going to have to like… ‘meet the family’?” Claudette questioned. “What if he’s really an organ trafficker or something?”

“Come on,” Meg argued. “Dwight could easily pull some tail if he really wanted to… Without risking his internal organs.”

“I’m not- that’s not what I’m doing!” he squeaked. “I mean, I do want to, but-”

“Way to go, man,” Jake chuckled. “Get you some.”

Slapping a hand over his eyes, Dwight groaned, “Don’t say it like that! He’s nice and I don’t want to ruin what could be a real friendship outside the Pocket.”

There was a prolonged silence from the other line. Finally, Meg asked softly, “You know… after a few years it’ll get hard to keep explaining how you don’t age. Or… any of us, if it ever got so far. And if… anything were to happen and you got hurt in front of him…”

Dwight sighed, knowing she was right. All of them healed at an inhuman rate of speed. It wasn’t like in the Entity's Realm where they’d be respawned at their camp fire, whole and mostly recovered from whatever injuries they’d accrued in the Trials; but they did heal noticeably faster. A broken bone could heal completely in a couple of days, maybe hours if it wasn’t too bad a break. There was no rational way to explain it, and with the way the world viewed Killers, or Slashers as they were apparently called now, the last thing the Survivors needed was to be found out as well.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” he sighed dejectedly.

He could hear the guilt in Meg’s voice as she apologized, offering, “It doesn’t mean you can’t still hook up with him, though? Right?”

“No, you’ve ruined it,” Jake teased. “I think you just want him to stay a virgin forever.”

“Shut up,” she grumbled. “I’m just looking out for him.”

“I thought looking out for everyone was my job,” Dwight laughed, although there wasn’t any humor in it. Looking for a change in subject, he asked, “How’s the radio tower project coming?”

“It’s… not,” Jake sighed, sounding annoyed. “We’re actually in the safe house right now, not the Pocket.”

Sitting up on the bed, Dwight couldn't hide his worry as he demanded, “What? Why not?”

“Well, it was going great at first,” Claudette chimed in. “Until one of the cows got loose, fell in pond three, panicked, and then charged straight through Jake’s group as they were trying to raise the support beams.”

“I’m fine, by the way,” Jake added quickly. “But we had steak for dinner and it was pretty good.”

“Shut up,” Meg laughed. “We did, but it wasn’t the same cow.”

“Anyway,” he continued, “Two of the support beams broke and the satellite dish got a crack in it. We’re out of welding rods, so-”

“I can pick some up,” Dwight offered immediately. “Just tell me what the heck welding rods are and where to get them.”

“It’s fine,” Jake promised. “Enjoy your vacation. Jeff and Ash are going to get some in the morning.”

Yawning, Dwight nodded. “That sounds good. I guess I better get some sleep and you three should probably get home.”

Meg started to protest but was interrupted by a tired yawn of her own. “Okay, fine. I guess since you’re obviously doing okay, we’ll let you go. But keep us posted, okay? Especially about this Marcus guy.”

“Don’t worry,” Dwight promised. “He’s harmless.”
~~~~

Chapter Text

Marcus woke up earlier than he would have liked, but he wasn’t sure why. All four Legion members were still asleep around and partially on top of him, but it wasn’t one of them who’d interrupted his sleep.

Joey was sprawled out halfway on his stomach, an arm and leg thrown over Susie who’s back was pressed up to Marcus’s side. Frank was on the vet’s other side, also with his back to him, but his arms wrapped around Julie, holding her close in the curve of his body. It really was a miracle no one had fallen off the bed in the time they’d been staying with him. Maybe that was why they always forced him into the middle…

Moving carefully, Marcus managed to sit upright without waking any of them. Scooting down the bed until he reached the end, he slid to the floor before finding a clean t-shirt. He had a few hours before he needed to start getting ready for work, so he may as well go grocery shopping. Danny had given him his credit card and told him to go for it, but he still planned on being careful about not running up his boyfriend’s credit.

Ducking into the bathroom to take care of his full bladder first, he double checked the opossum as well. The little animal blinked sleepily before turning around and burrowing its face into Dwight’s jacket. Marcus didn’t mind, as it allowed him to see her tale stub without having to pull her from the crate and stress her out even more. The opossum’s tail looked quite a bit better. It had scabbed already and, from what he could see, should finish healing with no issues.

Satisfied, he made his way to the kitchen. May as well eat something small before he ran to the store. As soon as he stepped out of the hallway, however, all thoughts of grocery shopping evaporated.

For some unknown reason, there was a very large yellow snake on his kitchen table. An albino reticulated python to be exact, and a massive one to boot. He couldn’t tell precisely how big it was since it was piled in a large coil, but if he had to guess he’d say it was at least eighteen feet long.

Noticing a gnarled hand on the snake's back, he looked up. Jumping slightly at the sight of a woman he didn’t recognize, he said as politely as he could manage, “Um, hi. Who are you?”

Head tilting as she studied him, she smiled eerily. Finally, she said in a raspy voice, “Lisa…”

Thin to the point of emaciation, Lisa’s teeth reminded him of a shark; sharp, triangular, and slightly serrated on the sides. Her nose -and it looked like her eyes- were missing, leaving behind scarred, shrunken voids. The Slasher’s skin was leathery and rough, and Marcus couldn’t help but liken her appearance to that of the bog mummies he’d seen on the Discovery channel as a kid.

“You’re a Slasher?” he asked curiously, positive he recognized her name. Even if he hadn’t, there was simply no way a regular human in such horrendous physical condition could have ever transported a snake that big by themselves. Or walked, probably.

“I am a Slasher,” she answered, smile growing. “The Hag.”

Not for the first time, Marcus had to wonder who the hell gave some of them their Slasher names. Pig? Hag? Some of them just seemed mean! Others struck him as lazy, like with the Doctor, Nurse, or Clown.

“I take it you’re aware of my connection to the others?” he asked, pretty sure he’d figured out why she’d approached him.

“Yes,” she repeated, still studying him closely.

“You know I’m a veterinarian?”

“That’s why I’m here,” she told him readily. “Butter is not feeling well.”

Looking at the giant snake flicking its tongue at him, he asked, “Butter? Well, that’s not the weirdest name I’ve ever heard… Why do you say Butter isn’t feeling well?”

Even as he asked, it did occur to him that she had been one of the ones to refuse to help when he and Frank had only two days to live… But he wasn’t doing this for her, he was doing it for the snake.

“He isn’t eating,” she lamented. “I think he has mites. He itches and refuses to sleep and it’s making Ferdinand anxious.”

“Ah, sounds like an easy fix,” he assured her, before frowning. “Ferdinand?”

“He remains at home. If you do well and I don’t have to curse you, I will bring him by for a check up. Do you clean teeth?”

Entirely unsure how to respond to such a wild statement, Marcus just said, “As long as they’re not in a person’s mouth, sure.”

“Ferdinand is not a human,” she promised. “Now, how will you help Butter?”

“Do you mind helping me stretch him out?” he asked, still doing his best not to do anything that could startle the woman. She may look like a withered corpse, but he had no doubt she could throw him across the room without breaking a sweat if she wanted to. Lisa didn’t strike him as nearly as aggressive a person as Michael or Evan, but she was still a Slasher. A Slasher with fucking shark teeth and -stealing a closer look at her hands- claws! Why did she have claws?!

“Of course,” she agreed, petting the snake lovingly.

As they gently lowered Butter to the floor and stretched him out, Lisa asked, “What does this do?”

“Hm? Oh, stretching him out? I need to feel his body to make sure he hasn’t swallowed anything that could be causing an obstruction,” Marcus explained. “Have you seen him eat anything unusual or fed him anything new?”

“He ate a peacock,” she told him, caressing Butter’s head. The snake flicked its tongue at her as if kissing her face and she smiled softly.

“A peacock?!” Marcus repeated, slightly shocked. “What- where- how?”

It was startling just how easily her face conveyed emotions with no eyes. Frowning at him, she said suspiciously, “The way all snakes eat. He swallowed it. Shouldn’t you know that?”

“Th-that’s not what I meant,” he stammered awkwardly. “Sorry. I just… where do you all live that Butter was able to hunt a peacock of all things?”

“Florida,” she said, once again watching him closely. “The people there are quite… interesting. Exotic pets, as they call them, are easy to obtain and often dumped carelessly. Still, the swamps are lovely. Especially in the summer.”

“I… see,” he muttered. Why did that fit her so well? No one would bat an eye if someone were to report a strange bog woman lurking in the Florida Everglades. They’d probably chalk it up to bath salts or swamp gas or any other number of ‘reasonable’ explanations. Assuming she didn’t catch them before they could escape and spread the word of what they’d seen, that was…

Realizing he hadn’t seen Jude yet, he asked worriedly, “Butter hasn’t eaten anything since you all got here, right? I have a cat and-”

“The fat black and white one?” Lisa asked, head tilting. “She took one look at Butter and slipped through a Door into the Realm. I was… unaware cats could do that. I suppose I’ll have to start keeping a closer eye on Apricot...”

Relieved Jude was okay and just as unsure how the hell she managed to open Doors, Marcus shook his head. “That’s fine. She’s probably going to hang out with Thomas. Now, let’s take a look at Butter, shall we?”

Starting at the snake’s tail, he carefully began palpating along the underside of the reptile's body. He didn’t feel anything internally, but when his fingers ran over a strange bump under his belly scales, he made a concerned sound. Pulling the snake's body so he could see that section of belly, he noticed an odd raised scale.

Butter hissed loudly when he prodded at it with his finger and he winced when Lisa’s head snapped towards him.

“Why is he experiencing discomfort?” she questioned coldly.

“I think…” he said slowly, squinting at the protrusion. “There’s a tick under his scales. And usually if there’s one, there’s more. That would explain why he’s not eating or sleeping. Ticks are a major pain.”

Inhaling sharply, the Hag nodded. “Awful little things.”

“You can say that again,” he chuckled. Rising, he explained, “I need to grab a pair of needle nose pliers so I can get them off. I want to do a couple of blood tests on him too, but I don’t have the tools I need to draw it.”

Lisa tilted her head, asking, “Why?”

“Ticks can carry a lot of diseases and bacteria,” Marcus explained. “I want to know for sure if he’s going to get better after I pull the ticks off, or if he needs any kind of antibiotics. If he does, I’ll have to fill out a fake script at work so it won’t look suspicious if a bunch of meds suddenly goes missing. We don’t deal drugs anymore, so there’s no longer an overstock of anything.”

Looking at him like he’d started speaking in tongues halfway through the explanation, Lisa finally asked, “So… you’re going to help him?”

“Yes,” he confirmed, finding a pair of pliers. “I am absolutely going to help him, but I need you to leave him with me for at least two days. Is that alright?”

Face scrunching slightly in a frown, Lisa thought it over before nodding. “That should be fine. Butter likes you.”

Pulling the tick out from under his scales, Marcus made a face at it before dropping it in an empty cup. Ticks were so fucking gross.

As he continued to carefully search the snake for ticks or other signs of parasites, he asked, “Butter likes me, huh? How can you tell?”

Without missing a beat, Lisa answered, “He has yet to try and squeeze you to death.”

Pausing mid tick removal, Marcus glanced at the snake’s head before looking up at Lisa. The Slasher smiled, lips pulling back over sharp teeth in an expression that was more unintentionally threatening than it was comforting.

Deciding not to press his luck, he just nodded, muttering, “Well, I’m glad he likes me then. I like him too.”

The Hag didn’t respond, quietly going back to petting Butter’s head like he was a cat. It was actually really sweet, and Marcus found himself intrigued by the woman.

“If you don’t mind my asking, why Florida?” he finally inquired.

Looking over at him, she thought for a moment before saying, “I prefer the weather there, and the natural swamp lands. Food is plentiful and no one bothers me. I can easily come and go to the Realm if I so wish, and it’s through that I learned of you. I was going to seek help from Amanda so as not to bother you, but she is out right now.”

“Are you two friends?” he asked, grinning. He liked Amanda and it made him happy to think she had friends among the other Slashers.

“I suppose,” Lisa allowed. “I prefer her to the others and Butter likes her.”

“That seems to be a common theme,” he chuckled. With that, they settled into a comfortable silence as he searched for more ticks.

It took almost two hours, but Marcus finally felt satisfied that he’d gotten them all. The Legion were still asleep, but he decided to wake them up and warn them about the almost twenty foot long snake they’d been sharing the house with for at least the next forty-eight hours. God forbid one of them freaked out and attacked Butter. If the snake died, he had a feeling Lisa would be coming for his head and theirs.

Giving Butter a very gentle kiss on the snout, Lisa stood and brushed herself off. “I will be back in two days. If anything changes, do not hesitate to call me.”

“Butter’s health will be my top priority while he’s here,” Marcus promised. “And if you have any other pets that need care, feel free to bring them by.”

Nodding thoughtfully, Lisa made her way towards the closet. “I will keep that in mind,” she said, before vanishing in the shadows.

Patting Butter on the back, Marcus asked, “Feeling any better now that the nasty little blood suckers are gone?”

As per the norm, the snake didn’t respond. Frank, however, asked tiredly, “Who the fuck are you talking to?” as he shuffled out of the hall, the other Legion members behind him.

“Um, Lisa’s pet snake, Butter,” Marcus introduced, still crouching by the large reptile.

Frank did a double take, obviously not expecting to see a massive python stretched out on the kitchen floor. Behind him, Julie raised her eyebrows.

Joey made a concerned face, asking, “Where the hell is Jude?”

“Oh, my god,” Susie whispered, looking horrified.

“In the Realm,” Marcus quickly answered, relieved none of them seemed afraid or bothered by the serpent. “Lisa saw her run off as soon as she brought in Butter.”

Coming closer, Julie squatted down beside him before gently running her fingers over the snake's scales. Smiling, she asked, “What’s wrong with the poor baby?”

Mildly surprised by her reaction, he asked instead, “You like snakes?”

“She had a corn snake when we first started hanging out,” Frank answered, making his way past them to sit at the table. “Watching her scare people with it at the mall was hilarious.”

“Anyone want leftovers?” Joey asked, digging a bag of tacos out of the fridge. “There’s a few left from last night.”

“Where did- You know what, never mind,” Marcus grumbled. Picking up the cup of ticks he’d pulled off Butter, he held it up to Frank, asking, “Could you please put this on the table? Don’t let it tip over.”

Taking it, Frank asked, “Drinking already, Doc? Shouldn’t you save that for your date tonight?”

“It’s not a date, and that’s not a drink,” he warned, carefully checking the snake’s mouth and eyes.

Glancing down, Frank did a double take before setting the cup on the table and leaping to his feet. Slightly confused and incredibly disgusted, he peered closer into the container before asking, “Why the fuck do you have a cup full of ticks?”

“I’m sorry, what?” Susie asked, looking up from her breakfast.

“No!” Joey shouted, just starting to unwrap his own food. “No! I am not losing my appetite and missing breakfast because we live with a weirdo!”

“A- a weirdo?!” Marcus repeated disbelievingly. “I’m the weird one?”

“There’s an opossum in the bathroom, a snake in the kitchen, and a cup of fucking ticks on the kitchen table!” Joey half shouted. “Yes, dude! You’re the weird one!”

Opening and closing his mouth several times, Marcus finally gave up. Glaring at Joey, he grumbled, “At least I’m not afraid of bugs.”

Eyes narrowing, the Legion member warned, “Watch it, Red. We may have your back when push comes to shove, but don’t think I won’t wreck you.”

“I thought you weren’t into white guys,” he pointed out, grinning from ear to ear when Joey flipped him off.

“Not usually, but I will snap you like a pencil if you ever bring bugs to the damn table during mealtime again. And not in the way you’re thinking so stop smiling at me like that!”

“And here I was starting to think you’re the nice one,” Marcus lamented, returning his attention to Butter. “But I’m beginning to see I was wrong. What do you think, buddy? Are all of the Legion just a bunch of meanies?”

A hand clamped down on the back of his neck and he winced as fingers dug into his skin. Tilting his head up, he grinned sheepishly in response to the look Frank was giving him.

Eyes blazing, the Slasher said, “Don’t. Fucking. Do. That. It feels weird.”

“I’m more concerned that he’s talking to a snake,” Joey interjected. “That’s not normal.”

Ignoring his comment, Julie grinned up at Frank, saying, “Him saying our name isn’t so bad. Don’t you think you’re overreacting?

He glared at her, fingers digging into the back of Marcus’s neck with more force as his temper was pushed.

“Ow, ow, okay!” he yelped, desperate not to get caught in their weird aggressive sexual tension. “Let go!”

“I mean, I talk to myself sometimes,” Susie said, adding to the ridiculous conversation.

“We know,” Frank grumbled. “Especially when you’re drawing.”

“I wasn’t talking to you,” she answered, taking another bite of food. “Jeez, why do my friends always butt into my private conversations?”

Shaking his head, Joey repeated, “Am I the only one who thinks it’s weird that this guy talks to animals like they’re people?”

“Well, how else are you supposed to talk to them?” Marcus demanded. “They have feelings too, you know?”

Still petting Butter, Julie directed, “Frank, stop touching that. You might catch something.”

He pulled his hand away and Marcus gingerly rubbed the back of his neck. Standing, he complained, “Now I’m gonna have a bunch of weird bruises!”

“I can make the front match,” Frank offered, reaching for his throat.

Jerking out of reach, Marcus glared at him. “Hah, I’m good, thanks. I’m going to feed these ticks to the opossum and then get ready for work.”

“Ew, why?” Joey demanded, abandoning his half eaten taco. “I thought ticks were bad?”

“They are, but opossums love them,” he explained, retrieving the cup and pliers. “Most people don’t know it, but opossums vacuum up thousands of these nasty little bastards every year. Also, opossums rarely contract rabies because their body temperature is too low to host the virus, they’re immune to snake venom, bee and scorpion stings, and botulism. All in all, they’re very beneficial and safe to have around. I would keep her, but she’s already an adult and I really don’t think she’d adjust well to living in a house or with a cat. Then again, you four are doing fairly okay. Although, it helps that Frank’s already housebroken. Good job, Julie.”

There was a moment of silence, then the Legion leader shook his head, saying, “Okay, I’m going to stab him.”

“Hey!” Marcus yelped, skipping out of reach. “I have a cup full of ticks and I will use it!”

“Oh, my god. I’m going for a walk,” Joey groaned, looking slightly ill.

“Now look at what you’ve done!” Susie yelled, grabbing another taco before shooting out of her chair after him. “Julie, Frank? You want to go for a walk?”

Giving the snake one last gentle pat, Julie nodded. “Yeah, some fresh air would be nice.”

“Why not,” Frank said, shrugging. “Might be fun to see what kind of trouble we can scare up around town.”

“It’s not like you can make this place any worse,” Marcus grumbled under his breath.

“What was that?” the Legion leader demanded, head swiveling in his direction.

“You all have fun!” he offered quickly, already hurrying towards the bathroom. “I have an opossum to feed.”
~~~~

Chapter Text

Marcus was incredibly happy with his day thus far. Although the morning had gotten off to a very strange start with Lisa’s unexpected arrival and introduction, he didn’t mind. She seemed nice enough and she obviously had a big heart for animals. It was kind of nice, if he was being honest.

After transferring the ticks into a shallow bowl they couldn’t climb out of, he placed it in the crate with the opossum and moved it to the kitchen table. He was confident enough she’d be safe inside the crate, but he wasn’t about to leave her and Butter in a room together. Best not to temp the snake and risk him trying to squeeze the crate to death to get to the opossum.

Deciding the best place for Butter was contained in the bathroom while he was at work, he filled the bathtub with warm water. He didn’t have anything he could add to it, but he hoped the snake would still be able to find some relief in the water now that the ticks were gone. About to go try and drag Butter into the bathroom, he jumped slightly when the snake bumped the back of one leg with its nose.

“Oh, there you are,” Marcus pointed out redundantly. His phone chimed suddenly and he dug it out of his pocket to see Dwight’s name on the screen. Grinning, he opened the new text.

‘Sorry, I fell asleep before I could text you back! Sounds like a good plan if that’s still on the table. We should name her btw. What do you even name an opossum?’

Thinking for a moment, Marcus texted back, ‘I’m not sure but I’ll think about it over my shift and we can compare later. Do you like snakes by any chance?’

Looking down, he was pleased to find Butter already pulling himself into the bath. He’d gone in head first and had comfortably positioned his nose above the water before slowly dragging the rest of his body into the tub and coiling it underneath the warm water.

Another chime signaled a new text, and he read, ‘That ones a little iffy. I prefer cute and fuzzy but I can give hopefully cute??? and not fuzzy a chance’

Taking a picture of Butter curled up and content in the tub, Marcus sent it, offering, ‘This is Butter. Kinda gonna be a roommate for a couple of days’

The picture hadn’t even been sent for thirty seconds before he received a reply. Dwight had simply sent him a shocked face emoji and several exclamation points. Marcus was still laughing when he received, ‘It looks big enough to eat *you*! Is Jude okay?’

Almost typing out, ‘Jude is in the Realm so she’s fine’, he caught himself and instead sent, ‘She’s staying with a friend until Butter can go home. Thanks for asking about her :)’

Smiling to himself, Marcus wondered how well Danny would get along with Dwight. He wasn’t about to invite another person into their relationship, nor did he have any interest in doing so, but he was curious about how the two would get along as friends. Or fuck buddies. Then again, Danny’s wild personality may be a bit much for the seemingly timid man. Then again, Danny may decide it would be more fun to kill the poor guy and he absolutely wasn’t going to risk getting Dwight killed… Thinking of Evan, he felt slightly bad. With the metal shrapnel in his body, it would be nearly impossible for him to meet anyone who wasn’t a Slasher. Then again, would he even want to?

Realizing he needed to hurry up and head out for work, he closed Butter in the bathroom and hurried to go change.

~

Marcus arrived at the clinic right on time. It was a lot easier to get up and go since he actually looked forward to work again, and he’d been on time every day he’d worked since starting. Greeting two of his new coworkers, he clocked in before making his way to the break room to store his backpack. He’d barely remembered to grab a change of clothes so he wouldn’t have to ask Dwight for a ride back home before they could go out.

Shoving his bag into a locker, he picked up the cat crate the opossum was in. Smiling at her as she munched on the last of the ticks, he promised, “You’ll be free again soon, ma’am. Then you can eat all the ticks and bugs you want.”

“Talking to animals again?”

Jumping slightly at the familiar voice, he stammered awkwardly for a moment before saying nervously, “Hey… Kyla.”

She didn’t look happy to see him. Then again, he couldn’t really tell what she was thinking as she stood in the doorway, watching him with a stoic expression on her face.

“You… really still work here, huh?” she finally asked. There was a tension in her voice that spoke volumes more than words alone. She was scared of him…

Feeling sickeningly guilty, Marcus nodded. “Kyla, I- I never meant-”

“Don’t,” she interrupted. “I don’t want to hear that you’re sorry, or that you didn’t know, or that you never meant to get Richards or I involved… He was a dick, but still… I don’t want to know. I thought they were looking for you to kill you, but seeing as to how you’re here and very much alive, that’s obviously not the case. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad they didn’t kill you, but… This place is actually what it should have always been and… Whatever you’re involved in, just- just don’t bring it in here ever again. Please.”

“I won’t,” he promised, looking away. He could only hope he wasn’t making an even bigger liar out of himself as he swore, “I- I’ll make sure they don’t- I won’t let anything come here.”

Kyla didn’t answer, walking away without another word.

Looking at the opossum again, Marcus sighed, “I fucked that up, didn’t I?”

Hissing, the marsupial tensed up and flopped over, feigning death over helping.

“I miss having Jude here,” he complained, carrying the opossum to the indoor observation kennels. “At least she offers moral support.”

The majority of his shift progressed rather well after that. The clinic was actually busier under the new owners, as they had more time to schedule actual appointments since there were no longer drug deals taking place in the business. Marcus managed to stay out of Kyla’s way and she extended him the same courtesy. As much as he regretted her knowing anything, he was grateful Danny hadn’t hurt her and that she hadn’t attempted to turn him in to the police.

With less than an hour to go, he messaged Dwight, ‘I’ll be off in about 45 min. See you then?’

He got a message back a few minutes later, saying, ‘Can’t wait!’

Grinning, he slid his phone into his pocket just as the front door chimed. Looking up, he started to greet, “Welcome to- Oh, no. Why are you all here?”

The Legion came shuffling in one by one, looking cold and angry. At his question, all four of them glared at him.

“You’re an idiot,” Julie grumbled, giving him a light punch in the arm. “What did you do when you left for work, Red?”

Rubbing his arm, he guessed, “Locked an eighteen foot python in the bathroom and didn’t tell any of you?”

“You did what?” one of his coworkers asked, looking up from the front desk computer.

“Nothing,” he dismissed, leading the Legion to the far side of the waiting room. “Why are you bugging me at work? If you get me fired, I swear to god-”

“You locked us out, you moron,” Frank interrupted, stepping into his personal space. “We’ve been wondering around for hours in the freezing cold, because you locked us out of the fucking house!”

Trying his damndest not to burst out laughing, Marcus asked, “Why didn’t you just… use a Door and go to the Realm, then use the Tree to get back to my house?”

Grabbing the front of his scrubs, Frank pulled him close as he hissed, “We don’t know how to use Doors, dumbass.”

Marcus wanted to make a joke about how Frank was a big boy and doors weren’t that hard to figure out, but thought better of it when he considered who he was talking to and where they currently were. Grinning nervously, he asked instead, “Will you please behave? We’re in public. And at my job… that I need if you all want to keep staying in a house outside the Realm.”

That wasn’t entirely true. Danny had taken over paying his rent despite his protests, so he was planning to use as much of his paychecks as he could to start paying off his debts. Not that the Legion knew any of that…

Even under the impression that Marcus needed his job, Frank didn’t seem to care too much at the moment. Jaw clenched and a vein pulsing in his temple, it really looked like he was about to sucker punch the vet when Joey grabbed his friend’s shoulder.

Voice low, he murmured, “Pig.”

Frank released Marcus immediately, taking a step out of his space and smiling slightly forcefully. “Can we please get the house keys, Doc?”

Glancing over his shoulder, Marcus saw the reason. A cop had just walked in and was looking in their direction. Unfortunately, it was one he recognized. He’d never learned his first name, but his name tape read ‘Carter’. A repeat customer of Richards illicit drug dealing, he’d also been one of the officers assigned to investigate his disappearance.

Marcus was only aware of the last part as he and Joey had run into him previously, with the vet being questioned for information.

There was no telling why the cop was back, but he knew he needed to get him the fuck out of there. Forcing a smile of his own, he yanked his keys from his pocket and shoved them into Frank’s hand. “You all have a nice walk back. Bye.”

Scooting around them, he quickly approached the officer before any of his coworkers could see him. “Hello, officer. Can I help you with something?”

Looking him up and down, Carter nodded. “Yes, actually you’re exactly who I was looking for. Is there somewhere private we can talk?”

Suddenly very nervous, Marcus tried to decline. Although technically he had nothing to do with Richards disappearance and he had no idea what the Slashers had done with the body, he was still far too connected to the past drug dealing to feel comfortable being questioned by a cop. Not to mention his Slasher connections… “Sorry, I’m actually on the clock and I can’t really-”

“I’m sure your boss will understand,” Carter interrupted. “Maybe in the back? This conversation should really be held in private.”

Fuck. He was there for drugs. Did he seriously think that was still going to be a thing without Richards? Or was he actually there for official police business? Either way, it wasn’t a good thing and Marcus seriously considered flat out telling him no and to come back with a warrant. Figuring that would only make him look suspicious, he resigned himself to cooperating for the time being.

Without looking back to check, he could only hope the Legion were already on their way home. Drawing Carter’s attention to them would probably make whatever the situation was worse, especially if he recognized Joey and managed to corner him in an attempt to question him too. On top of that, the group’s reaction to the cops' presence last time had been less than stellar. The absolute last thing Marcus needed was to be in any way connected to a cop getting killed…

Leading Carter to the break room, he closed the door before asking, “What’s this about, officer?”

The cop once again looked him over before saying, “You should already know, considering you were the one this kind of thing always fell on.”

Marcus squinted at him. “What… kind of thing? You’ve lost me.”

Eyebrows raising slightly, Carter pressed, “You were Richards’ second, right? His go to?”

That was far from accurate; although he could see why it may look that way from the outside. Richards had dumped the worst jobs and shifts on Marcus simply because he didn’t like him for some reason. He still wasn’t sure what it was, and now that the man was dead it was far too late to ever find out. Still, he wasn’t about to try and explain all of that.

“Sorry, officer. I still don’t get what you’re here for. If this is about… making a purchase… we don’t do that anymore,” he offered instead. “This is just an animal clinic now and I’m just a vet tech.”

“Okay, kid,” Carter sighed, closing the already small gap between them. Before Marcus could react, the cop’s fist twisted in the front of his shirt and he was dragged across the room. He almost called out for Ghostface when he was slammed into the lockers, but caught himself before letting it slip out.

“What the f-” He cut himself off, biting his tongue as the barrel of a gun pressed against his temple. Eyes wide, he slowly raised his hands up by his shoulders, whispering, “F-fuck…”

As bad as it sounded, that wasn’t the first time he’d been held at gunpoint. Working for Richards had come with multiple hazards, and being threatened by clients had been a semi-regular occurrence. That was the first time a cop had been the one with a gun on him though and Marcus did not want to die. Sure, they believed he’d come back as a Slasher when he died or if he was killed because of the deal he’d made with Pinhead… but he didn’t want to find out already! Especially like that!

Clearing his throat in an attempt to retain the illusion of confidence, it was lost immediately as his voice cracked with the first word. “What exactly can I do for you, officer?”

“Clear something up for me…” he ordered. “What happened to Richards?”

Laughing nervously, Marcus winced when the gun dug into his temple with more force. “D-does it matter? I- I mean, he- he wasn’t a great guy, obviously. If- if this is about his old, um, s-side business, you don’t have to worry about that! I-it’s over! Really! I- I wasn’t lying when I said we don’t do that anymore! A-and I’m not saying anything to anyone about it!”

Carter studied him for a moment, the seconds seeming to stretch on endlessly. Finally, in a voice cold and devoid of emotion, he explained, “Richards owes me forty-eight thousand dollars in protection money. He’s either dead or faked his death pretty damn convincingly; So as far as I see it, you owe me forty-eight thousand dollars. Then it’s over.”

Staring at him, Marcus had to take a minute to understand what he was hearing. Unfortunately, it all made perfect sense. Richards hadn’t been staying under the radar for so long because he was just that good… It was because he’d been paying off a crooked cop. Or at least, he’d made a deal with one to do just that. He still had to wonder if the debt was accrued before or after his boss had died. It probably didn’t matter either way to Carter. He wanted what he felt he was owed.

Finally, Marcus squeaked, “H-how much?”

“Forty-eight thousand,” Carter repeated. “I want my money.”

“I- I don’t have that kind of money!” Marcus swore. “I didn’t even make minimum wage working for Richards! I have more debt than I do total life income!”

“Well, it just got bigger,” the man threatened, anger starting to creep into this voice. “Listen kid, Richards debt is yours now, so you either get me my fucking money or I’ll splatter your brains all over this room.”

“Nononono!” Marcus sputtered. “I can get the money! I- I’ll find a way! Okay?! I can get you your money, you don’t have to shoot me!”

“All of it?” Carter demanded, knuckles digging into his neck slightly.

With absolutely no idea how to accomplish such a feat, he swore, “A-all of it! Wh-when would you like it by? And is this cash or check? Do I cash app you, or…”

The gun moved, slowly dragging down until it was pressing into the underside of his jaw and forcing his head back against the locker. Cold steel pressed into his skin and he gulped. It was no knife, but it somehow felt more threatening. Trying not to hyperventilate, he stammered, “I- I wasn’t trying to be s-sarcastic! I’ve never done this before!”

“Cash, kid,” Carter said, pressing the gun barrel into his neck. “You have a week. If not, your body might just be found in a ditch with a bullet in the back of the head. There’s a lot of gang violence popping up around these parts and it wasn’t so long ago that a Known Slasher passed through town. God only knows what kind of things a Slasher would do to a kid like you. Might make it really hard to identify the body…”

Marcus gulped, unsure what he could possibly say that wouldn’t get him killed. Maybe he shouldn’t have pushed the Legion to leave quite so soon.

“Don’t bring it here and don’t worry about trying to get in contact with me,” he continued. “I know where you live and I’ll swing by in a week. If my money isn’t there…” To drive home the point, he pulled back the hammer on his gun.

“Wait, wait, please!” Marcus begged, squeezing his eyes closed. “I’ll get your money! All of it, I swear!”

Flinching when a hand roughly patted his cheek, his legs almost gave out when the gun barrel disappeared from his neck. Opening his eyes, he watched Carter holster the weapon before heading for the door.

“See you in a week, Marcus,” he promised, raking him with one last cold glance before pulling the door closed behind him.

Wanting to make sure Carter had actually left, the vet let himself slide to the floor. His legs were shaking so hard he wasn’t confident he could have walked out of there anyway… At least it gave him time to seriously consider his options. If he told Danny and Evan, they’d kill Carter and he really didn’t want to be responsible for another person’s death, even if they were a corrupt cop. There was too much blood on his hands already. Then again, getting rid of Carter may very well save more innocent lives then he’d be responsible for taking.

He could just ask to borrow the money from one of his boyfriends, but then he’d be stuck paying them back for the next two-hundred years… and he’d have to tell them what it was for, which brought it all back full circle; they’d definitely kill the man. He didn’t have the credit for a loan and he didn’t know anyone else he could ask for help. He was fucked…

His phone buzzed suddenly and he flailed wildly, startled beyond reason. Panting, he yanked it out of his pocket. Forcing himself to focus on the screen, he saw a text from Dwight.

‘Sorry I’m running a little late! I got lost but I’m on the right road now. Be there in a few!’

Blinking dumbly, Marcus looked at the time. His shift was over as of ten minutes ago and he still needed to clock out, change, and grab the opossum. He hadn’t even thought of a single name for her yet…

Shaking himself, he hurried to his feet. He’d worry about the cop problem later. Making his way up front, he noticed the peaceful absence of the Legion and let out a small breath of relief. He didn’t need to field all their questions right now. Not until he figured out what the hell he was going to do anyway.

Just as he clocked out, the door chimed and he jumped, half expecting Carter to be coming back to finish him off anyway. Much to his great relief, it was Dwight. He looked happy and Marcus wasn’t about to drag the guy into his latest issue so he forced a smile, just trying to look normal.

Waving, he said, “Hey, perfect timing. Let me change real quick and grab the old lady and we can get going.”

“Sounds great,” Dwight agreed. “Mind if I wait in here? The heater on my car is acting up.”

“You’re good,” Marcus promised, hurrying to go retrieve everything. Changing into a pair of jeans and a long sleeved shirt, he pulled a hoodie on over it before grabbing the opossum and returning to his new friend.

“Okay, let’s get out of here before anything else insane happens,” he prompted. With the way his evening was going, he half expected Michael or Leatherface to come cutting a bloody path through the clinic at any moment. Sure, none of the Slashers had ever shown up during the day, but with the way his shift was going he wouldn’t be surprised if one of them chose that day to do it.

It must have shown on his face, as Dwight gave him a concerned look, asking, “Bad day?”

“Ah, you could say that,” he hesitantly allowed. Leaving out the majority of it, Marcus just said, “I accidentally locked my roommates out of the house and they walked all over the city looking for me so they could get the keys. I forgot they didn’t actually know where I work until they managed to find me.”

“Why didn’t they just call you?” Dwight asked skeptically. “Or wait at a library or coffee shop until after your shift? I could have taken you to drop the keys off.”

“None of them have a phone yet and they’re idiots,” Marcus offered. That may be a bit unfair, but he was annoyed with all four of them so it felt good to say it.

“Huh, I think I saw them when I drove up,” he commented as they got in the car. After Marcus gave him directions to the small wooded area up the road, he asked, “There’s four of them, right? Two guys and two girls?”

“Yep, that’s them,” he confirmed. “They were walking in the opposite direction of where you were coming from?”

“Yeah, they were,” Dwight said slowly. He seemed deep in thought as he added, “I don’t know what it was, but something about them seemed really familiar. They were kind of far away though and all I could see were their backs.”

Unsure how or where Dwight could have recognized them from, Marcus shrugged. “Maybe you passed them on the street while driving around. Be glad you missed them, though. They were all in a crappy mood and they probably wouldn’t have been too friendly.”

“I’m sure it’s nothing I haven’t seen before,” Dwight said mirthlessly. Shaking his head, he asked more cheerfully, “So, did you think of any names for the opossum?”

“Disaster?” Marcus offered lamely. “Hot Mess? Stumpy?”

“Okay, that last one’s just unfair,” Dwight laughed. “All this from a guy who named a snake Butter? Where’s that creativity?”

Grinning, Marcus couldn’t help but laugh as well. “Okay, okay. But I didn’t name Butter. His mom did. But for the opossum… Did you have any ideas?”

“I’m awful at naming things, but I think it’s genetic,” he scoffed. “Do you know how many times I’ve been asked if I own a beet farm?”

“Is that an Office reference?” Marcus asked suspiciously. He wasn’t a huge fan of sitcoms, but one of his ex’s had watched the show on repeat during their time together so he was very familiar with it.

“I’m sorry to say that it is,” Dwight snorted. “Hey, does the opossum still have my jacket by any chance?”

“She does, and if we’re lucky, she won’t have laid eggs in it yet,” he joked, waiting to see if Dwight would get it. He wasn’t a big fan of the Office, but Parks and Rec on the other hand…

Squinting out the windshield, he was quiet for a moment. Stopping at a red light, he looked over and asked, “Can we name her April?”

“I think you and I are going to get along really well,” Marcus laughed. “You can pull off just up there.”

As Dwight parked the car, the vet looked out into the shadowy woods. The last time he’d been in there, Evan had been hunting him like an animal. At least it had led to something positive in the end, and now he could create a new memory in what was almost a very dark place. Grabbing the crate out of the back seat, he led Dwight into the woods.
~~~~

Chapter Text

Following someone he barely knew into a dark forest in an unfamiliar town in a state he’d never been to before where a Killer had recently been active should have sounded like a truly awful idea. On paper, it kind of was. But Dwight wasn’t worried. So far, Marcus hadn’t given him a reason to be concerned. Well, okay, that wasn’t entirely true.

His off handed comment the night before still struck the Survivor as odd, but he kept telling himself he’d misheard him. There hadn’t been any male Killers with red hair from what he could recall, and he’d never caught sight of anyone with eyes like the vets. Then again, most of them wore masks that covered or at least greatly obscured their eyes. Of course, many of them were also very tall and or mutilated to some degree. Marcus was probably the right height to be the Legion’s leader, but the lack of a neck tattoo was easily enough proof that wasn’t the case.

It randomly occurred to him that none of them actually knew what Ghostface looked like underneath his mask and hood. Considering that the Killer had just been active around the very town he was now in, the vet could hypothetically be the murderous stalker. The very idea made Dwight snort in amusement. Yeah, right. He was unlucky, but not even he was that unlucky.

Looking over at him, Marcus asked curiously, “What’s up?”

“Just thought of something dumb,” Dwight told him. There was no safe way to explain what he’d been thinking about without revealing what he was and the parts of his past he couldn’t talk about, so he did his best to change the subject without sounding obvious. “So, you think this is a good place to release April?”

Looking around critically, Marcus finally nodded. “Yeah. We’re far enough from the road that she should be able to find a comfortable place to safely call home.” Setting down the crate, he opened the door before quickly moving away to crouch behind a large tree.

Dwight followed him, and the pair watched as the opossum cautiously poked her nose out to sniff the air. Whiskers twitching, April took a couple of cautious steps back into freedom.

“Aw, she’s so cute,” Marcus murmured, eyes soft as he watched.

“Yeah,” Dwight agreed, not even looking at the little animal anymore. Instead, he found himself staring at the vet's face. A beam of sunlight had managed to break through the canopy of trees, illuminating Marcus’s eyes; the blue almost looked white, while the brown had taken on a copper hue. He had nice lips, soft and pink and curving in an inviting grin.

Dwight wasn’t even aware Marcus had looked over at him, too absorbed in taking in the details of his face to realize why it was so much easier to see.

Hair falling into his eyes a bit when he tilted his head, Marcus asked for what was probably at least the second time, “What are you in the mood for?”

Unable to figure out why the hell he did something so impulsive and probably stupid, Dwight leaned forward, pressing his mouth against the vets in lieu of answer. It wasn’t the first time he’d kissed someone, but it was by far the most bold he’d ever been about initiating the action.

Marcus made a slightly surprised sound but didn’t pull away. Instead, he let his eyes close, one hand coming up to gently rest against the back of Dwight’s neck as he leaned into the kiss.

Shocked by his own action and the positively eager response it had received, he jolted backwards slightly. Crouched on his heels, the movement threw him off balance and he grabbed the first thing he felt to try and stop himself from falling over. Unfortunately, that was Marcus and his balance was just as bad.

The vet let out a startled yelp as he was pulled over and Dwight huffed as the ginger landed on top of him on the forest floor. Panting slightly as they stared at one another, he finally managed to squeak, “I am so sorry!”

Grinning, Marcus pushed himself up enough that he wasn’t resting all his weight on Dwight’s body. “You don’t have to apologize. I was just surprised.”

Cheeks burning, Dwight couldn’t make himself look away despite his embarrassment. Kissing Marcus wasn’t the only reason he was so flustered, but rather, the other issue it had caused. It had been a long time since he’d felt a strong physical attraction to someone and he didn’t want to seem desperate or too forward; especially if it did end up going all the way. Or didn’t… He wasn’t sure what would be more embarrassing.

Expression kind, Marcus asked softly, “Would you like me to get off of you?”

It took Dwight a moment to realize his fingers were still clenched in the front of the vet’s hoodie, keeping him from getting up the rest of the way. Entirely unsure how to explain that, no, he kind of liked the way the warmth on top of him was combating the cold ground below him, or that the closeness of another person he didn’t have some decades long shared trauma with was refreshing in a way he’d never imagined, he just made a non-committal sound.

“Would you like to kiss again?” Marcus asked, smile growing as he settled comfortably over Dwight.

He really, really did want to kiss the ginger again but he had no idea how to express that in a succinct way either. Worrying his bottom lip with his teeth, Dwight finally nodded wordlessly. He must look like such a mess. Maybe Marcus was just being nice, or taking pity on his obvious inexperience.

Leaning down to close the short distance between them, Marcus gently kissed the corner of his mouth before murmuring, “I’m not going to do anything you're not comfortable with. Okay? If I start moving too fast, please let me know and I’ll back off.”

The comfort that brought coupled with his own increasingly loud anxiety threw Dwight for a loop. He felt respected, which was not something he’d thought to receive so easily from someone he’d met under such odd circumstances.

Almost hesitantly, he relaxed his hands in Marcus’s hoodie. The vet smiled, prompting, “You can touch me, if you’d like. I don’t mind.”

“T-touch you?” Dwight asked breathlessly. Touch how? Where? Was he supposed to keep his hands over the vet’s clothes or under them? It had been so long since he’d done anything like that and he was terrified he was going to blow it!

Chuckling, Marcus took one of his hands and moved it under the hem of his shirt. “All I ask is that you stay out of my pants for the time being. Okay?”

“Oh, I- I can do that,” Dwight whispered, his other hand quickly rising until it too was flush with the vet’s stomach. Lips found his again and his eyelids fluttered closed. Marcus was so gentle with him, not putting too much weight on his chest or hips as their bodies lay pressed together; propped up on his elbows and knees, he slid a hand behind the Survivor’s neck. It didn’t feel like he was being restrained by the warm fingers pressing into his cold skin. Rather, he felt safe.

Hands creeping further up Marcus’s body, he paused when the tips of his fingers ran over something warmer than the rest of him. There was no difference in skin texture, but his hands tingled as though he’d just touched a battery with wet fingers.

The vet seemed to feel it too, as he shuddered slightly, lips parting against Dwight’s mouth as a small moan escaped him.

Thrilled that even with his relative inexperience he could pull such a content sound from another person, Dwight felt his confidence bloom. Dragging his hands up Marcus’s chest, he felt the odd sensation against his palms and fingers. Hips suddenly ground against him and he squeaked, the friction against his crotch making him jolt.

Marcus pulled back slightly with a small gasp. Panting, he started to apologize, “I- I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-”

Dwight didn’t let him finish. Sliding his arms around his back without pulling them from under his hoodie, he hugged the vet down on top of himself. Lifting his head so he could kiss him again, he mumbled, “It’s fine. It’s good.”

Marcus didn’t protest, instead letting his hips rest a bit more heavily against Dwight. When the vet ran his tongue over his top lip, he made a surprised sound before slowly parting his lips and mimicking the motion in what he hoped would be recognized as an invitation for more. Breathing becoming heavier, the vet obliged.

Slowly at first, he ran his tongue over Dwight’s lip again before pressing inside his mouth. The hand on the back of his neck gripped more firmly and his back arched in response. It felt right and the sound the vet made spurred him on. That wasn’t the only thing that felt right, as a leg pressed between his own and he let out a high pitched whine as the right kind of pressure rubbed against his dick.

Keeping one hand on the vet’s back, he slid his other back around to his chest. Marcus shivered slightly when he rubbed over his ribs, but immediately groaned when his fingers ran over his chest again. The hand on the back of Dwight’s neck shifted, coming up to cup his cheek as the pair explored one another.

Dwight could feel his glasses fogging up but he ignored it. He wasn’t about to try and take them off only to lose them in the forest. He’d brought a second pair but it was back at his hotel and he really didn’t want to cut short what was currently happening. And, oh. There was so much happening.

Growing bolder with each small sound Marcus made above him, Dwight tried dragging his fingernails over the vet’s chest and back. It wasn’t very hard, but it got a big reaction. Groaning with more volume, the vet ground his hips against the Survivor like he was trying to bury him in the earth.

Marcus slotted one of his thighs between Dwight’s, and the Survivor let out a long moan at the sudden increase in pressure and friction. He hadn’t even noticed the noises he was making until that moment, and he blushed.

Chuckling quietly, Marcus raised his head just enough to look at him with half lidded eyes and grin. Looked like he was having just as good a time.

Before Dwight could form a single coherent thought, the vet dipped his head, lips pressing into his skin at the junction of his jaw and neck. Gasping as the gentle kiss sent waves of giddy excitement through his body, he pulled at Marcus’s back with his nails.

The vet made a low sound of contentment, beginning to slowly bite and kiss the sensitive skin harder. Then, he moved his hand. Thumb coming over the front of Dwight’s throat, fingers pressing softly into the back of his neck, he didn’t squeeze but it was enough to make him panic.

Startled so badly by the feeling of a hand on his throat, Dwight froze with a small whimper. The paralysis only lasted a second and before he could think of anything else to get Marcus’s attention, he yanked one hand out from under his shirt and grabbed a fistful of his hair.

“Ow!” he yelped, leaning his head back to ease the tension. “Hey, easy on the- Dwight?”

Panting slightly, he stammered, “C-could- could you please- um, g-get you hand o-off my neck?”

Yanking his hand away, Marcus held it close to his chest, a guilty look on his face. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. I should have asked.”

Reaching up, Dwight took his hand, gently intertwining their fingers. He could feel himself blushing again but he did his best to ignore it and smile up at the shocked ginger. “I-it’s okay. I just really don’t like having my neck grabbed. I could have said something when you asked me to keep it above the belt.”

Although he still looked hesitant, Marcus didn’t try to pull away any further. Not quite so scared that he wanted their previous activities to cease, Dwight pulled their hands down beside his head. As gently as he could, he tugged the messy hair still in his other hand to pull the vet closer again.

Starting to grin, Marcus still said seriously, “Anything you don't like, please let me know.”

“I will,” Dwight promised, “And I’ll try not to pull your hair so hard next time.”

Humming contentedly, Marcus allowed him to close the small distance and soon it was like they hadn’t been interrupted. So lost in the growing feelings and sensations, it wasn’t until a clump of snow slid off a tree branch high above and landed directly on the back of Marcus’s neck that they fully broke apart.

Rolling off of Dwight with a startled screech, Marcus grabbing at the back of his head. “Oh, my god! That’s cold! Ah, and wet! Fuck! It’s in my shirt! God, why?!”

Dwight was still laying on the cold earth, shocked still by the sudden lack of heat and friction against his front. Immediately becoming incredibly flustered, he sat up and yanked his jacket down over his lap. Hopefully the cold would help that go away faster…

Shaking snow out of his hair, Marcus laughed before sitting beside Dwight. “I’m sorry about that.”

“No, don’t be,” he immediately pleaded. “Um, I- I actually really… I really enjoyed that.”

“Oh, I meant the whole snow down the back of my shirt thing,” Marcus chuckled. “Um, but the rest of it… That was…”

Anxious about how he trailed off, Dwight wondered if he’d been bad at it. He supposed he kind of was, since it had been a long, long time since he’d gone so far with another person. Maybe he wasn’t bad at it, but he was probably pretty rusty.

His worries were quashed quite effectively when Marcus sighed happily, “That was fun, and um… if you want to we can… do that again some time?”

It was posed as a question, as if he were the one who should be worried about having not been very good at it. Blinking several times, Dwight finally said, “I would like that a lot. But… are you sure your partners won’t mind? I- I don’t want to intrude more than I already have.”

Rising, Marcus brushed himself off before offering a hand. Pulling Dwight to his feet, he explained, “Honestly, Danny will probably beg me for pictures and I’m gonna have to tell him no. He’ll be disappointed, but he'll be okay. On the other hand, Evan probably won’t care too much.”

Dwight flinched slightly, mind going to a very dark place and missing the rest of what he was being told. Evan? Of all the names a person could have, why Evan? He’d only met one person with the same name, but person may have been a bit of a stretch. Monster was more fitting. A mountain of a man, body scarred and mutilated, arms full of twisted metal, hands stained red with the blood of his numerous victims. A branch snapped somewhere but to the Survivor it sounded more like the cold finality of a bear trap. His legs ached at the memory and he shuddered.

Marcus didn’t notice, walking over to retrieve the cat carrier. “He’s pretty cool about me having multiple partners, as long as he’s sure they’re not going to try and hurt me.”

Dwight’s eyes widened. Yeah, there was no way that was the same person. The Trapper liked hurting people. Besides… There was no way a Killer like him could ever pass as a ‘normal’ person unless he managed to get all the shrapnel out of his body and it seemed pretty clear that Marcus wasn’t a Slasher. Still, he had to ask, “Your boyfriends… Are they pretty protective of you?”

Pulling his jacket out of the cat carrier, Marcus made a face. “Yeah, you could say that. Hey, I’m going to wash this, then give it back to you if that’s okay. It’s got some blood and a ton of hair on it.”

Taking his jacket, Dwight looked at it and sighed. “Getting blood out of clothes is such a pain.”

Marcus tilted his head slightly, asking, “You have a lot of experience with that kind of thing?”

Unsure how the hell to respond to that without sounding like a weirdo, he scrambled for an answer before finally thinking of something that was mostly true and a good cover. “We process a lot of our own meat, and sometimes it gets messy. I don’t like helping with the actual culling, but I do sometimes help with cleaning it.”

“Ah, that makes sense,” the vet agreed. “Well, shall we get something to eat that we don’t have to process ourselves?”

Dwight nodded, quickly falling in step beside him as they made their way back to the car. He found that he couldn’t stop stealing glances at the ginger as they walked. The urge to kiss him again just to feel his lips and body against his own was twisting his gut into knots, but he was terrified of bringing it up. How was one even supposed to bring up that kind of subject without sounding desperate or creepy? He knew it would just be a fling if anything did happen, but maybe that was what he needed.

“So… I don’t… have any condoms,” Marcus said awkwardly.

Almost tripping over his own feet from the suddenness of his admission, Dwight stared at him. He wasn’t sure how to respond to that. Was it an invitation to… go buy some? Or was it his subtle way of saying, ‘sorry, I’m not interested in taking it further’? Unsure what else to say, he finally replied, “Um, okay.”

Rubbing a hand over his eyes, the vet muttered, “Jesus fucking Christ, I’m a moron.” Looking at Dwight, he continued, “I’m sorry, that was a terrible segway. I… I would love to do that again… or go further if you’re comfortable with it. But only if you want to. I don’t want you to think I’m only hanging out with you because I’m trying to get in your pants. I really think you’re a fun person to be around and I don’t have a lot of… normal friends.”

Face bright red by the end of his nervous rant, Marcus winced. It looked like he was trying to smile but failing miserably.

Dwight just kept staring at him. Somehow, the vet being just as awkward and flustered about it was comforting. Unfortunately, even as grateful as he was that Marcus had found a way to bring it up before him, he yet again found himself unsure what the heck to say! He wanted to, but he didn’t just want to blurt out a yes and sound desperate. Besides, condoms weren’t really an issue.

The Survivors had very quickly learned that just like with physical injuries, disease and illness no longer seemed to affect them. In the twenty plus years they’d been back, there had only ever been two flu cases and one common cold; all of which had cleared up within forty-eight hours. He could only assume the same went for any sexually transmitted diseases, as more than a few of them regularly went out for extracurricular activities if they had no one to hook up with.

Finally he mustered the courage to explain, “I’ve never been with anyone, so if you trust that you’re clean, I don’t mind just… not using one.”

Marcus made a sound like a deflating balloon. Pressing his hands together, he replied, “You are a beautiful person and I am just, so, so appreciative that you trust me that much. But please, don’t make a habit of that. People will take advantage of you the second they think they have a way, especially if sex is the goal.”

Moved by his concern, Dwight joked, “Don’t let the nerd glasses fool you. I’m not as naive as I look. I’ve just never gone all the way before.”

Laughing, Marcus nodded. “Okay, that sounds fair. You trust me, so I’ll trust you. Now, what would you like to eat? I’m buying this time.”

Earning a raised eyebrow and a grin with his cocky, “Alright, it’s a date,” Dwight felt his stomach flip flop. His screw up with the address was starting to feel less like a mistake, and more like a blessing.

~~

The rest of the day went extremely well and by the time Dwight was taking him home, Marcus had totally forgotten about the way his shift had ended. He’d texted Danny a few updates while they were at the museum, but as he expected, his boyfriend hadn’t responded. Busy hopping from hideout to hideout in search of Blight, and judging from the video Amanda had been kind enough to send, he’d probably be busy for a while.

“I had a really good time,” Dwight said, pulling up to the curb. “Um, do you work tomorrow?”

Sighing as the incident with Carter came back to mind, Marcus nodded. “Unfortunately. Don’t get me wrong, I love my job! We’re just… Well, I’m just having some issues with one of the previous owners old clients.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Dwight offered, looking concerned.

Quickly shaking his head, Marcus lied, “Don’t worry about it, it’s nothing I can’t handle.”

He couldn’t help but feel bad about it, and judging from the look on Dwight’s face his bluff hadn’t been very convincing.

“You know… if you need help with anything, I can always lend a hand,” Dwight offered. “Or, I can try anyway.”

Smiling softly, Marcus reached over to gently grip his leg. “I’ll be okay. But I appreciate it. I work early tomorrow, so if you’re still going to be in town…”

Grinning despite the blush rising in his cheeks, Dwight explained, “I think I can spend a few more days in Utah. I have plenty of time to see Colorado.”

Leaning over the center console, Marcus murmured, “Alright then, I’ll see you tomorrow after work.”

Dwight looked like a deer in headlights. Eyes wide behind his glasses, he stammered something incoherent before giving up and nodding.

“It’s a date,” Marcus repeated, grinning when the dark haired man let out a small sound of excitement. God, he was so damn cute.

Leaning in the rest of the way, Dwight hesitated just before their lips met. Noticing his anxiety, Marcus sat up a bit and removed his hand in an attempt to ease any implication of pressure.

“Hey, it’s okay. There are no obligations with this,” he promised. “Neither of us are looking for something serious, and I’m cool with just being friends.”

“O-oh, yeah, of course,” Dwight stammered, looking away. “Um, but if there was a good place between ‘relationship’ and ‘just friends’ that we could try… Is- is that still an option?”

Marcus grinned. “Of course. I’m also happy to be fuck buddies.”

Dwight squeaked. Honest to god, squeaked. It was fucking adorable, and Marcus suddenly wondered if that’s what he sounded like to some of the others. Especially Pyramid Head, who’s nickname for him was ‘Little Red Noisemaker.’

Eyes dropping for a moment before finding his face again, Dwight murmured nervously, “I could see it getting to that point… I-if you’re sure you don’t mind… that I’ve never- um…”

“We all gotta start somewhere,” Marcus soothed. “Losing your virginity honestly shouldn’t be such a big deal, and if the person taking it is only interested in doing so is because they want the gloating rights of being ‘first’, they absolutely don’t have your best interests at heart.” He remembered his first time and the warm mood instantly soured. Trying not to let it show, he forced a smile before adding, “I go in pretty early tomorrow, but I’m off early as well. If you want, we can go to the next town over for a little sightseeing.”

“I’d like that,” Dwight beamed, smiling from ear to ear. “Want me to pick you up straight from work again?”

“Yeah, that would be great,” Marcus agreed. “I’m off at eleven, so we have plenty of time after.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow then,” Dwight confirmed, looking giddy. “And… thank you for today. I thought I was going to be on my own for this whole trip, so getting to spend it with someone has been really nice.”

Face heating up, Marcus muttered something mostly unintelligible before ending with a hurried, “Night, I’ll see you tomorrow!”

Stepping out of the car a little too quickly, he nearly slipped on a patch of ice. Flailing his arms wildly for a moment, he managed to regain his balance in time. Offering Dwight a very sheepish thumbs up, he hurried up the walkway.
~~~~

Chapter Text

The front door was unlocked, and for a moment Marcus was worried someone had broken in to rob him. Not that there was much to steal except the TV the Legion had stolen in the first place. Oh, shit… What if it was Carter? What if he’d broken in looking for collateral and run into the Slashers? Steeling himself for a bloody mess as soon as he opened the door, he turned the knob.

Thankfully, all of Marcus’s fears were proven wrong immediately, as he walked in just in time to hear Julie jeering, “Boo, you suck Joey!”

“Can we have silence in the peanut gallery?” he demanded, before swearing loudly.

“Ha! Get good, scrub!” Susie cackled.

Closing the front door behind him, Marcus took in the sight in his living room.

It looked like the Legion had been ‘shopping’ again, as in addition to the TV, there was a PS5 and several games sitting on the floor. Joey, Susie, and Frank were all playing a racing game while Julie watched, commentating every time one of them crashed or hit an obstacle.

“Suck a dick,” Susie hissed, flipping Frank off when he rear ended her vehicle, causing her to spin out again.

Passing them both, Joey cackled, “He already does!”

“Eat my entire ass,” Frank shot back, narrowly retaking the lead.

“Eat carpet and choke on it,” he taunted, knocking the other car into a wall and sending it flipping across the track.

Taking his eyes off the screen for a moment so he could glare at Joey, Frank told him, “Your mom shaves so I don’t have that problem.”

“No, this carpet,” Joey snarled, tossing his controller and lunging off the couch at Frank. Tackling him, he tried to shove his face into the carpet, repeating, “Choke on it!”

Marcus leapt aside as the pair rolled around on the floor, jabbing with elbows and attempting to punch or knee whatever they could. Skirting around the chaos, he sat on the opposite end of the couch from Susie before asking, “You all did some more shopping?”

“Nah, we straight up stole this shit,” Susie cackled, totally missing his sarcasm. “Do you know how much harder it is to steal an entire console now than it was in the nineties? It took almost an hour for us to snag the keys, then another forty-five minutes to get them distracted enough to open the case, grab the stuff, and run.”

“Yeah, and we only got three controllers,” Julie griped, picking up Frank’s. Resuming driving for him, she warned, “JoeJoe, Franky, I’m going to park both of you in a lake.”

“The fuck you are!” Joey argued, punching Frank in the stomach.

Slightly winded from the blow, he wheezed, “I was almost a full lap ahead! Win for me, babe!”

“I can play for Joey,” Marcus offered, picking up the controller. It had been a while since he’d gotten to play a video game so he really hoped he wasn’t too rusty.

“Pfff,” Susie scoffed, not taking her eyes off the screen. “Prepare to be dragged across asphalt, Red.”

Easily readjusting to the controls, Marcus held back a bit behind them, slowly drifting back and forth as he contemplated how to handle the situation. Finally, he proposed, “Make a bet with me.”

The game was immediately paused and both Frank and Joey stopped mid-tussle, arms and legs tangled together as they stared at him. Julie was studying him with a calculating look, but Susie looked like she’d just won the lottery.

“Absolutely,” she agreed. “What are the terms?”

“If I win, you all have to stop stealing everything! You’re going to get caught and the last thing I need is that fucking asshole having more of a reason to come looking for me,” he stated. “I will take you all to the store on my next day off. I have Danny’s card, and no, Frank, I will not give it to you.”

He grumbled something rude but didn’t argue. Eyes narrowing suddenly, he asked, “What asshole is coming after you now?”

“If Susie or Julie beat me, I’ll tell you,” he countered, realizing what he’d just said. He had no idea how the Legion would react to finding out he had a crooked cop breathing down his neck but he couldn’t imagine it would be pleasant.

Making a quiet ‘tsk’ sound, Julie shook her head. “Not good enough. What else you got?”

Drawing a blank, Marcus asked, “What would you all want?”

“Se-” Susie was cut off when the vet chucked a pillow at her.

“No,” he stated flatly. “I’m not a hooker.”

“Technically, you wouldn’t be getting paid for sex,” Julie pointed out, smirking when he glared at her. “You’d be using it as collateral for a loss.”

“The answer is still no,” he insisted. Then, he made one of the stupidest comments possible since the last major threat to his life. “If you want to have sex with me, all you have to do is ask without being creepy about it. It could be a lot of fun. Just don’t expect us to ever be more than friends with benefits.”

There was a full two minutes of dead silence in which Marcus contemplated just why exactly he said the things he did. He had no filter, for one thing. And he had a very firm belief that one should speak whatever was on their mind… Although, that may need some rethinking when it came to dealing with Slashers.

In a weak attempt to salvage the situation, he hesitantly clarified, “Any of you… N-not just… Susie and Julie… I’m not… I’m not trying to… um, fuck.”

Sighing, Frank ordered, “Joey, get the door.”

“Yep,” he grunted, disentangling himself from the other.

In yet another absolutely smooth brained move, Marcus darted off the couch and bolted for the door. If he could get to it before Joey, he could probably outrun them! He still had shoes on and they didn’t! His sleeping arrangements could be figured out later, he just didn’t want to know what they were going to do to him for his last comment!

“Nope!” Frank snarled, lunging for his legs.

Marcus let out a screech as he was pulled down before getting anywhere near the door. Clawing at the floor in a futile attempt to escape the Slasher, he babbled, “Oh my god, please don’t cut my dick off! I haven’t slept with either of them! I wasn’t even trying to hit on anyone! I’m not trying to flirt with your girlfriends, I respect other people's relationships!”

Watching impassively as Frank pinned him to the floor, Julie waited for Marcus to stop talking and try and catch his breath to ask, “Are you saying Susie and I have to have their permission to have sex?”

“That’s kinda misogynistic, dude,” Susie chided, setting aside her controller.

“What?!” he shrieked, eyes going wide as Joey locked and chained the door. That was absolutely horrible and not at all what he’d meant! Did they really think that little of him?

A hand grabbed the back of his neck, pushing him down when he tried to argue. He attempted to roll and dislodge the Legion leader, but legs squeezed tightly on either side of his ribs, holding him in place. When he tried to push himself up with his arms, Frank grabbed his wrists and yanked them behind his back before returning a hand to the nape of his neck. He was completely pinned.

Sighing, Julie crossed her arms. “We’re our own people. Just because we’re not quite as open with our relationships as you are doesn’t mean Frank and Joey get to decide who we sleep with.”

“That’s not what I meant!” he yelped. When the fingers on the back of his neck tightened, he added desperately, “I just- I don’t know how you four’s relationships work! I’m not hitting on someone who’s in a relationship if I don’t know if they’re all cool with it!”

“I already made it pretty clear I’m not okay with it,” Frank recalled, squeezing his wrists until he whimpered in pain. “I just don’t know what we’re gonna do with you, Red. Every time I start to think you’re not so bad, you go and say something stupid and I’m back at square one.”

“There is a big difference between harmless flirting and actually trying to get into someone’s pants… I’m not trying to get into anyone’s pants!” Marcus argued quickly. Growing mildly irritated when they all laughed, he added, “You’re the ones choosing to stay here and sleep in the same bed as me, but then you turn around and threaten me with bodily harm! You know, I’m honestly not sure if you all want to kill me or fuck me, and it’s really starting to get confusing! Can’t you all just pick one and get back to me so I know what’s going on?!”

Regretting the outburst immediately when Susie and Julie exchanged a truly menacing grin, he added weakly, “You realize I’m very breakable, and I will die if I lose too much blood… right?”

Squatting down beside him, Joey offered a thin smile. “Now, Doc… You know we’re not going to kill you, right?”

“Sometimes I’m not so sure,” he admitted, voice tense. When Frank laughed, he winced, sure the Legion were about to kick the shit out of him. There’d be no living with them after that…

~~

Releasing the back of Marcus’s neck, Frank was even nice enough to let go of his wrists, although he didn’t move from his position on the vet’s back. The guy was so easy to scare and it was incredibly fun, but he didn't feel like taking it too far and having Pyramid Head or one of the others come down on them. “Look, Doc, you’re getting way into your head here. Believe it or not, we trust that you’re not going to attempt anything pervy. If any of us actually thought you were going to try something, well… Jules?”

Crouching down, she grabbed a handful of Marcus’s hair. Tilting his head up to look at her, she smiled. “Once, back in the fog, Blight decided to try and get a little handsy. So you know what I did?”

Marcus didn’t say anything, just stared at her with a mixture of awe and uncomfortable arousal. That should not be turning him on… Eh, he’d blame it on the earlier messing around with Dwight. There was no way being pinned down and subtly threatened with violence was a turn on… Nope. Not for him…

“I cut his hand off at the wrist and slapped him with it,” Julie continued, eyes glittering. “After that, the Entity was a lot more strict about what it let slide in the Killers camp. We’re not worried about you or anyone else trying anything, Red. We can handle ourselves.”

Swallowing in a poor attempt to wet his dry throat, Marcus asked, “Well, since we’ve established that I’m not going to do anything like that and we all know it, can you please let me up?”

“Nah,” Frank chided. “I’m still curious about something.”

When his hair was released, Marcus flopped his head down on the floor. He sounded just as tired as he looked as he asked, “What’s that?”

“I was just gonna ask if your neck is as ticklish as the rest of you, but I guess not,” Frank chuckled, and the vet stiffened.

“N-no? Wh-who said I was ticklish? I-I’m not ticklish!” he blustered unconvincingly. He was horrifically ticklish, especially around his ribs and feet, but he would rather die then tell the Legion that.

“Like Joey said,” Susie told him from somewhere behind them, “We’re not going to kill you.”

Flailing like a wounded animal when his shoes were pulled off, Marcus started trying to reason with them again. “Can’t you just stab me a couple of times and call it even?! I can show you where to stab so I won’t bleed out before I can go to the Realm to heal! It’s really not that hard to non-fatally stab someone!”

Frank was mildly impressed. The ginger had been stabbed before so it wasn’t like he didn’t know what he was offering… But still. What they were planning was way more fun. Leaning down slightly, he gently pressed two fingers into each of Marcus’s armpits.

The vet let out a small whine, entire body going tense. Twisting his head as best he could, he looked back at Frank to ask one last time, “Are you sure you can’t just stab me? Please, Frank?”

For a split second, he almost let Marcus go just from the shock it sent through him. Sitting on the vet’s back with his face pressed against the floor, a look of mild fear on his face, eyes wide and pleading… It was causing a lot more than surprise.

“I’m sure,” he confirmed quickly, jamming his fingers into the sensitive spots. Marcus howled, bucking so hard Frank actually fell over backwards, taking out Suise who had just begun viciously tickling the bottoms of his feet.

Frank was shooting back up and grabbing for the back of his hoodie before he could so much as get up onto his hands and knees. With a sharp yelp, Marcus jerked an arm back and, by some miracle, hit the Legion leader square in the face. Pain exploded in his nose and he swore loudly. Clutching his aching face with both hands, he rolled to one side.

Marcus flipped onto his back, propping himself up on his elbows as he tried to figure out what had just happened. Eyes going wide, he stammered, “O-oh, shit! Frank, I- I’m sorry!”

Hissing as he checked his fingers for blood, Frank grinned at the dark red staining his fingers. “Don’t be. I’m actually impressed, Doc. You made me bleed.”

Still looking shocked, he started to offer, “Do you want me to take a look at it? If it’s broken-”

“It’s not,” Frank chuckled darkly. He’d had his nose broken quite a few times since being taken to the Entity’s Realm and he knew exactly what it felt like. Still, the vet had gotten him good and he couldn’t help but respect that. There was still something that confused him about Marcus… How was it that even with his own -relative- well being on the line, he was more concerned about the guy who’d just had him pinned and entirely at his mercy?

Pushing the question from his mind, he ordered, “Grab his arms.”

“Get him!” Joey shouted, tackling Marcus before he could fully process what had just been said.

The vet went down in a tangle of limbs and screams as the Legion dog piled him. Smiling, Frank joined back in on the fun. Doc wasn't so bad, but scaring the shit out of him would never get old. Besides, listening to him plead and cry for mercy was incredibly satisfying.

That brought an unbidden question to Frank’s mind. What else could he do to get him to squirm and beg like that? Jolting slightly, he almost got hit in the nose again when he let his grip on the vet’s arm loosen enough for him to pull free. Regaining his composure, he pinned his wrist under one knee before jabbing his fingers into his arm pit again, chiding, “No hitting, Doc. That’s rude.”

Shrieking and howling, Marcus begged, “Just stab me! Please! No no no, let go of that! Gah!”

The ‘that’ in question was one of his legs, which Susie had just pinned down so she could attack his foot again while also keeping him from being able to squirm out from underneath them all.

“Aw, look how hard he’s trying!” Julie cooed, grabbing his other leg.

“Fuck! You win, you win!” he cried desperately. It did him no good, as the four of them just continued to torment him. When Joey jabbed two fingers into the back of his knee, the vet screeched like he’d just been branded with a hot iron.

“I know this is a bad neighborhood and all, but if someone hears this they’re going to think someone’s getting murdered,” Julie warned, switching places with Joey so she could hold the vet’s arms down.

“Thanks, Jules,” Frank chuckled, mercilessly attacking the vet’s ribs until he was wailing and begging like his life was actually in danger. “You know, I think we could probably just explain the situation.”

“Frank, please!” Marcus begged, and the Legion leader felt his face heat up slightly. Grimacing when Julie’s eyebrows rose, he jabbed his fingers into the ginger’s armpits again.

“Can’t you see I’m trying to have a conversation with my girlfriend? Stop interrupting.”

“Ahhak! I’m sorry! Oh, god, Joey stop that!”

“That was Susie,” he argued, before repeating whatever it was she’d just done.

Things didn’t so much settle down after that, but the chaos did shift trajectory a few minutes later when Joey tried to be sneaky. Disentangling himself from the pile, he grabbed his controller and started the game again, hoping to give himself an advantage while Susie and Frank’s cars idled in the middle of the track.

Realizing what he was doing, Susie dropped Marcus’s ankle and leaped for her own controller, shouting, “Oh! Real nice!”

“My turn!” Julie called, snagging Frank’s controller.

He didn’t argue, having had his fair share of time on the game already. Sitting on the floor beside Marcus, he asked the unmoving vet, “You still alive, Red?”

He was met with a weak groan and a middle finger. Not bothering to lift his face from the carpet, Marcus’s voice was muffled as he said, “You all could have just stabbed me… Why didn’t you just stab me?”

“We wouldn’t do that,” Julie laughed. “You might actually die and believe it or not, we don’t want that.”

“But I’m soft and breakable,” he whined. “Why not just… pick on each other? Then you can get as mean as you want, right?”

“None of us are ticklish,” Susie offered, shrugging. “Besides, was it really that bad?”

“Yes!” he shouted, finally lifting his head. “I bruise like an overripe banana! I’m going to look like I’ve been abused!”

Rolling onto his back, he yanked his shirt up to show that his ribs were indeed already showing the Legion’s handiwork. Blue and yellow fingerprint shaped bruises were already littering his sides, and more were becoming visible by the minute.

Glancing down, Joey did a double take. Not noticing as he accidentally drove into a wall, he muttered, “Jesus Christ, dude. You weren’t kidding. It looks like someone beat you with a sock full of nickels.”

“Holy shit, who needs a nightlight? Doc can just take his shirt off!” Susie cackled. “You’re so white you practically glow!”

“So are you,” Marcus grumbled back. “Deal’s off, by the way. You all suck.”

Laughing, Frank couldn’t help but ask, “We suck? You’re the one who said all we have to do is ask and you’d-”

“No!” he yelped, scrambling to his feet. “Nope! Any more than three people gets too out of hand!”

The game was immediately paused again and Marcus quickly eyed the door, silently calculating if he had enough time to escape. None of them went after him that time, but all of them were staring critically.

Finally, Susie asked, “How do you know that?”

Raising his eyebrows, Marcus asked in return, “Is that a serious question?”

She started to say something but Julie smacked a hand over her mouth and answered instead, “That’s plenty of detail, Red. Your ribs okay? We didn’t actually hurt you, did we?”

He looked slightly suspicious as he confirmed, “I’ll live.”

“Aw, quit pouting and come play,” Joey invited, finally taking first place. “I want to see how good you actually are.”

Leaning back against the couch between Julie’s legs, Frank patted the floor next to him. “Come on, Doc. It’s time for us to kick your ass in a way that won’t get us all killed by your harem.”

Face flushing, Marcus mumbled, “It’s not a harem…” but still went and sat with them anyway.

“Sooo, what does one have to do to join the harem?” Susie inquired, cracking up when he turned around to glare at her.

“Not get me killed,” he griped, reaching up and snagging her controller. “Thanks, by the way. I’m starting to think that’s your whole goal, despite what Julie has been claiming.”

Feigning shock, she gasped, “Why ever would you think I’d try to get Joey and Frank to kill you for me? If I wanted you dead, I’d do it myself!”

“She’s a strong independent woman and she don’t need no man,” Joey jeered, before laughing.

“Yeah!” Susie agreed. Then, almost immediately, she looked at him with pleading eyes and asked, “Ooh, babe, will you please grab me a soda?”

Looking at her like she was crazy, he asked, “What happened to not needing a man?”

“I don’t need a man, but I have one and he’s big and strong and I love him and if he gets me a soda I’ll let him join me in the shower as soon as that big ass snake goes home.”

Everyone else burst out laughing as Joey made a big show of passing his controller to Frank before getting up and shuffling to the kitchen. Bringing back sodas for all of them, he sat back down to watch Frank, Marcus, and Julie race.

Much to Frank’s chagrin, it turned out Marcus was extremely good at the game. After just barely keeping second place for the first couple of laps, he suddenly pulled ahead, a massive grin on his face as Julie started swearing at him.

Even Susie couldn’t keep the shock out of her voice as she asked, “How the hell did you get the hang of this so fast?”

“I used to be a huge gamer, but I had to sell all my stuff to make ends meet,” he explained, the grin never leaving his face. Blowing through the finish line a full lap and a half ahead of Julie and Frank, he asked smugly, “Now aren’t you all glad you didn’t make that bet?”

“Bite me,” Susie grumbled, looking a lot less excited. “You got lucky. Franky, give me your controller.”

Glaring at her, he complained, “You’re worse at this than I am!”

“Yes, but if you poke him in the ribs around the turns he’ll probably lose control and crash,” she countered.

“Please don’t,” Marcus begged, leaning away when the Legion leader grinned at him. “I can’t take much more of this abuse. Besides, I have to work tomorrow.”

Frank seriously considered it, although he wasn’t sure why. In part, it would mean he’d get to torment the vet some more, which would be fun. It also meant he’d be touching him repeatedly and that also sounded good. Growing irritated with his own conflicting thoughts and feelings, he finally huffed, “Nah, don’t need to make him cry right now. He’s been through enough.”

“Aw, you do care,” the vet teased, grinning at him. Still, it didn’t reach his eyes entirely.

He looked… tired. Frank didn’t blame him though. Marcus was doing a remarkable job dealing with everything they’d been through, but it was obviously eating away at him. He had nightmares almost every night. The first night he’d been home without Evan and Danny, he started sobbing and whimpering in his sleep. All four of them had immediately woken up expecting a fight. When they’d realized he was having a nightmare, Joey had tried unsuccessfully to wake him up. It wasn’t until Julie had wrapped her arms around his back, holding him tightly and shushing him that his fit subsided. He slept better after that and didn’t seem to realize a thing had happened when they all crawled out of bed the next morning.

Speaking before he could think it through, Frank decided, “We should all get some sleep.”

“Awww,” Joey, Susie, and Marcus all complained.

“He’s right,” Julie agreed, yawning. “It’s really late. Doc, I checked on Butter about an hour before you got home. He’s doing good but I think he’s getting hungry.”

Failing to stifle a yawn of his own, Marcus nodded before saying, “Thank you. I’ll have to draw some of his blood tomorrow morning, but I’ll pick up a couple of raw chickens on my way home from work.”

As the five of them stretched and got ready to move to the bedroom, Frank found himself wondering just how much longer the vet would be able to keep up the charade. What was it going to take for him to finally break? And when he did, would Evan and Danny even be able to pick up the pieces?
~~~~

Chapter Text

Wet heat encircled Frank’s shaft and he groaned, hands coming down to grasp at his partner's hair. His head was thrown back, eyes closed as a mouth and tongue worked over him. Thrusting his hips forward with reckless need, the Legion leader panted, “So good. So good, fuck. So close.”

A wordless hum drew his eyes downwards and although he’d expected to see Julie’s bright blue eyes looking back at him, he found himself unsurprised to meet mismatched blue and copper instead. Fingers tangling in red hair, he pulled the vet down to meet each of his increasingly desperate thrusts. He was so close and the vet’s throat was so tight around him.

Drool flecked his thighs with every movement, Marcus moaning hungrily for him as he allowed himself to be used. One hand was gripping loosely at Frank’s hip, the other between his own legs, moving out of sight as he jerked himself off.

Frank could feel his orgasm building and knew he wasn’t going to last more than a couple of thrusts. How the hell had they even gotten in that position was a mystery but it just made sense somehow. He didn’t feel like wasting time trying to think about it, just enjoying the feeling.

“Hey? Frank?”

He frowned, confused to hear the vet’s voice when his mouth was so fully occupied.

“Um, jeez, please don’t kill me… Frank!”

Jolting slightly, he blinked his eyes open, dream interrupted but the needy tension in his gut still lingering. Someone shifted in his arms and he let out a tired sigh, closing his eyes again. Feeling warm skin under his lips, he smiled, murmuring, “Aw, Jules, stay. I was having a good dream.”

Pressing his crotch against the leg he was half laying on, he growled, “A very good dream.”

“Ahha, th-that- that’s awesome, but I need to get ready for work.”

Still attempting to retreat back into the sound comfort of sleep and the dream he’d been having, Frank muttered, “You don’t have a job, babe.”

“Oh, oh no… Frank, I think-”

“Well, stop that,” he mumbled, nipping the side of her neck. There was a high pitched squeak and he grinned.

Not waiting for another argument, he slid his hand up her chest. There was a half stifled ‘Eep!’ when his fingers found a nipple and he pinched. Wait… her breasts weren’t anywhere near that flat. It didn’t feel like there was much there at all actually, and Joey would have socked him the moment he’d felt his dick against his leg.

Eyes shooting open, Frank realized he wasn’t holding Julie… Which also meant he was groping and dry humping the wrong person…

Swallowing audibly, Marcus tried to scoot away from him, quickly offering, “C-can you please let go? Um, the others are actually up already and I didn’t sleep through my alarm for once…”

Flailing slightly, Frank rolled across the bed before falling to the floor with a thump. Shooting upright, he noticed the dark blush in Marcus’s cheeks and the way he was clearly averting his eyes. Looking down, he quickly covered his crotch with both hands. It didn’t really help as the touch just left him desperate for friction. Squeezing his eyes shut, he seethed, “Can we just… never speak of this?”

“Yep, yep, sounds great,” Marcus hurried to agree, voice an octave too high. Leaping out of bed before Frank could get a good enough glance to either confirm or debunk his suspicion, the vet excused, “Gotta’ get some of Butter’s blood and get ready for work. Um, see you guys later?”

“Mhm,” Frank grunted, just wanting him to leave already. Realizing he was in Marcus’s bedroom and waiting for him to leave was pointless since the vet still needed to change his clothes, he snapped, “I’m going to get some breakfast.”

There was a nervous sound of acknowledgement as he hurried out of the room, ears burning. Goddammit. The first time since they’d been back that he didn’t have a nightmare, he had a wet dream! About him of all people! Frank couldn’t get it out of his head. The lippy ginger putting his mouth to good use for once, eyes watering and cheeks flushed as he fucked his throat like he owned it. Waking up from that kinda dream with his face buried in the guy's neck certainly hadn’t helped at all. Or the fact that he actually smelled kinda nice…

Grimacing, he flopped face down on the couch. Julie made a curious sound and he groaned wordlessly in response. He didn’t want to talk about it.

But he couldn’t stop fucking thinking about it… About how he wanted to take it further. To see the vet squirming underneath him again, only fucked out and begging for more instead of being dogpiled and harassed by the entire Legion. Begging for him. Hmm, he liked the idea of that. The vet had to have pretty good stamina if he could keep up with so many partners which gave him plenty of time to figure out exactly how to make him squirm. Added bonus, it would probably make Danny jealous.

Hearing the aforementioned vet rushing around the kitchen, he mumbled, “Where are Susie and Joey?”

“Suze wanted McDonald’s and Joey wanted some fresh air,” Julie answered, gently brushing her fingers down the back of his neck.

“I’ll be back later,” Marcus quickly excused, before bolting out the front door.

As soon as the door closed behind him, Julie gave Frank a knowing smile. “Your ears are red.”

Although he was incredibly grateful they were alone, Frank covered them with his hands anyway. “No they’re not.”

“You’re thinking something lewd.”

“No I’m not.”

“Oh, my god. You’re thinking about-”

“No! I’m not!” he shouted, rolling off the couch and storming to the fridge.

“Well, I was going to say Danny,” she teased. “But it’s Red, isn’t it?”

Staring into the open refrigerator, he grumbled, “Just because I don’t hate him doesn’t mean I want to fuck him.”

“You know you can’t lie to me,” she scoffed, beginning to sound annoyed. “We agreed we’d be honest about this kind of stuff, Frank.”

Grinding his teeth, he ignored her in favor of grabbing a can of pineapple crush. Kicking the fridge closed, he was just about to pop the top when it was snatched from his grip. “Hey!”

“Talk to me,” she said, holding the can out of reach. “Or I’ll shake this up and shove it down your pants.”

Glaring at her, he seriously considered his options. He wasn’t about to lie to her. Never to Julie. He still wasn’t sure how he felt or what he wanted to do about it, but if there was one person he could talk to, it was her. Finally, he griped, “I had a- a wet dream… about him… and now I can’t stop thinking about it. Okay? Happy? Can I have my fucking soda now?”

Still holding it but looking much more smug, she asked again, “So? You wanna fuck him? Or you want me to fuck him?”

“You stay away from him,” he growled, stalking closer as he reached for his drink. He knew exactly what she was offering and although he kind of wanted to see it happen, he wasn’t about to give her the go ahead… not yet anyway.

“Or what?” she challenged, grinning. “And you didn’t answer my other questions.”

“You didn’t give me my soda,” he answered, backing her against the counter.

“You’ll get your soda when I get what I want,” she argued, leaning back on her elbows. “Do you want to fuck him?”

“What if I do?” He still really wasn’t sure himself, even if it was because he just didn’t want to admit it.

“Then ask him,” Julie laughed, before warning, “But if you do, that makes him fair game for the rest of us.”

Frank curled his lip, hissing, “Why would you wanna fuck him?”

“He’s cute,” she admitted willingly, a smug grin on her face. “And I know how jealous you get. How overprotective you are. And it would be fun to watch you take it out on him.”

“That’s cold,” he snickered, pressing his hips against hers. He still had an itch he needed to scratch… “You want to watch me take him apart, is that it?”

“In a way he’d enjoy, yeah,” she clarified, still smirking. “He seems to like it just as rough as you do.”

“Won’t know unless we try,” he muttered, unable to deny that he’d gotten the same feeling. Why else would he be actively sleeping with almost a dozen different Slashers? Glaring again, Frank added, “I don’t know. He’s just so… breakable. We’d probably end up killing him.”

“Well, I could always just ask Danny if you’re going to say no,” she said, tilting her head back teasingly when he tried to kiss her. “I’m sure he’d let me watch. Maybe even join in.”

Wrapping one arm around her waist, Frank grabbed her neck with his other hand. He didn’t squeeze, knowing she didn’t like the pressure, just the grip. Holding her to make sure she couldn’t duck out of reach again, he spoke against her lips as he demanded, “Why would you do a stupid fucking thing like that?”

“To piss you off,” she murmured, before flicking her tongue over his top lip. “As mad as it makes you, it’s turning you on too, isn’t it?”

With the way his body was pressing into hers, Frank knew she already knew the answer. He was still in pajama pants, so even if they hadn’t been pressed together she would have been able to see it.

Keeping a loose grip on her neck, he slid his hand from the small of her back around to the front of her jeans. Popping the button, he dipped his hand inside before warning, “If Danny touches you, I’ll fucking kill him.”

A small gasp escaped her as his fingers slipped between her legs, gently exploring without giving too much attention to any one area. The sound brought a wicked grin to his face and he asked rhetorically, “You like that? Knowing I’d kill for you?”

“Like you’d kill him,” she scoffed, but the challenge in her voice was weaker. They all knew he’d kill for any of the Legion members, but for her, he would fight god.

Frank didn’t answer, gently pressing a finger against her clit. Rubbing in soft up and down motions, he leaned back, making her chase him for a kiss. Arms wrapped around the back of his neck as she leaned into him, hips jerking slightly as she fought the urge to ride his fingers.

Releasing her neck, he slid his hand to the back of her head, holding her as he deepened the kiss. Lips parting, he let out a sound of surprise when she slid her tongue into his mouth before he could reach hers.

Dropping all pretense of teasing, she pushed her body against him, slick already starting to coat his fingers.

Grabbing a handful of her hair, he pulled her head back. Leaning in to bite the front of her neck, he pushed his hand further between her legs. She let out an audible moan at that, hands tugging at him as she leaned back against the counter.

Breathing heavily as he mouthed and kissed her neck, he slid a finger inside her. Feeling her clenching and grinding against his hand, he carefully slid a second finger in beside the first and she groaned. Grinning against her skin, he murmured, “Looks like I’m not the only one who woke up horny.”

“Shut up,” she whispered harshly. Gasping as he pulled his fingers from her, she complained, “I wasn’t done with that.”

“Ah, ah,” he chided, kissing her. “Not here.”

“What?” Julie mumbled, sounding slightly annoyed at the sudden pause.

Holding her close against his body, Frank spun her around and backed her towards the living room. Guiding her to the couch, he eased her down before tugging her pants lower on her hips. She raised her legs, allowing him to pull them off completely.

Kneeling on the floor between her thighs, he grinned wickedly before dipping his head. Instead of going directly between her legs like he knew she wanted, he kissed along the inside of one thigh, then the other, smirking at her the entire time.

Fingernails were grazing his scalp even before he pressed his tongue flat against her slit. God, he loved the way she tasted. He’d missed doing that, missed the sounds she made, and the way she threw her legs over his shoulders so he could have complete access to her body.

“Mmf, fuck,” she hissed, already close from his earlier teasing.

Running his hands over the outside of her thighs, he found her hips and held her still. Flicking his tongue teasingly over her clit, he relished each twitch and spasm of her muscles. She was trying so hard not to cum yet. She wanted to draw it out? Well… challenge accepted. Sitting back slightly, he yanked her down on the couch so she was no longer sitting, but laying with her legs over his shoulders.

Grinning at her, he let out a small laugh when her fingernails dragged through his short hair, trying to push him back down. Opening his mouth, he licked long slow stripes over her, teasing her as he savored the taste.

“You fucking- Dammit,” she swore, legs wrapping around his head and forcing him against her.

Unbothered, Frank lapped and sucked at her lips, tasting every inch of her. She was close, and he was purposely licking around the area he knew would tip her over the edge. He could tell it was starting to drive her a little bit nuts. Fingernails scraped over his scalp again and he grinned, burying his tongue inside her.

Julie let out a long moan, back arching and thighs clamping tight around his head. He did his best to breathe as she rode it out, lapping up everything she gave him and savoring every second of it, but eventually he had to tap on her hip to get her to ease up. It would have been a great way to die, but he still had his own needs to take care of. Thankfully, she released him with a breathless murmur, eyes hazy when he looked up at her.

Grinning, Frank stood and pulled his pants down. “Aw, Jules. Don’t look at me like that. I’m not done with you yet.”

Returning the look, she challenged, “You better not be.”

Raising his eyebrows, he grabbed her legs and pulled them up to wrap around his waist. “What is it you always say?”

When she tried to answer, he rubbed his dick over her clit, making her shudder and groan. He repeated the motion a couple more times before sinking into her. Slick and sensitive, her body spasmed around him and he let out a low moan of his own.

Too riled up to take his time anymore, Frank set a fast, rough pace. God, he needed it. The way Julie called his name, so tight and hot around his shaft, fingers digging into his arms. When he was with her, she was all he could think about and that was exactly what he needed.

Hands catching around the back of his neck, Julie pulled him down, repositioning them so they were both laying more comfortably on the couch. After that it was all hands and lips and teeth, groping, kissing, biting, sucking bruises into each other's skin, feeling every part of one another as if any moment could be their last.

Frank’s pace started to get more frantic as he chased his climax. He was right on the edge, a fact he made sure Julie knew as he buried his face in her neck, whispering, “So close, baby. Right fucking there, yeah?”

Her legs wrapped around his hips, arms pulling tight against the back of his neck as she held him closer. “Come on, Franky. Give me everything you have.”

Groaning, he gave one last hard thrust before he was entirely undone. Dick still throbbing inside her, Frank practically collapsed on top of her. He’d needed that more than he realized, apparently. Hands trailed over his shoulders in soothing patterns and he kissed Julie’s neck in return, murmuring, “Love you, Jules.”

“Love you too, Franky,” she whispered back.

They laid like that for a while, and he was about to doze off again when the front door opened. He rolled his eyes to look, too comfortable to bother moving anything else. Joey and Susie walked in, each holding a McDonalds bag.

“Oh, my god, so that’s why you didn’t want to come with us,” Joey groaned, dramatically averting his eyes. “We brought you both breakfast, by the way.”

“Get some, girl!” Susie crowed, and Julie laughed. “Work up that appetite!”

It really wasn’t that big a deal for any of them, but they’d usually give each other shit when they walked in on one another in such a situation. Once Frank had walked in on Joey and Susie going at it, and instead of leaving so they could finish, he sat down and started watching TV. That had started a competition to see who could get louder, them or the show he was trying to watch. They won and he’d nearly dived out a window just for added dramatic effect.

Grabbing Julie’s shirt off the floor, he passed it to her before getting up. “It’s not our fault you two don’t know how to knock. What if we’d still been busy?”

“There is a bedroom,” Joey chided, tossing his pants at him.

Frank laughed, tugging them back on before joining them at the table. “Yeah, but sometimes you just gotta go with what feels right.”

“I’ll say,” Susie giggled. “Why do you think it took us so long to get back?”

“Yeaaaah… We’re going to be getting a lot of nasty looks if we ever go back there,” Joey admitted. “I feel sorry for whoever has to clean that bathroom.”

“We didn’t make that big of a mess!”

“We broke the toilet!”

Shrugging, Susie dismissed, “I told you not to put so much weight on it at that angle.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Joey grumbled, flipping off Frank when he laughed. “So, is Doc already at work?”

Julie nodded, confirming, “He left a little while ago. Speaking of…”

All of them paused, looking at her expectantly.

“I think we’ve been too hard on him lately. Especially you, Frank.”

Slightly surprised by the call-out, he asked incredulously, “What the hell did I do?”

“You were kind of an asshole at the clinic yesterday,” Joey pointed out.

He shrugged, annoyed because he knew they were right. Frank knew he struggled with empathy. Oftentimes, he struggled just to be a semi-decent person. The Legion kept him accountable and if they all agreed he’d gone too far or been too mean they wouldn’t hesitate to tell him. Didn’t mean it wasn’t annoying though…

Finally caving under the trio of stares, he grumbled, “I’m not apologizing, but I’ll try to be less aggressive.”

“Good enough for me,” Susie agreed, already digging through the bags. “You like bacon and egg, right Frank?”

Making a childish grabby motion, he yelled, “Give it! I’m hungry!”

“You just ate,” Julie scoffed, eyes sparkling.

“Eeeewwww,” Joey and Susie cried in unison, before all of them started laughing.

After eating and joking for a few more minutes, Joey said, “Oh, I almost forgot. You all remember that cop that came into the clinic yesterday?”

“Yeah, I wanted to talk to Red about that,” Frank recalled. They had decided not to stay and wait for the officer to leave before heading out themselves. Even when they weren’t up to no good, the group made it a point to avoid cops. Especially since they’d learned they weren’t even in Canada anymore. From what they’d heard, American cops had only gotten worse over the years.

Nodding, Joey continued, “He was one of the ones that were here to question Doc about his old boss. It took me a minute to place him since, let’s face it, that was a really fucked up day.”

Julie winced, nodding in agreement. That had been the same day Wesker finally made his move, attacking Marcus and injecting him with an experimental virus meant to forcefully evolve him into a Slasher. The Legion had gotten in his way and all four of them had paid for it.

“I’m surprised you remember any of it,” Frank admitted. “Didn’t Wesker crack your skull?”

Rubbing his temple, Joey nodded. “Yeah, the fucker. But that’s not the point. I think maybe that cop has something on Doc. Remember what he said last night?”

“I remember him screaming a lot,” Susie chuckled. “I really hope those bruises clear up before Danny or Evan see them or we’re all in trouble.”

“He said something about ‘some guy’ having more reason to come after him,” Julie recalled, ignoring the last comment. “You think it’s that cop?”

“Bingo,” Joey confirmed. “Didn’t you see his face when he saw him at the clinic yesterday? He definitely recognized the pig.”

Frank narrowed his eyes. “His old job was just a cover for drug dealing, right? Or for his boss to deal drugs?”

“Something like that,” Julie agreed, looking concerned. “You don’t think the cops are trying to build a case against him, do you?”

Balling up the wrapper from her sandwich, Susie worried, “Shit, I hope not. Doc is probably smart enough to keep his name out of it, but his boss probably wasn’t.”

“Or, he had him set up as a fall guy,” Frank pointed out. “You know, in case anything happened and he needed to plead ignorance?”

All of them fell silent, considering the possibilities. Finally, Joey said, “I may have snagged Danny’s card from Doc’s wallet while you two were spooning-”

“What the fuck, Joey!” Frank shouted, chucking a hashbrown at him.

He caught it with one hand and started eating it as he continued, “-So I was thinking, maybe we should go grocery shopping, for real this time, and put some proper food in his fridge. I know we can’t really do much with the car while it’s frozen, but maybe we can pick up a few of the parts he’s had to yank out of it.”

Considering it, Frank finally nodded. “That’s… a really good idea. Let me change and we can go.”
~~~~

Chapter Text

Danny was still pouting about his bruised ego -and many body parts- as the group stepped cautiously into another of Blight’s bases. Evan had lost his temper and beaten him to the point that both Amanda and Philip had to intervene before he really went too far and killed the smaller man.

As he healed, it was quickly decided that if Blight wasn’t at this next base, they’d raze it and go back to the Realm for a few days to rest and catch up with Marcus before going back out. It was pretty clear they could all use a break…

Just like with the other hideouts they’d checked, that one appeared to be free of traps. Unlike the others, however, it had yet to be stripped bare and abandoned. Why the hell Talbot needed so many bases was still a mystery, but at least it looked like they finally had a solid lead.

Head canting to one side, Evan inhaled deeply. Keeping his voice low did nothing to hide the excitement in it as he growled, “He’s here… Wraith?”

Philip didn’t even nod, just vanished with a dulled ring of his bell. It was amazing how the different symbols he painted on its surface still worked, but there was no time to dwell on it. They had a mad scientist to put down…

“Move together?” Amanda murmured, arm blades extending with the quiet whisper of metal against metal.

Evan didn’t answer at first, eyes tracking down the long hallway they’d stepped into. He’d been trying to keep his personal feelings out of it. This wasn’t about revenge for himself and Philip. This was for Marcus; to ensure his continued safety. To make absolutely sure that Blight understood the consequences of going after the vet again, even indirectly. But why not take the chance to inflict even a fraction of the pain on Blight that he’d inflicted on them? He always claimed he had only been serving the Entity, that none of it was personal… But they knew better. He knew the look in a man’s eyes when he inflicted pain simply for the pleasure of hurting someone who couldn’t fight back…

It was very personal and Evan knew the moment he got his hands on Blight there would be no separating his own past from their reasons for being there in the first place. Pulling his cleaver off his back, he let out a low growl.

“Make sure he doesn’t get past you… and stay out of my way.”

Both of them nodded, silently positioning themselves by the Door to ensure it couldn’t be reached without a serious fight.

Tracking Blight and the Wraith’s scent down the hall, the Trapper was easily able to bypass the few scattered rooms on either side. Empty distractions. Nothing more. No need to check. The smell was becoming stronger with each step and he could feel long buried instincts rearing their ugly heads. Thoughts became short, direct, focused.

Not a Survivor. Can’t hunt him like one. Walk on the balls of your feet. Mitigate sound. Use your size. Prey is close. Be ready. Block the only way out. Blight is fast. Break his legs first. Maybe his back. Get him on the ground. Rip him open…

Sounds began to reach Evan’s ears. Frantic footsteps slapping across the concrete floor. A low voice muttering incomprehensibly as papers and glass were shuffled around. Looked like they’d arrived just in time; the sneaky bastard was already trying to clean out and escape to his next destination.

Entering the room, Evan paused for a moment in the doorway. It was a large, square room. No windows, no other doors. Underground. Good. There was only one way out, but Blight wouldn’t be getting anywhere near it.

Letting a growl rumble deep in his chest, the Trapper smiled as his prey whipped around.

Blight’s eyes narrowed, one hand dipping to his side to extract his own weapon even as he tried to reason, “Evan, we can talk about-”

The ring of a bell interrupted him; his speed the only thing that saved him from having his arm cut off at the elbow by the Wraith’s vicious swing.

Evan was moving without a second thought. He may not be as fast as either of them, but he was stronger. If he could get a hand on Blight, they’d have him. He was closing in. Just another few steps and he could sink his cleaver into his legs, cutting them from underneath him and leaving him defenseless.

Helpless. Prey. Rip him apart. Make him pay!

Blight surprised them both. Waiting until the last possible second, the mad scientist leapt over the Trapper’s swing. Planting both feet on the blade when it hit the floor, he launched himself at the Wraith.

Philip snarled, grabbing Blight’s cane before it could be brought down on his head as they hit the floor. Utilizing his own three bladed ax, the Wraith hooked it into Talbot’s shoulder, holding him in place as he kicked like a rabbit into his abdomen.

With a wheezy howl, Blight shot backwards with a spray of blood. Philip was on his feet in an instant, teeth bared in a sneer as he wiped blood away from Azarov's Skull with one thumb. Talbot hissed at him and he hissed right back before ringing the Wailing Bell and vanishing from sight.

Lunging for the other Slasher, Evan snarled as he missed again; Blight darting out of reach as he made use of his power. Bastard.

Hitting the wall, Blight sprang around the Trapper before he could stop him, bolting for the exit. Coward. Maggot.

The Wraith reappeared just before Blight could make it into the hallway. Both killers swung at the other, weapons connecting with a crash. Given the advantage by his speed and his weight, Talbot slammed Philip into the wall. Slashing him across the chest with clawed nails, he didn’t bother with a follow up before darting into the hall.

Evan didn’t stop to see if the Wraith was okay, hauling past him with a bellow of rage. The smell of blood filled his senses and all he could see was red. His prey was only a few steps ahead but pulling away. If he managed to get past Ghostface and the Pig, it could be decades before they managed to find him again, now that he knew he was being hunted. It wouldn’t surprise him in the slightest if the madman abandoned everything he hadn’t been able to recover and simply started over in an attempt to avoid the wrath of the entire Realm.

Just as Blight was passing the last small office on one side, only yards from the Door and from certain escape… a foot shot out of the shadows, catching his legs and sending him face first into the ground.

Barely registering Ghostface’s malicious laugh as he closed the gap, the Trapper slammed his cleaver into Blight’s back before he could get all the way up. Ignoring the howl of pain and spray of blood, he ripped the blade free before using it to slice through both his legs, separating muscle and tendon.

Reaching down, he grabbed the back of the other killer's neck and lifted him from the floor. Slamming Blight against the wall, Evan hissed in his ear, “I think it’s high time we even the score a bit.”

“Wait, wait, I can explain!” he gurgled. “It was Wesker! He tricked me!”

“Wesker. Kenneth. The Entity. The Collector. It’s always someone else, never you,” Evan snarled, pulling him back only to slam him into the wall again. Throwing Blight to the floor, he promised, “You will regret ever crossing paths with me, maggot!”

Tossing his cleaver aside, Evan used his fists. No one tried to stop him, no one spoke, not to call him off or cheer him on. They simply watched as he took out decades of built up pain and rage on the screeching body beneath him.

He could feel bones breaking, hear the squelch of organs rupturing and the splatter of blood and bile spraying across the floor. He didn’t stop hitting Blight even after he was sure he’d died, too consumed by anger to let go and lost in memories of his own pain at the maggot's hands.

It wasn’t until exhaustion started setting in, his own strength starting to wane and his blows gaining more and more time between them that he rested. Standing, he jabbed the mangled corpse with the toe of his boot. When there wasn’t so much of a twitch in response, he spat on the floor before growling, “Let’s get him back to the Realm. I’m sure the others would love to speak with him.”

Danny cackled, cloak tendrils floating around him as if he were still fully powered by the Entity. “My, my, Chuckles. You’ve made quite the mess of yourself.”

Even through the blood coating his entire front, Evan could smell his arousal. Curling his lip, he snarled, “Keep it in your fucking pants, Ghostface.”

“Hmm, sweetheart, that’s not for you anyway,” he purred. “Now, how about we get this bag of broken bones back to the Realm?”

Nudging Blight’s mangled face with her foot, Amanda let out a low whistle. “Damn, Evan. That was brutal.”

Philip trilled aggressively, jabbing at the dead man with his ax. His chest was still bleeding from several deep gouges, but seeing Talbot temporarily dead was enough to distract him from the pain.

“He’ll be back,” Evan huffed, blood lust far from satiated. “Let’s make sure he wakes up to a warm welcome…”

“Yeah, let me just give Doc a call,” Danny chuckled. “I want to let him know we caught Talbot, and that we’ll be seeing him soon. And possibly get some more details on this guy he’s seeing in our absence. I’m not saying I’m planning to stalk the guy… but I’m absolutely going to make sure he’s not a deranged blood thirty psychopath.”

The Trapper stared at him, blood dripping off his mask and hands into a slowly growing puddle beneath his feet.

Clearing his throat, Ghostface amended, “I’ll see him soon. You’ll see him… whenever you’re good and ready.”

~~

Marcus was having a much better day at work, even if his morning had gotten off to an incredibly awkward start. The last thing he’d expected to wake up to when his alarm went off was for Frank to be wrapped around him like Danny usually was. Of course, the real shock was when he started feeling him up in his sleep. It was unexpected… but not entirely unwelcome. Thank fuck he’d been able to get out of there before the Legion leader realized just how affected he’d been by the wake up call.

“What the hell is wrong with me?” he asked the pug who’s nails he was trimming. The dog just panted at him, eyes looking off in different directions.

“Thank you, that was sound advice,” he chuckled. Dogs usually didn’t listen as well as cats -they were too easily distracted- but they gave better advice. At least, that’s what it felt like.

If Marcus was being honest with himself, he still wasn’t sure where he stood with the Legion; especially Frank. Obviously the guy had anger issues and he still had frequent moments where he’d zone out, staring at nothing until a sound or sudden movement would snap him out of it. Those instances usually left him in an even worse mood, but Marcus couldn’t blame him for that. Two-hundred years in Hell and then nearly being dragged back in had done a number on him.

Doing his best to put it out of his mind for the time being, Marcus was able to finish out the rest of his shift with no issues. Changing before grabbing Butter’s test results, he was pleased to find that everything looked totally normal. That meant he could meet up with Dwight immediately and spend some time showing him around before going home for the night.

As he was making his way to the lobby, he heard the man call his name and grinned. “Hey, Dwight! Couldn’t stay away, huh?”

He blushed slightly, but answered, “Well, you did say to meet you right after work. Did plans change?”

“Not at all,” Marcus promised. “So, what would you like to do first? We can grab a bite to eat, and if you want, we can go up to one of the mountains. I know it’s cold but it looks over a couple of valleys and there’s some canyons that are absolutely gorgeous when it’s snowy like this.”

Although he sounded excited, Dwight looked pretty nervous as he admitted, “I’ve never driven on that kind of terrain in this kind of weather. Would you be comfortable driving this time?”

“I can do that,” he agreed, grinning. His drivers license was still good, even if his car wasn’t. “Did you still want to grab some food before we head up? We can eat up there. It’s not a super long drive.”

Dwight nodded, stomach growling loud enough for them both to hear. “Please, I’m hungry. The hotel doesn’t offer meals and I got lost going to get breakfast. I… never actually got breakfast.”

Marcus couldn’t help but give him a horrified look. Maybe it was a little hypocritical since he often forgot to eat, or was too broke to buy food… but he still scolded, “You need to eat! Ahh, come on. I’ll get us some burgers.”

Driving them to the nearest fast food joint, he ordered them both food before pulling up to the window for his total. Opening his wallet, he found a quickly scribbled note instead of Danny’s card.

‘Sorry Doc! Wanted McD’s for breakfast! ~Joey’

“Goddammit, Joey,” Marcus muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Everything alright?” Dwight asked, sounding slightly concerned.

“Huh? Oh, y-yeah, it’s all good. Sorry,” he said quickly. Thank fuck he had just enough cash to cover them both. He’d offered to buy breakfast so there was no way he was about to turn around and ask for money.

Once he’d paid and gotten their food, they started their trek up the mountain.

~

Burgers on a mountain top turned out to be a very, very good idea. They’d barely finished eating before they were crawling into the back seat, lips locked together and hands under each other's clothes.

Marcus found himself incredibly grateful his car was broken down. There was no way they could have done nearly as much in his tiny little hatchback, and it was far too cold up in the mountains to screw around outside.

At the same time, he was incredibly surprised by just how bold Dwight was now that they had gotten more comfortable with one another. Marcus had kissed him first, but Dwight had been the one to practically drag him into the back seat. Guy was stronger than he looked.

It hadn’t taken long for them to start fogging up the windows. Every time the other man would run his hands over the tattoo Pyramid Head had gifted him, it sent warm tingles through his entire body. He wasn’t sure why it was reacting to his touch like that, but Marcus was enjoying every second of it. In return, he ran his hands over Dwight’s body, finding the places that made his back arch and his pulse jump while being careful to avoid going near his neck.

The windows were completely opaque when Dwight tugged at the back of his hair, silently asking him to pull back for a moment.

Grinning at him, he asked, “Hey, everything alright?”

Dwight bit his bottom lip, nodding quickly. “Um, a-actually, I- I was thinking…”

Marcus cocked his head, he had a feeling he knew where it was going, but he still said softly, “Do tell, please.”

“W-well, um, this is k-kind of a third date, right?” He looked so nervous, fidgeting slightly underneath the vet but still trying to hold them close together.

Nodding slowly, Marcus agreed, “Yeah, I think that’s a fair way to look at it.”

Swallowing thickly, Dwight asked, “W-would you want to- to go all the way?”

Pushing himself up a bit to put more room between their faces while they talked, Marcus asked kindly, “Do you want to have sex? We don’t have to if you feel like we’re rushing things.”

“Oh, no! I want to,” he burst out, panting slightly. “I- I just… I don’t… really know…”

Marcus smiled, leaning back down to kiss him before asking, “You don’t know if you want to top or bottom?”

Looking slightly embarrassed, Dwight mumbled, “Honestly, for my first time I’d kind of like to try… bottoming? I- I think I’d be more comfortable with that.”

“Would you like to go back to my place for this?” Marcus asked softly. “I can kick my roommates out for a little while.”

Looking startled, he quickly argued, “I don’t want to put anyone out! I don’t mind doing it here.”

Chuckling, Marcus shook his head. “Dwight, you deserve better for your first time than the back of a car.”

He looked incredibly surprised, but a sheepish grin slowly spread across his face. “You did also say losing my virginity shouldn’t be a big deal.”

Slightly stumped, he said slowly, “That’s… true. I just want you to be comfortable. I know a couple of positions that will work in this size car… But I don’t have any lube and I’m not using spit for your first time. That I’m not budging on.”

Cheeks flushing even darker from embarrassment, Dwight admitted, “That’s… part of why I got lost and missed breakfast. I went and bought some just in case…”

“Oh, wow… I mean, if you’re sure you’re comfortable and this isn’t too much too fa-” Marcus was cut off when he was pulled back down into a kiss. Slightly breathless when Dwight pulled away, he whispered, “Okay, you’re sure.”

“So, what’s next?” Dwight asked, eyes wide and curious as he waited for Marcus to guide him now that he was officially out of his depth.

“I’m going to get you ready,” he promised, gently kissing him again. “Where’s the lube?”

“Center console,” he murmured, voice thick. Protesting the lack of warmth when Marcus pushed himself up to reach over, Dwight added, “Sorry it’s cold in here. I’m not sure why the heater is having so many problems.”

“Maybe an opossum chewed some of the wires,” Marcus joked, finding the bottle. Stifling a laugh when he caught the glare Dwight was giving him, he warned, “This is probably going to be cold at first. Sorry.”

“O-oh, that’s okay!” Dwight promised. “I’ve… um, done it before… myself, I mean.”

Marcus couldn’t stifle a wheezy laugh that time. “Holy shit, you’re not nearly as innocent as I first thought.”

“Just cause I’m a virgin doesn’t mean I’m not horny all the dang time,” Dwight mumbled, biting his thumbnail. “So… um…”

“There’s no rush,” Marcus promised, kneeling as comfortably as he could on the seat. One leg was wedged between Dwight and the back seat, his other foot planted on the floor so the other man had enough room to lay mostly stretched out on the seat underneath him.

Stowing the bottle of lube in his hoodie pocket for a moment, he gently ran his hands over Dwight’s chest. Trailing down until he reached his pants, he reiterated, “If you feel uncomfortable at any point, please let me know and we’ll stop.”

Dwight nodded, lifting his hips and pressing himself upwards into Marcus’s thighs.

Taking that as a green light, Marcus unbuttoned his pants and tugged them lower. Offering what help he could, Dwight kicked his legs around as he used his feet to pull them off the rest of the way, leaving him in just his underwear and jacket.

Marcus raised his eyebrows at the sight. Already hard -he was too so he wasn’t judging- there was a distinct wet spot soaking through the material still covering him.

“Hmm, fuck,” he whispered, gently drawing down Dwight’s boxers. He knew he said he’d be happy to top but goddamn. Looking up at his face again, he offered, “If you ever want to try topping, I will gladly let you practice on me.”

Dwight squeaked, looking slightly flustered. “O-oh, thank you?”

Reaching for his own waist, Marcus unbuckled his belt before tugging his jeans and boxers down. Best to go ahead and be ready. Looking up again when Dwight made a small sound, he found him staring at his dick with a slightly slack jawed expression. That made him grin, and he asked jokingly, “What, never seen ginger pubes before?”

Dwight turned bright red, one hand sliding under his glasses to cover his eyes as he squeaked, “W-well, no… b-but that’s not… never mind.”

Leaning down, Marcus gently kissed his lips before asking softly, “You ready?”

“Y-yes,” Dwight murmured, lowering his hand and forcing his eyes back up to the vet's face.

Shifting, Marcus positioned himself between Dwight’s legs instead of over them. Dripping lube over two of his fingers, he made a slight face at the chill. Leaning down, he braced himself with one hand beside the other man's head before gently running his fingers over his entrance.

Dwight gasped, hands shooting up to grab the front of his hoodie. His pupils were blown wide but before Marcus could ask if he was okay, he was pulled down into a kiss.

Groaning into his mouth as their bodies met, Dwight’s back arched as the first finger pressed into him. Small sounds left him each time Marcus pulled in and out, and when he added a second finger, the bespectacled man let out a garbled groan.

Marcus was being as gentle as possible but it was getting incredibly difficult. Dwight’s body clenched and squeezed around his fingers, cool at first from the lube but quickly heating up. He desperately wanted to replace his fingers with his dick, but he needed to be sure his partner was ready.

Kissing Dwight’s neck and cheek, he asked softly, “May I?”

“Hmm, please,” he groaned, feet kicking against the door with a quiet thump. “I-I’m not sure how much longer I’m gonna last.”

“Oh, then you’re definitely ready,” Marcus breathed, body humming with excitement. Gentle as he withdrew his hand, he added a bit more lube to his palm before giving his own shaft a couple of quick strokes. Lining himself up, he pressed forward with a low hum of contentment. Dwight gasped and panted, hands flexing in his hoodie before once again finding their way underneath to run over his bare skin.

“Fuck, Dwight,” Marcus whispered, burying his face in the mans shoulder. The moment he was fully inside he found himself fighting to stay still. He wanted so badly to start thrusting, fuck him into the seat beneath them. Dwight’s body felt so hot and tight around him but he didn’t want to move too fast.

He didn’t need to worry, as he quickly found out. Dwight’s fingernails dug into his chest as he panted, “Marcus, please!”

He was so not used to hearing his name said like that. Pulling back as much as he comfortably could in the small space, he slowly pushed back in. Dwight’s back arched and a thin whine left him.

“Fuck, you’re really tight,” Marcus whispered. He wasn’t just going slow out of worry for hurting Dwight; he knew if he moved much faster he was going to cum a lot sooner than he’d like. “How you doing?”

Gasping as his dick was pressed and rubbed between them, Dwight stammered, “O-oh god, ho-holy crap. Feels good, feels really good!”

Rocking into him slightly faster, Marcus reached between them to take Dwight in hand. His palm was still slightly slick with lube, but to be safe he ran his fingers through the pre-cum leaking from his partner's tip.

Dwight made a garbled choking sound when he started stroking in time to his thrusts, hands and legs twitching at the intense stimulation. “Mmh, haa, M-Marcus! Marcus, I think- Oh, fu- I think I’m gonna cum!”

“You’re alright,” he whispered, voice harsh. “Ah, fuck! D-did you want me to pull out?”

“Nn-no!” Dwight cried, throwing his head back. “St-stay, please!”

Marcus grit his teeth, pressing his forehead against Dwight’s shoulder as his gut clenched, cumming with a harsh groan and buried to the hilt inside him.

He felt something sticky and warm against his hand and he slowed his stroking until he was entirely still. Dwight was panting underneath him, eyes slightly glazed and glasses fogged up. He was trembling slightly, and Marcus immediately asked, “Are you okay? You’re shivering.”

Dwight swallowed, licking his lips a couple of times before muttering softly, “Should have done this years ago…”

Marcus couldn’t help but chuckle. “Years ago? You’re not that old.”

Tugging him down so they were chest to chest despite the mess between them, Dwight shrugged slightly. “I’m… ah… twenty-four.”

Raising an eyebrow, he mused, “You’re not that much older than I am, then. Did you really just have to think about how old you are?”

Another weak shrug. “After a while you just stop counting, I guess.”

Marcus lifted his head slightly to squint at him. He’d expect Frank or Danny to say something like that, not someone who was only three years older than him. “You’re not even thirty yet, Dwight. You’ve still got your whole life ahead of you.”

“Hmmm,” he hummed contentedly. “Oh… we made a mess, huh?”

“Yeah, that’s one of the downsides of no condom,” Marcus laughed. “I’m going to pull out so we can get cleaned up. Okay?”

Arms relaxing, Dwight nodded. Gasping slightly when the vet moved against his sensitive body, he bit his hand to keep from getting too loud as he pulled out.

“Is it- is it always that intense?” Dwight asked, looking up at Marcus with doe eyes.

Fuck, he was so goddamn cute. Marcus wanted to take him home, wrap him in bubble wrap, and protect him like a feral racoon guarding its hoard of stolen goods. Oh, god… Danny and Evan were rubbing off on him… Maybe Michael too… Shit.

Kissing Dwight’s forehead, the vet told him kindly, “If you’re doing it right, then it can be. Sometimes more so. But, it’s also fine to take it slow and just enjoy the moment. Now… sometimes it’s not. And if it’s not good, you can always tell your partner to stop.”

Before Dwight could ask how much experience he had with that particular subject, Marcus asked, “Did you bring a towel or anything?”

Dwight winced. “Oops. Heh, remembered lube and forgot to actually bring anything to clean up with.” After a short pause, he asked sheepishly, “You’re going to tell your partners about this, right?”

“Yes,” Marcus confirmed, pulling off his hoodie. He still had a long sleeve shirt underneath, so he used the jacket to carefully clean Dwight up and then himself. “But they don’t need the graphic details. Although I’m sure Danny will ask, I don’t go around sharing that kind of stuff unless I know for a fact everyone involved is okay with it. We had sex, and that’s all I’m obligated to tell him.”

Looking relieved, Dwight fumbled around for his pants before both of them sat on opposite sides of the backseat to pull their clothes on.

Before Marcus could say anything else, his phone started ringing from underneath the front seat. Retrieving it, he took a look at the screen before grinning. “Oh, shit! Speak of the devil.”

~~

As soon as Marcus answered the phone, Dwight heard a giddy voice screech out of the small speaker, “We fucking got him, bitch!”

Pulling the phone away from his head slightly, he whispered, “Sorry,” before turning the volume down and returning it to his ear. “Danny, what are you talking about?”

Dwight couldn’t make out the words but he could hear the still excited muffle of Marcus’s boyfriend on the other line. As he spoke, the vet’s eyes widened, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Finally, he laughed, “That’s awesome! …Yeah, yeah, that’s fine... Oh, right now? I’m actually out with my friend from the other night… Yeah, the opossum assaulter.”

“I said I was sorry!” Dwight yelped, slightly horrified. His boyfriends must think he was some kind of animal abusing monster!

Marcus grinned sheepishly, before saying into the phone, “Yes, we did… No, I will not send you pictures… Because we didn’t take any for one thing… That part is none of your business… No, that still doesn’t make it any of your business… Then hurry up and come home so you and I can take some… Yes, I got the video she sent… No, I’m not going to do that! You brought it on yourself from what I could see, and I like Amanda.”

Evan was a one in a hundred chance, but Amanda too? No, it had to be a coincidence. Of the few Killers whose names they actually knew, only one was particularly out of the ordinary; Evan and Amanda weren’t that uncommon, right? Among the Survivors they had two David’s, so it had to be a simple coincidence. Killers didn’t let people live. They were all bloodthirsty monsters, wholly incapable of empathy or mercy or remorse. It was why the Entity took them.

Tuning back into the half conversation, Dwight heard, “He’s not going to be in town for very long, so I guess you better hurry up if you want to meet him.”

Grinning at him, Marcus continued into the phone, “Yeah, I think so… No, I think you’d scare him off if you did that… Love you too. Please tell Evan I said I love him… Don’t say it like that! No, don’t put him on the– Hey, sweetheart! …No, I didn’t say that. …Please don’t do that, I know he’s a pain but I love him.”

Dwight could only wonder what the hell was being said, but judging from the look of horror on the vet’s face it wasn’t particularly good.

Blushing all the way from his ears to his neck, Marcus’s voice came out slightly higher pitched than normal as he squeaked, “What?! Why me? …Mhmm… Holy– Yep! I- I’ll see you soon!”

Hanging up, he laughed quietly. Rubbing the back of his neck, Marcus offered, “Sorry about that. They finally found the guy and now they have to dot the I’s and cross the T’s.”

Guy? This was the first he’d mention the thing his partners were taking care of was a person. Frowning slightly, Dwight asked, “Found the guy? Are they cops?”

God, he hoped they were cops. Or some kind of law enforcement. That would be sure proof that the names were indeed just a coincidence.

“Um, it's… they’re… bounty hunters, kind of?” Marcus offered, suddenly awkward. “It’s very… complicated.”

“Oh, wow,” Dwight muttered, unsure what else he could say. As concerned as he’d been, bounty hunters couldn’t possibly be Killers either and that left him back at square one; He was just letting his anxiety get the better of him.

Looking mildly panicked, Marcus rambled, “I promise, the guy they just caught is… not a good person. Pretty sure he’s a serial killer, actually.”

“You don’t have to explain if it’s not something you’re supposed to be talking about,” Dwight offered kindly. The look of relief on Marcus’s face told him he’d said the right thing, so he asked hesitantly, “Is your boyfriend- Or, are both your boyfriend’s really okay with this? That phone call seemed kind of intense.”

Snorting, Marcus told him, “They both have big personalities. Evan’s just… he’s got a lot on his mind. Danny asked for pictures. I told him no. Then he asked for details.”

“Oh, wow you weren’t kidding,” Dwight laughed, somewhat nervously. He didn’t consider himself a prude by any means, but Danny seemed like quite an overly forward person…

“Yeah, he’s big into photography,” Marcus explained, shaking his head. “Well… we still got some daylight. Want to come meet my roommates?”

“Does that include the snake?” Dwight asked slowly.

“Frank isn’t that bad,” Marcus joked. “But yes, if you’re comfortable meeting Butter before I send him back home.”

Grinning, he nodded. “Yeah, I’d like that.”

Climbing into the front seat, Marcus waited for Dwight to follow before putting the car in gear. If him meeting the others went well, maybe he’d be okay meeting Danny eventually too.
~~~~

Chapter Text

Frank was pretty sure he remembered the way to the grocery store. It wasn’t super far and they’d been there a couple of times before. They should probably be careful, considering the last two times they’d been there they had stolen some incredibly expensive electronics… But, hey! They were the Legion and wreaking havoc was what they did!

Crunching happily through the snow drifts lining the sidewalk, Susie asked, “So, what all are we getting?”

“Groceries?” Frank asked skeptically. He’d never actually gone grocery shopping properly. Before being taken, the few times he’d gone to get stuff for himself it was just trash like ramen or pop tarts. His foster father seemed to live off of beer, so groceries just weren’t something he was familiar with shopping for and the others parents did a good job of keeping their pantries stocked up.

“Well, yes…” Julie agreed, laughing. “But what kind of stuff should we get? We know Doc can cook, but what?”

Recalling the streak and veggies he’d made everyone a few weeks back, Frank’s mouth began to water. Yeah, he better start being nicer to Marcus if he was going to ask him to cook like that again…

“Pizza rolls, mountain dew, and doritos,” Joey answered. “Now that sounds like a solid plan!”

“You’re such a child,” Susie lamented, before chucking a handful of snow at him.

It smacked him in the side of the head and he made a disgusted face as some of it fell into his jacket. Reaching over, Joey pushed her into a snowbank before taking off running.

Flailing and shouting as she fought her way out of the pile, Susie raced after him. Catching up to him when he almost slipped on some ice, she tackled him into the snow with a muffled thump.

“You’re both going to be all cold and wet!” Julie warned, although she sounded more amused than worried.

“They’ll live,” Frank chuckled. “So, do you have any idea as to what exactly we should pick up?”

“Frozen meals, and stuff that we can actually cook,” Julie told him. “I know you can’t cook for shit, but I can and since Doc works so much, he could probably use the help.”

“I can cook!” he argued, scowling at her.

Sighing, she shook her head before explaining sadly, “Babe… Ramen and instant oatmeal aren’t cooking.”

“I can fry eggs! And I can make pancakes,” Frank pressed.

“You set my parents' stove on fire trying to cook spaghetti,” she recalled thoughtfully. “Remember that?”

Rubbing a hand over his face, he lied, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Footsteps raced up behind them before Julie could recount the story, Joey nearly tackling Frank off his feet as he panted, “We need to get whatever the hell goes into chicken parm. I fucking miss chicken parm!”

“So fancy,” Susie laughed, skipping up beside Julie. “I think I remember my mom’s old recipe. If not, maybe Doc will know a good one.”

Nearly falling into a snowbank himself when Joey decided the best method of transport was to just drape himself over his back, Frank complained, “She didn’t break your legs! What are you doing?”

“I’m cold,” Joey told him, shrugging. “And you’re warm.”

“I told you,” Julie laughed, earning a glare from both of them.

“I for one, am very comfortable,” Susie lied, obviously just as damp and chilly as Joey.

Julie wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close as they continued their walk. It really wasn’t too far and it was only about another ten minutes before they reached the grocery store.

Grabbing a cart, Julie asked, “Start at the front and just work our way back?”

“Sounds like a good plan,” Frank agreed. “We’re probably going to need at least two carts though.”

“You think so?” Joey asked, distractedly eyeing what at first glance looked like a vending machine. It was, kind of, but for DVD’s of all things.

“Redbox?” Susie mused. “What happened to Blockbuster?”

“This is a small town,” Julie pointed out. “Maybe they just don’t have one?”

“Something like that,” Joey lamented. “What the fuck is blu-ray?”

The four of them gathered around the front of the video vending machine in an attempt to figure out what the hell they’d missed in the twenty odd years they’d been gone. A lot, apparently. Tons of new action and sci-fi horror movies, quite a few different comedies, and from the looks of it, way too much CGI. What the hell happened to practical effects?

A slightly older looking woman happened to be walking by, so Susie asked, “Excuse me, do you know if there’s a Blockbuster around here?”

Looking incredibly confused, the woman looked at her for a moment before shaking her head and hurrying into the building.

“That was… strange,” Frank murmured.

“Jeez, I was trying to be polite too,” Susie huffed. “Fuck it, we can ask Doc when we get home.”

“We can key her car on the way out if we see her again,” Frank decided, watching the woman disappear among the aisles. American’s were so fucking rude… Not that he had much room to talk on that front, but still.

“We could just… steal her keys?” Julie offered, watching alongside him. “They were hanging out of her purse.”

“Maybe they fell out in the store. Who knows?” Joey mused coldly.

“You all are the best,” Susie snickered. “Come on. If we see her again we’ll thank her the Legion way, but for now, let’s get some food.”

It looked like the first aisle was going to breakfast foods. As the others grabbed several boxes of instant oatmeal and pancake mix, Frank surveyed the store's selection of syrup. He was incredibly unimpressed, but they were in the states and god knew that most Americans' version of ‘good’ syrup was just pure sugar and food coloring. Still, he recognized one brand that wasn’t too bad, so he grabbed almost a dozen bottles and dumped them in the cart.

“You know that’s for putting on your food, not drinking… right, dude?” Joey asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

“Ha ha, funny,” he grumbled. “You know if Thomas comes over for breakfast we’re going to need it.”

“Mhmm,” Joey hummed. “If that’s the story you’re going with.”

Before he could argue, there was a dramatic wail from further up the aisle. Looking up, they watched Susie drop to her knees in front of a bunch of cereal before flopping face first onto the floor.

“I’m not getting tackled again,” Joey excused, taking control of the shopping cart. “Your turn.”

Nodding, Frank walked over to where she had just up and died for some reason. “Suze… what happened?”

“Why… Why?! Why would they take the shapes out of Trix?! What’s the point of this bullshit?!”

He stared at her for a minute before saying slowly, “Susie… Get off the floor…”

Still laying face down in the middle of the aisle, she lifted a hand to flip Frank off before pointing blindly at the shelf. “No! Look at what they’ve done! Really look, and tell me I’m overreacting.”

Letting his gaze slowly pan over the ridiculous number of different versions of the same cereals, he finally spotted ‘original’ Trix on the top shelf. Pointing at them, he raised an eyebrow at Joey.

“Oh, shit… Suze, you’re just short,” he teased, grabbing a box.

Rolling over, and almost into the path of an oncoming shopper, she scowled up at them. “How dare you! I’m not sh- Ooh! You really did find the original!”

As Joey and Susie bickered over whether or not she was short -she was- and if the cereal would still taste original too -it did-, Frank looked around for Julie. She’d been poking quite a bit of fun along with the rest of them, but something had distracted her just after they’d turned down the cereal aisle.

Spotting her standing at the end of the row with a serious look on her face, he walked up behind her. Wrapping his arms around her waist, Frank asked curiously, “What’s caught your eye?”

Julie smiled, still looking at the shelves of breakfast food. “Pop tarts.”

Frank hummed thoughtfully. “Yeah, there’s a lot more flavors of everything now. How’s that for a trade off? Instead of flying cars we got… Red, white, and blue pop tarts… What the fuck is with American’s and their obsession with-”

“They’ve got maple syrup flavored one’s now.”

“Where?!”

He glared at the side of Julie’s head when she started laughing. It wasn’t his fault he may or may not love the stuff. Or that it was a common stereotype about Canadians…

“So, we couldn't agree on what kind of Trix to get,” Joey interrupted, pushing the cart back towards them.

“We got a box of each,” Susie summed up, hugging Frank the same way he was holding Julie. “Ooh, are you grabbing pop tarts?”

Before either of them could answer her question, Joey came up and joined the now group hug. “Make sure you grab some- Holy shit, that’s a lot of new flavors.”

“So… instead of teleportation and hover skateboards… we got a hundred different versions of breakfast food?” Susie asked skeptically. “Oh, look! They have birthday cake and brownie flavor!”

“You were right, Frank. We’re going to need a second cart at this rate,” Julie laughed, reaching up and grabbing a couple of boxes. Passing them back, she grabbed a variety of flavors before giving up and just grabbing two of everything.

As they all detangled, Frank grabbed the rest of the boxes of maple syrup pop tarts. He wasn’t about to pass that up.

~~

Dwight was slightly surprised by just how empty Marcus’s house was, and not just because it looked like his roommates were out. He had a TV and a couch -that had a massive slice through the back?!- and kitchen table, but it looked like he had absolutely no other non-essentials whatsoever. He was about to ask the vet if he had a bed, but realizing how that would probably come across, he kept it to himself. As eager as he was for round two, he really didn’t want to be too forward. Things had been going really well thus far and he hoped it would continue for however long was possible.

“So, the bathroom is right here in the hall,” Marcus was saying, leading the way across the living room. “The bedroom is right past it, and… I mean that’s really the whole house. It’s not much, but it’s home.”

“You live here... with four other people?” Dwight asked, unable to imagine it. Sure, they had nothing but sleeping bags and the occasional tent back in the Entity’s Realm, but at least they all had their own space. Living in such cramped quarters must be a nightmare.

Marcus nodded, smiling like it was no big deal. “Yeah, it can get kind of crowded, but they’re alright. Although I have no idea where the four of them are right now.”

“That’s fair,” Dwight admitted. “So, the snake? It’s in the bathroom?”

“Yes,” he confirmed, sounding slightly distracted. Pulling a note off the bathroom door, he read allowed, “Thanks for the credit card, going to get groceries the right way you broke ass bitch. Love, the–’ my roommates… Of course they drew a dick on it…”

Unable to stifle a small laugh, Dwight took a couple of steps further into the house. He’d been hovering by the door, not wanting to intrude even though he’d been invited in, but the second he got close to the closet he got the strangest feeling in his gut.

Freezing, he looked over at the closet door. It looked normal… Even if there was a bell above it. But looking at it gave him the same sick feeling in his bones that he’d always get when the Entity called him to a Trial. Why the fuck did a closet feel like the Entity’s Realm?

“Dwight? Are you okay?”

Jumping slightly, he managed to tear his gaze away from the door. Marcus looked oddly tense but was trying not to show it. Giving the door one last uncomfortable look, he finally managed to smile. “Yeah, sorry. Just… what’s up with your closet?”

An actual look of fear flashed across the vet’s face, almost gone before Dwight could catch it. If he didn’t have so much experience with that exact thing, he would have missed it.

“I-it’s for the cat. The bell is, I mean. She can open doors, so I have the bell up there to let me know if she’s going in and out so I don’t accidentally lock her in,” Marcus offered quickly. “So, would you still like to meet Butter?”

Dwight couldn’t deny feeling slightly anxious. And it wasn’t just the snake. There was something incredibly off about the house, especially the closet. It seemed to hum with energy that simply shouldn’t be there. But so far Marcus had seemed so… normal. Surely he was just overreacting.

“You know, you don’t have to meet Butter if it makes you uncomfortable,” Marcus offered kindly, and Dwight jolted slightly.

He’d seen snakes before, although the only time he’d ever seen one so big had been on a middle school field trip to the zoo. He wouldn’t say he was afraid of snakes, but he wasn’t exactly comfortable being around an animal that could theoretically kill him. He’d had enough of that to last multiple lifetimes.

Still, he’d long since learned the only way to get over a fear was to face it head on. Nodding, he said, “No, it’s- it’s fine, really. I'd still really like to meet him. He- he doesn’t bite, does he?”

Marcus made an uncertain expression. “I mean… all snakes can and might bite, but so far he’s been incredibly docile. And he’s not venomous.”

That wasn’t terribly encouraging, but it was honest. Sighing, Dwight straightened his back and walked closer. When he reached the vet, he noticed the odd look he was getting and immediately worried he’d done something wrong.

Before he could ask, Marcus said, “You’re… a lot taller than I thought.”

Dwight blushed. Rubbing the back of his head, he admitted sheepishly, “Yeah, I- I slouch a lot.”

“Apparently,” he chuckled, opening the bathroom door.

The snake was nowhere to be seen and for a split second Dwight was seriously concerned it may have escaped. His fears were put at ease -sort of- when a yellow snout poked out of the bathtub, tongue flicking in the air.

Moving to the side of the tub, Marcus crouched down and reached in. Looking thoughtful for a moment, he nodded. “Water’s still warm enough, so Julie must have refilled it before they left. Dwight, come here. He’s actually in the perfect mood for you to meet him.”

Swallowing his fear, he made himself move closer to the tub. The snake didn’t seem to react to his approach. Massive body still mostly submerged under the water, the only sign that Butter was even alive were his bright eyes and flicking tongue.

Marcus was petting the snake like a cat, smiling and speaking to it softly as he stroked its body. The ease with which he handled the reptile was enough to help Dwight relax a bit, and he knelt beside the vet. Slightly hesitantly, he started to reach up to pet him too, but froze when Butter suddenly started slithering out of the tub. Directly. Into. His. Lap.

Letting out a sound like a slowly deflating balloon, he looked at Marcus for help. He didn’t particularly want to hold Butter but he also didn’t know how to safely dissuade the snake from using him as a bed!

Seeing how concerned he was, Marcus quickly grabbed the snake and guided it towards himself instead. Offering him a sheepish smile, he said, “Sorry about that. I didn’t think he was going to pick right now to stretch out. He’ll be going home tomorrow. I just gotta call his mom.”

“O-oh, it’s okay!” Dwight quickly excused. “He’s a lot bigger in person and… I’ve never actually been so close to a snake this big.”

“Well, thank you for giving it a chance,” Marcus said, smiling warmly. “A lot of people think snakes are nasty or scary and should always be killed on sight. It’s so stupid and it’s all because so many people have this ridiculous mindset of ‘destroy everything that I don’t understand or like’.” Sighing, he shook his head. “Sorry. I love animals. More than people most of the time. It’s part of why I became a vet.”

Dwight returned his smile. He couldn’t say he totally understood, but he had to agree that people could be incredibly horrible at times. Once again cautiously reaching out to pet Butter, he was surprised by how incredibly smooth and warm the snake’s body was. Scales slightly damp from being in the tub, the drops of water made the patterns on his body stand out even more. Slightly awestruck, he murmured, “He really is a beautiful animal.”

They sat there for a while longer, just keeping each other company and petting the massive reptile. It wasn’t until the dull chime of a bell rang from the living room that Marcus’s head snapped towards the bathroom door.

He looked slightly nervous as he muttered, “Fuck… Um, Dwight, stay here for just a second please.”

Assuming it was to make sure Butter didn’t get out and eat the cat, he nodded. “No problem.”

Marcus gave him an odd smile before slipping out of the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

A moment later, Dwight heard a muffled voice. Odd, that wasn’t Marcus. Wait, had that come from the closet or the front door? From what he recalled, Marcus had said the cat was staying with a friend. Maybe they’d come back to drop her off? Recalling the feeling he’d gotten from the closet, he stood up, almost forgetting there was an eighteen foot long python in the bathroom with him.

Was Marcus being targeted by a Killer? They’d theorized for years that Killers could open Entryways too, but since they hadn’t personally seen or interacted with any of them since escaping the Entity, they had no way to confirm it.

So consumed by his worrying, he failed to notice the bell ring a second time or the footsteps that quickly approached the bathroom. Jumping when the door swung open, he slipped on a small puddle and nearly fell into the bathtub on top of Butter.

“Shit, Dwight!” Marcus yelled, grabbing his arm just in time. Helping him regain his footing, he quickly apologized, “Sorry about that! My landlord just, uh… needed to talk to me. He can’t know I have any animals in here, as it’s technically breaking my lease and I really can’t afford to get evicted.”

Massively relieved, Dwight let out a small laugh. “That’s okay. I’m glad that’s all it was.”

Marcus nodded quickly. “Yeah, you and me both. Um, actually, do you want to… go see some more of the sights? I know a couple of great places we haven’t been to yet.”

Nodding, Dwight couldn’t help but wonder what exactly his landlord had wanted to put him on edge so badly. He almost asked, but thought better of it. He wasn’t going to pry into his new friend’s personal business, and if he was being honest with himself, something about the house was strangely off… He’d have to call Jake later and see what he thought. Maybe he’d have an idea or two.

~~

The walk back to the vet’s house was much slower. Between the setting sun, slushy snow on the sidewalks, and almost getting lost a couple of times, all four of them were cold and tired when they finally got back. It didn’t help that they’d ended up with three shopping carts nearly overflowing with groceries… even if they only paid for the contents of two of them. Well… technically Danny paid for them.

“Think Doc’s home yet?” Joey asked, dragging one of the carts up to the front steps. Thank fuck there were only three and they weren’t very tall.

Tossing him the keys, Frank shrugged. “I guess we’ll find out. Didn’t he have a date with that guy again?”

“Red’s going to end up in a bathtub with his liver missing,” Susie chuckled. “The guy is way too trusting.”

“I’m not so sure it’s a trust thing,” Julie pointed out, helping Joey drag the shopping cart inside.

“What do you mean?” Frank questioned. “Why would he sleep with someone he doesn’t trust?”

“Maybe he’s lonely,” she offered.

“He’s got a fucking harem!” Joey argued, helping Susie pull the second cart inside. “Just because Evan and Danny are busy, you think he’s that lonely? He said it himself. If he really wanted some, he could call Jason or Michael. Or PH. Or Dredge. Or-”

“Or pretty much any of them,” Frank snapped. “We get it. Dude’s got game or something. Hell, I’m kind of surprised he hasn’t asked one of us yet. Especially after the other night.”

“Think about it,” Julie pressed, ignoring his outburst. “Other than when his grandmother called last week, does he have anyone other than Killers in his life?”

That made Frank pause. In all reality, they didn’t know that much about Marcus. They did know he was kicked out by his parents at sixteen, his dream was to become a vet for zoo animals, and he had the sex drive of a rabbit. It was a decent amount of random information but not a lot to go on.

Still, Frank heard himself saying, “He can handle himself if it comes down to it. We should probably teach him to fight though. He’s got potential, but no real experience.”

Joey and Susie both gave him odd looks as he and Julie dragged the last cart inside. Glaring at them, he demanded, “What?”

Exchanging a knowing glance with his girlfriend, Joey asked bluntly, “You want to fuck him, don’t you?”

He started to deny it but Julie pinched his side and he jumped. Glaring at her, he snapped, “Just because I don’t want to kill him doesn’t mean I want to fuck him!”

“You said the same thing about Danny when you two first started-”

Frank gave Susie a look that shut her up instantly. Voice thin, he argued, “That was different. This is different. This is… more complicated.”

Back then they’d been trapped in an endless forest where time meant nothing and physical connection was both dangerous and rare. Still, Frank felt it could easily be argued that their current circumstances were just as complex, but in an entirely different way. It was like comparing a jigsaw puzzle to a rubix cube. Both were stupid and he hated puzzles…

The sound of the front door opening put the conversation on hold and all of them turned in time to see Marcus taking an almost hesitant step into the house, wide eyed as he stared at the bounty.

“Before you ask, we paid for all of it,” Susie told him.

“Most of it,” Julie corrected.

“Danny paid for it, technically,” Joey added quietly.

Marcus nodded before closing the door and locking it behind him. “Thank you all for getting groceries. Sorry, I know I should have taken you all already but… Um, I kinda got busy and… forgot.”

All four of them made exaggerated oohing sounds and he blushed from his neck to his ears.

“Busy, huh?” Frank repeated, smirking. He wasn’t relieved to see the vet in one piece. Why the hell would he be relieved? It’s not like he was worried in the first place… “What you really mean is, Danny and Evan have even more competition now?”

Squinting at him, Marcus sighed before answering, “No. He’s an awesome guy, but it’s just sex. And that’s all it can be. I brought him home earlier and almost got him killed.”

Nearly dropping the cereal he was shoving into the pantry, Joey asked, “What? Did someone come over and see him?”

Starting to help sort through the groceries and put them away, Marcus explained, “No, thank god. I had brought him over to meet Butter- Shit, I still need to call Lisa about him… Fuck it, I’ll do it tomorrow morning. I have the day off so I can wait for her to show up… Anyway, they caught Talbot. Krueger came over to see if you all wanted to join in on the lesson teaching and I told him I’d pass it on and call him back if you do. Thankfully, Dwight was-”

Frank dropped a gallon of orange juice on Susie’s foot. Barely registering her yelp of pain, he asked, “Who?”

“The… guy?” Marcus said slowly, noticing the looks everyone was giving him. “The one I’ve been hanging out with? Why? Does that mean something to you all?”

It couldn’t be the same Dwight they’d known in the Realm. Of course, ‘know’ was a very loose term. It would be hard to say they knew any of the Survivors, other than Jeff; but even that was a stretch, to say they knew him.

Finally, Frank shook his head. “Nah, it’s nothing. There used to be a Survivor with the same name, but Danny said no one’s seen those idiots since the Killers escaped.”

“Yeah,” Marcus agreed, looking concerned. “He told me they weren’t sure if they even made it out or not. But even if they did, I doubt it’s the same guy. Danny was active here a few months ago, so why would a Survivor come here?”

“Fair point,” Julie agreed, still looking slightly suspicious. “What’s his last name?”

“I have no idea,” he admitted. “Probably should have asked since I took his virginity.”

That made all four of them laugh and Frank shook his head. Yeah, there was no way anyone could have spent all that time in the Entity’s Realm, been free for the past twenty-something years, and still not gotten laid. What a loser.

Looking relieved, Marcus picked the story back up. “Anyway, Dwight was hanging out with Butter in the other room, so I managed to keep him and Krueger from seeing one another. When he asked about it, I just told him it was the landlord and since I’m not supposed to have any animals, it was pretty easy to sell.”

Laughing again, Frank warned, “Shit, man. You might want to get some sleep. If they’ve caught Blight… Danny’s gonna’ be coming for you soon.”

Marcus looked slightly confused. “What do you mean?”

Julie snickered before shooting him a wicked grin. “Has he never come looking for you right after a kill?”

Looking more worried than confused, the vet quickly shook his head. “No?! The only time I can recall him having killed anyone since we got together was right before Nem blew him up. Oh, and there was my old boss… but that was because I’d just been kidnapped by the Collector.”

“It’s only a matter of time now,” Joey warned darkly. “I hope you’re ready for it.”

“Ready for what?” he asked cautiously.

“Danny… likes to celebrate,” Frank elaborated, the memories of their times together surfacing like a bloated corpse in a river. “It used to be after a successful Trial. So, pretty often actually… If he sacrificed all four Survivors, got a big fat pat on the back from our spidery overlord… I guess you could say it sends his blood lust into full blown lust, and he likes to work it out with a very different kind of physical exertion.”

Stammering slightly, Marcus pointed out, “I- I mean, it’s not like he hasn’t… Um, we switch, so it’s not like he hasn’t topped me before.”

That made Frank snort. “That’s not the point, Red. We’re just trying to help you prepare yourself for what’s coming. Because I can promise you, you’ve barely begun to scratch the surface of Ghostface’s appetite. So, for your sake… eat some dinner and get to bed early tonight. You’re going to want to be well rested when he gets here.”
~~~~

Chapter Text

Danny saw red, and not just because his mask was splattered with blood thanks to Evan’s long overdue payback on Blight. His blood lust was roaring, spurred on by the thrill of a successful hunt and the glorious rewards to be reaped after.

Watching Evan decimate their fellow Slasher had been simply beautiful to watch and he knew he’d be revisiting the pictures he’d taken for a long time. Not to mention the pictures he was going to take once everyone else started joining in.

Ah, good times. Practically everyone was there; summoned by the crows that perched in the top of the Tree the moment they’d arrived. Of course, the last time they’d all been gathered to beat the shit out of one of their own, it had been Danny himself feeling their ire. In retrospect, he probably could have handled introducing Marcus to the others better… and done it on purpose… But, hey! It had all worked out in the end and now Blight was the idiot getting taught a lesson instead of him.

Standing beside him as they waited for the now captive member of their group to revive, Philip was practically vibrating with excitement. It was incredibly rare for him to actually look forward to killing, but Blight was an easy exception. Danny didn’t know if he’d had it as bad as Evan before being turned into a Killer for the Entity, but his hatred for both the spider and Blight ran deep.

Thankfully, Talbot had almost fully healed by the time the group had gathered and should be awake very soon. He’d always been incredibly quick to heal thanks to the combination of the blight serum and the Entity’s meddling, and now it would be to his disadvantage.

Groaning, the Slasher planted his hands on the ground to push himself up. Blinking slowly, he looked around before groaning again. He probably felt like shit, a common side effect of reviving from actual death, and seeing the telltale group around him definitely wouldn’t help. Finally stilling when heavy footsteps approached, he looked up to find Michael looming over him.

“Michael…” he hissed, voice rough. “I… I think you can see… I’ve learned my lesson…”

The Shape didn’t so much as tilt his head in reaction. There was an unspoken question and they were all thinking it. What lesson exactly did you learn?

“Working with the Collector was… a mistake. I see that now! Although, really, Wesker was the one who dragged me into the whole mess!” he tried, pushing himself up onto his knees. Reaching out to grasp at Michael’s clothes, he continued, “Or, if this is about that ginger–”

Michael grabbed his wrist, twisting until there was a loud crack. He silenced Blight’s howl of pain by punching him in the head hard enough to send him back to the ground. Not bothering to watch as he collected himself, he turned his back on the other Killer and returned to the edge of the slowly closing circle.

Spitting and huffing as he pushed himself up again, Blight foolishly looked around for some form of sympathy. Managing to find Kenneth among the crowd, he reached a hand towards him. Obviously clinging to some delusion of camaraderie, he implored, “My friend! You know how persuasive Wesker can be!”

Taking a long swig out of the bottle he was holding, the Clown never stopped glaring at him. Wiping his mouth with a sleeve, he asked coldly, “Friend? Friend?! You fucking used me, you goddamn piece of shit! You told me no one would care if we grabbed the kid! He’s just a regular human! It’s just Ghostface and the Trapper! Pyramid Head will get distracted and forget about him! The ones who voted to let him live don’t know what they’re talking about! Michael won’t care since he voted to kill him anyway! Well I think it’s safe to say Michael cared a lot and you’re a fucking dipshit!”

Getting louder and louder with every word until he was practically howling at Blight, Kenneth drained the bottle in his hand before striding forwards and smashing it over the other killer's head.

Blight shrieked, slashing at him with a clawed hand. Still slow as his body and mind tried to finish healing from the decimated state he’d been reduced to, the Clown easily sidestepped his attack before stabbing him in the shoulder with the broken glass still in his hand.

Twisting the bottle in as deep as he could, he snarled, “Go fuck yourself, Grimes!” before following up with a kick to his gut.

He hit the ground hard, wheezing and snarling. Unfortunately for him, he wasn’t given a chance to get to his feet. The Wraith had waited long enough. Darting forward, he kicked him in the jaw as hard as he could.

Danny managed to catch the moment with his camera, forever immortalizing the day Philip literally kicked Talbot’s teeth in. It was glorious, and only the start for the mad scientist.

It didn’t take him quite as long to die again after that, having already been weakened from dying before. Although all of them backed off at that point, it wasn’t very far and it wasn’t for very long. For some, it was personal. For others, it was just an excuse to blow off steam without having to worry about any kind of repercussions. Good luck getting revenge on most of the Realm without getting beaten to a pulp again.

The lesson went on for a while, much longer and much more intense then Danny’s had been. Beating, stabbing, killing, waiting for him to revive just to start all over again.

Wiping blood off his knife, Danny stepped away from Blight’s body. It would be a bit before he woke up again, and he wanted to speak to Evan. Easily ducking around other bodies as they jeered and taunted the once again very dead and mutilated scientist, Ghostface found him leaning against the tree, arms crossed over his chest as he watched the display.

“You’ve been quiet since we got back,” he purred, leaning against the trunk beside him. “Already done?”

“Not nearly,” the Trapper growled back, not bothering to look at him. “I’m just… enjoying the show. Let the others have their fun… Because when I start, anyone who gets in my way is getting ripped apart with him.”

Danny nodded, grinning behind his blood splattered mask. “Did you see his teeth go flying with that kick Philip landed? That was fucking beautiful. I got some good pictures of it if you want a reference or two.”

Although the Trapper was usually very private about his drawing, he knew that was one of the few times he could safely bring it up.

Silent for a moment, Evan laughed gruffly. “Yeah. I’d like that.”

“I’ll make you a copy,” he promised with a laugh of his own. “I’m about to head on down to Doc’s for a little, ah, how shall I put this delicately… fucking. I’m going to screw the living daylights out of him. I’m going to turn that beautiful ginger twink in a puddle of cum and tears. By the time I’m done with him, I’m going to have to buy him a new bed, and possibly re-carpet the floor. You planning to attend?”

That did earn him a sideways glance and for a moment it looked like Evan was seriously considering it. Finally shaking his head, he decided, “Go have fun. I’ve waited a long time for this opportunity… And, I don’t want him to see me like this. As well… when I get my hands on him again, I’m not going to want to share.”

“Thank the Entity you said that,” Danny said, smirking. “I was just thinking the same thing. Well, more for me. Ah, look at Michael. He’s so fucking hot when he’s covered in blood like that.”

Snapping one more quick picture, he shoved his camera back into his cowl before saluting the Trapper and double checking the time. Shit… It was already two in the morning Marcus’s time. They really had been at it a while. Well, hopefully that meant Doc would be home. Of course, stalking him and his date could be an exciting way to really set the mood…

Danny felt high as he swooped through the Tree. His blood was hot with the lingering thrill of a satisfying hunt and he was eager to chase that feeling just a little while longer. Emerging in Doc’s living room closet, he crept silently forward.

Huh, he’d gotten a TV. Nice. Wait… Fuck, Doc may have gotten a new TV, but it was his money that had paid for it. Shit, that was nicer than the TV he had at home… Ah, well. He’d told him to get anything he wanted and he meant it. Anything for his favorite ginger and love of his life.

The Legion were sprawled out on the floor, most of them sound asleep. Frank was the only one still awake, watching an old nineties cartoon and currently oblivious to the man watching him in return.

Not seeing Doc, Danny decided to have a little fun before hunting him down. Creeping closer in the dark, he stared down at Frank the way a wolf might stare down a rabbit.

The Legion leader suddenly stiffened, as if sensing the eyes on the back of his neck. Turning over slightly, he looked behind him into the shadows. The TV screen lit up suddenly, illuminating Ghostface as he loomed over the teens.

Frank actually jumped slightly, eyes widening as the room was plunged back into shadow. Scrunching down and pulling Julie slightly closer, he nervously returned his attention to the TV, understanding he wasn’t the target and seemingly grateful for it. Even without seeing Danny’s face, he knew that look. And knowing what it was made him shiver.

Was it jealousy or relief? After so much time, he decided not to dwell on it.

Quietly closing the bedroom door behind him, Danny took a moment to appreciate his boyfriends sleeping form. The ginger was on top of the covers, making things slightly easier. He was also sleeping on his stomach again, arms folded under his head and pillow haphazardly flung off to one side; but he could work with that. Oooh, he could work with that.

Creeping onto the bed, Danny knelt over his lower back, not quite touching the still sleeping vet. Fuck the Entity, he was still so high on the thrill of success he was almost shaking. He hadn’t felt that good for too long. He already wanted to kill again, bask in the glow of satisfaction and blood spray. But for the time being, he needed something else.

Gently running his gloved fingers up the vets back, he smirked at the way he arched into the touch even in his sleep. Leaning down slightly, Danny whispered, “Wake up, baby. Now that I’ve found you, you’re mine.”

“Hmmf?” came a sleepy groan. “Wha…”

“Wake up, sleepy head,” Ghostface whispered, leaning down close to Marcus’s ear. “There’s a Slasher in your room.”

That did it and the vet jolted awake. Eyes shooting wide when he realized there was someone on top of him, he let out a shout and tried to push himself up off the bed.

Counting on it, Danny grabbed the back of his neck, shoving him down as he clamped his legs tight around his sides.

Marcus let out a stifled yelp, body tensing as he realized he was being subdued. The press of a blade to the side of his neck pulled a thin whimper of terror from him and Danny shivered excitedly at the sound.

“O-oh, shit,” he whispered, voice harsh. “F-Frank? Um, what- what are you doing?”

Humming in amusement, Ghostface murmured, “Oooh, wrong answer, Doc. Now don’t tell me you weren’t expecting me? I told you I’d be seeing you soon.”

“D-Danny?” he stammered, eyes wide and unfocused in the dark. “Danny, what the hell kind of wake up call–”

Pressing down on him slightly, he purred, “Danny’s not here, love. Just you and me.”

He could hear the vet swallow before he asked quietly, “Ghost- um, Ghostface?”

Letting out a groan at the sensation his Slasher name sent down his spine, he growled into the vet’s ear, “That’s the ticket. Now, be a good boy and roll over.”

Before Marcus could argue that there was too much weight on him, Danny lifted himself up on his knees, hands coming down on either side of the ginger's head. He could roll over, but he couldn’t escape.

Marcus seemed to realize it as well, as he attempted to look back at Danny without rolling. “Danny! What the–”

Grabbing a handful of his hair, the Slasher pulled his head back until he was wincing. Settling his weight onto his back again, he pressed the edge of his knife against the front of his throat.

“Hggh, fuck!” Marcus gasped, hands clenching against the bed. Panting slightly, he asked, “Wh-what are you doing?”

“Didn’t I tell you to roll over, baby?” he whispered, giving his hair a light tug.

The vet made a small sound, before humming his agreement in lieu of speaking with a blade to his neck.

“Then maybe you should listen this time,” Ghostface purred. “Be a good boy for me, yeah?”

“Mhmm,” Marcus whimpered. Gasping when the knife vanished and his hair was released, he didn’t waste any time when the Slasher's weight lifted from his back again.

Face to mask, Danny tilted his head, just taking a moment to drink it all in. Eyes having long since adjusted to the minimal light and used to hunting from behind the mesh eyes of his mask, there wasn’t a detail lost.

Eyes wide, lips slightly parted as if on the verge of another question he couldn't quite get out, no shirt despite the chilly room, and his arms still mostly raised beside his head from where he’d been using them as a pillow. That made things very easy for the killer.

Strong emotion was necessary for what he wanted to do, but that was all too easy to channel with the state he was in. With barely a thought, the tendrils of Ghostface’s cloak snaked around the vet, wrapping around his forearms before coiling tightly against his wrists and pulling them together over his head.

The action brought an absolutely delicious reaction; Marcus let out a small sound of surprise, head tilting back to look before a small grin flitted across his lips. That was, until the knife reappeared to gently drag over his bare torso. Breath hitching, his eyes darted downwards before returning to the mask hovering only inches from his face. When he tried to speak, Ghostface grabbed his jaw, turning the question into a thin whine.

“Shhh, baby,” he purred. “You don’t want to wake up the Legion, do you? I don’t feel like sharing right now.”

“D-Danny?” he whispered again.

“Ah, ah,” he scolded, readjusting his grip slightly. Pressing two gloved fingers to the vet’s mouth, he asked, “You gonna open up for me, sweetheart?”

Marcus pressed his lips into a thin line. Raising his eyebrows, he gave the Slasher a look that just screamed, ‘make me.’

“You want to play a game?” Ghostface asked, fingers tightening on his jaw. “Pretty sure I’ll win, love.”

Raising his arms, Marcus hooked his bound wrists over the back of the Slashers neck and grinned challengingly.

“Nice try,” he purred, digging the tip of his knife into the vet’s stomach. That brought out a small squeak, his muscles tensing as he tried to pull away from the blade.

Not pressing hard enough to cut him, Ghostface dragged a thin white line up Marcus’s torso. “You have no idea how badly I wanted to keep you under my knife the first time we met,” he growled. “When I had you up against the wall, hmmm, all I could think about was how to get you alone again.”

Breath hitching slightly when the knife traced over one of his nipples, Marcus let out a small whine but still refused to open his mouth.

Circling the sensitive skin with the tip of the knife, Ghostface cocked his head, asking in a low voice, “You don’t think I can get you to open up without cutting you, do you?”

Marcus’s eyes widened, a look of fear briefly replacing the challenging expression. That was enough of an answer for Danny.

“Shh, sweetheart,” he purred, dragging the knife over his neck before lifting it up into view. Sitting back slightly, he made sure the vet could see what he was doing as he continued, “I don’t need to cut you to get you to open up for me, doll. I know exactly what makes you tick.”

With that, he stabbed the blade into the wall above them. Looking shocked, Marcus started to protest without thinking about it.

“Danny, why- mmfph!”

He immediately took the opportunity to shove two fingers into the vets mouth. Pressing down on his tongue, he leaned in to gloat, “I think that’s a point for me, Doc. Now, get them nice and wet.”

Lifting his fingers enough that Marcus could use his tongue, he was met with a tentative prodding, followed by a slightly concerned expression. Oops, they probably tasted very much like blood… But the vet didn’t try to turn his head away or bite down in an attempt to make him withdraw; instead, his gaze softened slightly as began almost cautiously exploring the digits with his tongue.

“Much better,” Ghostface purred, and Marcus made a content sound, raising his hip slightly. Smirking behind his mask, he mused, “Oh, I haven’t forgotten you, baby.”

Sliding his free hand down between them, he palmed the vet through the front of his pajama pants. Marcus groaned, back arching and lips tightening around Danny’s fingers. Chuckling darkly, the Slasher began rubbing and squeezing, teasing until the ginger was squirming underneath him, a small damp spot growing on the front of his pants.

“Hmm, I think you’re about ready,” Ghostface purred, transferring his grip to his throat. Squeezing gently, he withdrew his fingers when Marcus opened his mouth for air. Releasing his hold for the time being, he pulled the vets arms from the back of his neck and positioned them over his head on the bed again.

“Stay put for me,” he ordered, already pulling the ginger's pants down. Not giving him a chance to answer, he directed the other two tendrils around his neck. He almost covered his mouth before thinking better. Something told him Marcus would be violently opposed to being gagged, but choking was always a safe way to get his blood burning.

Using his knees, he pushed Marcus's legs apart. Gripping one of his thighs, he slowly dragged his slicked up fingers around his hole. Watching him jolt, eyes blowing wide as he tried to lift his head to look, Ghostface chuckled. “Oh… Didn’t I tell you? You’re mine tonight, baby.”

Slowly pressing a finger into the vet, he watched his every expression with sadistic glee. He was going to take him apart, knowing the vet would enjoy every second of it.

~~

Marcus was slightly surprised when Danny’s finger worked inside him, still gloved and slick with spit. Although he’d assumed it was going to happen when the Slasher had declined to remove them before sticking them in his mouth, it was something he’d never experienced before; not unpleasant, just a very different texture thanks to the soft leather around Ghostface’s fingers.

A second finger was pressed in beside the first, curling slowly as he was given time to adjust to the added stretch. Pressing his fingers into him as far as they would go before scissoring them apart, Ghostface purred, “You look so good like this, Doc. Tied up like a present just for me.”

Marcus bucked his hips, groaning loudly as Danny’s fingers found just the right spot inside him. The strips of cloth around his neck pulled tight and he gasped, back arching as the sudden lack of oxygen made his entire body tingle.

“Hush, baby,” Danny purred. “I’ll take good care of you. But you better not get too loud. Like I said, I’m in no mood to share tonight.”

Panting as he was allowed room to breathe, Marcus immediately let out another keening moan that was quickly strangled into a weak whimper. Having found what he was looking for, Ghostface began purposefully rubbing his fingers over the extra sensitive spot, murmuring filth and lewd promises the entire time.

“So pretty for me,” he soothed, voice thick. “It’s like you were made just to fit around my fingers. You look so good like this, but I think I prefer the way you look on my cock. You’re always hungry for it, hmm? Don’t worry, Doc, I am too. I’m going to take such good care of you, baby. Just like you deserve.”

Marcus gasped, legs twitching and shaking as Ghostface continued to work him. Voice barely above a whisper in an attempt to keep from being choked silent again, he begged, “Danny, please!”

“Who? Please what, love?” he asked, low and even. Not giving the vet a chance to respond, he pressed his fingers against his prostate with a new level of aggression.

Vision going white, Marcus let out a strangled wail, cum painting his stomach and chest as his orgasm tore through him. Tears began to build in his eyes as Danny worked him through it, not allowing him even a second to come down.

“Ah, god! Mmhh, ahha! Gh-Ghostface!” he nearly sobbed. “Please!”

“That’s it, doll,” the Slasher cooed. “I think you’re just about ready for me now.”

“Mmh, wh-what?” he whimpered, body shaking slightly as fingers continued to mercilessly curl and twist inside him. He was ready! He was very, very ready!

Leaning over him, Danny grabbed his bottom jaw. Dipping closer, his mask almost brushed against Marcus’s face as he whispered, “You’re going to take every single load I have in me, Doc… and baby, there’s a lot.”

Marcus’s eyes rolled as fingers rubbed small circles over him, a broken groan slipping from his mouth before it was muffled by Danny’s lips. Gasping when the kiss suddenly broke off, he panted, “Ghostface? Wh-what…”

Mask pushed over to one side, only his mouth was visible as he purred, “You’ve spoiled me, love. Now, it’s just so damn hard to go so long without getting to touch you, to feel your body, and to hear those amazing sounds you make. Hmmm, and let’s not ignore you being such a tease since I’ve been gone.”

Cheeks flushing, Marcus made a small sound. He couldn’t deny he’d purposely been sending Danny pictures whenever he got the chance, knowing it would drive him up a wall. Back arching as his prostate was mercilessly abused, his cry was once more smothered by his partner's mouth.

Giving the fingers inside him a hard twist, Danny reached up with his other hand to remove his blood splattered mask entirely. The look on his face was predatory and Marcus couldn’t help the sound he made as the killer's dark eyes found his.

Sharp, attentive, taking it all in with a nearly primal hunger; The killer's eyes raked over his body and he smiled. Teeth flashing in the dark, Danny returned his free hand to the vet’s thigh.

Legs kicking uselessly as he recalled Frank’s warning, Marcus only had a second to wonder just how badly he’d underestimated it before all rational thought was once again gone. Teeth grazed his ear lobe and he gasped in response. He wasn’t even sure when Danny had stopped kissing him and moved to biting and sucking along his jaw and the bits of skin still exposed on his neck.

The sudden unexpected absence of fingers inside him made him whine, only just realizing how close he’d been to cumming again. The sound was met with a dark chuckle and he gulped. This was all Ghostface. It kind of reminded him of the first time they’d ever had sex. Even without his mask on, it was impossible to tell what he was thinking or planning. Or what he was going to do next.

Without loosening the cowl's grip on Marcus, Ghostface reached down to free himself from his pants. Pausing mid lube, he got a look on his face that actually made the vet whimper. He’d seen Danny mad, happy, distraught… But this was something else. A grin so manic and sadistic, he briefly wondered if he was going to get stabbed with something metal instead.

Arching an eyebrow, the Slasher purred, “Now, now… I would never hurt you, baby. You know what to do if it gets to be too much. Just say the word.”

That was all it took. That small reassurance and the promise of a way out if it got to be too much was enough and Marcus let out a much calmer breath before nodding.

Slowly stroking himself, Ghostface dragged two fingers of his other hand through the mess on Marcus’s stomach. Once the gloved digits were quite thoroughly coated in cum, he slid them back inside the ginger.

Marcus writhed and keened, trying to stay quiet but unable to do much of anything with the restraints around his arms and neck holding him down. Thankfully, he wasn’t subjected to nearly as targeted a treatment as before. Once Danny was sure he was thoroughly slick, he pulled his fingers out again.

Pressing the head of his cock teasingly against the vet, he purred, “You really think you’re ready for this?”

Nodding frantically, Marcus begged, “Please, Ghostface? Please, I want you inside me.”

“Fuck the Entity, I love it when you say my name like that. How could I ever say no to you, Doc?” Sinking in with relative ease thanks to his torturously thorough prepping, he groaned contentedly.

Marcus was gasping like a fish, body on fire as what felt like every nerve in his body lit up. It hadn’t hurt at all going in, but Jesus Christ was it intense! Hands planted on either side of his head and he jumped slightly. He’d been so distracted he hadn’t even noticed his partner leaning over him until their faces were mere inches apart.

Dark eyes met his and he let out a small sound, raising his head enough so their lips could meet. Danny pressed against him, pushing him down on the bed before grabbing a handful of his hair.

As he began to shallowly thrust his hips, the killer praised, “You feel so good around me, Doc. Keep squeezing me like that and I’m gonna fill you in no time.”

Unable to form a coherent answer, Marcus didn’t bother to try. Even his thoughts were a jumble of incoherent nonsense. He could feel Danny pulling almost completely out before rutting back into him at an increasing aggressive pace. Teeth grazed his ear and neck every so often between lips and tongue finding his own. A small part of him was shocked that the cowl hadn’t started to fall loose like before. Instead, the bindings around his wrist and neck would tighten every time he started to struggle too much or reach too high a volume.

He could feel when Danny came, warmth spilling inside him as the Slasher groaned into his mouth. Giving him a couple more slow deep thrusts, Ghostface was careful not to pull out completely as he rose onto his knees.

Eyes tracking up and down Marcus’s body, Danny smirked as he pulled out his camera. “So beautiful. And all mine for the night. Now, what was it you said about taking some pictures of our own, doll?”

He nodded, still breathing too hard to really respond. Assuming they were done and that was why his boyfriend was taking pictures for his private collection, he was entirely unprepared when Danny suddenly pulled out. Hands grabbed his hips and he was quickly flipped onto his stomach before he knew what was happening. Unable to see behind him, he heard rather than saw Ghostface finally start to undress at least part way. The fact that he hadn’t yet should have been the first clue that they weren’t done. Frank’s head’s up should have been the second and the Legion actually letting him go to bed alone absolutely would have been the third and final warning, if he’d actually put any stock into what they’d told him...

Bare fingers pressed into his hips and he was tugged onto his knees. The strips of cloth around his forearms pulled down, guiding him up onto his arms. It allowed him a bit more breathing room since his chest was no longer pressed entirely against the bed, but like with all things, there was a specific reason Danny had put him in that position.

Marcus could feel hands running over his side, fingernails dragging lines through his skin all the way from his hips to his shoulders. The touch made him shiver with anticipation, his breath hitching as fingers caressed his throat. Half expecting to be choked for the sound he made when Ghostface sank back into him, he was instead met with a hungry laugh.

“Oh, sweetheart, we’re just getting started.”

A palm was suddenly over his mouth, muffling his cry to a whimper as he caught sight of a shining blade out of the corner of his eye. Danny leaned in close, teeth grazing his ear as the edge of his knife found the vet’s throat.

“Still enjoying our little game, Doc?”

Marcus’s body spoke for him, heart rate leaping, muscles instinctively tensing at the sudden danger. Terror and arousal prickled his skin and he whined, doing his best to try and look over at his boyfriend’s face.

His reaction was met with a dark chuckle. “I can read you like a book, sweetheart… you shake and whimper so beautifully underneath me, baby… But fuck, you get so tight I swear you’re trying to break my damn cock off. You have no idea how good it feels to have you like this,” Danny growled, nipping his ear. “Under my knife again. All mine to do with as I please.”

Head yanked back as the hand over his mouth was transferred to his hair, Marcus gulped. The movement was met with the tickle of steel against his adams apple and he whimpered, “P-please, Ghostface! B-be careful with the kn-knife!”

“You want me to stop?” he growled, rolling his hips.

The movement made Marcus groan, legs shaking as he fought to hold still. The knife pressed slightly closer to his neck and he bit his lip with a small squeak. Feeling the familiar teasing pressure of Danny’s dick rub over his already hypersensitive nerves, he moaned, “Please don’t stop! Please, Ghostface!”

“Ohhh, you are so good for me,” the killer purred. “Beautiful, Doc. Just fucking perfect for me.”

Panting and whimpering as the knife's edge traced teasingly down the front of his throat, Marcus found himself facing a very interesting conundrum. Knowing what the Slasher could do to him was still terrifying, but trusting he wouldn’t was what made it exciting. Still, they probably should have talked about bringing knives into the bedroom beforehand. He was enjoying the thrill, but a small part of him was concerned with just how far Danny may take things if he wasn’t reigned in.

“You gonna scream for me?” Ghostface asked, voice a low growl in Marcus’s ear. “Think I’ll let you?”

He let out a garbled cry when a hand reached underneath him, stroking him out of time with Danny’s movements. Arms and legs shaking, he begged, “Ghostface, please! I- I can’t- I can’t-”

The knife disappeared and he let out a moan, arms giving out and planting him face first in the mattress. That was exactly what he’d been trying to ask for, but before he could get out a ‘thank you’, the Slasher grabbed both his hips and started fucking into him like he was trying to break him in half.

Howling and begging, Marcus’s desperate sounds barely drowned out the slapping of skin against skin or Danny’s own half-moaned praises. “So good, Doc. Taking me so good. Fuck, I need this, need you.”

He was pretty sure Danny had already cum again just from the amount of spend dripping down his legs but it was hard to tell. With as overly sensitive as his body was combining with the unfaltering rough pace the other was setting, Marcus could only guess. Not that he was complaining, or even could complain with as fucked out of his mind he was.

It wasn’t until Ghostface finally stilled, hands running gently over his body as Marcus got his breath back that he was able to mutter, “I- I’m happy to- to see you too.”

There was a snicker behind him, then a body leaning over his back. Lips brushed his ear as Danny asked in a low voice, “You got one more in you, Doc?”

He gulped, eyes shooting wide in the dark. Did he have one more in him?! He wasn’t even sure how many times he or Danny had come and he was being asked if he could go longer?! Fuck yeah he could!

Voice slightly rough, he mumbled, “I- I think so?”

He’d barely finished speaking when he was flipped onto his back again with a startled yelp. Leg’s settled on either side of his hips, and Danny grinned down at him like a deranged psychopath. “I was hoping you’d say that. Now, it’s my turn.”

“Y-your turn?” he repeated, before slowly lowering his gaze from Danny’s face to his legs. The position was unmistakable and his eyes went wide. “Ooh.”

With that, the killer sank down onto him with a groan. Marcus bucked and whined. Although he was incredibly grateful for the merciful change in stimulation, he was still ridiculously sensitive. He wasn’t given long to think about it, as the moment Danny was entirely on top of him, a hand grabbed his neck. When he tried to bring his arms up, his wrists were caught and yanked over his head.

~~

Leaning forward, Danny relished the feeling of the vet’s cock dragging slowly out of him. Stopping before he was completely free, he ordered, “Look at me, Doc.”

The vet’s gaze had been lowered, watching with drunken awe as he’d sunk down onto him. As soon as the words left his mouth, however, Doc’s eyes were on his face again. He grinned at the sight. His beautifully mismatched eyes were wide and hazy in the dark and wet with tears brought on by over stimulation. Finding a human partner who could take it as well as give it to such great lengths was nothing short of a miracle, and Danny had no intentions of ever taking that for granted.

“Are you sure you can keep going?” he asked seriously. He could and would take no for an answer. His blood still burned with desire but it was more tempered, easier to control. Even if it hadn’t been, he would never hurt his boyfriend.

Marcus nodded as best he could, whispering, “Y-yeah, I can go again. Like this.”

Dropping back down on him, Danny relished the way his back arched, pushing him as deep as he could possibly go. Using his legs to lift himself up again, he squeezed the vet’s neck gently. “Let me hear you, baby.”

Whimpering and bucking again, Marcus shook his head. “You said to be quiet!”

Grinding down on him, the killer purred, “I did… Now, I want to hear you. So come on, baby. Is this as good for you as it is for me?”

Legs scrabbling uselessly, the ginger panted and groaned. It only took a couple more well timed rolls of Danny’s hips before he was moaning, “Feels so good, Ghostface. Fuck, fu-fuck, feels good being inside you.”

“That’s right, Doc,” he groaned, panting slightly. His legs were getting tired. Probably should have started with that before ruining his precious vet for the night, but he was having too good of a time to really care about the soreness building in his muscles. He was going for a record and he wasn’t about to bow out to a little cramping.

Finding just the right angle, he fucked himself on the vet’s cock like his life depended on it. He could let go of his arms or his neck and jerk himself off to make sure he got there… but where was the fun in that? The desperation, the need, the want caused by the position he’d put them in was too delicious to risk.

“Ghostface, Ghostface, please,” Marcus whimpered, tears leaking from his eyes.

That did it and Danny clamped down around him like a vice as he came, adding to the mess already across the vet’s stomach and chest. Taking a moment to breathe, he leaned down to kiss his neck before murmuring, “Yes, love?”

Gasping and whining, he begged, “Please, Ghostface, I’m so close. So close, please. Let- let me cum inside you, please?”

Grinning against his skin, Danny purred, “What made you think you were going anywhere until you did?”

Lifting himself up, he slid back down with well practiced ease, keeping his muscles clenched the entire time.

Marcus kicked and bucked, broken sounds leaving him with every breath. When Danny released his neck to grab one of his nipples, he practically sobbed. Every muscle in his body seemed to tense at once and he howled, finally achieving the orgasm he’d been chasing since the killer had started riding him. Body going limp, he looked up at his boyfriend with half lidded eyes. He was entirely spent, there was no denying that.

Humming contentedly, Danny was careful as he got off of him. Disentangling the tendrils, he pulled his hood off and tossed on the pile of his other clothes before flopping onto his back beside Marcus. Pulling him close, he asked softly, “You okay, Doc?”

The vet groaned, rolling over and throwing an arm and leg over the Slasher before burying his face in his neck.

That was a pretty good answer, and Danny sighed happily. Rolling so he could pull Marcus against his body, he kissed his forehead before murmuring, “Love you, Doc.”

There was silence for a moment, then a very sleepy, “Love you too, Danny.”

Closing his eyes, he fell asleep with a content smile on his face. They could get cleaned up in the morning.
~~~~

Chapter Text

Waking up slowly, Marcus gradually became aware of about a dozen different sore spots and aches throughout his body. Still, he felt incredibly relaxed after the night he’d had with Danny, and waking up wrapped in the Slasher’s arms was something he’d missed, even if it had only been a couple of weeks. Too bad Evan wasn’t there too. There was nothing better than waking up between the two of them. Then again, he had the next two days off, so he might just get that opportunity again soon.

Danny was still sound asleep, but that wasn’t really surprising after the night they’d had or the lack of sleep the killers had been subjected to while hunting down Blight. Nuzzling his face into his boyfriend’s neck, he closed his eyes and just listened to him breathing for a while. He really wanted to go back to sleep and catch up since he’d been woken up so early.

Eventually the smell of breakfast wafted under the bedroom door and Marcus’s stomach growled. So much for catching up on sleep. He was starving, and he really needed to get cleaned up. Shit, the shower wasn’t available yet… He needed to call Lisa to come get Butter, but there was no way he was doing that while laying buck ass naked in bed with Danny.

Carefully disentangling himself from his partner, he slid out of bed and tugged on a pair of clean pajama pants. He checked his phone but there were no new messages from Dwight, so he texted him, ‘One of my boyfriends got back late last night so I don’t know what the plan is going to be for the next couple of days. I know he’s going to want to spend some time together, but if we have time, would you want to meet him?’

Sliding his phone into a pocket, he made his way back into the main house. Stopping by the bathroom to check on Butter, he found the snake stretched out along the floor boards. He had a moderate size bulge in his midsection indicating he’d eaten something extremely recently. It was definitely too big to be Jude… Right?

Squinting, he crouched down and -very gently- felt along the snake's body. Butter didn’t seem bothered by his examination, not so much as lifting his head. Whatever was in his body seemed to be in two separate pieces, so he guessed Julie must have fed him after he’d gone to bed.

Confident Jude was still safe in the Realm and not inside Lisa’s snake, he grabbed a washcloth and cleaned himself up. He’d wait to shower so as to avoid too much activity around Butter after he’d just eaten. It wouldn’t do to stress him out and scare him into regurgitating his food.

The moment Marcus stepped out of the hall into the main section of the house, all four Legion members looked up from their breakfasts and stared at him. Before he could say anything, all of them started clapping and cheering. Face turning bright red, he dipped his head and hurried to the fridge. So much for Danny keeping him quiet…

“That was impressive, Doc,” Susie cheered.

Joey nodded, adding, “We honestly weren’t sure if you were still alive or not.”

“We tried to warn you, man,” Frank cackled, looking smug.

“Sounded like he was trying to kill you a couple of times,” Julie confirmed, smirking when he turned to glare at them. “You are loud, you know that?”

“You know, you all don’t have to live here,” he reminded them, desperately hoping to change the subject. “You’d have a lot more room in the Realm, and you wouldn’t have to worry about eating regularly.”

It didn’t work, Frank shaking his head as he laughed, “And miss out on all the fun here? Nah, we’re good.”

“All the fun?” Marcus repeated, narrowing his eyes. “You mean like dogpiling and torturing me?”

“Pfft, that wasn’t torture. We should know,” Susie scoffed. Frank gave her a cold look and she winced. “Sorry, Franky.”

Julie scrunched up her face, looking thoughtful. “Actually, tickling has been used as a form of torture since as far back as medieval times. So technically, Doc’s right.”

Joey gestured to his neck with a wince of his own. “That wasn’t us, right?”

Glancing down, Marcus obviously couldn’t see his own neck, but he did catch sight of his wrists. Doing a double take, he held up his arms before cringing. It looked like someone had been abusing him with as badly bruised as his skin was. His neck must have looked at least as bad if not worse.

Sighing, he shrugged. “As you all apparently heard last night, I’m pretty sure this was all Danny.”

“Wha’ws all me?” he mumbled, shuffling into the kitchen just in time to hear the vets declaration. Hair sticking out in wild directions and eyes still bleary with sleep, Danny yawned loudly before scratching the back of his head. None of that did anything to detract from the fact that he was entirely naked.

Julie choked on her cereal and Susie sprayed milk out her nose, leading to a coughing fit.

Joey slapped a hand over his eyes, muttering, “Goddammit, I was hoping that wasn’t going to happen anymore.”

Frank just eyed him up and down before shaking his head. “Looks like someone was selfish last night.”

Marcus grabbed Danny’s shoulders and spun him around, guiding him back towards the bedroom. “You need to get dressed! I have roommates and you are naked!”

“Not like they haven’t seen it all before,” Danny grumbled tiredly. “What time is it anyway?”

“Ten something, I think,” Marcus offered, scooting him closer to the bedroom. “Please get dressed and I’ll make us some breakfast. Okay?”

“Hmm, I’ll make you into breakfast,” he yawned, before stumbling into the bedroom in search of clothes he could borrow.

Heading back to the kitchen, Marcus attempted to salvage the situation, asking awkwardly, “Did you all sleep well at least?”

It was the wrong thing to ask, as all four of them gave him the same, dead eyed, judgmental look. Obviously they had not…

“Right… Sorry,” he mumbled, turning back to the fridge. Feeling his phone buzz in his pocket, he pulled it out to find a new text from Dwight.

‘That works! I have some running around to do today and maybe tomorrow depending on how much time I spend getting lost, haha. I’ll still be in town for a few more days so just let me know what you all would like to do’

Grinning, Marcus sent back, ‘Will do! Keep me posted on your adventures and feel free to call if you need anything’

He’d have to talk to Danny first about him and Dwight meeting to ensure the Slasher didn’t take the wrong kind of interest in his new friend. He wasn’t sure how he’d ever live with himself if he got the poor guy killed. It was probably time to talk about boundaries again.

Pulling a carton of eggs out of the refrigerator, Marcus almost dropped it when there was a blood curdling scream from the bathroom. Jumping, he spun around just in time to see Danny flying out of the hall in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. The Slasher was still screaming like a banshee when he crashed face first into the closet door. Fumbling for the knob while simultaneously trying to look back over his shoulder, he tried pushing the door instead of pulling when he finally grabbed hold of it.

Shoving the eggs back into the fridge, Marcus rushed over to him, demanding, “Danny, what’s wrong?!” He’d never seen him so scared before! Worried for his boyfriend’s very mortal and still extinguishable life as he bled out in his arms? Sure! But so scared he was literally trying to push a pull door while babbling incoherently? No, that was definitely a first and it was incredibly concerning.

Before Marcus could grab his shoulders, the Slasher tackled him. Wrapping his arms and legs around him like he was trying to climb a tree, Danny wailed, “Toilet snake! Came out of the pipes or some shit! We have to burn the house down! You’re moving in with me, I don’t fucking care how long it takes you to adjust, we’ll find a way!”

The Legion had continued eating through his wild outburst like nothing was happening, but when he demanded the vet move in with him, Julie volunteered, “That’s Butter. He’s Lisa’s. She’s supposed to come get him today.”

Frank looked incredibly smug as he added, “By the way, Red. Ghostface is scared of snakes.”

“That snake wouldn’t fit in the pipes anyway,” Susie scoffed, and Joey nodded in agreement.

Danny was shivering as he clung to Marcus, eyes so wide it was almost comical. Thank fuck he’d gotten dressed before attempting to use the restroom.

Unable to sit up with the Slasher’s entire weight on him, Marcus resigned himself to laying on the floor for a while. Doing his best to get his arms around Danny, he promised, “Butter is harmless. And he’s going home today. Look, I’ll call Lisa right now. Hag. There. Is that better?”

There was a very long pause before Danny finally turned his head to stare at the vet instead of down the hall. Blinking slowly, he asked, “When were you going to tell me you have a snake in the fucking bathroom?! In the bathroom?! I get my dick out in there!”

Marcus tried to think of a good answer but came up blank. Grinning sheepishly, he joked, “Well, you tend to try and get your dick out wherever you can, so…”

Withering under the intense glare his joke earned, he swallowed nervously before admitting, “I… forgot you mentioned that you’re afraid of snakes… And I wasn’t really expecting you to um… wake me up in the middle of the night.”

“I didn’t just wake you up! I fucked you until you cried and I’m about to do it again!” Danny shouted, squeezing him like an octopus.

“Danny!” he squealed, trying to squirm out of his grasp. The Legion were right there!

The closet door swung open suddenly, barely missing Marcus and smacking Danny in the top of the head with a solid thunk. He howled, letting go of the vet and clamping his hands down on the top of his skull as he rolled out of the way.

Lisa stepped into the room, squinting at him before shaking her head. Glancing at the Legion, she tilted her head curiously. “Interesting, Freddy was telling the truth… You really are all back.”

“Nice to see you too,” Frank huffed, rolling his eyes. “Thanks for your help with Wesker, by the way. And the Collector. And Pinhead.”

She waved him off before turning to Marcus. He’d finally gotten his feet underneath him again, so she asked pointedly, “Where is Butter?”

Danny’s terrified screech and subsequent scramble across the floor was enough to point their attention to the hallway. The snake was lazily slithering towards them, tongue flicking in the air.

“How is he?” Lisa asked, kneeling and holding her arms out. Butter climbed up her arms, draping himself across her shoulders as his lower body wrapped twice around her waist. Caressing his head, she stood like he weighed nothing and turned to stare at Marcus.

He’d been so amazed by the almost dog-like greeting Butter had displayed, he’d entirely forgotten to answer Lisa’s question. “O-oh, yeah, sorry. His blood tests came back clean so it looks like the ticks didn’t give him anything.”

“He ate last night, by the way,” Julie added. “A couple of raw chickens.”

That was a huge relief, and Marcus let out a deep breath. He had too much on his mind and had completely forgotten to feed the poor snake. It wasn’t like missing dinner would have hurt Butter at all, but he was still very grateful for Julie’s continued help with the reptile.

The Hag smiled, looking happy with the news as well. “Perhaps I was wrong about you. You are not nearly as incompetent and accident prone as I was led to believe.”

“Wha- but I’m not- who said-” Marcus gave up with a tired sigh. “Thank you, I guess. You’re not so bad yourself.”

That got an actual laugh out of Lisa. Kissing Butter’s head, she reached out and patted the vet’s shoulder. “I appreciate what you’ve done for me. I will bring payment for his care when I bring Ferdinand. If you are still willing to clean his teeth.”

“Fuck the Entity, it’s not another snake is it?” Danny asked, peeking over the back of the couch.

As badly as Marcus wanted to -politely- tell him that snakes didn’t get dental cleanings like that, he held his tongue. It was pretty obvious at that point that Danny was terrified of the legless reptiles so there was no real reason for him to have known.

Finally sparing him a smidge of attention, Lisa cocked her head. “No, Ferdinand is not a snake.”

“Oh, that- that’s just the best answer ever! Thank you for enlightening me,” he seethed. “What’s a Ferdinand?!”

The Hag bared her teeth in a sadistic smile before telling Marcus, “I will be seeing you again soon. Thank you again for helping Butter… You like cats too, right?”

“I love cats,” Marcus confirmed, smiling. He’d never brushed one’s teeth before, but he’d give it a try if it really needed it. “I like all animals, really. I have the next couple of days off, so you can bring Ferdinand anytime.”

Lisa smiled at him, thankfully without baring her teeth. “Thank you, Doc. In that case, I will go fetch him now. Also, do not be surprised if some of the others come to you. I know Carmina was having some trouble with one of her fledglings.”

Before Marcus could ask what the fuck that meant, the Hag dipped through the closet and both she and Butter vanished.

The second she disappeared through the Door, Danny vaulted over the couch and slammed the closet shut again. Looking around frantically, he darted to the table and yanked Frank’s chair out from underneath him. Ignoring the enraged shouting and swearing that followed, the older Slasher shoved the chair under the doorknob. It really wouldn’t do anything to stop one of the others from just breaking the entire door down to get in, but at least it would offer a few extra seconds of warning.

Marcus had been slowly backing away, but froze when Danny whipped around to glare at him. Holding up his hands, he asked nervously, “What the hell did I do?”

“You traumatized me!” Danny wailed dramatically. “I can’t believe you forgot to tell me about the giant snake you had locked in your bathroom! Fuck the Entity… where’s Jude?!”

“Okay, first, Jude is fine,” Marcus promised, trying to keep his voice calm and soothing. “The minute Lisa brought Butter over she took herself to the Realm. Which… I’m still not sure how she does that… But, anyway. I had no idea how badly snakes scare you. I’m sorry, really. I would have told you if I’d gotten a proper chance.”

The look of anger on Danny’s face faded to be replaced by a more tired grimace. “You’re fine, Doc. Just, please warn me the next time you bring work home with you. And I swear to the Entity, if she comes back with another snake while I’m here, I’m setting everything and everyone on fire, and then myself.”

Walking over and taking his hands, Marcus promised, “I will. But will you please tell me why you’re so scared of snakes? Maybe… maybe I can help you work through it? At least a little?”

Looking away, Danny mumbled, “I don’t know, Doc… It’s kind of pathetic…”

“I can’t help if I don’t know where to start, and I won’t know where to start if I don’t know why,” he pressed. If it was something as simple as not understanding or having misconceptions about the reptiles, he could definitely help with that.

“I know why!” Frank offered helpfully, smirking at Ghostface when he glared at him. Maybe he shouldn’t have stolen his chair and dumped him on the floor.

“Shut it, Morrison,” Danny seethed. Sighing, he added, “I’ve never… particularly liked snakes. Despite what most people seem to think, I didn’t start out in Woodsboro, California. I grew up in a sticky, sweaty, armpit of a state. America’s basement, some call it. People call it that, right? Anyway, that’s where I actually started out. The leather was probably not the best choice, given the weather, but it looked good and it didn’t restrict my movement as much as my ‘classic’ robes. This was actually a work in progress and I am so glad I was wearing it when the Entity took me. Anyway, as I’m sure you’re very aware my veterinary medicine inclined sweetheart, swampy ass climates are quite the hub for snakes.”

Marcus blinked several times. “Danny… what the fuck are you talking about? You went from point A to point Q then back to point B. Where the hell did you grow up?”

“Oh, Florida. Obviously,” he dismissed, waving a hand.

“You’re such a baby,” Julie snickered. “Could you possibly have come up with a more dramatic way to say you grew up in Florida?”

“You’re such a baby,” Danny repeated in a high pitch, making a talking motion with one hand. Flipping her off, he continued, “My dad raised me in a shitty little shack with no AC and more holes in the walls than swiss cheese. Terrible place, really.”

“Boo, get to the point, you dramatic bitch,” Joey heckled, grinning when Danny turned and glared at him.

Returning his attention to Marcus, he continued, “As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted… Obviously, snakes would get in from time to time. Not just the ‘harmless’ ones either. There were a lot of nights I’d wake up to one of the slimy bastards in my bed or somewhere else in the house and that led to some very bad times. So, I don’t like snakes. End of story.”

Before Marcus could vehemently argue that snakes were not slimy and were in fact very beneficial creatures when they weren’t overpopulating an area, Frank spoke up.

“That’s not all of it,” he singsonged, grinning like a demon when Danny slowly turned to glare at him. “Tell him the rest of the story, or I will.”

“I will peel your throat tattoo off like it’s a fucking potato skin,” Danny hissed, jabbing a finger at him.

Looking entirely unfazed by the threat, Frank looked at Marcus. “Hey, Doc? Did you know that snakes are also a big part of why he’s scared of the Oni?”

Before Marcus could ask who the hell the Oni was, Danny snarled, “You little- Frank, I swear to the Entity! I’m gonna-”

“So, when Ghostface was first brought to the Realm-”

Danny grabbed the nearest object and threw it at the Legion leader. Unfortunately, it happened to be the chair he’d just shoved under the door.

Frank dove under the table to avoid getting hit, and Julie had to leap out of her chair since she’d been right next to him. The airborne furniture hit the table with enough force that it exploded into pieces, shards of wood and screws shooting in every direction.

“What the fuck, Danny?!” Marcus shouted, covering his head with his arms as shards of wood pelted him.

“My eggs!” Susie complained. All the food left on the table had been thoroughly ruined, unless they wanted a lot of extra fiber...

Frank was rolling around under the table, laughing too hard to really notice, but Julie and Joey were both glaring at Danny like they wanted to stab him. They probably did, and the subsequent hands twitching towards their knives only confirmed it.

Ignoring them all, Danny turned to Marcus with a manic smile. “Now! As I was saying– Why are you backing away?”

Freezing in place again, Marcus glanced over his shoulder at the front door. It wasn’t a great plan, but he had seriously been considering making a run for it. Barefoot… and shirtless… through the snow… “Um, nowhere?”

“What?” Danny asked, confused. “That’s not what- Never mind.”

Before Marcus could react, his boyfriend strode over, grabbed him around the waist, and carried him to the couch. Tossing him down, he climbed on top of him before going limp, pinning him down on the furniture.

“Ack! Danny! Why?” he managed to wheeze. Danny wasn’t even all that heavy, but the way he’d dropped on top of him had knocked the wind out of the vet.

“Hmm, because I can,” he purred, kissing his neck. “Now! If anyone else interrupts I’m going to flip Doc over and start fucking him in front of all of you. Got it?”

“Danny what the fuck?!” he shrieked. When he heard Susie inhale in preparation to do exactly what they’d all just been warned not to do, he added, “I will evict all of you if anyone says another word!”

She glared at him but didn’t say anything. It was unclear if his threat was what kept her quiet, or the trio of murderous stares directed at her by the rest of the Legion.

“I was at home looking over the plans for that night's masterpiece, when this dark fog filled the room,” Danny recounted, a far away look in his eyes. “It was so strange. Cold, ominous, like nothing I’d ever felt before. But I could hear whispers. A voice, calling me, guiding me to follow. When it all cleared I was in this dark, creepy, cold fucking forest. I figured I was tripping or having a nightmare, so I just went with it. Anyway, I was wandering around these godforsaken woods for a while when I heard something in a tree right above my head. Up until that point the only other living thing in the damn woods were these crows that seemed to be following me. That was its own kind of creepy… I looked up, and guess what fucking happened?”

Marcus didn’t answer right away, figuring it was a rhetorical question. When Danny grabbed his shoulders and shook him, he squawked, “What?! What happened?”

“A snake fell on my head!” he shouted, before burning his face in the vets neck. “I had my mask on, but fuck the Entity, it was horrible! It wasn’t a normal snake either! It was… wrong. Too big, weird spines on its back, shiny black like it had been dipped in tar or something… Anyway, I freaked out, tried to get it off me, and it tried to fucking bite me. It had like, four rows of teeth! And I… I may have screamed. And fell on my ass. I honestly thought I was going to die when it struck at me again. I couldn’t get to my knife in time and panic was starting to set in… And then this… giant demon grabbed it out of mid-air. Just snatched it like it was nothing… That was how I met Kazan… when he saved me from a snake. By catching it mid strike, biting its head off, and swallowing it.”

Marcus finally put two and two together. The Oni must be Kazan’s Slasher name, and going off of what he now knew about Danny’s fear of snakes… it finally made sense. “Jesus Christ… I’m sorry. Is that why you didn’t want me to call him?”

“That’s not the only reason. Kazan was… still is for all we know, incredibly short tempered. Even by our standards. The Entity forbid he feels like you’ve disrespected him… But I’m not going to bore you with those stories right now,” Danny mumbled. “So, now you know my shame. I hope you don’t think less of me…”

“Not at all. A lot of people are afraid of snakes,” Marcus soothed. Unable to help it, he added, “I don’t think most of them are famous serial killers who won’t actually stay dead if they’re killed, but hey, that’s okay too. Everyone has their weaknesses.”

Danny didn’t react for a moment. Then, without any warning whatsoever, he bit him on the neck. It wasn’t a little love bite, gently pinching the vet’s skin between his teeth. No, he chose to open his mouth as wide as he could and clamp down like a rabid coyote. Thank god his teeth weren’t sharp like Evan’s…

“Ow! Danny, let go! Ow!” Marcus yelped, batting at his boyfriend. It did nothing to deter him and he growled through his teeth in response.

“And you were worried about hurting him,” Susie scoffed, winking at Joey. “He’s survived Danny this long.”

When he started to protest, Julie added, “And Pyramid Head.”

“And Dredge and Myers,” Frank continued. “Among others.”

Joey nodded, beginning to look amused as the vet continued to struggle pathetically underneath the much stronger Slasher. “I mean… Yeah, no, that’s fair. Then there was all that shit with Wesker and the Collector.”

Marcus let out an incredibly embarrassing squeal when Danny began chewing on his neck. There was no way it wasn’t going to leave an even bigger bruise on the already tender skin and the location was going to make it impossible to cover up at work if he didn’t spend enough time in the Realm to heal it in time. Flailing his arms and legs, he yelled, “Help! He’s trying to kill me!”

Grabbing his wrists, the killer easily held them over his head as he continued to gnaw on him. His voice was very muffled but still audible as he argued through a mouthful of ginger, “If I wanted to kill you I’d just stab you. God. You think you know a guy.”

“Legion, do something!” he begged, still kicking his legs.

He regretted it immediately when Frank answered, “His feet are super ticklish. So are his ribs and armpits.”

“Don’t forget the knee ditch,” Joey added helpfully. Well, helpful for Danny anyway, as he laughed into Marcus’s neck before resuming chewing on him.

“I’m going to call Evan!” he threatened, eyes widening as he caught sight of the Legion members slowly closing in on the couch. There was no question in his mind about who they were about to help, and it wasn’t him.

“Evan’s busy, darling,” Danny warned smoothly. “And to think, I’m in a sharing mood right now and everything. What a pity.”

The bell above the closet door chimed and all six of them jumped, half expecting the man himself to step through. Much to everyone’s great shock, it wasn’t the Trapper.

With a low, rumbling growl, a dinosaur slowly plodded into the room. Well, it wasn’t really a dinosaur, but Marcus could forgive anyone who made that mistake. The creature in question was at least nineteen feet long from nose to tail, dark green scales covering its body like armor. Round black eyes surveyed the room and another low rumble emanated from its open jaws, spilling past teeth made for ripping and tearing.

Lisa stepped in behind the reptile, a broad smile on her face. Spotting Danny and Marcus on the couch, she tilted her head curiously. “I did say I was coming right back, did I not?”

When no one answered, she crouched down and patted the massive alligator on the head. “This is Ferdinand.” Holding up a small, mangled toothbrush, she added helpfully, “He needs his teeth cleaned.”
~~~~

Chapter Text

Marcus wasn’t sure what to say at first. That was the biggest american alligator he had ever seen in his life. On average, the reptiles only grew to be about eleven or twelve feet long. The one Lisa had just brought over had clearly blown past that years ago.

Finally, Frank managed to ask in a very thin voice, “What the fuck is that?”

Lisa looked over at the Legion who had all slowly backed behind the couch. The withered flesh around her eyes pinched as if she were squinting at them as she stated, “Ferdinand. Obviously.”

“That’s not what I meant!” Frank exclaimed. Jumping when the gator’s head swayed in their direction, he demanded, “Aren’t those things cannibals?”

“Carnivores,” Julie and Marcus corrected simultaneously.

“That,” the vet continued, “Is an american alligator. A pretty big one to boot. How long have you had Ferdinand, if I might ask?”

Lisa thought about it for a moment. “Shortly after we escaped, I made myself at home deep in the Everglades. While hunting, I came across a poacher camp. I set free the animals that were still alive and that would survive and helped ease the suffering of the rest… Ferdinand was quite hurt, but I knew he would recover if he was given a chance. I brought him back to the Realm to help speed up the healing process, but it did much more than that.”

Something occurred to Marcus and he frowned thoughtfully. Jude seemed to be in much better health since he’d brought her home. Or, more accurately, since she’d started making trips to and from the Realm. Was it possible that being there was actually reversing the damage caused by her arthritis? Deciding he needed to take her to the clinic for a proper check up again, he sat up.

Instead of scooting back to let him up, Danny placed a hand on his chest. “I’m so sorry, Doc, but this has to be done. Just know it’s not personal, and I love you.”

Letting out small, confused, ‘What the fuck Danny?’, Marcus and the Legion all watched him hop off the couch and approach Lisa.

Taking one of Lisa’s hands, Danny dropped to a knee and asked sincerely, “Will you marry me?”

Staring at him for a minute, she finally asked incredulously, “What?!”

“You’re going to have to sign a prenup,” he warned, still dead serious. “If we get divorced for any reason, I get full custody of Ferdinand. It’s just the way it has to be. I am incapable of co-parenting but I know in the bottom of my heart Marcus and I will make great dads.”

“I don’t want kids!” Marcus shouted, throwing his hands up. “And that gator is probably older than I am anyway!”

Waving a hand at him without breaking eye contact with Lisa, Danny hissed, “Shhh, hush your sexy face, Doc! I’m busy negotiating the terms of my first marriage and divorce!”

Finally tugging her hand out of his, Lisa inspected her fingers like she’d just touched something vile. “I would rather marry a poisonous toad.”

“I can be toxic!” Danny promised, looking up at her imploringly. “Even if I don’t get custody, can I get visitation?! Please?! Look at him! Ferdinand needs me!”

The alligator hadn’t moved so much as a muscle since settling comfortably on the floor, but as if in response to Danny’s decree, a low rumble spilled from barely parted jaws.

“Awww, he’s talking!” Danny squealed, bouncing on his heels like a giddy child. “His first words!”

Marcus had been slowly moving closer until was finally kneeling beside Ferdinand. Ignoring his boyfriend’s continued tirade of attempted marriage proposals and bribes for custody of the nearly twenty foot gator, he began carefully studying the reptile.

Ferdinand could stand to be scrubbed all over, really. His scales were covered in patchy algae and dried mud, but underneath, the vet could see a plethora of scars. Most of them looked very old, but he wanted to get a better look at the rest of Ferdinand’s body. Looking over his back at the gator’s other side, he realized two of the toes on his rear foot were missing.

Pointing at the long since healed nubs, he asked, “What happened there?”

“Poachers,” Lisa spat, sounding as furious as if it had just happened. “I repaid them in kind on his behalf. We both ate very well.”

“Ah, fair,” Marcus agreed, nodding solemnly. Lisa was really growing on him. Then the rest of what she’d said hit him and he slowly looked up at her with a horrified expression. Okay, so that made two Slashers he wouldn’t be accepting food from…

“I swear to god,” Frank muttered, rubbing his hands over his face. “Lisa, what other pets do you have that you’re planning to bring here?”

“A few,” she offered vaguely. “Apricot will probably be next. She could use a check up, I think.”

“Is it a reptile?” he pressed, voice strained. “Don’t get me wrong, this is definitely preferable to a giant leech or some bullshit, but isn’t having a giant crocodile-”

“Alligator!” Marcus corrected.

“Alligator,” Frank snapped, glaring at him, “in the house kind of dangerous? Doc is human! What if that thing bites his arm off?!”

“He’s not going to bite me,” Marcus promised, already checking Ferdinand’s eyes.

“Ferdinand is a good boy. He will not bite Doc,” Lisa huffed, crossing her arms. “Apricot is a cat, but I don’t see why it matters to you. You’re not the one helping them.”

Throwing his hands up, Frank sounded exasperated as he clarified, “I care because if one of your psychotic kids decides to go full animal instinct on one of us we’re probably gonna die! Especially if it’s Doc!”

“I’m not going to die, animals like me,” Marcus argued distractedly. It was true for the most part. He wasn’t sure why, but just as he tended to gravitate towards animals, they seemed to gravitate to him as well. “Hey, Lisa? Would it be possible to take him to the Realm? I want to scrub him down but it’s too cold outside to do it here and my tub isn’t nearly big enough.”

“I don’t have a garden hose,” Danny lamented, clearly upset. “Ahh, if you all can wait like thirty minutes, I can go buy one and-”

“Amanda has one,” Joey volunteered, grinning cheekily when Frank turned to glare at him.

“We can help scrub him,” Susie added, sounding excited.

“We can what?!” Frank demanded. “That thing’s big enough to eat a person!”

“So is Dredge but no one complains about that,” Danny interjected. “Wait… didn’t he actually eat people during Trials?”

“That was his Mori,” Julie corrected. “But the Entity always took them back after. Remember when he ate Maurice?”

“Ooooh, Kenneth was so fucking mad!” Joey cackled. “Poor horse, though.”

“Fuck that horse,” Susie huffed. “He nearly bit my ear off, in case you forgot.”

“I mean, Kenneth did tell you to stay away from him,” Frank recalled, laughing slightly. “But, noooo, little ‘Miss I Love Horses’ just had to try and pet the pony.”

Joey had to hold her back when she tried to attack Frank, who quickly hid behind Julie.

“Children,” Danny muttered, rolling his eyes. “Alright then. Let’s go to the Realm.”

Lisa placed a hand on the door, calling the alligator’s name. Ferdinand rumbled low in his throat, but managed to turn all the way around without taking anyone’s legs out with his tail. His missing toes did nothing to hinder him from walking through the Door and in a moment he was gone.

Once the tip of his tail had vanished into the darkness, Danny turned to the group still half hiding behind the couch. “Legion, you all coming?”

“May as well,” Frank accepted. Looking pointedly at Marcus, he added, “We should probably all practice opening Doors.”

Rolling his eyes, he offered, “I can also make you all spare keys.”

None of them said anything else, filing past Lisa into the closet.

“Give me just a second,” Marcus excused. “I need to send a quick text and then Danny and I will be right there.

The Hag didn’t say anything, just nodded before disappearing into the Realm herself.

Taking his phone out, Marcus typed up, ‘Going to help a friend with her pet gator. Not gonna have reception for a while but I’ll let you know when I get back!’

As he was sliding his phone back into his pocket, Danny purred, “So, is that the lucky guy?”

Jumping slightly, Marcus turned to him and grinned. “Yeah, it is. He’s going to be in town a little while longer and I’d like you to meet him.”

Danny’s face lit up. “Really? Meet him, how? Like, do you want me to shank him and then fuck you in the blood puddle? Or just… stalk him from afar, learn everything about his routines, his family, his hobbies and interests, and then break into his house in the middle of the night so I can introduce my knife to his internal organs?”

Blinking several times, Marcus nearly shouted, “Neither of those things! It’s to make friends! My god, Danny! He’s a normal person and he’s really nice!”

Groaning, he complained in a pouty voice, “For all you know he’s a serial killer. What’s his name, anyway?”

Squinting at him, the vet asked slowly, “If I give you his name now, are you going to try and stalk him before I can properly introduce you two?”

Hemming and hawing, Danny didn’t give him a real answer so he declined. Heading for the bedroom to change into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, he said, “I’m not telling you his name until you swear you’ll treat him like a person and not a target.”

Squinting as he followed after him, the Slasher argued, “I just want to protect my boyfriend. For all I know, they guy could be trying to seduce you so he can steal your organs. You’re a damn magnet for danger, Doc.”

The very thought of Dwight putting on an act just to seduce him in an attempt to harvest his organs made Marcus burst out laughing. “I highly doubt that’s his goal. He’s… He’s very sweet, Danny. He needs to be treated gently, and with care.”

Eyebrows rising as he changed back into his Ghostface uniform, Danny asked, “Should I be worried?”

Smiling softly, Marcus closed the distance between them. Wrapping his arms around the back of his neck, he pulled his boyfriend close. “No, you don’t need to be worried. I love you. He’s just a friend, and it was just sex. There’s a big difference in what we do, and what that was. If you don’t want that to happen again, it won’t. That’s why we talk openly about this kind of stuff.”

Danny’s voice was soft as he murmured, “I love you too, Doc.” Leaning in to kiss him, he added, “I was joking, but that’s nice to hear. I trust you and as long as you’re confident he’s not after something he shouldn’t be, I don’t mind if you keep seeing him. But if he does ever hurt you, I will hunt him down and I will kill him. And if you ever try to leave me for someone else… I’ll cut their heart out and give it to you for our anniversary.”

“I know you will,” Marcus confirmed, grinning despite the grizzly promise. “Hey… How’s Evan doing?”

The question had been on his mind all morning, but he was only just getting the chance to ask. Danny had said he ‘was busy’ when he’d brought him up before, but that really didn’t answer his question.

Pursing his lips, Danny thought for a moment before answering. “He’s… working through a lot of big feelings right now, Doc. He didn’t come last night because he knew he wasn’t in the right head space to be around you. And… honestly, that’s something I never thought I’d see him be self aware enough to do.”

Slightly shocked, Marcus immediately asked, “Is he okay? Did I… Is this because of me and-”

“No, no!” Danny quickly interjected, leading the way back to the closet. “He can’t wait to see you, it’s just… It’s not my place to talk about the specifics, but he and Philip have had beef with Talbot forever. For those two, what we did to Blight after we got him back to the Realm was a lot more than just teaching him a lesson. Especially for Evan.”

Recalling some offhand comments about how some of them were punished for trying to refuse to serve the Entity, Marcus asked, “Did Talbot have something to do with the condition Evan is in? All the shrapnel? And the hooks?” It really shouldn’t have come as a surprise that any of the Slashers had long standing issues with one another, but it was still concerning to consider just why Evan and Philip hated Talbot so much.

A sympathetic look crossed Danny’s face, and he nodded. “Yeah, he is. But that’s a story for another time, Doc. Our future son is waiting.”

“Oh, my god, Danny… We’re not stealing Lisa’s alligator.”

“It wouldn’t be stealing! Think of it as… forceful adoption!”

“She killed and ate people for him! I’m not getting on her bad side!”

“Ugh, how dare you keep my future step-son from me!”

Shivering as they stepped through the chill that always accompanied using a Door, they stepped into the Realm and Marcus took a moment to get his bearings. The Tree and the surrounding earth were splattered with blood and what might have been teeth. Most looked entirely inhuman but that didn’t mean anything.

“Oof, well… at least Talbot was able to drag his sorry ass somewhere else to recover,” Danny muttered, also surveying the bloody ground.

Marcus just nodded, a very dark thought entering his mind. Was this what they’d done to Danny after their relationship had initially come to light? And was that what would have happened to him, had their vote gone the other way?

Shaking off the horrifying thoughts, he scanned the houses for the Hag and her pet. Thankfully, it wasn’t hard to find them. Lisa and Amanda were sitting on the latters front porch, the former watering Ferdinand with the hose like he was a flower that needed care, and not a record breaking alligator. The Legion were milling around the Tree, chattering to one another and trying to figure out where to practice opening Doors to. No one else appeared to be around, so the vet started in the direction of the animal in need of care.

Spotting him coming, Amanda smiled broadly. Rising when he got closer, she pulled him into a hug. “Hey, Doc! Long time no see.”

Laughing, he argued, “It’s only been a couple of weeks.”

“Yeah, two weeks I was stuck with both your boyfriends,” she countered, crossing her arms. “Do you have any idea how insufferable they are when you’re not around?”

“Hey, Philip was there too!” Danny complained.

“I know,” Amanda deadpanned. “He was the only one I didn’t want to kill.”

Before he could piss her off enough to attack him again, Marcus asked, “Do you have any scrub brushes? I want to give Ferdinand a proper bath before I clean his teeth, that way I can check him for any signs of illness or recent injuries.”

Amanda noded, gesturing to a box on the porch. “Lisa already told me what’s going on. So, you take house calls now?”

“You could say that,” he allowed. “It’s definitely a nice change from sewing up mangled Slashers.”

“The others are so accident prone,” Danny lamented, refusing to look either of them in the eye when they glared at him. “Sorry they make your life so hard, Doc.”

“You make his life hard,” Amanda said, rolling her eyes.

“No, I make his dick hard. There’s a difference,” he argued, sticking his tongue out.

Marcus slapped his arm. “Danny, that’s terrible!”

“But it’s true,” he countered, smirking.

Glaring at him some more, Marcus finally turned to Lisa. “Thank you for getting him here. I’m going to scrub him down first, then brush his teeth.”

“I appreciate it. Oh, I have payment for you as well. For your help with Butter, and for Ferdinand,” Lisa told him. Going to the box of scrub brushes and dish soap on Amanda’s porch, she grabbed a small burlap bag tied shut with a ratty string. The material was stained beyond belief and smelled a bit like old blood and swamp water.

Taking it with a nervous smile, Marcus did his best to sound sincere as he thanked her. “Oh, wow… Thanks, Lisa.”

Opening the bag, he was slightly surprised to find a strange assortment of things inside. There were several incredibly old looking coins, a chunk of something that was either a mineral or a petrified chunk of tree bark, and a round, smooth stone on a leather string. Pulling it out, he lifted it to see an odd symbol carved into the rock.

Pointing at it with a clawed finger, the Hag explained, “Wear that, and I will be able to reach you wherever you are without a Door. It will only work once, so be certain you need me if you’re going to use it.”

Stunned, Marcus looked at her. “Really? But, how? And why?”

Gesturing to Ferdinand, she offered, “My power is tied to that symbol and it is still just as potent now as it was before. Where it goes, I can follow.”

“Wow… thank you,” he repeated, slipping the pendant over his head. Tucking it under his shirt, he set the bag aside before nodding. “Okay, let’s get Ferdinand cleaned up.”

~~

Danny couldn’t deny just how proud he was of Marcus. Lisa was admittedly one of the easier Slashers to get along with, but the way the two were bonding over a shared love of animals was nice to see. Besides, it couldn’t hurt to have a few more powerful allies in Doc’s corner.

“So, you going to help us with Ferdinand?” Amanda asked, nudging him with an elbow.

“Absolutely,” he answered, grinning from ear to ear. “I’ve seen enough gators in my life to know keeping a respectful distance from both teeth and tail is probably in my best interest… but we all know I also don’t give a flying fuck about trivial shit like safety. You know he could snap your legs with his tail if he really wanted to, right? How cool is that?”

“Lisa’s here so I’m sure he’ll behave,” she dismissed, grabbing a brush. Pausing for a moment, she looked at him suspiciously. “You’re not planning to try and kidnap him, right?”

Pressing a hand over his heart, he made an exaggerated shocked expression. “Whaaat? Why would I do any such thing? Where would I even keep an alligator this big?”

Amanda obviously wasn’t convinced but she let the question go. Just as she was holding a brush out to him, someone called his name and he frowned.

“Dammit, Legion… Now what do they need,” he complained. “Doc, I’ll be by the Tree. Don’t get eaten please.”

Marcus offered him a grin and a thumbs up. Aah, he’d be okay. So far Ferdinand was behaving surprisingly well and if there was one responsible Slasher out of all of them, it was definitely Amanda.

Turning back to the Tree, he made his way over in time to hear Frank complaining, “I don’t know! It just feels like a dead tree.”

“Danny, come here,” Julie called, waving him closer. “Can you help us out, please?”

Sauntering over, he grinned. “What can I do you for?”

She rolled her eyes, gesturing to the Tree as she explained, “Go over what we’re looking for again. How do you open a Door?”

“Ah, it’s easy,” he scoffed. In all reality, he was one of the ones who had caught on and mastered Door travel quickly. Michael had gotten it down within an hour; much faster than any of the rest of them. Rin, Sally, Lisa, Freddy, Sadako, and finally Danny himself had gotten it down easily as well, but nowhere near the speed Myers had. Wesker and Nemesis hadn’t been far behind them, along with Philip and surprisingly Thomas. The others had all gotten the hang of it eventually, and in the past two plus decades, opening and closing Doors had become second nature to them all.

“Easy?” Joey repeated, poking his head around from the other side of the Tree. “You’ve been doing this for years, man. We’ve been back for all of a month.”

Waving off his complaints, Danny explained, “For right now, place a hand or two on the Tree.”

When all four of them did as instructed, he patiently clarified, “One of you, put a hand on the Tree. Opening a group Door is something you better hope we never have to do.”

“What? Why?” Julie demanded, looking at him suspiciously.

“Because it takes a shit ton of power and it can be dangerous if we’re not all hyper focused on the exact same location,” Danny told her bluntly. “Now, three of you get off the Tree so the lesson can commence. I want to go rub an alligator with my boyfriend.”

All four of them gave him disguised looks so he loudly clarified, “Washing Ferdinand, you goblins! Not everything out of my mouth is a euphemism!”

Every one of them still looked doubtful, but they didn’t say anything.

Frank remained with a hand on the barkless trunk, while the other three Legion members took a step back to watch.

“Okay, that’s step one. Eventually you’ll be able to open Doors without actually having to touch the object, unless you’re holding it open for other people. But for now, I want you to focus on the Tree. Closing your eyes might help you concentrate. Now, look for a cold aura. It’ll feel familiar, even if you’ve never been to the place you’re opening a Door to.”

“Then how do we know we’re going to the right place?” Susie asked, frowning at him.

“That will come in time,” he promised. “For now, focus on where you want to go. In this case, the Door in Doc’s closet. Opening a brand new Door to somewhere else will take a lot more energy, unless you’re channeling it through the Tree properly.”

Raising an eyebrow at him, Julie asked slowly, “How do we know if we’re doing that?”

“Because if you’re not, you’ll feel like you haven’t slept for at least two days,” he cheerfully informed them. “Or, if you’re trying to open a brand new Door to someplace that doesn’t have a Door linked to the Tree, you might kill yourself. We found that one out the hard way when Freddy was trying to escape the cops.”

“Wait, what?” Joey demanded. “When did that happen?”

“Shortly after we got back and he realized he wasn’t nearly as powerful as he used to be,” Danny dismissed. It was actually a pretty funny story but he needed the four of them to focus. “Now, Frank? Are you focused? Are you feeling it? Huh? Are you feel it now, Mr. Krabs?”

Gritting his teeth, Frank glared at the Tree. “I thought I had it… but you won’t shut up.”

“Do you want me to teach you, or not?” Danny huffed. “I’m trying not to forget anything this time. I keep doing that to Doc and it’s gotten him into trouble a few times.”

“So he’s not entirely a danger magnet!” Susie gasped, voice mocking with fake shock. “It’s just Ghostface being a clutz!”

All four of them burst out laughing and Danny crossed his arms. “Ha, ha, ha… Do you want my help or not, Pinky?”

Flipping him off, Susie snarked, “Just because you have zero sense of style.”

Yanking up the leg of his pants, he showed off the top of a bright blue sock dotted with little green frogs sitting on lily pads. “Uh?! Excuse me?! Have you seen my socks?”

“Unfortunately,” Julie complained, rolling her eyes. “Thankfully they distract from your face.”

Flipping her off with both hands if only to one up Susie, Danny told them, “Have fun figuring out Doors, kids! I’m going to go check on my boyfriend and make sure he hasn’t been eaten by a giant alligator. And that’s not a euphemism either!”

“Oh, come on, Danny! Please?” Joey asked, rushing up behind him. Before he could tell him ‘no’ again, arms were wrapping around his chest and his feet left the ground.

“Hey! Put me down, you delinquent!” he shouted, kicking the Legion member in the shins. It did nothing in the way of getting him released, so he started wiggling as hard as he could. Joey was strong, and slightly taller than him, but he had a lot more experience under his belt.

Twisting around in his arms so they were face to face, Danny jammed both hands into the other man's abdomen. Joey dropped him with a slightly winded grunt, staggering back a step as he held his stomach.

“Now, as I was saying,” Danny said airily. “Put a hand on the Tree and focus on Doc’s house. This should be easier since you know where the Door is in his house. Once you feel the energy, grab it, and step through it. The Door won’t close on you while you’re inside it… unless you’re already super weak or dying.”

“More secondhand experience?” Frank asked, looking at the Tree with a slightly apprehensive expression.

“Oh, no, not at all,” Danny promised. As soon as the four started to look more relaxed, he summed up, “Personal experience. Having a Door close on you is painful. It can and will mutilate you if you’re unlucky.”

Frank blanched, pulling his hand away from the Tree.

“Ohho, no,” Danny chastised. “None of that now, Franky. Come on.”

Walking up behind him, he pressed close to his back before reaching down to grab both his wrists. Pulling his arms up, he pressed the Legion leader's hands to the Tree, explaining, “Focus, okay? You’ll be fine. The only time a Door ever closed on me was because Nem had just killed me a few minutes before.”

Frank’s body was stiff against him, heart beating so fast and hard Danny could feel it in his own chest. It had been a very long time since he’d held him so close and he found a lot of memories coming to the surface. A lot of feelings too. It wasn’t until Frank’s voice cut into his thoughts that he snapped back to reality.

“You want to let go so I can try?” he demanded, tone cold.

Ah, yeah… Frank kind of hated him for not trying to free the Legion from Hell…

Taking a quick step back, Danny cleared his throat. “Right. Just focus on Doc’s closet and the Door there. You should be able to find it no problem.”

All he got in answer was a mildly irritated grunt as Frank tried to get the Door open. After a couple more minutes of silence, he grit out, “I think I got it?”

“Good, then step into it,” Danny instructed. He could feel the slight build of energy coming off the Tree, confirming that the Legion leader had indeed managed to open a Door. He could check and make sure it was the right one after he stepped through.

Looking more confident, Frank did as instructed, vanishing into the shadow of the Tree. Danny placed a hand on the trunk, double checking the Door just in case. Nodding, he took a step back before saying, “Okay, who’s next?”

“I’ll try,” Julie volunteered, taking Frank’s place. It didn’t take as long before she let out a victorious ‘ahha!’ and stepped through.

“Ah, very nice to see one of you is catching on quickly,” Danny chuckled. “That’s good at least. Okay, Susie?”

Bouncing excitedly, Susie stepped up to the Tree. Hesitating slightly before touching it, she looked back at Danny, asking nervously, “What happens if two people are trying to use the Tree at the same time?”

“Oh, you mean one coming and one going?” he clarified. When he received a nod of confirmation, he explained, “The Tree is powerful enough that several people can use it at the same time without interrupting one another. You might get stepped on if you both come out at the exact same time, or you may end up coming out wherever they just came in from, but you’ll live.”

“That’s good to know,” Susie murmured, pressing a hand to the trunk. It took her a little longer than Julie, but after a couple of minutes she too managed to step out of the Realm.

As the only one left, Joey popped his knuckles before stepping up. “Alright, my turn.”

“Last man standing,” Danny joked. They were actually doing a really good job, but he did suppose they had it a little bit easier. When he and the others had first woken up in the Realm, finally free of their jailer, they’d had no one to teach them. All the Killers had panicked to one degree or another, positive they’d only been moved to a kind of purgatory for disobeying the Entity for so long. It had nearly cost Ghostface his head, since the method they’d used to escape had been his idea…

Shaking his head, he asked, “So, you think you can-”

“Got it!” Joey laughed, stepping through the Door before Danny could even finish his question. Looked like at least one of the Legion was a natural. That was probably a good thing, but it was still a surprise.

About to follow them through, he stopped himself. Check on Doc and their future son first, then the Legion. Only one of them was in danger of being eaten by an alligator, and it wasn’t any of the four that just went back to the vet’s house.

Making his way back to Amanda’s, he took careful note of how close Marcus was to Ferdinand’s teeth. The ginger was practically inside his mouth!

Laughing slightly hysterically, he asked as calmly as he could possibly manage, “Doc? What are you doing, dear? You know you’re not supposed to stick your head in there, right?”

Not pulling back in the slightest, Marcus actually pushed himself a bit further into the gator’s wide open maw. “It’s fine, babe! Lisa and Amanda are right here, and Ferdinand is actually a really smart old man. You know he’s nearly sixty? That’s crazy!”

The alligator looked quite content. Even with his mouth wide open and a person climbing inside it to scrub his teeth with a ratty toothbrush, Ferdinand seemed completely relaxed. Eyes closed, legs outstretched, he almost looked dead.

Wondering if perhaps the reptile had finally bitten the dust, Danny crouched down close to its head. Leaning closer still, he jumped slightly when the eye flew open, pupil shrinking as it focused on him.

“Oh, hello there,” he chuckled. “Thank you for not biting your future dad.”

“I’m not letting you have Ferdinand,” Lisa grumbled, sounding exasperated.

“Bah, you say that now,” he challenged, grinning. Whipping out his camera, he scooted a bit closer to Ferdinand’s nose so he could get Doc in the picture with them. It was really just his ass and legs sticking out of the gator’s mouth, but it worked.

“This isn’t food!” Marcus scolded, backing out of the animal's jaws. He had part of a license plate in one hand, and when he tossed it aside the alligator rumbled low in his throat. “I don’t care, you can’t eat that. It’s not food.”

“Just look how much cleaner he is,” Amanda pointed out cheerfully. “He looks forty again.”

“He’s lovely,” Danny purred. “Ugh, I wanna dress him up like a goddamn gentleman. Oh! Why not give him a top hat and cane? Then he’d really look the part! Then set him loose in a public pool on the fourth of July.”

Staring at him, Amanda started and stopped several times before finally managing to ask, “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

Whooping and hollering caught their attention before he could respond, and they turned to see all four Legion members dancing around the Tree. Looked like they’d caught on pretty quickly after just one lesson. That was probably a good thing.

“Well, that went a lot faster than I expected,” Marcus said, crawling out of Ferdinand’s mouth. As soon as he was clear -maybe a little too soon- the alligator’s jaws snapped shut. “Yes, thank you. You have very healthy teeth. Now stop eating license plates.”

“You know he talks to animals?” Amanda whispered, leaning closer to Danny. “Like… he kept addressing the gator while we were cleaning him.”

Danny couldn’t help but laugh. “Yeah, he was talking to Jude the night we met. Thank the Entity he gave himself away before I saw him, cause I would have stabbed him if he’d startled me.”

“Thank you again for your help,” Lisa was telling Marcus, thankfully distracting him from Danny’s conversion. “It will be a few days at least before I can bring Apricot, but I will bring payment when I do.”

“Not a problem,” he promised, looking happy. “Thank you for trusting me to take care of your pets.”

Smiling, Danny barely noticed Lisa calling Ferdinand away, or the vet turning and starting to talk to him. He loved seeing him like that; In his element without being stressed or worried about keeping his patient alive.

“Danny? Danny? Ghostface?”

Jolting slightly, he shivered. “Mmyes, Doc?”

Laughing, he asked, “What are you thinking about? You were really zoned out there.”

He’d been thinking about how much he loved Marcus. The way he focused when he was taking care of an animal. His smile and his laugh, and how his presence seemed to make everyone around him at least a little less tense. But all he said was, “You, sexy. So, what were you saying? Just now?”

“Oh, that,” Marcus chuckled. “I’m going to put the hose away, then Amanda offered to make us both breakfast since we never got to eat.”

“Ah! Splendid,” he agreed, stomach growling. “Besides, you owe me for bullying me so much while we were on the Blight hunt.”

“Bullshit!” Amanda half shouted. “You’re an annoying twerp, you know that?”

“Oof, twerp? Really?” he asked, holding a hand over his heart. “Fuck the Entity, twerp?”

“Okay, Danny. Shut up.”

“No! You’ve wounded me! I feel five again!”

“I’m going to hit you again, Danny.”

“Bullying! Again! It’s like I’m on the playground and little Jimmy Two-Teeth is trying to steal my lunch money!”

“I hate you…”

Sticking his tongue out, he complained, “Maybe you shouldn’t call people twerp.”

“That’s probably the nicest thing I’ve ever called you,” Amanda sighs. “That’s the sad part. Alright, as soon as Marcus is done, you two come inside.”

“Be right there,” Danny promised. It wouldn’t take Doc that long to put a hose away. Hell, he was probably done already anyway. Looking around the side of the house, he frowned. There was the hose… But there was no vet. Whysnowballs at one another was certainly unusual, but not the kind he was looking for.

Circling back around the side of the house, he called, “Doc? Doc, you over here?”

When he didn’t receive an answer, he began inspecting the ground. Had Michael or one of the others swung by and kidnapped him? He wouldn’t put it past them. Irritating fuckers. Couldn’t keep their hands off his shit. He’d been gone long enough for them to get some one on one time with Marcus without interrupting his.

Not noticing the quickly fading wet footprints leading into the fog behind the house, Danny went inside to let Amanda know Doc had disappeared. After that, he was going to start knocking on doors.
~~~~

Chapter Text

Dwight was doing his best not to get lost again. He’d triple checked the address of the store he was going to and he made absolutely sure it was indeed in the same state and town that he was staying in. Only then did he drive the few miles to the store. Thankfully it was right where it was supposed to be. Definitely a good start to the day.

Although he was looking forward to seeing Marcus again and possibly meeting at least one of his partners, he was glad the vet was getting to spend an actual day off with them. It seemed like he needed it.

A text lit up his phone screen as he was pulling into a parking spot. Much to his surprise, it was from Marcus. Had his plans changed already?

Opening the message, he read it three times before asking aloud, “A pet alligator?!”

An eighteen foot python was one thing, but an alligator?! What kind of people was he friends with?!

Shaking his head, he texted back, ‘I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone in such a crazy line of work. Have fun! Don’t get eaten!’

His phone started ringing as he walked into the store, and when he pulled it out he was slightly surprised to see Leon’s name on the screen. Why was he calling? Leon usually left them alone when they went out unless the news reported something concerning going on in or around the area they were visiting.

“Hello?” he asked, putting the phone up to his ear.

“Oh, good,” came the immediate, slightly worried response. “Dwight, how are you doing?”

Grabbing a cart, he answered honestly, “Really good. I got lost and actually ended up in Utah, but it’s been a really good trip anyway.”

“Yeah… I know,” came Leon’s calculated response.

Great… That tone of voice was never a good sign, so Dwight asked, “What’s going on? I can tell this isn’t just a simple check in.”

Leon better not try to tell him to cut his trip short and come home, because it wasn’t happening. He was having a good time! He’d made a friend and he wasn’t about to up and vanish just because-

“I did some digging, and I think you should be really careful if you’re going to keep staying there,” Leon told him, interrupting his train of thought.

Slightly thrown, Dwight asked, “What? Why? Did something else happen?”

“Not super recently,” Leon told him, “But recently enough that I’m worried.”

Making his way to the paint aisle, he pressed, “Mikaela and Haddie gave the green light, so what’s come up so late after the fact?”

“That was when you were planning to be in Colorado,” came the blunt answer. “Ghostface was spotted in the town you’re staying in, Dwight. On top of that, there was a suspected Killer attack at a local animal clinic-”

“Wait, what?” Dwight interrupted, almost dropping his phone. “What animal clinic?”

“Caring Paws Animal and Exotics Emergency Care, something like that,” Leon told him, shuffling some papers around on the other end of the line. “It closed temporarily before being bought and renamed. Now it’s Joint State Veterinary and Exotics.”

Dwight actually dropped his phone. That was absolutely the same place that Marcus worked at… Did he know? He hadn’t even thought to ask him how long he’d worked there! It wasn’t until he started to say something that he realized he was only holding air next to his ear.

Quickly grabbing his phone, he checked it for cracks and damage before pressing it to his ear again in time to hear, “Dwight? What was that? Dwight, are you okay?”

“Y-yeah, sorry! I dropped my phone,” he admitted. “That- that’s crazy. What exactly happened?”

More rustling, then, “The clinic owner disappeared from the location and is currently presumed dead. There was a ton of blood and one of his fingers– Sorry, a part of one finger was found at the scene, but no body has been recovered. This isn’t public knowledge yet which is why Haddie and Mikaela missed it. I got my hands on the police reports and… it’s bad. Real bad.”

Running a nervous hand through his hair, Dwight asked in a low voice, “Do you… do you think it was the Clown?”

“No, he took people's fingers. He didn’t leave them behind,” Leon stated. “But we have a lot of reasons to believe it was a Killer. The blood trail was reported to have, ‘Vanished into thin air. Simply ending at the entrance to one of the outdoor dog runs. There was no further evidence to suggest where the injured person was taken, or how the blood trail seemed to just stop.’ What does that sound like?”

“Like someone opened an Entryway,” Dwight answered quietly, looking nervously up and down the aisle. There was no one in earshot, but the store was busy enough that he wasn’t going to risk speaking about such things too loudly. “But, who-”

“We can only guess, but personally I’m thinking Leatherface.”

Dwight cringed, stomach rolling violently. The idea of being killed and eaten… It reminded him of the Dredges mori and he shook his head. He didn’t want to remember any of that.

There was a muffled voice in the background and Leon sighed heavily. “I know the blood splatter didn’t indicate it, but that– I know… Ada!”

As Dwight waited for their discussion to finish, he grabbed several different colors of spray paint. Nea hadn’t specified what colors she wanted, but he knew her favorites by heart. He also knew those were the one’s she’d always run out of first.

Happy with the haul of paint he’d collected, he moved on to try and find some playing cards for Ace. Why he needed more was a mystery, but he’d asked and given Dwight the money for it, so he wasn’t going to question it.

Finally, Leon came back on the line, saying, “Regardless of who it was, it seems like the area you’re in is a lot more of a hotbed of Killer activity then we first thought. Please just… be careful. Or, if you want to come home early, we can see about reworking your time off so you can go out again elsewhere…”

Dwight could hear the subtle concern and hope in Leon’s voice, but it wasn’t enough to sway him. “I’m sure it’s fine now,” he argued. “I’m only going to be here for a few more days, and I’ll ask Marcus about the clinic next time I see him. I’m sure it isn’t as bad as it sounds.”

He was actually quite sure it was just as bad as it sounded, if not worse, but he wasn’t going to turn tail and run! Not for this!

“Dwight… You know you… There’s no need to- You don’t have to prove anything to anyone,” Leon tried. “You’ve already done so much for all of us.”

Letting out a long sigh, Dwight nodded to himself before saying boldly, “I can handle myself. Things are different now, sure. But I’m not going to run into any Killers out here. I’ll be home in a few days, safe and sound. Nothing is going to happen.”

Not for the first time, he silently added, ‘Even I’m not that unlucky… Right?’

~~

Marcus was rolling up the hose beside the house when he heard the sound of a bird frantically flapping its wings. Dropping the hose, he ignored his damp feet as he tried to focus on where exactly the sound was coming from. He could still hear Danny and Amanda talking just around the corner in front of the house, so he figured if he ducked around back for a moment to see what was going on they’d figure out where he was in a couple of minutes.

The sounds of flapping and scratching got louder as he got closer to the rear of Amanda’s house. Unfortunately, it also put him a lot closer to the fog behind the houses. He’d been in there a couple of times and it gave him the creeps. It was nearly impossible to see more than a few inches in front of one's face, and both Dredge and the Demogorgon lurked in the opaque murk. At least only one of the two was a safety concern.

Turning the corner, Marcus took note of just how close to the back of the house the wall of fog actually sat. He had maybe three feet of clearance and no way to tell if there was anything just on the other side or not. Hopefully not…

Underneath one of the windows facing out into the aforementioned smog, he found a thick chain with a railroad spike hammered through it, keeping it in the ground. The rest of the chain trailed off into the fog, and he was pretty sure he could hear more flapping and scratching.

Kneeling, he almost pulled the chain out of the fog so he could see what the hell it was attached to. Realizing that whatever was on the other end may be injured in some way, he decided to follow it instead.

The chain was slightly longer than he first expected it to be. Following it almost four feet into the thick fog, he finally found the source of the noises. A rather large black bird- that he was pretty sure was a raven- was caught by the leg in a bear trap. Flapping its wings and pecking at the steel jaws, the bird didn’t notice him approaching at first.

Letting out a loud caw when it finally did see him, the raven puffed up its feathers in an attempt to look even bigger. It probably would have worked with any animal dumb enough to try and tangle with it, as it was already almost as big as Jude.

Kneeling just out of pecking range, Marcus spoke as soothingly as he could. “Hey, hey, it’s okay. I’m not here to hurt you, buddy. I just want to get you out of that trap. Okay?”

He already knew ravens were incredibly smart birds, but the way that one was looking at him seemed far too human. Actually looking him up and down, the bird finally lowered its wings back by its sides, although its feathers remained ruffled.

Scooting a little closer, Marcus kept his movements slow and obvious. “Okay, we’re doing great,” he told the raven. “What the hell was this doing outside Amanda’s house anyway? And why was it directly under a window?”

The raven cocked its head and he really felt like it was silently calling him an idiot. Maybe it was…

“Okay, okay, judgmental much?” he complained. “Don’t worry, buddy. It looks like your leg is still in one piece, so once I can get this open…”

Carefully gripping the jaws of the trap, he pulled as hard as he could. The hinges were a bit rusty, so it took a moment for him to get any movement. With a loud creak and a squeal of dirty metal, the trap opened up enough for the bird to pull its leg free.

Hopping and flapping a few feet away, it turned to Marcus and barked. It was a strange sound to hear coming out of something with feathers, but not unheard of. Some ravens could even mimic human speech, so barking wasn’t anything shocking.

Tilting his head, Marcus asked, “Can you fly, bud? Or can I carry you somewhere?”

The raven hopped up and down, flapping its wings and hissing at something past him.

Looking over his shoulder, Marcus nearly let out a scream before he could bite his tongue. There was a Slasher looming out of the fog, dangerously close and crouching on hands and feet like a cat getting ready to pounce.

“Sh-shit,” he whispered, watching the Demogorgon closely. It had stilled when he’d laid eyes on it, but its flower-like mouth pieces were all shivering slightly, drool slowly leaking in long wet strings from between its lips.

It would take Marcus a while to realize the bird saved his life that day. The raven suddenly took off with a loud squawk, distracting the Slasher just as it pounced. Missing the vet by a hair, the Demogorgon hit the ground hard, rolling over before leaping to its feet with a roar.

Marcus grabbed the raven and ran without a second thought. Keeping the bird close to his chest, he started shouting, “Ghostface! Ghostface, goddammit, you better hear me!”

There was a roar far too close behind him. Forced to focus all his energy on running and breathing, he realized far too late that he was going the wrong way. Instead of going back the way he’d come and exiting the fog, he’d run deeper into the endless murk and was even further from help.

There was no turning back, however. Marcus could feel the air split less than an inch from the back of his neck as the Demogorgon missed a swipe at the vital spot. If it had connected, claws would have separated his spinal cord and left him paralyzed from the neck down; easy prey for the otherworldly monster to finish off.

The raven squawked suddenly, pecking at his shoulder and causing him to jolt. That led to him tripping and he barely managed to roll in time to avoid crushing the bird. Yet again, it was an action that saved his life. The Demogorgon went sailing over his head, hitting the earth a couple of yards ahead.

Before Marcus could get back on his feet, the Slasher was looming over him, mouth wide open and a hand raised for a killing swipe.

Curling around the bird, Marcus squeezed his eyes shut, sure he was about to die and not really wanting to see it coming. Before claws could tear through his body to separate flesh and bone, there was a sound like a pair of massive birds cawing so loudly it was almost deafening. Cold air rushed over the vet and a pained scream quickly followed from the Demogorgon.

Footsteps galloped away, signaling that whatever had just showed up was enough to scare the alien off its hunt. Soft steps padded closer across the hard ground and Marcus couldn’t help the small sound of terror that slipped out of him. It wasn’t Dredge, he could tell that much by the footsteps. It also for sure wasn’t Nemesis, whose footsteps and breathing were much heavier and quite distinct compared to the other Slashers.

The bird against his chest wiggled around a bit, beak finding his chin and nibbling softly. Was it not scared of whatever was looming over them? Maybe that was a good thing. Forcing his eyes open, he turned his head to look up.

A woman was standing over him and for a split second he thought it was Anna. Pitch black eyes were peering down at him, but that was where the resemblance stopped. Unlike the Huntress who was tall and built like a tank, this woman was even taller, but thin and almost elegant in stature. Long black hair hung well past her shoulders, but it did nothing to distract from the black ink leaking from her tear ducts and staining her chin and arms. In fact, upon closer examination, her eyes weren’t solid black at all. The sclera had turned such a dark shade of brown, it was nearly impossible to tell that her eyes weren’t a solid color.

It wasn’t until she reached a hand down to him that Marcus realized her arms weren't stained with ink… They were ink. Shifting and flowing, from just below the elbow, both her arms were made of black liquid. How the hell any of that worked was well beyond his ability to fathom… But considering the other things he’d seen since being introduced to the world of Slashers, he knew better than to mention it.

Opening and closing his mouth several times, he finally got out a small, “Oh.”

She gave him a slightly confused smile, head tilting to one side. Pointing with one finger, she gestured to the bird still clutched in his arms.

“O-oh, yeah. Shit, sorry!” Quickly sitting up, he carefully held the raven up for her to see. Although he was unsure if she could actually hold or interact with anything, he wasn’t about to assume she couldn’t. She’d scared the Demogorgon away after all.

Her eyes widened as she took the animal from him, fingers carefully inspecting the leg that was caught in the bear trap. The bird's feathers were rather ruffled and it let out a disgruntled croak, but it seemed no worse for wear. She looked at him again, frowning.

It looked more like a question than anger, so he was quick to explain, “Its leg got stuck in a trap behind one of the houses. The Demo- Uh, the one you just chased off attacked us just as I was getting the raven free and I just kind of took off running.”

Nodding, she held out a hand to him again. Taking it that time, he was shocked by how solid the limb felt despite being formed out of liquid. Easily pulled to his feet, he couldn’t help but study his hand when she let go. There didn’t seem to be any transfer, and he wasn’t sure if that made it stranger or not. “Wow… that’s kind of cool.”

She smiled again, looking amused by his curiosity.

Feeling slightly awkward since he had no idea who the hell she actually was, he introduced himself. “I’m Marcus, the vet. Or, vet tech, really. Danny and Evan’s boyfriend. Um, I- I’m sorry, we haven’t been introduced yet. What do I call you?”

The woman nodded as if she already knew exactly who he was and why he was there. That was probably a good thing, considering how they’d run into one another. Crouching, she used one hand to draw in the dirt. That time, ink was left behind to spell out, ‘Carmina. The Artist.’

It took Marcus a moment but he realized he’d heard her name before, although her Slasher name was definitely new information.

Waving a hand, she beckoned him to follow before turning and walking further into the fog.

Hurrying to stay next to her so he wouldn’t get lost, he didn’t try to ask anything else. It was already pretty clear she didn’t talk, but judging from her arms, he had to guess she was missing her tongue as well. It would explain the thick ink leaking from her mouth, but not so much from her eyes. Had the Entity done all that? Or had it ‘fixed’ injuries she’d already had when she was taken?

After walking through the fog for a few more minutes, he had to ask, “Where are we going?”

Carmina looked down at him, a small smile on her lips. She was still holding the raven in one hand, but pointed in the direction they were going with the other. It didn’t really answer his question, but he had a feeling it was the best he’d get for the time being.

He did get an answer to his question only moments later. The cloud suddenly cleared and the pair found themselves in an area free of fog. There were several large intricately built wooden bird houses, the sounds of rustling and scratching coming from within. Carmina whistled and several more ravens poked their heads out of some of the openings.

“Oh, wow,” Marcus murmured, a smile spreading across his face. “Did you build these for them?”

She nodded, studying his reaction with a pleased expression. Approaching one of the bird houses, she set the injured raven on a perch before pulling a box out from underneath one of the stands.

Waving Marcus over, she pointed inside. There was a bunch of different kinds of treats and food for the birds, as well as a small box of medical equipment. That was what he pulled out, already aware that the raven he’d freed probably needed its leg cleaned up.

Walking over to where the bird was perched, he asked politely, “May I see your leg?”

To his surprise, the raven squawked at him before stretching the pinched leg out for him to see.

“Thank you.” He wasn’t entirely sure why he was continuing to speak to the bird like it was a person, but both it and Carmina seemed pleased so he had to be doing something right.

Holding a finger out for the bird to grab onto, he carefully inspected the limb. The skin was broken in a couple of places from where it had been squeezed by the metal trap, but thankfully it didn’t appear to be broken and the bleeding had long since stopped.

Still, he carefully sterilized it before pulling out a strip of bandages. Tearing one in half so it wasn’t so wide, Marcus wrapped the raven’s leg before withdrawing his hand to see how it would perch and move.

Hopping up and down a couple of times, the bird ruffled its feathers before letting out a gurgling croak. It sounded happy, and a gentle hand on his shoulder from Carmina only confirmed it.

Recalling something Lisa had said, Marcus looked up at her and asked, “Were there any other birds having issues? Anything I can help with?”

Nodding solemnly, Carmina guided him to a hutch a little further away from the others. Raising a finger to her lips in a gesture for silence, she unhooked a couple of latches on one side. Swinging the front open, she revealed a very full nesting box. There were at least eight pairs of ravens inside, half of whom were sitting on unhatched eggs. A few of them ruffled their feathers, heads tilting as they eyed the vet with suspicion.

Whistling quietly, Carmina reached inside the hutch. Gently moving aside a particularly grumpy looking bird, the Slasher very carefully withdrew a small, sickly looking chick.

Marcus raised his eyebrows, peering at it closely. He could only guess it was the same age as the other fledglings in the nest, but those were much larger and healthier. They were already starting to get their feathers and their eyes were bright and alert. The chick in Carmina’s hands looked scrawny and weak, eyes dull and only a couple of scraggly feathers poking out of its otherwise bald wings.

Holding his hands out, Marcus asked, “May I see, please?”

Carmina handed the chick to him, looking concerned.

“How long has it been like this? The others seem to be thriving.”

Crouching again, the Artist pressed one finger into the ground. Unlike before when she had spelled out her name, ink seemed to flow of its own accord, painting a picture on the hard earth.

A nest appeared, two large birds settled beside it. There were four eggs in the nest, and one by one three of them hatched. The chicks began to grow, the parents disappearing and returning with food in their beaks. Finally, the last egg hatched, but every time the parents tried to feed the smallest chick, the others would step on it and push it aside. Finally, the ink seeped into the ground and Carmina stood, looking mildly upset.

“Ooh,” Marcus breathed. “This one didn’t hatch on time, huh? Well, it’s not too hard of a fix. You’ll have to take him out of the nesting box unfortunately, but if you have someplace warm and dry you can keep him, hand feeding him until he’s strong enough to eat on his own should be enough. I can grab some probiotics and stuff to add to his food, and that should help boost his immune system to keep him from catching anything while he’s still so small.”

Looking incredibly relieved, the Slasher nodded again before pulling out the things she needed to make a small brood box for the chick.

Marcus was undeniably curious. It seemed like Carmina practically raised the ravens he’d seen all over the Realm, so how was she so stumped about what to do? Hoping he wasn’t going to come across as rude, he asked, “Has this never happened before?”

Pausing, she frowned before shaking her head. Finishing putting the box together, she took the small bird and set it inside before once more crouching and pressing a finger to the ground. Ink flowed into a written message, and Marcus read with interest.

‘No. In the Realm, animals grow much larger and healthier than they do out there. In the Entity’s Realm, they were changed for the worse. Maurice is the best example.’

Recalling what Danny had said about the snake and the horrific changes so many of the Slashers had undergone, he asked softly, “The Entity twisted a lot of you, huh?”

Carmina looked sad, but nodded. Reaching down again, the ink began to flow into a moving picture, detailing a horrific and tragic tale.

A woman walked away from a home, leaving two small children and a man behind. The man slowly faded away and the larger of the two children was shown tending to the smaller. When the girl ran inside the house, the little boy wandered away to the edge of a river. The ink flowed together, blacking out the scene before changing to show the girl standing on the edge of a bridge, another river far below. Before the figure could jump, birds swirled around her and she stepped away from the edge.

Glancing up at the birds peering out of the houses at them, Marcus started to understand. Carmina had lived a tragic life and these were all she had left to remind her of the time before the Entity…

Beautiful pictures of wildlife and people shifted and flowed from one to another before taking on a much darker tone. A mural stretched over the side of a building, depicting a grim reaper watching over men and women toiling in a field. In the distance, a group of hooded people looked up at the mural. With a swirl of black, the scene changed. A group of people were laying bound in the dirt, more hooded figures looming over them. One woman was restrained in a chair, the lead figure approaching her with a knife in hand.

Marcus had already realized what he was seeing and what was about to happen, but he still looked away when the knife fell on her arms. Looking back down, he watched a flock of birds surround the man, pecking and tearing him apart until there was nothing left. Then, to his horror, the flock turned on Carmina’s friends. Blackness swirled around the woman in the chair and long spidery legs seemed to stretch down from the sky.

The ink sank into the ground but it was several minutes before Marcus looked up at Carmina. “You… never wanted to be a Slasher, did you?”

She shook her head, looking away.

“I’m so sorry… The ravens… were they taken too?”

Looking mildly surprised, she nodded before pressing a finger to the ground. ‘They aren’t ravens. These are dire crows. They do not come from your world. They were taken and changed by the Entity into what they are now.’

Marcus looked around at the birds again. They were crows?! All that time he’d assumed they were ravens due to their massive size! His shock must have shown on his face as Carmina actually laughed. It was a beautiful sound, and her smile made it more so.

Shaking his head, he couldn’t hide his blush as he said, “I feel like an idiot. I can’t believe I didn’t see the differences before, even if they aren’t the kind of crows I’m used to seeing.”

Carmina patted his back before picking up the brood box and pointing out into the fog.

“Did you have any other birds that needed tending too?” he asked, looking out at the thick fog. He couldn’t deny feeling incredibly apprehensive about going back in there…

Shaking her head, the Slasher held up a hand. It took Marcus a minute to work out that it was ASL for the letter D. D? Oh!

“Danny? You’re going to take me back to Danny?” he asked quickly. God, he hoped that was the case. The day was still young but he’d already been through it. He just wanted to get some breakfast and maybe relax for a little while!

She nodded, before gesturing for him to follow as she walked back into the fog.

~~

Danny was starting to panic juuuuust a little bit! The Legion were still popping in and out of the Tree, perfecting their ability to open a Door. Well, to and from Doc’s house at least. And with the aid of the Tree… But they all swore up and down that Doc hadn’t gone home or asked them to open a Door for him. Besides, it was his day off. Why would he up and leave without telling Danny or Amanda?

After that, he’d gone banging on Michael’s door, but he wasn’t home. He’d been about to go to Crystal Lake to make sure he and Jason hadn’t kidnapped the poor vet for some group activities without him, when he felt his name ring out from somewhere in the Realm.

“Fuck the Entity!” he snapped, whipping around. He knew he’d felt someone call his Slasher name and he knew it had come from within the Realm, meaning it had to be Doc. But why the hell couldn’t he figure out even the general direction it came from? True, he wasn’t the best at tracking those who called his name, but that was just… odd. It felt like it came from everywhere all at once! But that shouldn’t be possible…

“Doc?! Doc?! Where are you?!” Danny shouted, cupping his hands over his mouth to try and get the sound to carry better. It did nothing to help and the sound fell flat, dampened by the fog surrounding the stretch of houses.

Swearing again, he made a beeline for Thomas’s house. Although he usually tried to avoid the macabre dwelling with its fixtures made from human bones and tanned skins, none of the odd decor really bothered him. He had a knife -his favorite knife to be exact- with a handle made out of a human femur, so he really couldn’t say anything. No, what kept him from visiting Leatherface more often was much more simple. He was running out of ways to politely decline the often suspiciously sourced meat Thomas tended to use in the majority of his cooking…

Holy shit… Maybe that was why out of all the men in the Realm, he was the only one Anna seemed to get along with! Ew…

Still, the cannibal might have an answer to the question that was bouncing around in his head and his house was the most likely place to find him. Hopefully the answer to his question was no, but this was Doc he was asking about. The poor guy was an absolute magnet for danger…

Hopping up the steps to the front porch, Danny knocked politely before immediately opening the door and striding inside anyway. Leatherface never locked the door even though he always seemed to be on edge about home invaders. Then again, maybe he just liked chasing people with a chainsaw. That was probably why he and Max got along so well.

Come to think of it, was there anyone who didn’t get along with the cannibal? Why couldn’t he be that lucky?!

Shaking his head, he called, “Oooh, Bubba! Where are you hiding, big guy!”

There was a clatter and a bang from the basement, and Danny paused. He’d been down there before and it always gave him the creeps. That was where Thomas butchered whatever he’d caught most recently, as well as worked on his… projects.

Poking his head around the door, Danny called down the stairs, “Yo, Tommy! Thomas! TomTom! Bubba! Leatherface! Thom-”

He came lumbering to the stairs with an irritated grunt, a blood stained apron hanging from his neck and more gore coating his arms up to his elbows. Once again, ew. Surprisingly, he wasn’t wearing his human skin mask. Instead, he had on an old black leather mask that only covered his nose and the lower part of his face with a hole for his mouth. It had been a while since Danny had seen him wear that. Hopefully his skin mask hadn’t gotten damaged or he’d soon be hunting for another face to wear. Then again, he may have already done that, judging from the blood on him.

Shaking himself out of his thoughts, Danny called down, “Hey, Bubba. Sorry to intrude, but have you seen Doc?”

His head canted to one side, a small frown creasing his brow. Finally, he shook his head.

“Oof, not what I was hoping you’d say but… probably a good thing. Um, do you remember the time he got dumped in the fog by Pyramid Head and none of us believed that you heard him calling you because you just kept gesturing in a big ass circle?”

Thomas was staring at him with a very judgmental expression. Obviously he remembered and was still miffed about it. Better get to the point.

“When Doc called you from the fog, did it feel like it was coming from everywhere in the Realm at once? Was that why you couldn’t pinpoint his location?”

Very slowly, the Slasher nodded.

“Well, shit,” Danny huffed, running a hand through his hair.

Before he could bid Leatherface farewell, the cannibal took the steps two at a time, putting them face to face. Or rather, face to chest. Thomas was quite a bit taller than Danny, and he had to tilt his head back to look up at him.

Grunting wordlessly, Leatherface still managed to get his question across very clearly. ‘Why are you asking me that now, and where the hell is Doc?’

“So… Doc and I were going to have breakfast with Amanda but he kinda’, maybe, sorta’... vanished. And I swear to the Entity I just felt him calling me from somewhere in the Realm but it felt like it was coming from everywhere all at once,” Danny rushed out, grinning sheepishly.

Thomas looked about ready to smack him in the head with a hammer. Thankfully, he didn’t. Rolling his eyes, the cannibal pulled his apron off before walking past Ghostface towards the front door.

Danny trailed after him, keeping a healthy distance until something shot out from underneath a couch and grabbed his ankle mid-step. Careening forwards with a very undignified squawk, he smacked directly into Thomas’s back.

Turning back to glare at him, Bubba bent down and scooped up the attempted assassin. Jude began purring immediately, clawing her way up his chest to perch on his shoulder like a fat hairy parrot.

Collecting himself from where he’d been oh so kindly left on the floor, Danny brushed himself off before huffing, “Glad to see Lisa was right about you. Where’s your dad, you old brat?”

Thomas reached up with one hand to cover Jude’s eyes before smacking Danny in the side of the head.

“Ow! Fuck the Entity, Bubba! It’s true and she knows it!”

Jude made a happy chattering sound before beginning to lick Thomas’s ear.

He, in turn, ignored Danny’s attitude and stepped outside. Continuing to ignore Ghostface when he joined him on the front porch, Thomas looked around the courtyard before grunting quietly. Jude meowed loudly, hopping down and rubbing against his shins before trotting off towards the fog.

When Leatherface began following her, Danny threw up his hands with an exasperated huff before hurrying after them. He was supposed to be looking for Doc! Yet he somehow found himself following a cat and a cannibal into–

“Oh, hey Bubba!”

Doc?! Was that really his beautiful sexy voice he was hearing?!

It was indeed, as Carmina of all people led him out of the soupy fog, a small wooden box under one arm. Seeing Thomas, she smiled slightly uncomfortably, and seeing Danny, she nodded before gesturing to Marcus with her free hand. It wasn’t that the Artist didn’t get along with Leatherface, but his occasional taste for human flesh was something she had never really been able to get past.

Crouching down to pet Jude, Marcus almost didn’t see Danny coming. Looking up at the last possible second, his eyes went wide. That was all he was able to do before he was getting tackled again.

“Where the hell did you go?!” he demanded, sitting on the vet’s hips to keep him down. “Do you know how worried I was?!”

Marcus still looked stunned to suddenly find himself flat on his back in the dirt. Blinking several times, he finally regained enough mental function to say, “I found a bird.”

That was such a Marcus answer. Danny had never met anyone with such a heart for animals… Of course, that wasn’t why he was worried. It had only been a month since everything had gone down with the Collector and the Cenobites, but they hadn’t really talked about any of it. Doc had dodged the subject whenever he or Amanda tried to touch on it, and Evan had no idea how to start that kind of conversation gently so he hadn’t tried.

He knew it was still weighing on the vet. He could see it in his eyes, the way he carried himself, the way his once deep nearly uninterruptible sleep had become light and fidgety. Danny knew he was trying to hide just how affected the entire experience he was, and he had no idea how to help him.

Finally, he repeated, “You found a bird… Doc, the Realm is full of birds.”

“Yes, but this one was stuck in a bear trap underneath Amanda’s window,” he argued. “I couldn’t just leave it there.”

Carmina smiled at that, looking pretty happy.

Danny could already feel his anxiety fading. Doc was something else, but at least he was safe. And he’d made another friend from the looks of it.

“Hmm, if you say so,” Danny allowed, rising. Helping the ginger to his feet, he asked, “Are you ready for some breakfast? Amanda said to come back whenever I found you.”

Thomas was behind him in an instant, eyes drilling into the back of his head. He should have known better than to mention food in front of him. Leatherface loved a good home cooked meal, and Amanda was a pretty good cook.

Looking up over Danny’s head, Marcus looked slightly surprised. “Wow… I like your mask, Bubba.”

He made a happy sound before shoving Danny aside to grab Marcus in a tight hug. Ah, the other fastest way to Leatherface’s heart. Give him a genuine compliment.

Carmina was laughing quietly behind one hand as Danny picked himself up again. Once he was upright, she gestured to Marcus and signed with one hand, ‘Take good care of him.’

Oh… She already liked him. That was definitely good but not super surprising. Although the Artist preferred to keep to herself, she had always been one of the kindest of their lot. Maybe he should have dragged Doc into the fog to go introduce him back when everything was going down. Carmina may not relish in slaughter the way the others did, but she was a formidable killer.

Nodding, Danny asked curiously, “What’s in the box?”

She narrowed her eyes slightly but lowered it so he could see inside.

“Wow, that is one ugly ass bird.”

Carmina smacked him across the side of the head and he winced, rubbing the sore spot. “Ow, okay! Geez, sorry. But, why’s it so bald?”

Finally prying himself out of Thomas’s arms, Marcus informed him, “Baby birds don’t hatch with proper feathers. They fill in as the chick grows bigger.”

“Hah, fascinating,” Danny murmured. Doc always seemed so happy talking about animals. Hmm, if Marcus had a bigger place he would seriously consider ‘adopting’ a few animals for him. Oh well! “Alright, let’s get some breakfast before anything else insane happens.”

~~

Marcus was having a pretty good day after all. He’d gotten to wash an alligator! And he’d finally met Carmina, who he was getting along with quite well. Something about her story really hit him in a way he hadn’t expected at all.

Although both his parents had been there growing up, they may as well not have been. His mother was incredibly quiet most of the time and incredibly withdrawn when his father was around. His father was… rough. Aggressive even, at times. Shaking his head, he did his best to clear the memories from his mind as they approached Amanda’s house. Now certainly wasn’t the time to be thinking about that. He’d have to see them again in just a few months at Nana Taylor’s one-hundredth birthday celebration… Ugh, at least he could probably bring Danny along. Hell, depending on how things went, maybe Dwight could join him too. He had such a calming presence, it might just offset some of his boyfriend’s more hyperactive tendencies… Or not. There was no telling until he introduced them.

“Anyway, I really appreciate you finding him,” Danny was saying. “I’m sure you’ve heard the tales. Doc has a magnet in his ass and it is tuned to danger!”

Carmina raised an eyebrow at the shorter Slasher, looking unimpressed. Holding up her free hand, the ink making up her fingers shifted and reshaped until she was effectively holding up the word, “Idiot.”

That stung a little but before Marcus could defend himself, Danny was scoffing, “He is not and I resent-”

“You,” she spelled pointedly at him, before winking at the vet.

Sounding absolutely flabbergasted, Danny sputtered and complained until they reached Amanda’s front door. It swung open just as he was reaching out to knock and he almost grabbed her chest instead.

Amanda pinned his wrist to the door frame before Marcus could even realize she’d moved. Thankfully the blade was just through his sleeve and not his body, but it looked pretty damn close.

“Fuck the Entity, woman! That’s my solo happy fun time hand!” he squawked, tugging the knife free. “Why would you do that?”

“Because you weren’t paying attention to what you were doing,” she told him tiredly. “So, I see I made the right choice.”

“To not maim your favorite person in the Realm?” he asked cheekily, grinning at her.

“No, that would be Marcus,” Amanda huffed. “Everyone come on in. I had a feeling it was going to be either, ‘make extra so whoever you two dragged along could eat too’, or, ‘don’t bother cooking because Michael found Doc first and we won’t be seeing either of them again before dinner’.”

Both he and Danny could only nod in agreement. Both guesses were spot on.

Thomas grunted happily as he made his way into the house, somehow able to navigate effortlessly even as Jude weaved between his ankles with every step.

Carmina smiled softly, stepping inside as well.

“Long time no see,” Amanda pointed out. “How’ve you been?”

The Artist made a so-so gesture with one hand, following their host to the dining room. Setting down the temporary nesting box, she started signing something that Marcus couldn’t hope to decipher.

Danny was watching closely, and his expression softened. Turning to the vet, he said, “You know, I’m honestly starting to think you could befriend a rabid wolverine.”

Thoroughly confused, Marcus quietly pointed out, “But Carmina is so nice.”

“She’s not the one I’m worried about,” he snickered. “When exactly were you going to tell me you were playing keep away with Demi?”

“Ooooh,” he breathed, shifting awkwardly from foot to foot when all four Slashers turned to stare at him. “I was… not going to bring that up at all, actually. Hey, wait! What do you mean, ‘game of keep away’?! That damn alien was trying to kill me!”

Carmina laughed quietly, and Amanda offered him a sympathetic smile. “Oh, Doc. If Demi wanted to kill you in the fog we’d be out there collecting the pieces right now. It thought you were playing.”

Gaze shifting from one to the other, he finally asked incredulously, “Playing?! That was playing?!”

“Sounds like it was hunting, until you went and interrupted,” Danny pointed out. “Technically both Demi and Dredge know better than to mess with the crows, but sometimes they get bored or hungry and do it anyway.”

Before Marcus could protest further, Amanda exclaimed, “Ah! Thomas! Get out of there!”

As the rest of them had been talking, the cannibal had slowly made his way to the kitchen and begun sneaking biscuits. When called out, he froze mid theft. Hiding his hands behind his back, he smiled at Amanda like a child who’d just been caught drawing on the walls.

“Go sit,” she sighed. “All of you.”

“Want any help taking everything to the table?” Marcus offered.

Eyeing him up and down, Amanda finally asked critically, “Are you sure you can get from the kitchen to the table without causing an international disaster?”

“Oh, ha ha,” he griped, but couldn’t help the grin on his face. He knew he was danger prone. The morning had just served to prove that all over again. Still, he managed to help get all the food to the table without sustaining or causing any injuries, or getting kidnapped by anyone. Truly, a miraculous day.

Once everyone was seated and had food on their plates, Marcus asked, “Carmina, if you don’t mind me asking, do you live out there in the fog? Or do you stay here in the neighborhood?”

Signing slightly slower than when she’d been talking to Amanda, she waited for one of them to translate it.

The only one without a mouthful of food, Danny was kind enough to explain, “Neither, although the roost boxes stay here to keep them safe from humans. Carmina actually tends to stay in the redwood forests in Oregon. The crows can travel between Realms at will, and they keep her apprised of the goings on here.”

Silent for a moment, Marcus asked carefully, “When you say they keep you apprised… does that mean you can actually talk to them?”

Carmina pursed her lips, obviously thinking of how to explain it. Finally, she made another so-so gesture with one hand, before signing something again.

That time, Amanda said, “It’s only the dire crows, but yes, to an extent they do ‘speak’ to one another. As well, she can see through their eyes if need be.”

“Ah,” Marcus said, at a loss for words. That sounded so cool, he was a little jealous…

After eating in relative silence for a few more minutes, Danny was the one to ask, “Hey, Carmina?”

She looked over at him, quirking an eyebrow in a silent question. ‘What?’

“So… Jude, the cat, can use Doors. Is that… just an animal thing? Or what?”

Expression slightly confused, she looked over to where the elderly cat was contentedly loafing on an empty chair. Studying her for a minute, the Artist finally signed, ‘I have no idea. Dire crows were changed by the Entity. I’ve never heard of anything other than us, or them, being able to use Doors.’

Amanda translated, and the message left Marcus even more confused than before. Maybe it was a cat thing?

“Hmmm,” Danny murmured, eyeing the elderly feline again.

Blinking slowly, Jude yawned before stretching out a paw at him.

“What’s your secret?” he pressed, leaning closer to the animal. “How do you do it, huh? Maybe the Entity didn’t die, and it’s taken the form of an overweight, geriatric, feline…”

Marcus smacked him in the back of the head. “Be nice to Jude. She’s not that old, and she’s my friend. And Bubba likes her, so obviously she can’t be that bad.”

Thomas grunted happily, switching his empty plate with Danny’s while he was distracted and digging in before the other Slasher could notice the switch.

“Okay, okay!” Danny relented, flailing a hand at the vet. “Geez! It was just a theory. Maybe Caleb will- Hey! Where’s my food?!”

It was already gone, and the cannibal just looked around innocently when Ghostface glared at him.

“Mhmm, I think that’s one mystery I don’t have to try very hard to solve…”

“There’s plenty left,” Amanda snickered, gesturing to the food still on the table.

Serving himself a new plate, Danny leaned protectively over his biscuits and gravy as he ate, squinting at Thomas the entire time. When he leaned over slightly like he was going to make a move on the food again, the smaller man waved a fork at him, threatening, “I will give you a taste of your own medicine!”

“So… you’re going to taste him?” Marcus asked.

Danny turned to glare at him and immediately lost a biscuit. “How dare you. I am… Just- That’s not- Suck a dick!”

“Smooth as ever, Danny,” Amanda scoffed, and he glared at her.

“Just be glad he didn’t say, ‘eat me’,” Marcus added, grinning from ear to ear.

Carmina had to stifle a laugh as he slowly turned to give the vet the most maniacal, unamused, unhinged smile.

“Dearest… I know where you work. And live. And sleep. I will find you! And I will make you pay!”

“For being funnier than you?” he asked innocently.

Gasping, Danny slapped a hand over his heart. “Funnier- Wha- How could- I am- You wound me!”

“You’re such a drama queen,” Amanda interjected. “And your plate’s empty again.”

Head snapping down, Danny wasn’t even met with the sight of an empty plate. Nothing but tablecloth was in front of him, as Thomas had had enough of sneaking food off his plate and just taken the entire thing.

“Bubba?! I thought we were friends! Why are you trying to starve me?”

Thomas just patted his stomach contentedly. At least he’d had enough to eat.

“Everything is really good, Amanda,” Marcus said, trying not to laugh as Danny got himself another plate of food. “Thanks for breakfast.”

“No problem,” she chuckled. “I’m really glad things have settled down enough that we can actually just… sit down and relax for a little while. And it’s nice getting to catch up with some of the others. I wasn’t expecting to see Lisa or Carmina any time soon.”

“Speaking of,” the vet added, addressing the Artist. “If you ever want help with the crows or if you need medical care, you can always come to my place. There’s a Door in the coat closet.”

She looked slightly surprised but nodded before signing the one thing he did know. ‘Thank you.’

He nodded. “If it’s not too much to ask, could you please keep me updated on the crows? The chick and the one that got its leg caught specifically.”

She smiled, before nodding. Gesturing to Amanda, she signed something that made her laugh.

“Yeah, he does. Don’t worry, he hasn’t killed anyone yet.”

Marcus blanched slightly. That was… not actually true. Not really. She must have seen the way he reacted as she immediately said in a much softer tone, “I know he’s not a human doctor, but he’s honestly one of the best people you can possibly go to for help. He patched up Anna, Michael, Thomas, Frank…”

“And me, at least half a dozen times by now,” Danny added, squeezing his leg under the table. “Doc’s the best.”

As badly as he wanted to hold their compliments to heart, all he could see was the blood on his hands. He’d killed two innocent people, one of whom had indeed been on purpose. The fact that it was a mercy kill and the man had actually asked him to do it did nothing to ease his guilt over the act. Or what he’d done after…

Before he could dwell much further on the subject, Jude hopped into his lap with a loud meow. Stretching up, she batted at his face with both front paws until he started petting her. Unfortunately he was only using one hand, so she began wailing dramatically until he got the hint and started petting her with both. Only then did she settle down and begin purring contentedly.

Clearing his throat, Marcus managed to sound fairly okay as he said, “I appreciate it, you all. I think we’re all just kind of lucky that veterinary medicine transfers so well to human patients.”

“We’re all just lucky I found you,” Danny murmured, leaning over to kiss his temple. “Love you, Doc.”

Leaning against his shoulder, Marcus sighed. “Love you too, Danny.”

Carmina actually looked shocked. Gaze shifting between the two of them, she finally turned and signed something to Amanda.

“Hard to believe, but yeah,” she agreed.

Smirking, Danny confirmed, “Yes, I am capable of love. No, I don’t love anyone else. Unless we’re including me, because I’m fucking awesome.”

“And so humble,” Amanda added sarcastically.

“Thank you! It’s about time someone noticed!”

“Doc, blink twice if he’s holding you hostage,” she whispered, nodding in Danny’s direction.

Marcus couldn’t help but laugh. Shaking his head, he said, “I think I’ll be alright. He hasn’t managed to kill me yet.”

“Aw, babe… I haven’t tried!” he declared. “Now, Amanda? Why the fuck was there a bear trap underneath your bedroom window?”

Crossing her arms, she raised her eyebrows as she asked in return, “How’d you know it was the bedroom window?”

Danny seemed to freeze for a moment. After several seconds of awkward silence, he cleared his throat and offered, “Dishes? Absolutely, I can help with dishes! Breakfast was great by the way!”

“Mhmm,” she hummed, squinting at him.

Laughing incredibly awkwardly, he continued, “It was- I mean, it was nothing serious? It was a long time ago! I can’t believe you’d- Why would I- I don’t peep!”

Both Amanda and Carmina crossed their arms, looking entirely unimpressed with his rambling defense.

Throwing his hands up, Danny objected, “Anymore! Okay? I haven’t peeped on anyone in years! I stopped doing that!”

“Before or after I told you that if I ever caught you near my windows again I’d put you in a trap house designed specifically for you?” Amanda asked.

“You see how I’m treated when you’re not around?” he whispered rather loudly, elbowing Marcus in the side. “That video was just the tip of the iceberg!”

Carmina looked at Amanda curiously, and the other Slasher grinned. “Don’t worry, I sent it to myself too. Here, I’ll show you.”

“Fuck the Entity,” Danny whined, slapping a hand over his face. “I can’t believe Evan actually figured out how to work the fucking camera on my phone.”

“Hey, how is he?” Marcus asked, helping him gather up the dirty dishes. “I… was kinda hoping to see him too.”

Danny nodded thoughtfully. “Well, after we’re done here we can go see if he’s… presentable. I know he wants to see you too, he just wanted to get his head right first. Taking on Blight was something he really needed, but it sent him to some dark places mentally.”

“I can’t begin to imagine what kind of stuff he went through,” he murmured. “Any of you, I guess. But I’m glad he’s finally getting some kind of closure.”

“You and me both,” the Slasher agreed. “He deserves it, after all this time. Hey, Doc? You know Christmas is right around the corner.”

Slightly thrown by the sudden change in subject, Marcus just stared at him for a minute. He’d completely forgotten about the holidays. The last few weeks had been a pretty wild time and he’d entirely missed Thanksgiving…

Finally, he asked, “Do you… celebrate Christmas?”

Danny tilted his head, a small smile on his lips. “I used to. Never really saw a point in the Entity’s Realm since the passage of time was… not something we could really keep track of. Since we’ve been out, I usually do my own slightly less than cheerful gift giving. If you know what I mean.”

“Oh, my god, Danny… Do you do a whole Murder Clause thing?”

“Mmmmaybe some years, but I think this year I’d be down to celebrate in a more traditional sense. If my boyfriend is in a celebratory mood, of course.”

Thinking about it, Marcus grinned. “Yeah, I’d like that a lot. I usually celebrate with whoever I’m with, but on the rare occasion I’m alone I just kind of… don’t do anything. What did you have in mind?”

“Dinner? Maybe invite a few of the others. Evan can host since he has the biggest house in the Realm,” Danny volunteered.

“Actually, I think the lodge is bigger,” he pointed out. “But we’d have to get the Le- Ah, Frank and the others to okay it first. I don’t feel like getting shanked during Christmas dinner.”

Pursing his lips, Danny nodded. “Fair. I’m still getting used to that being there. Them being back…” He sighed, a slightly distant look in his eyes. Shaking his head, he once more offered his usual smug grin as he asked, “So, what do you want for Christmas, Doc?”

Without thinking about it, Marcus answered flatly, “Forty-eight-thousand dollars.”

Danny paused his scrubbing, slowly turning his head to look at him before saying, “That is… a very specific amount.”

Trying to laugh it off, Marcus shook his head. “Is it? You know I wouldn’t ever ask you for money like that, right?”

Danny was still staring at him, only with a suspicious squint instead. “Doc… what are you not telling me?”

Stammering for a minute, he finally got out, “What? Why would I not tell you something? I- I think- I’m pretty sure I learned my lesson with the whole Lament Configuration incident!”

Leaning in closer and closer, Danny backed him against the counter before saying in a low voice, “Doc… you’re a terrible liar. What’s going on?”

Knowing there was no dodging the truth now, Marcus opened his mouth to tell him everything… but was interrupted before he could. A very loud knock at the front door made him jump and Danny grimaced.

“Fuck the Entity… it’s like they can smell you! Then again, if that’s Evan he probably did smell you… Oh, you probably still smell like sex, so-”

“Let’s go find out!” Marcus quickly interrupted, scooting far enough away that he could scurry out of the room.

Danny was close behind him, still squinting suspiciously and looking to seize the soonest possible opportunity to interrogate him about the money comment.

Reaching the front door just before Amanda, Danny ignored her protests about him acting like he owned the place to fling the door open with a dramatic flourish. “Why hello there Chuck- Kenneth?!”

It actually took Marcus a moment to recognize him. For the first time since he’d been introduced to the Clown, he wasn’t wearing his signature makeup. Without it, he looked so… normal. And tired. He also looked absolutely less than thrilled to see Danny again.

Clearing his throat a couple of times, he finally explained, “I… I need to talk to the vet… I need his help.”
~~~~

Chapter Text

Marcus had to admit, he hadn’t seen it coming. Not in a million years would he ever have expected the Clown of all Slashers to seek him out for any reason other than to brutally murder him. Yet, there he was. On Amanda’s front porch. Wanting his help.

Oh, no… What if Amanda had drugged him again, but instead of knocking his ass out she’d given him a hallucinogenic? He dismissed the idea almost instantly. She wasn’t like that. Hell, the only reason she’d drugged him in the first place was to force him to get some much needed rest.

Back to the matter at hand, he tried to ask what he could help with, but was cut off.

Danny spoke before Marcus could get a word out. Voice positively icy, he demanded, “What do you want, Kenneth?”

Eyes narrowing, he huffed, “You know, it’s none of your fucking business, Danny. I came here to talk to him, not you.”

Shrugging, he pointed out, “Well, I’m currently talking and I think I asked you a question.”

“It’s fine,” Marcus murmured. He really didn’t want the situation to escalate into something dangerous when it could obviously be avoided. When Danny slowly turned to look at him, he added, “He came here alone and he’s out numbered. Let’s hear him out.”

“Don’t patronize me,” Kenneth snapped, before grumbling, “Lisa… recommended I come to you.”

“That raggedy ass bitch,” Danny complained, not bothering to move from his spot blocking the doorway and Marcus. “Recommended him for what? And when the hell did she have time to–”

“You fix up animals, right?” Kenneth asked flatly, gaze finally on Marcus.

He blinked slowly before offering, “I am a veterinarian, yes… Why?”

Clicking his tongue against his teeth, Kenneth seemed to be struggling to come up with a way to word what he wanted. Finally, he got out, “My horse, Maurice. He’s… not doing so well. I’ve tried everything I can but I just don’t know what to try anymore. I’ve always been able to help him in the past but now… He’s not getting any better and I was hoping you might… might be able to offer some assistance.”

The anxiety in his voice was undeniable, as was his obvious displeasure at having to ask for help. Although Marcus had absolutely zero trust for the man, he couldn’t help but ask, “What’s going on, exactly. I need details. It could be as simple as colic or it could be as bad as a gastric rupture. Not knowing could make it worse.”

Behind him, Amanda piped up with, “Are you sure he didn’t get into your tonics?”

“Maurice doesn’t come inside,” Kenneth snapped. Sighing, he said more gently, “I asked myself the same thing, but I took very careful stock and I’m sure that isn’t the case.”

“Well, better go buy a shovel,” Danny told him jovially, starting to shut the door in his face.

Marcus grabbed the knob, stopping it in place. “Danny…”

“Fuck the Entity… Doc?!”

“He asked nicely. Kind of.”

“He tried to kill you. Twice.”

“You attacked me at work and threatened me with a knife.”

“Yes, but I had no intention of killing you.”

“Then you stalked me, broke into my house on several occasions, stole my best spaghetti pot, and now we’re dating. Myers tried to kill me and now we’re fuck buddies. Pyramid Head didn’t realize humans actually have to consent for sex to be fun and nearly raped me, and now he’s my patron god, or something. Frank tried to stab me and now we’re roommates. Evan chased me into a bear trap and again, now we’re dating.”

“Evan did what?!” both Danny and Amanda shouted.

Rubbing his ear, Marcus offered lamely, “It didn’t have any teeth…”

“This was a bad idea,” Kenneth muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Look, I just… want to make sure Maurice is going to be okay. He means a lot to me and…”

He didn’t need to finish his sentence for Marcus to understand. People sucked and living among nothing but other Slashers definitely couldn’t make things any easier, even if Kenneth wasn’t the nicest person around… Pets on the other hand? Animals didn’t pretend to like people just to get ahead in life or keep the peace. If they liked you and trusted you, that was it. That kind of bond was something that was irreplaceable.

“I’d be glad to take a look at him,” Marcus offered, doing his best to ignore the looks he was getting from both Danny and Amanda

Carmina was the only one who didn’t appear to be entirely off-put by conversation. She hadn’t said anything, but she looked curious.

“Ahh, not alone you’re not,” Danny quickly amended. “I’m coming with you.”

Sounding as tired as he looked, Kenneth muttered, “If it keeps you from starting anything else, so be it.”

“Now, now, Clown, I don’t start things!” he chastised far too happily, a large grin on his face. Expression suddenly malicious, he stated coldly, “I finish them.”

Clearly there was still some tension between the two and Marcus could only imagine it was because of the previous attempted kidnapping incident. Kenneth had hit Danny in the leg with a poisoned throwing knife before he and Blight had tried to grab him for god only knew what… Michael and Jason had intervened, and as far as the vet was aware, the incident had been put to rest for good. At least, he hoped it had.

Amanda still didn’t look super happy about it, but said, “Be careful. Maurice can be pretty damn mean when he’s not happy. I’m going to put away the leftovers, but if you need anything, call.”

“I will,” Marcus promised. Glancing past her, he added, “You might not have any leftovers though. Thomas has been alone in the kitchen this entire time.”

“Goddamn it,” she hissed, racing back the way they’d all come from.

Carmina waved goodbye before going to presumably help Amanda and visit for a while longer.

Stepping off the porch, Kenneth waited with a dour expression on his face. As soon as Danny pulled the door closed behind himself and Marcus, he set off towards the far end of the lane where his large tent and wagon sat.

Jogging slightly to catch up to his much wider gate, Marcus asked, “What symptoms is Maurice displaying and how long has he been under the weather?”

Brow creasing as he thought, Kenneth explained, “Probably about three days now. He won’t eat, he barely drinks, and his breathing is getting real rough.”

“It could be an infection in his lungs then,” Marcus considered aloud. “Hmm, maybe pneumonia, which can cause depression in horses.”

“Horses can get depressed?” Danny asked, sounding shocked.

Nodding, he confirmed, “Yes, many animals can experience the same range of emotions humans do. They can also develop PTSD.”

“I didn’t know that… the PTSD thing, I mean,” Kenneth muttered, frown deepening.

As they walked along, Marcus felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Glancing around, he swore he saw a large shadow vanish behind one of the houses. He wasn’t sure if it was Michael, Dredge, or the Demogorgon, but it made him shiver.

Doing his best to put it out of his mind, he asked, “Kenneth, how long have you had Maurice?”

The Clown raised an eyebrow, glancing over at him curiously as he explained, “Since before the Entity. Raised him from a foal after his mother rejected him. I could have had a different horse, I guess, but I felt a kinship to the wretched bastard and I wasn’t about to let him be abandoned just to die alone. He was… just a regular horse back then. But that changed when we went through the fog.”

Fascinated, Marcus asked, “Is that how Maurice ended up the way he did?”

The look of venomous loathing on Kenneth’s face made him wince and he quickly clarified, “Being taken by the Entity, I mean. It sounds like most animals didn’t take the transition from one world to the other nearly as well as… um, you all. Some of you, I guess.”

Although he looked like he wanted to kick him or possibly throw something at him, Kenneth just gritted his teeth and grumbled, “You’re right… Animals just weren’t able to handle it as well. Seemed like the bigger they were, the worse it was on them. Other than the crows which just got bigger and smarter, the rats were the only animals that weren’t changed.”

“Ergh, don’t remind me,” Danny grumbled, a hand on his stomach. Seeing the look Marcus was giving him, he sighed before explaining, “The only food the Entity provided outside of very rare special rewards, was this nasty never ending pot of stew that sat over our campfire. Sometimes we’d throw in meat if we could catch any just to change up the flavor and make it a little heartier, but the rats just tasted fucking horrific.”

“They weren’t so bad if you roasted them over the fire,” Kenneth grunted, almost sounding amused. “What was really bad was that… raccoon thing? You remember that weird looking thing Herman caught?”

Danny made a retching sound. “Even Michael wouldn’t eat it! And he’d eat the rats raw if he caught them!”

Marcus made a horrified face. “That’s disgusting!”

Both Slashers shrugged, Kenneth actually laughing as he dismissed, “When all you have is rats and gruel, sometimes the rats are more appealing.”

“I guess,” Marcus allowed, wrinkling his nose. “Sorry you all had to go through that. I can’t imagine it was ever easy.”

The Clown actually looked shocked by his empathy, but the expression was gone before anyone could see it. They had finally reached the large, slightly rundown looking circus tent, so he directed, “Maurice is around the side here. Don’t be surprised if he makes it difficult for you to get close to him.”

Admittedly, Marcus was already preparing for exactly that. The first -and technically last- time he’d been around the horse it had tried to bite him just for being within reach.

Hoping to lighten the mood slightly, he said, “To be honest, about eighty percent of my job is just not getting bitten by my patients.”

That may have been the wrong thing to say, as both Danny and Kenneth stopped and stared at him incredulously.

Doing his best not to wither under their intense scrutiny, he offered, “Most animals don’t react well to being poked and prodded by strangers that smell like at least a dozen other animals. I mean, what would you do if some smelly stranger tried shoving a thermometer up your ass?”

Rubbing a hand over his eyes, Kenneth blinked several times before squinting at him. “What?!”

Biting his lip, Marcus explained awkwardly, “That’s… how you take an animal's temperature… You know, with a rectal thermometer… It’s… it’s not really pleasant for anyone involved but it’s how we have to do it.”

Danny had been trying not to burst out laughing through his explanation but finally lost it. Wheezing as he tried to get his breath back, he finally gave up and just continued to laugh until he was wiping tears from his eyes.

“Fucking hell,” the Clown grumbled, leading them the rest of the way to Maurice.

As previously explained, the horse was laying down beside the tent. His legs were tucked underneath him and although his head was raised, all three eyes were closed. Raspy breaths dragged painfully in and out, and a thick reddish line of drool hung from his bottom lip.

Marcus winced. Maurice looked so much worse than the last time he’d seen him. The burns littering his body looked irritated and his skin appeared drier and patchier than before. Voicing his thoughts aloud, he asked, “Shouldn’t being here in the Realm heal him? At least to some extent?”

“That’s what I want to know,” Kenneth snapped. “He’s never gotten like this before!”

The eye in the middle of his forehead blinked open at the sound of the Clown’s voice and Maurice let out a rough whinny, bobbing his head a couple of times.

Danny made a slightly disgusted face, stepping back to avoid being splattered with discolored drool.

Stepping closer, Marcus studied the animal’s neck. There was an odd bulge along the underside, as if he had a growth or something beginning to obstruct his windpipe. That was something he couldn’t fix. In depth surgery was still beyond his skills and he wasn’t about to risk killing a Slashers’ best friend by trying and failing to remove a tumor. He had no idea if animals would come back the way Slashers did! His harem be damned, he had no doubt that causing Maurice harm would absolutely lead to his painful demise at Kenneth’s hands.

Oh, no… He was starting to call it ‘his harem’ too… Fuck.

Shaking his head, he asked, “Could you please hold his head? I need to feel his neck and it’ll probably help keep him calmer if you’re close by.”

‘And can keep him from trying to bite my fingers off,’ he added silently to himself.

Eyeing him suspiciously, Kenneth nodded. Stepping closer, he knelt and cradled Maurice’s head against his chest. Rubbing his ears and murmuring quietly to keep him distracted, he didn’t take his eyes off the vet as he began examining the old stallion.

Feeling along the bulge, Marcus frowned. The mass felt pretty solid but had some give. If it wasn’t fixed in the animal's tissue, it might not be a tumor at all. “Does he eat pretty regularly?”

“Yeah, up until he got sick,” Kenneth confirmed. “Unlike us, animals still have to eat while they’re here.”

“Well, that’s good to know,” he mused. “What does he usually eat?”

“Hay, grain, alfalfa. I… like to give him treats. Apples, carrots, stuff like that. Sometimes I share a beer with him. Probably more than I should. Especially after Caleb borrows him,” Kenneth explained wearily.

“That’s fine, I don’t think any of that would really hurt him with the way the Realm heals things,” Marcus admitted. “Now, I would hope Caleb is treating him right. Do you know how he is with him?”

“Wait, wait, wait!” Danny interjected, waving his hands in the air. “You heard the part where Kenneth said he gives Maurice beer, right?”

Nodding, Marcus couldn’t help the amusement in his voice as he explained, “In moderation, beer is actually really good for horses. A lot of professional racers and show jumpers swear by Guinness stout.”

“Oh,” Danny mused, looking entirely lost. “Huh, I feel like I learn something new everyday when you’re around, Doc.”

Chuckling, Marcus asked Kenneth again, “So, how is Caleb with Maurice?”

Arching an eyebrow at him, the Clown stated entirely seriously, “He is the only person alive I actually trust with my horse, besides myself. As much as I hate to admit it, he’s got decades more experience with horses than I do, and up till now, he’s usually the one I go to when Maurice is feeling under the weather.”

Nodding, Marcus pressed gently against the bulge in Maurice’s neck. It actually moved slightly, and he pursed his lips. That was… not a tumor. “I think…” he pressed against the bulge again and it shifted visibly. “Okay, he definitely swallowed something, for a start. He’s not going to like this, but I’m going to try and push it up and out.”

“If he didn’t chew his food right, why not just shove it the rest of the way down?” Danny asked, sounding skeptical.

Kenneth gave him a nasty look, but Marcus answered before he could say anything.

“Fair question,” the vet allowed, before explaining, “It might not be food. He could have swallowed something he shouldn’t have. It could be a bird or a rock, or something that could turn poisonous in his gut. Forcing him to swallow it could cause a blockage in his intestines or even give him colic.”

“A bird?” Danny questioned. “I think Carmina would be over here having words with dear Kenny if Maurice ate one of her birds. Besides, aren’t horses herbivores?”

“Yes… But they will eat small mammals sometimes. Mice, birds, bats. Believe it or not, horses can be incredibly mean. At school, they showed us a video of one flinging a sheep around like it was nothing. Kind of a ‘remember not to underestimate the power of an animal just because they’re always portrayed as sweet or docile’.”

Eyeing Maurice with a much more wary expression, Danny nodded slowly. “I did not know any of that.”

All questions finally answered, Marcus got to work. As gently but firmly as he could, he began pressing the bulge towards the top of Maurice’s throat. It was slow going and the horse quickly started showing his displeasure; Grinding his teeth and trying to pull his head away from Kenneth as his ears lay flat against his head.

“It’s alright, you ornery old bastard,” Kenneth soothed, rubbing his nose.

“Almost… got it!” Marcus warned, a moment before the bulge slipped out from under his fingers.

Maurice staggered to his feet, almost knocking both vet and Clown over. Stretching his neck out towards the ground, mouth open wide, his tongue lolled out only to be quickly followed by a disgusting, slobbery tennis ball.

“What the fuck,” Kenneth huffed, eyeing it with the same malice usually reserved for Danny. “He had a fucking tennis ball stuck in his throat?!”

“Apparently,” Marcus agreed, dusting his hands off. “Try to give him soft foods for a couple days. His throat is probably going to be kind of irritated from being obstructed for so long. Now, do you have anything for his skin and eyes?”

Raising an eyebrow at him, the Clown asked, “What do you mean?”

Trying not to let his facial expression convey just how much that question irritated him, he explained calmly, “I know there’s obviously no ‘healing’ all these burns and rashes and shit, but do you have anything to put on them? How often do you clean his eyes and his hooves? It should help with any discomfort he’s experiencing and might help him be a little calmer.”

“Huh,” Kenneth grunted, rubbing his chin. “How much?”

Frowning slightly, Marcus asked, “How much what?”

Rubbing Maurice’s forehead, he huffed, “Price. Probably should have asked before, but what’s done is done. How much do I owe you, and how much do you want for the medication?”

“Oh, you don’t- hmph?!” He had been about to tell Kenneth he didn’t owe him anything, he’d done it because he wasn’t going to ignore an animal in need, but Danny had clamped a hand over his mouth before he could finish the sentence.

The Clown raised an eyebrow, studying them both critically. “Is there a problem?”

“One moment,” Danny chuckled, before bodily dragging Marcus around the side of the tent so they were out of ear shot.

The moment he was released, Marcus whispered harshly, “What was that for?!”

“You are not about to do all that for free!” Danny whisper-shouted back. “Carmina and her birds are one thing, since she did keep Demi from hurting you, but you don’t owe Kenneth shit!”

“I didn’t do it for him,” he reiterated. “I did it because sometimes animals need our help. Maurice may be just as aggressive and snappy as his owner, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to just let him suffer.”

Pursing his lips, Danny considered his argument for a moment before stubbornly insisting, “If he’s willing to pay you, let him. You don’t owe him shit, but now he owes you and that’s something you can use to your advantage.”

Smacking a hand over his face, Marcus told him firmly, “I’m not taking advantage of him. I helped because Maurice needed it.”

“Yes, well, he’s a horse and can’t pay you back,” Danny countered. “Kenneth doesn’t take charity and refusing to take some kind of payment will probably just piss him off more.”

Not too keen on the idea of once again getting on the Clown’s bad side -worse side, maybe?- Marcus let out a defeated sigh. “Okay, fine! Come on.”

Leading the way back around the side of the tent, he was just in time to see Kenneth snatching the tennis ball away before Maurice could eat it again.

“Absolutely not! You already scared me once-” Spotting Marcus, he shoved the ball into his coat with a frown. “Ah, you’re back. Have you figured out a price yet?”

Doing his best to sound like he wasn’t being forced to charge for his help, Marcus explained, “I’m going to bring you enough medicated burn cream and eye drops for about a month. If it helps, we can work out a plan for me to keep supplying it for you, and how you can pay me for it.”

Unfortunately that was all he had. If it did work, he’d have to find a way to get more from the clinic without anyone noticing. Then again, he could always just buy it with the money Kenneth gave him.

Rubbing his chin thoughtfully, Kenneth told him, “You know Maurice is blind in both eyes, right? It’s why the Entity gave him an extra one.”

The large orange eye in the middle of the horse's head rolled towards Marcus and he took a small step back. He’d never met a horse that managed to look so angry all the time.

“Yes… I’m aware. But that won’t stop them from getting infected or irritated. Just because he’s blind doesn’t mean the organs are numb. Now, as far as payment for today's check up… Well, what do you have to offer?”

Head tilting, Kenneth scratched his chin thoughtfully. A small smile flitted across his lips and he nodded. “Wait here. I got something that I think is… equal to the work you done today.”

As he disappeared inside the caravan wagon, Danny murmured, “If he’s got a bottle of any kind in his hand when he steps out, run and don’t stop.”

“What?!” Marcus demanded, but the Clown was already making his way down the rickety steps again.

“Here,” he huffed, holding out a hand. “Hope this covers it.”

Slightly hesitantly, Marcus took the object he was being offered. Much like when Lisa had paid him, it was a small bag with something inside it. Instead of leather, it was made of soft purple cloth and tied shut with a short twine.

As he started to put it in his pocket, Kenneth asked bluntly, “Don’t you want to count it first? I’m not about to have either of you coming back here claiming I tried to jip you.”

Feeling incredibly awkward, Marcus gave a halfhearted nod. The Clown could have given him half a pack of gum and he’d have just accepted it. But, he was insisting and he wasn’t about to ignore Danny’s previous warning.

Still, he really hoped he wasn’t about to dump a live scorpion or venomous spider into his bare hand as he opened the bag, emptying the contents into his palm. To his surprise, there were several different coins, very similar to the ones the Hag had given him. A couple of them were cut in half, one was covered in deep scratches, and one appeared to be made of solid gold. That alone had to be worth more than a horse in good health and the vet couldn’t help the drawn out, “Uuuuuuuhhh,” that wheezed out of him.

“Something wrong?” Kenneth growled, lip curling irritably.

“Nope! No! This is fine,” Marcus quickly assured, dumping the coins back in the bag before shoving it in his pocket. “Thank you. I’ll bring the medication for Maurice as soon as I can. If he shows any other signs of discomfort or-”

“I can handle Maurice,” the Clown snapped. “You done enough, and that’s all I asked for. Now get.”

“Hmm, you’re so welcome,” Danny said sarcastically. “Please, feel free to call on him should your mule try to off himself again.”

“He’s not a mule you little–” stopping himself before he blew up entirely, Kenneth pinched the bridge of his nose. “Just. Go.”

Grabbing Danny’s arm before he could try and provoke the other killer any further, Marcus offered, “Really, though. If you need- Or- or want any help with Maurice at any time, just let me know.”

Dragging Danny along, he did his best to ignore the cold gaze drilling into the back of his head. It was pretty obvious Kenneth would never really like him, but as long as he was done trying to kill him, that worked too.

“So, shall we go check in on Master Chuckles?” Danny asked, sounding glad to be putting a healthy distance between themselves and Kenneth.

Marcus didn’t answer right away, distracted and deep in thought. The coins Lisa and Kenneth had given him looked extremely old, which could be a really good thing. He knew he couldn’t spend them, but if he could sell them… he may be able to pay off Carter without having to involve anyone else. The only issue was finding a place that not only could pay him what they were worth, but would pay him what they were worth. Not to mention the very limited amount of time he had to get the money… Of course, that was going on the assumption they were worth anything at all.

Looking over to ask Danny about the strange coins, he blushed. His boyfriend was looking at him with a warm smile, eyes soft like he was gazing at something too precious for words. Despite the plethora of ‘relationships’ and flings he’d had, he wasn’t sure anyone had ever looked at him like that before and it left him at a loss for words.

Head tilting slightly, Danny murmured, “You’re so damn cute when you get all serious like that, Doc. What’s on your mind, baby?”

Answering at least mostly honestly, Marcus said, “The coins Lisa and Kenneth gave me. Where are they from?”

“Ahha, that’s an interesting story,” he admitted, nodding thoughtfully. “They’re from the Entity’s Realm.”

Jolting slightly, Marcus’s hand fell to his pocket. The coins suddenly felt much heavier and he wondered if there was something dangerous about them.

“Oh, no no, they’re nothing bad!” Danny quickly added, eyes widening as he took in the vet’s reaction. “So… Hmm, how do I explain this… When we were called for a Trial, we were allowed to burn an offering to the Entity to… give us a favor, if you will. Each offering had a different effect, and some were easier to get then others. The scratched and dull coins were pretty easy to find, the broken ones were a little harder, and the gold were the toughest to find.”

Undeniably fascinated, Marcus asked, “What about the Survivors? Were they allowed to burn these coins in order to gain favors from the Entity?”

Laughing, Danny shrugged. “Oh, they had offerings too. I think some of them were coins, but there were quite a few different things we could offer the spider. Coins were just easy to come across and they could make things a bit inconvenient for Survivors at times.”

“Inconvenient?” Marcus repeated. “How so?”

“You know how each of us has our signature weapon?”

He nodded, so the Slasher continued, “Survivors didn’t have anything like that at all. But they were allowed to scrap together tool boxes, med kits, the occasional fucking flashlight... Anyway, they were allowed tools to give them a fighting chance, and we had ours. A lot of times they wouldn’t actually bring anything into the Trial with them, but they could find chests scattered around the area that would hold one of the aforementioned items. Burning coins would get the Entity to remove one or two, making it harder for the Survivors to find anything they could use.”

Marcus was very surprised. He’d been under the impression the Survivors had been thrown into some kind of gladiatorial arena just to be hunted down with no hope of escape, but Danny was making it sound like it was more of a fucked up game then that. “The Survivors… other than not getting killed, what was their objective during a Trial?”

“The four of them were supposed to find and repair a total of five generators. That would power a pair ‘exit gates’ that would allow them to escape the Trial alive and get back to their campfire. Of course, if three of the four were successfully killed or sacrificed to the spider, this eerie fucking hatch would appear,” Danny explained, making a face. “We Killers couldn’t use it of course, since we weren’t allowed to leave until all four of them were dealt with one way or another. Now, if we found it before they did, or before we caught them, we could close it so they couldn’t use it to escape. Oh, man. I loved hiding just out of sight, and then when they’d be juuuuust within reach of escape…. I’d slam it shut in their face and grab them! Ahha, poor fuckers.”

“Danny, that's so mean!” Marcus chastised.

“Hello? Serial killer!” he cackled. “It was a job. Had to make it fun somehow. And… as much as it chapped my ass to do anything for that wretched bug, being the Entity’s favorite came with a lot of perks.”

“Oh?” he asked, although he wasn’t sure he really wanted to know.

Slowing to stop, Danny stared vacantly ahead for a moment. Taking a deep breath, he muttered, “Didn’t matter much when it really counted though.”

Following his line of sight, Marcus realized he was watching the Legion. The four of them were crouching a few feet from the Tree. It looked like they were waiting for something, but that wasn’t what Danny was studying.

“You and Frank… what happened between you two?” Marcus asked softly.

Closing his eyes, Danny took a deep breath. Letting it out slowly, he shook his head before smiling at the vet. It did little to hide the sadness still in his eyes as he dismissed, “Frank and I… I wanted something I felt I could control… and he wanted a distraction. It got complicated and I failed all four of them, but you righted that wrong, Doc. Come on, let’s go see about Evan.”

Mildly regretting asking a question on what was still clearly such a raw subject for Danny, he quickly said, “Hey, let me go grab the stuff for Kenneth real quick. There’s… something I want to get for Evan too.”

Raising an eyebrow, Danny just nodded. “Oh, why were you asking about the coins originally? Sorry, I think I got a bit side tracked and never actually gave you the answer you needed.”

“Oh yeah,” Marcus laughed. He’d completely forgotten how they’d even arrived at the point they did. “This is probably going to sound so, so shitty… but are they worth anything outside the Realm? Obviously I can’t buy groceries or anything with them, and if I can’t really use them I’ll hang on to them, cause they are pretty cool.”

Smiling much more like his normal self, Danny explained, “Those are actually worth a lot more than you might think. Collectors will pay a fortune for the damn things. I’m not sure what world they’re from, but the right people here sure like them. It’s funny too, because most of us still have a whole bunch of them just laying around. I sold off a few of mine when we first got back so I could set ‘Jed Olsen’ up to make his grand return as he once more bravely hunted the also returned Ghostface killer, but I still have a small box of them in my closet. If you’d like me too, I can take those to my guy and get you what they’re worth.”

An instant wave of relief washed over Marcus and he let out a sigh. “Holy shit, yes. That would be amazing. Thank you.”

“Does this have something to do with the near fifty grand you were not so jokingly asking about earlier?” Danny asked just as cheerfully, and the relief was instantly gone.

Shit… He’d hoped to just deal with it quickly, quietly, and as non-violently as possible. Starting and stopping several times, he finally managed, “So, it turns out-”

“Fucking run!”

Frank’s shrill order made them both jump, attention once again drawn to the Tree. It turned out the Legion had managed to build up quite a hoard of snowballs and immediately used them to pelt the first person to come through. Unfortunately for the four of them, it just so happened to be Michael…
~~~~

Chapter Text

Completely ignoring the snow slowly melting into his jumpsuit and the hair of his mask, the Shape turned and began marching towards the Legion with a clear, single minded determination. Someone was about to get stabbed.

Danny pulled Marcus out of the way as the Legion went racing past, Michael hot on their heels. How the man moved so fast despite not actually running was slightly terrifying, and the vet once again found himself grateful he wasn’t the target. Fuck buddies or not, the Haddonfield Boogeyman still scared the shit out of him.

Watching as Michael disappeared behind one of the houses hot on the Legion’s trail, Marcus asked worriedly, “Shouldn’t we do something? He could kill them!”

“Could?” Danny asked skeptically, raising an eyebrow at him. “I think that beautiful beast of a man can do a lot better than ‘could’. Besides, do you really want to get between Michael Myers and his prey? They brought it on themselves anyw-”

A pained scream interrupted him and the vet flinched. The sounds of shouting and what sounded horribly like bodies getting flung around interrupted the otherwise still air and both of them stared in the direction of the home it was coming from.

“Um, who’s house is that?” Marcus asked, wincing as the sounds continued uninterrupted.

Squinting, Danny couldn’t hide the mild concern on his face as he answered, “I think… Ouch, that sounded bad… Oh, that’s Philip’s place, but I doubt he’s home. He likes to explore. You know, invisibility has its perks. Ha! Ehem, sorry. Little joke there.”

Glass shattered and there was another howl of pain before Marcus could ask how that was a joke. Susie came streaking around the side of the house a second later, blood soaking one arm and eyes wild. Michael came stomping up behind her and grabbed the back of her jacket, dragging her out of sight before Marcus or Danny could say anything.

As the sounds of fighting picked up again, Marcus turned and stared at Danny incredulously.

Doing his best to look straight ahead despite the eyes drilling into the side of his head, the Slasher tried to whistle nonchalantly.

“Danny!”

“Doc?”

“I thought you all had rules about killing each other?!”

Forcing a grin as more sounds of pain and brutal violence split the air, Danny offered weakly, “Well… the rules have always been more like guidelines than hard and fast rules… Kind of a ‘might makes right’ thing? I mean, it’s less might and more, whoever gets the last stab and, um– But really, do you want to go back there and tell Michael to play nice? Because if you do, I won’t stop you.”

Marcus sighed. They both knew he wasn’t about to do any such thing and if he did try, Danny would stop him before he could get three feet… And he couldn’t really blame Ghostface for not doing anything either. Getting between a starving honey badger and its dinner would be a wiser idea, but only just.

The sounds of fighting fell silent and both of them stared at the empty space between the Wraith’s house and the one next to it. It was eerie. The silence seemed heavier than before, like the Realm itself was holding its breath as they all awaited the aftermath. It took Marcus a moment to realize it was because even the crows perched atop the Tree had fallen entirely silent.

His thoughts were interrupted before he could voice his observation to Danny, as Michael came striding back into view, suit splattered with dirt and blood on top of the melted snow.

“Oh, my god… Do you think they’re alive?” he asked, horrified. Eyes widening, he took a small step back, pointing out, “I think he’s coming this way.”

Sounding excited, Danny exclaimed, “He is coming this way! Hey, Michael!”

“Man, look at the time, I better get home!” Marcus quickly excused, spinning around in an attempt to bolt for the Tree. There was no telling what Michael had just done to the Legion, but if he was anything like Danny, he wasn’t about to get dragged off somewhere for a victory fucking. He was not physically or mentally ready to go through so much intense overstimulation again so soon! Michael was not a gentle lover by any means! He’d die!

He should have known better than to be so obvious in his attempt to escape. A hand shot out, grabbing the back of his shirt at almost the exact same time the obsession mark on his wrist started to burn, indicating Michael was actively hunting him. The combination startled him so badly he shrieked and tried to run, only for Danny to bodily tackle him.

“None of that, Doc! Come on now! Besides, maybe he’ll let me join this time! I’m so ready for this!”

Clawing at the dirt as he tried to drag himself out from under Danny, Marcus shouted, “I’m not ready for this! I’m gonna fucking die! I’m too young to die!”

“Death by fucking sounds like a dream come true!” the Slasher argued gleefully. “Especially if it’s Michael’s dick that does it!”

A shadow fell over the two of them and they both froze for a second. Before Marcus could figure out how the hell he was going to talk his way out of it, Danny’s weight was quite violently removed from his back. There was a squawk, quickly followed by a thud as he hit the ground several feet away. Michael had simply reached down, grabbed him, and flung him like a rag doll to get to what he really wanted.

Unfortunately for Marcus, that was him… He could feel Michael’s eyes boring into the back of his head and for a brief moment he wondered if that was what it had been like for the Survivors. Helpless under the knife of a killer whose only interest was in ending their lives in an unending cycle of violence and death… The idea made him shudder, dipping his head slightly as he braced himself to be grabbed and yanked onto a shoulder.

When the seconds stretched on and on without him being accosted, he cautiously rolled over so he could look up at the Boogeyman. Heart pounding in his ears as the obsession mark continued its uncomfortable itching, he forced a weak grin. “H-hey, Michael. H-how’s it going?”

The Shape’s head canted slightly to one side, giving nothing away.

All Marcus could think was, ‘Please, please don’t try to fuck me in the middle of the courtyard. I’m going to have to say no, then you’ll probably beat me, then I’ll have to break things off entirely, then you’re gonna kill me and–’

Without warning, Michael reached down and grabbed him by the front of the shirt. Ignoring his startled screech and flailing arms, he dragged him to his feet. Without letting go, he held up his other hand.

Marcus cringed, expecting to be aggressively grabbed by the neck or possibly the face. When something dark red caught his eye, he did a double take. Oh, thank god. It was just a medical emergency.

Michael was sporting a rather large, very deep gash across his palm. It looked like there might be another cut further up on his bicep, and the opposite arm had a slowly growing patch of blood soaking into the sleeve as well. Looked like the Legion had managed to put up at least a little bit of a fight after all.

Jumping when Danny popped up right by his shoulder, Marcus turned his head to glare at him.

Ignoring the look, he purred, “Oooh, Mikey. You want Doc to patch you up?”

Michael also glared at him for a moment before slowly lowering his hand.

“That’s perfectly fine,” Marcus sighed, unable to deny the relief that it brought. “I’m going to need all my stuff, but it’s finally back home under my bathroom sink.”

“Well, why not just take this little show back to your place then, Doc?” Danny asked pointedly, wiggling his eyebrows.

“Because he’ll heal faster here in the Realm,” he stated, glaring at the side of his head. “Will you please run to my place and grab the box?”

“Okay, okay,” Danny relented. Planting a quick kiss on the vet's cheek, he promised, “I’ll be right back. Michael, if you two want to wait at my- Actually, hang on… Um, don’t go to my place. I still haven’t cleaned out the basement and… Yeah, anyway. Just stay out of my place for the time being!”

Running to the Tree, he disappeared before Marcus could ask what the hell was so bad about the basement that the entire house was off limits. Left alone with Michael for the time being, he stood awkwardly with his shirt still clenched in the Slashers massive fist.

“So… how’ve you been?” he finally asked, just trying to break the suffocating silence. “Has the weather been good… for murdering? Wherever it is… you… go murdering… I guess.”

Head tilting slightly, Michael didn’t offer any kind of real answer. To make matters worse for no apparent reason, he slowly pulled Marcus closer until the two of them were toe to toe and the much shorter man had to crane his head back to look into the black eyes of the Shape’s mask. It was all becoming incredibly unnerving, causing the seconds to stretch on seemingly endlessly.

Just as Marcus was about to try and politely ask Michael if they could go sit on Danny’s porch, the Slasher turned slightly to look back the way he’d come. It also allowed the vet to see, and his jaw dropped.

It looked like he’d been in a good mood and left the Legion alive. Barely… They’d managed to collect themselves and were limping around the side of Philip’s house. It looked like Susie had been stabbed at least four times in the stomach and twice in the back. Julie had a large laceration on one side of her ribs, another on her forearm, and several stab wounds to the stomach and abdomen. Joey had a split lip and had also appeared to have been stabbed in the shoulder, arm, stomach, and leg. And Frank… Jesus Christ, obviously the leader had gotten the worst of it. Whether it was because he was their respective head, or because he fought back the hardest, Michael had clearly shown no mercy.

Frank was sporting a large cut over one eye and had another gash in his temple. Although his entire front was coated in blood, there were six distinct spots that were obviously stab wounds. Supported on one side by Joey, it looked like one of his ankles was broken, and his left arm was covered in blood.

Jolting, Marcus immediately tried to go to them. The hand in his shirt twisted and he was yanked onto his toes with a startled yelp. Once again staring up at Michael, he was met with the same emotionless blank mask as usual.

Grabbing his wrist for support, Marcus told him, “I need to take a look at them too! You really messed them up!”

There was an amused sounding huff but Michael still made no move to release him. In all honesty, it seemed like he was pleased by the vet's appraisal of the situation.

“They’re going to bleed to death!”

Again, a small huff of amusement and nothing else.

Narrowing his eyes, Marcus made the mistake of challenging, “You’re the only one not in danger of dying. Let me help them or I’m leaving you to heal on your own.”

Oh, how accurate that statement was. Maybe if he’d thought about it for a couple of extra seconds before saying it, he wouldn’t have said it at all.

Immediately, Michael’s full attention was back on him and the obsession mark on his wrist lit up with heat. He’d barely gotten out the start of a startled hiss when the hand in his shirt was transferred to his throat, cutting off the sound as he was lifted entirely off his feet.

There was a shout from Julie but Marcus didn’t dare take his eyes off Michael at that point. He’d been raised high enough that he was looking down at the Shape instead of up, and it allowed him to actually see his eyes through his mask. To say he looked pissed would be an understatement…

Using his grip Michael’s wrist to get as much leverage as he could, Marcus managed to pull himself up just enough to wheeze, “I can’t… help you… if I… can’t… breathe!”

Head tilting slightly, the Shape stared silently back at him. The action raised a very scary question. Did he still want help, or would he rather just heal on his own after strangling the vet for defying him? It was always so hard to tell with Michael…

Air quickly running low and nowhere near strong enough to have even a slim hope of breaking free, Marcus had no idea what the hell to do. Even if he could call another Slasher, he knew Michael would probably crush him the second he tried.

His timing was perfect for once, and Danny’s voice carried over as he shouted from the direction of the Tree, “I brought candy!”

Michael lowered Marcus without letting go, head swiveling towards Ghostface and the promise of candy. Looking between the vet and Danny, he finally settled for dragging him along as he trailed after the smaller killer towards his front porch.

Returning his grip to the front of Marcus’s shirt once he sat down, Michael was still staring expectantly at Danny. It was pretty obvious he wanted the aforementioned candy despite the heavily bleeding wounds in his arm and hand. At least he had his priorities figured out, even if they were awfully askew.

Meeting the piercing glare with a smug smirk, Danny offered, “If you’ll let Doc get you patched up, then I’ll give you all the candy I have on me.”

Marcus could practically hear the gears turning in the Shape’s head as he considered the compromise and it scared the shit out of him. Michael didn’t like being told what to do, a fact he made painfully clear seemingly any time he was challenged by anyone for even the littlest thing. Once Evan had told him not to choke the vet too hard in case he hurt him, so Michael had immediately started squeezing harder in response.

Maybe he was in a good mood, or maybe he didn’t mind too much the way Danny had spoken to him, but for once Michael slowly relaxed his hold without some form of petulant retribution. He was still attempting to drill holes through the smaller killer's skull with his gaze alone, but he did hold up his injured hand for Marcus to look at.

“You’re an asshole,” Joey grumbled the moment they were within hearing range. He was clearly trying to sound angry but the effect was lost under the pain in his voice.

Michael ignored him in favor of staring at Marcus as he wiped the excess blood off his hand.

Danny chuckled mirthlessly. “Maybe you shouldn’t throw things at people bigger, stronger, and more murder inclined than you.”

Julie flipped him off as the group collectively collapsed in the dirt a few feet away.

Marcus stopped what he was doing with Michael to try and take a look at their injuries, but a hand grabbed his face and forced his attention back to his current patient. Able to see between the Shape’s fingers, he grinned sheepishly.

“S-sorry? I can’t help it?” he tried weakly. It wasn’t a lie. He really couldn’t help but offer assistance when he saw people in need. And the Legion really needed to be patched up! Certainly a lot worse than Michael did.

Frank was staring vacantly at nothing and when Joey leaned over to grab something he flopped face first into the dirt without a sound. Yep. He definitely needed medical attention…

Unfortunately, Michael wasn’t letting Marcus anywhere near them until he was taken care of. Giant baby… Where was Jason when they needed him?

“I don’t think your palm needs stitches,” Marcus finally decided, pressing a pad of gauze against the wound. It wasn’t quite as deep as it had first appeared and he knew Michael healed relatively quickly anyway, so he wasn’t too worried. Once he was done wrapping a bandage tightly around the Shape’s hand to keep the pad in place, he asked, “Can I please see your arms?”

Head tilting slightly, Michael stared at him without moving.

Not wanting to play a waiting game, Marcus clarified as gently as he could, “Michael, I really need you to unzip your jumpsuit and take your arms out so I can check those cuts too. You do want me to look at them, right?”

His question was answered with a very slow nod, but the Shape still continued to stare without making any effort to undress. Wait… Did he want help him with that too? They didn’t have time for that! The Legion were bleeding out all over the ground! This wasn’t like the time in Marcus’s bathroom!

“Michael, please! Other people could use help!”

Nothing but more staring.

Marcus stared back at him for a moment longer before sighing in defeat. The situation seemed like a perfect example of why people weren’t supposed to feed wild animals. They would start to expect handouts and refuse to fend for themselves. Still, he reached up and unzipped Michael’s jumpsuit. He was half expecting to be grabbed and molested just so the Shape could further establish dominance over him and the other Slashers, but to his great relief, he was allowed to work uninterrupted.

“Okay, see? That shit right there,” Julie complained. “If anyone tried that crap in the Entity’s Realm he would have opened them from groin to chin without so much as blinking!”

“Well, Doc is special,” Danny pointed out, grinning wickedly. “I’m pretty sure even dear old me would still get stabbed if I tried that… So why the hell would you idiots throw snowballs at him?!”

“We didn’t think Michael of all people was going to come walking in,” Susie groaned. She was laying flat on her back with her hands pressed to her abdomen. “Thanks, by the way, Michael! You stabbed me right in the bullet wound!”

“I thought that healed already?!” Marcus demanded, whipping around to look at her.

A hand grabbed his hair and he yelped as he was turned back around to face Michael. “Okay! Fuck! Stop doing that, or I’m calling Voorhees so he can patch you up!”

Squinting at him, Michael very slowly loosened his grip. Shrugging his suit off his shoulders, he resumed waiting patiently for medical attention. He was wearing a black t-shirt underneath, but that didn’t stop Danny from making a hungry sound as he whipped out his camera.

Cleaning up both cuts so he could take a proper look at them, Marcus sighed. They both needed stitches, so he asked, “Danny, could you please start helping the Legion?”

Humming distractedly as he snapped a few pictures, he finally shoved his camera into his uniform before nodding. “Of course, Doc. I’m not quite as proficient as you are, but I’ll do my best. Okay, Frank! Let’s get that kidney out!”

“Danny!” Julie and Marcus both shouted at once.

“Okay, fine! You know, you better hope Herman doesn’t see this shit or he’s going to lose what’s left of his mind,” he grumbled. “We’ve already hurt his feelings by sneaking off to get patched up by a veterinarian. The Entity only knows what he’ll do if he sees us flaunting it like this.”

“Then maybe we should go inside,” Marcus muttered distractedly. He was already halfway through closing the worst of the two cuts, but Michael’s raspy breathing was getting far too close to his ear for comfort. Trying his best not to look over at the static white face slowly leaning closer and closer to his own, he added slightly desperately, “You’re doing great, Michael!”

“There’s… stuff in the basement that needs to be taken care of first,” Danny mumbled, gently rolling Frank onto his back. “Fuck the Entity, Michael! Have you ever heard the phrase, ‘kill them with kindness’?”

“That’s not what that means,” Julie corrected, rolling her eyes. “Jeez, Doc. How do you put up with him?”

“He tells me I’m pretty and he’s got a great ass,” Marcus deadpanned, moving to Michael’s other arm.

Beaming, Danny stuck his tongue out at Julie before carefully inspecting Frank’s head. “Oof. Well, he’s alive… But I don’t think anyone’s home.”

“He’s probably got a concussion,” Marcus warned. “And he’s definitely lost way too much blood. All of them have lost too much blood.”

“All this seems like kind of an over the top reaction,” Joey grumbled weakly, glaring at Michael.

Continuing the theme of ignoring the Legion now that he’d ‘gotten even’ with them for pelting him with snowballs, Michael silently watched the vet finish stitching up his arm.

“Okay, Michael. You’re all done and should be healed in no time,” he sighed. “Danny? You do have candy for him, right?”

He wouldn’t hesitate to admit just how worried he was about what would happen should the answer be ‘no’, especially since he was closest to the incredibly aggressive Slasher.

“Of course I do,” Danny promised, and Michael’s attention was immediately focused entirely on him. “It’s in my pan-”

Michael was reaching for him with both hands before he could finish the word and he quickly scrambled out of reach, swearing, “It’s really in my pants! I’m not being lewd for once!”

Obviously Michael didn’t believe him, as he stood up and stalked after him with murder in his eyes. Looks like he hadn’t used up all his petty vengeance on the Legion after all.

Stumbling around as he dug through in his pockets, Danny nearly fell over several times before yanking out a very broken looking butterfingers bar. He held it out at arms length like it was a crucifix and Michael was a vampire he was attempting to ward off, shouting, “I told you it was in my pants!”

Frank let out a short bark of a laugh but it was unclear if he was actually reacting to them or something else entirely. He was definitely concussed.

Distracted, Danny ended up taking the full force of one of Michael’s open palms to the side of the head. Thankfully it wasn’t the hand Marcus had just patched up, because he really, really needed to check on the Legion by that point.

Joey looked like he was about to pass out and Susie already had. Julie looked like she was staying awake through pure spite, and it was entirely unclear how Frank was still conscious at all.

“Oh, my god!” Marcus nearly shrieked, rushing to Susie’s side. Quickly feeling for a pulse, he let out a short sigh of relief when he found it immediately. It wasn’t quite as strong as he would have liked, but the Legion member hadn’t died from blood loss so that was a very good thing.

“Call Amanda,” Julie mumbled, nearly falling over when she turned her head to squint at him.

Feeling stupid for not thinking of it sooner, he quickly said, “Pig.” If there was anyone he knew for a fact could help it was her, and he knew she was home.

“Oooh, wow, I think we fucked up,” Joey groaned, eyes squeezed closed. “I forgot how mean Michael is.”

“Yeah, but sometimes it’s kinda funny,” Julie chuckled weakly, and Marcus looked up to see what she was talking about.

After knocking Danny over, Michael had grabbed him by the ankles and flipped him upside down. Currently, he was shaking him as hard as he could, causing a rain of loose change, some paper clips, a balled up receipt, his cell phone and wallet, two more slightly blood stained wallets, and finally another candy bar. A Snickers that time.

Michael paused, still holding Danny several feet off the ground by his legs as he stared down at the pitiful bounty. What happened to ‘all the candy’ he had on him? Was that it?!

Groaning uncomfortably, he whined, “You could have just… ugh, I’m gonna be sick… You could have just patted me down…”

Head tilting slightly, Michael seemed to be considering it. Or, and much more likely, he was considering shaking Danny again just for the hell of it.

He seemed to have the same idea, eyes widening as he shook his head. “No! Michael! N-no! You wouldn’t–”

He would. And he did. With a positively malicious gleam in his eyes, Michael shook him like he was trying to get the last penny out of a particularly stubborn piggy bank.

Amanda’s voice brought Marcus’s attention back to the more important issue at hand as she asked, “What the hell happened to the Legion?!”

Gesturing to Susie’s stomach wounds as he moved to check on Frank, Marcus explained shortly, “They decided to pelt Michael with snowballs and he got stab happy. He wouldn’t let me patch them up until I took care of him. Where are Carmina and Thomas?”

“Big baby,” she muttered quietly, glaring at Michael before returning her attention to stopping Joey’s bleeding better. “Carmina took the fledgling home and Thomas wandered off to do whatever it was he was doing before you all brought him over for breakfast. Do I even want to know what Michael’s doing to Danny? Or why?”

Wincing slightly, Marcus admitted, “I may have been a bit uncooperative because I thought these four needed my help first, so Danny offered him candy to calm him down.”

“Did he not have any candy?” Amanda chuckled, moving to check on Susie. She’d tried to take a look at Julie but she waved her off, promising, “I’m not going to pass out, I’ll be okay for a few more minutes.”

“He had a crushed up butterfingers and a melted snickers,” he explained, attempting to get a better look at the Legion leader’s head wounds.

“Mm’ fine,” Frank slurred, attempting to shove Marcus’s hands away when he tried to hold his head still. “Stop touching, nerd. Mm’ not sharing my soul with you!”

“How original,” Marcus grumbled, rolling his eyes. “Hold still, Doodles. You have a head wound and… Yeah, you need stitches.”

“You need to... Why are you touching me, you weirdo?” he shouted, trying to flail an arm at him. “I’ll bite your fingers off like carrots!”

“Nope,” Marcus huffed, not having any of it. Using a move very similar to one he’d used on many an unruly plus size dog, he rolled Frank onto his back, sat on his chest, and used his knees to pin his biceps to keep him from using his arms. “Now, hold still and no biting or I swear to god I’ll have Julie muzzle you.”

Frank seemed too shocked to try and throw him off, even though he was still physically strong enough to do so. Although he didn’t complain when the vet started cleaning the blood off his face with a sterile wipe, he did frown like he was trying to figure out how the hell they’d ended up like that.

Entirely absorbed in his work, Marcus didn’t notice the way Joey, Julie, Amanda, Michael, and Danny -since he’d finally been let go- were all staring at him.

“You’re lucky Myers missed your eye,” he warned, taping the cut closed. It was shallow enough not to need stitches, but it would still stop bleeding and heal faster if it was closed. “This however… is probably going to hurt a little.”

Squinting at him as he started cleaning up the gash in his temple, Frank just let out a confused grunt. It really looked like he wanted to say something but he just couldn’t get it out.

Finishing up with the Legion leader's head injuries, Marcus swung his leg over so he was kneeling beside him instead of on top of him. Not bothering to stop and explain what he was doing, he rolled up Frank’s blood soaked shirt so he could see the stab wounds in his abdomen.

Making a slightly confused sound, Frank lifted his head but Marcus just as quickly pushed him back down. “No. You need to be still before you make it worse. Amanda, grab that cold pack and make sure he keeps it on his head. Danny, quit taking pictures and hand me that bottle of antiseptic,” he ordered. For once, it was kind of nice to have an audience in a crisis situation. His head was clearer and he felt much calmer then previous times he’d had to sew up injured Slashers. Of course, he still wished Michael had let him at least tend to the Legion first. It was nothing short of a miracle that any of them were still conscious, especially considering Frank’s head wound; but it seemed like out of the four of them he healed the fastest and it had been enough to keep him from completely succumbing to his injuries.

In yet another shockingly positive turn of events, the Legion leader even managed to stay quiet and not make things more difficult for the remainder of his medical care. Susie woke up about halfway through Marcus stitching him up, but Julie shushed her when she tried to ask questions.

“Jesus fucking Christ, Myers… Well, thanks for showing some restraint I guess,” Marcus grumbled, carefully closing up yet another knife wound. There was no doubt that if the fight had happened outside of the Realm, all of them would have bled to death quite a while ago. Still, the vet had his work cut out for him.

Amanda was pretty good at stitching up injuries, having already patched up Susie before she woke up. She was halfway through closing up Joey’s injuries when Marcus finished with the last of Frank’s lacerations.

“I know your ankle still needs to be set, but I want to get Julie patched up first,” he explained. “How do you feel?”

Staring up at the sky with a strange expression on his face, Frank just muttered, “Fine. Do your thing, Doc.”

When he turned to Julie, she waved a shaky hand at him. “I’m fine. It’ll heal soon enough.”

Shaking his head, Marcus said, “Let me see, please. You look like you’re about to pass out.”

She looked suspicious, eyes tracking over him as if searching for some kind of hidden motive.

“Please, Julie. It’ll heal a lot faster if you let me help,” he told her gently.

Relenting, she nodded before shrugging off her jacket with a wince. She had on a shirt underneath, but it was soaked in blood. The side was cut open where Michael’s knife had gone through the material before catching skin and opening it as well.

“I’m going to numb it,” he told her, already digging a pilfered bottle of lidocaine out of his stash. Going back and looting the old clinic after Richards had disappeared had been a stroke of genius. Thankfully he still had plenty left for what he really wanted it for. That was, assuming Evan would be willing to hear him out…

Hissing through gritted teeth as he injected the numbing agent into her side, Julie asked, “So why not do this for a living, Doc? You seem pretty good at sewing humans up for a vet.”

Frowning slightly, he muttered, “I hate people.”

“Could have fooled me,” she chuckled. “How does someone who hates people so much end up with a triple digit body count?”

Marcus paused, a million different answers coming to mind. Instead of using any of the rather revealing truths, he joked, “High sex drive. I was getting tired of the blisters.”

“You know, we actually met kinda’ like this,” Danny mused, sitting down beside Joey and Susie. “Except it was in a veterinary clinic and I had a hole in my ass.”

Everyone but Marcus turned to stare at him. Sounding even more confused than before, Frank asked, “Isn’t that… aren’t you supposed to?”

“Wrong hole, Franky. I fell on a fence and might have gotten stabbed in the ass cheek. And the ribs. And the leg,” he explained. “Believe it or not, that was not the night Doc got to see my ass, although he sure tried.”

Squinting at him for a moment, the vet returned his attention to the laceration he was stitching closed before correcting, “You took your pants off and proceeded to bleed all over the table. That’s what I was looking at.”

“Mmhmm,” Danny hummed smugly. “I’m pretty sure you were already plotting how to get my attention again. It was adorable. We took our time getting to know one another, but it kind of felt like I was the only one putting in the effort.”

Unable to help it, Marcus half shouted, “You were literally stalking me!”

Ignoring him, Danny continued, “Our first date went well, but it was kind of short. Our second date was actually at his place, but it was short too now that I really think about it.”

“You broke into my house and threatened to break my knees if I tried to run!”

“Damn, Danny… You’re not very subtle, huh?” Susie asked, squinting at him. “Wait… how did you two end up… well, like this?”

“Boyfriends?” he clarified, raising an eyebrow. “Well, it was simple. I asked Doc if he wanted to have sex and he said yes.”

“No fucking way,” she challenged, staring at the vet.

Not bothering to look up from what he was doing, Marcus smiled. “I told you, all you had to do was ask…”

~~

Evan wasn’t sure what was wrong with him. Ever since finally getting to release decades of pent up hatred and revenge on Blight, he’d just felt… off. He knew he’d continue to hate Talbot until the day he finally died for good, but he felt somehow calmer about the entire situation. About everything, really. Well… almost everything.

Taking his time getting cleaned up if only to have more time to get himself right in the head, he inevitably reached the point where he knew he needed to go see his vet again. He found himself… worried about Marcus. Although he’d never admit it. At least not without extremely dire circumstances. Sure, he’d been able to remain updated on his goings on while they were hunting thanks to Danny and his ‘cellular phone’... God, he hated technology… But not getting to see him and hear him with his own senses was beginning to bother him. Irritating little brat, better not have gotten himself kidnapped again. Knowing his penchant for chaos, he probably had somehow.

It occurred to him that he probably should have tried to sleep at least a little while, but he was already on the move. He spent enough time alone with his thoughts and it was past time to rescue Marcus from Danny. Poor kid probably needed it by then.

Retrieving his mask, he slid it over his head before opening the front door. The heavy scent of blood immediately filled his senses and he almost sneezed. He’d been expecting the courtyard to retain the lingering coppery reek for a few days at least just from the sheer amount of blood they’d spilled… but this was too fresh. Another deep breath told him it wasn’t even Blight’s, but thankfully it wasn’t Marcus’s either.

Movement in front of Danny’s house caught his eye before he could discern exactly whose blood it was just by scent and he looked over. What the fuck?! Michael and Danny were obviously -unsurprisingly- both involved. Shockingly, none of the blood was Ghostface’s for once. It was easy to see who it did belong too though, as the Legion were still sprawled out across the ground.

Stepping off the porch with a low growl, he stalked up to see what the hell was going on for himself.

Although he didn’t make a sound any normal person should have been able to pick up over the group's chattering, Michael still turned his head towards him, eyes sharp behind his mask. Watching him approach, he only looked back down at Marcus when the Trapper was standing shoulder to shoulder with him and no longer behind him.

“What the hell happened here?”

Susie jolted slightly, tilting her head back to look up at him. “Oh, hi Uncle Chuckles.”

Why the fuck did they insist on calling him that?! He still wasn’t sure…

Marcus looked up from where he was sewing up a pretty nasty gash on Julie's side. Seeing Evan, the serious expression on his face relaxed slightly and he smiled at him. “Hey, Evan. We were about to come check on you… Until the Legion decided to do something fucking stupid.”

Frank groaned, eyes narrowing as he threatened, “I’m gonna’ stab you in the liver if you keep doing that.”

Evan and Michael both stared silently down at him and he stiffened. Eyes rolling up towards them, he pursed his lips before muttering weakly, “Just a poor choice of words. Obviously I’m not going to stab him. Jeez.”

Danny laughed, crouching beside him. “Franky, you poor concussed potato… Just stop talking. Before Michael decides he’s still mad at you.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he muttered. “Sorry… Doc.”

Marcus looked mildly amused as he went back to stitching up Julie.

Evan studied him closely as he worked. He looked incredibly tired but otherwise unharmed. His hands, arms, and clothes were streaked with blood, but so close it was easy to tell none of it was his. Oddly, he smelled like crows too, but it was nearly overpowered entirely by the Legion and Michael’s blood. Had he met Carmina? Seemed like quite a lot had happened already and it was barely noon.

Finally certain the vet wasn’t hurt, he couldn’t deny being curious. “So… What did you idiots do this time?”

“Pelted Myers with snowballs,” Joey admitted quietly. “He overreacted a little.”

Judging from the multiple neatly stitched up wounds on all four of them and the ice pack on Frank’s head, Michael had actually gone pretty easy on them. Evan had seen him stab Danny so hard his knife actually got stuck in his spine once. That had been interesting, to say the least.

“I don’t know, seems to me like he was actually quite reserved,” Evan chuckled. The looks the Legion and Marcus gave him actually made him laugh. Pointing at Frank, he added, “You four should know better. What the hell were you thinking?”

Glaring up at him, Frank demanded, “Why are you lecturing us? Don’t you have something better to do?”

“Evan has a point,” Amanda agreed, sighing. “You all really should have taken a second to identify who had come through before you started throwing. This isn’t like the Entity’s Realm. There’s nothing to stop someone from coming after you if you piss them off.”

“He still overreacted,” Julie huffed stubbornly.

Michael’s head tilted slightly, eyeing the young woman. It was unclear what he was thinking, but it was probably nothing nice. Good thing Marcus was still tending to her.

“So, Doc. Whatcha’ want to do after you’re done with the children?” Danny asked, beginning to collect the random assortment of litter that had come out of his pockets. “Ooh, a Jolly Rancher!”

Michael immediately went after him and he threw it at him with a stifled scream. “Fuck the Entity, just take it!”

Marcus was doing a remarkable job ignoring the two, focusing on the task at hand. Still, he did manage to answer Danny’s question, and Evan could hear how tired he was.

“I’d love a shower, then maybe take a nap. You know. Since someone woke me up in the middle of the night.”

Having once again successfully calmed the beast, Danny offered excitedly, “Or, I could give you some adderall and we could-”

“Danny, no,” Amanda interrupted, punching his arm. “It’s bad enough when you go on a binge, you’re not about to involve Doc in one of your episodes.”

“I don’t binge!” he argued, crossing his arms. “Sometimes I just need to get the ideas out and I don’t have time to waste with something as time consuming and mundane as sleeping!”

Tuning them out as they argued, Marcus carefully cleaned up Julie’s side before explaining, “You’re good to go, just take it easy until it heals entirely. The stitches will dissolve on their own so don’t pull them.”

Returning his attention to Frank, he added, “Okay, time to set your leg.”

Eyes shooting open, Frank raised his head from the ground to eyeball his feet. “Uh… I can just lay here ‘till it’s good. I think your harem is waiting on you, Red.”

Looking entirely unimpressed, Marcus stated flatly, “Absolutely not. Knowing you, you’re going to try and walk on it before it’s healed and then it’ll take longer and you’ll be in pain and then I’ll have to hear you whine about it until it’s actually healed... Besides, none of you are going back to my house until you’ve showered, so you may as well get comfortable.”

“Try to stop me!” Frank snarled, pushing himself up on his elbows. He immediately flopped back down, a hand pressing the ice pack to a rather large row of stitches across his temple. Taking a shuddering breath, he angrily insisted, “You already took care of the shit that could have killed me! My ankle will be fine in a little while.”

“Yeah, well, it’ll be fine sooner and it’ll hurt a lot less if I set it. Besides, I kind of owe you one,” Marcus told him, a slightly deranged look in his eyes.

At that, Frank slowly raised his head again. Sounding concerned, he asked, “Excuse me?”

Offering what was positively the most unfriendly smile Evan had ever seen on the ginger, he said simply, “Be glad I don’t believe in torturing my patients. Danny, Amanda, hold him please.”

“Doc, wait!” Frank shouted, trying to pull his legs away. “I feel fine! I’m fine! Get away from me!”

“Ah, hold still you big baby,” Amanda chastised, grabbing his good leg and pinning it down.

Grabbing his shoulders, Danny added, “Ya’ know, I thought Doc had a fairly unusual amount of bruises on his ribs this morning. Bruises that I didn’t put there.”

Evan tilted his head. “Legion… What did you four do to our boyfriend while we were gone?”

Letting out a thin laugh, Joey offered, “We didn’t hurt him, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“Or fuck him,” Susie added helpfully, before quietly muttering, “Not for lack of trying.”

“I’m okay,” Marcus promised, smiling up at Evan as he grabbed Frank’s injured leg. Ignoring his whining, he continued, “It looked a lot worse than it was, but I tend to bruise like an overripe banana.”

Evan snorted. Fuck, if that wasn’t a perfect comparison.

“Hmm, can’t leave you all alone for a day, much less two weeks,” Danny complained. “At least they left you alone long enough for them to fade. I like being able to tell which ones are from me.”

Sitting on Frank’s knee to force his leg into place as he took his boot off, Marcus corrected, “Oh, that was like, the day before yesterday. I’m actually shocked by how fast the bruises started to clear up without me being here in the Realm.”

No one spoke for a moment, the silence only interrupted by Frank’s continued grunting and quiet swearing as he struggled.

Finally, Amanda asked slowly, “That didn’t… strike you as odd?”

Tossing Frank’s sock over one shoulder, he offered distractedly, “I mean, kind of? But I have a lot on my mind, so I just kind of forgot about it… At least I’ve been remembering to eat breakfast.”

“No you fucking haven’t!”

“Ahaa, shut your mouth, Frank. Well, I don’t think your ankle is broken.”

“Oh, thank fuck,” he muttered, sounding relieved.

Twisting around to look at him, Marcus smiled. “It’s dislocated, so I’m going to have to snap it back into place.”

“What?!”

Nodding, he warned, “This is going to hurt pretty badly, but it’ll heal a lot faster than a break. You’ll be up and able to shower in no time.”

“The only thing I’m going to do when I get up is strangle you!” Frank seethed, trying to reach out and grab him.

Danny caught his wrists, pulling his arms up as he chastised, “Ah ah, none of that. You still have a head wound and I’d hate for it to get worse.”

It was unclear if he was threatening the Legion leader or not, but Evan crouched down beside them anyway, growling, “If you’d rather have a broken ankle, keep talking Morrison. Maybe I’ll break both of them.”

Eyes darting nervously between him and Marcus, Frank finally muttered, “This is bull shit.”

“You’ll live,” Marcus dismissed. “Now, take a deep breath and count to five.”

“Isn’t it illegal to give medical care to a non-consenting adult?!” Frank demanded, voice thin.

“Not one with a head wound,” the vet told him bluntly. “Besides, do you really want to argue legality with me right now?”

“No, but I am so damn curious as to what you’ve got,” Julie interjected, grinning when Frank glared at her.

“What I’m doing is already illegal; I’m not licensed for practicing medicine on human beings,” Marcus started, before rattling off, “Providing aid in any way shape or form to a Known or suspected Slasher is a federal offense, I stole most of- scratch that, I stole all the medical supplies I’m using, and the last time I checked all four of you were juvenile delinquents before the Entity took you all.”

“Hey!” Joey exclaimed. “We're all eighteen! They could have tried us as adults!”

“Well, Frank’s nineteen,” Susie corrected. “But if you count all our time in the Realm and… other places, we’re all like… I don’t know, nearly three hundred? Maybe older?”

“We never actually did the math,” Danny confessed. “We just agreed that we were all there for far too long.”

Nodding, Marcus offered the Legion leader another warm smile. “There you go. Why not add one more illegal thing to the list of highly questionable things going on in my life?”

Trying and failing to squirm out from under them all, Frank demanded, “So why do you have two people holding me down, you psychopath?!”

Without missing a beat, Marcus cheerfully told him, “Because you’re physically strong enough to throw me across the courtyard. Now, if you do that, I’ll probably get hurt. If that happens and these guys beat the shit out of you, I’m not going to patch you up again. So, deep breath, count to five. Let’s go.”

Finally accepting defeat, Frank took a deep breath. He’d barely gotten out ‘one’ when Marcus twisted his foot into place with a loud pop.

The Legion leader howled, nearly throwing the vet anyway as he bucked and twisted. Evan slammed a hand down on his chest, pressing him flat as Danny and Amanda restrained his arms and legs.

Standing up and dusting his hands off, Marcus nodded curtly. “Okay, you four are good to go. Just take it easy until everything finishes healing.”

Frank was breathing too hard to come up with any kind of response, so Julie spoke for him. “Thank you, Doc. Sorry we took up so much of your day off.”

“It happens,” he sighed, stretching. “Could someone please take me back to my place so I can shower and get some clean clothes?”

“Ooh, I’ll be happy to do that,” Danny volunteered, leaping to his feet. “I’ll even help you shower.”

“Hang on,” Marcus said, putting a temporary pause on his plotting. “What’s in your basement?”

Evan couldn’t help but groan. “You fucking idiot. You still haven’t gotten rid of-”

“No!” he shouted. “I have not! I haven’t had time!”

Eyebrows raising, Susie asked slowly, “Dude… what the fuck is in your basement?”

“Probably a meth lab,” Joey interjected, nodding certainly. “Danny absolutely looks like he cooks meth in his spare time.”

Looking utterly horrified, Danny sounded insulted as he defended himself. “I look like I cook meth?! Wha- how dare- I do not- I have never cooked meth in my life! I’ve never even used it! …In the past decade, but that’s not the point!”

Deciding it was probably best to remove all other options before Danny could latch onto something else to get distracted by, Evan scooped Marcus up under one arm. Ignoring his startled squawking, and the malicious glare Michael was directing at the side of his head, he growled, “Danny… clean up your fucking basement. I’ll keep an eye on Doc.”

“I don’t need a babysitter!” he complained, wiggling unsuccessfully.

“Good, because I don’t babysit,” Evan huffed, admittedly amused by the vets' weak attempt at escape.

“Oooh, okay,” Danny purred, a knowing look on his face. “You two have fun. I’ll be by in the morning.”

“The morning?” Marcus questioned, sounding confused. “Why would you wait until- Oooh, oh wow. Okay.”

“Ahha, you’ll be okay,” he dismissed, grinning wickedly. “So, Legion? Amanda? Anyone want to help me clean up the… aftermath?”

“Oh, my god, it’s a body,” the vet guessed suddenly, eyes widening. “Who the hell did you bring all the way back here to kill?!”

Amanda and Danny exchanged a slightly nervous smile before she decided, “I’m going to help the Legion get back to the lodge so they can heal in peace. Thanks for coming over for breakfast, Doc. I’ll catch up with you later!”

“But who’s going to help me?” Danny asked desperately. “There’s an entire body- or, most of a body down there! Plus Chuckles tracked blood all over the carpet! Michael?! Where are you going? Get back here! You helped make that mess, come help me clean it up!”

Michael was already halfway across the courtyard, having run out of things to keep him entertained and not about to help clean shit. Especially if it meant being alone with Danny on anyone's terms but his own.

As Amanda helped the Legion collect themselves, Susie turned to wave, saying, “Goodbye, Doc! Thanks for the help! I hope Evan doesn’t finish what Danny started this morning!”

Still tucked under Evan’s arm, Marcus let out a small, “Oh, god…”

Glancing down at him, the Trapper chuckled darkly. “Get your damn basement cleaned up, Danny. Before Dredge catches a whiff.”

Rubbing a hand over his eyes, Danny muttered, “Yeah. Then I’d never be able to get him out of there. Ugh, fine.”

Circling around so he could see the vet face to face, he leaned down to give him a quick kiss before saying, “Best of luck, Doc. Take pictures for me.”

“If you want pictures, you have to take them yourself,” Marcus reminded him, and Evan shook his head.

“You’re both ridiculous. Pet, I’m taking you to get a change of clothes, then to take a shower. You reek of…” he trailed off. Under the mix of Legion members blood, Danny and their sex, there was something weird. “Why the hell do you smell like a swamp?”

Blushing bright red, Marcus admitted sheepishly, “I brushed an alligator's teeth today.”

“By climbing inside its mouth,” Danny shouted from his front porch.

Pausing with one hand on the Tree, Evan looked down at the vet. He was doing his best to stare straight ahead but after about a minute of silent judgment boring into the back of his head, he tilted his face up so he could see the Trapper’s masked face.

“I made really good money doing it?”

“Thank god you’re not a hooker,” Evan growled, stepping through the Door into the vet’s house. He could only imagine what kind of situations the ginger would get into if he did accept money for sex.
~~~~

Chapter Text

Danny stared and stared, then stared some more just for good measure. He would be the first to admit that he hated cleaning. Obviously personal hygiene went without question. No one wants to get distracted mid-murder by rank armpits! The shame. Unless… they were into that? Well, he wasn’t about to kink shame but that definitely wasn’t his thing.

No, his hatred of cleaning came from a deep seeded need to take his father’s militaristic desire for order and cleanliness and damn near perfection and shove it right up his sternum along with the knife he’d used to kill him.

Head tilting slightly, Danny allowed himself a moment to wonder… What really pissed dear old pops off more? That his own son was the one to kill him? Or that he left him to rot in a puddle of his own blood in a dank, slowly sinking hunting blind in the Florida Everglades? The world would never know who Ghostface’s first true victim was. A pity, in retrospect, but a necessity. His father would have led them to him, and that just wouldn’t do.

Sighing, he shook his head. There would be time for reminiscing later. Right now, he had bloody boot prints, smears, streaks, splatter, and… chunks. Why in the Entity’s name were there chunks all over the stairs? He didn’t remember anyone making that big of a mess out of Richards. Then again, he’d been a bit distracted and he hadn’t joined in when Evan came back to finish the man off. Hmph. If he wasn’t spending some alone time with Doc, he would have marched over there and pestered him into getting his ass back down there and cleaning it up himself. Or at least helping! Ugh, that was the last time he let a group of them use his basement for torture.

Deciding to start at the bottom and work his way up to avoid tracking over what he’d already cleaned, Danny grabbed a box of heavy duty trash bags and a shovel. The body had been down there for… Fuck the Entity, almost a month at that point? Fuck… Thank god there were no flies in the Realm or he was sure his basement would be full to bursting with the irritating little buzzy creatures and their squirming offspring.

Flipping on the lights at the top of the stairs, Danny plodded down the steps, silently hoping someone or something would come busting down his front door and save him from having to actually perform proper home cleaning and body disposal. Well, proper body disposal was… a bit of a stretch. He was just going to toss it all into the fog behind Freddy’s house. Dredge would hide out in the Nightmare’s cabinets for weeks hoping for more! Ha!

Distracted by the dried blood splattered across the walls and ceiling, it took Danny a moment to realize something pretty damn important. Richards’ body was already gone. Looking around in case the corpse had been carelessly tossed into a corner or behind the stairs to rot, he still didn’t find anything. Had Evan eaten body?! No, no… he wasn’t a cannibal. He made that painfully clear the one time he’d been asked. Hell, the basement didn’t even smell all that bad. There were a few decaying fingers and more than a few teeth… but the gross majority of the former veterinarian was no longer there.

“Maybe Dredge already ate the body,” Danny thought aloud. He hadn’t actually been back to his house in several weeks, so the Druanee would have already given up looking for scraps if he had eaten it. Shrugging, he made his way back upstairs. He’d still have to mop up the blood and pick up all the fingers and teeth, but at least he didn’t have an entire body to get rid of. He preferred to let the police handle that part of the party.

~~

Looking around cautiously, Evan finally set Marcus down. It wasn’t that he didn’t know the area or that it was very large; the vet’s house was practically two rooms connected by a short hallway if the bathroom wasn’t included. Still, the Trapper was suspicious by nature and with as prone to trouble as the incredibly breakable ginger was…

“Grab some clean clothes. You’re going to shower at my place.”

“That’s fine with me,” Marcus agreed, looking slightly relieved. Seeing the way Evan’s head tilted, he explained, “I highly doubt anyone is going to come barging in looking for me if I’m at your place… And the hot water never runs out.”

Chuckling quietly, Evan looked around the small house again as Marcus disappeared into his bedroom. Looked like he’d gained a TV and lost a kitchen chair. There were shards of the decimated furniture all over the kitchen and living room.

Growling, he shook his head. Probably the Legion. Destructive little miscreants. He didn’t like the idea of them living with Marcus, but he wasn’t going to tell them or him that they couldn’t. He wasn’t going to try and set rules in someone else's house.

“Pet, was there anything you needed to do before we go back to the Realm?” he called. He had plans and didn’t want any interruptions…

There was a long pause from the back of the house, then finally, “I don’t think so, but I’ve got some dirty laundry I need to do, if you don’t mind me bringing it.”

Just as he was opening his mouth to tell him it was fine, Evan picked up a scent he never thought he would again. It was so faint, barely there under the fresher smells of Lisa and her pet alligator, Danny, the Legion, and of course Marcus’s own scent. But he knew it in his bones.

Jaw snapping closed, the Trapper inhaled sharply but it was gone. Had he imagined it? No, no he couldn’t have… His senses never lied. He’d smelled him. The first Survivor…

When he reached up to take his mask off, he paused, fingers not quite touching the bone covering his face. His hands were shaking. His hands never shook…

“Evan? Evan, are you okay?”

He lowered his hand with a sharp huff. Marcus was standing only feet away, a laundry bag slung over his shoulder that reeked of animals. A pair of dirty scrubs was sticking out of the top, covered in dog and cat hair and effectively covering any other scents in the vicinity.

Sighing, Evan shook his head. There was no way a Survivor was in Utah, much less his boyfriend’s house of all fucking places. It must have been a trick caused by the ever growing combination of weird things that passed through the vet’s home. “I’m fine, pet. Is that everything you needed?”

Marcus was still looking at him with a concerned expression, but he nodded. “Yeah, that’s all of it. I’m not going to worry about the bed sheets. Danny can help me with those.”

Evan grunted in agreement. He didn’t need any more of Danny’s stank in his house, and the now sex soiled bed sheets would not be going anywhere near his poor washing machine. It was bad enough having to wash his bedding…

Placing a guiding hand on the back of Marcus’s neck, he led him back into the Realm. They had a bit of catching up to do themselves.

~~

Marcus was both ecstatic and terrified and he was certain Evan could smell it. If he hadn’t yet, he would. It was inevitable with his sense of smell, but he’d already determined that he was going to tell him his idea. Or, at least ask him if he’d like to hear it…

Spotting his box of medical supplies still sitting by Danny’s front porch, he asked, “Evan, would you mind grabbing that, please? I don’t want to leave it out in case the Druanee or Demi decide to snack on the contents.”

The image of Dredge and the Demogorgon stumbling around high as fuck in the fog did make him laugh, but he really didn’t want to have to replace all the drugs he’d pilfered over the years.

Snorting, Evan walked over and grabbed the box. Starting towards his house, he asked, “So, care to fill me in on what the hell’s been going on today?”

“Well, other than what you saw, not too much,” he offered. “Lisa brought over her pet snake, Butter, and I gave him a check up. Then she brought over Ferdinand, the alligator, and I gave him a check up and brushed his teeth. I need to bring some stuff to Kenneth for Maurice… Oh, and I rescued a crow from one of your bear traps! You shouldn’t leave them lying around.”

Evan huffed, sounding amused. “Couldn’t be one of mine. I don’t leave my shit laying around out here. Jason, maybe.”

Raising a skeptical eyebrow, Marcus continued, “It was behind Amanda’s house.”

Tilting his head, the Trapper slowly thought aloud, “Oh, yeah… I forgot I did trade her a few. But that was a couple of years ago now. So, did the bird live?”

“Oh, yeah. I mean, the rescue ended with Demi chasing us through the fog–”

“What?!” Evan roared, nearly dropping the box as he whipped around to face him.

Already on the porch, Marcus almost fell backwards down the stairs with as hard as he jumped. Well, better to go down the stairs then into an open bear trap he supposed. Catching his balance in time, he stammered nervously, “I- I mean, obviously I’m fine! The trap had gotten dragged out into the fog so I followed the- Aah! I’m sorry!”

Evan had set the box down and grabbed the front of his shirt. Hauling him forward, he leaned down so his mask was only an inch from the vet’s face.

“Stay out of the fog or I will punish you.”

“You know, it wasn’t too long ago you gave me your blessing to not only go out there alone, but call Wesker while doing it!”

”Marcus Aurelius Taylor.

“Oh, god…”

“Stay. Out. Of. The. Fog.”

“I will!” he swore, holding up his hands. Then, under his breath, he added, “Unless there’s an injured animal out there in which case all bets are off…”

It was the wrong thing to say, and Evan had him by the neck the moment he finished speaking. Before the Trapper could start choking him, he waved his hands in the air, rushing out, “I’m a vet, it’s what I do! I can’t not help when animals are involved!”

Evan didn’t look impressed in the slightest. Very slowly pressing his fingers tighter, he asked, “You’re aware of what lurks in the fog, right?”

Breathing slightly labored by the grip on his windpipe, Marcus still managed to get out a sheepish, “Yes, but the only one I really need to worry about is Demi. And Danny and Amanda said he was just playing…”

Head canting to one side, the Trapper sighed. “How have you survived this long?”

Without a second thought, he grinned, offering, “I can fuck my way out of nearly any situation?”

Evan was very quiet for a very long time. Finally, he huffed, “Well, alright then.”

Before Marcus could figure out if that was a bad thing or a good thing, he was grabbed around the waist. He let out a startled squawk as he and his laundry bag were tossed over the Trapper’s shoulder.

Retrieving the box of medical supplies, the Slasher brought it with them as they made his way inside. Dropping Marcus just long enough to get him to set the laundry down, he immediately threw him back over his shoulder and started up the stairs to the second floor.

“So, I… wanted to talk to you about something,” Marcus finally got out. He’d been thinking about it a lot in the past couple of weeks and it seemed like the best chance to talk to Evan about it had finally arrived.

Dropping the box on the bathroom counter, Evan set him gently on his feet before crossing his arms. “What’s on your mind, pet?”

“I… I don’t know if this is something you even want to talk about, but I…” Marcus trailed off. Maybe it had been a stupid idea. What if he was being presumptuous and Evan got upset? They’d come a long way since they’d first met, but what if his feelings on the subject hadn’t changed?

A hand gently gripped his chin, tilting his head up so he was looking Evan in the eyes. He hadn’t even realized he’d looked down. The expression behind the Trapper’s mask was surprisingly calm, eyes clear of anger for once, possibly even concerned instead.

Dredging up the last shreds of his resolve, Marcus said, “I might be able to help with the pain. From the shrapnel. At least temporarily.”

Head tilting slightly, Evan growled quietly. “Huh… Really.”

“S-so, it would be a temporary measure,” he reiterated quickly. Evan’s hand was still holding his bottom jaw and it made him a little nervous, given his previous experience with the sensitive subject. “If you want me to try. I- I guess. If- if you’re in pain-”

“How would you do it?””

The question startled him slightly and he had to scramble to reorient his thoughts. “Oh, um, well, I- I guess I was thinking of trying to inject lidocaine at the base of each piece of shrapnel. It should numb the area for a little while, but when it wears off… I’m sorry, I was just-”

“I’ll think about it,” Evan interrupted, hand shifting to gently squeeze the back of his neck. “Get cleaned up, pet. Worry about me later. You look like you could use some rest.”

Rest was definitely in the cards, but Marcus was nowhere near ready to do any such thing. Getting to spend some time alone with one of his boyfriends wasn’t an opportunity he got all too often and he wanted to enjoy it as long as he could.

Grinning slightly, he asked, “Want to join me?”

Chuckling, Evan shook his head, hand falling back to his side. “Not this time, pet. I have some work to do.”

Reaching over to turn on the water, Marcus pursed his lips. “Are you sure? You know what they say about all work and no play.”

“I’ll play with you later,” he promised, smirking when the vet whipped around to look at him. “But I need to get this done. It was supposed to be finished weeks ago, but then I got distracted.”

Raising his eyebrows, Marcus almost asked what could have distracted him when he saw the look he was getting. Oh. He was the distraction. Nice. Smile growing even as he blushed, he nodded. “Okay, fair enough.”

“Good boy,” Evan growled, turning to leave. “I’ll be in my office.”

Marcus stood outside the tub for several minutes, staring at the bathroom door.

Good boy… Goddammit, Evan!

Okay. Maybe he was a little more ready for some more action then he’d thought… Groaning, he hurried to strip and get into the hot water. He almost forgot to take off the pendant Lisa had given him, but he set it aside with the clean clothes he’d brought to change into.

A part of him desperately wanted to make it a two minute shower so he could go find Evan. He wanted to see just how serious he was about his promise for later. How much later was he talking, anyway? Allowing himself to get distracted thinking about it, he ended up using body wash in his hair and shampoo on the rest of his body.

“Ah, come on,” he muttered, rinsing off and starting over. Did it really matter though? Soap was soap, right? He felt cleaner anyway, so he decided that was good enough.

Hesitating to shut the water off, he sighed. It was so nice and he really did need it after the night and day he’d had. How the hell was he already in the mood again? That’s what he really wanted to know. Sure, he’d always had an awfully high sex drive, but after the wake up call Danny had given him he’d thought for sure he’d be good for at least a couple of days. Then again, being in the Realm seemed to speed up the recovery of his libido as well as healing. No wonder Danny wanted him to live there full time.

Finally shutting off the water, Marcus took his time drying off before pulling on clean clothes. Since he had no idea what the hell the rest of his day was going to look like, he threw on some old jeans and a t-shirt. Hopefully he wouldn’t be getting covered in anymore blood, but if he had too, at least he wouldn’t be ruining a good pair of pants.

Remembering the way to Evan’s office, he didn’t try to sneak that time. He had no doubt the Trapper already knew he was coming thanks to his overly sensitive hearing.

Poking his head into the office, Marcus looked around before entering. Evan was seated behind the heavy wooden desk, several papers spread out in front of him. His mask was set off to one side, probably to avoid limiting his vision. Then again, with only a pair of oil lamps burning to shed light on his project, it wasn’t entirely clear how he was seeing much of anything.

Shuffling closer, Marcus decided it was probably best to announce himself even if his boyfriend did already know he was there. “Hey, I’m done in the shower.”

“Feeling better?” he asked, not looking up.

Closing the small distance between them, he smiled, confirming, “Much better. Thanks for letting me borrow the shower again.”

Leaning on the opposite side of the desk, he watched Evan write in long, flowing cursive; His handwriting was surprisingly beautiful for someone so outwardly violent. It was only made more odd by the incredibly detailed drawings of traps and how they should kill and maim the person inside them above the neat lettering.

Still, Marcus was horny and he couldn’t get the previous promise of ‘later’ out of his head. Was it later enough? He really hoped so.

“Can I sit on your lap?”

Evan’s hand paused immediately, before his face slowly raised to look at the vet. He squinted slightly, but his voice gave nothing away as he stated, “Yes.”

Grinning from ear to ear, Marcus made his way around the desk. Before he could turn so he could sit with his back to the Trapper’s chest, hands were grabbing his hips and pulling him onto the man's lap. Chest to chest, he could feel Evan’s laugh as it rumbled out of him.

“Is that what you were hoping for, pet?”

Able to feel Evan’s already half hard shaft beneath him despite the layers of clothing, he nodded quickly. “Y-yes.”

It was a statement, not a question, as he added, “You know you’re interrupting me.”

Swallowing thickly, Marcus once again answered, “Yeah, I know.”

His heart rate jumped when his chin was gently gripped between a thumb and finger, head tilted back as the bigger man leaned down, lips not quite touching his.

“You will wait, pet.” Again, not a question. An order.

Slightly annoyed that Evan of all people was telling him to wait, he decided to see just how much of a brat he could be. Letting out a long sigh, he verbally agreed, “Fine.”

The Trapper smiled at him, lips curving in a smug expression as he growled, “Good boy.”

Although the praise sent butterflies whirling in his stomach, Marcus was determined. Evan would probably still make him wait, but he’d make it just as difficult for him. He couldn’t control his scent, but he could probably make it impossible to ignore. Stretching to close the ever so slight distance between them, he pressed his mouth against the Trappers, lips parting in invitation.

He was met with a growl and a tongue dipping between his lips, licking over his teeth before his own tongue was pushed aside. The fingers on his chin were suddenly tight, the hand on his hip squeezing until he was whining for more into Evan’s mouth. Ha, that had been too easy.

Or not, it turned out, as Evan suddenly sat up straight again, warning, “Behave, pet. I’ll be done soon enough, then I’ll give you what you need.”

Groaning, Marcus reached up to carefully rest his hands against the larger man's chest. “Come on, please? You’ve been gone for two weeks! Take a break. Relax a little.”

Eyes blazing, the Trapper let out a small huff. “I need to get this done. I told Amanda I’d have all this ready months ago and I don’t feel like dealing with her if she has to wait much longer.”

Although Marcus was insanely curious about what exactly the pair were working on, he wasn’t about to get side tracked.

“But you’re going to have to deal with me if I have to wait,” he countered, pushing his hips forward. It offered a bit of friction and his dick twitched in his pants. “I’ve been taking lessons from Danny and now I’m thirty-two percent more annoying!”

There was a sharp inhale above his head and he rolled his eyes up to look. Evan was glaring down at him, lips a thin line as he breathed through his nose.

Grinning, he repeated the motion. Slowly rolling his hips, he ground down on the Trappers lap as he pressed himself against his abdomen. The fingers on his chin slid down, hand opening more to wrap around his neck. The slight pressure made him shiver with anticipation and he murmured, “Amanda’s waited this long. I’m sure she won’t mind waiting a little while longer.”

“Pet…” he growled. “This is your last warning. Behave, or I’ll punish you.”

Marcus wasn’t sure why he did it. Maybe it was because he wanted to see just how far Evan would go, or to see how much he could actually take. Reaching up, he wrapped his arms around the back of the Trapper’s neck for better leverage. Grinning smugly, he pressed himself against his boyfriend as hard as he could.

The hand around his neck squeezed tighter, not hard enough to cut off his breathing, but hard enough to keep him from trying to escape. “Alright then, pet.”

Choking slightly as he was lifted off Evan’s lap, Marcus yelped when he was spun around and pressed against the desk. An arm reached past him, moving the papers aside into a neat pile before he was shoved down, bent in half over the furniture. The hand on his throat shifted around to the back of his neck, holding him in place as the Trapper pressed close behind him.

“I’m starting to think you want me to punish you, pet. Is that it?”

Marcus huffed defiantly. “I want you to fuck me, but you’re making me work for it.”

“You didn’t have to work for it, you just had to wait,” Evan growled, reaching underneath him to roughly tug his belt loose before undoing the zipper of his jeans. Pulling the vet’s pants and boxers down part way, he grabbed his ass with bruising pressure.

Gasping quietly as each side was felt and kneaded in turn, Marcus was about to beg for more when Evan spanked him. Hard.

“FUCK! What the h-” He was cut off by another hard slap to the other cheek and his question turned into a howl. Whimpering when Evan leaned over his back, he braced himself for whatever was next. Yep, yep, he’d said he was going to punish him. He should have listened.

Chest not quite touching the vet’s back, he growled close to Marcus’s ear, “Feeling naughty today, are we?”

When he was slow to respond, Evan dug his fingers into the meat of his left ass cheek and he whined, “Ah! A- a little.”

Straightening up again, the Trapper let out a gruff laugh before smacking him two more times on each side.

Nearly in tears from the stinging pain radiating from his backside, Marcus whimpered when he felt Evan raising his arm again. Instead of being spanked, he heard the telltale rustle of clothes as he undid the straps on his overalls. Something heavy dropped against his ass and he gulped. Evan was going to prep him first right? At least with spit? He had never been one to take it dry and he wasn’t about to start with someone as big as the Trapper.

“You feel that?” the Slasher growled, low and hungry.

Marcus couldn’t nod with the grip on the back of his neck, so he stammered, “Y-yes, Evan.”

There was a low chuckle, then another question. “You want that inside you, pet?”

“Yes, Evan,” he repeated quickly. “P-please use lube or- or s-something, though.”

Another spank had him crying out, hands scrabbling at the desk in a futile attempt to escape. That earned him another smack and he felt tears well up in his eyes. Yeah, maybe he should have waited…

A pathetic whine spilled out of him when both Evan’s hands moved to grip his hips and he dared to look back at him. The Trapper had yet to pull his mask back on but it didn’t matter. His expression was stoic, yet his eyes were cold and hard as they bored into the vet’s. On the flip side, Marcus looked slightly panicked; eyes wide and damp, mouth a thin line, legs shaking.

“Tell me, pet…” Evan growled, releasing him entirely before sitting back down. “Are you ready to behave?”

Marcus wasn’t sure how to respond to that. If he said yes, did that mean he’d finally get sex? If he said no, that definitely meant he’d be punished more and he wasn’t sure he could handle getting spanked again. His ass hurt goddamn it.

Before he could figure out what to say, his pants were grabbed and he was yanked backwards off the desk. Spun around before he could land on Evan’s lap again, he ended up half falling against him anyway. The Trapper’s dick was pressing against his chest, his chin resting on the man's stomach as he looked up at him with wide eyes.

Gently running one hand through his hair, Evan gazed down at him thoughtfully. Marcus whimpered when the hair on the back back of his head was roughly grabbed, but the Trapper ignored him, growling, “You done acting like a fucking brat?”

Swallowing nervously, Marcus shrugged. He could still feel Evan’s cock pressing against his chest and it was quite distracting. Wincing as his head was pulled back, he stammered, “Pr-probably not, if we’re being honest here.”

“I have work to do, pet. And since you’re so desperate, so do you. Get busy.”

“Get busy?” he asked, squinting up at him. Pulled back and down slightly so the Trapper’s dick was brushing the underside of his chin, his eyes widened. Oh. That kind of busy… “What’s in it for me?”

Grinning wickedly, the Trapper promised, “When I’m done, I’ll tend to you.”

“Why do I have to wait if you don’t?” Marcus argued petulantly.

“Because it’s pretty clear you need a lesson in patience, brat.”

Brat?! Evan had never called him a brat before, but it wasn’t wrong… and it may or may not have made heat pool in his stomach, adding to the desperate need he was already feeling. Come to think of it, he’d never actually been called a brat by anyone in that kind of setting before. Then again, he’d never had anyone like Evan before either.

Slightly proud of himself, he still grumbled, “I don’t know if I need a lesson, really… I’m definitely more patient than you.”

In answer, Evan yanked his head back at a painful angle. “Just how deep a grave are you trying to dig yourself, pet? You know what I’m telling you to do. You know the sooner you do it, the sooner you get what you want. So open up and get busy.”

Throwing all sense of caution and self-preservation to the wind, he shot back, “Make me.”

A slow grin spread across the Trappers face, eyes glittering as he nodded. Marcus had just given him permission to stop holding back, and he was going to enjoy every second of it. “If that’s what you want, pet.”

With that, he slid his free hand under the vet’s bottom jaw. Marcus immediately assumed he was going to be choked until he opened his mouth to try and breath, but Evan had something else in mind. A finger and thumb pressed into each side of his jaw, right where the bones hinged together. The mussels immediately went loose as pressure was applied and he couldn’t stop his mouth from falling open slightly with a thin whine of pain.

Releasing his handful of ginger hair, Evan gripped the base of his own dick instead. Pressing the tip against Marcus’s parted lips, he chuckled mirthlessly, “Open wide, pet. Or I will open it for you.”

Marcus swallowed, but refused to open any wider. It was the Trapper’s turn to work for it, or wait.

As if reading the vet’s mind, he nodded, a smug grin on his lips. Releasing his cock, Evan shoved a thumb into his mouth. Marcus yelped as the digit was pressed firmly into the soft spot underneath his tongue, forcing him to open wider.

Using his hold on the vet’s mouth, Evan pulled him forward and down onto his shaft. Eyes watering from the painful strain on his jaw, Marcus did his best to make eye contact.

“If I feel teeth, I’m going to tie you up and leave you on Myers front porch… Do you understand, brat?”

Marcus gulped, doing his best to relax his jaw. Michael would not be so lenient with him if he decided to push his buttons. Hell, he’d already been a defiant little shit to him earlier and lived to tell the tale. He wasn’t about to try it again though.

The thumb slid out of his mouth and he carefully closed his lips around Evan’s shaft. Raising his hands, he whined quietly. He needed to readjust his legs or he wasn’t going to be able to do much more than sit there with a dick halfway in his mouth.

Head tilting slightly, Evan studied him for a moment before allowing, “Get comfortable.”

Pulling back slightly, he gasped through his nose when a hand clamped down on the back of his head. Looking up at Evan again, he hummed a wordless plea. Yes, he was getting better at sucking dick but he was nowhere near as capable as Danny. If Evan shoved into the back of his throat right off the bat, there would be teeth. Unintentional, but teeth non the less.

“I said get comfortable, not get off, brat.”

Marcus could feel his dick straining against his boxers, traitorously spurred on by the commanding tone. He also knew he didn’t need to tell Evan calling him a brat was fine. It didn’t strike him as demeaning, and undoubtedly the Trapper already knew; able to smell the spike in his mood each time he said it.

Shifting his legs until he was better supported on his knees, Marcus hummed again to let Evan know he was ready. The hand on the back of his head slowly lifted, going back to somewhere above him as his boyfriend resumed the project he’d previously been working on.

Not ready to give in but not about to risk being handed off to the Haddonfield Boogeyman, Marcus slowly began working his tongue up and down Evan’s shaft. Maybe… No, he better not… Then again… As long as he was careful, Evan probably wouldn’t notice. His attention was already divided between his work and his dick… Fuck it. It was worth the risk. He wasn’t about to do all the work and not get something for himself…

Gripping Evan’s shaft with one hand, he carefully dropped the other between his own legs. So far so good. Keeping his eyes up so he could watch for any signs that he was about to be found out, he carefully pulled himself free from his boxers.

He started out as gently as he could, not wanting to move faster than the pace he was setting with Evan. Too much movement would make what he was up to obvious and he had no doubt that the Trapper would stop him, if not punish him. Oh well, the risk only added to the fun.

Maybe that was why he allowed himself to get as into it as he did. Running his hand and tongue over Evan’s cock, taking more into his mouth with each pass. Eyelids fluttering closed after a couple of minutes, he breathed through his nose, trying to maintain a steady rhythm as he jerked himself off.

The risk of punishment battling the promise of reward was at the forefront of the vet’s mind, only adding to the thrill of the action. Hand working over his own member as he sucked and lapped at the Trappers, he could feel his gut tightening. Shit, he was getting close faster than he’d expected.

Barely noticing when a hand gently rested against the back of his head, he let out a muffled yelp when he was suddenly pushed down. Scrabbling wildly at Evan’s legs with both hands, he gagged painfully as he tried to force his throat to relax. It took him a decent minute but he finally relaxed enough not to choke as he looked up at Evan with watery eyes.

He was staring down at him, mask back on and face unreadable. Shit…

“Pet…”

Marcus could barely swallow thanks to the obstruction in his throat, so he hummed weakly.

“Pushing it today,” Evan growled, still holding him down. “So impatient. Couldn’t wait until I was done, didn’t notice when I finished my work… touching yourself without permission…”

He winced. Okay, he wasn’t as subtle as he thought, apparently. Pulled off the Trapper’s shaft by his hair, Marcus whined, bringing his hands up to grab at his wrist. Before he could plead his case, Evan stood, hand still in his hair as he loomed over him.

“Stand up,” he ordered, and after a very short moment of hesitation, Marcus forced his legs underneath him.

Releasing his hair, Evan made a spinning motion with one finger. “Shirt off. Turn around.”

Marcus opened his mouth to argue and was immediately snarled at. Flinching, he quickly spun around, putting his back to Evan and facing the desk in front of them. The papers he’d been working on were all neatly stacked and set aside, leaving the top of the desk clear. A hand grabbed the back of his neck the second his shirt was off and he was shoved down, once again bent over the heavy furniture.

“Ah, E-Evan, please,” he begged, tensing as the body behind him pressed closer. “I’m sorry!”

“For what?” he growled, fingertips digging into the sides of his neck.

Gasping when a hand gripped his tender ass, he rushed out, “I’m sorry for not behaving!”

There was a momentary pause before the Trapper asked in a low menacing tone, “Anything else, pet?”

“N-no?” he offered hesitantly. He shrieked almost immediately as he was spanked again. “Gah, fu-fuck! Wha-”

“Did you really think I wouldn’t notice you touching yourself?”

“I- I was hoping,” he admitted sheepishly. Cringing when the hand left his ass again, he was shocked when one of his wrists was grabbed instead. Arm pulled behind his back, he didn’t try to move it when it was released so Evan could pull his other arm behind him as well.

Gulping as his wrists were deftly tied together, he asked shakily, “Th-there weren’t any teeth, r-right?”

A dark laugh answered him and he whimpered, “Please, Evan! Please don’t offer me to Myers!”

“Oh, no pet. Not this time,” he promised. “You did fine, even if you were a disobedient brat the whole time… No, this is something Danny showed me.”

“What?!” Marcus shrieked. Oh, no. No, no, no. Danny was nuts. What the hell had he shown Evan? And why did he get the feeling he’d shown Evan specifically so he could do it to him?!

Strong fingers returned to the back of his neck, holding him down and rendering his struggling completely useless. A hand slipped underneath him and he choked, slightly worried Evan was going to bend his dick backwards on itself as punishment. A very short lived previous fling had tried that once in a spur of the moment attempt to introduce pain play to their sex life… Marcus had broken his nose and their relationship with one well placed kick. Apparently he wasn’t as into receiving pain as he was dealing it.

Instead of pain, he felt rough fingers carefully sliding over his shaft, dragging something tight down to the base. The same pressure was quickly applied to his balls, and his eyes widened. Danny had given Evan a fucking cock ring and showed him how to use it.

“What was it you asked me?” came the taunting growl, hot breath puffing against his ear. “What would you have to do to get a ring on it?”

“I- I meant my f-finger,” he stammered. “And I- I was joking.”

“You want to stop, you know what to say, pet,” Evan chuckled. “So, what’s it going to be?”

Raising his eyebrows even though he couldn’t turn to look at him, Marcus snarked, “I’ve survived Danny this long. I think I can handle you.”

There was a low growl, carrying on just long enough for the vet to wonder why the hell he was still pressing Evan’s buttons. He’d finished his work. He was obviously ready to proceed with the evening. Yet, he still ran his mouth!

An arm looped around his waist and before he could figure out why, he was slung over the Trapper’s shoulder, hands still bound behind his back. It was no mystery where they were going, but Marcus still found himself asking, “What, the desk not good enough?”

Instead of spanking him, Evan turned his head and sank two sets of teeth into the side of his thigh.

Marcus yelped, entirely thrown by the action. It hurt, obviously, but not in a way that he wasn’t already familiar with. He kind of liked it, actually… Shuddering when a tongue lapped over both sets of bite marks, he murmured, “Still doesn’t answer my question…”

“The office is for work, pet,” Evan growled, kicking the bedroom door closed behind them. Dropping him face down on the bed, he didn’t give the vet a chance to get up. Grabbing his hips, he yanked him onto his knees before tugging his pants and underwear off the rest of the way.

Breath hitching when the bed dipped behind him, Marcus jolted slightly when hands grabbed his hips again. Rough fingers ran over his thighs and he murmured happily. He was just starting to think Evan was done punishing him when fingers dug into the meat of his ass, spreading him open for something much bigger than a finger rub teasingly against him.

Squeaking, he stammered, “Um, E-Evan? A-are you going to… prep me at all first?”

“Now why would I do something like that?” he asked, voice low and hungry.

Feeling the head of Evan’s cock press against his entirely unprepared hole, he whimpered desperately, “Please, Evan! M-mercy!”

There was a sharp inhale behind him and for a moment he wondered if he was going to be spanked again or have a finger shoved inside him instead. None of the above happened, the bed dipping on either side of him as Evan planted a hand on each side of his head.

Marcus tried to drop his hips, but a deep snarl beside his ear made him freeze.

Leaning down so his breath puffed over the back of the vets' neck with each word, Evan growled, “Stay, brat. Unless you want me to see just what shade of red your ass can reach. Now… what was it you were asking for?”

Gulping, Marcus's voice was thin as he begged, “Me-mercy? I- I’ll behave. I swear.”

“Good boys receive mercy, pet. You’ve been a disobedient brat since you got out of the shower.”

“I- I’m sorry,” he offered, shaking underneath him. He could still feel him pressing against his rim, unrelenting as Evan forced him to hold his position with his words alone. As badly as he wanted to drop his hips, he knew doing so would only lead to more punishment and with a ring around his dick, he wasn’t about to prolong it.

Crying out as the Trapper slowly pushed the head of his cock into him, he begged again, “Mercy, please Evan!”

“Time to adjust is the only mercy you’re going to get,” Evan growled, slowly sinking into him. Letting out a low groan as tight heat enveloped him, he ordered, “If you want to cum, show me you’ve learned your lesson, pet.”

“Ahha, Evan,” he keened, legs shaking. Feeling like he was going to collapse under the weight pressing down onto him, he whimpered, “I- I’m- I’m trying! I want to be good, I do, but- Ah! You- you’re really heavy!”

Gasping when hands gripped his hips to help take some of the weight off him, he babbled, “Thank you, Evan. Thank you, oh god, thank you. Please, more.”

“More?” Evan growled smugly. “More what, pet?”

The hunger in his voice made Marcus gulp. The Trapper had indeed given him some time to adjust, having stilled once the head of his shaft was fully inside him. He wanted- no, he needed Evan to believe him; he’d caved, accepting his place and now desperately wanting to be rewarded with a more gentle hand. To be touched and fucked.

With the grip on his hips he couldn’t rock himself back onto Evan in an effort to show his submission, so he desperately implored, “Please, please fuck me. Claim me. Make me yours, Evan. Please.”

Marcus couldn’t help but cry out as he was pulled back slightly, split open on the Trapper’s shaft. The stretch was painful but at the same time, it left him wanting more. The pain was sending electricity through his body, curling his toes and bringing tears to the corners of his eyes. When he tried to grit his teeth against the sounds he was making, mildly embarrassed by how completely undone Evan already had him, a hand connected with his ass cheek and he let out a choked sob.

“Don’t try and hide from me,” he ordered, one hand returning to the bed beside Marcus’s head, teasingly close but no longer touching. Pushing forward again, he slowly worked more of his girth into the vet and Marcus whimpered, “Mhh gaah, fuck, Evan!”

“Almost there, pet. You’re taking me so well. Just a bit more.”

Slick with lube, the only thing keeping Evan from snapping his hips forward and forcing the vet to take him the rest of the way all at once was his own self restraint. Knowing what the man could do, knowing he was so completely helpless underneath the Slasher, sent an interesting combination of terror and arousal through Marcus that he knew the Trapper could smell.

Marcus gasped and panted, nearly delirious from the mix of pain and pleasure. He wasn’t sure he’d ever been so high on such a seemingly conflicting combination but he found that he loved it. When Evan’s hips pressed against his body, cock finally sheathed entirely inside him, he moaned into the bed. Oh, it had definitely been worth it.

Fingers returned to his hair, yanking his head up so he had nothing to stifle his cries. Both his pitch and volume rose as Evan began pulling back, shaft dragging against his walls as his body tensed and squeezed around him.

When the head of the Trapper’s cock began to tug at the edges of his hole, Marcus begged desperately, “Nononono, Evan, please! Fuck me, please I- I need you inside me!”

“So desperate,” he growled, slowly pushing forward again instead of pulling all the way out. Repeating the motion in a slow, steady rhythm that made Marcus’s body tense and needy cries spill from his lips, Evan praised, “That’s right, pet. Such a good boy now. I’ll give you what you need… In time.”

Groaning each time his prostate was teased with just enough pressure to make his aching cock twitch and hands clench, Marcus nearly sobbed, “God, please Evan? Mercy, please! I’ll behave, I swear! I want to behave for you, I promise! Just- just please let me cum!”

“I gave you a chance to behave,” he growled, not changing the pace at which he was slowly dragging in and out of him. “You wanted to keep acting like a brat, so now… you’re going… to wait.”

He’d prove his point. The vet had dug his grave, now he got to lay in it.

Marcus couldn’t help the sounds he made or the way his legs trembled as the Trapper gently rocked his hips each time their skin would meet. The Slasher leaned over his back, easily keeping him in place by pressing his weight down onto him.

“Gonna’ fill you,” Evan growled, rolling his hips and grinding as deep as he could. “Not just once, pet. Gonna’ breed you, make you mine.”

The slow, intimate, roll of his hips didn’t stop as he came and Marcus whimpered and moaned as heat filled his abdomen. He could feel cum being forced out around the Trappers shaft, dripping down his quivering thighs in wet trails. Two sets of teeth sank into his shoulder, first from the mask, digging in deep and drawing blood in a pair of matching crescents; then, from Evan as he bit and sucked a dark bruise into the freckled skin between them.

Babbling and groaning, Marcus was entirely unsure what he was saying but desperately trying to plead for more all the same. There was so much going on, too much probably, and he found himself unable to focus on any one thing. Above all, he wanted to cum. That he did know, even if it seemed like a hopeless goal for the time being.

A hand slid over his side, squeezing and massaging his body before cupping his tender ass cheek. Fingers caressed him, feeling the shape of him before dipping down his outer thigh. Evan pulled back ever so slightly to balance as he moved his hand under the vet’s body, stopping only when his palm was flat on his abdomen, just above the base of his leaking cock. The teeth in his shoulder withdrew and lips brushed his ear, calling his attention in time to hear Evan whisper, “So good, pet. Taking me so well now. No more arguing, letting me fill you so perfectly and still begging for more.”

Marcus so desperately needed to cum but with a ring around his balls and the base of his shaft, his body just wouldn’t cooperate. His hands were still tied behind his back for misbehaving earlier, so touching himself wasn’t an option either. With as high as he was being forced to hold his ass, the angle it allowed Evan to take him from ensured there was no reprieve; he could feel every twitch and pulse inside him.

“Trapper, please let me cum,” he begged, cock hanging leaking and untouched between his legs. “Please, Trapper!”

The hand on his abdomen shifted, sliding over his back before fingers were wrapping around the back of his neck. Weight suddenly dropped onto his hips and he was forced flat against the bed with a started yelp. His dick was pressed tightly between the mattress and his own body but he was unable to move, the lack of friction somehow worse than the lack of touch.

“I’m going to breed you over and over, pet,” Evan growled, voice thick. “You’re going to take it like a good boy. Aren’t you?”

“Y-yes, anything! Please, Trapper,” he begged, voice trembling. “Please, fill me.”

“You’re mine,” he claimed, fingers slipping around the front of the vet’s neck. Giving him a firm squeeze, he asked, “Do you understand?”

Whimpering when a low growl rumbled in the Trapper’s chest, Marcus quickly promised, “I’m yours, Evan. All yours.”

Pulling out, he lifted his weight off the vet’s body before ordering, “Roll over.”

Marcus gulped, wondering what Evan was planning. Still, he rolled onto his back without a word of complaint, just wanting to feel the heat of the Trapper’s skin against him again. A hand slipped into his hair from a different angle, fingers easily finding purchase in the long red strands.

His breathing hitched at the touch and he turned his face into Evan’s arm, desperate for anything he was to be given. Willingly allowing his head to be tilted back to expose his throat, he gasped quietly when Evan positioned himself over his body, caging him in with his much larger frame.

Bone brushed his cheek as the Trapper leaned in close and he lifted his chin slightly, offering his neck as best he could.

“Good boy, so eager to please now,” Evan growled and he melted at the praise.

As expected, sharp teeth pressed into his throat a moment later. There was no build up in the bite, no slow press of the mask's teeth into his skin before drawing blood. Although they didn’t go any deeper than usual, the sudden aggressive bite made him buck underneath the Trapper.

Fingernails dug into his hip in warning and he whimpered, “I’m sorry, Evan! I-it wasn’t on purpose!”

“I know, pet,” lips said against his skin. The fingers on his hip let up, no longer bruising but still offering the warmth and comfort of Evan’s touch. “I think now that you’ve changed your tune so nicely… it’s time to see just how serious you are about behaving.”

The hand on his hip slid further over and he begged, “Please let me show you! I’ll be good!”

Evan hummed, gently brushing the tips of his fingers along the underside of the vet’s shaft; the touch making Marcus weakly plead for more. There was a dark chuckle above him and the Trapper began wetting him with his own pre-cum as it leaked from his tip.

It took all Marcus’s self control not to try and thrust into Evan’s hand. He still wasn’t gripping him, just teasing him with gentle, feather light touches. It wouldn’t have mattered either way since he still had a cock ring keeping him from release.

“Who’s in charge here, pet?” he growled, licking a stripe through the trails of blood on the ginger's neck.

“Y-you are,” he answered immediately.

There was a thoughtful hum and Evan shifted his stance, placing his legs between the vets instead of outside of them. He didn’t even need to press his knees into the young man’s thighs. Readily opening himself to the man above, Marcus silently begged for more with his body.

“Who is in charge, pet?” he asked again.

“Mmf, ah, g-god,” he squeaked, eyes watering. Unsure what else he could say but desperate for stimulation, he stammered, “Y-you are, E-Evan?”

“Hmmm, almost there, pet,” he soothed, fingers beginning to pull long, slow, tortuous strokes over his cock. “You’re so close. Who’s in charge?”

“You’re in charge, Trapper,” Marcus tried, bracing himself for further punishment. Instead, he felt fingers carefully sliding the cock ring off before a hand was wrapping around him in its place.

“Good boy,” Evan praised, roughly sinking back into his leaking hole as he began to stroke him. “Now, cum for me.”

Marcus let out a broken moan, the relief overpowering as he was finally allowed release. Muscles spasming in waves, his body shivered uncontrollably as the hand continued to stroke him, keeping him hard and beginning to build a second orgasm.

The mask’s teeth withdrew from his neck, only to be replaced by sharper than normal human teeth instead. Tilting his head more to the side to willingly offer himself to the Slasher, he whimpered, “Thank you, Trapper.”

His show of submission was met with a low growl that vibrated through his body. Worried he was still in trouble, he tried to shrink down lower underneath Evan, promising, “I-I’ll behave, I swear!”

“Good,” he chuckled, pulling out of him again. Releasing his cock so he could grip him by both hips, Evan held him in place.

Protesting softly at the loss of both fullness and touch, Marcus bit his tongue with a small squeak. Behave. He wanted more and he knew Evan would give it to him if he was good. Otherwise… Well, his stinging ass was enough of a reminder to keep him in line.

Able to see the Trapper face to mask, Marcus met his eyes before quickly looking down, awaiting instruction. A hand gently gripped his neck and he gulped, heart rate leaping at the touch. Maybe he’d taken things a bit too far… Well, that was why they had a safeword, but so far he hadn’t felt the need to use it.

“Look at me, pet,” Evan ordered, and his eyes immediately returned to the man's face. “Now, what are you going to do when I give you an order?”

“F-follow it. You’re in charge, Trapper. I’ll do whatever you say,” Marcus answered, not daring to break his stare even though he wanted to. No matter how much their relationship grew, he wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to hold his gaze for very long. There was a weight in his eyes, a heaviness that the young man knew he’d never be able to understand. Perhaps that was a good thing…

Not resisting when his legs were raised to hook over Evan’s hips, he did his best to continue looking him in the eye. When the head of the Slashers cock pressed teasingly at his entrance again, he nearly lost his focus and let his eyes drop, if only to watch the show. He didn’t break until the Trapper was inside him, rubbing over the bundle of nerves that instantly sent white spots through his vision; back arching and eyes rolling as he was nearly overwhelmed by the sensation. The hand on his neck tightened, pressing him back down and pulling a fearful whimper from him.

“I’m sorry, Trapper!” he squeaked, fingers clenching the sheets beneath him. He was sure he was going to be punished more, maybe denied release or touch again. As the Slasher’s mask moved closer to his face, his eyes widened but he didn’t dare look away again.

Instead, hot breaths puffed against his cheek as Evan leaned over him. Pressing a kiss into his temple, he growled, “Shh, pet. I know when you’re misbehaving intentionally. I won’t punish you for this.”

Marcus started to thank him but it turned into an obscene moan as teeth clipped his ear. Back arching again as Evan began short rough thrusts into him, he managed to pant out, “Th-thank you. Ah, god, thank you!”

Wheezing as he was suddenly choked, he could feel Evan’s lips against his ear as he warned, “There is no god here, pet. Only me. And the only sounds I want to hear from you…”

Marcus howled as the Trapper pulled almost all the way out before slamming back into him. The sensation was overpowering, making him cum again. A hand ran over his chest, thumb finding his nipple and rubbing small circles over the sensitive nub before it was caught between fingers and pinched. Voice breaking from the volume of his cry, he barely heard what Evan said.

“Hmm, that’s the sound,” he chuckled, settling into a merciless pace of short hard thrusts. It didn’t take him long to cum a second time, having been building up and denying his own need for so long.

Leg’s jerking and toes curling, Marcus came as well, pushed over the edge by the heat being pumped deep into his guts and the fingers still pinching and squeezing his chest. A part of him never wanted it to end; the ecstasy and pleasure and pain of overstimulation. It filled his mind and body and distracted him from everything else. All that mattered was what was happening now.

Releasing his grip on the vet’s throat, Evan moved his hand into his hair. Pressing kisses up the front of Marcus’s neck, he settled into a slow rocking motion, prolonging his own pleasure as he worked the fucked out vet into a delirious puddle.

Panting and whimpering with every movement, Marcus was entirely relaxed in his hands. His trust and faith in the man above him allowing him to let everything else go and just enjoy the moment.

Mouthing gently at his throat, Evan asked quietly, “Would you like to stop for now, pet?”

“Hrmm?” he asked, almost sounding drunk. “Mm, you like… to keep going for a while though.”

Grinning against the vet’s skin, he growled, “I do… but this took a lot out of you, pet. You’ve cum three times already and I don’t want to overstimulate you too much.”

“You’re so good to me,” he murmured, arching his back to press himself against the Trapper’s body. He felt a growl run through him, warning him he was pushing back into dangerous territory. “I… wouldn’t mind going a bit longer. If you want to.”

Evan was silent for a moment, studying him with an unreadable expression from behind his mask. Reaching between them, he took the vet in one hand and stroked him gently a couple of times.

That was enough to draw an almost pained cry from Marcus and he was immediately released. Panting, he looked up at Evan with a questioning expression. That had been… unpleasant. It wasn’t like he’d squeezed too hard or moved too fast, but the sensation had been more like sandpaper than his warm rough fingers.

“We’re done for now, pet,” Evan soothed. Kissing his neck as he gently pulled out of him, he said, “You’re more sensitive than you realize and going any further might hurt you.”

Not protesting as he was gently cleaned up with a towel, he sighed, “You really are too good to me, Evan.”

He paused, tossing the dirty towel off the bed before laying down and very gently pulling the vet onto his chest. Reaching up, he untied his wrists as he answered, “You deserve to be treated well, pet.”

Relaxing against the warm body now beneath him, he murmured, “Thank you, Evan. Really.”

Hands gently running up and down Marcus’s back, he was silent for a moment before asking, “For what?”

“I was… kinda lost in the feeling and I put myself and you in a position I shouldn’t have. So… thank you for seeing that and walking me back. I’ve… had partners not do that before and you’re right. I got hurt.”

“You know I’d never hurt you, pet.”

“You choked me for going out in the fog alone like… two hours ago.”

Evan was silent for a moment before grunting, “Don’t go out in the fog alone.”

“I can’t promise anything,” he warned.

Laughing quietly, the Slasher nodded. “I know, pet. I know.”
~~~~

Chapter Text

Night had finally arrived and Dwight hadn’t heard anything else from Marcus. He really hoped he hadn’t gotten eaten by the alligator he was providing care for… Who knew veterinary medicine could be such a dangerous line of work? But non-domestic animals needed health care too, he supposed.

Sitting on the hotel bed, he dug into a burrito and tried to find something good on TV. Nothing interesting seemed to be on, so he texted Jake, I got an interesting call from Leon earlier…’

Going back to channel surfing, he jumped slightly when his phone started ringing. Jake must not be too busy if he was calling him back instead of texting him.

Answering the phone, Dwight wasn’t even able to say ‘hi’ before Jake blurted out, “It wasn’t me!”

Confused, he asked, “What?!”

“It wasn’t me,” his friend repeated, sounding much more calm. “I didn’t tell Leon…”

“I didn’t think you had,” Dwight laughed. “Meg?”

There was a long pause, then, “I don’t think she even meant to tell him. She and Claudette were talking and I guess he walked in right when she said the wrong thing…”

Shrugging even though Jake couldn’t see it, he excused, “It’s fine. I know she wouldn’t try to get me in trouble. I actually didn’t know that the clinic Marcus works at was the site of a suspected Killer attack, so that was kind of a fun heads up. Hey, speaking of… something really weird happened at his place.”

“You went to his house? Alone?!”

Waving a hand, Dwight tried to reason, “I’m not sixteen! I can do things by myself! Besides, nothing bad happened! He was going to introduce me to his roommates but they were out getting groceries! His landlord ended up showing up and it kinda spooked him since he’s not supposed to have any pets and I was kinda hiding out in the bathroom with the snake I was telling you about-”

“Jesus Christ, dude…”

“Yeah, I guess it sounds pretty bad when I say it like that,” Dwight admitted, laughing nervously. “But nothing bad happened!”

“You did say something weird happened though…” Jake reminded him. “Is everything okay?”

“Oh, yeah,” he mumbled, starting to wonder if it was even worth bringing up. “Do you remember… before we got out?”

There was a beat of silence, then a short, “Yes.”

“You remember how it felt when we’d get called for a Trial? That cold, creeping ache in your bones?”

“Dwight?! What the hell happened?!”

“Nothing! Just- just the closet felt… off. Like, I walked past it and I got that same weird feeling!” he explained quickly. “But he’s not a Killer! I do know that much!”

“You need to come home,” Jake decided. “Tonight. I’m sorry, but that’s too weird.”

“I’m not leaving already,” Dwight argued stubbornly. “I’ll cut my trip early if I absolutely have to, but I’m not going to just get up and leave. I’m sure it was just me being nervous over nothing.”

Sounding concerned, Jake immediately shot back, “That kind of feeling isn’t nothing! Look, Dwight, this is the kind of thing we’re always talking about. Any sign or feeling or hint that there could be a Killer in the area, and we get the hell out of there.”

Dwight was really starting to regret saying anything at all. He’d hoped Jake would be able to offer him some actual advice, not tell him to run away again. He was tired of running away. Well, things were different. No more running…

“Jake, I’ll be okay,” he stated firmly. “Nothing is going to happen, and I’m not running away from nothing.”

He heard a long sigh followed by the beginning of a question that started and stopped several times. Finally, Jake asked, “You’re sure you can trust this guy?”

“Yes,” he promised. “And, um… I kinda… slept with him already… So that happened. Finally. Yay?”

That did get a small laugh out of the other Survivor before he asked, “Was he any good, at least?”

Cheeks heating up as he remembered it, Dwight couldn’t help the goofy grin on his face. “It was actually… really great. He was super nice the whole time and just… I know it’s never going to be anything serious but I really hope we can do it again before I have to go back to the Pocket.”

“Dwight… are you really risking your life over dick?” Jake deadpanned.

Nearly dropping his phone, he fumbled to keep a hold of it before half shouting, “No! But that’s because- because I’m- I’m… I’m not risking my life.”

“Ha!” Jake cackled. Sighing again, he said more kindly, “I’m glad your first time was good. But please be careful. You know it’s dangerous to stay in one place so long, especially alone.”

Letting out a sigh of his own, Dwight asked, “Do you think… there will ever be a way we can live normal lives again?”

“I… don’t know,” Jake admitted quietly. “Sometimes I wish we could have all just gone back to our old lives the minute we got out… But mostly, I think it’s better this way. With everything that happened, the things we all went through… I don’t think we’ll ever really fit back into normal society again.”

Flopping back on his bed, Dwight stared forlornly at the ceiling. “Yeah, I guess. I’m just tired of always hiding.”

“I know, but… maybe it’s better this way,” Jake offered softly. “At least for now? Maybe… Maybe someday we’ll be able to stop hiding like this. But for now-”

“For now we need to stay out of the public eye and avoid Killers at all costs,” Dwight finished. “I know.”

Jake sighed, quiet for a moment before asking slowly, “All the weird shit going on around your new friend… Marcus, right?”

“Yes?”

“Do you think it’s possible… he’s being targeted by a Killer?”

Dwight felt his heart drop into his stomach. Oh, no… He hadn’t even considered that as a possibility, but Ghostface had been in the town recently. “I- I don’t know… How would I figure out if he was without scaring him?”

“Try asking if his house has been broken into recently. Or… if he’s felt like he’s being watched. Anything strange happening in his day to day? Stuff that sounds kinda vague but will let you know if there’s a Killer sniffing around.”

“What if there is?!” Dwight demanded. Clearing his throat, he asked more calmly, “What am I supposed to do if there is? Tell him? Hey, I know we’ve only known each other for like, a week, but I need you to trust me when I tell you that there’s a supernaturally powered mass murderer planning to kill you and I can’t tell you how I know that?”

Jake was quiet for so long Dwight started to worry the call had dropped. Just when he was about to check, the other Survivor said, “If you get confirmation that he’s being targeted, call me. I’m going to give Meg and Claudette a heads up, but if need be… bring him to the Pocket with you.”

It was Dwight’s turn to go completely silent as his brain short circuited. Finally, he managed to stammer, “I- I can’t just- that’s against the rules! Leon would probably shoot him on sight! Then me!”

Laughing slightly, Jake argued, “Leon wouldn’t shoot you. At least not with the intention of killing you. Ada might though.”

“Oh, haha,” he griped, rolling his eyes. “But you know I can’t just bring him to the Pocket.”

“Well… if he is being targeted, there’s nowhere safer. It’s either that, or just leave him and hope for the best.”

Gut twisting uncomfortably, Dwight nodded. “Yeah… Well, I’ll see what I can figure out next time I talk to him. He left this morning to help a friend with her pet alligator.”

“I think I misheard you,” Jake said, sounding confused. “He’s helping with what?”

“A friend’s pet alligator needed veterinary care,” he elaborated. “That’s about all I know.”

“I… really want to meet this guy. I’m not going to lie,” Jake admitted. “Do you think… Hmm.”

Starting to grin, Dwight asked, “You’re thinking of sneaking out and coming over here, aren’t you?”

“I mean… I can probably get David to cover my shift… Not tomorrow, but the day after. And I can… yeah, I think I could pull this off…”

“Are you going to try and bring Meg or Claudette?” Dwight asked, excited by the prospect of actually getting to introduce Marcus to his oldest friends.

“I’ll see what I can do, but I don’t think Claudette will want to sneak out, and Meg is actually already covering a shift for Cheryl,” Jake explained. “Shoot me your address and I’ll text you if I’m able to sneak out. Oh wow, you should probably get some sleep.”

Yawning, Dwight pulled the phone away from his ear to check the time. It was almost two in the morning!

“Shoot! Sorry, Jake, you’re right. I’ll talk to you tomorrow, okay?”

“Get some rest, and I’ll talk to you soon. Promise you’ll keep an eye out, okay? And keep my posted.”

“I promise. If anything else weird happens, I’ll come straight home.”

~

The next morning started when Dwight’s phone rang right beside his head, scaring him awake and sending him tumbling to the floor. Scrambling back onto the bed in time to grab his phone before the call went to voicemail, he half shouted, “Hello?! Yes?!”

“Shit, I’m sorry! It’s Marcus. Is this a bad time?”

Blinking sleep out of his eyes, Dwight quickly double checked the caller ID. Oops, his battery was almost dead. Looked like he’d forgotten to plug it in before falling asleep. “Hah, h-hey Marcus! N-no, now’s good. I was just… falling out of bed.”

There was a bark of laughter from the other line, followed by Marcus scolding, “Be nice! Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. We just got home and one of my partners and I were wondering if you’d want to meet up for lunch?”

“Lunch?” he repeated, looking over at the clock. It was already eleven… He’d overslept after staying up too late…

Stomach growling as it caught up with the rest of him, Dwight nodded. “Y-yeah, that would be great! Did you want me to pick you guys up?”

“Uuuuh, Danny? …Yeah, he’s offering to pick us up… Okay, he said that would be great and he’ll buy lunch!”

“Awesome, give me about thirty minutes so I can shower and I’ll be right there,” Dwight offered.

“Sounds good,” Marcus agreed. “See you soon!”

~~

As soon as Marcus hung up the phone, Danny started doing a giddy little dance.

“Yes, yes, yes! Gonna meet the side piece, gonna meet the side piece, gonna stab him in his liver!”

“Danny!” Marcus scolded, slapping a hand over his face. “You can’t stab him! You’ve never even met him! That would be rude!”

“But Doooooc,” he whined, grabbing his shoulders. “Please? Just a little bit? I won’t hit anything vital. How about that?”

“Is this because Evan locked you out of the house?” Marcus asked. He’d spent the night with Evan, just like Danny had with him, and when they finally got up for breakfast they found Danny sitting on the front porch scratching at the door like a cat. He had not been allowed inside…

“No, not at all,” he sniffed. “It’s because I’m getting that itch again. I need to kill someone soon. I have a few people in mind-”

“I really don’t want to know,” Marcus interrupted, grimacing slightly. “I know you murder, but I really don’t want to be involved. I’ll patch you up any time and I’ll probably ask how you got hurt, but the less I know about the rest of it the better.”

“Fair enough,” Danny agreed. “So, you think I look okay?”

Instead of his usual Ghostface gear or the more smartly dressed Jed Olson persona, Danny was wearing a pair of blue jeans and a black t-shirt. He still had his boots and obnoxiously bright socks -those were yellow with little smiling rain clouds- but over all he looked like a perfectly normal man.

“You look great,” Marcus promised. “But I need to change.”

He and Evan had gotten distracted and he’d entirely forgotten to do laundry… Pulling off the shirt he was wearing, he dug through his closet for a clean one. Pulling out two, he gave them both a quick sniff test before pulling on a long sleeved shirt. It smelled… not as bad. God, he needed to remember to do laundry more. And check his closet…

Noticing the look Danny was giving him, he grinned. “Enjoying the view?”

“Oh, everytime like it’s the first time, baby,” he purred, sauntering closer. “But I am wondering… How the hell did you explain this?” Brushing his fingers over the tattoo-like brand on his chest, Danny raised an eyebrow.

Blushing slightly, Marcus admitted, “Well… we had sex in the back of his car… and neither of us actually got undressed above the waist. So he hasn’t seen it yet…”

Laughing, Danny shook his head. “I guess that’s one way to do it. Now… are you going to tell me his name or wait to introduce us face to face?”

“Well, he knows your name-”

“Why did you tell him my real name, by the way?”

Marcus paused. It hadn’t even occurred to him that he should introduce Danny to any potential ‘others’ by Jed in case he was recognized as the faux reporter… “I’m so sorry… I didn’t even think before I told him your name. I guess I should have introduced you as ‘Jed’, huh? I just always think of you as Danny or your Slasher title.”

The Slasher shrugged. “It’s fine. Worst case scenario I lie and say I bear a passing resemblance to the ever so sexy Jed Olsen. And you know you’re always welcome to call my name, baby. Gets me all warm and tingly.”

“Yeah, well I know how you get when you’re all warm and tingly,” Marcus chuckled, before adding cheekily, “Ghostface.”

“Ahh, that’s the stuff,” Danny groaned, rolling his neck. “Hmm, you’re too good to me. But, as I was saying! Sooooo? What’s his name?”

Curious as to how he’d react as compared to the Legion, Marcus elaborated, “Dwight.”

Danny frowned slightly. “Huh. Maybe you did mention his name already because that sounds really goddamn familiar. How old is this guy? That’s such an old person name. Then again you do kinda have a thing for older guys, so…”

“I do not!” he squawked, blushing slightly. “I’m just young! Besides, you’re like, what? Thirty-two?”

Gasping, Danny recoiled, hands flying to his chest. “How dare you?! I am eternally twenty-nine!”

Squinting at him, Marcus pointed out, “I was only off by three years. But if we include the amount of time you all spent in the Entity’s Realm, then shouldn’t you actually be well past your thirties?”

“Ha! You do like older men! Trying to age me up like I wouldn’t see it,” Danny gloated, crossing his arms. “So just how old is this prune? Got any gray hair yet?”

Shaking his head, the vet laughed, “He’s only twenty-four. I don’t think I’d be comfortable sleeping with someone old enough to be my father. Frank and the others told me there was a Survivor with the same name, but they don’t think he’s the same guy.”

“I totally forgot about that,” Danny admitted, looking thoughtful. “Yeah, yeah… I remember that kid! Timid as hell but a real pain in the ass. I swear, I lost more hooks to that dweeb than any other Survivor. Fearless little shit… Anyway, I agree with the Legion. No Survivor would stick around an area when a Known Slasher was just active.”

Searching for a clean hoodie, Marcus nodded. “Just, please promise me one thing.”

Danny cocked his head. “Anything for you, love.”

“Please don’t kill him. Even if you two don’t get along or you just don’t like him for whatever reason, please don’t kill him. I’ll call things off if need be, but I do consider him a friend and… it’s kind of nice having a normal, non-Slasher, person in my life again.”

Expression softening, Danny wrapped his arms around his waist and pulled him close. “I promise I won’t kill him. For any reason.”

Leaning in to kiss him, Marcus smiled warmly. “Thank you, sweetheart. I really appreciate it. Honestly though, I think you two will hit it off. He’s kind of shy but he’s super sweet.”

“Hmm, if you say so,” he chuckled. “I can’t promise I won’t be a little… intense. At least at first. Need to let him know who he’s dealing with after all and apparently I’m not allowed to stab him to get my point across. Now… How long did he say? Half an hour? We might have time to…”

Laughing as Danny wiggled his eyebrows, Marcus shook his head. “You’re insatiable.”

“Is that a… Yes?” he asked hopefully.

Raising an eyebrow, the vet sadly informed him, “Not right now. Besides, I know you.”

“Then you should know what seeing you shirtless does to me,” he lamented. “And all the bite marks Evan was kind enough to leave where he knew I’d see them!”

Thank god the bruises and teeth marks littering his neck had started to fade already. They weren’t completely gone, but if he could find a hoodie they would be pretty difficult to see. “I was referring more to your version of a quickie.”

Feigning hurt, Danny pouted, “I can be quick!”

Marcus just stared at him. He was decidedly not quick at all… Not that he was complaining, but he knew they didn’t have time and he really didn’t want Dwight walking in on them in the middle of anything.

Wilting under his unwavering judgmental stare, Danny finally threw his hands up in surrender. “Okay! Fine! But don’t expect me to let this go. I will get your dick in my mouth at some point within the next forty-eight hours. And that’s a Ghostface guarantee.”

“I mean… I could just suck you off real quick,” Marcus offered, smirking at him.

Danny’s pants were down almost before he could finish talking. “I will absolutely make it up to you, Doc. You’re a god among men. I love you. You’ve truly melted the ice block that is my he-”

“But first-”

“Noooooooo!”

“I need a hoodie! All my clothes are still at Evan’s! I forgot to do laundry!”

Danny crossed his arms, leaving his pants around his ankles as he pouted. “But, Dooooooc! Wait… You ‘forgot’, or you got ‘busy’ and never got to it?”

Hemming and hawing for a moment, Marcus rubbed the back of his head before asking awkwardly, “Define ‘busy’?”

“Evan fucked you into the matress, effectively rearranged your guts, flatlined your brain, and left you so weak in the knees you couldn’t get up to do laundry even if you really wanted to,” Danny offered airily. “Don’t try to deny it, I can see the evidence.”

Blushing red as a beet, Marcus stammered, “I mean- I- we- obviously we had sex while I was there.”

Danny wiggled both his eyebrows, then his hips. With his pants still around his ankles it was quite the show, and Marcus had to look away. As tempting as it was, they didn’t have time!

“Well, I’m glad you do still know how to say no,” the Slasher finally chuckled. Pulling his pants up, he asked, “If I go get your hoodie, can you guarantee he won’t be in the room when I come back? I promised I wouldn’t kill him but it’s gonna get dicey if we have to figure out how to explain me coming out of the closet.”

“I mean, it usually starts with, ‘Mom, Dad… I’m-”

“Har har, not what I meant,” Danny griped, trying not to laugh. “I’ll give you exactly twenty minutes, then I’m coming back, clean hoodie or not.”

“I’ll make sure he’s not inside,” Marcus promised. Hearing a car pull up outside, he hissed, “Shit, he’s here! Go, go, go! I need a jacket!”

“Oh, I see how it is! Your ‘other man’ shows up and suddenly it’s all, ‘Get your ass out of here’! I’m starting to feel unloved, Doc.”

Marcus rolled his eyes, laughing out loud. Danny had the biggest grin on his face as he complained and his tone easily conveyed the intended humor in his lamentations. “You’re a dork. Come on, it’ll only be twenty minutes!”

“Yeah, yeah,” Danny chuckled, slipping into the closet. “Don’t start the party without me.”

Closing the door behind him, Marcus moved to the front door when the bell rang. Pulling it open, he greeted, “Hey, Dwight! Come on in. Danny had to run out for a bit to grab something I left at Evan’s place, but he’ll be back in about twenty minutes.”

Dwight offered him a nervous smile as he stepped inside. “Sounds good. So, it’s just the two of you?”

“Yeah, Evan has some work to do and my roommates are doing god knows what. I learned it’s best not to ask.” Both were technically true. He could only assume the Legion were still in the Realm, or if they were back, out causing trouble he didn’t need to be involved in. And of course the ‘work’ Evan was doing was butchering a large elk Jason had brought him in exchange for a couple dozen bear traps. He wasn’t about to say any of that.

“So, what were you thinking for–”

Before Dwight could finish his question, the closet door flew open and they both jumped.

Joey came waltzing out, dressed in his usual dark jeans and a t-shirt. At least he wasn’t wearing his knife across his chest like he usually did. Not seeing the shocked pair at first, he started to shout, “Yo, Red! You home still? I need to borrow-”

Looking over and seeing them standing there staring at him, he jumped slightly. Looking back at the closet, then at Marcus, he started to say something else but stopped again, eyes focusing on Dwight.

“Were you… in the closet this whole time?” he asked, sounding slightly shocked.

Joey was still staring at him with wide eyes, mouth slightly open but no sound coming out.

“Y-yeah!” Marcus quickly answered. “He was, um, looking for Jude. The cat! Right, Joey?”

He finally blinked, quickly looking at Marcus again before nodding. “O-oh, right yeah! The cat. She was-”

“Meow?”

All three of them looked down to see a fat white cat stride out of the closet like she owned the place. Spotting Dwight, she immediately picked up speed, crying loudly as she rubbed against his shins. Crouching down, he started petting her. “Aw, so you’re the lovely lady Marcus keeps mentioning.”

He almost let out a sigh of relief. Not only was Jude’s timing perfect, she already liked Dwight and that seemed like a good basis for judgment. Still, he was distracted so the vet took the opportunity to make a ‘what the fuck?’ gesture at Joey.

Squinting at him, Joey threw up his hands as if asking, ‘How the hell was I supposed to know you had someone over?’

“So, you’re one of Marcus’s roommates, right?” Dwight asked, looking up at the Legion member.

“Huh? Oh, yeah! Yes, I am. Um, the others are… out right now,” he excused, quickly dropping his arms. “So, you’re Dwight?”

“That’s me,” he confirmed, smiling. “How was it, sharing a house with a giant snake?”

Joey made a so-so gesture with one hand. “I mean, it made taking a piss kind of weird. I’m just glad the alligator wasn’t a resident or I would have had to move out for a while.”

“Is it even legal to own an alligator in Utah?” Dwight asked curiously.

Before Marcus could come up with an answer, Joey interjected, “Hey, I’m sorry man. You look really, really familiar.”

Squinting thoughtfully, he offered, “Uhh, maybe you saw me at the animal clinic? I’m actually not from around here. I’m just in town on vacation.”

Appearing surprised, Joey repeated skeptically, “Vacation? In bum-fuck Utah?”

Throwing his hands up, Marcus griped, “I know it’s a shitty fucking town but why does everyone call it that?!”

“Cause it’s a shitty fucking town,” Joey scoffed. “So… are you two going to be hanging out here all day?”

Marcus easily picked up on the slight tension in his voice and the look of ‘please say no’ in his eyes. “Oh, no! Um, we’re just waiting on Danny to get back with one of my hoodies and then we’ll be heading out for lunch.”

Looking relieved, Joey nodded. “Oh, yeah. We need to borrow a lighter. Frank sat on his and it broke.”

“He’s not smoking on Evan’s front porch again, is he?” Marcus groaned, heading to the kitchen to dig through his junk drawer.

“Nah, we wanted to burn some stuff at the lodge. We got a fireplace, may as well use it,” he laughed.

“Oh, ha ha. I know my place is tiny. No need to rub it in…” he grumbled.

Finally finding him a lighter, Marcus waited until Joey walked over to grab it to murmur, “I’m going to wait out front with Dwight until Danny gets back. If the others show up, please keep them inside until we’re gone. My house is too small to explain where they came from.”

Joey nodded, adding, “I’ll wait until you all are actually gone to head back. How are you going to explain Danny?”

“Fuck, I didn’t even think of that… I don’t know, I’ll say he climbed in through a window or something. Give him five minutes to talk and he’ll sell it himself.”

Snickering, Joey gave him a thumbs up as he pocketed the lighter.

Smiling, he quickly thanked him before returning to Dwight. “Well, Danny should be back soon. Mind if we wait out front?”

Still petting the cat, Dwight nodded. “That’s fine, but it’ll really depend on if Jude will let me.”

Sure enough, as soon as he stood up Jude reached up with one paw and grabbed his pants with a demanding meow. It really looked like she was saying, ‘Excuse you! You haven’t petted me enough yet!’

Marcus shook his head, laughing at the display. “You old love bug. We’ll be back later and then you can pester Dwight all you want.”

Jude looked as unimpressed as a cat can, which honestly is pretty damn unimpressed. Sitting and licking her paw like she hadn’t just been crying like a banshee for more attention, she made a show of ignoring the vet.

Opening the front door, Dwight asked, “Joey, were you joining us?”

“Nah, I’m gonna grab a bite to eat while I’m here,” he excused.

Waving goodbye, the pair sat on the front step. Watching his breath create small clouds in the air, Dwight asked, “Marcus, aren’t you cold?”

“Ah, I’m used to it,” he promised. “Last winter the heater went out and I had to sleep at the clinic for a week while my landlord got it replaced.”

“A week?!” he demanded, looking horrified. “Why not stay with one of your boyfriends? Or a friend's place?”

Rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably, Marcus admitted, “At the time… I really didn’t have anyone who I could go to. I’ve only been with Evan a couple of months and Danny a little longer than that.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Dwight apologized, sounding embarrassed. “Hey, um… I hope this isn’t a weird question, but… given how bad this town is, do you really feel safe living here?”

Marcus laughed. That wasn’t actually the first time he’d been asked that. “Well, yeah. More so now that I’m in a good relationship. Even if I didn’t, I don’t have the money to move. I’m in debt up to my eyeballs.”

The almost fifty thousand he was on the hook for came to mind and his smile dropped. He was running out of time. Fuck it. Time to bite the metaphorical bullet. No more excuses. He’d tell Danny everything after Dwight went home.

“Have you ever had anyone break in?” Dwight asked suddenly, snapping him out of his thoughts.

“Oh, here? Yeah, a couple of times. Thank god I wasn’t home at the time and I have nothing worth stealing. Well, except my toaster. Someone stole my toaster. I’ve been making toast in the frying pan ever since. Honestly I think it tastes better that way though. It cooks the butter into the bread and just gives it a really nice flavor.”

“Huh, I’ll have to try that,” Dwight mused. “You walk to and from work a lot, right?”

“Ha, yeah. My car is actually right around the corner here, but it hasn’t run in a few months,” Marcus explained with a sigh. “I’ll fix it someday after I get caught up on bills! Or so I keep telling myself.”

Dwight nodded slowly. “It doesn’t seem like a super easy walk. A lot of traffic… Has anyone ever tried to follow you home?”

Slightly surprised by the question, he didn’t answer right away. Technically, the answer was yes… and now they were dating. But he couldn’t really say that. “Um, no. No, not that I’m aware of.”

Before Dwight could come up with any more questions, the front door swung open and a hoodie was tossed at the back of Marcus’s head. A familiar voice quickly followed, “There’s your jacket! I get a blow oooh wow!”

He trailed off, eyes widening as he stared down at Dwight. Making a strange sound, he rubbed his eyes before squinting at him.

Exchanging a concerned glance with Marcus, Dwight waved weakly. “Um, h-hi? You must be Danny. I’m Dwight.”

“Yes, you are,” Danny murmured, a strange look on his face. “So, you’re the latest virgin my boyfriend has-”

Marcus made a face at him, silently pleading with him to be nice. Although his reaction was somewhat expected, he could only guess as to why he was acting so odd. He knew they’d be outside! The only upside was that it looked like Dwight wasn’t going to get a chance to ask how the hell Danny got inside.

Looking seriously concerned, he glanced at Marcus before asking, “Um, the latest virgin?”

Slapping a hand over his face, Marcus swore, “I don’t- I’m not- I don’t go looking for virgins, I swear. I just… I took two of our mutual friends' virginity… Kind of. They’d been doing hand stuff with each other for years!”

Expression somewhere between shocked and impressed, Dwight nodded. “Oh, wow.”

Shaking himself, Danny smiled his usual self confident grin. “Sorry, didn’t mean to botch that so bad. I try to make a good first impression but you… Oh, you are not what I was expecting at all.”

Holding out a hand as the pair stood up, he offered, “Nice to finally meet you face to face, Dwight.”

Taking his hand, Dwight smiled nervously. “Oh, h-hi. Officially, I guess. Um, you… You look really familiar.”

Eyes glittering, Danny tilted his head. “Hmm, you would definitely remember if we’d met before. I have a face people don’t forget.”

Marcus was doing his best to keep a neutral expression and not let the ‘Oh, god, this was a bad idea, Danny doesn’t know how to be normal even if he isn’t being a menace,’ he was feeling inside show on the outside.

“Okay!” he finally forced out. “So? What do you guys want for lunch?”

“I’m good with whatever,” Danny mused, still staring at Dwight with borderline psychopathic intensity.

Tugging his hand away, Dwight flexed his fingers before admitting, “I slept through breakfast and my brain still hasn’t caught up that it’s lunch time yet.”

“Ihop,” Marcus suggested quickly. Hopefully if they were somewhere relatively public, Danny would calm down. “Breakfast all day!”

“Pancakes sound lovely,” Danny allowed, grinning with a few too many teeth. “And then we can all get to know each other a little better.”

Taking a small step away from him, Dwight laughed nervously. “Y-yeah, that would be great. Marcus really… hasn’t told me a lot about you.”

Wincing, Marcus confessed, “I… haven’t. I’m sorry. But, yeah, this is boyfriend number one, Danny. He’s, um…”

“A photographer,” Danny offered smoothly. “On the side.”

Looking curious, Dwight asked, “What’s your day to day? If you don’t mind me asking. Marcus said you and Evan were bounty hunting with some other people?”

Turning to Marcus with a look in his eyes that just screamed ‘That’s your cover story?!’ Danny stated, “Yes. Evan and I. And a couple of... friends. Bounty hunters. Dangerous work, bounty hunting. Got some good pictures of it too; You know, combining my passions. Can’t show you though, or I’d have to kill you.”

Laughing nervously, Marcus quickly pointed at the car. “Let’s get some lunch. Or, breakfast. It’s Ihop, anything is possible! Even dinner!”

“After you,” Danny offered cordially, gesturing down the walkway. Following Dwight and Marcus to the vehicle.

He knew it was probably a bad idea, but he was hoping if he showed Danny that he trusted him with Dwight, he’d calm down a little bit, so Marcus volunteered, “I can ride in the back, if you wanted to ride up front.”

Pulling him in for a quick kiss, Danny purred, “Mmm, you treat me so well.”

As they all piled into the car, Dwight looked over at Danny again, eyes narrow. Looking back at him, the Slasher raised his eyebrows, teasing, “Yes, we’re both available, if that’s what that look is asking.”

Marcus and Dwight both turned bright red, with the latter quickly looking back at the road. “Um, th-that wasn’t- I mean- Haa, wow, okay. I’m sorry, you just- I swear, you look like someone I know but I just can’t place it.”

Grinning, Danny asked, “Porn, maybe?”

Dwight choked on air as Marcus silently prayed for death in the backseat.

Bursting out laughing, Danny shook his head. “I’m kidding. I’ve never done porn. Not for the public anyway.”

“Danny, please behave,” Marcus begged.

“I’m sorry, I just get excited to make new friends,” he excused, reaching back and squeezing the vet’s knee. “Remember when we first met?”

Oh, god, did he ever…

“So, Dwight. What do you do for a living?”

“I work on a farm,” he explained. “I’m just here for vacation.”

“And opossum murder?” Danny asked innocently.

“Attempted opossum murder,” Marcus corrected, and Dwight groaned.

“It was an accident! It was dark and I have almost zero night vision! I said I was sorry!”

“I’m sure April forgave you,” Marcus laughed, glad the ice seemed to be breaking.

“April?” Danny asked. “Fuck th- my life, do I have more competition to be aware of?”

“Oh, no!” Dwight quickly interjected. “No, no, no. Nothing like that. We named the opossum April. Um, b-but, I want to make sure- I guess what I’m saying is, I’m not… competition. Marcus made it very clear what this is, and that’s fine! I’m not trying to-”

“It’s fine, Dwight,” Danny purred, smirking. “Marcus has been very open with me from day one. You… won’t be an issue.”

Dwight nodded, although the wording brought a slightly skeptical look to his face. “I appreciate it. I think… So, how did you two meet?”

“Very much the same way you did,” Danny offered before Marcus could come up with anything. “I kind of busted into the clinic when Doc here was working late, and the rest is history.”

“Doc?” Dwight asked, glancing at Marcus in the rear view mirror.

“It’s a nickname,” he explained, grinning. “Believe it or not, Danny here is pretty danger prone. Thankfully the skills I have transfer pretty well, because I’ve had to patch him up more than a few times.”

“Hey! I’m not the only one!” Danny argued. “I can think of four other people off the top of my head, and only one of them is from yesterday.”

“What happened yesterday?” Dwight asked curiously. “No one got bitten by an alligator, right?”

Danny and Marcus both laughed, and the vet explained, “No, thank god. If Ferdinand bit someone they’d probably lose a limb. My roommates just got into a scuffle with the wrong person, but they’re okay. They came home sometime this morning but they went out for breakfast and still haven’t come back.”

“They’re probably robbing a gas station or pushing old people into traffic,” Danny offered, laughing like it was just a joke and not a very serious possibility.

Both Marcus and Dwight laughed uncomfortably, and he grinned. “Man, tough crowd. Now, I gotta know, Dwight… What brings you to bum-fuck Utah of all places?”

Marcus made a small sound of pain. His town wasn’t that bad! Was it? Okay… it was…

Sighing, he explained, “I’d get lost in a paper bag with an exit sign. Or so my buddy Jake always tells me.”

Head tilting slowly, Danny stared out the windshield. “I see. You know… Ghostface was pretty active around here not too long ago.”

Although he was entirely unsurprised Danny was taking a moment to gloat to their unknowing company, Marcus still nearly choked on air. If Dwight started talking about Slashers and rattling off names, he’d draw too much attention and may very well get himself killed!

“Oh, I’m aware,” Dwight acknowledged, a dark look crossing his face. “Actually… Hey, Marcus?”

Jumping slightly, he cleared his throat before asking, “Yeah?”

“Um, well… I heard that the clinic you used to work at was a possible location of a Ki- Um, Slasher attack.”

Marcus winced. He’d hoped that would go unnoticed since they hadn’t been able to actually connect any Known Slasher with Richard’s disappearance. “Oh, uh, yeah. It put me out of work for a little while, but the new owners hired me back on.”

Glancing back at him, Dwight asked skeptically, “You’re not worried? What if whoever it was comes back? Killers- Er, Slashers are- they’re-” Making a pained face, he shook his head. “Nevermind. You’re a lot braver than I am. I’d probably have picked up and moved the minute I caught wind of a Slasher in the area.”

“I would have,” Marcus admitted sheepishly, “But… finances made that impossible. I mean, it worked out in the end. I’m still alive and I met both my boyfriends!”

Danny had the most smug look on his face. “Being broke has its perks, huh?”

“Well, sometimes I think it’s more trouble than it’s worth,” Marcus lamented, grinning cheekily. “I constantly have to deal with this weirdo who sneaks into my house and eats all my food. He even stole my best spaghetti pot.”

“Doc! If someones been sneaking around I need to know! And if it's someone I know, I’ll make them return your dishes,” Danny pointed out.

Raising his eyebrow, the vet confirmed, “Oh, you know him alright.”

Frowning, he pressed, “Who is it?”

“Ah, well, not to name names or point fingers… But he’s about my height, dark hair, wears a lot of dark clothes…”

“Huh… I’ll buy you a cattle prod in case he comes around again.”

Dwight was trying not to laugh as he forced himself to stare out the windshield and not glance at the still oblivious man in the passenger seat.

Marcus had no such grace, and reached up to poke his boyfriend in the ear. “Well, I hope you're ready for a shocking experience.”

“Why would I- Hey!”

Both he and Dwight cracked up as Danny twisted around to glare at him. “Mhmm, okay. Just remember, I know where you sleep.”

“I’d sure hope so. I don’t think Frank would enjoy waking up to you trying to spoon with him,” Marcus countered, grinning even wider as Dwight tried and failed to stifle his laughter.

“Hrmm,” Danny growled, before asking, “So, Dwight. You got anyone waiting for you back home? Potential partner? Dog? Cat? Reptiles?”

Looking at him with a slightly bemused frown, he answered, “None of the above. Just family.”

“Oh?” Danny asked, and Marcus tensed.

The sudden change in the Slashers body language wasn’t lost on him. Turning slightly in his seat to better face Dwight, eyes bright and attentive as he waited for a clearer answer to the seemingly innocent question.

If Dwight noticed, he didn’t react. Instead, he just offered cheerfully, “Well, we’re all so close I consider them family. It’s nice. We’ve been through a lot and it’s really brought us all together.”

For a moment, Danny’s expression softened and Marcus let out a quiet sigh of relief.

Looking back out at the passing scenery, Danny nodded. “Well… I’m glad you’ve got something comforting to go home to, Dwight.”

~~

Joey was tossing the lighter up in the air and catching it as he made his way back to the lodge. Spotting Kenneth as he walked up to the front door, he paused.

The Clown was talking to Maurice, trying to sooth him as he attempted to put something in the large orange eye in the middle of his forehead.

Curious, Joey called out, “Hey, Kenneth! What the hell are you doing?”

Not bothering to spare a glance in his direction, he huffed, “Trying to give Maurice the eye drops the vet sold me. But he’s being an ass about it. Let me put ‘em in the eyes that don’t even fucking work, but oh no, not this one!”

Stifling a chuckle, he offered, “Want some help?”

That did earn him a slightly confused look. It quickly became an ugly glare, and Kenneth sneered, “Why? You think you’re gonna try and pull some stupid Legion shit with my horse? Kid, you got another thing coming if you-”

Holding up his hands, Joey scoffed, “I was just trying to be helpful, seeing as how we kinda live next door to one another now. But if you got it handled, I’ll be going.”

“Oh… Actually, hang on a sec,” he called, just as Joey’s hand was reaching for the door. “I can’t promise he won’t try to bite you… but if you can just hold his head for a second I’d… appreciate it.”

Raising his eyebrows, Joey nodded. “I don’t see why not. But if he bites me, I’m turning him into dog food.”

Eyes narrowing, Kenneth let out a discontent huff. “You mean like Myers did to you four?”

Sucking air through his teeth, Joey stopped just out of biting reach. Or, so he hoped. “How the fuck did you hear about that?”

“You weren’t that far down from here…” he pointed out, gesturing down the lane to where Philip’s house was visible. “Now, hold his head like this.”

Showing Joey what to do, he kept a hand over the horse's nose to dissuade him from trying to bite the Legion member as he took his place.

Maurice let out an irritated whinny, stamping a hoof several times when Kenneth squeezed some of the drops into his eye. Shaking his head the second he was let go, he splattered them both with thick red drool.

Kenneth didn’t seem fazed, wiping his hand on his shirt. Joey was doing his best not to throw up. He needed another shower…

Noticing his disgust, the Clown laughed. “It’s just horse spit, kid.”

“It’s red… and it smells horrible,” Joey pointed out, quickly turning around. “You’re welcome, by the way!”

Already too far away, he missed the quiet chuckle and subsequent, ‘Thanks, kid,” from Kenneth.

The others were where he’d left them, Julie and Susie curled up on a couch together while Frank obsessively rearranged the logs and twigs they’d set up in the fireplace.

As Joey approached, he heard Frank muttering, “–believe I broke my damn lighter. Stupid plastic piece of shit survived the Entity and Hell, yet my ass is what did it in!”

“Sounds like you don’t need a knife anymore,” he joked, and Frank twisted around to glare at him over his shoulder.

“Why the fuck wouldn’t I need a knife anymore?”

“Cause your ass is apparently a deadly weapon,” he pointed out.

Susie burst out laughing, while Julie snickered, “Now I’m just picturing you running around in a Trial in snowy old Ormond wearing booty shorts that just say ‘SLAY’ across the back.”

Joey cracked up, only laughing harder at the look on Frank’s face. Tossing him the lighter, he flopped down on one of the open couches. There were three, set comfortably around the four sided fireplace, but he wasn’t about to get Maurice drool all over the girls so he sat alone.

“Oh, I met Doc’s latest acquisition today.”

“Oooh, big guy?” Susie asked. They’d all been taking bets on what this Dwight guy looked like, and based on the majority of the guys Marcus was sleeping with, she’d bet on a taller, gym built looking man. Something along the lines of Michael or Evan.

“I’m telling you, he found a super twink,” Julie argued.

Frank frowned. “No way. He’s topped Danny! Besides, is there such a thing as a ‘super twink’?”

“Yes,” both women agreed.

“Oooh, sorry you all,” Joey laughed, not sorry at all. “I win! He’s a fucking nerd!”

“Whaaat?! No!” Susie groaned dramatically.

“Wait, how nerdy?” Julie asked, holding on to the slim hope that he could still be considered a ‘super twink’.

“Guy’s a beanpole,” he continued. “Nerd glasses, real fidgety. He’s actually kinda tall, but he slouched so bad it was hard to get a real– why are you all looking at me like that?”

Even Frank had stopped trying to set things on fire to turn and stare at him with a look of shock, and it was him who said, “Describe him. Head to toe.”

Frowning, Joey recalled, “Uuuh, dark hair, nerd glasses, white as fuck. Like, almost as white as Danny, white. He looked really familiar, too. Like, I know I’ve seen this guy before but I–” he stopped, slowly putting the pieces together. He’d never been great with faces, and there were so many Survivors by the time they were taken… Two-hundred years in Hell before escaping to freedom… Why would he remember all their faces? He’d had no reason to even think of them.

Shaking his head, he asked skeptically, “You all don’t think… he’s that Dwight, do you?”

Rising, Frank brushed splinters off his hands before deciding, “Well, there’s one way to find out. Let’s go hang out at Doc’s till they get back. It’s about time we got out of the Realm again anyway.”

“Oh, yeah… Let me go change,” Joey said, hurrying upstairs. They may not live in the Realm, but all of them had clothes there. Besides, something told him he was going to want his mask and knife in the near future…

~~

Marcus was incredibly pleased with how lunch had gone. Danny insisted on paying for everyone’s food, since Dwight had been kind enough to drive Marcus around for the past few days, and overall it seemed to have gone well.

As they were all getting up to leave, Marcus failed to pay close enough attention to what was going on and smacked directly into a waitress carrying a very full cup of coffee. Yelping as his hoodie got soaked, he quickly started apologizing.

The waitress sighed, waving him off before going to replace the coffee he’d spilled.

“Well, I feel like an ass,” Marcus groaned, doing his best to dry off with a handful of napkins as they walked back to the car.

“Ahh, it was an accident,” Danny comforted. “And it was kinda funny.”

“At least no one got burned,” Dwight offered.

“Yeah, but still,” he griped. “Ugh, I’m going to take this off while we’re in the car.”

As he pulled his hoodie off over his head, Danny began chanting, “Strip, strip, strip!”

Ignoring his request, Marcus rolled his shirt sleeves up to his elbows. “Dammit, the coffee soaked into my shirt too. You guys mind if we swing by the house really quick so I can change?”

Obviously trying not to look embarrassed, Dwight nodded quickly. “That sounds good to me. So, do you have any more patients now that Butter’s gone home?”

“Not at the moment, although I’ll probably be seeing a cat soon,” Marcus told him. “Danny, have you ever met Lisa’s cat? I think she said her name was Apricot?”

“I have not,” he confirmed. “I didn’t even know about Butter or Ferdinand. Did you know he kept that damn snake in the fucking bathroom? The bathroom! It almost bit my dick off!”

“What the- No! No, he did not!” Marcus sputtered, horrified. “Butter was a perfect gentleman the entire time he was there! Just cause you’re scared of snakes-”

Danny gasped, a hand flying to his heart. “I resent you spilling my darkest secrets in front of Dwight! You have no idea the damage that could do to my reputation!”

Trying not to laugh so hard he couldn’t drive, Dwight promised, “I’m not telling anyone. But Butter really was nice.” As they were pulling up to the house, he suddenly snapped his fingers. “I got it!”

Both Danny and Marcus looked at him curiously, and he pointed out, “I know why I keep thinking I know you from somewhere.”

Head tilting slightly, Danny smirked. “Oh? How’s that?”

“You look just like that weird reporter that’s always following Ghostface around. Jed Olsen.”

Marcus was certain he was about to witness a murder. Danny may have promised not to kill Dwight for any reason, but he’d just insulted both of his other personas to his face. And he’d used his Slasher name! All of it was entirely unintentional and unknowing, but still!

“Weird, huh?” Danny asked slowly, eyebrows raising.

Dwight looked like a deer caught in the headlights. “Oh, oh no, that’s not what I meant! I’m sorry, I wasn’t calling you weird!”

Laughing, Danny actually shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. Come on. Let’s go inside.”

Lingering for a moment as he exited the car, Dwight looked back at Marcus. “I really screwed that up, huh?”

Still reeling from Danny’s shockingly well handling of the situation, he slowly shook his head. “Actually… N-no, you’re fine. Come on, let’s see if the others are home. I’ve got some card games still, so we can either do that or play some video games if you want to hang out.”

“Sounds good,” Dwight agreed, looking relieved.

~~

Danny was screaming internally. His skin was itching like there was an entire colony of ants crawling over him. He could hear his heart pounding in his skull like a drum as every fiber of his being demanded he cut and slice and dismember. This. Could. Not. Be. Happening.

Of all the tiny towns in all the states in the whole entire US, a fucking Survivor just happened to show up in the same exact place as his boyfriend? No. No, no, no. That was too fucking much to be a coincidence. And his little comment about ‘Jed Olsen’? Ohhho, he was playing with wildfire. The only reason he hadn’t gutted the little bastard right then and there was because it was pretty damn obvious Marcus had no goddamn idea who he really was. Then again, he was getting the feeling that Dwight hadn’t actually figured out who he was either. Not yet anyway…

It had been pure torture, reigning in his instincts and acting so normal. It was a show. An act. All for Doc. He wouldn’t drag Doc into a war after everything he’d gone through to stop one. No, he couldn’t let that happen. Especially if he could prevent there from being a war in the first place.

Danny had purposely avoided bringing up the other Slashers, knowing that if the wrong person felt their name being called so close to where Marcus resided, they’d come to figure out who the hell was talking about them. That was… until Dwight said his name… and he felt nothing. It had been a bigger shock not to feel his name being said then it was to feel it and he’d nearly cracked right then and there. The only time that should happen was when another Slasher used his name…

He needed the Survivor to leave. He had a plan… It was rushed and it wouldn’t be pretty, it wouldn’t be easy, but it wouldn’t break his promise to Doc and that was all that mattered. Goddammit, he should have insisted on meeting the vet’s ‘new friend’ before he agreed not to kill him. Stupid.

Waiting by the front steps, he noted that Marcus had forgotten his hoodie in the back of the car. Ah, Doc. If it wasn’t one thing… “Babe, don’t forget your jacket.”

‘Because if Dwight drives off with it you won’t be getting it back,’ he added silently.

Looking slightly surprised, Marcus paused midway up the walk. “Ah, thank you!”

The Survivor grabbed it out of the back seat before closing the short distance between them. Holding it out, he started to say, “I got you. You should be more careful. You don’t want to catch a–”

He stopped so suddenly Danny swore the entire world had fallen silent. The look on his face went from relaxed, to horrified recognition in an instant.

Marcus had reached for his hoodie, and with his sleeves rolled up, the Obsession mark stood out against his pale skin like a neon sign.

Looking up past the vet, Dwight met Danny’s eyes. There was a moment where time seemed to stand still. He knew. The final piece of the puzzle he didn’t even know he had been putting together had just fallen into place and he knew.

Finally noticing his discomfort, Marcus’s voice was full of genuine concern as he asked, “Are you okay? You look like you’ve just seen a ghost.”

Hah… How close to the truth, Doc…

Danny turned so he was bodily facing Dwight, arms loose by his sides, the smile dropping from his face. How things went next depended solely on how the Survivor reacted.

Swallowing, he blinked several times before his eyes darted back to Marcus. Taking a very small step back, he forced a nervous laugh. Scratching the back of his head, he excused, “I- I just- I forgot I- I have some- some, uh, some stuff. I have some stuff I have to get done. Remote work! I forgot about it. Um, I will… talk to you later. I’m so sorry to cut this short.”

Marcus had yet to turn around, so Danny slowly tilted his head to one side, eyes never leaving the glasses wearing Survivor.

Eyes finding him again before quickly moving back to Marcus, Dwight took another small step back.

“Oh, okay? Um, no problem. If you want to, or if you have your computer with you, you’re welcome to hang out here,” Marcus offered.

Laughing far too forcefully, Dwight shook his head. “N-no, it- it’s fine! Really, I- I have to go. Th-thank you so much for- um, for lunch.”

Shuffling backwards, he almost fell off the curb. Righting himself, Dwight nearly dove into his car before taking off. Looked like he’d forgotten his seat belt in his rush to leave. Hmm, maybe he’d wreck and die and save Danny the trouble of… No, he needed to be sure…

Forcing a confused expression onto his face just as Marcus turned towards him, he offered as sincerely as he could, “That was very odd…”

Fuck the Entity, the look of confusion on Marcus’s face was tearing his damn heart in two. But he couldn’t tell him the truth. If he found out and decided that the Survivors were somehow a better option…

“Yeah… I hope he’s alright. Well, thanks for being nice,” he sighed, making his way up the steps to the front door. “What did you think of him?”

Oh, dear fucking god, why was this so hard?

“He was… nice,” Danny got out, following him inside. “I can see why you two get along.”

It wasn’t even a lie. He’d had the thought many times that Doc would have made a great Survivor and he knew the others had thought it too… Fuck the Entity, this was not good…

“You’re back!” Susie shouted, tackling Marcus into the wall. “How was the date?!”

Danny raised his eyebrows, watching his boyfriend try -and fail- to fend off the pink haired Legion member. Well, she wasn’t trying to get a hand down his pants or stab him, so he’d let them sort it out. Frank, Julie, and Joey were all sitting on the couch staring at them with searching stares. Shit, had something tipped them off?

“What’s up, kids? Were you worried about mom and dad? Don’t worry, we’re home with all our internal organs in their rightful places!”

Making a disgusted face, Frank repeated, “Don’t ever fucking refer to yourself as our dad. Ever.”

“But I can call Doc your mom?”

“No! Jeez, Danny!”

Frank’s face was so red it would have been cute if Danny had the time and energy to focus on it for more than two seconds. He needed to move. Reaching down, he pulled Susie off of Marcus before shooing her back towards the couch. Helping Marcus to his feet, he asked, “Show me where the bad lady hurt you, baby. I still need to stab someone and-”

Hearing someone clear their throat, he glanced over to see the rest of the Legion staring at him pointedly. Ah, right. He was outnumbered… Meh, he could take them as long as they didn’t Frenzy.

“You seem really tense. Are you okay?”

Jolting slightly, he returned his attention to the vet. Letting out a long sigh, Danny shook himself before smiling softly. “I will be. I… hate to do this, Doc, especially considering how this date ended; But I need to go take care of some stuff.”

Eyes widening, the vet nodded once. “Ah, yeah. You’d mentioned you were getting that itch again.”

Grabbing his waist, Danny tugged him close. “Hey… I love you, Doc. I’m sorry I just… I need to– I have to get this out. The longer I wait the worse it’s gonna’ get and I do not want to lash out and have you caught in the crossfire.”

Expression softening, Marcus nodded. “I know. Please be safe.”

Kissing him, Danny murmured, “I’m not the one you have to worry about, love. I’ll be back soon.”

With that, he slipped through the closet. Bypassing the Tree to ensure he wouldn’t run into Evan or one of the other Killers with an inhuman sense of smell, he opened a Door directly into his house. It was time for Ghostface to go to work…

~~

Dwight was panicking. There was a Killer in town and he’d just walked into the middle of his hunt. Danny didn’t just look like Jed Olsen, he was Jed Olsen! The Survivors had been theorizing for years that Jed was Ghostface, but now he knew that was exactly the case!

He needed to call- Crap, no, he couldn’t call Leon. He’d tell him to get the hell out of there asap; Abandon the car and open an Entryway in the nearest structure he could find and get back to the Pocket.

But he couldn’t. He wouldn’t. He refused to abandon someone to a Killer. It was obvious Marcus was being targeted and had no idea! How had he not questioned how or why the Obsession mark appeared? Could he even see it? It hadn’t occurred to him that normal humans may not be able to see them, or that Killers could even mark people outside of the Entity’s Realm!

Nearly swerving into oncoming traffic as he fought his pants pocket for possession of his phone, Dwight finally managed to get it out. And it was dead as a freaking door nail.

In an incredibly rare instance, Dwight couldn’t help the stressed, “Fuck!” that slipped out. Jake was going to kill him. Leon was probably going to lock him in a cell for a decade for his own safety. Apparently his luck really was that bad!

Parking rather poorly over two spaces in the already small parking lot, Dwight didn’t bother to straighten out before rushing into his hotel room and slamming the door. Triple checking that it was locked from top to bottom, he took the extra precaution of shoving the bedside table under the knob as well. If anyone tried to break in, he’d have enough warning to open an Entryway and get the heck out of there.

Phone charger, phone charger, where the heck was his dang phone charger?! Scrambling over the bed, he found the charging cable where he’d left it plugged in the night before. With as badly as his hands were shaking, it took several attempts to get his phone connected. When he finally got it, he allowed himself a small sigh of relief.

It would only take a couple minutes to charge, then he was going to call Jake and give him a heads up. They were going to have some very confused company soon… Jeez, Leon was going to kill him… Forget Leon! David was going to kill him before Leon got so much as a chance to lecture him!

A loud pounding on the door made him jump so hard he fell off the bed again, losing his grip on his phone in the process. Leaping to his feet, he looked around frantically. Ghostface hadn’t found him already, had he?! But how? Sure, he’d used his real name like a freaking moron when he’d rented the room, but he’d paid cash! Or did the Killer still have other ways of tracking him?

Another flurry of bangs almost had him bolting for the bathroom door so he could use it to open an Entryway. Terrified that if he left already Ghostface would finish Marcus off before he could go back for him, he paused.

It was a good thing he did, as a moment later the hotel owner's gruff voice carried through the flimsy door. “Ya’ parked like a jackass! Move yer’ damn car or I’m havin’ it towed!”

Dwight felt like he was going to pass out. Barely getting his breathing back under control, he shouted back, “S-sorry! I- I got sick! Didn’t want to- to, um, th-throw up in my car!”

There was a heavy silence, then a gruff, “Jus’ get’r moved!”

“W-will do!” he forced out. He felt cold, body shivering uncontrollably. Grabbing his own arms if only to feel slightly more secure, he took several deep breaths. He could do this. Grabbing his keys out of his pocket, he hurried back to the car. Pulling it into a space correctly took almost six tries, but he got it. Sort of…

Looking around carefully before returning to his hotel room, he once again locked and bolted the door. Turning to go check his phone, he bumped directly into someone’s chest.

Blood splattered white mask tilting slightly, Ghostface chuckled, “Hello, Survivor.”

Before Dwight could react, the butt of a knife slammed into his temple and everything went black.
~~~~

Chapter Text

Dwight came too with a small groan. His head hurt and he could feel dried blood on the side of his face and neck. It didn’t feel like he’d died, so Ghostface must have simply knocked him out.

Oh, crap! Ghostface!

Head jerking up, Dwight tried to shout but all that came out was a muffled, incomprehensible sound. He’d been gagged, but his glasses were still on. Giving his hands and feet an experimental tug, he realized he’d also been zip-tied to a chair…

Somewhere behind him, a sickeningly familiar voice purred, “My, my… You heal a lot faster than I would have guessed.”

Dwight froze, struggle immediately forgotten. Part of him wanted to look over his shoulder to visually confirm it really was Ghostface and not some copycat… but he already knew it was true. That was a sound that was burned into his memory. There was no copycat alive or dead that could mimic the Killer’s voice so perfectly.

Fingers trailed over the back of his neck and he let out an involuntary shriek, trying to lean forward away from the Killers touch. His hair was grabbed and he was yanked back with a muffled shout of pain.

A masked face dipped down beside his own, voice right in his ear as Ghostface spoke again. “Survivor… Just what exactly are you doing in Utah? You never did say…”

He gulped, unable to answer with what felt like one of his socks shoved in his mouth and held in place by a strip of duct tape. It was incredibly uncomfortable but most effective at muffling any sounds he made.

“Oh… right…” Ghostface continued. “You've got a bit of a mouthful, don’t you?”

Dwight couldn't even nod thanks to the tight grip in his hair, so he just let out a thin whine. He couldn’t think straight. Every fiber of his being was screaming at him to run, open an Entryway and flee back to the safety of the Pocket. Tied to a chair as he was, all he could do was sit and shake with fear as he waited for whatever horrible things Ghostface was going to do to him. How the hell had the Killer found him so fast?!

He didn’t see it coming, but the second the sharp edge of a blade bit into his throat he let out a muffled sob. Oh, no no no, he didn’t want to die again! He knew he’d come back but what if that’s exactly what the Killer was hoping for? He’d always assumed the Killers hadn’t gotten enough wanton murder in the Entity’s Realm and having a victim they could kill as many times as they wanted would be too good to pass up. Now, without the restrictions placed on them by the Entity there was no telling what Ghostface might do to him. Oh, god… He didn’t want to think about it. Something told him he’d find out soon enough…

“Shh, shh, Dwight,” Ghostface purred, pressing the side of his head against the Survivors.

Dwight could feel something sticky rubbing off in his hair and he winced. He could smell the fresh blood splattered all over the Killer’s clothing. Was that Marcus’s blood? Had Ghostface already taken care of the vet before tracking him down? Was he already too late? Coward. He shouldn’t have run away…

“I have some questions for you that, unfortunately, I’m going to have to have verbal answers to. So… I’m going to take the gag out. If you scream, or cry, or make too much noise, I’ll cut your tongue out and feed it to you. Understand?”

Still unable to speak or nod, Dwight whimpered weakly when he felt blood start to drip down his neck. Why the hell was Ghostface doing this? He didn’t really want to sit down and have a conversation, did he? What the heck would they even talk about? Reminisce over past Trials? Figure out which organ he wanted to be stabbed in first? He shouldn’t have thought about it, as tears began welling up in the corners of his eyes. He couldn’t break. He couldn’t give the Killer the satisfaction. So, doing his best not to do any of the things he’d just been warned about, he managed to hum what he hoped sounded like an agreement.

“Good boy,” Ghostface chuckled, hand and knife suddenly gone from the Survivor’s personal space. Circling around in front of him, he allowed Dwight a moment to see him in full form. He looked pretty much exactly like the last time they’d seen one another in a Trial; Dressed head to toe in the same black and dark gray uniform he wore in the Entity’s Realm, paired with his signature white mask. Fresh blood was splattered all over his mask and clothes, dripping small stains all over the carpet.

His knife was still in one hand, but it stayed by his side as he reached up to unceremoniously rip the tape off Dwight’s mouth. Using two gloved fingers, he gripped the soggy sock and, with a small sound of disgust, tossed it to one side. Head tilting, the Killer asked in a low voice, “That’s better, isn’t it? Now, let’s talk.”

Not trusting himself to speak, Dwight nodded quickly. That earned a dark chuckle and he winced, shrinking down as Ghostface leaned in. Finally, he managed to squeak, “Wh-what do you w-want with m-me?”

“Answers,” came the cold reply, free hand suddenly grabbing his jaw.

Dwight yelped, squeezing his eyes shut as he braced for the sharp pain of a blade in his stomach or chest. He felt so helpless, so alone, and it brought tears to his eyes. He hadn’t been so scared in a long time and he was having trouble remembering how to keep himself calm.

“Aw, none of that,” Ghostface purred, thumb brushing gently at the corner of one eye. Barring the fact that the otherwise comforting gesture was being performed by a serial killer who’d already taken Dwight and his friends' lives dozens of times, it was made worse by the fact that he still had a knife in his hand as he did it. “Just answer my questions, and you can walk away from this without any more unpleasantness… Okay?”

“O-okay,” Dwight stammered, eyes still tightly closed.

“Look at me.”

Swallowing hard, he forced the words out despite how scared the idea of openly defying the Killer made him. “N-no. Not- not until you l-let go of my face.”

"I'm going to slit your eyelids in half so you don't blink when I stab you in the face," Ghostface promised darkly, grip tightening. “Unless you look at me.”

Feeling the tip of a knife begin slowly dragging up the side of his neck towards his face with just enough pressure to leave a thin trail of blood, Dwight quickly did as ordered. Blinking unshed tears from his eyes, he stared at the black voids in front of him. For such a sneaky bastard, Ghostface sure seemed to be obsessed with being seen by his victims.

Voice once again an eerie purr, the Killer taunted, “That’s better, Survivor. Now it doesn’t feel quite so impersonal. So, why are you in Utah? Were you following me? After twenty years, you’ve grown enough of a spine to think you can take on the best?”

“N-no!” Dwight stammered. “No, Ghostface, I- I swear! I would never! I’ve been trying to avoid running into any of you ever again!”

There was a beat of silence, just long enough to make Dwight start to fear the Killer didn’t believe him. Finally, the masked man asked with an air of finality, “Why are you in Utah, Survivor?”

Not about to lie but terrified of saying anything that could give away the others, he offered weakly, “V-vacation. I- I’m here o-on vacation…”

“Vacation? Here? Are you fucking serious?” Ghostface snapped. Humming quietly, he murmured, “But why would you lie? Not a point I suppose. Because if I think you’re lying…”

Giving a small demonstration of what exactly it was he’d do, the Killer dug the tip of his knife into Dwight’s arm. The Survivor gasped, teeth gritting as a shallow cut was pulled through his skin. It stung but it was far from deep or even the worst the Killer had ever given him.

When the knife pressed into the thin skin of his clavicle, he blurted out, “Ghostface, please! I- I wasn’t even supposed to be here! I was going to Colorado but- but I put in the wrong address and overshot my destination and ended up here instead!”

Instead of cutting him again, Ghostface cocked his head, a curious sound leaving him. “That is pathetic. Fuck the Entity, Dwight. How have you not run into- Fucking hell. Alright, let’s assume that’s actually the truth. You must have known I’ve been around the area. Why the hell are you still here?”

Dwight choked. He couldn’t tell him the truth! He’d be putting Marcus in even more danger! The fingers on his jaw squeezed painfully and he whimpered, tears falling from his eyes. He wouldn’t sell out his friend no matter what Ghostface did to him. But if the Killer thought he was going to turn tail and run the moment he had the chance, he might be able to pull off his desperate plan…

“Listen to me closely, Dwight,” Ghostface hissed, hand slipping down to grab his throat instead. “I’ve known for years that you all got out with us. But I’ve been quiet, given you all your space, because you all have done the same for me. I can’t speak for the other Killers, Survivor. But I think it’s safe to assume they don’t know you all are out there… But it would be a real shame if they found out, wouldn’t it?”

“Please don’t!” Dwight begged, squirming uncomfortably. It did nothing but make his wrists and ankles hurt as the zip ties around them bit into his skin. Ghostface gave his neck a warning squeeze and he froze.

The Killer hummed thoughtfully, tapping his knife against his mask for emphasis. “I feel like I had something else to say to you, but after all this time I just… Oh! That’s right!”

Dwight let out a strangled shout when Ghostface’s grip tightened viciously. No air was coming in and in a matter of seconds he was seeing spots.

Something brushed his ear and he flinched when the killer's cold voice whispered, “It’s time for you to leave, Dwight. Get in your car and drive. I don’t care where; I don’t want to know. But you better be on the other side of the state line by the time the sun sets, or I will hang you on a hook in my basement. I will kill you over and over again until your mind and spirit are so fucking broken you’ll forget you ever escaped the Entity.”

Dwight gasped and sputtered when the hand around his throat unexpectedly let go. Shocked he was given time to actually get his breath back, he finally looked up at Ghostface to accuse, “You’re a monster.”

“What’s your point, Survivor?” he scoffed, sounding amused. “Come on now. Tell me what’s really on your mind. Don’t pull your punches. I can take it.”

“Wh-whatever sick games you’re playing here–” Flinching when a gloved hand patted his cheek, he shivered at the Killers next words.

“Oh, Dweety… This is about Marcus, is it? You think I would rush myself killing a sweet thing like him? You think I wouldn’t take my time? Cutting and carving, making the most beautiful scene out of his body? I would take my time with a man like him. Ah, trust me. I’ve envisioned it a thousand times. How I would do it. The articles that I could write… But don’t fret, little Survivor. This isn’t his blood. Now, what I’ve actually got planned to do to that man is none of your business. He’s mine. And if you don’t want to end up hanging on a hook in a basement for the rest of eternity, you’ll get the hell out of Utah before the sun sets.”

Unable to help it, Dwight demanded, “Wh-why him? What did he ever do to be targeted by s-someone like you?”

Head tilting almost comically, Ghostface gasped, “Someone’s balls finally dropped! Congrats!”
Grabbing the back of the chair, he leaned into Dwight’s personal space. The Survivor leaned back as far as the chair would allow, but unfortunately it wasn’t very far and Ghostface’s mask was soon an inch from his face.

“You have a home to go back to. The others, I’m sure. Be thankful you’re walking away with a story, and not a new tally of wins to losses, Survivor.”

Dwight glared at the floor. At least he knew Marcus was still alive. There was still a chance, but it was a slim one at best. He felt useless and weak. Even outside of the Trials he couldn’t do anything when faced with a Killer. The only reason he was even still breathing was because Ghostface was being strangely merciful.

Or not, as it quickly turned out. A hand clamped over his mouth and before he could react, Ghostface’s knife was stabbed through the back of his wrist. Dwight’s agonized scream was only muffled by the Killer's hand over his mouth.

“Ah, ah, shh, Survivor. Don’t forget what I said about screaming,” Ghostface cooed, leaning in close to his face again. “I had to cut the zip tie somehow. You need to scamper on home. You want me to get the rest?”

Muffled sobs left him with every breath but he managed to shake his head.

“So, you’re going to be gone by the time the sun goes down?” he pressed, slowly pulling the knife free.

Squeezing his eyes shut, Dwight nodded. He could hear his blood hitting the carpet, spattering wetly with every drop. He felt like he was going to throw up. Although the pain was all too familiar, it was still agonzing. The hand on his mouth finally fell away and he flinched, sure Ghostface was going to hurt him some more just so he had an excuse to go through with his earlier threat.

There was a dark laugh behind him and he opened his eyes. Twisting around, he watched Ghostface make his way to the bathroom. With a taunting wave of his fingers, the Killer vanished as he stepped through the open door, proving that they too could use Entryways.

Dwight knew there was no time to panic. If it hadn’t been for the decades he’d spent in the Entity’s Realm, regularly being forced into life or death situations that could be decided by a single split second decision, he knew he wouldn’t have been able to keep himself mostly in control. His breathing was hard and his entire body was shaking, but he refused to give in to the panic. That could wait until he was actually safe in the Pocket again.

Tugging his still restrained arm, he winced. The zip tie was pulled tight enough that it was biting painfully into his skin, but it wasn’t very thick. Taking a deep breath, he put all his strength into pulling against it. It hurt, the plastic beginning to bite into this skin before finally snapping. It took him a few minutes longer to break the ties on his legs, but as soon as he was free he stumbled to the side of the bed.

Ghostface hadn’t taken his phone, had he? Shit, where was it?! Spotting the charging cord halfway under the bed, he pulled at it with his uninjured hand. His phone was still connected and had almost fifty percent battery.

Hands shaking so hard he almost wasn’t able to dial, Dwight managed to pull up Jake’s number. The phone rang several times before going to voicemail. Looking at the time, he swore again. He was probably at work, which meant he wouldn’t have his ringer turned up.

There was one person he knew he could call… He wouldn’t be happy about the situation, but Dwight knew he’d help anyway. Pulling up his contact, he dialed.

Answering on the first ring, a sleepy voice grumbled, “This better be important.”

Shouting slightly, Dwight blurted out, “David! It’s an emergency!”

There was a grunt and a muffled crash, then, “Dwight? Are you still out of the Pocket? Where the hell are you?”

Wrapping a towel around his wrist to soak up the blood while he waited for it to start healing, Dwight rushed out, “It’s really complicated, but I kind of got in the middle of a Killers hunt and I can’t just leave the guy here to die-”

“Get your ass back here right now!” David snapped, more muffled thumping in the background.

“No! I’m not abandoning him! He’s my friend!”

“God fucking– I’m– You’re lucky I don’t– Give me your damn address right now! I’m going to come get you both.”

Choking on air, Dwight’s voice was thin as he asked, “R-really? A-are you sure?”

“Fuck Killers! We got a chance to screw them out of a kill? Good!” David practically snarled. “You can explain when we get there. Do you need a medkit?”

“Oh, y-yes, please. A-and can you grab Jake, please? He- he’s mostly up to date on the situation…” Dwight requested.

There was a sigh, then David confirmed, “Yeah. Address?”

Quickly rattling off the hotel address and his room number, Dwight added in a small voice, “Please don’t tell Leon or Meg yet… I swear, I’ll explain everything when we get back.”

“Meg’s going to snap you like a pencil,” David sighed. “Alright, give me five minutes. I’ll grab Jake and we’ll be right there.”

Hanging up, Dwight looked nervously around the room. Thinking about it, he closed the bathroom door. He had no idea if that would actually block Ghostface from reopening the Entryway, but it made him feel slightly better.

Jumping with a small shriek when there was a loud knock at the door, he wasn’t given time to panic before a loud voice called, “It’s us! Open the door!”

Hurrying over, he unlocked the door. Yanking it open, he was practically tackled by David. The former rugby player was still carrying Jake -who was complaining quietly- over one shoulder.

“This is kidnapping… You know that, right? What the hell-” Dropped on his feet, he stopped when he saw Dwight. Eyes immediately landing on the blood all over the side of his face and neck before traveling down to the bloody towel around his hand, Jake demanded, “What happened?”

“Ghostface is here,” Dwight answered immediately, and both Survivors flinched. It was one thing to know there was a Killer around, but knowing who made it far too real.

Already pulling gauze and alcohol out of the medkit he’d brought, David seethed, “No Entity to save his ass this time. If I get my hands on him I’m gonna’ break his fucking neck. See how smug he is when he’s the one getting a knife buried in his spine.”

“What the hell is going on?” Jake repeated, urging Dwight to sit on the bed.

“You remember the guy I’ve been hanging out with?” he asked quickly.

Jake nodded and David made a face. Looked like he wasn’t in the loop yet. Shit…

“Um, he- he’s got an Obsession mark on his wrist. And- and his boyfriend, Danny? He’s- he’s not- He’s Jed Olsen!”

“The reporter?” David asked, dousing his wrist in antiseptic.

Gasping at the cold sting, Dwight nodded. “Yes! He’s Ghostface! We were right!”

“And Marcus has no idea? You’re sure he’s not another Killer?” Jake asked, sounding suspicious. “You’re sure it was an Obsession mark?”

“I’m positive!” Dwight insisted. “He didn’t react when I saw the Obsession mark and Danny, or Jed, or whatever the heck his name is, he- Jesus, his whole expression just- it was just- it was like he became a different person. Even without the mask and the robes, he just-”

“Hey, it’s okay,” Jake soothed, suspicion replaced with worry. “Did he do this to you? What happened?”

Dwight quickly explained everything. Hanging out with Marcus and ‘Danny’, the weird stuff that seemed to be happening around the vet, and finally Ghostface using an Entryway to get into his hotel room and attack him.

“Something isn’t adding up,” David argued, fingers curling into tight fists. “How long has this Marcus guy been dating a serial killer without even knowing it? I thought Ghostface's whole thing was stalking and then murdering? Not inserting himself into his victims' lives.”

“Maybe this has always been a part of it, outside of the Entity’s Realm,” Jake offered thoughtfully. “There would be no way for the media to know, and he’s not going to report on his own hunting methods, only the aftermath.”

Getting up and grabbing his keys, Dwight nodded before heading for the door.

David grabbed him before he could reach it, demanding, “Hang on, where are you going?”

“To get Marcus!” he shouted. “I told you, I’m not leaving him to a Killer!”

“Just give us his address and we’ll go get him,” Jake offered. “You’re hurt. You need to heal. Go back to the Pocket and wait for us.”

The mental image of David kicking Marcus’s door down and literally kidnapping him with no explanation immediately jumped into Dwight’s head and he grimaced. “No, I’m going. He knows me. If you two just show up and demand he goes with you, he’s going to panic.”

“He can’t panic if he’s unconscious,” David argued, cracking his knuckles.

Dwight knew he wasn’t angry at Marcus, but the situation as a whole. He was too, but he was also angry at himself. He should have noticed the signs earlier. The clues were there, but he’d been so eager to dismiss them all as nothing more than his own anxiety and paranoia…

Shaking his head, he stated firmly, “I know where he lives and how to get there. And- and I think he trusts me enough to listen to me.”

“For all we know Ghostface is already back there and he’s dead,” Jake warned, snagging the keys from him. “I’m driving, you need to heal.”

He’d been doing a pretty good job ignoring the pain, but every movement made his arm hurt and his fingers slightly numb, so he didn’t argue. “Come on, the car’s right out front.”

“Do you need to check out or anything? Because we can’t come back here,” David added, Dwight’s backpack in hand.

“I paid cash,” Dwight answered, pulling the door closed behind them. “And everything else is in the car… Why didn’t you two come straight to the room?”

“I couldn’t get an Entryway open,” David answered. “Even with the Tree, it was like something was blocking me.”

“Maybe the Entryways Killers use are different from ours,” Jake pointed out, starting the car. “I thought I could feel something weird in the room, but it was really faint.”

“You think that sneaky little bastard left it open?” David seethed, casting a glance back at the hotel room door.

“He’s probably planning to make sure I left,” Dwight answered shakily. “For all I know he’s watching the hotel right now.”

There was a beat of silence before Jake and David exchanged a look, the former nodding. “I’m going to let the front office know there was a Killer sighted nearby. Maybe if they can scramble the cops, it’ll distract Ghostface for a while.”

Neither Jake nor Dwight had to question why he didn’t just call the cops himself. Killer sightings were taken extremely seriously, and if they got caught up in a report, they’d be exposing themselves to every Killer who bothered to glance at the news.

Fingers tapping nervously on the steering wheel as they waited, Jake asked quietly, “You’re sure you want to do this? Your friend may not believe us, or he may not want to come even if he does.”

“I know,” Dwight admitted nervously. “But I’m not going to run away on a chance. I have to try.”

Jake nodded, saying softly, “We can’t always save everyone. It happens. Just… don’t beat yourself up if Ghostface get’s to him before we do.”

Before Dwight could respond, David rushed out of the office, face pale. Jumping into the car, he ordered, “Go.”

Pulling out of the parking lot, Jake asked, “They calling the cops?”

David was silent for a moment, eyes staring at nothing through the windshield. Finally, he said, “There was no one left to call them.”

Dwight had to hold a hand over his mouth to keep from getting sick. So… that’s whose blood it had been all over Ghostface.

~~

Danny was shivering uncontrollably. Sitting on the edge of his bed, blood dripping off his mask and hands… He wasn’t even sure how many times he’d stabbed the hotel owner. He’d needed to kill, couldn’t control himself anymore but couldn’t break his promise to Doc… Fuck the Entity, he wasn’t even sure he wanted that kill associated with Ghostface. It was too sudden, too messy, it lacked a design entirely.

But that fucking Survivor… Goddammit, why now? He’d never wanted to see any of their faces again. And why him?! Fuck, he’d have to scrub Doc’s house from floor to ceiling, maybe burn all his clothes. There was no telling how Evan would react if he found out. The Entity forbid he smell Dwight on Marcus somehow. Oh, god… They’d fucked. In a car. Yep, he’d have to burn Doc’s entire wardrobe and buy him a new one. At least it wasn’t the vet’s car…

Yanking his mask off, he let out a desperate laugh. He’d opened too many new Doors without the aid of the Tree, leaving him entirely exhausted. And covered in blood. Couldn’t forget the copious amounts of blood. This was too fucking much. He needed to ground himself. Needed… He needed… Doc. He needed Marcus. Needed to hold him. Touch him. Hear his voice. Press an ear against his chest and just listen to his heart beating.

Rising, Danny stumbled slightly. Fuck the Entity he was so tired. He’d over done it so, so, so badly. Ha, he’d just warned the Legion about that exact thing not even twenty-four hours before. Speaking of, he’d just up and left Doc with them. Ugh… He should really stop doing that.

“Come on, Ghosty,” he mumbled, shuffling to the bedroom door. “Get your ass in the shower, and then get back to Doc before something fucking stupid happens. Danger magnet ass ginger. Gonna get him a collar. Heh, he’d look cute in a– Now is not the time…”

Making it to the bathroom, Danny didn’t bother to strip before collapsing in the bathtub. Reaching up, he flipped the cold water on. Ugh, wet leather was such a pain in the ass… But he was too tired to strip and he didn’t feel like doing laundry so it was best to just… do it all at once! Doc could help him strip when he got there. Hmmm, Doc. His hands were always so nice and warm. And so gentle. That was a nice thought. Calming.

Shit… He didn’t have time to waste. Forcing himself up, he started washing as best he could. Something told him he needed to get back over there…

~~

“And you’re sure he’s not the same Dwight?”

Marcus sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. The Legion had waited all of thirty seconds after Danny left to start interrogating him and he was about ready to call one of the scarier members of his harem to kick them out for a couple of hours. Ah, shit… there he went again, calling them his harem!

“Hey, Doc! You still in there?” Julie demanded, snapping her fingers in front of his nose.

“Shit, yeah, sorry. Yes, I’m sure he’s not the same Dwight,” he repeated for what felt like the hundredth time. “Danny would have said something!”

Frank was the only one who hadn’t said anything yet, but the suspicious expression never left his face. Finally, he threw up his hands, letting out a long breath. “Okay, that’s enough. Looks like Joey was right, it’s not the same guy.”

“Dude, I’m terrible with faces. You all know that,” he argued. “I’m sorry, Doc. He looked so familiar that when I got the idea that he may actually be that Dwight, it just kind of… made sense.”

“Well, two-hundred years will do that to you,” Susie comforted. “Uugh, I’m hungry. Who wants burgers?”

Although he was grateful for the change of subject and end of his interrogation, Marcus still squinted at her as he pointed out, “We have a full fridge of groceries. And I know Danny took his card back, so how are you planning to pay for burgers?”

“Uuuuh, in the past two weeks we’ve stolen… six wallets?” Frank asked, looking at Julie for clarification.

“Five; the last one wasn’t a wallet,” she clarified. “It was a stress ball that looked like a wallet with a moth in it.”

“Right, anyway, we have cash,” Frank promised, grinning like a shark.

Rubbing a hand over his face, Marcus decided just to throw in the towel. “Okay. Sure. You all go get burgers and I’m going to enjoy what little of my day off I have left.”

As the four of them got up and started getting ready to head out, Joey asked, “You want us to bring you back a burger or something, Doc?”

“Aaah, I appreciate it but I’m really not hungry,” he admitted. Lunch had been pretty filling, even if it did end on a very odd note.

“See you in a bit,” Julie offered, waving as she led the way outside.

Once the door was pulled closed behind them, Marcus made his way to the bedroom. He still needed to change his shirt. Pulling out an old t-shirt from the bottom of his closet, he started to pull it on when he spotted coffee stains on the leg of his pants.

Rolling his eyes, he decided just to put on pajamas. It was kind of cold in the house so he pulled on his favorite pair of flannel pajama pants. They were a gift from Nana Taylor and even though he’d had them for almost five years, they were the only pair he had with no holes or weird stains. Bonus? They were warm as hell and made his ass look good.

Flopping down on the couch, he noticed something unusual when he reached for the remote. Joey had forgotten his Legion mask on the coffee table. Marcus almost picked it up so he could take a look at it, but stopped just before his fingers could brush the material. From his understanding, many masked Slashers were incredibly protective over their second faces. Michael and Jason seemingly never took theirs off. Danny always either had his on his person or hidden somewhere with the rest of his uniform. Bubba seemed to always wear a mask of some kind, although it was only within the past day that Marcus learned it wasn’t always one made of human skin.

Leaving the mask alone, he grabbed the remote and turned on the TV. Nothing like a shitty move and a warm purring cat to finish a day off on an enjoyable note.

Spotting Jude waddling her way towards the closed closet door, he called, “Jude, kitty kitty! Come here, old girl.”

Jude paused, looking at him before meowing loudly. Marching the rest of the way to the closet, she sat underneath the knob for a moment, staring at it with wide round eyes.

“Stay out of the Realm,” Marcus scolded, getting up. “I’m sure Thomas and Amanda have had enough-”

Leaping upwards, Jude managed to grab the knob with her front paws. Marcus honestly expected her to fall immediately; her weight and arthritis were just not conducive to acting like a kitten anymore. But, much to his shock, she managed to hold on as the knob slowly turned under her weight. The door popped open with a quiet click, the bell above ringing as the cat’s weight pulled it the rest of the way.

Dropping to the floor with a thump, Jude looked over her shoulder and meowed smugly before trotting into the closet and vanishing.

“What the hell… Okay, fine. Popcorn it is, I guess,” he grumbled, closing the closet before heading to the kitchen.

As he waited on the microwave -the Legion had actually gotten him a new one- Marcus couldn’t help but mull things over. Had he or Danny said or done something to make Dwight uncomfortable? He thought things had been going well, but maybe not. Maybe getting involved with someone in an open relationship was just too much for him. Or… perhaps Dwight had really just been after sex and meeting one of his actual partners had made things too real. Yet another option, and the one he was really leaning towards, was that he’d gone and fucked up another friendship by introducing sex too soon. It wouldn’t be the first time either… Idiot…

Grabbing his popcorn, Marcus shuffled back to the couch to watch an old sci-fi flick and wallow in self-pity. Just as he was starting to chow down, there was a frantic knocking from the front door.

Groaning, he shouted, “It’s open!” Under his breath he muttered, “Fucking Legion, get your shit together and try the knob next time.”

Just as he finished speaking the door swung open and someone he absolutely did not recognize came waltzing inside.

“Woah! Hang on! Who the fuck are you?!” he demanded, leaping to his feet.

Was he being robbed? It really felt like he was about to get robbed. Damn, that meant he’d have to call in the cavalry.

The man turned toward him, a scowl on his face as he looked around. Shit, he was big. Not as big as Evan or Michael, but big enough to present a serious problem. Judging by the scars on his eyebrow, nose, and knuckles, he wasn’t a stranger to rough work either.

A new theory suddenly occurred to Marcus and he gulped. “D-do you work for Carter?”

Before the intruder could say anything, two more people stepped in behind him, slamming the front door closed in the process.

Marcus was about to vault the couch and run for the bedroom so he could start calling Slashers when he recognized one of the home invaders. “Dwight?! What the fuck is this?!”

“Marcus, I can explain!” he swore, raising both his hands.

“You fucking better!” he shouted, taking a step to one side. Safer to be prepared to duck and run if need be. He still wasn’t sure what the hell to think. He couldn’t believe Dwight was involved in something shady or sinister and wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt… But this was just too out of character from what he thought he knew. Of course, if everyone’s warnings about Dwight just trying to steal one of kidneys ended up being right, he was going to feel really fucking stupid.

“Let me see your arm,” the big guy demanded, taking a step towards him.

“Ah! No!” Marcus shouted, chucking the bowl of popcorn at him.

“Hey!” he shouted, barely dodging the projectile. Taking another step, he warned, “We can do this the hard way if you want.”

Looking mortified, Dwight begged, “David, please calm down!”

So the big guy was David, huh? That just left the other guy who was staring at him with something between suspicion and concern. It was weird! Why the hell was he staring like that?! Damn shame, he was cute too… But seriously!

Glancing towards his bedroom, Marcus once again demanded, “What the fuck is going on?”

“This is Jake, and that’s David,” Dwight explained slowly, like he was talking to a scared animal.

Marcus squinted at him. Doing his best to keep his voice at an even level, he pointed out, “You know, there is a time and a place to introduce me to your friends. And a heads up is always nice. I’ve had dates show up and go, ‘Hey! This is the volleyball team I play with! They really wanted to meet you, so now that we’re all acquainted, mind if we run a train on you?’ Well guess what! I said no then, and I’m saying no now!”

All three of them were staring at him with looks ranging from serious concern to mild horror. Eh, he couldn’t blame them. That had shocked him just as much at the time, but he had no regrets about turning them down.

Shaking his head, David took a step closer. “You need to come with us.”

Recoiling, Marcus snapped, “Touch me and I’ll make sure it’s the last thing you do! I like my kidneys right where they are, thank you very fucking much!”

Eyebrows knitting together in a deep frown, the man looked like he was considering taking a swing at him.

“Marcus, this is going to be really hard to hear,” Dwight started to warn. “It- it’s about Danny.”

A million thoughts flashed through the vet’s mind and he froze. Dwight’s wrist was wrapped in a bloody bandage, and looking closer he could see a long shallow cut on the side of his neck. What the hell had happened? Had Danny done that?! But, why?! No, it couldn’t be… Because if Danny had gone after him, he would be dead and his boyfriend would be the one standing in his living room. Right?

Jake stepped forward, grabbing David’s arm and giving him a warning look before addressing Marcus. “I know how this must look, but all we’re asking is that you please hear us out.”

He was not going to do any such thing. “Ha, no. Get the hell out of my house!”

“Marcus, I know you don’t know me that well, but please listen to me!” Dwight pleaded. “Danny isn’t who he says he is!”

Choking slightly, Marcus couldn’t come up with an answer. He knew that. But the fact that they knew that was damming.

“I’m sorry,” Dwight repeated sincerely. “Danny is the Killer- the Slasher known as Ghostface.”

“Wh- what- how-” Marcus couldn’t get the words out. He was panicking. He was also starting to wish he hadn’t been so hasty in throwing the only thing he had on him he could have used to defend himself. Oh… Fuck… There was only one answer that made sense. They were cops… They were fucking cops and he’d introduced Danny as himself and not as Jed… They didn’t need a fucking warrant if Slashers were thought to be involved! He was fucked. He should start rattling off names. They’d have to help him fake his death… Oh, god… He’d never get to see his family again, even if they were mostly awful.

“I- I don’t have time to explain everything right now, but- but that tattoo on your wrist- I- I don’t know if you can see it-”

Marcus had to fight the urge to look down. If he could see it? Why wouldn’t he be able to- OH. FUCK.

“It’s called an Obsession mark,” Dwight continued, but Marcus wasn’t hearing it anymore.

He was that Dwight, which meant Joey and the Legion had been correct. It also meant Danny had recognized him and pretended otherwise for some reason. Was this worse than cops? This felt worse than cops…

Joey’s mask was still on the coffee table. Right there. If any of them looked down even the slightest… Now he was trying not to look down and draw their attention to it…

A hand grabbed his bicep and he flinched, trying to pull away. How had he not noticed someone getting closer?

David’s grip was like iron, but his voice wasn’t as hard as he offered, “I know it’s a lot to take in. Come with us and we’ll explain everything. You’ll be safe with us.”

Shaking his head, Marcus tried to take a step back but the Survivor’s grip didn’t loosen in the slightest.

Keeping his hands up as he moved closer, Dwight swore, “We- we’re not going to hurt you, or- or rat you out. We just- we’re going to get you somewhere safe, and-”

“No,” Marcus finally managed, voice thin. “You- you all have to go. Right now.”

The grip on his arm tightened and he winced, looking up at David.

Scowling, he snapped, “You’re not getting it! Your boyfriend is Ghostface! He’s planning to kill you!”

Before Marcus could think of anything to say, the front door swung open and Joey came stomping in. “Can’t believe I forgot my ma-”

Looking up and seeing the three Survivors attempting to converge on Marcus, one already successful, he stopped mid word.

For a good thirty seconds, no one said anything. Shockingly, Dwight spoke first and the vet realized he had no idea who Joey actually was…

“O-oh, hi! Um, y-you’re Joey, right? Marcus’s roommate? Uh, I know this- well, this looks really bad, but-”

“Dwight,” Jake hissed, waving a hand at him without taking his eyes off Joey. “Dwight, he’s a Killer too.”

Marcus looked over to see Jake quickly glancing between the mask on the table and Joey’s face.

Dwight looked over at him, looking confused until he followed his gaze. Eyes widening, his mouth dropped open as he said slowly, “Legion?”

Joey made a strange face, actually recoiling slightly. Quickly looking over his shoulder out the still open door, then back at Marcus and the Survivors, he quickly closed the door. Holding both his hands out from his hips to show he wasn’t going for the knife strapped to his chest, he said bluntly, “You all need to go before the wrong person walks in and sees this shit.”

Marcus gasped quietly when David’s grip became painfully tight. “Fuck you, Killer. You assholes working together now?”

The second Marcus had made a pained sound, the Legion members' entire demeanor changed. One hand coming up to about navel height, knees starting to bend slightly as he prepared to charge. “Don’t think I can’t still take out every single one of you without breaking a sweat.”

Before any of the Survivors could come up with a response, the front door was flung open again. Susie skipped in, proclaiming, “JoeJoe, you’re taking too long! You and Doc better not be fucking Christ it multiplied?!”

“What multiplied?” Julie asked, footsteps crunching up the snowy drive. Not waiting for an answer, she stepped inside. Judging from the already suspicious look on her face, she could tell something had Susie and Joey upset. The moment she saw the Survivors staring at her, she stopped in her tracks. “Oh… shit.”

“You should have left when you had the chance,” Marcus murmured, already able to hear Frank’s boots stomping up the walkway. Things were about to get extremely ugly…

“Yo, Legion! We fucking up some burgers or not?” he shouted, poking his head inside. Frowning, he turned to look too. The look of utter shock on his face was jarring as he said, “No goddamn way…”

As if the devil himself was having a laugh at their expense, the bell above the closet door chimed as it swung open, a black clad figure emerging from the shadows.

“I’m baaack,” Ghostface sing-songed tiredly, stepping into the room. “Did you miss–”

He froze, the only thing moving the tendrils of his cloak as they writhed to life around him. Every light currently on in the house flickered and dimmed. Hand falling to his knife, Ghostface snarled a single word.

“Survivors!”

~~

It wasn’t until Jake saw the Legion mask on the table that he realized who he was looking at. He barely registered the name leaving Dwight’s mouth as it sank in just how badly they had all underestimated the situation. He’d never seen the Legion’s faces before; none of them had. He’d even started to have trouble recalling the way they dressed, since compared to the other Killers they looked so normal. But that tattoo was unmistakable. Now, it was all crashing back in like a tsunami, bringing with it the all too familiar feeling of being trapped in a hopeless situation. The four looks of near feral rage felt somehow familiar as well, even if it was his first time seeing their faces.

Everything that happened next felt like it was moving in slow motion, even though it only took seconds.

A black blur flashed in the corner of his eye as Ghostface launched himself at him. Dwight reacted before he could and he let out a startled huff as he was shoved out of the way. There was a scream of pain as the Killer’s knife lodged in the Survivor’s ribs.

The leader, only known by his tattoo, snarled like an animal. The whites of his eyes flooded blood red as he shot forward. The other three were right behind him, closing in faster than Jake could react too. It was their power, he knew that. He recognized the sudden burst of speed and the way the grips on their knives changed.

Marcus let out a shout of his own and Jake looked up to see David shoving him towards the hallway. Dwight was only feet away from him, so close he could almost grab him and drag him out of Ghostface’s reach.

Until the Legion leader tackled him around the waist, knife planting in his abdomen as he carried him backwards like he weighed nothing. He hit Jake so hard, in fact, that his speed and strength carried them into David’s back, pushing all four of them through the Entryway David had just opened.

~~

There was a moment of stillness, so quiet and empty the only thing Dwight could hear was his heart beating in his ears.

Then it all crashed back in, shouting, yelling, searing pain as the knife was yanked out of his side. Half expecting to be stabbed again, he braced himself. But it didn’t come.

Looking up, he saw Ghostface slam a fist into the wall, howling, “Where did they go?! Where?! How?!”

The Legion girl with pink hair was holding her temples, eyes squeezed closed. The blond was breathing heavily, hands on her knees and eyes wide. Joey, the only one who’s name he knew, was rubbing the side of his head with one hand, eyes narrow as he stared at the empty hallway. Then, slowly… he looked down at Dwight. Both women looked at him as well, red rings around their irises.

“I… warned you,” Ghostface laughed, voice cold as the grave. “I warned you, Survivor. I told you to leave. Marcus is mine.”

Turning, he wiped his blade through one gloved hand, cleaning off the blood in a horrifically familiar fashion. “Now, you’re going to pay for your mistake.”
~~~~

Chapter Text

Marcus barely had time to register the feeling of warmth that flooded him before he hit the ground hard. If that hadn’t already been enough to knock the wind out of him, the six foot two brick house that fell on top of him sure was. All the air in his lungs was forced out with a harsh wheeze and he knew he was going to be feeling it in his ribs for days.

Blood splattered across the ground in front of him and he flinched, still trying to get his bearings. It felt almost like they’d passed through a Door, but instead of freezing cold it had been pleasantly warm. Still, the marble floor he was laying on told him in no uncertain terms that they were no longer in his house.

Hearing Frank snarling like an animal and someone else shouting at the top of their lungs, he tried to yell for them to calm down so they could talk things out, but he didn’t have the oxygen to get the words out. The weight on his back disappeared and he gasped for air, coughing when he tried to speak and once again unable to get the words out.

Finally pushing himself up, his breathing hitched when he saw David yanking Frank off of Jake. The Legion leader still had his bloody knife in hand as the Survivor curled in on himself, blood quickly pooling underneath him.

Slashing at David, he managed to catch his forearm, forcing him back a step. With a low sound of anger, Frank moved to go after Jake again.

“Frank, stop!” Marcus shouted, staggering towards him.

Before he could figure out what was happening, the Legion leader was flying at him instead, knife aimed for his throat. Flinching back as he threw his hands up, Marcus howled as the blade sank into his shoulder. Shoved down onto his back, he caught a glimpse of Frank's eyes. It didn’t seem like he was really seeing who he was attacking anymore, a look of total feral rage clouding his vision and turning his sclera solid red.

Marcus screamed when the knife was yanked out of his shoulder. Before he could get out a desperate attempt at talking the raging Slasher down, Frank jerked backwards. Hands flying to his head, he let out a pained cry.

Ignoring his own injury, David tackled the brunette, easily carrying him off his feet and slamming him into the floor. Punching the Legion leader in the mouth when he tried to shove him away, the Survivor snarled, “Not so tough without the spider to back you up, huh?!”

Spitting blood, Frank taunted, “My girlfriend hits harder than you, pussy.”

“Fuck you, Killer!” David bellowed, hauling back to hit him again.

Marcus could hear other voices shouting and footsteps coming closer. Panic was starting to set in, and it wasn’t just the blood pouring out of his shoulder. He need to get Frank and get the fuck out of there before someone called the cops! Even if he couldn’t open a Door, if they could get far enough away he could try and call Danny or Evan or Amanda. Hell, he might even call Lisa since he was still wearing the pendant she’d given him. Forcing himself to roll onto his stomach, he pulled his injured arm against his chest as he forced himself to move.

Several feet away, David and Frank were still trying to kill each other. It looked like the Survivor may actually be making some progress, pinning the Killer down with his weight and throwing punches like a pro-league boxer.

Doing his best not to picture himself in Frank’s place, Marcus charged. Slamming his full weight into David’s back, he managed to knock the larger man off balance. It was only for a second but it was enough for Frank to recover enough to slam the heel of his hand into David’s nose.

David repaid him with a knee to the diaphragm before twisting at the waist and grabbing Marcus by the front of his shirt. Yanked forward, the vet wasn’t able to do anything to defend himself from the shoulder that slammed into his stomach.

He wasn’t sure if David threw him or just dropped him, but he hit the floor so hard he saw stars. A fist pressed into his chest, followed by an angry voice warning, “Stay down or you’re next.”

Before Marcus could get too worried about the Legion leader, Frank shot upwards. The move was sudden enough to catch David off guard and knock him away from the vet. Teeth bared in an enraged snarl, Frank stabbed his knife into the Survivors stomach. Yanking his blade free, he kicked David in the thigh to force him further back before staggering to his feet.

“I don’t need the spider to remind you of your proper place, Survivor,” Frank promised, eyes blooming with red. Flipping his knife, he caught it in a downward position before springing forward.

David actually flinched, taking a step back. He needn't have worried, as three ear shattering bangs split the air. Frank dropped, knife clattering to the ground as he collapsed. Judging from the blood pooling underneath him, whatever the bullets had hit had been pretty damn important. And fatal…

Marcus tried to get up but fell back to the floor with a gasp of pain. He was starting to feel dizzy on top of everything. Pressing a hand to the knife wound, he winced. What the actual fuck. How had things gone so bad?!

Movement drew his attention and he looked up. Eyes widening, he raised his hands as best he could, covered in blood and shaking as they were. Again, he was reduced to guessing, but he was pretty sure that was the same guy who’d just shot Frank. Now, the weapon was pointing at him.

The man holding the gun on him looked shocked but in control. Dark blond hair framed his face, but it did nothing to detract from the suspicion in his eyes as he stared at the vet.

More footsteps raced into the room but Marcus didn’t dare look away. There was nothing to keep this guy from shooting him. Just because he’d been stabbed in the chaos didn’t mean shit. For all he knew, the guy thought he had been helping Frank try to kill two people. Which was made slightly embarrassing by the fact that he was unarmed and in pajamas… At least he was wearing clean underwear.

Not breaking eye contact, the man ordered, “Get Jake and David to medical. This guy too. Get the Killer restrained and into a cell.”

Oh shit, he was a Survivor. Wait, that must mean… Something above the blond’s head caught Marcus’s attention and he allowed his focus to shift. He couldn’t help the way his eyes widened and jaw dropped when he realized he was looking up at a Tree. It looked so much like the one in the Realm, but… alive. Brilliant leaves filled the branches, shimmering with shifting reds and oranges and yellows. It almost looked like stained glass.

Someone grabbed his good arm and he flinched, attention quickly turning to the older man who’d just grabbed him. He had an unlit cigarette between his lips and his voice was rough as he said, “You’re alright, kid. Don’t worry. We’re gonna get you patched up.”

It occurred to Marcus that they must not have seen him try to get David off of Frank, but he didn’t get a chance to work out how or if he could use that to his favor.

“What the hell were you two doing outside of the Pocket?” the blond demanded, holstering his gun as he hurried to Jake’s aid.

“I’m sorry, I should have said something sooner. It’s my fault,” he started to say, but David cut him off with an indignant shout.

Jabbing a finger at Frank’s body, he accused, “This is their fault! And now they have Dwight!”

“What?!” the older guy demanded, dragging Marcus to his feet a bit rougher than he probably intended. He had actually been quite gentle up to that point.

“David, Bill, calm down,” a rough voice ordered.

Looking over, Marcus grimaced slightly. Shit. The new guy was armed too. Eyes tracking to his face when he started talking again, he felt a bolt of shock run down his spine. Sporting a large scar across his throat, it was unclear to the vet how he’d received much less survived such a clearly fatal wound.

“The Killer’s already cuffed,” he continued. “Jeff and I will get him downstairs, while you all get to medical. I already radioed ahead. Claudette and Rebecca are waiting, and Cheryl is on her way. David, do you need help?”

Hand pressed to his stomach, he didn’t stop glaring at Frank’s body. “I’m fine, Tapp.”

Blood was still dripping from his nose and arm, staining his shirt beyond repair. Despite the sweat beading on his forehead, he was pale as a day-old corpse. It really looked like he was about to pass out, but no one argued.

Instead, the blond said, “Jeff, make sure you take his boots and jacket. Search him from head to toe. We don’t know what else he could have on his person and we don’t need any more injuries.”

Frank had been rolled onto his stomach, hands already cuffed behind his back as Jeff went through his pockets. As much as Marcus hated to think it, the only reason the Legion leader wasn’t screaming obscenities and probably trying to bite people was thanks to the bullets in his chest. Once he revived it was going to be a different story…

Unable to stop himself as the man searching Frank started pulling him into his arms, Marcus asked, “Aren’t you going to remove the bullets first?”

All the Survivors stared at him and he winced. He probably shouldn’t have asked that. He knew Frank would be fine given enough time and the last thing he needed to do in his current state was let on just how much he already knew.

Glaring at Marcus like he wanted to shoot him himself, David snapped, “And why would we do that? Huh? He just stabbed you! Why the fuck would you care?!”

“David, enough,” the blond warned. “Let’s go.”

“No, Leon! He knows something!” he shouted, jabbing a finger at him. The movement made him stagger and Tapp quickly grabbed him, keeping him steady.

Jake looked ill, gaze lingering on Marcus before he glanced at Leon, muttering, “We need to get to medical.”

Before they could go anywhere, David repeated, “They have Dwight! The Legion and Ghostface! This is bull shit! I should have- I should have done more!”

Marcus winced, waiting for the inevitable bloodbath. When no army of angry teenagers led by a screaming white masked maniac came pouring out of the Tree, he glanced at it curiously. Maybe… Maybe they couldn’t use one another’s Trees?

“Medical first,” Leon stated, tone leaving no room for argument. “You can fill us in once I’m sure no one’s going to die.”

Marcus was trying not to panic, but it wasn’t easy. He and Frank were separated and he had no idea what the Survivors would do to either of them. It seemed like they hadn’t yet caught on entirely to his involvement, but he knew the minute the story came out they’d put two and two together. Then again, it seemed like David already had.

The Survivor was studying him with hard eyes, probably going over everything that had just happened. Pointing with his free hand, he demanded, “Bill, Tapp. One of you search him before he’s taken anywhere. I don’t trust him.”

The man with the scar nodded to Bill, taking Marcus’s arm. “Jeff, are you going to be okay alone?”

Jeff, the one holding Frank’s body, nodded slowly. “Oh, uh… Yeah. He’s dead so… should be pretty easy to just put him in a cell downstairs.”

Jumping when hands started roaming his legs, Marcus stilled immediately. They were just searching him. He wasn’t about to freak out and give them more reason to shoot him too. There was still a slim chance he could talk them out of their current situation. Hey, he’d managed to convince a group of mass murderers not to kill him, surely he could do the same with the Survivors… Hopefully without having fuck any of them…

Hands ran over his chest and he jumped again. Probably a bad time to get distracted. Especially considering the guy who was searching him just found the pendant Lisa had given him.

Pulling it from under his shirt, Bill stared at it with a hard expression, the unlit cigarette between his lips twitching. Eyes raising to Marcus’s, he squinted slightly.

The vet didn’t say anything, just stared back at him. There was no denying what it was and he could see it in the man’s body language that he recognized the symbol. Well, he may not be getting a chance to talk their way out of it after all…

Surprisingly, Bill was careful as he tugged the pendant over Marcus’s head. Once he had it in hand, he turned and trudged over to the blond who’d shot Frank. “Leon. You need to see this.”

He was supporting Jake with one arm and looked incredibly annoyed by the continuous delays. Still, he gestured to the item, asking, “What’s that?”

Holding out the pendant, Bill asked quietly, “You recognize that symbol?”

Jake squinted at it, a look of confusion and pain on his face. “Isn’t that the-”

“Yes,” Marcus answered, cutting him off before he could get her name out. “She gave it to me. It was a gift.”

He wasn’t sure who he was actually protecting, but he wasn’t about to allow another Slasher to be summed into what he was starting to guess was the Survivors own Realm.

All three of them stared at him. Leon and Bill looked suspicious and angry, Jake just looked shocked.

Off to one side, David’s voice was barely controlled as he demanded angrily, “Why the hell are you talking like you know that creature on a personal level?”

“Lisa’s not a creature you dunderhead!” Marcus snapped, head whipping around. The fast movement caused pain to shoot through his arm and chest but he ignored it. He liked Lisa and he wasn’t about to let anyone talk about her like that.

David was looking at Marcus like he’d just said he’d fucked his mom. The horror and shock quickly became pure rage and he yanked out of Tapp's grip, starting forward like he fully intended to beat the shit out of the vet right then and there.

Bill managed to intercept him, warning, “You need to get to medical before you bleed out.”

Shrugging off the other Survivors' attempt to get him to sit down, he snarled, “I’m fine!”

His declaration was slightly undermined by the hand he had pressed against his stomach and the sweat dripping down his forehead, but it didn’t stop him from marching forward. Grabbing the front of Marcus’s shirt, he demanded, “What are you? Who are you?”

Marcus knew the question wasn’t introductory. He was sure they already had his name thanks to Dwight. No, David was asking if he were a Slasher and which one. Oh, they might assume he was a part of the Legion since he’d shown up alongside Frank…

Trying to consider how the situation must look from their point of view twisted his stomach into tight knots. Although he’d initially assumed the Survivors would be less aggressive or violent than the Slashers, he was starting to doubt it. They had no reason to believe anything that came out of his mouth. And that meant they had no reason not to just kill him…

“I’m just a veterinarian,” he answered calmly, but it was incredibly difficult.

“Don’t fucking play with me,” David snarled. “You knew your boyfriend was really Ghostf-”

“Yes,” Marcus snapped, glaring up at him. Fuck, they were making this difficult. How had they not been found out already when they threw around Slasher names like that?! “Yes, I already knew. Why do you think I told the three of you to get the hell out of my house?”

Without breaking eye contact, David demanded, “Tapp, give me your gun.”

“I’m not going to do that,” he answered calmly.

“He’s one of them,” David snarled. “He wasn’t surprised when the Legion recognized us and now we know why!”

“David, I’d rather not have to taser you again. Especially with the state you’re in,” Leon stated. “Until we get the full story, no one’s doing anything but going to medical. Now, let him go.”

Finally releasing Marcus’s shirt, David raked him with one last cold look. Under his breath, he swore, “We’re not done.”

Guided along a few yards behind Jake and Leon, Marcus did his best to remember what route they were taking. It wasn’t very complicated so far, but he had no idea if they were going to be staying in the same building or not.

Following a long hallway going the opposite direction from where Jeff had taken Frank, the group eventually entered a large sterile white room. It looked very similar to a hospital room, but instead of only one or two beds divided by curtains there were almost a dozen. Two women were already there, setting up three of the beds for the patients they were expecting to receive.

Looking over when they came in, a woman with glasses started to ask, “David, Jake, what-” seeing Marcus, she stopped, looking shocked. “What… who-”

“Claudette,” Leon said loudly, and she shook her head.

“Um, sorry, when Tapp said three I was expecting three of us.”

The other woman, Rebecca, patted one of the beds. “Put him here. David, sit before you kill yourself.”

He was leaning against the wall, looking more pale and sweaty than before. The glare still hadn’t left his face, but he didn’t argue for once. Shuffling over, he nearly collapsed on the bed. Shooting daggers at Marcus as he was led past, he only looked away when Claudette moved his hand so she could check out his stomach wound.

Jake was put in the bed next to him, while Marcus found himself cuffed to his bed a little further down. Tapp didn’t say anything to him, just moved to the foot of the bed to wait.

Bill and Leon were talking to Jake, glancing in his direction every so often and talking in hushed voices. Overall, it wasn’t looking good.

“My arm is fine,” David grunted, but Claudette ignored him.

Grabbing his wrist, she countered, “Until it takes ten times as long to heal because you don’t know how to take it easy. Now hush, I’m trying to listen.”

It didn’t seem to matter too much, as Leon nodded before turning to the vet. Marcus tensed as he made his way over, unsure if he was going to talk to him or pistol whip him.

“You’re Marcus, right?” the blond asked.

“Yeah, that’s me,” he confirmed anyway. Not much point in lying, he supposed.

“Jake tells me you were being targeted by Killers,” Leon informed him. He sounded like a cop… “Or possibly living with them. May I see your arm?”

First glancing down at the oozing knife wound in his shoulder, it suddenly occurred to him that that wasn’t what he was being asked. Although he was hesitant, he did slowly turn his other arm over, revealing the Obsession mark on his wrist. It wasn’t like they couldn’t make him and he wasn’t about to get himself beaten up. He was already injured and cuffed to a hospital bed to boot.

Leon took a sharp breath, eyes narrowing as he studied the black legs. When he reached down and took hold of the vet’s wrist, Marcus made a face. It made the mark itch unpleasantly.

“Who’s hunting you?” the blond asked slowly.

Recalling what Danny had said about Michael breaking into the Entity’s Realm in search of his last Obsession, Marcus flat out lied, “I don’t know.”

“Bullshit you don’t!” David shouted, attempting to get out of bed.

Claudette must have anticipated it because she jabbed him in the arm with a needle, scolding, “Sit down before you pop your stitches. We’re almost done.”

He didn’t look the least bit happy about it but he did as directed, still trying to kill Marcus with his glare. Oof…

“It sounds like you know a lot more than you’re letting on,” Leon pointed out, crossing his arms. “You don’t seem too surprised by anything that’s happening.”

“Maybe I’m in shock,” Marcus offered. It was a total lie, but it could possibly explain his reaction to the situation. Only if the Survivors bought it, anyway…

It only took about three seconds for him to see how much Leon did not buy it. “All four of your roommates are Killers. Your boyfriend is a Killer. And apparently the H-”

“Don’t,” Marcus interrupted, looking away when Leon arched an eyebrow. “Just… don’t say their names. Please.”

Beginning to look incredibly concerned, Leon asked, “Are you a prisoner? Were you being held against your will?”

That stunned Marcus to the point he wasn’t sure how the hell to respond, and even David made a sound of surprise as if the idea hadn’t occurred to him before. Still, he most definitely wasn’t a prisoner… “Um, I- I- uh… Oh, boy.”

“Are you sure you don’t know which one marked you? We just want to understand your situation so we can help you.”

Yep, definitely a cop.

Marcus was staring at the floor, panic keeping him silent. This was bad. So, so, so bad. They didn’t have the full story and were jumping to some pretty dark conclusions. It would probably be worse to let them continue to assume, right? But what if volunteering what information he did have led to Danny or Evan or any of the others getting hurt? He highly doubted either the unintentional lie or the full truth would sway the Survivors into letting him and Frank go. The fact that Ghostface and the rest of the Legion had Dwight would certainly only make things worse no matter what he said…

Feeling like he had no other choice, Marcus forced himself to look Leon in the eyes. “I’m not their prisoner. I’m- ah… well… I’m actually their… doctor. Kind of.”

Leon rubbed his eyes with one hand before squinting at him. “I’m sorry. You’re what?”

“I- I’m their doctor. Not- not the- not the Slasher of the same name, obviously, but… I’m actually a veterinary technician so they come to me when they get hurt…”

“A lot of the skills transfer,” Rebecca cut in when Leon and Bill continued to stare at him like he had three eyes.

The several minutes of extended silence were only interrupted by Claudette coming over and shooing Leon out of the way. “Marcus, right? I’m Claudette. I’m going to take a look at your shoulder. Are you experiencing any numbness or tingling in your fingers?”

“Um, no. But-”

“I’m going to have to cut your shirt open so I can-”

“No!” he shouted, leaning away from her slightly. He couldn’t let them see the tattoo. It was absolutely damming and he was sure they’d either shoot him or further restrain him. Neither idea was particularly appealing, but the idea of being tied down again, or worse, muzzled, scared the absolute hell out of him.

Claudette looked shocked but recovered her composure quickly. “I know this situation is stressful. You’re probably confused and have a lot of questions, but right now I’m just trying to help you. You could bleed to death or…”

Following her gaze as she trailed off, he took a good look at the wound in his shoulder. From what he could see and feel, it had already stopped bleeding. That could only mean being in the Survivor’s Realm was speeding up the healing process just like it would in the Slashers.

“Leon, come look at this,” she said, carefully pulling aside the collar of his shirt.

It was nowhere near close enough to reveal the tattoo, so even though it made his aching shoulder throb painfully, he didn’t try to stop them. Although he had to lean his head to one side slightly as two other people crowded way too far into his personal space, he could guess what they were looking at. No doubt the wound was already far more healed than it should have been. They knew he wasn’t a Survivor, so the speed of the wound closing could only make him look even more like a Slasher…

From two beds over, David demanded, “What? What is it?”

Leon exchanged a look with Claudette before asking, “Think it works on normal people too?”

“This is too fast,” she argued, looking at the wound again. “Look at it. Most of us don’t even heal this fast while we’re here, and that Leg-”

“Frank,” Marcus interrupted, and both of them looked at him. “His name is Frank.”

“Well… if that’s the same knife he used before, this should still be bleeding like crazy,” she finished, letting go of his shirt. “You’re already good to go without stitches. I’d still recommend them, but you don’t need them if you’re careful.”

Marcus was sure he misheard her. He never healed that fast, even in the Slashers Realm. “I’m sorry, what?”

Before she could answer, the door flew open. A young woman with short blond hair rushed in, apologizing, “Hey, I’m here! Sorry I’m late! Oh, damn! David, Jake, what happened?”

“Ask him,” David snapped, jerking his head in Marcus’s direction.

The vet barely heard the new conversation. The moment he’d laid eyes on the woman he’d felt something entirely knew. An impulse, a need even, that he’d never felt before. He wanted to kill her. Every fiber of his being was screaming at him to leap off the bed, close the small distance between them, and tear her apart with his bare hands. He wanted to feel her bones break in his grip, the heat of her blood against his skin, hear the tearing of flesh and muscle. If it weren’t for the cuff around his wrist keeping him in place, he probably would have without even realizing what he was doing until it was too late.

Time seemed to slow as she turned, the concerned look on her face only becoming more so as she locked eyes with him. For a split second, something like recognition flared between them even though they’d never met before.

“Cheryl? Cheryl, what’s wrong?”

Jake’s voice was enough to break through the sea of red in Marcus’s vision and he forced himself to look away. What the hell was that?! Feeling sick to his stomach, he was about to try and apologize when the Survivor moved.

Before anyone could stop her, Cheryl marched forward, yanked Leon’s gun off his belt before he could figure out what the hell she was doing, and pointed it directly at Marcus’s head.

“Did he send you?” she asked, voice icy cold.

It was only then he noticed the heat radiating from the tattoo on his chest. How long had it been like that? Since they got to the Survivor’s Realm? Or since she’d walked into the room? Before he could puzzle it out, there was a click and he went slightly cross eyed as the gun pushed closer to his face.

“Did he send you?!” Cheryl demanded again, voice cracking.

“Put it down,” Leon ordered, but his voice was soothing rather than commanding. “Cheryl, give me the gun. We’re questioning him, but this isn’t going to-”

“Answer me!” she shouted, ignoring Leon. “Did Pyramid Head send you?!”

Bill and Claudette both took a quick step away from Marcus, expressions becoming hostile.

“No,” he answered, voice thin. “N-no, he didn’t send me. He doesn’t even know I’m here.”

Nodding slightly, she bit the inside of her lip. For a moment, it looked like she was going to lower the gun. Shaking her head, she put her finger on the trigger instead. “That’s good. Because you shouldn’t be here.”

Before Marcus could get another word out, Cheryl pulled the trigger.

~~

Deep within the bowels of a desiccated, decaying city where ash fell like rain and the screams of the damned echoed through empty halls, a god stirred on his throne of human corpses. Taking the Great Knife in hand, Pyramid Head rose. The scrape of his blade as it dragged a deep furrow behind him echoed even after he vanished in a swirl of ash and rust.

Although the denizens of Silent Hill never questioned their god’s comings and goings nor would they dare raise concerns over his methods, a certain nurse couldn’t help but exchange a worried look with the gray child standing beside her in the shadows. Only one thing could upset him like that. A challenger to his throne…
~~~~

Chapter Text

Danny was losing it. Marcus had been kidnapped again. By Survivors! Oh, fuck, they had Frank too. That hot-head was going to get them both killed! The Survivors may have been almost entirely unable to fight back in the Entity’s Realm, but that only made it more concerning! They’d been prey for decades and now they had a chance to turn the tables on one of their former torturers and hit other Slashers in an entirely unexpected manner. If they hurt Doc… He’d make them wish they’d been taken by the Cenobites instead of the Entity...

“Where did they go?”

His head whipped around at Julie’s harsh tone. He’d been so angry and consumed by his own concerns he’d nearly forgotten the other three Legion members had seen the whole thing and lost their leader again! Fuck…

Taking a step closer to the bleeding Survivor, she repeated, “Where the fuck did they go?! Where did they take Frank and Marcus?!”

Dwight stared up at her with wide eyes but said nothing. He’d always been a nervous one, and fear could close a mouth tighter than a bank vault. Well, that could be changed all too easily if one knew how to employ the proper pressure…

Stalking forward, Danny crouched down in front of him. Tilting his head, he took a moment to study the man. He was scared, there was no denying that. Dwight was shivering so hard it was nearly possible to hear his bones rattling. Otherwise, he was maintaining his composure quite well…

“Hmm, Dwight. Brave, but stupid. You know that? What did I tell you was going to happen if you didn’t leave?”

He could see his heart rate jump by the pulse point in his neck. A good start, but he had no intentions of just… talking.

“Here’s the thing, Survivor. I made someone a promise that I wouldn’t kill you for any reason.” There was an enraged hiss from Joey but Danny ignored it. “Now, I made no such promise regarding hurting you. So, you’re going to tell me how to get my fucking boyfriend back, or I’ll drag you back to the Realm and let the others remind you of how the game is played.”

Dwight looked away, wincing slightly as he shifted. One hand was pressed to his side where he’d been stabbed, but it looked like the blood had already started to coagulate. Taking a deep breath, he forced his gaze back to Ghostface’s mask. “I- I can’t.”

Humming, Danny slowly tapped the tip of his knife against his mask. “Hmm, I’m sure you can. You know what we can do? We can do. Whatever. We. Want.”

With that, he jammed a finger into Dwight’s stab wound. Ignoring the hands that grabbed at him and the agonized sounds coming from the downed Survivor, he pressed the edge of his knife to his throat.

Dwight stilled, eyes squeezed shut and breathing ragged. “I- I can’t! I w-won’t let you hurt the- the others!’

“If you’re going to speak, make sure it’s something I want to hear,” he purred. “Where did they take Frank and Marcus?”

“Y-your m-mom’s house,” Dwight seethed through gritted teeth.

“Funny! Unfortunately, I forgot how to laugh!” Danny snarled, twisting his finger into the Survivors' wound. He was actually quite impressed to hear Dwight of all Survivors try a taunt like that, but he was still too mad to care.

Doing a remarkable job of not screaming, Dwight grit his teeth against the pain with a thin whine. Gasping when the digit was removed from the knife wound, he panted, “You- you know, Ghostface? Th-there’s something I- I think all of us Survivors have always wanted to say to you Killers.”

Head tilting to the other side, Danny promised, “If you say ‘go fuck yourself’ or ‘fuck you’ or some stupid ass variation of that, I swear on the Entity’s ghost I will put this knife in your leg.”

Letting out a wheezy laugh, Dwight scolded, “C-come on now, Ghostface. Give me s-some credit. I’m n-not that unoriginal.”

“Okay, I’ll humor you. What is it?”

“G-go- go fuck yourself.”

Danny stabbed him in the leg. Leaving the knife hilt deep in Dwight’s thigh, he stood up and turned to the trio of Legion members. Ignoring the muffled sobbing coming from the floor behind him, he said cheerfully, “Okay, kids! So, here’s the plan! One of you go get Amanda.”

“What, why?” Joey demanded, still glaring down at Dwight. “I say, we start cutting pieces off. He’ll talk.”

“Everyone breaks,” Julie stated coldly, knuckles white from how hard she was clenching her knife.

Danny threw up his hands. “Yes, but we need an expert in physical torture and I’m more of a mental-”

“We were in Hell for two-hundred years, Ghosty,” Susie interrupted, smiling psychotically. “We learned a thing or two.”

“Hmm, fair. Especially because I don’t care how many times we have to kill this idiot,” he sighed, turning to look down at Dwight again.

He’d curled into a ball, one hand pressed to his side, the other against his leg just above the knife. Oops, he may be about to pass out due to blood loss. Well… technically that was fine as long as his heart didn’t stop…

“So, you going to start this party or what?” Joey demanded, gesturing at their captive. “We don’t have time to waste!”

“Ha, okay, so… I might have preemptively promised Doc I wouldn’t kill Dwight for any reason and I’m not about to start breaking my word now,” Danny lamented. “But you kids are welcome to do whatever the hell you want to him!”

“Cutting pieces off it is,” Julie decided, tossing and catching her knife with one hand. “I’m starting with his ears. Let’s see how well his dorky glasses stay on without ears.”

Dwight let out a terrified squeak, curling into an even tighter ball.

“If he pees the carpet you’re cleaning it up,” Danny sighed irritably. “Oh, actually, put him in the bathtub. Then you can just wash the blood and stuff down the drain. First though, Joey, Julie, get the Survivor’s jacket and boots off and tie him up. Susie, go to my house and go to the master bathroom. In the medicine cabinet is a bottle labeled, ‘The Good Shit’. Bring it back, and don’t let anyone follow you. I’ll close the Door temporarily when I get back. It won’t actually stop anyone from just… reopening it, but it might make them think twice, you know?”

“Get back?” Joey demanded. “From where?”

“Dwight’s hotel,” he said. “I’m going to look for anything that might help. Feel free to keep our guest entertained until I get back.”

“Wait, why am I going to pick up drugs for you?” Suse chimed in, sounding annoyed. “This is probably one of the worst times to get high!”

“I have opened far too many Doors today and I’m exhausted to the point of near death,” Danny told her, voice icy. “So, if you want me to continue to function so we can get Frank and Marcus back before a pack of vengeful Survivors decide to take it out on them, please just go get my fucking adderall.”

“Then I guess we better make sure we get all the information we can, ASAP,” Julie reiterated, stalking over to where Dwight was shivering on the ground. “Go ahead and struggle, Survivor. Give me more reasons to carve you up.”

He continued his trend of silently staring, not rising to the bait that time. He did attempt to yank his arms and legs away when the Legion members started taking his shoes and jacket, but it did nothing to stop them or even really slow them down; It took less than a minute for them to get him down to his t-shirt and pants. When the roll of duct tape came out, Dwight nearly kicked Joey in the dick and got punched in his leg wound in retaliation.

When Susie made a move like she was going to help, Danny held out a hand. “Ah! No. Susie, you’re the only one who hasn’t gotten too close to a Survivor.”

Looking confused for a moment, she started to ask, “Why would that- Oooh, Evan?”

“And Dredge, and Demi, and Pyramid Head,” he murmured, noticing the way Dwight’s expression changed with each name. He was listening to every word they said but trying not to make it obvious.

“That makes sense,” Susie agreed, making her way to the closet. “You said your master bathroom, right? Where the hell is that?”

Ah, yes. He’d forgotten she wouldn’t know the layout of his house yet. At least his house wasn’t as big as Evan’s or he’d have to draw her a map. “Just go straight up the stairs, there’s only one bathroom up there.”

Nodding, she walked into the closet. Dwight made a face like he’d just touched something gross. Could he… sense the Door?

Danny added that little question to the list of bullshit he had to figure out. At the moment, he needed to get back to the hotel room. It had been easy enough to figure out exactly where Dwight was staying. Marcus lived in a pretty small town and basing his search off the time it had taken the Survivor to get to the house by car, it had been easy to find the little hotel. Finding his room had been easy as well. He’d paid cash but stupidly used his real name.

Joey easily pulled Dwight to his feet while Julie kicked his jacket and boots out of the way. The Survivor shot Danny a terrified look as he was dragged to the bathroom, so he waved smugly in return. He wasn’t expecting mercy, was he? Ha, now that was funny.

Finally, peace and quiet. Now he could mull over his problems without interruption. He couldn’t use another Door without the Tree unless he wanted to kill himself and there was no way he could go to the Realm covered in Survivor blood and he couldn’t shower with Dwight occupying the tub… Ugh, borrowing clothes from Doc and walking it was! Hurrying back to the bedroom, he quickly stripped out of his Ghostface uniform and pulled on a pair of jeans and one of the vet’s t-shirts. Thank the Entity they wore the same sizes. Grabbing a hoodie off the floor, he tugged it over his head. It smelled like Marcus, sending a painful pang through his chest.

Danny knew it was his fault. He should have insisted the vet tell him everything about his new friend immediately. It was one thing when he already knew the person sleeping with his boyfriend, but strangers were a risk. He should have known that. Maybe… Maybe he should have pulled Marcus aside and told him the truth the second he saw Dwight, or after he’d left. Now he had to fix his mistake before–

The closet door chimed and he breathed a sigh of relief. Sounded like Susie was back with his adderall. At least that would give him a boost. Hopefully it would be enough.

Hurrying back into the living room, he started to say, “It’s nice to see someone around here can follow in-”

He choked, nearly biting his tongue. Susie was back… But she wasn’t alone.

Jason had her by the scruff of the neck, Danny’s bottle of ‘The Good Stuff’ in his other hand. And boy oh boy, did he look pissed.

~~

Camp Crystal Lake. A beautiful retreat hidden deep in the woods of New Jersey, the once idyllic locale had become soaked in a tragic, bloody past. And present, really, and it was just going to keep getting bloodier.

There was a twang, a thump, a splatter, and a much louder thump as the body hit the ground, an arrow through one eye.

Jason stepped down from the ridge he’d been standing on, satisfaction burning through him. There had only been three, but he’d killed all of them without a single issue. Mother would be proud.

Retrieving his arrow, he sighed when he inspected it. The shaft had cracked and the tip of the metal head had bent slightly, probably from impacting the man's eye socket upon entry. He was running a bit low but could probably get more if he made another visit to the Realm… None of the other Slashers used arrows, but Amanda or Evan usually had the materials he needed to make more.

Dragging the body along, he dropped it in the waste pit before returning to the cabin he primarily lived out of. He’d need something to trade; he really didn’t like working on credit with anyone but Amanda if he could avoid it, but he wasn’t sure what Evan would be willing to trade for since he’d just gotten an entire Elk. Hmm… Oh, that might work!

Grabbing a single barrel shotgun he’d taken off an intruder, he wiped some of the blood off before double checking the chamber. Oops, still loaded. Pulling the slug out, he dropped it in his jacket pocket before making his way towards the Realm. Amanda always took guns when he had them. Apparently she could build traps with them. He’d like to see that, actually.

Jason hated using Doors. He just didn’t like the way it felt to open or pass through them. He’d do it in a pinch, but he preferred to traverse the fog and reach the Realm through one of the only known ways in from the outside world.

As the trees became thinner and the fog grew thicker, something gurgled in the distance. Jason didn’t bother to try and figure out where exactly it was coming from. It sounded like Dredge, but he never gave the camp killer any problems.

He’d actually followed Jason back to Crystal Lake once and upon finding the waste pit, eaten the bodies inside it. Since then, the Druanee usually checked the pit a couple of times a month, but he didn’t mind. It helped prevent scavenging animals and it meant he didn’t have to burn the trash as often.

Emerging into the Realm proper, Jason made his way between houses. Amanda’s house was across the courtyard, but that wasn’t an issue. The only thing between him and his goal was the Tree.

Or, maybe not?

Pausing when one of the Legion children went racing from the Tree to Danny’s house, he tilted his head. He wasn’t entirely sure what to make of the four newly returned Slashers. All Michael had to say about them was that they were annoying, they were the kind of teens Jason generally liked to kill, and to keep an eye on anything small enough to pocket while they were around.

He had yet to form a real opinion of them for himself. Even though they’d all pitched in and helped put an end to the Collector, rescue Marcus, and stop Pin-something-or-other -he couldn’t remember, nor did he care- he had yet to see how they behaved day to day. But seeing one of them dart across the courtyard while looking around like she was trying to avoid being seen was highly suspect. Especially with what Michael had said previously…

Making a slight detour, he walked up to Danny’s front porch. She’d left the door open, but he didn’t hear Danny or Marcus inside. Hmmm, were they not there? They might be at Evan’s. He should probably go get Danny since it was his home that was just broken into…

Just as he was about to step off the porch and go knock on the Trapper’s door, there was a loud thump upstairs. That sounded like the bathroom and Jason knew Danny kept quite a few illicit substances in there.

Moving surprisingly quietly for a man of his size, Jason stepped inside. Setting the shotgun down inside the door, he made his way upstairs. What the hell was that girl doing?

More rattling as he got closer only added to his suspicions. The bathroom door was open and the light was on, but the amount of noise the pink haired girl was making was more than enough to give away her location. Ugh, teenagers. Noisy, nosy, and disrespectful.

There was a sound Jason instantly recognized as a bottle of pills being rattled around before the girl let out a victorious, “Ahha! Found you! I wonder if he keeps track of how many are in here…”

Crossing his arms, he stood just around the outside of the door. He could practically count down the seconds until… she walked out of the bathroom and smacked directly into him.

Letting out a startled shriek, she turned and tried to run, shoving something into the pocket of her hoodie as she did.

Hand shooting out, he grabbed the back of her neck. He’d learned not to grab clothes a long time ago. Too easy to rip or slip out of. Couldn’t slip out of skin though. Not without a lot of blood and screaming anyway.

Flailing wildly as he dragged her back, she demanded, “Let me go, you cue ball looking culture thief!”

Jason blinked several times. He understood the cue ball insult and as badly as he wanted to repeatedly smash the wretched little brat into a wall, he kept his temper under control. For the time being anyway… But, culture thief? What the fuck was she talking about?

Turning her around to face him, he held out his other hand and made a ‘give it to me’ motion.

Crossing her arms and glaring at him, her only answer was to stick out her tongue.

Rolling his eyes, he reached for the pocket he’d seen her hand go into.

Slapping his hand away, she shouted, “You’re not a cute ginger, a hot chick, or Joey, so hands off the goods!”

Giving her a good hard shake, Jason waited for her eyes to stop rolling and focus before once again making a ‘give it’ motion.

Huffing, she shoved a hand into the large pocket and pulled out a box cutter from Home Depot. It had tape around the handle and someone’s name written on it, but it was mostly obscured by dried blood.

He’d keep that… But that also wasn’t what she’d stolen so he shook her again. That time, he didn’t wait for her to recover. Shoving his hand into her hoodie, he found the bottle immediately. There was a sticky note taped to it with Danny’s handwriting proudly labeling the contents as ‘The Good Shit’

Staring at the bottle for a moment, he pinned her with a hard glare. Stealing from another Slasher was bad enough, but stealing drugs? This was why mother didn’t let him start killing people until he was a grown man. Too much too soon was bad for developing brains!

“Danny told me to get them!” she offered, still fruitlessly pulling at his arm. “I don’t even use adderall! It makes me all foggy and shit.”

Jason remained unimpressed. Rolling his eyes, he dragged the Legion child along with him as he made his way back downstairs.

“Hey! Let me go! You got the pills, so fuck off!” When he did not, she kicked him in the shin.

Losing his patience, he ‘accidentally’ smacked her into the door frame as he pulled her outside. Starting towards Evan’s place, he paused when the girl shouted, “Danny isn’t there!”

Why did she sound worried? Probably because that’s exactly where Ghostface was! Tightening his grip, he dragged her along, ignoring her renewed efforts to escape. Marching up to the Trapper’s front door, he banged on it with a fist to make sure the sound carried through the large house.

It took a minute, but the door finally opened to Evan, chest and arms coated in blood and smelling like an animal. “Jason. Susie… What the fuck did you do this time, Legion?”

“I didn’t do anything! Jason’s just a crotchety old man!”

Before he could shake the daylights out of her for the third time, the Trapper asked, “Seriously? Stealing pills? Are those Danny’s?”

Jason looked down. He still had the bottle clenched in his other fist, so he nodded before holding it up for Evan to see.

“Danny isn’t here. Pretty sure he and Doc went back to his place so they could meet up with his new friend. So, unless you want to help me finish cutting up this elk, get the fuck off my porch.”

Nodding curtly, Jason started to make his way to the Tree. As soon as Evan’s door slammed shut, Susie started talking a mile a minute.

“Hey, you know what? I learned my lesson! I’m sorry I stole drugs from a mass murderer with a god complex. Or, did you want to share? ‘Cause you can just keep them! No need to tattle! I mean, come on! You’re like, what? Sixty? You could probably use a little pep in your step!”

Jason glared at her from behind his mask. Technically speaking, she was older than him…

“There’s no need to drag Doc into this! You know if you just show up at his house he’s going to get involved! Do you really want him involved?”

She was sounding more and more desperate the closer they got, convincing Jason that he was on the right track. Besides, it was just pills. What could possibly happen? Pressing his knuckles against the Tree, he easily opened the Door to Marcus’s house and dragged Susie through.

Stepping inside, his frown only deepened and his grip on Susie tightened until she made a sound of pain. There was blood streaked all over the carpet, as well as an unfamiliar pair of shoes and a jacket he was pretty sure didn’t belong to the vet. There was blood all over it as well…

Danny's voice sounded from the bedroom, growing closer as he hurried to meet Susie. “It’s nice to see someone around here can follow in-” He choked slightly when he saw Jason, eyes going wide as he took in the sight.

Why was he wearing the vet’s clothes? Where the hell was Marcus anyway?!

A crash from the bathroom grabbed Jason’s attention and he shoved the Legion girl at Ghostface before shoulder past them.

A hand grabbed at his jacket, Danny imploring, “Jason, wait! Hang on, give me a second to explain!”

Nope. Someone was hurt and they were trying to cover it up. It better not be Doc. If someone had hurt the vet he was going to gut them like a deer, then do the same to Danny and the entire Legion. Reaching the door, he tried the knob but it was locked. Without bothering to waste time knocking, he raised one leg and kicked the door in.

There were three startled shouts from inside and a quiet, ‘Oh, fuck,’ from Danny behind him.

Jason… wasn’t sure what to think. Two of the other Legion members were inside, knives drawn as they threatened someone they had restrained and dumped in the bathtub. It looked like it was all his blood, but that did nothing to tell him where Doc was, who the fuck the guy was, or why the pack of idiots were trying to kill him in the vet’s house!

Blocking the entire doorway with his massive frame, he crossed his arms. No one was going anywhere until he got answers…

~~

All Marcus could hear was a high pitched ringing. His shoulder was screaming at him and his wrist hurt… Why the hell did his wrist hurt? Blinking several times, he finally managed to look up and see what was going on.

Leon had grabbed Cheryl right as she pulled the trigger, knocking her aim to the side just enough to miss the vet’s head. Their mouths were both moving and he could only guess they were shouting at each other but he couldn’t hear anything over the still deafening tone in his ears.

Someone grabbed his arm and he flinched, looking up to see Bill. Oh, no wonder his wrist hurt. He’d jumped when the gun went off, falling off the hospital bed and twisting his still cuffed limb pretty hard. As he was helped to his feet, he felt something warm and wet on the side of his neck.

Reaching up with his free hand, he pulled his fingers back covered in blood. Wait, she’d actually hit him?! Feeling along the side of his neck up his jaw to his ear, he hissed in pain when he felt a small divot in his earlobe. At least his entire ear hadn’t been shot off…

Helped to his feet by Bill, Marcus sat back on the bed. Keeping a hand over his ear, he warily watched Leon and Cheryl argue in case she decided to try and come after him again. At least they’d gotten the gun away from her. If only he could hear what was being said. His hearing was slowly coming back but everything was incredibly muffled. Someone else touched his arm and he jolted, looking over to see the other woman, Rebecca.

“Hey, Marcus! Can you hear me okay?”

“Um… Yeah, I think so?” he told her. It sounded like he was speaking underwater, but he could still make out the words.

Hearing more muffled shouting from the other side of the door, he looked past her to see that Leon and Tapp had removed Cheryl from the room.

“Okay, that’s good. Can you tell me how many fingers I’m holding up?” she asked, raising one hand.

Glancing at her again, he quickly answered, “Four. What the hell was that?! Why’d she try to shoot me?!”

“Marcus,” Rebecca said, ignoring his question. “I need to see the wound. If it hit something important-”

“It’s just my ear,” he interrupted, but he still lowered his hand. “Why- why did she try to shoot me? What’s her… connection to the Tin Man?”

“Tin Man?” Jake repeated, moving to sit on the edge of his bed. Behind him, David was staring with unbridled intensity.

“Never heard him called that before,” Bill murmured, rubbing his chin, “The real question is, why’d she act like she knew you?”

“That’s what I want to know!” Marcus half shouted. “I’ve never seen her before in my life!”

Before anyone else could speak, the door opened and Leon came back in. His expression was dark as he asked, “Is he okay to move?”

“Move… where?” Rebecca asked slowly. “The bullet just grazed his ear and his shoulder didn’t reopen, but-”

“Good,” he interrupted. “Cuff him and put him in a cell for the time being.”

“What?” David snapped, brushing Claudette off when she tried to stop him from getting up. “We need to interrogate him! He’s dangerous!”

“I’m dangerous?!” Marcus shouted, finally losing his temper. “Fuck you! I just wanted to enjoy the rest of my day off, but since you assholes kidnapped me I’ve been stabbed, cuffed to a fucking bed, and now shot at!”

“Kidnapped?!” David hollered, taking a step closer. “We rescued your dumb ass from a bunch of people who would have killed you the second they decided they’d had enough fun playing with you, and now they have Dwight! We should have left you there to-”

“Yes! You should have! I know who they are! All of them!” Marcus shouted. “And believe me when I tell you, they’re going to come fucking looking for me! I told you; Get out of my house. Joey told you all to leave and you didn’t listen when you had the chance. This is on you all as much as it is me and Danny.”

The silence that followed was deafening. Every one of the Survivors' expressions ranged from shock to horror, and Marcus started to regret his outburst. He was angry, they were angry, and none of them really knew what the entire story was. He sure didn’t. They had to be scared for Dwight and he could only imagine Danny was scared for him and the Legion were for Frank. The entire situation was a mess and shouting at one another wasn’t going to help anything.

Marcus let out a long sigh. “Look… I… I had no idea who Dwight was when we first met. I didn’t know until the three of you busted down my front door. If I had known, I wouldn’t have… let it get as far as it did.”

Jake rubbed a hand over his eyes before asking coldly, “You mean you wouldn’t have fucked him? Or you wouldn’t have let your Killer boyfriend find out you fucked him?”

The look of shock on David’s face spoke volumes, but Leon spoke before he could. “Get him into a cell, now.”

Bill quickly uncuffed him from the bed and pulled his arms behind his back. “Where the hell are you going?”

“To get the others. We need to have a meeting,” he snapped, out the door before anyone else could question him.

Marcus winced as he was pushed forward. The angle his arm was at made his shoulder throb, but he knew the only thing he could do about it was wait for it to heal. Led back the way they’d come from, he cast a worried glance at the Tree as they passed by. It seemed more and more like the Survivors Tree couldn’t be used by Slashers, meaning he and Frank were trapped for the time being.

At least, until something strange happened. The Tree shivered, leaves rattling with a sound like broken glass clinking together. Bill paused, looking up at it with a frown. Before either of them could say anything, the Tree shook again, harder than before.

“What the fu-” Bill was cut off as a strong pulse of energy rocked the entire room.

Gasping as heat flared across his chest, Marcus stared at the Tree in horror. Pyramid Head had figured out where he was and he was coming for blood…
~~~~

Chapter Text

Since the Survivor’s had gotten back they had all tried to brush up on what the Media referred to as ‘Known Slashers’ since many of them hadn’t been taken by the Entity. As Dwight stared up at the man looming in the doorway, he swore he knew him from somewhere and he could only guess that was why. Six and a half feet tall, wide as the doorway, a battered hockey mask covering his face and a wicked machete on his hip… Obviously he wasn’t from the Entity’s Realm… but he was positive he knew who he was.

“Jason, I can explain,” Ghostface swore, and that’s when it hit Dwight.

Jason Voorhees. A Killer with a reputation almost as mysterious as bigfoot. Plenty of people claimed to have seen a giant of a man wielding a machete in the woods surrounding an abandoned camp in New Jersey, but there was little to no substantial proof of his existence. Still, enough people disappeared around the area and the few that returned all described the same thing, leading to the Camp killer’s reputation as a Known Slasher.

Reaching out behind him with one hand, Jason’s eyes didn’t leave Dwight. There was a choking sound from out in the hall and Ghostface’s voice came out progressively wheezier as he babbled, “Ack! It’s not as bad as it looks! If you’ll stop squeezing for just– aahghhkk!”

Free hand coming up, Jason pointed at the blonde Legion member, then Dwight.

Gritting her teeth, she spat, “It’s none of your business!”

“Hhhkk! Julie! Just– Ack! Fucking explain before he– breaks my fucking– hhuuh- neck!”

Dwight was mildly disturbed with himself for just how badly he was hoping this Jason guy would in fact break Ghostface’s neck… Then again, if he was willing to strangle a fellow Killer there was no telling what he would do to a Survivor.

Julie glared at him and for a moment Dwight was terrified she was going to Frenzy again. The red rings around her irises were growing wider and darker, almost turning the entirety of her sclera.

Joey reached out and gripped her bicep, voice low as he offered, “Maybe Jason can help. He’s lived in the woods all his life, so… he might know how to track them down or something.”

“They’re not in the woods somewhere, Joey!” she snapped. Turning to glare at Jason, she asked, “Does he even know how to use Doors?"

Doors? Oooh, that must be what the Killers called Entryways! Wait, non-Realm Killers could use them too?!

Jason’s head tilted slightly to one side and Dwight finally caught sight of both eyes. One was milky white, probably blind, and almost looked off center. Before he could dwell on it, the hockey mask wearing killer shoved Danny away. Moving to one side, he pointed out into the hall.

The Legion members stared at him, obviously confused. Joey started to ask, “Dude, what-”

Raising both hands, Jason made several gestures Dwight recognized as sign language. He knew he should have taken Adam up on his offer to teach him ASL… Crap…

From outside the bathroom, Susie voiced nervously, “So… this is one of the Survivors from our time in the Entity’s Realm. I’m sure Michael’s told you all about them.”

“The Shape?!” Dwight demanded, unable to keep from blurting it out. She wasn’t actually talking about Michael Myers, the Haddonfield Boogeyman, was she?! Maybe Ghostface and the Legion being on friendly-ish terms was feasible, but him?! Laurie had told them he never spoke! He didn’t have friends! He’d killed their father, their older sister, and countless other people before being taken by the Entity! All he did was murder and lurk and murder some more! At least, that’s how he’d behaved in Trials. Dwight couldn’t remember a time the man had actually bothered to hook anyone, preferring to hunt them down one by one and violently stab them to death himself…

Joey squeezed his eyes shut, pinching the bridge of his nose as he let out a long sigh. “Jesus fucking… Yes, the Shape. That Michael. You have no goddamn idea how badly you’ve fucked up, Survivor. What the hell were you thinking?”

Dwight looked away. He wasn’t about to tell them anything and risk exposing the Pocket. He already felt like the world's biggest moron. After all, it was his fault he was in such a position. He’d disregarded his own suspicions, looking for reasonable explanations so he could feel ‘normal’ again, if only for a little while. And lose his virginity. But that last part was especially not something he was planning to share. It was bad enough that Ghostface knew...

Jason was looking back and forth between all of them, hands starting to curl into tight fists. Without warning, he shouldered his way past the Legion and grabbed Dwight by the front of the shirt.

He let out a small cry of pain as the still open wounds in his ribs and leg were jostled when Jason pulled him to his feet. Leaning back as far as he could when the Killer’s face pushed in close to his, he bit his lip to keep it from trembling. No matter how much he tried to tell himself it wasn’t the first time he’d been cornered by a Killer, he was more scared then he’d ever been in a Trial. His hands were duct taped behind his back and he had no teammates to come to his aid…

Unsure what else to do, he stammered, “Um, h-hi, J-Jason… I-I’m Dwight… N-nice to meet you?”

A short, angry huff was the Killer’s only response, and before Dwight knew what was happening he was being dragged out of the bathroom. Ahh, he should have just kept his mouth shut!

“Wait, wait, wait! Jason, hold on!” Ghostface rambled, backing down the hallway with his hands up. It was pretty obvious he wasn’t going to be able to physically stop him, but that didn’t keep him from trying to reason, “You can’t take him to the Realm! The others will tear him apart as soon as they see him!”

Jason shoved his way past him, dragging the Survivor closer to the closet and certain doom with every step. Dwight flinched when he grabbed the door frame, able to feel the Entryway as it opened. It was cold and sickening, horrifically reminiscent of the Entity’s pull for a Trial.

Just as they were about to pass the threshold, Ghostface shouted, “They have Marcus and Frank!”

Stopping so fast Dwight smacked into the fist in his shirt and almost fell over, Jason didn’t make a sound. Standing still for a heartbeat, he slowly turned to look at the smaller Killer with an expression of malice that even his mask couldn’t cover.

“It’s his fault though,” Ghostface immediately accused, pointing at Dwight. “So, if we want them back we kind of need him alive. Ish. Alive-ish.”

He flinched when Jason looked down at him, practically able to feel the rage radiating from him. “I-i-it w-wasn’t l-like that! I- I was- I-”

Dragging him to the couch, Jason dropped him before pointing at Ghostface, then the couch again. Storming over to the kitchen, he grabbed a chair and pulled it over for himself. Shoving the coffee table out of the way, he set his chair directly in front of Dwight and sat down so they were face to face.

“Hold on a second, Jason. What are you doing?” Ghostface demanded, squinting at him.

Reaching out, Jason grabbed him by the collar of his borrowed hoodie and yanked him closer. Glaring at him for a moment, he shoved him onto the couch beside Dwight before signing something in fast aggressive movements.

“Fuck the Entity,” the smaller man hissed, and Dwight looked at him, slightly shocked. Did he not worship the Entity? They had always been under the impression the Killers served the spider like a god. At least at first anyway. They still weren’t sure why so many of them abruptly just stopped hunting them during Trials.

“Look, Jason… We don’t know the full story yet,” Ghostface continued, voice strained. “We were about to start torturing said information out of dear little Dweety here, but they you showed up and crashed the fucking party. So, if you’d like to help us-”

Jason grabbed his face, hand large enough to easily shut him up. Head turning to Dwight, he signed something with his other hand.

Shaking his head slightly, he stammered, “I- I’m so-sorry… I d-don’t know any- um, any ASL.”

Grunting, he released Danny’s face before reaching into this jacket. Dwight flinched, but when he pulled out a notepad and pen instead of something sharp, he let out a small, ‘Oh.’

Writing something down, Jason held up, ’Survivor, right? You were in the Entity’s Realm?’

Slightly surprised he was asking after the Legion had already said as much, Dwight nodded. Had Michael really told him about all of that? Curious despite how scared he felt, he heard himself asking, “You… know about that? D-did… Michael really tell you about th-the Entity’s Realm?”

Jason nodded curtly before writing some more. ‘Yes. Why/Where did you take Marcus and Frank?’

Choking slightly, he looked away. “Um, I- it- I thought… I didn’t… know he was in a relationship with… with a Killer. And when I found out I- I th-thought Ghostface was going to- to kill him.”

Turning to glare at him, Danny snarled, “I love him, you fucking moron! He’s my boyfriend! Why the hell would I kill him?!”

Snapping his fingers at him, Jason shook his head before tapping on Frank’s name again.

“O-oh,” Dwight gulped, shrinking under the Legion’s red ringed glares. “Th-that wasn’t supposed to happen… I- I didn’t know Marcus’s roommates were, um, were Killers. A-and Frank, he- well, he kind of did it to himself…”

“I’m gonna kill you!” Julie snarled, lunging towards him.

Dwight yelped, shrinking down on the couch with no way to defend himself.

Jason grabbed Julie by the arm before she could reach the terrified Survivor. Standing, he marched her back several steps before shaking his head no.

“Why are you protecting him?!” she shouted, hitting him in the chest with a closed fist. “I am not losing Frank again! Do you understand me? I’m not losing him again! Especially not to them!”

To say Dwight was confused would be an incredible understatement. What the heck was she talking about? Did it have something to do with the Legion’s early disappearance from the Entity’s Realm? Unable to help himself, he blurted out, “We don’t want him! I thought you guys were going to kill Marcus and I didn’t want him to get hurt!”

Jason turned around to look at him, head tilting to one side. Casting a warning glance at Julie, he returned to his seat. Scribbling for a moment, he held up, ‘Explain. From the beginning.’

“F-from the beginning?” Dwight said aloud. “Um, like… like, from when the Entity took me?”

Joey raised an eyebrow. “Actually, that is a story I’d like to hear. We know why Killers were taken, but how did the Entity pick you guys?”

Julie gave him a murderous look and he held up his hands. Looked like that conversation would have to wait.

Jason shook his head, but Ghostface spoke before he could clarify. “He wants to know how you met Marcus, dumbass! And how did you come to the conclusion that he needed rescuing?"

Dwight couldn’t help the look of confusion on his face as he asked in return, “What the heck did you expect me to think? They’re Killers! You’re a Killer! You broke into my hotel room, tied me up, threatened me, and stabbed me! Marcus is- he’s not… Oh, my god… Marcus isn’t, is he?”

If it turned out Marcus had indeed been a Killer the entire time, he was going to feel like an even bigger idiot.

A dark look passed over Danny’s face before he stated flatly, “No. He’s not. He’s not like us. Not a Killer, or Slasher, or whatever the fuck you want to call us. But he is one of us. I told you he’s mine and I meant it, Dwight."

“Look, we just want him and Frank back unharmed,” Joey said. Sheathing his knife as a show of good faith, he added, “Clearly this was a massive misunderstanding, right?”

“Uh, y-yeah, I guess so,” Dwight hesitantly agreed.

“Then maybe we can work it out civilly,” he offered. “Surely your people are going to want you back just like we want ours back.”

“So, how the hell did you even get involved with Marcus in the first place?” Susie reiterated, then added, “And how the hell did you get him to sleep with you so fast?”

Jason had turned around to look at them when Joey started speaking, but the speed with which his head snapped around was inhuman. Leaning in closer to Dwight, his breathing became heavier, an incredibly evil look in his eyes.

Pressing himself as far back as the couch cushions would allow, Dwight stammered, “I- I um, we just- we just hit it off! I think? I hit an opossum outside my hotel and- and I mistook it for a cat-”

“How do you mistake an opossum for a cat?” Julie demanded, squinting at him. “Jeez, dude. Are those the same glasses you wore in the Entity’s Realm? Get a new prescription.”

“I- I’ve never seen an opossum… in person before,” he admitted sheepishly. God, he couldn’t believe he was feeling embarrassed in front of a group of Killers. “A-anyway, I took it to the nearest animal clinic and that’s where Marcus and I met. We got dinner after and started hanging out… and… that’s it, really. I- I had no idea that you were, well, you, until I saw the Obsession Mark and-”

“That’s not because of me,” Ghostface interrupted, a small smile on his face. “See… I am dating Doc, yes… But there’s a few others who have vested interest in him.”

“Wh-what?” Dwight asked. “Th-then, the Legion?"

Julie scoffed, shaking her head. “He’s cute, but he’s not that cute.”

“I mean, yeah he’s got it going on,” Joey admitted, shrugging. “But I’m not really that into white guys.”

Susie let out a dramatic sigh. “Yeah, I can’t take credit either.”

When Dwight looked at Jason, the masked man slowly shook his head.

Gulping, Dwight asked in a thin voice, “M-Michael?”

Jason made a sound like a raspy laugh deep in his chest before holding up his notepad again. ‘Heard enough. Tell us how to get them back or I’m going to start hurting you’

“O-oh, th-that won’t be n-necessary,” he squeaked. “I- I think I h-have a way.”

Ghostface let out a long sigh, rubbing his hands over his face. “We just want to get Marcus and Frank back safely. Okay? Preferably without anyone else finding out. Especially Evan.”

Dwight could have sworn his blood froze in his veins. Oh, that’s right… Marcus had mentioned his other boyfriend’s name was Evan and now that he knew for a fact ‘Danny’ was a Slasher…

“D-do you- do you mean th-the T-Trapper?” he forced out.

Jason’s head tilted to one side, eyes narrowing slightly.

Ghostface laughed out loud, throwing an arm around his shoulders and leaning in close. Grinning in a positively unfriendly fashion, he purred, “Yes, Dwight. Believe it or not, I sure do.”

Even the Legion looked mildly confused, exchanging glances before Susie asked, “Why? You got something to say to him too?”

“NO!” Dwight shouted. “No, no, not at all.”

Laughing, Joey said, “Probably a good thing, Survivor. He probably wouldn’t be as gentle as Ghostface if you told him to go fuck himself.”

“Okay,” Julie said slowly, a grin spreading across her face. “Here’s how this is going to work, Survivor. See, Danny and I would really like to get our respective boyfriend’s back, and from the sounds of it, you don’t want the Trapper to know you’re here. So… tell us how you plan to get Frank and Doc back, or I’m going to go find him and tell him everything.”

Jason twisted around to look at her before looking at Dwight and shrugging. Obviously he was only going to mediate so much…

“Please, please don’t,” Dwight begged. “I- I can’t… I- I mean, I might have a way… but- but I can’t promise anything! I can’t really… get them back. I’m sure they’re safe! It- it’s just…”

“You’re trying to protect your friends,” Danny stated knowingly. “We all understand that. So let me fill you in on something, Dweety. I wasn’t lying when I said I knew you all got out with the rest of us. I’ve known for a very long, long time.”

Jason and the Legion members were looking at him incredulously but he ignored them, continuing, “You want to know why I’ve left you all alone? Why haven't I told any of the others? Because you all have left us alone. None of you have ever gone to the media and tried to spill the beans about us, you’ve never tried to lure us in or come after us. The very few of us who are in the know have kept it to ourselves, because you all have done the same. We don’t want anything to do with you. I want nothing to do with you, or any of the other Survivors. We got out and that was that. Life goes on. So, tell us your idea about how to get our people back, and once we have them safe and sound, you can go. And this time… Don’t fucking come back.”

Dwight stared at him, unsure what to say. Honestly he wasn’t sure if he should believe Ghostface or not… He sounded so sure and confident, but he was a mass murderer and a well practiced liar. His many newspaper columns written under ‘Jed Olsen’ proved that.

Before he could come up with any kind of answer, Ghostface added calmly, “I know you all live in some kind of Realm, Dwight. It was pretty damn easy to figure out when your friends kidnapped my friends. I could feel the Door when David opened it.”

“That explains a lot,” Susie murmured, exchanging a look with Julie. “So, you have a way to contact your friends, right? Or do we need to start leaving parts of you in places they’ll find?”

“O-oh, n-no that- that won’t be necessary,” Dwight quickly swore. “Um, m-my cell phone was in my back pocket s-so–”

Joey grabbed it off the pile of his stuff and held it up. “This?”

“Y-yeah! Um, I- I can call one of the others and explain the situation,” he offered.

Danny raised an eyebrow, looking skeptical. “You guys are living outside your Realm, then? Ugh, why?”

Shaking his head, Dwight decided it was worth the risk to explain, “No, we have cell service.”

All the Killers but Jason laughed, Ghostface once again shaking his head. “Bullshit. There’s no service in the Realms.”

“There is too,” he argued. “We built a couple of cell towers! We even have internet!”

Once again, the rest of the Killers aside from Jason burst out laughing. Ghostface shook his head, scoffing, “That’s cute, but come on. If you’re going to lie, stick to something that’s at least a little bit believable.”

Dwight felt… quite insulted actually. The Survivors had worked hard to get the Pocket to what it was! They’d spent years building on to what was there and even more time building amenities from the ground up. Not to mention the ponds they’d stocked with fish, the water ways they used to irrigate the crops they used to feed themselves and their livestock. He hadn’t been exaggerating when he’d told Marcus they were a community!

He must have made a pretty sour face, because Julie raised an eyebrow, asking skeptically, “Wait, are you serious?”

“Yes, I am,” he huffed. “We grow almost all our own food too. It’s really nice! And it’s safe.”

Dwight had almost forgotten Ghostface still had an arm around his shoulders. Squeaking when he was pulled a bit closer, he tried to lean away as the Killer leaned in closer, a wild grin on his face.

“Then you should have fucking stayed there, Survivor. Now, if what you’re saying is even half true, this should be easy. If you’re lying to me… I’m going to go take a nap and let the Legion and Jason here keep you company. Joey, phone please.”

As he passed the phone over, Jason leaned in slightly, head tilting to one side. He appeared to be studying the Survivor closely, a dangerous glint in his good eye. He may have been nice -kind of?- up to that point, but Dwight got the strong feeling he was actually the most dangerous person in the room.

“Well… Dwight,” Ghostface purred in his ear, interrupting the unintentional staring contest.

Jumping slightly, he forced his eyes off Jason to look over at the man on his shoulder. “Um, y-yes?”

“Why the fuck am I getting a goddamn dial tone?"

“What?” he asked, dumbfounded. “Wh-who’s number did you try?”

“Last one you called,” Ghostface murmured, voice cold. “David. And Jake. Both just… Didn’t. Go. Through.”

“Th-that’s not- M-maybe they- maybe their phones are dead!” he offered helplessly. “T-try Leon!”

Holding the phone out so he could see, Ghostface pulled up Leon’s number and dialed. It didn’t ring or even go to voicemail. Instead, it beeped out a no service message…

Jason pointed at the phone, squinting at Danny in a silent question.

“Ahh, Dwight,” he sighed. “What did I say about lying to me?”

Standing up, Jason cracked his knuckles before reaching down and clamping one massive hand around the back of the Survivors neck.

As he was dragged to his feet, Dwight pleaded, “Wait, wait, h-hold on! I- I’m not lying! S-something must be wrong!”

“Yes, something is wrong,” Ghostface agreed, rising as well. “You’re a fucking idiot and now Jason is going to break every bone in your body. For a start, anyway."

The fingers on his neck squeezed and he whimpered in pain. Jesus Christ, the guy had to be at least as strong as the Shape! The pain would have been enough to drop Dwight to his knees but Jason’s grip kept him upright. And it was only going to get worse…

Just as Jason’s grip was coming around to the front of his throat, squeezing tighter and tighter in preparation, the most unexpected thing happened. Just visible inside the still open closet, what looked like a door shimmered into appearance. It pulsed slightly, glowing with a soft red light as cold air began pouring out of it.

Susie was the closest and jumped almost a foot in the air. “What the hell is that?!”

Before Dwight could wonder which part of what they were seeing she was questioning, a pulse of energy hit him, making him feel ill. It was like waking up after a bad Trial, his stomach twisting and rolling violently, nearly making him puke on Jason.

Behind them in the hallway, a similar shimmery door suddenly appeared. However, it was extremely different. Soft yellow instead of red, warmth seemed to seep out of it, counteracting the ill feeling and comforting the shaking Survivor. It felt like an Entryway back to the Pocket! Unfortunately with Jason’s grip around his throat, Dwight knew there was no way he was getting anywhere near it.

“Is that a Door?” Ghostface demanded, looking dumbfounded. “But- but Doors don’t- they don’t- they have no physical mass!”

Apparently they did, and a moment later both of them pulsed brightly. Energy flooded the room and Dwight let out a strangled shout. That hurt! It was like grabbing a live electrical wire!

The Legion and Ghostface had almost identical reactions, while Jason squeezed his eyes closed with an uncomfortable grunt. Both Entryways pulsed again, glowing brighter and beginning to crackle with electricity.

“Fuck the Entity!” Ghostface shouted, hands clutching his head. “What the hell is that?!”

“You don’t know?” Joey demanded, wincing as another pulse tore through the room.

“No!” he yelled. “This has never happened before!”

“Close the fucking Door!” Susie hollered, waving a hand at the pulsing red glow.

Shaking his head, Ghostface warned, “I don’t think we can!”

Jason shoved Dwight back onto the couch before striding over to the closet. Ignoring Danny’s shout for him to stop, he grabbed the door frame. There was a crack like lightning and he was flung backwards, slamming into Joey and knocking them both to the ground.

Before anyone else could say or do anything, both Doors began to make a high pitched squealing sound and started bowing in the middle. It almost looked like they were trying to reach one another, to connect the two Realms. There was no telling what would happen if they actually met, but it would certainly be bad.
~~~~

Chapter Text

Amanda had been having a good day. Key words; had been. She’d been enjoying some peace and quiet, looking over the designs Evan had finally gotten around to giving her. That was, until she got to the last page and his handwriting went to absolute shit. Mid-word! It was unreadable!

Banging on his front door, she waited a minute before pounding on it again. She’d been waiting on those blueprints for months! She’d paid him in advance and now she was going to get her damn money’s worth. Even if she had paid him in coffee grounds and fifty pounds of raw deer meat. Just as she was about to start slamming on his door for a third time, it was flung open and she almost hit him in the chest.

“What?!” he snarled, glaring at her from behind his mask.

Holding up the screwed up page, she squinted at him. “What the fuck is this?”

He looked at it before making a face. “The blueprints I drew up for you.”

Sighing, she snapped, “You realize this is entirely illegible, right? What did you do? Switch to your left hand?”

Crossing his arms, he grunted, “I'm ambidextrous.”

Slightly thrown by his answer, she asked, “What?”

“I'm ambidextrous,” he repeated. “I can write with both hands. Draw, too. I wasn’t allowed to use my left hand in school, but I did it anyway, mostly to spite my teachers and father. Besides, if one hand gets broken you should be able to punch just as hard with the other.”

It always surprised her just how damn smart he actually was… Pinching the bridge of her nose, she muttered, “Jesus Christ, Evan… Okay, sure. But seriously, what the hell? The rest of these are perfect and then this one just goes all kinds of screwy! I can’t read it! Did you get drunk or something?”

Finally taking the page from her, he started reading over it. Letting out a quiet, ‘oh’, he scratched the back of his head. “Right… uh, I got a little distracted… I’ll rewrite this page.”

“It’s not going to take months this time, right?” she asked. “I can start with what I have, but I really need this last page.”

Sighing, he nodded. “Yeah, I can get it done by to- What the hell?”

Amanda followed his gaze past her to see a massive swirl of ash and rust blooming in the courtyard just beside the Tree. “Pyramid Head? Think he’s looking for Doc?”

“He’s at home with Danny,” Evan murmured, squinting. He was about to say something more when an ear splitting scream tore through the courtyard. Shouting, the Trapper clamped his hands over his ears, cringing as the dark god’s rage grew in intensity.

“What the fuck is he doing?!” she shouted, forced to cover her ears as well. It was unclear if Evan could even hear her, his hands still clamped over his ears with a painful grimace on his face.

Roaring, Pyramid Head slammed the Great Knife into the ground before grabbing the Tree with both hands. For a split second, Amanda was terrified he was going to try and uproot the damn thing.

Instead, red light began to spread out from under his hands, carving thin lines in the trunk as it arced through the wood like electricity. It almost looked like when the Entity would lose patience at the end of a Trial and start burning the area.

Several of the others poked their heads out their front doors to see what the hell was going on, and upon seeing what Pyramid Head was doing, stepped outside to get a better view.

Pyramid Head roared again, the lights growing brighter as the crows exploded into flight, evacuating the branches not a moment too soon. A surge of power burst out of the Tree like a tidal wave, knocking Amanda into Evan and planting Freddy on his ass in the dirt a couple of houses down.

“What the fuck is he doing?!” Evan roared, catching Amanda before she could hit the ground.

Philip came racing over, leaping over the porch railing and narrowly avoiding landing in an open trap. Whistling and gesturing wildly, Amanda could hardly understand most of what he was saying.

Having known him the longest, Evan was just able to keep up and barked, “That’s what we want to know! Go get Caleb and tell him to bring that damn harpoon cannon he built to take on Nemesis!”

The Wraith didn’t hesitate to vanish, faster while cloaked. Although the other Killers couldn’t see him while he was using the power of the Wailing Bell, footfalls could be heard quickly pattering away.

“What the hell do we do in the meantime?” Amanda demanded. Pyramid Head had planted his heels in the dirt, fingers digging into the Tree like he was trying to snap it in half.

“Try to distract him,”” Evan snarled, pulling his cleaver off his back. “Try not to get cut in half.”

Amanda didn’t argue. If he managed to destroy the Tree somehow… They might be trapped in the Realm for the rest of eternity or the Realm could collapse on itself! Shit, there was no telling what would happen!

As she raced after the Trapper, a single question repeated in her mind. ‘Why is Pyramid Head so upset?!’

~~

Pyramid Head was a force of pure power and rage as he tightened his grip on the Tree. He could feel her. She was still out there, and somehow she and Marcus had come in contact with one another. The connection had been so sudden and jarring he hadn’t been able to control the rage that flooded through his bond with the vet. In that moment before the young man had managed to unintentionally end the connection, the god had felt his fear and anxiety. More so, he had felt guilt.

True, Marcus had been carrying a certain degree of guilt since before they’d met, but it was easy enough to look past so he wouldn’t lose control. But this? This was guilt over something he’d done recently. Guilt over sex. There was just too much at once and the god had lost his thinly held control. Searching Marcus out again, Pyramid Head found his disciple, and through that, he was able to locate her again. He had finally found the woman. And this time… He’d make sure she stayed dead.

~~

Deep in the woods sat a rather cozy log cabin. Nestled at the base of a large mountain away from civilization, it was nearly impossible to find if one didn’t know it was there. The trees were tall and thick enough to obscure the smoke coming from the chimney, only adding to its seclusion. Seated in a hand made rocking chair inside the warm house was a woman. Although she looked young, it was clear she’d been aged beyond her years by a life of hardship and misery. Sharpening a large knife with a stone, she didn’t react or seem at all surprised when a shrill, human-like scream erupted from the woods nearby.

Continuing to sharpen the knife she was holding, Charlotte didn’t look up when a small, naked, malformed child pushed the door open and came crawling inside. He was dragging a large bird with him, an eagle of some sort from the looks of it, its shredded neck clamped firmly between his sharp little teeth.

“You’re going to spoil your dinner,” she scolded. Setting aside the whetstone she’d been using, she inspected the blade. “Gut hook needs work… At least pluck it first, Victor. We can use the feathers.”

Victor growled, sitting at her feet by the cast iron fireplace as he began ripping handfuls of feathers off the body. Small chunks of flesh came off with a few of them and he promptly stripped them with his teeth and ate the meat raw. Despite the brutality of it, it was impressive just how fast the boy was able to pluck a bird so much bigger than himself. It probably could have easily carried him off if he’d been a normal child.

The pair continued to work in silence, as was their norm. They lived a relatively simple life, keeping to themselves and only traveling to the Realm to trade when absolutely necessary or to visit with the Huntress and Plague.

Setting aside her blade, Charlotte stared into the fire contemplatively. Victor picked up on her mood instantly, able to feel her emotions just as she could feel his. Looking up at her, he growled quietly.

“It’s been a while since we’ve seen Anna,” she voiced. “Think it’s time for a visit?”

Victor grunted quietly, chewing on one of the eagle’s legs. He couldn’t speak, but he was able to share enough of what he was thinking through emotion alone, and his sister laughed quietly.

“Alright, we’ll go at sun up. It’s been a-” she stopped, leaping to her feet as a surge of power flooded the cabin. It felt like a Door but amplified far too much. Victor screeched, leaping onto her hip and quickly crawling into the gap in her chest where they’d been connected for so many years.

Snatching up a wickedly sharp modified sickle, the Twins raced outside. Passing between several large trees, they came upon an archway of twisted branches and twine. They’d built it years ago to avoid having a Door in the cabin, but now it was active without anyone there to open it. Glowing red and pulsing with small sparks and crackles of electricity, it felt almost like the Realm was trying to turn itself inside out.

Victor screeched, grabbing at the edge of her ribs. She placed a hand on the back of his head, looking down at him as she said, “I don’t know. But as soon as we can, we’ll go find out…”

~~

Multi-colored lights strobed, illuminating the stage in flashes before plunging it once more into darkness. Below, the crowd shrieked and cheered for more. More risk, more danger, more entertainment. Each time a knife impacted the rotating wooden wheel, sinking deep into the boards beside the woman's head, arms, legs, and torso, the crowd went wild, volume and pitch rising and falling.

None of their voices spoke to him, though. None of their screams or cheers sounded… right. It happened, he supposed, landing a knife dangerously close to the woman’s throat. The crowd roared, and he smirked. It was so close it could easily have ended her life if thrown by a lesser man. He knew what he was doing. He never missed. But he could see the continued doubt in her eyes, the fear.

The roar of the crowd was beginning to become obnoxious. The stench of sweat and booze and cigarettes a revolting odor. The flashing lights weren’t the challenge they were intended to be, but the headache they were causing was simply no longer worth it. He wasn’t going to find what he wanted. Not there. Not that night. Hah… but he still wanted to hear her scream. He needed it. Needed one perfect voice to ensure the night wasn’t a total waste.

Pulling out four knives, Ji-Woon fanned them out in front of his face. Smirking behind the sharp edged projectiles, he decided to end his night with a bit of dramatic flair… Most people would never admit it, but he knew what they really wanted when they came to these shows. They wanted blood. They craved it almost as badly as he did. They’d never dare seek it themselves, held back by fear dressed up as precious morals, so they secretly hoped for someone else to shed it for them. His talents were wasted so often, yet he couldn’t stop chasing the high of his former glory; even if it meant performing in underground clubs and pop-ups for drunk, pathetic fools. Anywhere he couldn’t be traced.

With that, he whipped his arm forward. The knives flew straight and true, each finding its mark with perfect precision. And oh. Oh, the screams. Music. As beautiful as the woman they came from. High and melodic, drowning out the thumping beat from the club's speakers, mixing with the drunken jeering of the crowd. Ahh, if only he had more time to spend with her… But he preferred his victims sober.

As the lights strobed and the drunks slowly realized her screaming was real pain and no longer thrill, the knives planted in her arms and legs instead of beside them, it was too late. The Trickster was already gone from the stage, leaving them to fumble their way to offer help or call the police, or whatever the hell inebriated masses were prone to do.

Skirting the alleys to a fire escape, Ji-Woon made his way to the rooftop loft he’d been crashing in. The occupants… were no longer an issue. Unfortunately it was about time to skip town again. That show would have to be his last in that particular city, at least for a while.

Taking a hot shower if only to get the lingering stench of cigarettes and drunks off himself, the Slasher had just shut off the water when he felt something incredibly odd. Wrapping a towel around his waist, he stepped out of the bathroom in time to see the Door he’d established in case he needed to make a quick getaway.

Connected to the Tree so it would stay open, the Door was glowing with an eerie red light. Pulsing and crackling as Ji-Woon approached, it seemed to be attempting to pull something towards it.

Unsure if something or someone was actually trying to come through the Door, the Trickster quickly pulled on his clothes before sweeping up a handful of throwing knives. He wasn’t one to be taken by surprise. Oh no. That was his game.

Watching for a moment, he narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. Well, it couldn’t hurt to try. With inhuman precision, he flung one of his knives at the Door. There was a spark and it rocketed back towards him so fast he barely managed to jerk his head out of the way in time.

As the energy in the Door continued to grow, Ji-Woon grinned. Something new was happening in the Realm. Something exciting. He couldn’t wait to get back and find out what it was…

~~

“Go fish!”

Rin sighed, picking up a card. Why Samara insisted on these ridiculous card games was far beyond her understanding. It was impossible to keep the cards dry since the girl rarely left her well! The cards in her hand were already soggy and starting to fall apart.

On her other side, Kayako croaked loudly and the girl made a pouty face. Pulling out a card, she passed it over. Unfortunately, half of it detached and fell into the water with a wet plop. There went another deck.

Sadako shook her head, diving under the water and sending ripples across the surface.

No matter how long she lived, Rin wasn’t sure she’d ever get used to there being two of them. Or, sort of two of them. Sadako, also known as the Onryō, had been one of the many Killers taken by the Entity and the two had formed quite a bond during their time in the spider's Realm. Neither one of them had expected to find a much younger American girl with an extremely similar story to Sadako’s living in their new world.

Perhaps even more surprising was the incredibly angry spirit that had adopted her. Kayako had been less than welcoming the first time Sadako had unknowingly dropped into Samara’s well, but in time the three women had become good friends. It didn’t take long after that for it to become more, and even Rin had come around to thinking of Samara as an adopted daughter.

Dark hair breached the water a moment later as Sadako resurfaced with a ziplock bag full of dry cards. They probably wouldn’t last very long, but at least the game could continue.

Rin was correct, but not quiet for the reason she’d expected. Just as the cards were being shuffled and divvied out, a pulse of power surged through the well, churning the water and knocking all of them off balance.

That was the end of that deck of cards.

All four of them exchanged worried looks. That had felt like a Door, but amplified to an extreme degree. What made it even stranger was the fact that there wasn’t a Door in the well. They had no need for it, as the cursed tunnel was itself a way in and out of the Realm.

“Stay with Samara,” Rin directed, squeezing Kayako’s hand. “We’re going to see what’s going on.”

Samara crossed her arms, grumbling, “I understood enough of that to know you’re not letting me come with you.”

Switching to English for their daughter’s sake, Rin said, “It could be dangerous and we don’t want you getting caught up in their bullshit.”

“I never get to have any fun anymore,” she pouted, rolling her eyes. “Streaming ruined everything.”

Rin nodded sympathetically even if she didn’t really understand how the whole ‘cursed tape vs. streaming’ thing really worked. Sadako understood it better and had explained it to her before, but it was still a weird concept.

Crossing the well, she planted a kiss on the top of the girl's soggy head before promising, “I'll plant a tape for you as soon as I can.”

That did seem to cheer her up, but before she could say anything another blast of energy rocked the well, nearly throwing all of them against the stone walls.

“We need to go,” Sadako hissed, diving under the water.

Rin quickly followed. Swimming straight down, she phased in and out of physical form to keep up with the much faster woman. Bubbles rushed past her, only making it that much harder to see through the nearly pitch black water. That was normal, and after a few more yards the bubbles changed direction, floating upwards ahead of them instead of towards their feet.

Breaching the surface of the water on the other side, the Spirit phased again to rise while Sadako easily scaled the wall, crawling over the lip of the well and onto solid ground. In the distance, barely muffled by the fog, they could hear a mixture of screams and crackling electricity as the noise reached a horrendous crescendo.

“Pyramid Head?” the Onryō asked, eyes narrowing behind her curtain of hair.

The Spirit hissed as a booming scream tore through the fog. Sword materializing in her hand, she nodded, agreeing, “Pyramid Head…”

~~

Some people climb mountains to try and find adventure or god. Few ever expect to actually find a deity at the peak. Fewer still survive such encounters. Those that do often go on to spread hushed tales of discovering a demon instead. None ever stop to wonder if perhaps the terror is himself seeking peace. A quiet place to rest and reflect. Perhaps if they did, they would leave him alone and would live longer.

Sitting cross legged on a bamboo mat, the man took a deep breath of cold morning air. It was always cold so high up, but it didn’t bother him. Instead, it cooled the fury in his blood, calming him and allowing him time to contemplate. That wasn’t to say the Killer had lost a single ounce of his fury or power, rather, he had slowly learned to better temper his wrath and channel it into an even more deadly weapon

A strange surge of power twisted his gut and all three eyes opened, gazing out at the horizon. There was no Door in his home. He had left the Realm, knowing staying connected to it so openly would only invite trouble. Peace was temporary, but it should be cherished. And he was right. The Realm was screaming and it could not be ignored.

Setting down his tea, he rose and entered the small dwelling. Against the far wall was a cabinet, the doors tied closed with a strip of red silk. Pausing in front of it, he took a deep breath. Opening the cupboard, he dressed in his armor and gathered his weapons. It was time for the Oni to awaken once again.

~~

Wesker was glaring at his computer screen, unhappy with what he was seeing. He never should have agreed to wait until January first… Irritating little… Maybe he felt a glimmer of respect for the vet’s courage. He’d just been through almost literal Hell, nearly died, and still found the strength to stand up to him. Resilient… He would have made a hell of a Survivor. Or a test subject, should he have existed in his original Realm.

Speaking of test subjects, the blood he’d taken from the Legion leader was also proving to be a minor annoyance. It seemed like being in Hell for two-hundred years had done… nothing, really. At least it meant he wouldn’t have to deal with the foul-mouthed Legion brats. Still, it was disappointing to see.

Back to the main issue. It appeared that the longer the virus sat in Marcus’s blood without an active host, the more diluted it became. That was frustrating for a number of reasons. Without a living strain remaining in the blood sample, it was impossible to predict what kind of changes he could expect to see in the vet. Until he could procure another he wouldn’t be able to do much of anything. How irritating…

He should just grab the vet. It wasn’t like any of the other’s could find his lab. Unlike Blight he was smart enough to cover his tracks, and he had Nemesis as backup should Marcus be fast enough to get any names out before he could silence him… The sheer amount of Slashers that had become attached to him could still be a problem though. Not to mention Pyramid Head. There was no telling how strong their bond had become or what exactly it could do.

Perhaps he should have sent Nemesis to retrieve the puzzle boxes from the Collector and simply kept the vet imprisoned… It still would have ruined his working relationship with Asa, but at least his laboratory and the test subjects within would have remained intact. The others would most likely assume Marcus and Frank had failed and been dragged to Hell, allowing him to continue his experiment on his own terms.

Hindsight was… a rancid bitch.

A loud beeping from his computer snapped him out of his thoughts and he frowned. A surge from the Tree? That was rare but not unheard of. He’d seen surges caused by lightning striking near an established Door. Too many Killers using the Tree at the same time or very close together could also do it. Hell, sometimes the Tree simply released built up energy in small bursts to equalize itself.

Clicking over into the program he’d set up to monitor such events, their causes, and locations, his eyebrows knit together in an even deeper frown. That was… not normal at all. The surge had started inside the Realm at the Tree itself… In fact, the surge was still growing at an exponential rate. If it continued, it could cause a cataclysmic event. But what the hell was causing it, and would it resolve itself?

Before Wesker could attempt to delve further, the power spiked dramatically. Leaping backwards, he managed to cover his face with an arm just as his computer screen exploded.

Nemesis came thundering into the room, growling and looking around like he’d just been given a kill order on a nearby target. Obviously he’d guessed something was wrong and was looking forward to a fight.

“There appears to be an issue in the Realm,” Wesker seethed, yanking off his lab coat. Grabbing the long black leather coat he usually wore, he had just pulled it on when he felt another surge.

Both Killers stared at the decontamination chamber as it filled with a red glow.

“How- Dammit,” He stopped himself. It didn’t matter ‘how’ at the moment. The issue was that it was happening. Something was causing the Tree to expel so much power it was causing Doors to physically manifest. “Nemesis, open a new Door to the archway, now.”

The Tyrant had the gall to turn its head and stare at him, choosing to ignore the order for a moment.

“We have a very limited window of time to safely open a Door and get to the Realm to figure out what’s causing this,” Wesker snapped. More and more he found himself having to explain his orders to the damn bio-weapon before it would obey.

Nemesis grunted, starting towards the decontamination chamber.

“Not there!” he seethed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Trying to redirect that Door right now will send so much power through your body you’ll probably explode.”

A perfect example of why the Tyrant’s weren’t supposed to be able to think for themselves. Stupid creature…

Growling, Nemesis stopped, turning to stare at him again. It actually looked like the mutant was questioning him. The Door crackled with electricity, popping and snapping as it grew closer and closer to overloading.

“If we just sit around and do nothing, the Door is going to continue generating power until it destroys the entire lab with both of us in it,” he explained sharply. “Or, we can go find and put a stop to who or whatever is causing this.”

The probability of a fight was apparently what he should have started with, as Nemesis finally walked to the nearest doorway and attempted to open a Door. It backfired in spectacular fashion. There was a crack like lightning and the Tyrant reeled back with a loud snarl. Lifting his arm, he inspected the charred stump. He’d blown off all his fingers and half his palm…

Sighing, Wesker pointed out redundantly, “I told you we only had a limited amount of time to do it safely…”

~~

Kenneth sighed, glaring at Caleb as he set down his cards. “I don’t know why I keep playing with you.”

The old cowboy smirked, taking a shot of whisky before passing him the bottle. “Cause I’m the only one who can match you drink for drink.”

That got a small laugh out of the Clown. “You say that, but if we ever made that into a betting game, you wouldn’t stand a chance.”

Caleb chuckled, sweeping up the cards before shuffling them all back into the deck. “Just be glad we ain’t playing for keeps right now. So, Maurice doing better?”

Sighing, Kenneth leaned back in his chair. He hated to admit it… but the vet had actually done a really good job. He knew he was behind the times. Medicine had advanced a lot since he’d been taken and in the two decades he’d been back. It was difficult to accept help from anyone, especially an outsider, but Marcus had indeed helped him. He wasn’t stupid. He knew the vet hadn’t wanted anything in exchange, but he’d insisted on paying him anyway. He wouldn’t be indebted to anyone.

“Maurice looks a hell of a lot better. Better than he has in years, really. Why? You wanted to borrow him again?”

Caleb was never one to sugar coat, so he said bluntly, “Not at the moment, but I don’t relish the idea of him dying. I prefer having him pull the wagon to Max.”

Snorting, Kenneth shook his head. “Speaking of, where is–”

Before he could finish the question, there was a horrendous scream, followed so quickly by a surge of power it took his breath away.

“What in hell’s name-” Caleb shouted, staggering to his feet.

The back door of the saloon flew open, slamming against the wall with a bang as the Hillbilly stormed inside, chainsaw raised over his head. Seeing the two of them, he rushed over, snarling angrily.

“Calm down, boy,” Caleb ordered, grabbing the Redeemer. “It ain’t coming from in here!”

The ring of a bell was the only warning they got before Philip materialized a few feet away. Jabbing his ax in the general direction of the Tree, he whistled, ‘Pyramid Head’s gone insane! We need the Transgressor!’

The Transgressor was Caleb’s name for a massive harpoon cannon he’d built to fight Nemesis, or even Wesker if need be, and it was one of the only real weapons they had capable of putting a dent in Pyramid Head.

“Fuck,” the Deathslinger swore, snatching up his hat from the table. Jamming it onto his head, he warned, “It’s still broken after the fight with Wesker. But we’re coming.”

Kenneth nodded, already thinking of a strategy. Pyramid Head was incredibly strong and fast for his size. His reach was unmatched thanks to the Great Knife… but if they were fast they could get in close enough to do some damage and then get out before he could hit them.

“Well, let’s go then,” he growled. “We better stop by my place on the way, and we don’t have time to waste.”

~~

Michael had been sound asleep and he was not too happy about being woken up. He’d been awake for almost four days by that point and had finally remembered that sleep was indeed still a necessity if he wanted to function. Being awoken by what felt like a Door going supernova coupled with Pyramid Head’s screaming had woken the Shape up in the worst mood physically possible. He was going to kill the god with his bare fucking hands.

Sitting upright, he grabbed his knife before standing and making his way outside. It looked like he wasn’t the only one who was unhappy with the metal headed Slasher. Evan, Amanda, Freddy, Anna, and Adiris were already in the courtyard.

A cold chill rolled up Michael’s spine and he turned his head slightly. Rin and Sadako? They rarely appeared in the Realm like that…

Actually, where the hell were Jason and Danny? If everyone else was coming to see what the problem was… Did that mean only the Slashers inside the Realm could feel it?

Looking back at the Tree again, a much worse idea occurred to him and he started forward. What if the Slashers outside the Realm couldn’t get back in because of what Pyramid Head was doing to the Tree…

~~

Leon hadn’t made it ten feet from the door when a surge of power blasted through the Pocket. Stumbling, he whipped around to stare at the court building. That had come from the Tree. In the distance he could hear the livestock making an awful ruckus, almost drowning out the shouting of other Survivors. Everyone had felt that…

“Killers,” he hissed, sprinting back into the large building.

He was entirely unprepared for what he found. Bill was picking himself up off the ground, eyes glued to the Tree. Red lines of light were spreading up the trunk like veins, pulsing like a beating heart. The vet was on the ground, screaming like he’d just been set on fire.

Hurrying to Bill’s side, Leon helped him to his feet as he demanded, “What happened?!”

“Hell if I know!” he shouted. “There was a blast of energy and then the kid just started screaming!”

Another wave of power rolled out of the tree and Marcus howled, legs kicking and back arching as he struggled against his restraints. Before either of the Survivors could react, Tapp, David, Jake, and Jeff came rushing into the room. Claudette, Rebecca, and Cheryl were close behind, but all of them skidded to a halt, staring at the Tree in horror. Nothing like that had ever happened before and no one knew what to do!

“Fuck! Stop, stop, please!”

Leon’s attention was diverted back to the vet. It didn’t even seem like he knew what he was saying as he screamed again, blood beginning to drip from his nose.

“Goddammit,” he swore, rushing to his side. Dropping to his knees, he struggled to get a hold of him so he could roll him onto his stomach.

Tapp joined him a second later, helping him hold the vet down even as he questioned, “What are you doing?”

“Uncuffing him before he breaks his arms,” Leon explained quickly, fighting to hold him down long enough to actually get the key into the lock.

With a pained scream, Marcus twisted and bucked, managing to pull free from both of them before slamming a foot into Tapp’s chest. The former detective fell back with a winded huff, a hand coming up to his ribs.

“Shit! I think he broke something,” he wheezed.

“It’s him,” Cheryl murmured, voice almost drowned out but the crackling sound coming from the Tree and Marcus’s continued screams.

“What?” Leon shouted, nearly getting a knee in the nose as he jumped on the vet. “Marcus?”

“Pyramid Head!” she shouted, taking a step back. “They’re connected somehow! I can fucking feel it! We need to get him out of here!”

“We can’t!” Jeff argued, pointing at the Tree. “It looks like it’s going to explode!”

“Goddammit, one of you get over here and help me,” Leon ordered. The kid didn’t look like he should be so goddamn strong!

Jeff and David both rushed over, despite the latter's still healing injuries. With their help, Leon finally managed to hold the vet steady enough to get the key into one side of the cuffs. The moment it fell loose, Marcus yanked his arm back, elbow connecting with his nose with a crunch.

Reeling backwards, Leon almost missed what happened next. Twisting so he was on his back again, Marcus planted a foot in Jeff’s stomach and threw him. Not just knocked him back, but actually threw him several yards into a wall. Grabbing one of David’s wrists, he yanked him down as he sat up, slamming his head into the Survivors before falling back with a howl of his own.

The Tree started to hum like a jet engine preparing for take off, the lights growing brighter and brighter. Whatever was happening, it was bad, and it was only getting worse.

Writhing and sobbing, Marcus seemed to focus on something that wasn’t there as he shouted, “Pyramid Head, stop!”

The Tree flared with light, the leaves actually glowing for a moment as the trunk shuddered violently. Then… it stilled. The light dimmed. The crackling screech stopped, leaving them all with a painful ringing in their ears.

Marcus let out a shuddering breath, falling still himself. Cheryl and Rebecca hurried to his side, ignoring David and Tapp’s warnings to stay back. Leon joined them, pressing his fingers to the vet’s neck. He found a pulse immediately, surprisingly strong despite what had just happened.

Blood was dripping from his nose and ears, eyes unfocused as he stared past them. With a low groan, he finally went limp.

“We need to get him to medical,” Claudette worried. “All of you-”

“No,” Leon interrupted, eyes narrowing. In all the chaos, the vet’s shirt had ridden up, revealing the bottom portion of what appeared to be a tattoo. Pulling his shirt up the rest of the way, he stared.

Cheryl was oh so horribly right… The vet was connected to Pyramid Head…

“He’s going in a cell now. Give him medical care, but he’s not going anywhere until we get answers.”

~~

Marcus's head was ringing, emotions and memories that weren’t his flooding his mind and drowning everything else out. He could see Silent Hill, but not as he knew it. A town, a real town full of people and life. The church rose in front of him before swirling into a mess of colors and screams. Flames rose around him, burning and melting flesh before a creature rose up in the form of a girl with black hair and dark eyes. Her hands outstretched and everything changed. Ash fell from the sky, suffocating those that couldn’t get inside fast enough. People came and went, monsters rose and fell, but one remained. One stood above the others, fighting against his chains until finally… they broke. Time had no meaning in Silent Hill, decades passing like seconds before slowing to an eternal crawl.

Marcus screamed, unable to process or even comprehend most of what he was seeing. It felt like his mind was on fire. He just wanted it to stop, but it seemed like the more he tried to push back against it, the more memories and images were dumped into his head. Voices reached his ears but the words made no sense. It felt like hands were grabbing his arms, touching his face, trying to hold him still. He didn’t know if they were real or if it was part of whatever the hell Pyramid Head was showing him. All he knew was that it hurt more than anything he’d ever experienced before and he wanted it to stop. He wasn’t even aware that he was screaming or that his screams finally managed to form words.

Everything stopped so suddenly it felt like he’d just been in a car accident. All the breath left his lungs in a harsh wheeze, his vision spinning as he stared up at the Tree. Faces crowded over him, but he didn’t recognize them. Black started encroaching on the edges of his vision and he didn’t fight it. Sinking back into the darkness, it was a major relief when it finally took over.
~~~~

Chapter Text

Evan was glad no one else could smell just how fucking scared he was. It rolled off of him like a cloud, acrid in his nostrils as he breathed. The same two questions were repeating over and over in his head as he charged Pyramid Head.

‘Is he trying to destroy the Tree because something happened to Marcus? What the fuck happened to Marcus?’

“What is he doing?” Anna shouted, rushing at the god from the direction of her house. Adiris was close behind her and both looked ready to fight him even without a clear answer.

“No idea!” Evan roared, swinging his cleaver at Pyramid Head’s hip. The blade connected, slicing through the rough leather apron before cutting into skin and muscle.

Pyramid Head swung a fist without bothering to turn and look at the Trapper, a booming snarl echoing out of the metal shell.

Evan barely managed to leap back far enough to avoid getting hit. Thankfully the distraction he caused was enough and both Amanda and Anna managed to land sharp blows as well. The Pig raced in close, slashing at his lower back just above the apron. That got his attention and he started to turn, opening up his chest to an ax thrown by the Huntress.

Still keeping one hand on the Tree, Pyramid Head screamed. The sound grew in volume and pitch, forcing Evan to cover his ears as he staggered back. “Someone shut him up!”

A blast of cold air rushed past him and he looked up in time to see the Spirit faze into existence, sword swinging in a tight arc. Blood sprayed across the ground and the god swung at her, seemingly more annoyed than deterred by the new laceration in his side.

Rin vanished before his arm could connect, and Evan lunged in for another strike. Unfortunately, Pyramid Head was already catching on. Whipping around, he actually took both hands off the Tree, slamming a closed fist into the Trapper’s chest.

Blood splattered his lips, at least six ribs snapping as he was thrown back. The god didn’t follow up, returning his attention to the Tree. Much to the horror of the other Slashers, it didn’t seem like anything had changed when he’d taken his hands off the trunk. Whatever he’d started had become self-sustaining and he was simply adding more fuel to the fire.

Evan could barely breathe, his ribs screaming with every shallow breath he took. He’d had broken ribs plenty of times even before he had become a Slasher, but he’d never broken so many at once.

Adiris and Anna were doing a good job attacking from a distance, Huntress throwing axes while Plague used her reach and the long chain of her censer to keep a better distance than the closer range Slashers.

Pyramid Head only seemed to be getting angrier with every strike and cut. Finally, he lurched away from the Tree, grabbing the handle of the Great Knife and swinging in one smooth move.

Adiris was forced back, Amanda diving to the ground to avoid being cut in half. Before she could roll out of the way or recover, Pyramid Head kicked her in the stomach. She let out a pained cry, skidding several feet across the ground before curling into a ball.

Rin and Sadako attacked at the same time, coming from different sides in hopes of catching him off guard. It worked, but not as well as they’d hoped. Deflecting the Spirit’s blade with his own, he didn’t even stagger when the Onryō hit him with a blast of psychic energy.

Shoving Rin away with the Great Knife, Pyramid Head twisted around, raising a fist to try and strike the other. Before he could, a bottle arced the air, smashing against his helmet into a purple cloud. Bellowing with rage, he shook his head back and forth, trying to clear the offending fog from his senses.

Evan struggled to push himself up, desperate to get back in the fight. They had to stop Pyramid Head somehow! If he destroyed the Tree, there was no telling what would happen!

Long legs strode past him and he looked up to see Michael marching forward, knife in hand. Coming up behind the god as he turned to face the latest Slashers to join the fight, he didn’t hesitate to stab him in between the shoulders.

Pyramid Head swept an arm out behind him, knocking the Shape back just as another vile of purple gas smashed into his helmet. There was a wheezing groan from the giant and he actually staggered slightly, taking a step back.

The sound of not one but two chainsaws roaring to life signaled both Leatherface and the Hillbilly joining the fray, and Pyramid Head bellowed again. Behind him, the Tree pulsed with red light, as if something inside the trunk was glowing with the heat of his anger.

There was a sound like glass breaking but Evan wasn’t sure where it had come from. Had Kenneth missed? He got his answer a moment later when the chainsaw wielding duo went shooting past him so fast he thought he’d imagined it.

Max went high and Thomas went low, one spinning blade biting deep into Pyramid Head’s stomach while the other found his upper thigh. The god let out a scream of pain and rage, dropping the Great Knife as he lunged forward with both arms outstretched.

Leatherface managed to keep from getting grabbed, already half-crouch to hit where he had while avoiding blocking the Hillbilly. Max was not so lucky. Grabbed around the waist, he let out a pained howl as Pyramid Head lifted him into the air and squeezed. Something snapped and he screamed. Yanking his hammer off his belt, he slammed it into the face of the metal helmet with a resounding clang.

That got quite a reaction, although it was definitely a bad one. Flinging Max across the courtyard, Pyramid Head actually made a move to follow him as he landed on Freddy, taking him out before he could even join the fight. Before the god could reach them, there was a gunshot and rattle of chains. A harpoon spiked through the Slasher’s hand and he snarled, turning to face the Deathslinger and Clown.

Another bottle arced towards him, but the god had learned his lesson. Catching it without letting it shatter, he sent it flying back at Kenneth like a bullet. The Clown swore loudly, barely managing to get out of the way in time. Hit with a coughing fit, he staggered before he could get another bottle ready.

Pyramid Head twisted his arm, wrapping the chain connecting the harpoon to the Redeemer around his wrist before yanking on it. The only thing that kept the gun from being ripped out of the Deathslinger’s hands was the quick release mechanism he’d installed. Flipping it the moment the god had reached out, he leapt back when the chain was snapped at him like a whip.

Michael and Adiris rushed him again, but neither managed to land a hit. Lashing out with the chain still attached to his hand, Pyramid head caught Michael across the chest. The Shape fell back with a grunt, blood blooming across his chest. Plague didn’t fare much better, caught in the stomach on the back swing.

Grabbing the Great Knife, Pyramid Head screamed again as he raised it over his head. Before he could bring it down, the Wraith materialized mid leap. Landing on the god’s back, he slammed his ax into his shoulder, scratching and clawing at the underside of his helmet with his free hand.

Reaching back, Pyramid Head grabbed him, yanking him over his shoulder and slamming him into the ground. Philip let out a loud grunt, winded and unable to move out of the way as the larger Slasher raised his blade with both hands.

Instead of bringing the knife down into the Wraith’s body like Evan expected, Pyramid Head whipped around to face the Tree again. With a roar, he stabbed the Great Knife into the ground, falling to one knee as he held it tight.

The light illuminating the Tree pulsed brightly one last time, before steadily fading. The aura of terrible power began to recede along with it, and the burning red veins slithered down the trunk and back into Pyramid Head before vanishing entirely.

Head lowering slightly, the only sounds that came from him were heavy, raspy breaths.

In the nearly deafening silence that blanketed the area, footsteps could be heard coming from several different directions. The Doctor, Dredge, and Artist all emerged from various points in the fog, looking wary but still armed to fight. That wasn’t unusual, really. Dredge made his home out there, and the other two both had their own business to attend to.

Glancing around the courtyard, Herman asked the question that was on everyone’s mind. “WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED HERE?”

Amanda was still curled into a ball, wheezing painfully with every breath. Carmina hurried to her side, croaking worriedly.

“Pyramid Head went crazy,” Caleb volunteered, helping Max as he attempted to sit up. “He attacked the Tree.”

Soft steps nearby drew Evan’s attention and he let out a surprised huff. The Demogorgon had actually emerged from the fog, drawn in by the surges of power and undeterred by the crowd of other Slashers.

Rolling onto his back, he hissed as his chest protested the action. Fuck, he needed to get up. He needed to check on Marcus. Whatever that was, there was no telling how widespread the effects were. When he tried to push himself up, Philip hurried over and crouched next to him.

Shaking his head, he clicked, ‘Don’t.’

Evan wanted to argue, but when he lifted his head he realized one of his ribs was actually sticking out through his skin. Ah, no wonder it hurt so much. If he killed himself it would take even longer to heal, and even longer to get to the vet…

As the rest of them recovered, they started discussing what to do next. Pyramid Head had yet to move, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t resume his attack the moment he stood up. Fuck, they needed Danny. He was the only one who’d actually managed to learn how to understand the otherworldly titan.

“Evan, are you- Oh, damn.” It was Freddy, one of the most intact after the fight. Crouching beside Philip, he asked, “Anyone else suddenly feeling like ribs for dinner?”

The Trapper would have strangled him if he could raise his arms more than a few inches from the ground. “I… hate… you.”

Philip was kind enough to slap Freddy across the back of the head, before whistling, ‘I’ll go get Danny and check on Doc.’

“Careful,” he grunted, wincing as the single word sent pain shooting through every nerve. “We don’t… know what…”

Philip nodded, understanding. They had no idea what kind of damage may have been done to the Tree or what trying to use it so soon could do. Still, he whistled a quick reassurance before standing. Before he could make his way towards the Tree, Anna shouted above the murmur.

“It’s about time you showed up! What took you so long?”

Evan looked over and his mood instantly soured. Of course Wesker chose to show up with Nemesis in tow after Pyramid Head had stopped raging. They’d come from somewhere in the fog, and upon closer inspection, it looked like the Tyrant had already taken damage somehow. One hand was covered in burns and raw flesh as the fingers slowly regrew from the palm. How the hell had that happened?

Looking around the courtyard with his usual level of aloof smugness, Wesker didn’t bother to sound even slightly apologetic as he stated, “I couldn’t. But it seems like you all have already handled it. What happened?”

“Pyramid Head lost his shit and tried to overload the Tree,” Freddy huffed. “We don’t know why.”

Eyebrow rising, Wesker looked over to the kneeling god. After a moment, his expression hardened and he asked slowly, “Where is the vet?”

“You think this is all over the kid?” Kenneth asked, sounding skeptical. “Nothing happened to him, right?”

Caleb gave him a sideways look and he snarled, “I’m not asking cause I care! But he did help Maurice…”

“How did you get here?” Anna demanded, eyes narrowing. “You didn’t come through the Tree and I highly doubt Samara and Sadako let you through the well.”

“I have my ways,” he answered shortly, and Evan rolled his eyes. Pompous jackass… He’d probably built some kind of structure in the fog to hold a Door.

Philip hissed, crouching slightly as he readied his ax. Pyramid Head had started to stand, one hand still wrapped around the handle of the Great Knife.

Freddy swore under his breath, tensing as he too prepared for the worst.

Instead of screaming or attacking or going after the Tree again, the dark god let out a long, low groan. He almost sounded mournful…

“Someone needs to go find Danny, Marcus, and the Legion,” Amanda stated, voice strained. She was on her feet at last, but she was holding her stomach with both hands.

Michael picked up his knife from where it had fallen during the fight. Without bothering to wipe the blood off, he started for the Tree. Just before he could actually open a door and step through, someone else entered the Realm, almost bumping directly into his chest.

Taking a quick step back, Charlotte half raised her sickle before realizing who it was. Looking warily at Michael, it looked like she was about to say something when Victor growled, clawing at her ribs. Quickly looking around, her eyes widened. Spotting Anna, she cast one last cautious glance at Michael before making her way to where Huntress and Plague were standing.

“Charlotte, Victor,” Anna greeted, smiling softly as she pulled them into a hug.

The smaller twin gurgled happily, leaning out of his sister's chest so the Huntress could plant a kiss on his malformed head. Before she could start explaining what happened, another body stepped through the Tree and Evan groaned.

“Fuck the Entity, what is he doing here?”

Freddy sighed, rubbing a hand over his eyes. “Probably looking for Danny…”

Looking around, Ji-Woon went from looking surprised to smug in a heartbeat. “I figured you all missed me, but I wasn’t expecting a party.”

Pyramid Head snarled at him and he took several quick steps to one side before laughing, “Aww, you did miss me! So is that what the Door was about?”

The murmuring around the courtyard immediately fell silent and everyone stared at him.

Caleb was the first to ask, “What Door?”

Looking even more smug since all eyes were on him, the Trickster shrugged. Swinging his bat in a slow arc, he offered nonchalantly, “The Door I’d set up in my flat- well, the flat I was borrowing for a few days, just… appeared.”

Frowning, Charlotte spoke up. “The Door we have set up also became visible. We waited for it to disappear again before we tried to use it, but we didn’t have any trouble when we did.”

Almost pouting slightly, Ji-Woon muttered, “Huh, that’s interesting I guess… So, what the hell caused all of that?”

Evan flopped his head back on the ground. It was going to be a long fucking day…

Michael appeared to have the same idea, as he turned on his heel and disappeared through the Tree before anyone else could show up or start asking questions.

~~

It took Dwight several minutes to get his breath back. It felt like he’d just lost a Trial against the Doctor. His extremities hurt, still burning with the lingering feeling of electricity. Leaning over so his head was between his knees, he took several shaky breaths. He kind of felt like he was going to throw up. A hand slapped his back and he winced, looking over to see Ghostface squinting at him.

“You still alive, Survivor?” he asked, although it obviously wasn’t a friendly question.

Jason got to his feet before Dwight could say anything. Reaching down, he dragged Joey upright as well. Staggering, the Legion member almost fell over again when the larger Killer slapped him on the back.

“Fuck! What the hell was that?” he demanded, looking around.

Jason shrugged, before pointing at the now empty closet and signing something.

“Oh, shit,” Susie murmured. “If they find Dwight…”

“What?” he squeaked. “Who? If who finds me?”

He was pretty sure he already knew. The other Killers…

Rubbing his temples with both hands, Ghostface griped, “Fuck the Entity… What the hell was that?! Hey, Survivor! Dwight! What was that?”

Groaning, Dwight finally managed to sit mostly upright again. Looking over at Danny, he squinted like he had a migraine. He kind of did, actually. “Wh-what? How- how the heck would I know?”

Throwing his hands up, Ghostface accused, “You show up! The Door started malfunctioning! I don’t know about you, but it seems kinda too weird to be a coincidence.”

Glaring at the closet, he added, “What else could have caused it? Chances are they felt that shit in the Realm and someone’s bound to-”

Dwight wasn’t sure why he stopped talking so suddenly, or why his already pale face went ashy. Following his gaze, he took a sharp breath. Michael was standing in the closet, eyes locked on him.

Jason held out his hands as if to tell Michael to stay calm, but it didn’t look like the Shape even noticed. His gaze was solely focused on the Survivor and nothing short of a nuclear bomb going off was going to distract him.

Julie summed it up perfectly, murmuring, “Oh, shit…”

“Michael, I can explain,” Danny started, slowly rising. “It’s not… it’s probably not what you’re thinking.”

Joey couldn’t help the look he gave Danny. There probably wasn’t a person alive who could guess what Michael Myers was thinking at any given time. He’d seen him go from sitting quietly at the camp fire to stabbing the nearest person almost a dozen times just for looking at him for too long.

Dwight was staring at Michael, mouth hanging open and eyes the size of dinner plates. Obviously he hadn’t been expecting to see the Shape. Then again, if he was being honest he really hadn’t wanted to believe them when they told him who the Obsession mark on Marcus came from. The Shape hunted and killed his Obsessions with the single mindedness of a starving animal.

There was no warning or tell before Michael moved. One second he was standing still as a statue, the next he was marching forward, knife raising and hand reaching out for the bound Survivor. Dwight wasn’t ashamed of the fact that he screamed in terror, planting his feet on the floor as he tried to shove himself over the back of the couch.

He was going to die. Ghostface and the Legion may have been about to torture him, Jason may have been about to beat him within an inch of his life, but Michael would kill him. No hesitation, no questions asked. The man was merciless and cruel. Squeezing his eyes closed as the Shape closed in, Dwight braced himself for the familiar pain of fingers tightening around his throat and cold steel cutting into his stomach.

A hand did grab him, cutting off his air as he was yanked upright, but the knife didn’t follow. Legs kicking weakly, he managed to look down at the Killer quite literally holding his life in his hands. Michael’s gaze was as cold and dead as ever, giving nothing away.

“Michael, listen! We need him alive!” Ghostface said, tone bordering on desperate. “The Survivors… the other Survivors… have Frank.”

The Shape didn’t even blink, retaining his nearly emotionless staring.

Dwight found himself wishing he’d actually do something. His neck and spine were starting to hurt, his lungs burning as his air quickly ran out. Why the heck hadn’t Michael stabbed him already? Was it because he couldn’t fight back? Well, they couldn’t really fight back in the Entity’s Realm, but they could struggle. He couldn’t even do that with the way his hands were bound.

There was the distinct sound of someone getting punched and Ghostface grunted. “Ow! Fuck you, Canada!”

“He’s not even Canadian!” Susie shouted, and he realized she must be talking about Jason.

The sound of someone slapping someone else away followed, then Danny added nervously, “Michael, please put him down. They didn’t just take Frank…”

The sudden light in Michael’s eyes was utterly terrifying. There was thought behind those otherwise dead eyes, wheels turning as he considered who wasn’t in the room with them. The grip on Dwight’s throat tightened and he let out a strangled cry of pain. His vision had already been spotty but that just made it worse. Sound was starting to fade as his muscles went slack, unable to continue even the slightest attempt at struggling.

Without warning, he was dropped. Choking and wheezing as air flooded his lungs, Dwight flinched when hands grabbed his arms again. Instead of hurting him, whoever had him helped him sit upright on the couch. When he managed to look up, he was surprised to find Joey. The Legion member was still holding his shoulders, but he was watching Jason and Michael closely.

The pair were staring at one another, muscles tense and breathing heavy. It almost looked like two wild beasts about to face off over the last scrap of a kill. Dwight could only imagine Michael would win due to his sheer size, but the way Jason was squared up to him cast doubts on his previous beliefs that the Shape was unbeatable. But why would a Killer stand up to another for a Survivor? Oh… it was probably just until they got their own people back. After that… He didn’t want to think about what might happen now that Michael was involved, actually.

“Look, he’s going to help us get Doc and Frank back,” Ghostface proposed, slowly moving closer. “And after he does, we’re letting him go.”

Michael’s head turned slowly, not even bothering to stop at the smaller Killer before once again landing on the Survivor. His body followed and he took two steps closer. The length of his legs made it so that was enough to close the gap, and Joey scrambled out of the way. Dwight wished he could follow, but he knew if he so much as twitched those massive hands would be on him before he could make it an inch.

The Shape’s breathing was audible, rasping in a deadly rhythm behind his mask as he stared down at Dwight.

“I- I c-can- I can help g–get them both b-back,” he whispered. He knew he could, but the real question was if Michael would believe him.

Continuing to stare at him, Michael didn’t react at first. His knife was still clenched in one white knuckled hand, and after a couple of minutes of complete silence, he slowly raised it.

Eyes widening as the blade moved closer and closer, Dwight tried to lean back and away from the blade. He’d always felt tiny compared to Michael, but the Shape somehow seemed even bigger outside of the Entity’s Realm and with a knife now aimed at his throat, it was all he could do not to cry as he swore, “I can! I- I m-mean, I will! I’ll g-get your f-friends back! Alive! A-and unharmed!”

A small whimper left him as the tip of the knife pressed into his neck just under his jaw. He had nowhere left to retreat and no way to make good on his promise unless they listened to him and let him try to call the others again.

Instead of slitting his throat, Michael just held him there. It was probably the most terrifying thing the Shape had ever done, and Dwight couldn’t imagine why he hadn’t killed him yet. Laurie had made it clear his entire thing was stalking, catching, and killing. Since when did he play with his victims?

“He wants you to talk, Survivor,” Ghostface murmured, somewhere behind the massive killer. “So… tell him your plan to get Doc and Frank back before he gets impatient.”

The knife didn’t so much as twitch, but Michael’s head slowly canted to one side. He almost looked curious behind the wall of murderous intent.

Hoping Ghostface was correct and telling the truth, Dwight had just opened his mouth to speak when the sound of a bell rang and he froze. He knew that fucking bell. He still heard it in his nightmares…

A loud chattering and whistling filled the air, but he couldn’t actually see anything other than Michael. His frame blocked his view of anything that might be behind him, and Dwight couldn’t very well look around him with a knife against his throat.

“Hey, hey, hey! Philip, slow down!” Ghostface said, sounding exasperated. “Just, go back to the Realm and we’ll swing by later!”

There was more clicking and whistling, and to Dwight it sounded like the Wraith may actually be annoyed. Danny’s answer only confirmed as much, as he half-explained, “No, Doc’s not here at the moment. Ah… he’s… he’s…”

Michael turned, knife still holding Dwight against the couch. With how he angled his body, the Survivor was able to see the Wraith and Ghostface standing in front of the closet. Philip, as he was apparently actually called, was glaring at Danny, arms crossed and an annoyed look on his scarred face.

Glancing up, the Wraith looked at Dwight briefly before doing a double take. Mouth dropping open, he slowly looked back at Danny.

“Oh… right. So, about that…” he muttered, scratching the back of his head. “Turns out… Dwight over there met Doc the other day and somehow came to the mistaken impression that he needed rescuing from us Slashers… So… Doc and Frank were kidnapped again-”

Screeching, the Wraith grabbed Ghostface by the neck with both hands and started shaking him like a rag doll.

Dwight would have laughed if his own life weren’t in so much danger. Glancing up at Michael, he found the Shape watching them instead, just as Jason and the rest of the Legion were doing. None of them appeared worried, or offered to help, and he started to wonder if this was a regular thing with the Killers. Not so much holding people hostage, but physically attacking one another over the slightest provocation.

“This– isn’t– helping!” Danny managed to shout.

The lights dimmed suddenly and everyone froze as the smell of rust and rot filled the room. Joey let out a quiet, “Oh, fuck,” as ash began to swirl around each of them.

Before Dwight could form any kind of response of his own, he fell flat on his ass in the dirt. Michael was still standing over him, but the knife was now by his side as his target was much lower to the ground.

It took the Survivor a minute to realize they hadn’t been taken to Silent Hill at all. Although he only remembered brief glimpses of it from the handful of times Pyramid Head had Mori’d him, he knew that wherever they were now wasn’t the dark god’s realm.

“You’ve got to be shitting me…”

Looking up at the sound of a woman’s voice, Dwight blinked in surprise. Amanda Young? The Pig? He’d never seen her in person without her mask on, but since she’d been a known Jigsaw apprentice before her ‘death’, they all knew what she looked like.

Realizing there was someone beside her, he took a shuddering breath. The Huntress… Even without her mask there was no denying who she was.

Looking around, Dwight felt his heart drop into his stomach. It wasn’t just them… Although it looked like quite a few of them had just been in an all out brawl, it was almost all of them. From the looks of it, nearly every single Killer from the Entity’s Realm was present. The Legion’s leader and the Oni were the only two missing, leaving the answer crystal clear…

Pyramid Head had brought him and everyone else in Marcus’s house to the Killer Realm…

~~

Frank was pretty sure if he never saw a gun again it would be too soon. Dying sucked. Getting shot was worse! Getting shot by a goddamn Survivor was just embarrassing!

He groaned, head pounding as the feeling began to return to his body. Why did coming back hurt so much? Julie would probably know. Or Susie. She was smarter than most people gave her credit for. God, speaking of Jules, she was going to kick his ass when this was over. He kind of deserved it for making her worry. And he knew she’d be worried. All three of them would be.

“At least it’s not Hell this time,” he grumbled aloud. It was too damn quiet wherever he was and hearing his own voice was slightly comforting.

When he tried to pull his arms around so he could push himself up, he felt something hard against his wrists. Eyes flying open, he stared at a gray wall of bricks. Those fucking assholes… They’d cuffed him, and from the looks of it, thrown him in a goddamn jail cell. Screw them. He could break out of a set of handcuffs thanks to the extra strength Slashers were graced with. That would be easy as one, two, th–

“What the fuck?” he hissed, pulling against the metal bracelets again. It didn’t even feel like they were bending under the pressure he was putting on them.

“I wouldn’t bother,” a voice said, and he jolted.

Rolling onto his back, Frank sat up. Doing his best not to let it show on his face just how much that had made his head hurt, he glared out the cell door at… Fuck…

“Those aren’t your run of the mill cuffs,” Jeff told him bluntly. “We’re not that stupid, Frank.”

“Then what are they?” he demanded, glaring at the familiar face. He’d always wondered if Jeff knew who they were behind their masks. It had taken them a few Trials to figure out who he was, since he’d aged in the time between the Legion being taken and his own entrapment by the Entity. Still, they’d showed up in the Realm at the same time, only lending credence to the spider's time warping powers.

Silent for a moment, Jeff finally said, “Tungsten.”

“The fuck did you call me?” Frank snarled.

“The metal… is called tungsten,” he said, almost looking amused. “You won’t be able to break it.”

“Oh…” Sitting silently for a moment, he asked, “Where the hell is Doc?”

Eyebrows raising, Jeff answered with a question of his own. “Doc? You mean the ginger?”

“Yes, him,” Frank said slowly. “Where the hell is he?”

Hiking a thumb over one shoulder, Jeff told him, “In the cell behind me. He’s sleeping.”

“Sleeping?” he demanded, struggling to get his feet underneath him. “What did you all do to him? If you hurt him I swear to fucking god-”

“We didn’t,” Jeff interrupted, frowning slightly. “But he is hurt.”

Staggering slightly, Frank approached the bars. Breathing heavily, he snarled, “What did you all do to him?!”

Holding up his hands, the Survivor made a calm down motion. “You stabbed him in the shoulder, and then Pyramid Head… did something. We don’t really know.”

“Pyramid Head…” Frank repeated. “Wait, what the hell do you mean I stabbed him?!”

“You can still Frenzy,” Jeff pointed out. “You were trying to kill David and Jake, he tried to stop you… and you stabbed him.”

“I wish I had killed them,” Frank seethed, spitting on the ground. “Then maybe he wouldn’t be hurt. What the hell were you all thinking anyway? Sending Dwight of all fucking people? What the hell was your game plan? Kidnap Doc and then what? Just hope we’d look the other way?”

“We didn’t send Dwight,” Jeff told him, frown deepening. “From our understanding, he got lost and ended up in Utah by mistake. Meeting Marcus was entirely accidental.”

Unimpressed, Frank rolled his eyes. “Sure. And my favorite color is pink.”

“Is it?”

“No! It’s black! Jesus fucking Christ, Jeff.”

“Hah… so you do know who I am.”

Frank sighed, looking away. “Yeah. We figured it out pretty fast. Besides, we know most of you Survivors names.”

That got him a surprised look, so he elaborated, “You all were allowed to talk to each other during Trials. You think we never overheard that shit?”

Jeff nodded, scratching the back of his head before asking, “What happened to you all, Frank?”

That threw him. How the hell was he supposed to answer that? What happened to the Legion? Before the Entity or after? During their time in Hell? Finally, he muttered bitterly, “I guess that just depends on when you’re asking about. You want the tragic backstory of Frank Morrison, the kid no one wanted? Or you want to know about the Legion? Vandals and degenerates? Or the part where we killed a man, buried his body, and then got kidnapped by a fucking spider that tortured us for fun?”

It was the Survivors turn to look shocked. “The Entity tortured you all?”

Rolling his eyes, Frank scoffed, “Why do you care? Not like you can change anything that happened.”

Looking away, then back at him, Jeff asked quietly, “Why did you four disappear from the Realm? At first we thought it was just the Entity keeping you all out Trials for some reason, but then… you just never showed up again.”

“Think about it,” Frank said, voice thin. “We stopped showing up… but someone else started, I’m sure.”

“The… Cenobite?” Jeff asked slowly. “Pinhead?”

“Yeah. Yeah, him. How do you think he got into the Realm? Someone had to open the box,” he said coldly.

“But you’re here,” Jeff argued, looking like he didn’t want to finish putting the pieces together. “Jake and David saw all four of you, so-”

“We were let out,” Frank snarled, lunging at the bars. The move started Jeff into staggering backwards, so the Legion leader continued, “The Legion spent two-hundred years in Hell because of me! Marcus let us out and nearly got dragged to Hell trying to keep them from taking me back! You think I’m mad now? You think I won’t tear you apart with my bare hands to protect him? Believe me, I will. And I’ll do it with a fucking smile on my face. And I’m not the only one, Jeff… Oh, no… I’m one of many. And when they come for him… you will all drown in a river of your own blood.”
~~~~

Chapter Text

“–come on… –saw him do it… Fuck!”

Sounds came back in bits and pieces and Marcus tried blinking a few times. His eyes felt sticky and his mouth tasted like bile, but at least he was awake. Hearing Frank’s voice again, he tried to speak but coughed loudly instead. His throat was raw and painful, leaving him feeling like he’d swallowed sand.

“Doc? Oh, thank fuck… Doc, can you hear me?”

Squeezing his eyes closed, Marcus made a non-committal sound. Swallowing dryly, he managed to say, “Yeah… I hear you.”

“Okay… good. Are you… okay?”

“No…” Why lie? Everything hurt and he kept seeing memories that weren’t his. They made no sense, but more so, they scared him. Each image was awash with blood and pain. Utter misery and suffering that had been so powerful it had created its own hellish dimension.

“They came in a couple of times to check on you and… I don’t know if they actually helped you or not. I’m… I’m sorry, Doc.”

Managing to keep his eyes open, Marcus stared at the ceiling. Ah nice… It looked like a jail cell. At least his body was slowly starting to feel better. His head was still pounding like a freight train, but the rest of him felt alright. But, Frank had actually apologized to him… and that was incredibly concerning.

“It doesn’t feel like they did anything to hurt me. Why are you sorry?”

“What are you, a teacher?” Frank scoffed, but his voice was more tired than actually annoyed. “I… didn’t know I stabbed you. I’m sorry. I- I can’t actually see who’s who when I Frenzy anymore and-”

“Oh,” Marcus interrupted, laughing slightly. It really wasn’t funny, but the irony was just too much. “It’s fine.”

Frank was silent for a moment before arguing quietly, “No, it’s not. We’re in the Survivor’s Realm and the last thing we need is for me to be hurting you.”

“I know… Tin Man knows too. He tried to break in,” the vet explained. “I think… I think he recognized one of the Survivors somehow. A girl named Cheryl?”

“Fuck if I know, Doc,” Frank laughed. “A few of us knew some of them from before, but that’s the kind of shit we kept to ourselves. The Entity did it to fuck with us, I guess; sticking us in there with people we once knew. But there was no way we’d let the others know.”

“Why not?” Marcus asked. A part of him really didn’t want to know, but at the same time he needed Frank to keep talking. He needed the distraction from the things in his head.

“Sometimes Trials would go all wrong. No sacrifices, no kills, all four Survivors escaping without more than a scratch… What the Entity would do to us was bad enough, but if the others started thinking, ‘Oh, you let so and so go because you have a soft spot for them’... No one wants to be the weakest link. No one wants to be the one everyone else takes out their anger on. It was bad enough being the youngest Killers in the Realm. We already had more to prove, so we kept our fucking mouths shut. Michael was really the only one who didn’t care, but no one was stupid enough to start shit with him anyway.”

Marcus had managed to sit up by the time Frank had finished his explanation. Looking around, he took some small comfort in the fact that he was in a proper jail cell for once and not a cage. It didn’t feel like there was anything around his neck, all his body parts and organs felt intact, and the Survivors hadn’t put a muzzle on him… but he was still a prisoner again and his hands were cuffed behind his back.

Across from him, he could see Frank in a similar situation. He was seated cross legged on the floor in front of his cell door, looking at him through the bars. There was a cot against the back wall, as well as a toilet, but the Leader had elected to sit as close to the vet as he could.

Stretching his legs before he stood up, Marcus gave his arms and shoulders an experimental stretch. It was limited by the cuffs around his wrists, but he actually didn’t feel too bad aside from his head.

“How’s your arm?” Frank asked, leaning forward slightly.

“It’s… not as bad as I thought it would be,” he admitted. “How long was I out?”

“I don’t know. Maybe three hours since I woke up? Fuckers shot me in the chest. And they took my jacket and boots! My fucking mask was in my jacket and if I don’t get it back–”

“Frank, stop,” Marcus implored. “My head is killing me and if you start shouting I’m going to curl up under my cot and pray for death. Okay?”

Grumbling angrily, the Legion leader did keep his voice at a more even level as he asked, “What the hell did Pyramid Head do? Jeff- One of the Survivors, and now you, said he tried to break in?”

“Yeah, the Tree started glowing and shaking,” Marcus told him, eyes narrowing as he recalled what he could before blacking out. “I only know it was him because I could feel it. And I saw… memories? His and… and someone else’s. A girl, I think.”

“Cheryl?” Frank asked, raising an eyebrow. “You said you think she’s connected to him.”

“No, not hers,” Marcus said slowly. “Maybe her sister or something. It looked a lot like her, but… Oh, god. I think… the cult there in the town. I think they burned her alive.”

“What the fuck,” Frank breathed. “That’s fucked up, even by my standards.”

“Yeah, I don’t… I don’t think PH meant to show me all that,” Marcus admitted. “Um, what were you talking about just before I woke up? You sounded kind of pissed.”

“I’m always pissed,” Frank deadpanned. “It’s a part of my charm.”

Sighing, he looked slightly embarrassed as he admitted, “I was trying to get my hands in front of me. Like you did when the Collector had us in that cage.”

“Oh,” he said, actually amused by the idea. “I can show you, but it helps if you’re kinda flexible.”

“I can’t believe you’re more flexible than I am,” Frank scoffed. “You’re so old. But… yeah, if you don’t mind showing me. I could use a refresher.”

“I’m only two years older than you,” Marcus argued, grinning slightly. Sitting on the floor beside the cell door, he instructed, “Okay, so lay on your back and raise your hips as high as you can. Tuck your legs in… and… ah-ha! Got it.”

Sitting upright, he held up his hands. “It looks harder than it is.”

Frank was staring at him incredulously. “Dude… you damn near folded yourself in half. How?”

“I took gymnastics for four years, and I remember to stretch regularly to keep my muscles limber,” he elaborated. When the look of confusion on Frank’s face only deepened, Marcus told him, “My dad was hoping that if he forced me to take a female dominated sport it would turn me straight. Jokes on him. I’m still bi and I’m super flexible.”

“What the fuck is wrong with your family?” Frank demanded, looking utterly disgusted.

“A lot, but it’s mostly just my parents,” Marcus told him. “That’s one of many reasons we don’t talk anymore.”

Pressing his head against the bars, Frank sighed again. “So… Pyramid Head knows we’re here. The rest of the Legion know, and Danny knows. We’re so fucking screwed.”

Marcus almost argued that they’d be fine… but he stopped himself. Instead, he asked, “Why didn’t Danny tell me?”

“Tell you what?” Frank asked. “That he recognized Dwight? Cause I’m pretty sure he did the moment he fucking saw him. He’s always had a great memory for faces.”

Staring at the ground, Marcus nodded silently. It really hurt that Danny would pretend otherwise. Why would he lie to him like that? After everything he’d taught him and trusted him with… Why that of all things?

“Why does he do any of the shit he does?” the Slasher chuckled humorlessly. “Maybe he was scared.”

“Scared?” Marcus repeated, frowning. “Of what?”

“Fucking things up with you,” Frank offered. “Kinda like he did with me.”

He knew it was a risky question, but he still wasn’t ready to face their current situation.“What… happened between you two? When I asked him, all he said was that you wanted a distraction and he wanted something he could control.”

Blushing slightly, Frank shrugged. “I mean… yeah. That’s a pretty good summary. Julie will always be my girl. She comes first; I love her and I’ll do anything for her. But, we like to… explore. Or, experiment, I guess. Not as much as you, Mr. Bodycount-”

“Hey!”

“-but sometimes we like to spice things up. Danny took an interest in me and… I’d never been with a guy before. He… gave me something Julie couldn’t, and I found that I really liked it. If she was busy or just not in the mood, it gave me a different outlet. I knew he wasn’t… into me in the way Julie is, or the way Joey and Susie are with each other. I knew it was just sex from the get go, but I still let myself believe that he’d be there for me, for the Legion, if we ever needed him. And I was wrong. ”

“You know, he still blames himself for what happened to you all,” Marcus told him gently. “He really does regret not doing more to try and get you all out.”

Frank laughed, smiling at nothing. “Yeah. I know. But I’m not ready to forgive him. So I’ll let him choke on his regret for a little while longer and hope he’s learned his lesson. Maybe it’ll keep him from ever letting something like that happen to you.”

Feeling slightly guilty for bringing up such a sore subject, Marcus recalled, “Danny told me he never wanted to see the Survivors again. That they’d been through enough and killing them wouldn’t do anything for him so he had no interest in trying to find them… Do you think… he lied about that too?”

Frank was silent for a moment before saying, “I don’t know. Honestly? It hadn’t even crossed my mind that they were out there. I still wake up terrified that- that this isn't real. That it’s another trick and we never really escaped Hell…”

After a long pause, he continued, “We… were forced to kill for the Entity. Sure, some embraced it. I enjoyed it for the most part. But at the end of the day it was just another version of Hell. The only difference? There were no demons, only prisoners. Still, the Survivors have every right to hate us. They don’t know what it was like for us and they can’t be expected to care even if they did. We were the Entity’s tools and we did our job if only to make it easier on ourselves.”

Marcus wasn’t sure what to say to that. Thinking of something Carmina had shown him, he asked, “Some of you never wanted to kill at all, did you? Even before the Entity took you?”

“Nope,” Frank stated. “Susie never really took to it but she’d do it when it was her turn. Carmina hated it. Philip too. But the punishments for under performing or trying to refuse were way worse. Look at your other boyfriend. He was the first as both an example and a Killer.”

Before Marcus could say anything, the sound of a door opening interrupted them. Frank stood up, expression darkening. “Doc, listen to me. Don’t trust anything they tell you. They may have patched you up but they’re not your friends. They know you’re one of us, and they’ll say anything to try and get you to fall for whatever their game is.”

Before he could respond, two people came into view. He recognized Bill from earlier, but he had no idea who the woman was. Dark hair hung just above her shoulders, a shock of white standing out in an interesting contrast. Her arms were covered in thin scars, and another crossed the bridge of her nose. None of that did anything to detract from her fierce gaze, or the way she was staring at Marcus.

She didn’t say anything, just continued to study him with an intensity that reminded him far too much of Michael. Before the vet could say anything, Bill pointed at him.

“I know I’m old, but I swear… I cuffed your hands behind your back, didn’t I?”

Marcus looked down at his hands before returning his gaze to Bill. “Um, yeah. You did… I just… wasn’t very comfortable so I pulled them over my legs.”

“Ah… well… You feel okay to come with us for a bit?” he asked.

“Leave him alone,” Frank snarled, kicking his cell door before Marcus could say anything. “Touch him and I’ll gut you!”

Not bothering to turn around, the woman added, “We just want to talk and it’ll be quieter upstairs.”

Marcus took a small step back. He really wasn’t sure if he should say yes or no. If he went with them willingly, would they be more or less inclined to hurt him? If he said no, would they force him to go anyway?

“We’re not going to hurt you,” she said, easily guessing why he was hesitating. “We just want to ask you some questions.”

“Bullshit,” Frank howled, “You trigger happy kidnappers!”

“Can we please shoot him again?” Bill murmured quietly, nodding toward Frank’s cell.

Apparently he wasn’t quiet enough as the Legion leader started swearing and throwing out threats like an angry chihuahua that had learned how to talk.

Looking more annoyed than anything else, the woman glared at Bill.

Rubbing the back of his head, he muttered sheepishly, “Oops. Sorry, Haddie.”

“Promise not to hurt Frank again and I’ll go,” Marcus offered. He knew he had no real bargaining power, but he was hoping the Slasher was wrong. There was bound to be tension between the sides, but maybe they were more reasonable then Frank was giving them credit for.

Haddie looked at him again, gaze still just as intense. “As long as he’s in a cell and can’t hurt anyone, we won’t have any reason to shoot him again.”

Marcus nodded, waiting quietly as she unlocked his cell. Swinging the door open, Haddie stepped back to give him room. Cautious as he emerged, the vet met Frank’s eyes, promising, “It’s going to be okay. Trust me. Please.”

Frank looked like he was about to Frenzy again, eyes nearly solid red around his irises. Still, he took a deep breath, nodding before looking at Haddie and Bill in turn. He didn’t say anything, but it was clear he was imagining a thousand different ways to kill them both.

Jumping slightly when Bill took his arm, Marcus quietly followed as he was led back upstairs. Looking up at the Tree as they passed by, he was greatly relieved to see that it looked perfectly fine. The glowing lines were gone and the trunk looked just as solid and smooth as before.

His arm was tugged gently and he quickly looked at Bill again as he picked his pace back up. He hadn’t even realized he’d stopped walking. “Sorry.”

The old Survivor didn’t say anything, just shrugged. They walked down the hallway, past the door to medical before reaching a large set of double doors. From the outside, it looked almost like the doors to a courtroom.

As they entered, Marcus was slightly surprised to see what was actually inside. A large conference table sat in the middle of the room, most of the chairs occupied by people he didn’t recognize. Leon, David, Jake, Claudette, Rebecca, Tapp, and Jeff were all there as well, and all of them were staring at him critically.

Pushed forward, Marcus tried to ignore the eyes on him as he was sat in one of the empty chairs. No one spoke at first, waiting until Bill and Haddie each took a seat on either side of him.

Just as Leon was about to say something, a man with a prosthetic hand that looked like something from a sci-fi movie asked point black, “So you’re the Killer fucker, huh?”

Marcus turned bright red, staring at the ceiling as Claudette asked, “Really, Ash? Seriously? That’s- how is that helpful?”

“What?! We’ve all thought about it at one point or another!”

“I should have stayed in my cell,” Marcus muttered, shaking his head.

“Anyway,” Leon stated loudly, glaring at Ash. “Marcus. We have some questions we need answers to. Your… friends have one of our people and we want him back. You’re going to help us.”

Marcus looked over at him, not too thrilled by the way he worded it as an order or the way he spoke of the others. But he understood. “Okay… then ask.”

Jeff’s eyebrows went up, a look almost like respect crossing his face.

“Do you have a way to contact Ghostface and the other Legion members?” Leon pressed. “The surge knocked out our cell towers and until we can get them back up, we don’t have a way to communicate with the outside world without physically leaving the Pocket.”

Slightly stumped, Marcus offered, “I… don’t know. There’s no cell service in the Realm. But, seriously. How have they never found you guys here? You say their names all the time.”

That got quite a few weird looks, Jake asking, “What do you mean? What else would we call them?”

“Assholes?” David proposed, and a couple of people agreed.

“Holy shit, you all don’t know…” Marcus muttered, too shocked to register David’s snide comment or keep the realization to himself. It must be the same for Survivors as it was for Slashers. They couldn’t feel it when Survivors used their Killer names.

“What are you talking about?” Leon demanded, eyes narrowing.

“Their names,” Marcus said slowly. Frank’s warning was screaming at him in the back of his mind but he knew he had to give them something. It was a risk, but if they really only wanted Dwight back, cooperating was the best course of action… he hoped. “Slashers can feel it when you use their titles. Or, when regular people use them anyway. It doesn’t work if they say it, and I’m guessing it’s the same for you all.”

“So if you say a name like Ghostface or Pyramid Head, they can feel it?” Leon clarified. “What does that mean exactly? Does it matter that much if they know someone’s talking about them?”

“They can feel it,” Marcus repeated shortly. “I can’t explain it from personal experience because I’m not a Slasher, but Danny described it like a small shock at the base of his spine. Evan said it’s like a physical pull towards the person saying it.”

“And you believe that?” one woman asked, studying him thoughtfully. Seated next to Leon, there was an odd air of authority about her that instantly made him nervous.

“Um, y-yeah. I’ve seen it work. It’s saved my life a few times,” he admitted, recalling the time Danny had rescued him from Pyramid Head. There was also the time the god had saved him from the Collector and when Plague and Huntress intervened when Wesker attacked him.

“Killers don’t save people,” David snapped, glaring at him from across the table.

“Maybe they do if you’re sleeping with them,” Ash pointed out, getting several dirty looks.

“Okay, look,” Marcus snapped. He was too fed up to care. His head hurt, he was scared, he was sick of being judged for who he slept with, and he was tired of being a prisoner. “Yes, I’m dating two Slashers and fucking quiet a few more. Do you want a list or something?”

“Actually-”

“Ash, you will be removed if you don’t drop it,” Leon seethed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Now is not the time.”

“So, you have a way to call them to you, or at least let them know your general location,” she reiterated. “If you can do all that just by saying their Slasher names, why haven’t you tried to call them?”

Marcus almost asked how she’d know if he hadn’t called them while alone downstairs, but decided it was probably best not to put any ideas in their heads. Instead, he answered honestly, “Because so far none of you have given me a reason to. I don't want to die, but I also don’t want anyone else to get hurt. Especially because of me.”

A lot of the Survivors looked surprised by his answer, but before anyone else could speak up, the same woman pointed out, “When Pyramid Head was attempting to destroy the Tree and gain entry, you called his name and he stopped his attack. Explain how that works.”

“Ah, about that,” he muttered, looking around. Spotting Cheryl glaring at him from the other end of the table, he asked pointedly, “I’m- I’m not about to get shot in the head or something, right?”

“No, you’ll be fine,” Haddie promised, but there was something in her voice that cast a lot of doubt on her claim.

Marcus watched Cheryl closely as he hesitantly explained, “He’s… my patron god. When I say his name he can feel my intentions as well as my location. I didn’t know I called to him when the Tree was… exploding.”

“Hold on…” a girl with braided red hair stated. “Patron god? How the hell did that happen?”

Ash opened his mouth and David jabbed a finger at him. “No.”

“David, come on!”

“No!”

“I mean… yeah,” Marcus admitted, cheeks burning. “That- that’s about right, actually. He- uh, took a liking to me and the more ‘time’ we spent together, the more the connection grew. There was some other stuff that happened, but, yeah. I can… actually understand him now when he speaks.”

“Woah,” Meg, Claudette, and Jake said at the same time.

“I see,” Leon mused. “Is that what the tattoo on your chest is from?”

Shocked, Marcus stammered, “What- when did-”

“We searched you while you were unconscious,” he interrupted. “So, is that the only way you have of contacting them? Calling them to you?”

“I- w-well… yeah. There’s no cell service in the Realm,” he mumbled awkwardly.

“Hah!” David scoffed, and Meg punched his arm.

“Ada, do you think that would work?” Leon murmured, addressing the woman next to him. “Have him call one of them and try to set up some kind of meeting? Work something out to get Dwight back in exchange for their people?”

“Maybe, if they can be reasoned with,” she mused, studying the vet again.

He looked away. Something about her scared him and he still wasn’t sure why. “Some more than others. But you all are running out of time.”

“Is that a threat?” David snapped, half rising before Jake could grab his arm.

Looking him dead in the eye, Marcus stated flatly, “Yes. Because it’s true. If they don’t all know where Frank and I are by now, they will soon. And they will come for us.”

“What makes you so certain they’d start a war over the two of you?” Tapp asked, narrowing his eyes.

“It wouldn’t be a war, it would be a massacre,” Marcus told him bluntly. “I’ve seen what they’re capable of and the length they’ll go to to get what they want. Whatever limitations they had in the Entity’s Realm are gone. You think you stand a chance because you put three bullets in a nineteen year old? How many bullets do you think it’ll take to stop Myers? Or Wesker? Or any of the other, bigger, meaner, stronger Slashers? You already know they don’t stay dead and they will escape eventually.”

There was a long silence before anyone spoke. Leon, Ada, and Rebecca, and a woman with short brown hair all had the same look of shock on their faces, but Marcus wasn’t sure which part of that had startled them. Did they really think otherwise?

Jeff was the one to break the suffocating nothing, saying, “I spoke to Frank earlier… he said that you saved the Legion from the Cenobites. Is that true?”

Judging from the looks on everyone else's faces, he hadn’t told them that yet.

“Yeah, I did,” Marcus confirmed anyway. “Why don’t I just… start at the beginning.”

“Of what?” Jake asked, suspicion and curiosity evident in the question.

“How all of this started,” he said. “It might make things easier if you all know the full story. How I met, started dating, and fell in love with two Known Slashers, and all the insanity that comes along with it.”

Someone scoffed and he snapped, “They aren’t all the mindless, soulless monsters you seem to want to believe they are. Some of them were good people before the Entity took them.”

“Good people?” David repeated. “Do you have any idea what they did to us?”

“Yes,” Marcus answered, not wavering under the dirty look he was receiving. “Do you have any idea what the Entity would do to them if they didn’t?”

That got quite a murmur going among the table. It didn’t take long for it to take on an incredibly angry tone, and the vet winced. Probably shouldn’t have said that…

“Alright that’s enough!” Jeff shouted, slamming a hand on the table. Surprisingly, everyone actually shut up. Standing, he asked directly, “Marcus, if we send Frank back with a message asking them to meet with us to exchange you for Dwight, would that work?”

“Hold on now-” someone started to protest, but Leon waved a hand. “No, that’s a good question.”

Thinking it over, Marcus slowly nodded. As much as he hated the idea of being alone with the Survivors, he had a feeling that just might work. Besides, Frank’s temper and lack of control could all too easily get them both hurt… “Yeah, I think so. Like I said, some of them are more level headed. If you can head them off before they decide to try and invade, it’ll go a lot better for everyone.”

“What’s to keep them from coming after us anyway,” one woman asked, looking at him with an expression of utter loathing. “Right now the only things we have to bargain with are you and that tattooed loud mouth, so why would we just let either of you go?”

A man with a slight German accent shook his head, arguing, “Right now, what other choice do we have? The longer they’re here, the greater the chance that Pyramid Head or the others will try and break in again.”

“I… have to agree with Yun-Jin,” someone else said. He barely looked older than Frank, and he couldn’t look at Marcus as he continued, “Sorry, Felix. But she’s right. If he’s as important as it sounds, wouldn’t it be better to… keep holding him hostage?”

The girl next to him smacked his arm, hissing, “Jesus, Steve! He’s just a kid!”

“I’m twenty-one,” he muttered, slightly annoyed. He was young, sure. But he was tired of people calling him a kid. Wait, were they seriously considering keeping him prisoner? For how long?!

Before he could voice his vehement disagreement with the idea, Ash laughed, “Pyramid Head almost blew up the Tree to reach him! If we don’t at least send the Legion kid back with a message saying we’re willing to negotiate, do you really think he won’t try again?”

Speaking up before his fate could be discussed for him further, Marcus informed them bluntly, “He only stopped because he was hurting me without meaning to. If he can figure out how to attack your Tree without hurting me, he will. And at that point he won’t stop even if I call out to him. I don’t want anyone else to get hurt. If… if you all can send Frank back, I’ll write out a letter or something so they know for a fact that I’m okay and that this can be worked out without violence.”

Dead silence answered his proposal and he shifted uncomfortably. Did they think he was trying to trick them? What the hell did he have to gain if he pulled something like that?

Finally, Jake asked slowly, “Why would you do that?”

Marcus couldn’t help the pained look that crossed his face or the way his hands curled in his lap. “Because… They’re my family. They’ve treated me better than anyone else and I don’t want to see them get hurt or hurt innocent people because of me.”

“Family?” one woman asked incredulously.

She looked incredibly familiar, but once again Marcus wasn’t sure why. Did he know her from somewhere? Maybe he’d met her in passing or seen her in the news?

“Do you know what those- those Killers do to their family?” she demanded. “Blood means nothing to them, so what the hell makes you think they won’t turn on you the second they get bored with whatever it is you have to offer them?”

“Because if they were so fucking bored with me they would have let Pinhead drag me to Hell when he had the chance,” Marcus snapped, temper flaring. “Because if they didn’t care, they would have let the Collector cut my fucking eye out before giving me to Wesker for his goddamn virus project! Because if they didn’t fucking care, they wouldn’t have risked their lives to protect me over and over again! I think I’ve met enough people in my life who didn’t actually give a fuck about me to recognize when someone finally does!”

“They’re just playing with you,” she shouted back, throwing her hands up. “You’re a game to them! A toy! Why do you think Michael is so obsessed with you?!”

Without missing a beat or giving himself time to think of the consequences, he stated, “Cause I’m that good in bed and popping his cherry was one of my proudest achievements.”

“I think it’s time he goes back to his cell while we talk this over,” Leon declared, quickly standing up. “Haddie, Bill?”

Marcus barely noticed. The woman was staring at him with a look of revulsion and possibly something close to fear. That was when it hit him. The reason she looked so familiar. She wasn’t just some random survivor… That was Laurie Strode. The reason Michael ended up in the Entity’s Realm in the first place. The first Obsession. And he’d just proudly thrown in her face the fact that he’d fucked the man who’d murdered her friends, ruined her life, and stalked her into almost literal hell.

Half dragged out of his chair when he failed to notice someone tugging on his arm, he quickly found his feet and allowed himself to be led out of the room. Although it was quiet enough to hear a pin drop as he was led away, the second the door shut behind them multiple voices could be heard shouting over each other. Marcus let out a long sigh. Well, he’d fucked that up.

No one spoke until they were almost to the stairs leading back down to the cells. Clearing his throat awkwardly, Bill asked, “You didn’t… actually fuck the Shape, did you?”

After a moment of thought, Marcus decided he couldn’t really make it any worse so there was no point in lying. “Actually… he fucked me.”

Both Bill and Haddie stopped and stared at him, both looking incredulous.

Shrugging, he offered, “I mean, he and Voorhees have been doing hand stuff for years so it was only a matter of time.”

Rubbing a hand over her face, Haddie muttered something in Hindi before asking, “Voorhees? As in Jason Voorhees?”

“Yes. I have… also slept with him,” Marcus admitted. Huh, he couldn’t help but wonder how Jason would react to meeting a Survivor. Would he even know who they were if it wasn’t explained to him?

“But… why?” Bill asked, sounding confused.

“Why not?” he asked in return. “I like sex and they both wanted to, so… why not?”

“Cell,” Haddie stated firmly, waving them forward. “Come on. Right now.”

“But-”

“Bill!”

“Okay, okay…”

Marcus would have laughed if the situation weren’t so serious. Led back to his cell, he was mildly grateful that Frank remained silent as he was guided back inside. Still, the Legion leader stayed close to the bars, eyes not leaving Bill until he removed his hand from the vet’s arm.

Once the pair were gone and the door upstairs shut, he asked, “Are you okay? What did they want from you?”

“I’m fine,” Marcus promised, sitting in front of the cell door. “They wanted to know if I had any way to get in contact with the others so they can get Dwight back.”

“Huh…” Frank scoffed, looking thoughtful. “What did you tell them? Oh, I should have told you… I couldn’t feel it when Dwight said the Legion’s name. I don’t think it works with Survivors.”

“I figured as much,” Marcus agreed, glad to know for a fact. “So… here’s what I proposed, but I don’t know what they’re going to decide on…”
~~~~

Chapter Text

Dwight was absolutely positive he was going to die horribly and repeatedly. There was literally no reason for any one of them to keep him alive long enough to listen to why he was even there in the first place. Then again, they’d probably kill him in an even worse fashion once they figured out why he was there…

The complete and total silence that had taken over the group reminded him of the start of a Trial. Before the crows would take flight, risking giving away their positions. Before his heart would start pounding in his ears, warning him of the closing proximity of whichever Killer had been sent to hunt them down.

The Trickster looked around, gauging everyones reactions before asking, “What the hell are you wearing, Danny? You look like a homeless American college student.”

Philip had dropped him when they materialized in the Realm, and his head snapped around at the question. Eyes widening, he sounded shocked as he demanded, “What the fuck are you doing here?! Wait… Oh, fuck the Entity…”

That was the moment Dwight was expecting all hell to break loose and he tensed, cringing down on himself as he awaited something horrible to happen. The Trickster may have decided to ignore him for the moment, but now all eyes were on him again and there was nothing to distract the Killers.

Instead of attacking right away, Amanda spoke in a low, furious voice. “Danny, what the hell have you done? Why would- Why?! What the fuck is wrong with you?! Why would you bring a Survivor here?!”

Scrambling to his feet, Ghostface brushed himself off before snapping, “I didn’t do shit! Dweety here fucked up and I was trying to fix it before Tin Man decided to- FUCK!”

‘Tin Man’ as he’d so eloquently been called, lashed out, nearly taking the smaller Killer's head off before he could duck.

“Fuck the Entity, Pyramid Head! What?!” he shouted, darting behind the Tree. Peeking out in a very similar fashion to the way he used to look around corners in Trials, he added sharply, “Use your big boy words, not your fists!”

Dwight let out a startled squeak when Michael grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him to his feet. Oh god, he was going to die! Why fight with each other when they could easily take it out on him instead?!

Pyramid Head whipped around and the Survivor swore he could feel the creature looking directly at him. It was uncanny and sent a horrible chill running down his spine. Pointing a finger, the giant let out a rolling boom, similar to a bell tolling in a thunderstorm.

Several of the other Killers looked at Danny, and to Dwight’s shock, he rolled his eyes as he stepped out from behind the Tree. “Okay, so… Marcus has been… forcefully and temporarily adopted against his will.”

“Boy…” the Deathslinger growled, finger inching towards the Redeemers trigger. “Where the hell is Doc, exactly?”

Gritting his teeth, Danny clarified, “Doc has been kidnapped. Again. And, uh… Frank too, when he tried to intervene.”

Several Killers drew weapons, taking a step not towards Dwight, but Ghostface.

“It wasn’t my fucking fault!” he snarled, not looking the least bit scared. “Dwight here apparently rolled into town, met Doc, figured out who the fuck I am, and decided the best course of action was to bring some of the other Survivors to rescue him from me after I told him to get the hell out of Utah!”

“Jesus fucking Christ,” Amanda laughed, rubbing a hand over her eyes. “Are you serious? Is that what happened?”

It took Dwight a moment to realize she was addressing him that time and not Ghostface. That also meant every single Killer currently in the Realm was staring at him expectantly, waiting for an answer. Most like an answer that would decide just how slowly they killed him. Unsure what to say, he stammered nervously, “Oh, oh… Um, y-yeah? Kind- kind of… It- it’s more complicated th-then that…”

“So you thought the best course of action was to… blow up the Tree?” a snide voice asked, that time directed at Pyramid Head.

Dwight still flinched. He’d never survived a single Trial against Wesker without Ada or one of the others already familiar with the man to help him.

Pyramid Head snarled in response to the question, gaze not leaving the shaking Survivor. He sounded incredibly angry, even compared to the sounds he usually made.

Ghostface laughed mirthlessly, translating, “Marcus came in contact with Cheryl and Pyramid Head here lost his temper a little bit. He was just trying to get into their Realm, not destroy their Tree or ours.”

“Their Realm?” the Deathslinger repeated, just as Wesker asked with a not so subtle interest, “Their Tree?”

“How exactly do you know they have a Tree too?” Blight asked, slinking forward from the back of the crowd.

Quite a few of the others gave him dirty looks, but the metal headed giant still boomed out an answer for Ghostface to translate.

“As soon as he reached out for Doc he could feel their Tree’s power. When he tried to… actually, I’m not sure how to translate that one. I guess the best way to describe it would be, when he tried to reach in and pull Marcus and Frank out, it reacted like a barrier and pushed back to keep him out. Again, he wasn’t trying to destroy it, just open a Door so he could grab Doc and Frank and pull them here instead.”

“THEN WHY DON’T WE MAKE HIM OPEN A DOOR TO THEIR REALM?” the Doctor bellowed, pointing at Dwight. Electricity crackled around his hand and the Survivor let out a small squeak.

“And then what? Get more of us trapped there when we can’t open a Door back out?” the Deathslinger argued.

The Artist let out a gurgling cry, gesturing with both hands. She was glaring at Ghostface as she did, and the way his lip curled in response told Dwight he didn’t like whatever it was she’d just said.

“That’s enough!” Amanda shouted, and Dwight jumped again. Looking over at someone behind him and Michael, she asked, “Evan, can we use your house?”

Despite not wanting to, Dwight found himself twisting in Michael’s grip to follow her gaze. He didn’t want to see him. Not him… Please not him…

The Trapper was on his feet, blood coating his chest and arms. Even with the distance between them, his eyes were glittering behind his mask as he stared back at Dwight. There was something in his gaze that utterly terrified the Survivor, bringing back memories of Trials; The sound a trap springing closed, quickly followed by the feeling of sharp steel closing on his leg, the taste of blood in his mouth as metal pierced his back as he was thrown on a meat hook over and over again…

Nodding slowly, Evan only spoke one word in response to the Pig’s request. Voice a deep growl that sounded more animal than human, he stated, “Yes.”

Before Dwight could question what the heck they wanted to use his place for, he was being dragged towards a huge house. It looked more like a small mansion, really, but at the moment he was too scared to really care about the difference. He could already see the dozens of traps and sharp pieces of twisted metal all over the porch and immediately assumed the interior was going to be more of the same.

Flailing his legs was useless as Michael’s size and strength were too great for him to contend with, but he still gave it his all as he pleaded, “I’m sorry, it was a mistake! What are you going to do to me?! Please don’t kill me! Don’t hurt me! I’m sorry! I can help get your friends back, I swear!”

Michael glanced down at him, almost looking amused. It was like a cat toying with a mouse trapped under its claws. They both knew how things were going to end, but only one of them would be smiling about it afterwards.

Although he was being half dragged by the back of his shirt and not carried over a shoulder, Dwight refused to give up. He wasn’t going into that house without a fight! Twisting and flailing, he panicked completely when his feet hit the bottom step of the Trapper’s front porch. Lifted off the ground so he could be set on the porch, Dwight kicked his captor in the shin as hard as he could. Considering he was in socks and the person in question was used to being shot, stabbed, and hit by cars on a semi-regular basis, it was a totally useless and somewhat idiotic move.

Michael spun him around, slamming him into the door before transferring a hand to cover his mouth with a crushing grip. He didn’t look amused anymore and his grip only tightened further with Dwight whimpered in pain. Glaring down at him, it almost looked like the Shape was considering whether it would be more fun to stab him or simply crush his head when a bloody hand grabbed his wrist.

Snarling like an animal, the Trapper didn’t seem to notice the bone sticking out of his chest or the still bleeding wounds across his body as he leaned into Michael’s space. “Let... Him… Go...”

Oh god… Was the Trapper going to kill him himself? Was this some kind of messed up, ‘his house, his rules’, kind of thing?

Head tilting slightly, Michael eyed his fellow Slasher for a moment before digging his fingers into the soft meat behind Dwight’s jaw. The move drew a muffled scream from the Survivor as his jaw nearly dislocated.

Muscles visibly tensing as his grip tightened around Michael’s wrist, Evan’s voice was a low snarl as he warned, “My house, Myers… My rules… Drop him.”

For a moment, it didn’t seem like Michael had any intention of listening. After a few more seconds of intense staring, he slowly eased up his grip on Dwight’s face. Only when he pulled back a couple of inches did Evan let go of his wrist.

Dwight was afraid to take his eyes off the hand still so close to his face, but he finally managed to look up at the pair. The Trapper and Boogeyman were still glaring at one another, but both suddenly looked back down at him.

“Oh, god,” he whispered, shrinking down against the door. “S-sorry f-for k-kicking you.”

Michael made no sounds to acknowledge that he’d heard or even cared about the apology, lowering his hand back to his side.

Evan raised a hand, the movement almost hesitant as he reached for the Survivor.

Eyes widening, Dwight almost wished the door would open behind him just so he could get away from the pair looming over him. It did not, and he could do nothing but turn his head to one side in an attempt to avoid the fingers moving so close to his skin. He could smell blood and feel the warmth radiating from Evan’s fingers as they stopped just short of brushing his skin. A low growl left the Killer and Dwight cringed, wondering what exactly he was thinking.

Head tilting slightly, Michael eyed the Trapper for a moment before suddenly reaching up himself. Ignoring the Survivor completely, he instead grabbed the doorknob and twisted.

Dwight fell backwards with a startled shriek, the sudden lack of solid foundation behind him entirely unexpected. Michael stepped inside after him and he tried to scoot backwards, terrified the Shape was going to accidentally-on-purpose kick him or step on him in retaliation for… whatever the hell that just was between him and the Trapper. Neither happened, and a moment later strong hands were pulling him up again, Michael walking past without so much as a glance in his direction.

It was the Wraith that time, and to Dwight’s shock, he actually looked… upset. Not angry like Ghostface or the Legion, but worried. His brow was creased and his lips were set in a thin line as he looked over the Survivor.

Bodies filled past them, low murmurs and questioning glances with each one. It was obvious his arrival was entirely unexpected, maybe even unwanted, but it seemed like none of them actually knew how to react to his presence. That in and of itself was incredibly surprising.

Dwight didn’t want to look behind him but he knew the Trapper was still standing there. He could hear his labored breathing from the broken ribs ruining his chest and practically feel his gaze boring into the back of his neck. Why was he waiting? He’d said it himself. It was his house. So why wait for the others to gather and not take the lead himself?

Pyramid Head was one of the last inside, pausing for a moment to look over them before continuing deeper into the house.

Tensing when he heard the Killer behind him take a breath as if to start a sentence with, he jumped again when Ghostface suddenly popped up right beside him, jovially stating, “Well, this is going to be fun!”

He’d obviously run back to his house and changed into a spare uniform while the others were getting situated, but he’d left his hood down and mask off. The grin on his face was entirely unfriendly, but he was stopped before he could say anything else by a bloodstained hand clamping down on the back of his neck.

Wheezing slightly, Evan stated, “Go sit down… or I will lift your tiny body over my head… and throw you out the nearest window…”

“Ah… Chuckles… Now isn’t the time for infighting,” Danny scolded, voice icy.

Dwight had no idea how the hell he remained so calm in the face of such terrifying people. Sure, he was a Killer too… but he was so human compared to many of the others.

“Go sit down,” the Trapper ordered, voice strained. It was obvious he was in an incredible amount of pain and was trying to ignore it. How he was standing, much less walking and talking with so many broken bones was both horrifying and impressive.

The Wraith looked past Dwight, addressing the other Slasher as he clicked and growled. When Evan didn’t say anything right away, he tilted his head slightly, an almost worried look on his face.

“We’ll talk about it later,” he finally huffed, striding past them without looking back.

Danny hummed, eyes narrowing slightly as he fell in step beside Philip and Dwight. “Survivor, I’m going to give you a bit of advice. Try not to piss any of them off. Most of them aren’t as nice as I am.”

Although the first thing that came to Dwight’s mind was how incredibly creepy and not nice Ghostface was, he smartly kept it to himself. If Danny was one of the ‘nice’ ones… He didn’t want to imagine just how vile and cruel the rest of them would be.

The low murmur around the table as they entered the room stopped immediately. Dwight almost felt like his heart had stopped too as he stared at the Trapper. The man was seated at the head of the table, forearms resting on the wooden surface, mask covering his face as it always did. Still the Survivor knew he was once again staring right back at him, and he could only wonder what was going through his mind.

Guided forward, Dwight pushed back slightly as he was forced closer to the man in question. It did nothing but get the Wraith to tighten his grip on his arms, and he was quickly shoved into a chair between Julie and Joey, just a couple of spaces down from Evan.

“Okay, now that we’re all here,” Amanda started, “Dwight? What the hell were you doing in Utah?”

Oh dear god… “Ah… I… I got lost…”

“What? How? Going where? How did-” she stopped, taking a deep breath. “Okay. How the hell did you and Marcus meet? Just start there.”

“Oh, I-I hit an opossum but I- I mistook it for a cat,” he explained, feeling more and more embarrassed with each word. “So I took it to the n-nearest vet clinic…”

Freddy couldn’t stifle a burst of laughter, and when several of the others glared at him, he waved his gloved hand, excusing, “Sorry, it’s just… That would happen to him.”

Although Dwight wasn’t sure if the ‘him’ in question was himself or Marcus, he quickly continued, “A-anyway, um… Marcus and I h-hit it off and after that we started hanging out. And… one thing led to another, and he introduced me to… Danny?”

“Yes,” he purred, leaning his elbows on the table. “Danny is correct. But, you’re forgetting one of the key parts of this story, Dweety…”

Dwight was slightly stumped. It really wasn’t all that complicated of a story when it came down to it…

“What did you and Doc get up to while Evan and I were off taking care of business?” he pressed, looking more and more deranged with every word.

“Oh, my god… You didn’t?” Amanda mumbled, slapping a hand over her eyes.

“O-oh,” Dwight mumbled, realizing what he was getting at. “Um, is that- is that really important?”

“You fucked my boyfriend and then kidnapped him! Yes, it’s important!” Danny snarled, slamming a hand on the table.

It almost sounded like it came out on reflex when Evan grunted, “Our.”

Slapping his hand on the table again, Danny corrected, “Our boyfriend!”

The looks he got from both Jason and Michael made Dwight shrink in his chair. There was no freaking way those were the ‘friends’ Marcus had been talking about, had he?! He knew Ghostface had said Myers was obsessed with the vet, but did he really mean like that?!

“Okay, that’s what we call personal beef,” Amanda snapped, glaring at Ghostface. “Work it out on your own time! Right now all that matters is getting him and Frank back safely, and getting Dwight back to his people!”

Wait, were they seriously just going to let him go once they got Marcus and Frank back? There was no way it was going to be that easy, was it? They were all psychopaths and murderers!

“SURVIVOR, HOW EXACTLY DO WE GET THEM BACK?” the Doctor shouted, and Dwight jumped so hard he fell out of his chair with a startled screech.

Freddy burst out laughing, not bothering to try and hide it that time, while the other Killer looked slightly startled.

Joey reached down and dragged Dwight back into his chair, before murmuring, “Relax…”

Relax?! How the heck was he supposed to relax at a time like this? He was surrounded by people who’d all killed him and his friends hundreds of times over, and now one of them was shouting at him!

“Actually, I have a couple of very important questions,” the Trickster interrupted, smirking. “First, when the hell did the Legion get back? And is it just the three of you? Cause if Frank’s finally out of the picture…”

“Marcus got us out,” Julie snapped, glaring at him like she wanted to lunge over the table and strangle him. “Frank too, but thanks to Dwight here…”

“Right, right,” he mused, looking far too entertained by the situation. “Second question, who the fuck is Marcus, and why should any of us care?”

“He’s Danny and I’s boyfriend,” the Trapper stated, voice cold.

“Oooh… You know you could have just said he’s a twink,” Ji-Woon laughed, grinning wider when Evan started growling like a feral dog.

“Wait, he’s… a normal person?” Charlotte asked, face scrunching with confusion. In her chest, Victor hissed, looking at Dwight and gnashing his teeth. “Or… is he a Survivor?”

“No, he’s a human,” Wesker stated, tone giving nothing away. “An important one. So, Fairfield? How do you intend to get word to your little group?”

Behind him, Nemesis growled, squeezing his hands into fists until his knuckles popped loudly.

Doing his best not to hyperventilate since all eyes were once again on him, Dwight stammered, “W-well… I- I can t-try calling them… again.”

“Survivor names?” the Spirit asked, exchanging a glance with the Onryō. Muttering something in a language he didn’t understand, the pair both laughed quietly.

“N-no,” he corrected nervously. “With- with my phone.”

That got several laughs, with the Deathslinger finally scoffing, “Kid, there’s none of that fancy service in the Realm. You trying to tell us yours is that different?”

“Y-yes… We… we built a couple of towers so we could keep in contact when we’re outside the Pocket… and keep an eye on the news in case…”

Raising one eyebrow, the old cowboy pressed, “In case what?”

Looking down awkwardly, he admitted, “Um… in case o-one of you were spotted in the area. So we could avoid you.”

“I was just active in- Fuck the Entity,” Ghostface huffed, slumping in his chair. “Great job with that! Gold star! I still don’t buy it! We tried calling your friends and it didn’t even ring!”

“There’s a very good chance their towers were affected by the surge Pyramid Head caused,” Wesker stated. “It could take time for them to get their systems up and running again. Until they do, is there any other way to contact them?”

Before Dwight could figure out how to explain that, no, there was no other way, in a manner that wouldn’t get him killed, the Wraith let out a furious screech. Waving a hand in the air, he clicked and whistled, glaring at the blond the entire time.

Although he had no idea what the heck he could possibly be saying, everyone else seemed to understand him, as the Clown demanded, “He’s right! How long have you known it was possible and not said anything?!”

Arching an eyebrow, Wesker answered his question with another question, and Dwight realized they were talking about radio towers allowing them access to the outside world.

“Why would I? I have no issues since I built my laboratory outside the Realm. As long as you all stay out of my way, why would I care what you all do?”

“IT’S NOT SO EASY FOR SOME OF US TO COME AND GO!” the Doctor exclaimed. Electricity crackled around him, causing some of the others to lean away slightly. “IF YOU PUT HALF THE EFFORT INTO HELPING AROUND HERE THAT YOU PUT INTO BUILDING YOUR LABORATORIES-”

“This barren wasteland is none of my concern,” Wesker interrupted, brow furrowing in an angry frown. “Besides, clearly it’s not as hard as you make it out to be when Slashers like Yamaoka and the Deshayes can survive undisturbed.”

“We’re getting off track,” the Huntress snapped, black eyes roaming Dwight. “How do you intend to contact your people?”

“I- I… can’t…” he admitted in a small voice. When Michael started to rise, he rushed out, “Not until the cell towers go back up! As soon as they’re up I can call them! Or they’ll try to call me!”

“What if you sent someone into this… Pocket? Is that what you called it?” Plague asked, eyes narrow. “Send in an emissary to initiate negotiation?”

“No,” the Deathslinger immediately chuckled. “You only send your man into enemy territory with a message like that if you don’t want him back. At least, not all of him anyway. We could send a dog. Or Dredge.”

“That’s a bit grim, don’t you think?” Danny asked skeptically, pointedly ignoring the way Dredge was hissing at the back of his head. “I mean, yeah sending them another hostage is a bad idea, but you think the Survivors have the spine to actually torture someone?”

“Some of them,” Wesker answered, a small smile on his face. “Especially if it’s one of us.”

Beside Dwight, Julie’s hand tightened on the handle of her knife. She’d been keeping a firm grip on it for the entire conversation, but she looked like she was about to snap and stab him in the chest.

“We stay here…” the Trapper said suddenly, and Dwight flinched. Evan had been staring at him since he sat down, but he’d been able to ignore it for the most part. Now that he was speaking again, it was impossible not to turn his head to look back at him. Especially considering he’d never heard him actually say so much at once before.

“As long as we have him they won’t hurt Marcus and Frank. We can wait until we can contact them, then set up a time and place to meet.”

The Trickster’s eyebrows shot up, a disbelieving laugh leaving him as he mused, “Patience and logic from you of all people? Maybe I should come around more often. This Marcus kid seems like quite the catch if he’s gotten you all soft and mushy over him.”

“I will break you in half and leave you for the crows,” Evan stated, barely sparing him a glance.

“How do we know he’s not lying?” Charlotte asked, ignoring their bickering as she eyed the Survivor. “Some of them are crafty, and people who believe their path is the only right one are dangerous. How do we know they haven’t been planning something? Waiting. Biding their time until they could try and hit us Killers where it hurt. Obviously this… Marcus is important to a lot of you. So why not use him?”

That got a low murmur going around the table again, before the Deathslinger silenced it by banging on the table. “That kind of plan is a double-edged blade. We may come and go, risking our own life and limb when we hunt or do whatever we do outside the Realm; But so do they. They’re clearly just as immortal as we are, and although they aren’t a danger to the public… what’s to say they wouldn’t be locked up and picked apart just the same as us if they were exposed?”

“Is that the case?” the Huntress asked venomously. “You’ve kept quiet for your own sake, Survivor?”

“No! No, not- not at all!” Dwight quickly swore. “Well… maybe a little bit. But we- we’re happy. We’ve made a home for ourselves! Some place we can be safe. We’ve been doing everything we can to avoid this exact situation because we thought you all still wanted to slaughter us!”

Several Killers actually burst out laughing, while the majority just looked annoyed. Amanda was the one who explained with the patience of someone who’d just said the same thing to the same person eight times. “Dwight… Believe it or not, we were prisoners too. Except Michael. He came on his own from what we understand.”

Dwight glanced over at him. Did he look… proud? Yeah, he definitely looked smug under his mask…

“Almost every single one of us were either kidnapped or tricked into the Entity’s Realm. Some of us were… manipulated during Trials to encourage us to kill,” Amanda continued. “If that wasn’t enough, we were forced. Look at Evan and Philip. Have you never wondered why they are the way they are? Or Carmina, or the Deshayes?”

If she hadn’t gestured to the Artist and Twins, he would have had no idea who she was talking about. Looking at them all now… it did make an awful amount of sense…

“Killing in Trials the way I did went against all of Jigsaw’s principles, but I did it because refusing would lead to something much, much worse than dying for a little while. Some of us have personal beef with one or two of you, or we did. But honestly? Do you really think we still care all that much? If we did, wouldn’t we have tried to find you by now?”

Dwight wasn’t sure how to answer. As much as he wanted to hold to the belief that there was no reason to believe anything that came out of any Killers mouth, it did seem incredibly plausible. Still, he had to ask, “If- if that’s true, why did Pyramid Head attack the Pocket the way he did? I- I get that you weren’t trying to destroy the Trees, but-”

Interrupting with a sound like a bell tolling, Pyramid Head’s helmet tilted slightly. Did that sound smug? Why did that sound smug?!

Danny cackled, resting his chin on the back of his hands as he leaned on the table. “Dweety, honey… I’m sure Marcus explained to you that he’s in an open relationship…”

“Um, y-yes,” he confirmed, eyes darting between the two Killers. “Oh! Oh… no way…”

“Yes way, Dweety,” Ghostface purred. “Now, he’s not just a fuck buddy. He’s Doc’s patron god. He was willing to go to war with Hell to keep Marcus safe. What do you think he’ll do to you all if he starts to think you're putting Doc in danger?”

Pyramid Head was a god?! On top of everything else he’d learned that day, Dwight was pretty sure that was the craziest. But it answered that question. There was still a lot left unanswered though, so after years of wondering and speculating, he decided to take the risk and ask, “Why… Why did you all stop killing us? In the Trials? We… we thought at first we were just getting really lucky, especially when-”

He glanced at Michael again who was staring at him so intensely he could feel it. Clearing his throat, he forced out, “Especially since Michael still killed Laurie every time he was in a Trial with her. And- and I mean, a couple of you did still try to kill all of us, I guess. So… what- what changed?”

“We wanted out,” Ghostface told him bluntly. “Sure, Grimes over there didn’t like it, and Kenneth wasn’t super happy about it-”

Blight gurgled angrily, but didn’t say anything when almost everyone at the table shot him such dirty looks Dwight actually felt slightly bad for him. The Clown rolled his eyes, but he didn’t say anything either.

“-but the majority of us were tired of being used and tortured when we didn’t ‘perform’ well enough. I guess Pinhead was actually sent in with the express intent of destroying the Entity, but he can go rot along with his stupid fucking puzzles.”

Glancing around, Dwight realized the Cenobite wasn’t there either. That was only a mild relief, considering how many Killers were present.

“Do you have any idea how boring it is to kill the same group of people over and over again?” the Huntress asked. “Imagine eating nothing but spinach for every meal, every day, for years. It isn’t filling. It isn’t satisfying. And if you try not to eat or you fail to eat enough, you’re tortured.”

“I- I can’t say I do,” Dwight stammered. “S-so… You all are really going to let me go?”

“As long as we get Frank and Marcus back,” Ghostface reiterated. “Unharmed. Because, sweety? If they come back in anything less than perfect condition, we’ll be sending you back to your friends one piece at a time.”

“How long will it take to reestablish communication with his people?” the Trapper asked, looking over at Wesker.

Instead of questioning why he was being asked, he offered, “It will depend on what kind of circuitry they used in their towers. It could be as simple a fix as rebooting the systems and waiting for them to reconnect, or… if the circuits are outdated they could be fried entirely and need to be replaced. That could take a few hours if they have backups on hand, or days if they don’t.”

Dwight couldn’t help the look of amazement on his face. He didn’t really understand all the technical jargon that went into building the towers, but from what little he did understand, Wesker was spot on. “Um, it- I think it’s as simple as rebooting the system. B-but, uh, if there’s no cell service here, they still won’t be able to call me.”

“They did open a Door in Doc’s house,” Ghostface announced. “What are the chances they’ll try to go back there to find you?”

“I- I don’t know,” he admitted. “Considering how many of you were there, probably pretty slim.”

Making a croaking sound, the Artist signed something, looking around at the others with a concerned expression.

“For now?” Julie said, brow furrowing. “Throw him in the basement and let him fucking rot until we get Frank and Doc back. He won’t starve, so who fucking cares?”

“I do have containment cells-”

Almost every speaking Killer at the table shouted, “No!” at Wesker at the same time, and Dwight actually felt a great deal of relief. He knew from Ada and Jill that the Mastermind was some kind of geneticist or scientist, but his view of ethics left a lot to be desired.

Blight started to speak and, much to Dwight’s shock, the Clown leaned over and slapped him across the back of the head hard enough to slam his melted face into the table. “Shut. Up. Grimes.”

“He’ll stay here, the Trapper snarled, glaring down the table at the other Killer.

Dwight felt his stomach drop. Oh, no… He didn’t want to be anywhere near the Trapper or his home for a second longer than absolutely necessary. Of course, there were still worse options he supposed.

“Stay here? Oh, you mean like Marcus was supposed to while you all tried and failed to find Grimes or Emory?” Wesker chuckled. “How exactly did that end? Oh, that’s right… He snuck out and came to me for help.”

“Fuck you,” Julie sneered, glaring at him. “The only reason he went anywhere near you was because you left him no other choice. It’s because of you he almost died, and he and Frank almost got dragged to Hell!”

Dwight was totally lost on the majority of the situation, but he was starting to catch on. Some of the Killers obviously worked together, but not anywhere near the level the Survivors did.

“You know, if someone knocks him out I could keep him asleep until we actually need him,” Freddy offered, grinning wickedly as he flexed his razor sharp glove.

“Oh, hell no,” Joey stated. “We need him alive and mentally stable.”

Before anyone else could speak up, the Trapper stood, snarling, “He’s staying here. Any of you fucking touch him and I’ll pull your organs out and feed them to you. Someone needs to go back to Marcus’s house and wait, just in case. Take the phone with you and make sure it stays charged,” Evan ordered.

Pyramid Head groaned loudly, metal helmet tilting slightly as he pointed at Dwight.

He shrank down in his chair with a small sound of terror. Something told him the creature was looking for someone to blame for Marcus getting kidnapped, and he was a perfect candidate. It was his fault if he was being honest with himself, but that didn’t make it any easier to swallow.

“No, no,” Danny laughed humorlessly. “That wouldn’t help, now would it? Although it would be amusing… I’ve never actually seen a human get turned inside out before.”

“Pyramid Head, if you want to help you could… Just be patient. What’s done is done and taking it out on him isn’t going to help get Marcus and Frank back,” Amanda pointed out. She sounded tired, but Dwight was still incredibly thankful for her level headedness. He’d never seen anyone get turned inside out either, and it sounded horribly unpleasant.

Rising, Ghostface pulled up his hood as he stated, “Well if we’re not going to torture the nerd, I’m going back to Doc’s to wait for this phone to ring. Legion? You kids coming with, or would you like to stay back and help the Trapper show Dweety some proper Realm hospitality?”

Joey, Julie, and Susie all looked at him with varying degrees of malice, but the blond woman agreed coldly, “Considering we’ve learned all we can for now, we’ll go with you.”

“Philip, Amanda, you two stay,” Evan ordered, rising. “Everyone else, out.”

Sighing dramatically, the Trickster stood and brushed himself off. “Sooo, no one’s going to catch me up on what the hell is going on?”

“No,” Amanda stated flatly, rolling her eyes.

“Aww, don’t tell me you haven’t missed-”

“With every bullet so far,” the Deathslinger grumbled. “Boys, let’s go.”

Both Leatherface and the Hillbilly gave Dwight utterly withering looks before following the old cowboy out.

Narrowing his eyes, the Trickster suddenly called, “Hey, Ghosty! Wait for me!” before darting away.

Somewhere outside the dining room, Danny could just be heard complaining, “Fuck the Entity! Why?!”

“Be sure to let us know if you get anything useful out of him,” Wesker said, before turning on his heel and making his way out. The tyrant growled, following him out without a backwards glance.

For some reason, Dwight found himself growing more and more afraid of what might happen with each Killer than left. Amanda, he wasn’t too worried about anymore. She actually seemed legitimately uninterested in hurting him. Philip was much the same, given the constant worried expression on his face and the lack of aggression he’d shown towards the Survivor himself.

No, what scared him was the Trapper. Just as Dwight had been the first Survivor in the Entity’s twisted game, Evan had been the first Killer. Things had always had an almost personal feel to them when they were in the same Trials, a concern that had only grown when he’d gotten lost in the endless woods between Trials and run into the Killer…

The memory of the encounter hit Dwight like a ton of bricks and he started shivering. He’d thought Evan was going to kill him… or do something worse. He never found out though, as the Entity itself had intervened in a horrific manner.

Before he could dwell much further on the matter, a hand gripped his arm and he jolted. Looking up, he gulped, all the blood draining from his face. The Trapper was standing over him, mouth set in a grim line behind his mask.
~~~~

Chapter Text

Marcus could tell Frank didn’t like the situation one bit. It was a point he made sure to hammer home as he said for at least the third time, “You being here alone is a horrible fucking idea. I’m not doing it. I don’t care what they want.”

“Frank, we need to get word to the others, and if they’re willing to send you back-”

“Then you’ll be here alone! With them!” he snapped, glare deepening. “I don’t care how civil they’ve been, you can’t trust them! They’re dangerous!”

It was incredibly difficult for Marcus to keep a straight face at that. True, all humans had the capacity to be incredibly dangerous or violent. The Survivors were no exception, but to hear one of their long time tormentors talk about them like the positions had been reversed the entire time was a little comical.

“Doc, I know you want to give them the benefit of the doubt because they were the prey in the Entity’s little games, but you need to be less trusting. Aren’t cornered animals more dangerous anyway?”

“I don’t trust them,” Marcus admitted, not bringing up the fact that in their current situation they were more cornered animals than the Survivors were. “Besides, they haven’t actually hurt us.”

Looking mildly offended, Frank pointed out, “They shot me in the chest!”

“They only shot you because you were slicing up everyone in sight,” he reminded, before continuing, “On top of that, they’re not animals. Although there are some decent similarities in reactionary behavior, trying to gauge a human by animal standards is usually a bad idea.”

Frank still didn’t look convinced and Marcus was once again glad he had left out the part about Cheryl trying to shoot him in the head…

“Look, I don’t blame you for being worried-”

“I’m not worried, I’m pissed!” he snapped, glaring at the floor.

“Right. Either way, I don’t blame you for feeling the way you do, but you’ve got to try and be rational. The others have Dwight. The Survivors have us. Sending you back to set up a rendezvous to trade prisoners is the best option for everyone. I mean, do you really want to start a war with them?”

Huffing irritably, Frank continued to glare at the floor. “I still don’t like it. I don’t trust them not to hurt you.”

“You think they would?” he asked quietly, gaze drifting down to his wrists. They were still cuffed in front of him and were feeling a little sore, but that was really the worst of it at the moment. “I mean, I guess some of them may have personal reasons to not like me, but what would any of them really gain from hurting me?”

“Revenge. Hurt the others the only way they can,” Frank pointed out coldly. Frowning suddenly, he looked through the bars at him to ask, “Wait, why would they have personal reasons to hurt you? Me or one of the other Slashers, I get. But why you?”

“I… I may have… told Laurie in front of all the Survivors that I took Myers’ virginity and was very, very proud of it…” he admitted awkwardly. “I mean, to be fair I didn’t actually know who she was until after I said it!”

Frank burst out laughing. “Oh my god, Doc! Please tell me what her face looked like! That’s fucking amazing.”

Although Marcus wasn’t nearly as thrilled about it as Frank apparently was, he offered, “Shocked. Horrified. Kind of grossed out. Like she believed it but really didn’t want to.”

“Shit, I didn’t believe it when I first found out, and I think the Legion know Michael better than she does by now. Still don’t know why the hell he hates her so much though, but I’m not sure anyone does except him.”

“Yeah, well, now she probably hates me just as much as Cheryl does,” Marcus sighed. “Which is pretty fair. I’m screwing the people who tortured them for years and I went so far as to defend a few of the others in front of everyone.”

Frank looked surprised as he asked, “Why would you do that? I mean, I get Danny and Evan, and Amanda I guess.”

“Because not all of them were bad people before the Entity took them,” he replied. “You said it yourself. Carmina and Philip never wanted to kill. And… I don’t know. You four aren’t so bad.”

The Legion leader raised an eyebrow. “Us four? Really?”

“You’re kinda growing on me. Like mold,” Marcus told him, laughing at the look he got.

“You know, some of us were and still are very bad people, Doc,” Frank told him softly. “I used to daydream about… slaughter. Cutting people down just for being in my way. And when the Legion finally killed for the first time, it was transcendent. I don’t regret a single life I’ve taken and I have no issues taking more. More of us are like that then we are like Philip and Carmina.”

“I know,” Marcus admitted. “And… it doesn’t really bother me all that much.”

Eyebrows rising, Frank shifted around so he was facing the vet’s cell instead of leaning against the wall. “What? How? Those people you killed fucked you up.”

“I know I’m not a good person. I don’t have much love for the human race, but still I- I don’t… I don’t want to hurt people. I’ve been hurt plenty of times, but I don’t want to do the same to others. People die all the time by one means or another, but every time I heard about a Slasher being sighted or killing someone… all I could think was, ‘Thank god that wasn’t me’. There is no separating myself from what happened in the Collector’s hideout. I killed those people,” he said quietly. He still relieved those moments in his head more often than he liked to admit. Not because he enjoyed it or wanted to remember any of it… but because no matter how hard he tried to forget, he couldn’t.

“That doesn’t make you a bad person, Doc,” Frank chuckled, expression oftening. “And that’s… not wrong. Most people are shit. My parents abandoned me when I was six because drugs and booze were more important than the child they brought into the world. How many other people have stories similar to mine? How many kids don’t get dumped into foster care and end up victims of their own families instead? Don’t feel bad for not caring about other people. Be glad you’re not like them.”

The sound of the door upstairs opening silenced them, and Frank stood, glaring down the hall as best he could. Footsteps approached and a moment later Leon, Bill, and Haddie appeared.

“We’ve talked it over,” Leon started, looking between their cells. “Frank, we’re sending you back to the vet’s house with a message for your… people.”

“Go fuck yourself,” he spat, “I’m not leaving Doc alone with you.”

“We figured you’d say that,” he confirmed, pulling out a pistol and aiming between the bars of Frank’s cell door.

Marcus shouted, grabbing the bars of his door but unable to actually do anything. Frank’s eyes widened slightly, but when there was a soft sound of compressed air instead of the crack of a gunshot, he grunted quietly.

Looking down, he stared at the dart in his chest for a moment before giving Leon an almost pitying look. “Really, dude? You know drugs don’t work on- on… Slashers… The f- the fuck?”

“Frank?!” Marcus shouted, watching in horror as he staggered slightly. “What the hell did you do to him?!”

“It’s just horse tranquilizer,” Haddie promised, watching as the Legion leader fell to one knee. “We know it won’t knock him out, but he’s too dangerous to move if he isn’t sedated to some extent.”

“I’m… I’m going to… kill you,” Frank panted, each word more slurred than the last. “Fucking… beat you… to death… with my… boots… if I have to.”

Holstering the weapon, Leon gestured for Bill to unlock the cell. As soon as the door was open, Frank tried to lunge at them but nearly smacked face first into the wall instead.

Catching him, Leon warned, “None of that. We can’t be returning you looking like we beat you.” Under his breath, he added, “Not that it wouldn’t be justified.”

Swearing incomprehensibly as his other arm was grabbed, Frank could be heard the entire way up the stairs until the door closed on his tirade.

“Where are they taking him?” Marcus demanded, glaring at Haddie. He wasn’t sure why she’d stayed behind, but he wasn’t about to stand around and just let what happened go unquestioned.

“To the Tree, to send him back to your house,” she explained, turning to face his cell. Crossing her arms, she looked him up and down before asking, “What’s your story?”

Shaking his head, he ignored her in favor of pressing, “You’re just sending him back? How the hell is that going to work? How the hell is he supposed to-”

“He’s not going to be harmed and neither are you,” she interrupted. “We’re sending him with a message and the pendant the Hag gave you. ”

“Lisa,” he corrected sharply, and Haddie raised an eyebrow at him. “Her name is Lisa.”

They stared at one another for several minutes, before the Survivor asked suddenly, “May I see your hands?”

Pulling his arms closer to his body, Marcus narrowed his eyes. “Why? Are you going to uncuff me?”

“No,” she answered. “I want to see something.”

Holding his hands up in front of his chest, he offered, “This good enough? I’m a vet. There isn’t much to see.”

Haddie didn’t so much as crack a smile, instead giving him the same look his mother used to when he’d bring home another new ‘rescue’ he’d found on the side of the road. She wasn’t mad, but she definitely wasn’t impressed either.

Sighing, she let the tension out of her shoulders before saying, “Marcus… I’m a medium. Do you know what that means?”

Although he was mildly surprised, he found that he didn’t doubt her. If things like Dredge and Nemesis existed in their world, why not psychics? “I think so. But I know different people have different interpretations of what it means and specifics can be different from person to person.”

“I can see through the vale into times and places of extreme darkness and evil,” Haddie elaborated, still watching him intently. “And you… You don’t strike me as an evil person, but you’ve been touched by great darkness.”

Marcus looked away, fear and disgust twisting through him like a double edged blade. If she really had any idea of the things he’d done, why would she think even for a second that he wasn’t a bad person? Finally shaking his head, he let out a sharp laugh. Wandering over to the cot at the back of his cell, he flopped down before muttering, “You’re wrong.”

Stepping closer, she reached up to grab the bars of the cell door, asking, “About what?”

“I am a bad person, Haddie. You might not have seen it yet, but give it enough time and you will,” he warned, staring at the ceiling. “You’ve sent Frank to the others to let them know you want to trade me for Dwight… So it’s probably best to just leave it at that.”

“I disagree,” she argued, and he turned his head towards her, confused. “All people do bad things, but that alone doesn’t make them bad people. What could you have possibly done-”

Meeting her eyes, he interrupted, “I killed two people… And I condemned a lot more to Hell so Frank and I wouldn’t be taken instead. So, no. I’m not a good person who’s done some bad things. I’m a monster. And when I die, I’ll come back as a Slasher. So, will you please just… leave me alone until it’s time to trade me for Dwight?”

Maybe it was his fear that motivated him to tell her that, or the anger welling up inside at the entire situation… But Marcus couldn’t stand the way she was looking at him. He’d expected her to mirror the disgust he felt with himself, maybe curse him out, tell him he was a horrible person and he deserved to rot in a cell for the rest of eternity… He didn’t expect her to look so… sad. Gritting his teeth, he returned his gaze to the ceiling. The last thing he wanted was pity.

The sound of his cell unlocking had him shooting upright, eyes widening as she pulled the door closed behind her.

“What are you doing?” he demanded, standing up. He was slightly taller than she was, but he had a feeling she, like the other Survivors, was more dangerous than she looked.

“Show me,” she said softly, gesturing to the cot.

Glancing behind him, then back at her, he asked shrilly, “What?!”

Sighing, she mumbled something he didn’t understand before walking over and taking a seat. Patting the cot, Haddie said, “Sit down. Give me your hands.”

He’d scrambled aside when she’d approached, standing with his back against the wall instead. Although Marcus was still highly suspicious, he took a step closer. Slowly taking a seat on the other end of the cot, he tentatively held out his hands.

“Palms down,” she instructed, reaching out. Sliding her hands under his, she curled her thumbs over the backs of his hands before saying softly, “Show me.”

Frowning, he asked, “What, exactly?”

“The darkness that’s crept into your life,” Haddie prompted. “I know you don’t want to think about it, but you’re not going to be alone. I’ll be right beside you.”

Those memories haunted him day and night, but Marcus found himself unable to focus on any one in particular. He spent so much time trying to distract himself from them, now that he was supposed to remember it felt like he was trying to catch an eel with his bare hands.

It all left him feeling slightly sick and wanting to pull away from her, but instead he asked quietly, “How?”

“Close your eyes. Breathe. Clear your mind, and let me guide you,” she directed, voice soothing. “This won’t be an easy journey, but the first step is often the hardest.”

Giving her one last suspicious look, Marcus let his eyes close. At first, nothing happened. He was about to pull away, tell Haddie once again to just let him be, but then he felt something warm in the palms of his hands.

“Shhh, relax,” she repeated. “Open your mind… take me to that day.”

Marcus took a shuddering breath as the memories started to flow unbidden. Choppy and disordered, it felt more like a dream than a walk through his past. That was, until a memory hit him so clearly it was like he was actually living it all over again.

The Collector stood over him, slamming the lid of the red trunk shut, locking him in a small, dark, suffocating space. His first instinct was to thrash and kick, to try and break out of the prison he once again found himself in.

Although there was no room for another person in the box, a soft voice spoke beside his ear, promising, “This isn’t real, Marcus. It’s just a memory. You’re safe. Keep going. Show me what happened next.”

Right, right, it wasn’t real. But it felt real when the box suddenly flipped over, dumping him into a cage. Iron bars rose up around him and he staggered to his feet, hands coming up to his face to pull at the restricting leather covering his mouth.

“Marcus, it’s okay. You can still speak,” Haddie soothed. “This is only a memory. You can still speak if-”

The world twisted without warning and Marcus let out a muffled shout as his back hit something hard. The Collector was suddenly standing over him again, knife in hand as he prepared to cut out his eye before being called away.

Ash swirled through the room and the abomination Marcus had almost been made a part of sprang to life, almost reaching him before dissolving into nothing but past memories once again.

Staggering as he suddenly found himself on his feet, Marcus let out a broken cry as he recognized what was happening. Haddie tried to speak to him but he didn’t hear her, solely focused on the memories playing out all over again. Broken glass was clenched in his hand, the other end buried in a woman’s stomach. He pulled away, the horror as fresh then as it was in the moment. Instead of events repeating as they had before however, he suddenly found himself standing over the tortured man, roaches slowly eating him alive. He killed him. Again. To take away his pain, despite the sick feeling it caused deep inside.

When he tried to pull away from the memories the world spun, becoming cold and dark. He could hear the chirping growl of the Demogorgon and Frank’s sobbing, before the rattle of chains echoed around him. Cold flooded his body and he let out a terrified cry. The other memories had felt real enough, but still held some kind of dream-like quality to them. Where he suddenly found himself felt entirely real. Somehow, things had become more than just a memory.

A warm hand gripped his and he jerked around to see Haddie. How was she there? She wasn’t with him when-

“Simply fascinating,” a cold voice intoned. “Back so soon, and without a puzzle box, none the less… Yet it is not your desire to be here at all.”

Marcus flinched, looking up to see Pinhead watching them with a stoic expression.

Haddie swore in a different language, taking a step back and pulling him with her.

“Haddie Kaur… So you wish to see but not to experience what we have to offer… A pity. Relive what could have been if you must, but then be gone from here,” the Hell Priest ordered, waving a hand.

All of it hit at once. A montage of pain and misery. Everything Marcus had done, everything he’d facilitated or allowed to happen to save himself and Frank. It was like experiencing it all over again for the first time and it cut him like a knife.

“Walk it back, just breathe,” Haddies voice told him. “It’s not real anymore. Just breathe. I’m sorry.”

“No,” he whispered, fighting back tears. It felt too real. Pinhead had been real. He’d seen them and spoken to them. That hadn’t been a fucking memory! “No, no, no…”

“Marcus, listen to me. You need to take deep breaths. Calm down. It’s okay-”

“No!” he shouted, mind spiraling into a past of misery and pain until he was a child again. He didn’t want to see that. He didn’t want to remember and relive the things that had been done to him, see the looks on his parents' faces, hear the disgust in his father’s voice when he spoke to him, break all over again when he woke up to find a suitcase and a bus ticket at the foot of his bed. He acted like it was no big deal. Like he didn’t care. But it hurt in a way nothing else could.

Yanking his hands away with a shout, Marcus immediately felt sick. Pushing Haddie away when she tried to grab his arms, he nearly fell off the bed trying to reach the toilet. Bending over, he heaved even though there was nothing in his stomach. Coughing and retching until his body was done, he stayed on his knees on the floor. He felt too weak to get up, once again feeling the fresh pain of what he’d be living with for the rest of his life.

~~

Haddie was reeling, vision blurry as one of the worst migraines she’d had in years pounded behind her eyes. There was… so much darkness in Marcus’s life. And she’d only clearly seen the past few months. There was a trail of trauma and misfortune twisting his path from the day he was born, yet he kept going. He kept fighting. Surviving.

Taking several deep breaths to center herself, she managed to rise from the cot. Seeing Pinhead had been jarring, but realizing why had almost been enough to make her sick to her stomach. Although Hell had revoked any claim it had on Marcus and Frank thanks to the deal between the vet, Pyramid Head, and Leviathan, it had left a deep scar on his soul.

Glancing around, it took her a second to figure out where the vet had gone. For a second she was actually afraid he’d managed to get out of the cell somehow, but a small sound drew her attention to the floor.

Marcus was hunched over beside the toilet, shivering like a leaf in a windstorm. His breathing was rapid and shallow, and he didn’t seem to be aware of where he was anymore. Closing the small gap, she knelt beside him, placing a hand on his back to let him know she was there.

He flinched, squeezing his eyes shut and taking a shuddering breath. Before she could say anything, he turned his head to look at her. Eyes glazed, he asked numbly, “Have you seen enough?”

The pain in his voice was undeniable, and she nodded slowly. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t… expect it to be so fresh. So raw still.”

Marcus continued to stare at her but it was more like he was looking through her. How he had managed to hold on to his sanity for so long was incredible… and she knew it was because he wasn’t alone. As much as she didn’t want to believe it was possible, the Killers did appear to view him as one of them, and they’d been willing to fight Hell itself to keep him safe.

Haddie quickly stood, taking a step back when he staggered to his feet. He was still staring at her and for a moment it looked like he was going to say something. Instead, he sighed, head dipping slightly as he turned and settled on the cot. Curling up on his side with his back to her and the door, he muttered, “If you’ve seen enough, just… just leave me alone. Please.”

She started to reach out for him but stopped. As much as she didn’t want to leave the kid alone, she knew if she stayed it would only make things worse. She needed to talk to Leon… Shit, they were about to send Frank back!

Doing her best to focus despite the sharp pain pounding in her head, Haddie quickly locked the cell up behind her before making her way upstairs. She had to be fast if she wanted to catch them before they sent the Legion leader back, but the migraine was slowing her down. She hadn’t expected to expend so much energy, or see the things she had. If she’d known, she would have had Mikaela help her.

Staggering slightly as she pushed through the door at the top of the stairs, she winced as her headache suddenly spiked in intensity. No, no, no! Someone was opening an Entryway! Putting on a burst of speed, she raced into the room just as David shoved Frank through the Tree.

“Goddammit!” she swore, skidding to a halt.

“Haddie? What’s wrong?” Leon demanded, quickly turning to her.

“We… ah, fuck… we can’t give Marcus back to them,” she panted. Fuck, her head felt like it was splitting in half. Overexerting herself was usually accompanied by a massive migraine, but this one felt like it was going to be enough to put her in medical for a while.

“Hey, are you okay? You look like you’re about to pass out,” Leon worried, taking her arm. “What happened? Did you see something?”

“Yes,” she groaned. “Dammit… We… ah, we can’t give Marcus back to the Killers.”

“What, why?!” David snapped, coming closer. “We just sent that Legion rat back to the guy's house! Why are we just now learning this?!”

“Because I just saw what he went through because of them!” she snapped, rounding on him. The sudden movement made her head spin and she staggered.

Leon caught her, deciding, “You can fill us in while Rebecca checks you out. We have a few hours, so if we need to alter what we’re bringing to the table, now’s the time to figure it out.”

Haddie nodded, not too happy about it but knowing they had no other choice. Marcus needed to be protected, even if he didn’t realize it…

~~

Dwight was pretty sure his heart was going to break out of his ribs and flop across the floor in an attempt to escape. The rest of him was frozen in fear, staring up at the Trapper as he stared right back down at him. Despite the other two people in the room, he felt totally alone. Cornered and trapped like a cat who’d failed to escape a feral dog. All he could do was wait to be ripped apart…

Finally looking away, the Trapper growled, “Amanda, put him… put him in the spare room next to mine. Make sure he’s okay.”

The hand left his shoulder, only to be replaced by a much smaller hand on his other arm as Amanda gently pulled him to his feet. Still, he couldn’t stop staring at Evan. Despite everything, the way the others had reacted to his presence and the knowledge that he was responsible for the abduction of two of their people, he still couldn’t believe the man who’d terrorized him for so long had changed so much. Even if he was speaking in complete, coherent sentences and hadn’t actually hurt him so far… he didn’t believe it! He couldn’t!

The Trapper continued to watch him until he was pulled out of the dining room and around a corner. Blinking several times, Dwight finally managed to start looking around. There had to be a way out. Some way to… Oh, no… There probably wasn’t… If Pyramid Head, a literal demon with immeasurable power couldn’t open an Entryway from the Realm to the Pocket, what made him think he could?

Reaching a rather large impressive staircase, Dwight asked quietly, “Um, wh-where are you taking me?”

“Somewhere you can get some rest while we wait,” Amanda said kindly.

It was odd how soft she was being towards him. Recalling how cunning she was during Trials, he quickly thought better. She was probably just trying to keep him calm and quiet, but there was no telling what she was really planning. What was to say the other Killers would actually respect the decision to wait for the other Survivors to try and reach out? For all he knew, they’d had contingency plans in place for years just in case a Survivor ever did pop up. What if–

He jolted slightly when the backs of his legs were pressed into something, and let out a small yelp when he fell on his ass. It wasn’t a very long fall, and he realized he’d been sat on the edge of a bed. As lost in thought as he’d been, he hadn’t even noticed when they entered the small room or that Amanda had turned him around to make him sit.

Looking up at her, he shrank down when she pulled out a knife. “W-wait!”

“I’m just getting the tape off your arms,” she told him, grabbing one of his shoulders to pull him into a leaning position.

Before he could start to worry about what she was really going to do, he felt a gentle tugging between his wrists as she sawed through the duct tape. There was a quiet ripping sound as it tore through the rest of the way, and Dwight gasped as he was finally able to pull his sore arms in front of himself again.

Taking a step back, Amanda returned the knife to a sheath on her upper thigh before asking, “May I see your wrists, please?”

Although he was worried she was just going to restrain him again, he slowly held out his arms. Even if they were alone, he knew she could easily overpower him if he tried anything. Maybe if he was able to surprise her he could knock her down and get to the door… but where would he even go? The Trapper and Wraith were both downstairs and even if he made it past them too, there was practically an army of other Killers outside the house…

Amanda took his wrists, inspecting them one at a time before nodding and pushing his arms back towards him. Without a word, she turned and left the room, closing the door behind her.

Slightly confused, Dwight quickly looked around the room. It was small. No windows, only one door, the small bed he was sitting on, a small wardrobe against the opposite wall, a bedside table, and a reading lamp. It really only had the bare essentials for a bedroom, but he guessed that was enough at the end of the day. Considering how big the house was, maybe it had been servants quarters at one point.

The door opened again and he jumped, half expecting it to be the Trapper himself. It was Amanda again, but that didn’t relax him much. She was carrying a small box, and he realized it was a first aid kit.

“Other than your leg and side, are you hurt anywhere else?” she asked, setting it on the nightstand. “Your jaw looks pretty bruised. Did Michael break any of your teeth?”

“N-no. I- I think I’m okay,” he stammered, watching her warily. “Thank you…”

She sighed, stepping away to lean against the door. “So… you and Marcus hit it off, huh?”

He stared at her, unsure how to answer that. She didn’t sound mad… but that didn’t mean anything. “Uh- um… Y-yes?”

“He’s a really sweet guy. I’m not surprised you two made friends so fast,” she said, smiling softly. “Get yourself cleaned up, please. You’ll heal faster and it would be better if you don’t look like you just lost a Trial when your friends reach out.”

“Y-yeah,” he stammered, still staring at her. She didn’t… expect him to get undressed with her standing there, did she?

“Dwight… you know how to treat yourself, right?” she pressed, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes, but- but you’re… Can I get some privacy? Please?”

“I’m not asking you to strip naked and dance for me,” she replied evenly. “But I am going to make sure you get patched up and don’t try anything stupid.”

“Can- can you at least t-turn around so I can take my pants off?” he asked, face flushing. Why was this so embarrassing? He was wearing clean boxers! But still, he wasn’t fond of the idea of a Killer seeing him in his underwear…

Looking incredibly tired, Amanda sighed before turning and facing the door. “Remember what I said about trying anything stupid. I’m stronger and faster than you, and I will snap you like a toothpick if you try something.”

Dwight quickly stopped eyeballing the lamp and hurried to pull his pants down. He couldn’t help but wince as the sticky material pulled at his skin, but he managed to pull them down enough to see the stab wound in his leg. It wasn’t bleeding anymore but it was still open and raw. He’d never been good with stitches, especially on himself, so he settled for dousing it in antiseptic and wrapping a bandage around his thigh. With as bad as his hands were shaking, it came out pretty messy anyway and much to his dismay, he found that he wouldn’t be able to pull his pants back up without catching the gauze and ripping it off…

“Um… Miss-”

“Don’t,” she interrupted immediately. “Pig is fine. Or if you’re not comfortable using my Slasher name you can just call me Amanda. It doesn’t bother me.”

Although she said she didn’t mind him calling her Pig, he appreciated the fact that unlike Ghostface, she actually used his name when speaking to him instead of calling him ‘Dweety’ or ‘Survivor’ constantly.

“Oh… Um, okay. Amanda? I- I’m sorry if this is a dumb question… but- but could I borrow a pair of shorts or something?”

Her head tilted slightly and she asked skeptically, “Why?”

“Because my pants are soaked with blood… and, um… I can’t get them back on.”

“Fuck the Entity…” she sighed. “I’m going to have to go borrow a pair of Marcus’s, so in the meantime are you going to be okay?”

“Oh, yeah… sure,” he agreed. He really didn’t want her to go out of her way and get any more mad at him. She already seemed irritated and he wasn’t about to make it worse. “You know, I- I think I can just… wait for these to dry and put them back on once my leg heals.”

Turning around, she ignored his indignant squeak as she said bluntly, “Jesus, you look like you’re about to have a heart attack. Dwight, if I was going to hurt you I wouldn’t have brought you any first aid stuff.”

Reaching into her robes, she pulled out a bottle of water. Shoving it at him, she ordered, “Drink something before you die on us.”

Taking it with a shaky hand, he unscrewed the cap and took a sip if only to make her happy. That turned in to him chugging half the bottle, just realizing how thirsty he was. He probably would have finished it, but he ended up swallowing wrong and started choking.

Amanda took the bottle, patting his back until he managed to get his breath back. “Easy there. Don’t need you drowning yourself. What did I say about dying on us?”

Nodding, he managed a weak smile. “Um, c-can I ask you something?”

Raising an eyebrow, she looked mildly amused but nodded. “Sure.”

“Wh-why are you being so nice to me?” He knew it was a dumb thing to ask, especially given the situation, but he needed to know. Much to his surprise, she actually gave him a real answer.

Head tilting slightly, her expression softened. “Because I have no reason to hurt you. I know you wouldn’t hurt Marcus and you really did think you were doing the right thing.”

Dwight nodded, head feeling oddly heavy. “Oh… that’s… thanks, I think.”

“Get some rest,” she ordered gently, folding up his pants and setting them on the small table.

“Um… I don’t… think…” it was getting difficult to get the words out as he tried to argue. He didn’t want to sleep there. He was still in danger, even if Amanda wasn’t the cause. Blinking sluggishly, it took him a moment to realize he was on his side. He didn’t even remember laying down.

“Don’t worry. You’ll be back with your people soon,” Amanda promised.

Eyelids too heavy to keep open any longer, Dwight somehow managed to fall asleep.

~~

The moment Amanda took Dwight out of sight, Evan practically collapsed into a chair. It had taken everything to keep going. To act like he wasn’t struggling for every breath. Pretending like it wasn’t taking every single ounce of self control and then some not to tear Danny apart for what he’d done and along with anyone stupid enough to try and get in his way. He’d nearly gone for Michael’s throat when he’d lost his temper with Dwight. If his ribs hadn’t been threatening to stab him in the lungs he probably would have.

A hand touched his back and he started to snarl before gasping in pain. “Fuck!”

‘Stop,’ Philip whistled. ‘Let me help you.’

Evan wanted to tell him to fuck off, but he didn’t… The Wraith was his oldest friend and he knew he needed him. It was bad enough not having Marcus there… Fuck, if the other Survivors hurt the kid he’d kill all of them. Permanently. He’d find a way. But if he did that there would be no chance of… Fuck…

Nodding, he whispered, “Thank you, Philip.”

Pausing, he nodded once before darting away. Evan already knew where he was going, so he sat up as best he could and undid the straps of his coveralls. Letting them fall to his waist, he looked down his chest. Even beneath the already present permanent scars and wounds, it looked pretty bad. Perhaps it was a good thing Marcus wasn’t there to see that. The injuries Pyramid Head had given him would have killed any normal man.

The bone that had torn through his skin was mostly back in place, so he very carefully pushed it the rest of the way back into the torn flesh. The white hot pain nearly caused him to black out for a moment, but he forced it down. He’d dealt with much worse. The thought of Marcus yelling at him for doing such a thing brought a small smile to his face. He was adorable when he was mad.

Philip came hurrying back into the dining room a moment later, several rolls of gauze in his arms. It wasn’t the first time he’d helped the Trapper with broken ribs, and they both knew from experience he’d need a lot. Evan was a big guy after all.

‘Arms up,’ the Wraith chirped, before starting to wrap his ribs.

Evan grunted, pain flaring through his body at the touch. It wasn’t the shrapnel at all, just the amount of ruined bones in his chest. “Philip… how long… Ah! Fuck!”

He hissed as well, sounding apologetic as he reminded, ‘It has to be tight or they’ll take longer to heal.’

“I know!” he snarled. Sighing, he added more softly, “I know… How long have you known they were out there?”

Philip paused, looking down before resuming aid. ‘Not as long as Danny… But… long enough. Amanda knew too, but we all agreed not to tell anyone. They’ve been through enough and we thought some of the others would want to hunt them again if they knew.’

“I… understand,” Evan muttered. He really did, although it pained him to admit. “How did you all figure out they were out there?”

‘It was a complete accident,’ the Wraith admitted. ‘Amanda was helping set up a trap room in Vegas and spotted one of them. Danny just happened to come across the name of one of them while working with the police as ‘Jed’. I guess he was a former cop and managed to make a few connections after they got back. As well, from my understanding he spotted one of them shortly after we escaped. I saw a pair of them a few years ago while out exploring. I told Amanda, and that’s when she told me what she and Danny had seen.’

Silent for a moment as he took in the new information, Evan finally said, “You saw… what happened in the woods. Do you think… do you think he…”

Humming quietly, Philip gave him a moment to collect his thoughts without interrupting. He had seen most of the incident, and although they’d talked about it later, they could only guess what kind of lasting trauma Dwight had been left with.

“How could I have been so stupid?” Evan asked, laughing slightly. “He’s not going to want to hear anything I have to say. I mean, he could barely look at me and when he did… Did you see the way he looked at me?”

‘He might be willing to listen to you, if you can show him you’re not the same man you were then,’ Philip offered gently.

Evan stared at his hands. They were still stained with blood, a constant reminder of the lives he’d cut short before and after the Entity took him. Had he really changed that much? Did it even matter if he had? Dwight didn’t owe him anything, even if it was just to listen.

Before he could say anything else, Amanda came back into the room. Sitting in a chair, she asked tiredly, “How are you feeling, Evan?”

“Like most of my ribs are broken. Why’d you leave him alone?”

“He’s asleep,” she answered, and he frowned.

How the hell was Dwight able to sleep at a time like this? He’d smelled so overpoweringly of fear, it had almost been enough to cover the scent of his blood. Sure, he was probably exhausted but–

“Amanda…”

“Yeah?”

“Did you drug him?”

Blunt as always, Amanda didn’t bother to lie. “Yep. He was about to give himself a panic attack and I am not spending an hour trying to calm him down just for one of you idiots to come stomping in and freak him out all over again. Besides, he needs to heal.”

“You can’t just- Gah, fuck!”

‘You need to hold still!’ Philip scolded, gritting his teeth.

“Evan, what the hell is with you and him? You’ve always seemed so… weird about Dwight. There’s a lot more to it than just him being the first Survivor, isn’t there?”

He glared at her, seriously considering telling her to get out, that she’d done enough. On top of that, she’d known about the Survivor's escape for years and withheld it from him…

“You don’t have to tell me,” she stated, studying him with a knowing look. “But it might help to get it off your chest. Besides, you need to heal too.”

Sighing, Evan leaned back in his chair when Philip stepped away. Not too long ago he would have laughed at the very idea of sharing what had happened with anyone else. But he’d grown unusually fond of Amanda and he knew Marcus trusted her as well… “While we were all still trapped in the Entity’s Realm… I once ran into Dwight in the woods between Trials.”

The look of shock on her face confirmed that she was still under the impression that couldn’t happen. It wasn’t supposed to from what they had been able to tell, but the spider wasn’t omnipresent and sometimes things slipped through the cracks…

“I had wanted to try and… talk to him. For a while. I wanted to… I don’t know. Explain things, I guess. I was so far out of my own head I don’t even know what I was thinking and when I saw him, I…”

“Evan? What did you do?” she asked, sounding genuinely concerned.

“I chased him down… Not with the intention of hurting him, but at the time I doubt he’d have been able to see a difference.”

Amanda winced. “Damn… I wasn’t aware that was even possible outside of Trials. But if all you did was chase him, it shouldn’t be so hard to-”

“I caught him,” Evan interrupted, rubbing a hand over his mask. “That wouldn’t have been so bad, I guess… But I stepped in one of my traps right as I caught up to him and… kind of… tripped.”

“Oh, shit,” she murmured. “So you-”

“Tackled him? Yes…” he confirmed. “I didn’t mean to. I just… I don’t know what I was thinking but I never meant to hurt him. I was mad and couldn’t communicate what I wanted and before I could make any headway or even calm him down, the Entity intervened.”

Philip let out a low, pained whistle. He’d seen that much of the incident and remembered it all too well, even if he hadn’t been the one on the receiving end of the spider's claws.

“The Entity killed me in front of Dwight,” he remembered. “After that, it was a lot more… attentive towards my Trials. It kept throwing me in with Dwight, making me sacrifice him as punishment, torturing me if I didn’t even if I killed the other three…”

“Fuck, Evan… I’m sorry. I didn’t know,” she murmured.

“Don’t apologize to me, it was my fault. I want to explain everything… but I don’t think he’ll listen to me. I don’t… I don’t know if I can ask him to try. He doesn’t owe me anything.”

“Just the fact that you recognize that is a good thing,” Amanda pointed out. “It can’t hurt to at least try. Just, let him rest first.”

Evan nodded, rubbing a hand over his mask. It couldn’t hurt to try… could it?
~~~~

Chapter Text

“So, what crawled up your ass and died?”

Danny was seriously considering stabbing Ji-Woon in the face. He wouldn’t. Stop. Talking. Much like himself, the Trickster liked to hear himself talk. Unfortunately, he may actually be worse about running his mouth…

“I met a guy, I fell in love with him, and now the Survivors have kidnapped him and Frank,” he deadpanned. He was so fucking tired and Jason still had his pills. Maybe Doc had some uppers in his stash… Did vet’s use uppers on animals? Huh, he’d never really thought about it before. Then again, Marcus had sticky fingers and had a lot more than just veterinary medicine in the box under his sink.

“That much I gathered,” Ji-Woon purred, following him and the Legion to the Tree. “So, we’re going back to the twinks place?”

“Fuck off!” Danny snarled, rounding on him. “Unless you’re going to help, just shut up or go pester someone else!”

Making a very fake hurt face, Ji-Woon lamented, “I can’t really help if you don’t bring me up to speed. Clearly this guy is something if he managed to free the Legion from Hell and has so many of you up in arms over his disappearance. Especially you, Ghostface.”

Danny knew he didn’t really give a flying crap about any of the above, he just loved the gossip. Still, if it would get him to shut up for a few minutes… “First, you got any adderall? I’m crashing and I need a pick me up.”

“Dude, just go get it from Jason,” Susie grumbled, toeing the dirt with her shoe. She looked incredibly angry but had been pretty quiet since Pyramid Head had dragged them all back to the Realm.

“He’s over there with Michael,” Joey pointed out.

The two of them were standing in front of the Haddonfield house, both looking tense as they stared down the group by the Tree. Great…

“Yeeeaaah,” Danny drawled. “Cause I’m sure he’ll just hand them over and Michael won’t add his thoughts and feelings to the matter either…”

“Why would Michael care?” Ji-Woon asked eagerly, leaning into his space with a wicked grin.

“Fuck the Entity… Jason! Jason!” Danny shouted, quickly jogging over.

His head tilted slightly, one hand going to his machete before Ghostface could even get within ten feet of them.

“Calm your tits, I just want my pills,” he chided, stopping where he hoped he was still out of reach. “I sent Susie to get them, but we all know how that turned out. Kids, am I right?”

“Fuck you, Ghostface!” she shouted from a much safer distance.

Ignoring her, he forced a smile that looked more like a pained grimace. Fuck the Entity he hated having to ask Jason for anything, but this was more important than his pride… “I want to be ready to move the second we have the opportunity. Give me my stuff back, please.”

Reaching into his jacket, the killer pulled out the bottle and tossed it to him without any argument. The look in his eyes made it clear he wasn’t doing it for Danny, he was doing it for Marcus.

Sighing, Danny popped the top off and downed a quarter of the bottle right there. Closing it up and shoving it into an inner pocket of his uniform, he muttered, “Thanks, Canada. We’ll let you all know the second something happens.”

Turning on his heel, he started quickly back towards the Tree. He didn’t hear so much as feel the two large bodies close behind him, but he refused to look back. It wouldn’t be the first time Michael had stabbed him in the spine while he attempted to make a quick getaway, but was that really the best time for that kind of thing? Couldn’t it wait until they got Doc back safe and sound? Ooh, maybe he’d get lucky and Michael would stab him with something else. Wow, he did not have time for that kind of thinking.

The Legion were all watching with admittedly tense expressions as they approached, while the Trickster just looked thrilled. At least, he did at first. Head tilting slightly, he frowned. Pointing over Danny’s shoulder, he asked bluntly, “Who the fuck are you, anyway?”

The pointing was bad enough, but at least he hadn’t used his bat to do it. Much like Michael, Jason hated being pointed or stared at. Ji-Woon should know that!

Oh… He’d never actually met Jason before. It hadn’t even occurred to Danny, but it made sense. Although the camp killer came around more often than Ji-Woon did, they’d never actually bumped into one another.

“That’s Jason,” he elaborated, hiking a thumb over his shoulder. “He’s a Slasher too, and ah… a friend of Michael’s, I guess.”

Eyebrows rising, Ji-Woon actually looked stumped. It was pretty obvious what was going through his head, as all of them had had the same thought when first meeting Jason. ‘Michael has friends?!’

“Now, come on,” Danny sighed, placing a hand on the Tree. “Anyone going to Doc’s needs to move.”

One by one, the Legion filed through, followed by the Trickster and then Danny himself. He wasn’t sure if Michael and Jason actually intended to join them or not, but until his happy pills started kicking in he wasn’t going to expend any more energy than he needed, even if it was greatly reduced by the Tree.

He’d barely cleared the closet door before someone was pushing past him, so he huffed, “Geez, Michael, next time at least do me the courtesy of slapping my ass first.”

The Shape ignored him, looking around the room before making a beeline for the hallway where the Survivors had opened their door.

Before Danny could say anything else, a hand did in fact slap his ass hard enough to send him leaping forward with a loud shriek. Whipping around, he glared daggers at Jason, who appeared to be laughing behind his beat up hockey mask. “That is for Michael and Doc only! Not you!”

“Don’t forget Evan,” Susie pointed out smugly.

“And Dredge,” Joey piled on.

“Now we can’t leave out-”

“I will stab all three of you,” he hissed, cutting Julie off before she could list any more names. Everyone knew he’d slept with most of the Slashers from the Entity’s Realm. A list was totally unnecessary.

“Woah… is this why you were dressed like a hobo?” Ji-Woon asked, looking around the nearly barren house. “You know, my trailer was bigger than this. Ah, I miss being famous.”

“We know,” Joey said, rolling his eyes.

Slumping down on the couch, Danny let out a long sigh. Although things had gone much better than he’d expected, he knew things were far from over. Even if they managed to get Doc back unharmed and okay, he still had a lot to answer for. To him and the others… He wasn’t sure which one he was more worried about. At least the other Slashers would just beat him to death. What if Marcus broke up with him? He’d lied, gone behind his back to try and cover it up, and was partially responsible for him and Frank getting abducted.

A body dropped onto the couch beside him and he couldn’t help the deep frown that settled across his face. “What do you want, Ji-Woon?”

“We haven’t seen one another in five years and this is how you welcome me back? I’m hurt,” he pouted, throwing his arms over the back of the couch. Frowning, he looked over at the large cut in the furniture before raising an eyebrow at Danny.

“I honestly don’t know, I keep forgetting to ask Doc how it happened,” he sighed.

“Doc?” the Trickster asked curiously.

“Marcus,” Danny explained. “I call him Doc most of the time. I guess there’s a few things you should know before he gets back.”

“Mmm, yeah. Let me get this straight. This guy freed the Legion from the Lament Configuration and managed to avoid getting nabbed himself? How’d that happen?” he questioned.

“Unimportant,” Danny said, brushing him off. He didn’t want to talk about that whole thing, so he quickly continued, “He’s dating Evan and I, and he’s fuck-buddies with Michael, Jason, and Dredge at the moment. I’m pretty sure some of the others wouldn’t mind getting into his pants, but they’ve yet to ask him.”

“So… he’s a hooker?” Ji-Woon asked, looking far too amused.

“No!” he snarled back. “He’s not a fucking hooker! He’s like me! He just likes sex and has a high drive for it. His life is off limits, as is any form of bodily harm. Pyramid Head is his patron god with benefits, so don’t even try to mess with him or you’re going to have a lot more than just us to answer to.”

“Simply fascinating,” Ji-Woon purred, looking oddly smug.

That look never meant anything good and Danny knew it. What was he planning?

“So, Marcus has half the realm wrapped around his… finger. How did that happen? You finally find a superfan that strokes your dick as well as he does your ego?”

Something snapped inside Danny and he slowly turned to face the Trickster. Usually, he’d smile like a shark when he reached a certain level of pissed off. Ji-Woon had just pushed him so far beyond that, his face was as stiff and unmoving as the mask he usually wore.

“Listen to me very closely, you glow stick in human skin. I love Marcus more than I love myself and if you say one more snide, rude, or ignorant fucking thing about him, I’m going to hollow out that ridiculously coiffed gourd you call a head and use it as a lantern to light my basement. I almost lost him once and I will not let that happen again. Now, I’m done playing this game with you. If you want something from me, spit it out.”

Ji-Woon’s eyes narrowed, his unnaturally bright yellow irises shifting slightly as he took a good hard look at the Killer beside him. “You’ve changed a lot since I last saw you… This… responsible, caring, protective thing… it doesn’t suit you. What happened to the Danny I knew? Hmm? The infamous Ghostface who’d stalk and hunt and revel in the final display? When did you get so… domesticated?”

“When I realized there was actually someone out there who could love me for me, and not the shroud. I am not something to be idolized, nor am I a figure to be worshiped. I’ve never wanted that and you know it, so don’t start acting like this is some impossible thing. I’ve moved on. Maybe you should too.”

Pushing himself up before Ji-Woon could respond, Danny loudly clapped his hands together. “Alright! Joey, anything on Dwight’s phone yet?”

Seated at the kitchen table with the charger stretching out from the wall socket, he looked up from the small screen. “Huh? Oh, nothing yet. Just playing tetris. I’m trying to beat his high score.”

“Fuck the Entity,” Danny mumbled. “Susie, Julie, what are you two doing?”

Both girls were hunched over something on the counter, but looked up to glare at him when he called their names. Sounding incredibly annoyed, Julie told him, “Legion stuff. Don’t worry about it.”

“I am now incredibly worried about it,” he told her cheerfully. “Jason? Michael? What- What the hell are you two doing?!”

Michael had started to stab the wall with his knife as if trying to physically dig out the Door created by the Survivors. It wouldn’t work even if they’d left it open, obviously. He’d have to tear the majority of the structure supporting it down to make it collapse on its own.

Jason, usually the more level headed of the two, was doing nothing to stop him! Just standing there watching and nodding slowly as if agreeing that it was a good idea!

At Danny’s horrified question, both of them turned to look at him for a moment before Michael resumed stabbing at the wall.

“Fuck the-”

A loud knock at the front door had everyone’s heads snapping around. Marcus never got visitors! He didn’t even have friends outside the Realm! Rent wasn’t late, was it? No, no, that couldn’t be it. Danny had made sure there was more than enough money to keep him housed for at least the next twelve months.

Whoever was there clearly wasn’t about to walk away, as they knocked again, louder than before. Knowing someone needed to answer the door, Danny grit his teeth. Before he could rush into the bedroom to try and find a hoodie to throw on over his uniform, Julie took charge.

“All of you, into the hall where you won’t be seen. Joey, Susie, you two stay in sight in case I need backup. I’ll get the door.”

Michael looked like he was about to march past them all and stab his way through the door to the person on the other side instead, but Jason managed to drag him out of sight.

Hopping over the back of the couch, the Trickster twirled his bat before joining Ghostface and the others in the hall. Staying low so the couch would help hide him, Danny peeked out to see who was at the door.

Putting on a surprisingly convincing smile, Julie opened the door enough to lean through the narrow opening, greeting, “Hey, how can I help you?”

A male voice answered, sounding slightly surprised. “Oh, good evening. I’m actually looking for Marcus Taylor. Is he home?”

Danny couldn’t see Julie’s face but he could hear the emotion in her voice as she lied, “Oh, are- are you a friend of his?”

“Uh, kind of… More of a business partner, I guess. Is he home?”

Business partner? The fuck was this guy on about? Wait, did that have something to do with Doc’s oddly specific forty-eight grand? Was he trying to invest? Put a down payment on a house? He was going about it all wrong in either case.

“No, he’s not,” Julie told him, voice practically shaking with barely suppressed emotion. “He was in a pretty bad accident and has been in the hospital for a couple of days. The doctor said it’s a miracle he even survived.”

“What?!” the man demanded, actually sounding angry. He cleared his throat before offering in a slightly forced tone, “That is… absolutely shocking. How terrible. Which hospital did you say he was receiving care at?”

Sniffling like she was actually on the verge of tears, Julie asked in return, “Who did you say you were again? I don’t think he’s ever mentioned any business partners before…”

“Ah… Nevermind. What is your relationship to Marcus, exactly?”

Something about this guy was making every hair on Danny’s body stand on end. He recognized a fucking snake when he heard one. Doc wasn’t stupid. There was no way he would get into business with a guy like that. At least not willingly. Did Richards have a business partner? He should have known that bastard would find a way to try and get one last jab in, even in death.

“I’m his sister,” Julie lied. “I’m just here to watch the house until he can come home.”

“I wasn’t aware he had any family in the area,” the man stated, voice icy. “What was your name?”

“Sorry, I’m really not comfortable giving that kind of information out to strangers,” she told him, and Danny couldn’t help but smirk.

“I see… And is there anyone else here who can corroborate your story?”

Shit, was that a fucking cop?! Only cops talked like that. He should know, he’d worked with plenty of them as ‘Jed Olson’.

“Our cousin and her boyfriend,” Julie told him, and Joey and Susie exchanged a look. Clearly they knew whoever was at the door even if Danny didn’t…

Before the man could ask anything else, she told him firmly, “This is an incredibly difficult time for our family and we’d really like some time to ourselves right now. Maybe try calling first next time.”

With that, she stepped back and shut the door on him. The distraught look on her face was instantly replaced with one of contempt, and she held up a hand to keep everyone quiet as she looked out the peephole.

It only took a couple of minutes for her to lower her hand again, but the amount of tension in the air when she did was so thick it was nearly suffocating. Practically sprinting out of the hall if only to get out of Michael’s way as he stormed back into the living room, Danny demanded, “Who the fuck was that?”

“A cop,” Joey stated, voice laced with malice. “We’ve seen him before, actually.”

“The day Wesker attacked Doc, and again at the animal clinic a few days ago,” Julie elaborated.

“Shit, we never did get to ask Doc about him,” Susie muttered, and Danny whipped around to face her instead.

“What?! Why am I just now hearing about this?!”

“Why’d you fucking pretend you didn’t know who Dwight was?” Julie snapped back, and everyone turned to glare at him.

“Fuck the Entity,” he seethed. “Because I knew if Marcus found out who he was there would be trouble! Now, why the hell is a goddamn cop sniffing around Doc?”

“We don’t know!” Joey shouted. It was rare for him to actually raise his voice like that. The fact that he was served to show just how upset he was really feeling. “The guy was here to question Marcus about his boss's disappearance the day Wesker showed up to inject him with the virus, then he showed up alone at the clinic a few days ago and took Doc to the back to speak to him privately! He hasn’t said anything to us either, but he’s seemed more on edge than usual!”

“Why the hell didn’t one of you tell me then?!” Danny yelled, throwing his hands out. “I thought you all were going to have his back!”

“Like you did ours?” Julie asked coldly, and he froze. “The Legion has Doc’s back, Ghostface. How we go about things isn’t any of your concern.”

He didn’t have an answer for that. He knew he’d failed them and he knew he had no way to make it up to them. Before he could even try to apologize, a burst of energy filled the room and everyone whipped around to look at the hallway.

It felt so similar to a Door being opened, but it was still different enough to instantly let them know it wasn’t one of theirs. It was the Survivors again. All of them had weapons out before they could fully register who’d just stepped into the room.

“Frank!” Julie shouted, racing past Danny to grab him as he fell to his knees.

Had he escaped somehow? Was he hurt? Had the Survivors done something to him?! Was this a declaration of war?!

“Mmm fuckin’ back,” he slurred, and Danny tilted his head.

Was he… drunk?

“Jesus, Frank, what the hell did they do to you?” Joey demanded, rushing over to help Julie get him back on his feet.

Looking around with bleary eyes, Frank finally managed to focus on the most colorful thing in the room. That just happened to be the Trickster, who’s vibrant clothes and hair made him stand out in almost every crowd. “Oh, the peacock is back.”

His expression instantly soured, and he pointed out snidely, “Looks like you had a good time with the Survivors, Frank. Have a little party while the rest of us worried over your fate again?”

Michael stalked over until he was standing less than an inch from Ji-Woon, eyes boring into him from behind his mask. He didn’t need to say a goddamn thing for the message to be clear. Shut up. Now.

“Frank, ignore him,” Julie soothed, helping move him to the couch. “What did they do to you?”

“Fuckin’... shot me,” he slurred, head lolling forward as Joey helped him lean over.

His hands were cuffed behind his back, but it should be easy enough to pick the lock. The real question was, why hadn’t he broken out of them?

“Yeah, full of drugs,” Susie agreed patiently. “Franky, what’s this bag?”

Danny quickly scooted around Jason to get closer to the quad of teenagers. “What bag? Let me see.”

Julie pulled what looked like a messenger bag over Frank’s head before wordlessly passing it to him.

Danny brought it to the table, once again doing his best to ignore Michael and Jason as they loomed over his shoulders. God, what he wouldn’t give for a few more inches… he felt so short. No time for that! Besides, he could just start wearing thicker boots if nothing else! Ah! No time!

Upending the bag, he surveyed the contents with morbid curiosity. No ears or fingers, so it looked like they hadn’t sent a piece of the vet back as a threat… That was good. They had sent Frank’s jacket, mask, knife, and boots, along with the pendant Lisa had given Marcus and a blank white envelope.

Snatching it before Michael or Jason could get their hands on it, Danny inspected it carefully before opening it. Inside was a simple note displaying handwritten coordinates and a time, followed by a short message. We want to talk face to face. One of us. One of you.. They’d been given six hours to prepare.

“Oooh, that’s not going to work for me,” Danny purred, the wheels already turning in his head. “Franky, how you feeling?”

A pair of cuffs whizzed past his head, followed by the brunette flopping off the couch, arms and legs flailing.

“Great! Let’s get him some water, maybe a cold shower, and then we need to get back to Evan’s. I have a plan, but we’re going to need some help…”

~~

Evan had been standing outside the locked door for almost forty-five minutes. He had no fucking idea if he should enter the room or not, or even what he’d say if he did. It had been decades since he’d felt like a stranger in his own home, but he found himself… almost afraid to face what was on the other side. He knew Dwight didn’t owe him a goddamn thing. Not even so much as to listen to what he had to say.

Finally placing a hand on the knob, he once again found himself frozen. He’d seen the way Dwight avoided looking at him, and when he had the terror in his eyes was impossible to miss. Evan knew the scent of the Survivors' fear all too well, but this had been so much stronger than in any Trial from before. They all knew there were no more limitations on what the Slashers could do, leaving him to wonder just what the Survivor assumed he really intended.

Taking as deep a breath as he could with his still fractured ribs, he silently opened the door and stepped inside. His eyes had no trouble adjusting to the low light but the smell of blood made his nose wrinkle behind his mask. It brought back too many memories he’d rather forget.

Looking over Dwight’s sleeping form, he let out a tired sigh of his own. He had a feeling he’d still be asleep thanks to Amanda, but something told him he’d be waking up soon. If the Survivors were anything like Slashers, sedatives would be far less effective on them then they should be. To put someone as small as Danny down for even an hour would take almost four times the normal dose of any given sedative. Painkillers still worked the way they were supposed to for the most part, but using them to sleep was almost always pointless.

Noticing his glasses set on top of his folded up pants on the bedside table, Evan took a small step back. At least Amanda had the foresight to pull the blanket over Dwight, but the last thing he wanted was for the Survivor to wake up and think he’d been about to try something.

Completely forgetting he’d left the door open behind him, Evan backed directly into it with his next step. The hooks in his shoulder caught the brunt of the force and he let out an involuntary snarl of pain. That caused his ribs to spasm and he wrapped an arm around his chest, nearly choking as he tried to catch his breath.

Movement caught his attention and he looked up, feeling just as trapped as the man staring back at him. The drugs must have already started to wear off, as Dwight had been woken up by the racket he’d made and sat up to find his glasses. Now, he was staring back at Evan, eyes wide and mouth slightly open as though he’d forgotten what he was going to say.

Finally, a small, “Oh,” slipped out, and he shrank down as if startled by his own voice.

Unsure what else to say or do, Evan managed to string together enough thought to say, “I... I didn’t mean to wake you up.”

The look of horror on Dwight’s face told him that was the wrong thing to say. Now it sounded like he’d been watching him sleep like a fucking pervert…

“That came out wrong,” he said quickly, letting his arm fall back by his side. “I just… came to check on you. I didn’t… I didn’t mean to… scare you.”

Looking quickly between him and his pants, Dwight made a small sound before scooting further up the bed until he was huddled in the corner, knees pulled up to his chest.

Someone shouted his name from downstairs but Evan ignored them. He told Philip and Amanda not to interrupt unless it was something important, but that had sounded more like Freddy than one of them.

Taking a half step closer to the bed, he stopped when Dwight scrunched down with a terrified squeak. Slowly holding up both of his hands to show he wasn’t holding anything he could use as a weapon, Evan said as softly as he could manage, “I just… want to talk to you. If you’ll allow it.”

For the first time since the one and only time in the Entity’s Realm, Dwight actually spoke directly to him. Eyes wide and voice shaky, he asked, “Wh-what?”

Someone called his name again, that time from the top of the stairs. Glancing out the door, Evan let out a low growl before returning his attention to the Survivor. “I know there’s no reason for you to listen to me… or trust a thing I have to say. If you want me to go, I will. I just-”

“Evan!” Freddy shouted, leaning around the door frame.

“What?!” he roared, turning around and grabbing the front of his stupid striped sweater. Yanking him close so hard his hat nearly flew off, the Trapper snarled, “What the fuck are you bothering me for, you melted-”

“Jesus, Chuckles!” he interrupted, holding his hat on with one hand. “The Survivors sent Frank back with a message!”

Shocked enough that his grip loosened on Freddy’s collar, he didn’t go after him as he shimmied out of reach. Instead, he asked blankly, “What?”

“They want to meet face to face,” Freddy continued, glancing past him at Dwight. “That’s all they said. Come on, Ghostface’s got… something in mind.”

Evan growled. Of course he did. The sneaky little schemer always had some kind of plan or design up his sleeve. “Right. I’m coming. Is everyone else already here?”

“They’re on their way,” he confirmed. “You, ah… need a few minutes or something?”

“Move,” he grunted, stepping towards the door. “Let’s just get this done.”

Pulling the door closed behind him, he felt a strange pang in his chest. A part of him wondered if he’d ever be able to talk to Dwight, or if it would make a difference if he did…
~~~~

Chapter Text

Marcus’s head felt heavy, like a bag of sand was sitting on his neck instead of his skull. All he could see was the floor, but he could hear someone walking in a slow circle around him. A rhythmic, metallic tapping accompanied the steps, and he knew someone was dragging a knife across metal bars. When he opened his mouth to speak he felt his lips pressed into rough leather and he panicked. Fumbling numbly at his face, he could feel the muzzle under his hands but he couldn’t get a grip on it. It was as if he was trying to move through molasses, his limbs too heavy and clumsy to properly function.

The low screech of metal sliding against metal told him a cell door had been opened, but he was still unable to look up to see who was approaching him. A hand suddenly grabbed his hair and he was forced down onto his knees. Although he didn’t feel the impact, Marcus unexpectedly found himself looking up at… himself?

It was like looking into a cursed mirror. The twin version of himself was holding a blood splattered blade, a deranged grin on his face in lieu of a muzzle. Without saying anything, he raised Frank’s knife. The same knife he’d used on him by the Collector, that he in turn had used to put a man out of his misery…

Marcus couldn’t even raise his arms to try and hold him back as the knife slid into the side of his neck. The malicious glee in his eyes turned to horror, and suddenly he was no longer looking up at himself but down, the knife once again in his hand as he killed someone.

“Why?” a distorted voice asked, and he blinked. Instead of seeing himself when he opened his eyes, he was looking at Danny kneeling in front of him. He looked confused, blood spilling from his lips as he tried to ask another question, hand reaching up to his neck to cover the gushing wound.

Staggering backwards, Marcus tried to open his hand but couldn’t. The knife stayed in his grasp, dripping with his boyfriend’s blood. In front of him, Danny slumped forward and he instinctively moved to try and catch him. There was a sickening sound as metal met flesh and he felt the knife cut into his partner's stomach instead.

“Marcus!”

It wasn’t Danny, but a voice he didn’t recognize. Either way, he couldn’t focus on it. All he could think of was what he’d just done.

“Marcus! Hey! Marcus, wake up!”

~

His entire body jerked as he woke up, shouting incoherently as he twisted around. Hitting the floor, Marcus scrambled upright, looking around wildly as he shouted, “Danny?! Evan?! Danny, where-”

He stopped, panting heavily as it all caught up to him. It was just a nightmare and he wasn’t home… “Goddammit,” he whispered, slumping back down on the cot.

“Fuck, man… are you okay?”

Marcus jumped, only just noticing the audience to his nightmare. Jake, Claudette, and Meg were outside his cell, watching him with varying degrees of concern. Running his hands over his face, he stared at the floor for a minute before answering. “I’m fine.”

“That seemed pretty intense,” Meg pointed out, taking a seat on the floor. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Blinking several times, Marcus slowly lifted his head to squint at her. Why the hell would he want to talk about anything with any of them? The last time one of them wanted him to open up, he’d been thrown into a blender of traumatic memories and pain. Still… he highly doubted any of that had been Haddie’s intention. She seemed just as shocked as he had, maybe even more so since she had no idea what he’d been through.

Sighing, he finally asked, “Why? Why would you want to talk to me about anything?”

“We’re curious,” she told him bluntly. “After what you told Laurie, and then Haddie saying some really interesting stuff about you, we kinda wanted to check you out for ourselves.”

Jake smacked a hand over his face, muttering something about that not being a great way to start a conversation.

Anger flared through him at that, and Marcus guessed sharply, “So she told you all about the fucked up shit I did? Now you’re here to see just how sick I actually am?”

“No,” Claudette replied, sounding a bit offended. “Not at all. I mean, yes, she told us what she saw… but, you’re not… a monster. You know that, right?”

He stared at her blankly. People kept telling him that but he really couldn’t bring himself to believe it, even as badly as he wanted too. “I’d prefer not to be stared at like a zoo animal… So… what do you all want?”

“You really aren’t what we first thought,” Meg offered. “You know? Busting in here with the Legion leader, then Pyramid Head trying to break in to reach you… We… want to get to know a little bit about you. From you.”

He was too tired to argue but he really didn’t want to try and sleep more. Voice flat, he replied, “Then ask.”

“Well…” Jake started, scratching the back of his head. “We still like some clarification on some things. Like, how did you and Dwight meet?”

“He ran over an opossum, mistook it for a cat, and brought it to the vet clinic where I work,” Marcus explained. No point in lying, so why not just tell them the whole story? At least it would kill some time. “I was there late closing up, but I wasn’t about to tell him to get lost when he was just trying to help an animal.”

“How did that turn into you taking his v-card?” Meg asked, leaning forward.

Blushing, Marcus looked away. That was actually one of the last things he’d expected them to ask, but it looked like he wasn’t the only one who had people he’d told. It was kind of sweet how concerned they were about Dwight, but did she have to be that blunt about it? “Um, that was… well, we started hanging out and I guess the attraction was mutual so we… hooked up. It was fun… But if I’d known who he was, I would have kept things strictly professional, really. I never meant for anyone else to get dragged into… well, my life, I guess.”

“Did you really not know who he was?” Jake asked, crouching beside Meg.

“Yeah, I mean… Did the Killers not tell you about us?” Claudette asked, sounding slightly nervous. “Wouldn’t they want you to be able to identify us if you ever ran into us?”

“They barely talk about you all,” Marcus admitted. “There are more of them that I’m not on great terms with than I am, but even they don’t really talk about the Entity’s Realm too much. When they do mention you all… They usually just sound sad or kind of regretful. I… I did know there was a Survivor with the same name, but I didn’t think there was any way they were the same person. Especially when he and Joey ran into one another and didn’t seem to recognize each other.”

“Who’s Joey?” Claudette asked, taking a seat as well. “We already know Amanda is the Pig, and now Danny is Ghostface.”

“And Evan McDonalds or somebody is the Trapper,” Meg included.

“MacMillan,” Jake corrected quietly, a bitter tone in the word.

“Yeah, that,” she agreed. “Oh, and Michael and Pyramid Head of course. And that rockstar guy. Yun-Jin’s former client or something.”

“Ji-Woon. The Trickster,” Jake filled in, and Marcus’s eyebrows went up. So it really was true that the former star was the Trickster. He’d almost thought Danny had been joking.

“Don’t forget Wesker and Dredge,” Claudette finished. “Oh, yeah. So, who’s Joey?”

It had never actually occurred to Marcus that the Survivors wouldn’t know who the Killers really were unless they had a personal connection to them or if they had no other name. “Um, you know Frank now, right? His group?”

“Yes,” all three of them said, the same degree of discomfort in their voices.

“Right… Well, Joey is the other guy, Susie’s the one with pink hair, and Julie Is the one who dresses similar to Frank.”

“They’re dating, right?” Jake asked, squinting.

“Yes, and they scare me. Especially Julie,” Marcus confirmed.

“You owe me five bucks,” Jake said, nudging Meg’s side.

She glared at him, muttering, “I still think twins made more sense.”

Before Marcus could say anything, Claudette asked, “Is it true that the four of them are really kids?”

“I mean, Frank is nineteen and the other three are all eighteen,” he confirmed. “So, not children, but yeah, young I guess. If you don’t include the time they spent in the Entity’s Realm or in Hell.”

“Apparently Jeff used to know them before they were taken,” Jake told him in return. “They all showed up in the Entity’s Realm at the same time, but he wasn’t taken until years after them.”

“Frank told me some of them had personal connections to some of you,” Marcus recalled. “I… am sorry about what I said earlier. To Laurie. I didn’t realize who she was, but I still shouldn’t have said all that. I was just pissed and lashing out.”

“You didn’t actually have sex with Michael Myers, did you?” Claudette asked, squinting at him. “I mean, it’s hard enough just to accept that he’d let you live. But the guys got the emotional range of broccoli.”

Marcus couldn’t help but chuckle at the comparison. “Believe it or not, he’s… got the emotional range of a teaspoon. It’s not a lot, but it’s there. And, yes, I did. A few times. And if I survive this it’s going to happen again, now that he actually knows how fun sex is and that I’m pretty much always down for it… Oh, my god. I’ve created a monster.”

That actually got a laugh out of the three of them, and he managed a small smile.

“So, you know a lot of them pretty well?” Meg asked.

“Some better than others,” Marcus confirmed, wondering where she was going with her question.

Grinning, she said, “I have a question about Leatherface.”

“Bubba,” he said, “Or Thomas. What about him?”

“He’s one of the ones you’re on good terms with?” she pressed. “So you know him pretty well? On a personal level.”

“Not as well as I know some of the others,” Marcus joked, laughing nervously. She wasn’t implying that he’d slept with the cannibal, was she?

“No, but like, you’re friends,” she clarified. “I mean, you called him Bubba.”

“Yes,” he confirmed, catching the exasperated look Jake was shooting at the side of Meg’s head. “We’re friends. Just friends.”

“What’s he like? As a person?” Meg finally asked, resting her chin on a fist. “Is he… mean?”

“Thomas? Hell no,” Marcus swore. “He’s just a big kid, really. Super sweet, loves animals, only really gets mean if he thinks his friends are in trouble.”

“Oh?” Claudette asked, frowning curiously.

“Um, yeah, he actually saved me from getting mugged and robbed one night at my job. Or, technically my old job,” the vet explained. “It was bad. Honestly, I still have nightmares about it.”

“Was that what you were dreaming about just now?” Jake asked, looking concerned again.

“No,” he stated flatly. “And I don’t want to talk about what it was.”

Reaching over to smack his shoulder when he started to say something else, Claudette gave Jake an exasperated look before asking a question of her own. “You said some of them never wanted to be Killers. How do you know that?”

Marcus was starting to get the feeling they’d been asking themselves those questions for a long time without imagining they’d ever get an answer. Deciding it couldn’t hurt to be honest, he replied evenly, “Carmina showed me, Frank told me, and if you actually knew them, you’d be able to tell too. I guess, if they didn’t do what the Entity wanted they were tortured for it.”

The three of them all exchanged glances before Jake pointed out, “Some of them enjoyed it. You can’t deny that. A lot of them still go out and kill regularly.”

“I know,” he confirmed. “Trust me, they call me Doc for a reason.”

Getting three curious looks in return, he explained, “Patching up humans is a lot more like patching up animals than a lot of people think. Either way, they come to me whenever they get hurt. Usually it's because they were out hunting people.”

“So… you really are their doctor?” Claudette asked, looking shocked. “What about that crazy guy with electricity powers? His Killer name is literally the Doctor!”

“Oh, I’m very aware,” Marcus confirmed, blanching slightly. “Apparently they don’t like going to him for treatment… I still feel kind of bad for hurting his feelings though.”

“Do they just go to you because you’re sleeping with a bunch of them?” Meg asked, a giant grin spreading across her face.

Turning an even brighter shade of red, Marcus made a noncommittal sound. “I mean… k-kinda? That- that helps, I guess. Although Danny and I didn’t actually start sleeping together until… the third time he broke into my house? Or was it the fourth?”

Seeing the looks he was getting, he turned several shades of red. Clearing his throat, he asked, “Why was that one guy so interested in who all I’ve slept with? I was under the impression the Entity didn’t let you all interact outside of the Trials. Was he ever… involved with one of them?”

“Oh, Ash?” Meg laughed. “Nah, he’s just a horny old man.”

“Don’t let him hear you say that,” Jake chuckled. “He’s had a thing for one or two of the Killers for years, but it’s always just been talk. Kind of like, if you could sleep with a celebrity, who’d you do?”

Marcus shook his head, snorting quietly. “Hey, whatever floats his boat. Uh, who all does he have a thing for?”

Exchanging another group look first, Claudette was the one to finally answer, “The Huntress… and the Pig.”

It took a second, but Marcus didn’t bother to try and hold it in when he burst out laughing. Every time he tried to say something he’d start laughing again.

After several minutes, Meg asked, “They’re already together, aren’t they? He’s gonna lose his elderly mind, and I’m going to win fifty bucks.”

Waving a hand, Marcus finally managed to catch his breath long enough to explain, “No, no, they’re not together. But, uh, Anna is in a relationship with Adiris. I’m not sure where Amanda’s preferences lie though.”

“Who?” Jake asked. “Remember, we don’t know all of their actual names.”

“Oh, ah… Adiris is… really tall? Scars? That doesn’t help, most of them have scars… Um, I think her Slasher power has something to do with disease. Her name does.”

“Plague?!” the three of them shouted, and he jumped slightly.

“Yes?” he confirmed, but it came out more like a question. “Why?”

“That’s just… surprising,” Meg admitted. “So, how did you get caught up in all of this? What did you do to keep Ghostface from killing you? Or did one of the others find you first?”

Immediately on guard again, Marcus shrugged. “No, Danny was the one who found me. Kinda like Dwight did, I guess. Except he broke in and he was the one who was injured, not an animal.”

“But what happened?!” she begged, leaning forward. “You can’t just give us some vague answer like that!”

Arching an eyebrow, he warned, “It’s a long story.”

Gesturing to the floor, Jake invited, “We’ve got time to listen if you want to talk.”

Hesitantly, Marcus took a seat on the other side of the door. “Honestly, that really is how this all started. I had to go into the clinic super late when the burglar alarm went off, and I ran into Danny. He was injured, so I offered to patch him up. He let me live, and then started stalking me.”

“You know what stockholm syndrome is, right?” Claudette asked slowly.

Chuckling, he nodded. “Yeah, but I’m not their prisoner. I come and go as I please and I can say no if I want to when they come looking for a booty call. Besides, Evan actually gave me a chance to get out once. I told him no. I didn’t want to leave everything behind.”

“Why?” Jake asked incredulously. “If you had a chance to escape-”

“Escape what?” Marcus interrupted. “I was never Danny’s prisoner. I’ve been kidnapped more than a few times, but all he’s done is look out for me. Or… tried to anyway. Look, I know you all have had nothing bad, horrible, awful experiences with them, but that isn’t the case for me.”

“They’re still killers,” Jake told him, eyes narrowing. “That hasn’t changed.”

“I know,” he allowed. “But they’ve still treated me better than anyone else in my life. Besides, you can’t really believe that they’re the only horrible people out there. Just because they don’t all make the news doesn’t mean there aren’t people just as bad and worse than them out there.”

Jake looked like he wanted to argue but couldn’t really think of anything to say to that. Finally, he sighed, “So, what’s the story with the Collector? His name is the only one you’ve said, but since you sent him to-”

Marcus wasn’t able to help the look on his face or the way his breathing hitched, and Jake quickly fell silent. Taking a shuddering breath, he muttered, “He… wasn’t a Slasher yet. But he’s gone now so it doesn’t really matter. He, uh… He had made a deal with Wesker, who got my old boss involved. Long story short, I was to be traded for the Lament Configuration. PH rescued me, I ended up with the puzzle box, and when Pinhead tried to manipulate me into opening it, I accidentally released the Le- Frank and the others instead.”

“Haddie… told us about the rest of it, I think,” Meg admitted. “But you know, I think a lot of us would have done the same thing; trading the Collector to be taken in you and Frank’s place.”

“Right,” Marcus said, staring at his hands. “Him and others. I just… don’t know how I’m supposed to be okay with what happened. Everyone keeps telling me that I did what I had to do, and that killing-” he had to pause to clear his throat before continuing, “I still feel so fucking horrible for doing the things I did. I keep wondering if maybe I had handled things differently, I could have avoided killing those people and making that deal with Pinhead.”

“Do you really think they’d still be alive even if you had?” Claudette asked. “Killing that woman was an accident, and killing that man was a mercy. If your positions had been reversed, wouldn’t you want someone to end your suffering?”

“I… I guess,” he admitted, the nightmare repeating in his mind. Shaking his head, he sighed. That really wasn’t even the worst thing he’d done, but it was the thing that stuck with him.

Before anyone else could say anything, the door at the top of the stairs flew open so hard it banged against the wall. The three Survivors all jumped to their feet and Marcus followed, worried about what the hell might be going on. Had they actually sent Frank back, or had he gotten loose and hurt someone? Was Pyramid Head attacking the Tree again? Or was this about him instead?

A young woman he’d yet to be introduced to went flying past his cell and the three Survivors standing outside it. There was a sound of shoes scraping the floor as she skidded to a halt before she rushed back to stand in front of the door. She was slightly out of breath, but asked, “Hey, you’re a veterinarian, right?”

Unsure what the hell was so urgent, he answered hesitantly, “Um, yes?”

“Yui, what’s going on?” Claudette asked, obviously worried.

“Patches is in labor, but something’s wrong,” she answered, already unlocking the cell.

“What do you mean something’s wrong?” Meg demanded. “The livestock never get sick!”

“Woah, woah, hang on!” Marcus said, but she ignored him, grabbing his wrist and pulling him forward. “What kind of problem? And what kind of animal?”

“One of the cows,” Yui told him, dragging him towards the stairs. “None of us know what to do, so we’re really hoping you can help!”

Eyebrows rising, he nodded. “Um, yeah I’d be glad to see what I can do. Lead the way.”

As they exited the stairwell, the others close behind them, a gruff voice shouted, “Hey! What the hell are you kids doing?! How did- which one of you took my damn keys?!”

“Sorry, Bill! I’ll explain later!” Yui shouted, and Marcus offered him a sheepish smile as he was pulled away.

Instead of being blinded by sunlight when he was pulled outside, Marcus found himself looking up at a sky almost identical to the one in the Realm. Far in the distance, he could see a similar fog as well, but it didn’t seem nearly as close to the houses as it did in the Slasher Realm. Maybe it was due to the large fields he could see, full of crops and rows of fruit trees.

Momentarily forgetting he was both a prisoner and being taken to help a cow give birth, he asked, “You all grow your own food?”

“Don’t the Killers?” Jake asked, frowning slightly.

Before the vet could answer, he was nearly pulled off his feet as Yui picked up her pace. Deciding to focus on jogging instead of talking, Marcus managed to keep up until they reached a large red barn. He could hear voices carrying out through the open doors, as well as what sounded like an incredibly uncomfortable cow.

Pulled inside, he was led to a large stall towards the back of the barn. David was standing outside it, looking in and talking to someone. “-don’t know where she went! She just said she had an idea and- Goddammit, are you serious?”

Marcus waved, not particularly happy to see him either.

Someone leaned out of the stall, frowning when they saw him. “Ah, okay. Hey, at least he’s actually trained for this. I was a school teacher, not a veterinarian!”

“Adam, you can’t be serious,” David groaned. “Yui, who the hell gave the okay to let him out?”

“I did,” she scoffed, waving a hand at him to get him out of the way. “Marcus, can you do anything? None of the animals have ever had issues before. Never been sick, never had a miscarriage, never had a single issue giving birth. But shortly after Patches went into labor, she started acting like something was wrong. She laid down about thirty minutes ago, and even though she’s still having contractions, she can’t seem to get the calf out.”

He already had a pretty good idea what was wrong, but he knew he’d have to be the one to double check. Holding out his wrists, he said quickly, “Uncuff me, or they’re both going to die.”

“David, keys,” Yui demanded, holding out a hand to him.

“Fuck no!” he shouted, glaring first at her, then Marcus. “What’s to say the second you uncuff him he’s not going to try something?”

Taking a step towards him, Marcus stated, “I’m about to stick my entire arm inside that cow and try to find the calves' front legs because I'm not yet capable of performing a c-section. Even if I was, this should be less stressful for mom and baby. So unless you want to go shoulder deep in a cow's vagina, I highly suggest someone uncuffs me.”

At a loss for words, David didn’t say anything else as Yui uncuffed him.

The moment his wrists were free, Marcus asked, “Do you have gloves?”

“Ahh, just these,” she admitted, holding up a box of nitrile gloves. Unfortunately, they were just standard gloves that only went to a person’s wrist.

“Nevermind,” Marcus sighed, positioning himself behind Patches. “Don’t need to lose a glove in there.”

“Hey, what the hell is going on?!” a new voice called, but he ignored it. Sounded like Leon, but he didn’t have time to deal with him or any other distractions.

A moment later the blond came into view and stopped, several different emotions crossing his face before he asked, “Why is he shoulder deep in Patches ass?!”

Taking a moment to shoot him the most irritable look he could manage, Marcus snarked sarcastically, “Being a virgin doesn’t make you special, sweetheart.”

Yui and Meg burst out laughing, while Jake and Claudette were at least polite enough to cover their mouths and pretend they were trying not to laugh.

“Ah, there you are!” Marcus exclaimed before anyone else could say anything. “Oooh, and there’s the problem. Get a towel and be ready to clear their noses and mouths.”

“Their?” Adam and Yui asked at once.

“Yep,” he grunted, getting as good a grip as possible before pulling.

Patches let out a loud bellow, instinctively pushing as the calf was finally guided to where it needed to be. Marcus dragged the newborn a couple of feet away as the much larger animal pushed herself to her feet. “Here, one of you take this one while I check on her and the other one.”

Yui wrapped the calf in a towel, helping dry it off and clearing its nose and mouth so it could breathe properly.

With its twin out of the way, the second calf had no issues coming out, thankfully for Marcus who didn’t have to stick his arm inside the cow again. The second calf plopped to the floor with a wet splat, and Patches turned to look at it like she had no idea where it could possibly have come from.

“I’m guessing you all can take it from here?” Marcus asked, looking at Adam and Yui.

“Yes, thank you,” he answered, smiling at the vet. “What… happened exactly?”

“The baby's legs were tangled together causing them both to try and come out at once,” Marcus explained, wiping his arm off with the towel he was handed. “I know you all are going to put me back in a cell, but can I please get a shower first?”

“There’s a hose out back,” David offered, hiking a thumb over one shoulder.

Leon squinted at him before shaking his head. “Yeah… I think that would be fine. A real shower, you don’t have to use the hose. We’ll get you some clean clothes as well. Yui?”

Looking up from the calf she was tending too, she frowned. “Huh?”

“Bill’s keys?”

“Oh, right,” she chuckled, pulling them out of her pocket and handing them over to him. “Sorry about that, I didn’t have time to explain.”

Leon didn’t look particularly impressed but didn’t comment. Instead, he turned to David and asked, “Can you please keep an eye on him? Ada and I need to get ready and the others are all back at work.”

David didn’t look happy about it at all, asking bluntly, “Why can’t we just put him in a cell until you get back?”

“Because he’s not a prisoner,” the blond stated.

“Wait, I’m not? Then can I go?” Marcus asked hopefully.

“No,” both of them told him at once.

Sighing, Leon explained, “Things have gotten a bit complicated, but we’re working on it.”

“So… I’m still a prisoner,” the vet argued. “You know I can’t actually leave on my own, right? I’m not a Slasher. I don’t have any powers and I can’t open Doors.”

Frowning slightly, he took a moment to think before saying, “Follow me. David, you too.”

Taking off, Leon didn’t wait to see if they were following before explaining, “It’s pretty clear Killers can’t open Entryways into our Pocket anyway, so we can only assume that means they can’t open them from inside it either. Haddie told us you were in the process of becoming a ‘Slasher’ but wasn’t sure what that meant exactly. Care to explain?”

Doing his best to stay in step with him, Marcus tried to ignore the way David was glaring at the back of his head and the trail of other Survivors following them. Why the hell were they so fascinated by him now? After what Haddie had seen and told them, shouldn’t they all hate him?

“So… People can become Slashers by a few different means,” he explained, doing his best to recall what Wesker had told them. “Obviously there were the ones taken by the Entity. Then some use black magic or are brought back due to unfinished business, like Charles Lee Ray and Krueger.”

“Charles who?” Leon asked, frowning at him.

“Uuuh, he was a serial killer who transferred his soul into a doll using some kind of cursed ritual, I guess,” Marcus elaborated. “I’ve never met him, and from the sounds of it I don’t want to.”

“Chucky!” Meg shouted suddenly, and he jumped, not expecting her to be so close behind him.

“Yeah, him,” Marcus confirmed, before continuing, “Anyway, I guess the most common method is to… do something horrible. Something that stains your soul so dark that neither heaven or hell will take you… Then, you have to die. And when you do, you come back as a Slasher.”

Leon stopped walking, turning to stare at him with an unreadable expression. “And you feel like you’ve already done the first part of that?”

Looking away, Marcus nodded slowly. “I… yeah. I had to… make a deal with the Cenobites’ god, Leviathan. In exchange for mine and Frank’s souls, I gave him permission to manifest on Earth and take every living person inside the laboratory we were in. Wesker wasn’t too happy about it, but he can play in traffic for all I care.”

The blond studied him for a moment longer before humming under his breath. “Come on inside, you can shower here.”

Marcus looked up, only just realizing he’d been led to one of the houses making up the cul-de-sac. “Ah… Thanks.”

Although he was really hoping the four other Survivors wouldn’t follow them, he didn’t say anything when they did. For all he knew, it was one of their houses and he wasn’t about to tell them to buzz off. Led through a nice living room down a hallway to what was probably the master bedroom, Marcus was directed towards the bathroom.

“I’ll leave some clean clothes outside the bathroom door,” Leon told him. “Take your time. The hot water never runs out and you look like you could use it.”

Looked like there were more similarities between the Realm’s than he’d originally thought. How interesting. Maybe the Slashers could start growing food for themselves someday.

“Thanks,” Marcus repeated, making his way inside. No one followed him or said anything when he shut the door, locking it behind him. Sighing, he started to strip but paused when he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror.

“Jesus Christ…” he muttered, shaking his head. Leon was right. He looked like shit. Dark circles under his eyes, hair sticking out weird from the fitful sleep he’d managed to catch.

At first, he only planned to take a quick shower and get out as soon as possible. He had no idea how long it was going to be before things kicked off again and he didn’t really want to be buck ass naked if the Killers decided to do something stupid, like attacking the Survivors Realm again. The second Marcus stepped under the hot water however, plans changed. He never wanted to leave. His muscles immediately started to feel better and his headache even started to go away. The only things missing were his boyfriends… Although Evan still had yet to join him for a shower.

Losing track of time entirely, Marcus jumped when there was a knock at the door. Sighing, he shut off the water before yelling, “Yeah?”

“Just making sure you didn’t drown,” Jake’s voice called. “There’s some clean clothes out here… Leon wants to talk to you.”

“Of course he does,” Marcus muttered, before saying loud enough to be heard through the door, “Thanks, I’ll be right out.

Giving it a minute to make sure the coast was clear, Marcus cracked the door open just enough to reach an arm through and grab the clothes that had been left for him. Drying off the rest of the way, he pulled on the clean clothes. He wasn’t sure who they belonged to, but the sweat pants and t-shirt were a couple sizes too big for him. Pulling the drawstrings tight, he managed to keep the pants around his waist as he shuffled out of the bathroom.

David was waiting in the bedroom doorway, looking out down the hall. Turning when the bathroom door opened again, he squinted at Marcus before complaining, “Took you long enough.”

“Don’t be upset just because I didn’t invite you to join me,” he snarked, returning the annoyed look. “If you wanted it that bad you should have just asked.”

Turning to face him, David huffed, “I don’t fuck people I could snap like a pencil.”

Marcus tilted his head to one side, looking the Survivor up and down thoughtfully before meeting his eyes. Voice low, he challenged, “I’ve survived Myers. I think I could handle you, so give it your best shot.”

The Survivor looked totally thrown by his answer, starting and stopping several times. Before he could get anything out, Meg poked her head around David to interrupt with, “If you two are done with your dick measuring, lunch is ready.”

David looked like he had more to say, but bit it back with a frustrated sneer. Jerking his head towards the hall, he huffed, “Let’s go.”

“Age before beauty,” Marcus answered, grinning from ear to ear.

“You little-”

Meg scooted around David before he could go after the vet, grabbing Marcus’s wrist and dragging him out into the hall. “You’re not a vegetarian or anything, right?”

“Uh, no?” he answered, ignoring David as he stomped down the hall behind them. “Why?”

Leading him back into the living room, Meg dragged him over to a large L shaped couch and sat down.

Sitting between her and Jake, Marcus was handed a plate with a ham and cheese sandwich on it before he could say anything. He hadn’t even realized how hungry he was until that moment and his stomach growled loudly. Staring at the food for a second, he finally said, “Oh, thank you.”

“Figured you could use something to eat,” Leon told him, sitting in a chair directly across from him. “We’re working on getting you back to your friends and getting Dwight back safely. As long as you’re right and they’re willing to negotiate, it should only be a couple more hours. In the meantime, I wanted to talk to you about something.”

Taking a bite of his sandwich, Marcus prompted, “Ask away.”

He could only guess it was about what Haddie had seen and passed along to them, but what he was asked instead surprised him.

“How well do you know Wesker?”

Clearing his throat a couple of times, Marcus took another bite of sandwich as he considered how to answer that. “I mean… The guy’s an egotistical douchebag and if I could punch him in his stupid sunglasses wearing face without getting my spine ripped out and fed to me afterwards, I would. Why? You hoping he’s a sweetheart too?”

Leon blinked several times, looking shocked. Finally, he said, “Actually, no… But I’m glad to hear that he’s not one of your… partners.”

“I mean, he’s hot and all, but he’s a genocidal maniac,” Marcus scoffed. Clearing his throat again, he continued, “He attacked me and injected me with an experimental virus intended to forcefully evolve me into a Slasher, bypassing the other requirements. It almost killed me instead.”

Coughing, he shook his head. “This is really good, by the way. But did you season it with something?”

“Just mayo,” Meg answered. “We grow all our own food and livestock and everything is homemade, including the cheese.”

Clearing his throat for what felt like the hundredth time, Marcus set down his half eaten sandwich. The more he ate the more his mouth and throat were starting to itch. It tasted really good and it wasn’t spicy, so he was confused as to what the problem was. It almost felt like an allergic reaction, but the only thing that could cause that was pineapple.

Rubbing his hands on his pants to try and get them to stop itching, he asked slowly, “What all went into this?”

“Ham, lettuce, tomato, mayo, cheese, Hawaiian bread,” Meg rattled off.

“What?” he asked, choking slightly.

“Surprised we make our own bread?” Claudette asked, looking at him skeptically. “I hope you don’t mind the way it tastes. Not everyone likes it sweet, but we had a bumper crop of pineapple-”

“I’m allergic to pineapple,” he wheezed, eyes watering. “Severely allergic!”

“Who the fuck is allergic to pineapple?!” David demanded, staring at him incredulously. “Why couldn’t you have a normal allergy? Like peanuts!”

“Epinephrine,” Claudette ordered, leaping to her feet. Rushing to the front door, she shouted, “Make sure he doesn’t stop breathing!”

“How do we do that?!” David shouted after her, but she was already gone.

Marcus was already trying to focus on just that. Breathing. His throat and mouth were on fire, every breath scraping like sandpaper. To make matters worse, each one was harder to get than the last and he knew if he didn’t get that epinephrine soon he was going to be in serious trouble.

“Oh, my god, I’m sorry!” Meg swore, looking mortified. “I didn’t even think to ask if you had allergies, I’m sorry!”

He would have waved a hand at her but all his strength was currently being used to force what little air he could get in and out of his lungs. His hands and feet were starting to sting and his vision was getting blurry on top of everything else.

“Try to relax,” someone told him. “You’re doing great. Just keep breathing.”

The sound of the front door being flung open was immediately followed by Claudette warning, “Sorry, Marcus!”

Something stabbed him in the leg and he let out a startled wheezing noise. It would have been a yelp but his throat and tongue were too swollen to make the proper sound. After a few seconds however, he started to feel some relief. Breathing became easier and the pins and needles in his hands and feet lessened slightly. Leaning down so his head was between his knees, he groaned. He was starting to feel nauseated…

“Hey, hey, you’re okay,” Claudette promised, rubbing his back. “I don’t know how it is in the Killers Realm, but you’re going to heal faster here.”

Drooling slightly, Marcus groaned again in response. He knew she was right but that didn’t make it any less scary. The last time he’d had an allergic reaction, he’d ended up in the hospital for two days. He was still paying off the medical bills for that one…

“Is there anything else you’re allergic to? Are you on any medications we should know about?” she asked, still rubbing his back. “I’m sorry we didn’t think to ask. Since… Well, since we were taken, none of us really get sick anymore.”

Marcus nodded, mumbling, “Mm’ good.”

“Here, just drink it slowly,” Leon instructed, passing him a glass of water.

Marcus’s hands shook as he took it, but he managed to raise it to his lips without spilling any. He was shivering uncontrollably even though sweat was pouring down his skin, and when he took a sip he nearly ended up gagging on it.

“Easy, don’t choke yourself,” David admonished, but he sounded more concerned than sarcastic.

Still, that didn’t stop Marcus from looking him dead in the eye as he wheezed, “Jokes on you. I only choke on dick.”

The heavy silence that followed was only broken by the vets' labored breathing, and he couldn’t help but wonder why he said the things he did when he was upset. It definitely didn’t make things better. Or did it? He’d talked his way out of a lot of crazy situations after all.

Somewhat awkwardly clearing his throat, Leon said, “Well, be that as it may…”

Marcus slapped a hand over his face. Oh, god… Why was he like this? He’d been hoping, praying even, that they’d just let it go. Now it was even more awkward. Thank god he’d be home soon and he’d never have to see another Survivor again.

“I don’t think he heard a thing you just said,” David pointed out. Loudly. Directly in his ear.

Jerking slightly, Marcus glared at him before looking at the others. Everyone was staring at him expectantly and he blushed. Oops…

“I’m sorry. I… kind of got lost in thought. Um, what was that?”

Leon sighed, rubbing his eyes before repeating, “After everything Haddie saw and the things you’ve told us… and after what happened with the cows, we’ve decided to rethink our initial strategy of just trading you for Dwight.”

Marcus felt his blood run cold. “What? You can’t keep me here and just expect-”

“No, no, we’re not going to do that,” Leon promised quickly. “Although it was highly argued against, we’re going to…”

He trailed off, looking away for a moment before sighing and shaking his head. “We feel like you’d make a very valuable asset, as long as you’re willing to help us. You’d be fairly compensated of course. But before any of that can happen, we’re still going to attempt to exchange you and Dwight… and propose a peace treaty with the Killers.”
~~~~

Chapter Text

Leon could tell Marcus didn’t know what to think. His initial reaction was to stare at him, eyes slowly narrowing until he was squinting at him suspiciously. That didn’t seem like a good sign, but he couldn’t tell if it was because he thought the Killers wouldn’t be willing to negotiate, or if he just didn’t trust them the Survivors. He’d actually be more surprised if the ginger did trust them as opposed to not.

“What?” Marcus finally asked.

“Things aren’t going to stay the way they’ve been,” Leon explained. He was quoting the same argument Haddie had used, even if he hated to agree with it. “Unfortunately, the Killers know we’re out here now. Even if some of them have no interest in coming after us again, we know there are going to be those who will for one reason or another. They might not try to break in here, but we can’t be expected to just never leave the Pocket to ensure we don’t run into one of them again.”

Marcus was staring at him but it felt more like he was looking through him. Leon wasn’t sure if the kid had zoned out, was having some kind of panic attack, or was simply lost in thought again. He was about to try snapping his fingers in front of his face, when the ginger suddenly blinked, sitting upright and nodding.

“Okay, okay, that’s… that’s not a bad idea, actually. That might work. Especially if I vouch for you all.”

“Just like that?” David asked suspiciously. “Why so fast to agree?”

Marcus ignored him, once again deep in thought. Thankfully for the gathered Survivors, he started thinking out loud.

“Danny won’t like it, but he’s super protective and possessive. I can convince him though if I need to. Evan… Eh, he’ll probably go along with it if I ask him too. Amanda is usually pretty level headed and might not need convincing… Carmina, Philip… Maybe Adiris. I can’t imagine they’d have a problem with it since they never wanted to kill in the first place. Wesker is going to be an issue though.”

“I’m not surprised,” Leon sighed tiredly. He’d only ever met the man in Trials, but that and the scathing personal opinions shared by the others had been enough to let him know just how vile the man could be. “What about the rest of them?”

“It’s probably going to vary greatly,” Marcus warned, carefully taking another sip of water. “Some of them are pretty level headed. A lot of them just want to be left alone. I wasn’t kidding when I said they’re not the mindless killing machines you all seem to think they are.”

“I hope you’re right,” Leon admitted. The vet looked surprised, so he continued, “I don’t trust them and I know they don’t trust us. I’m not sure I trust you, either. None of us want a war. Most of them were never soldiers anyway. Even if they were, fighting an army of Killers is a battle we can’t win right now. But I’m not going to sit back and tell my people that they can’t leave the Pocket anymore, so if they’re willing to find common ground to make peace on… it’s the best option we have right now.”

“I understand,” Marcus said, a strange look in his eyes. “It’s not always easy, doing what you have to do to survive, huh?”

“You’d know all about that,” David muttered, and the ginger’s expression darkened.

“Yeah, I fucking would,” he agreed coldly. “Considering I’ve been doing it since I was twelve. So, what’s the plan? How are you going to approach them about a truce?”

“Well, if we’d known what we do now before we sent Frank back, we’d have said as much in the note we sent. Right now all they have is a location and a time, and orders to come alone.”

Marcus winced, and Leon nodded. “Yeah. It was supposed to be a simple, okay, we’re here, bring us Dwight and we bring them you. Now… Now I get to try and negotiate with whoever they send. Any ideas?”

“It’ll probably be Danny or Evan since they’re my boyfriends,” he mused. “But they won’t be alone. I can guarantee that. If Myers knows and decides he’s getting involved, they won’t be able to stop him. So if he is there, talk fast.”

“If Michael is there we’re as good as dead,” Leon argued. “He doesn’t listen to-” he cut himself off when he saw the look the vet was giving him.

“He will. If you know what to say,” Marcus told him flatly. “Myers, PH, any of the more aggressive killers will listen if you tell them I’m safe and you’re there to try and get me back to them. They won’t listen for long, but tell them that and it’ll give a small window of time. Hopefully.”

“That’s… not reassuring,” Jake pointed out, and the vet shrugged.

“It’s not supposed to be. It’s the truth. I know how to deal with them, you all don’t. Look, I want this to work too. I’d rather not have to constantly be looking over my shoulder or worry that one of my partners or friends is going to do something stupid and start a war or end up imprisoned somewhere.”

“Why do you care so much?” David demanded, and Leon shot him a warning look.

He knew how short tempered and untrusting the man could be, but the last thing any of them needed was for him to lose his temper and start swinging. Technically Marcus was still a prisoner for the time being and if he got hurt there was no way the Killers would be willing to listen to a thing any of the Survivors had to say.

Marcus let out a tired sigh before looking at David. “Because even though I think you’re an insufferable asshole who clearly needs to get laid soon, I kind of like some of the other Survivors I’ve met and I’d rather not see them get hurt.”

As hard as he tried, Leon couldn’t keep a straight face. Covering a small laugh with a cough, he cleared his throat when David shot him a venomous glare.

Meg wasn’t nearly as restrained, cackling and pointing at the Brit. “Ha! And he’s only known you for like an hour!”

Before they could start fighting outright, Leon stood. “Alright. With any luck you’ll be back with your friends in a few hours. For the time being, I’m going to ask you to stay here.”

Instantly suspicious again, Marcus studied him for a moment before asking, “Here, here? As in, inside this house? Or just, here in the Realm? Er, Pocket. Can I-”

“Here, in this house,” Leon interrupted, slightly exasperated. “At least two people are going to stay with you the entire time, and as soon as your friends are able to come to a reasonable agreement with us, you’ll be free to go.”

“Wait, shouldn’t I go with you?” Marcus asked, sounding as worried as he looked. “It might help.”

“No,” he answered. He knew that was going to be the hard part, but it was necessary for the time being. “If we bring you with us, they could try to simply grab you without returning Dwight to us and that’s not something we’re willing to risk. I’m sorry.”

The vet looked angry, but nodded. It was obvious he wanted to disagree, but knew there was no point in arguing.

“Rest, recover, try and eat something else, and we’ll get this sorted as best we can,” he promised, checking his watch. He needed to get moving. Ada would already be waiting by the Tree.

David rose, following him out onto the front porch. Waiting for the door to close, he crossed his arms and demanded in a low voice, “Are you sure this is a good idea?”

“What choice do we have?” Leon asked. “I don’t like it either, but if it keeps everyone safe, it’s what we have to do.”

Glaring out at the courtyard, David let out a long sigh. “I still disagree. There’s got to be a way to put the Killers down permanently.”

“Anything that could do that would most likely do the same to us,” he warned. “We talked about this already.”

“I know… But I just… I don’t like it. He might trust them to keep to whatever terms you get them to agree too, but I don’t. And yeah, I know. We don’t keep innocent people prisoner, blah blah blah. But the moment we hand him over our bargaining power is gone.”

Leon nodded tiredly. They’d been going in circles with the same argument during the last meeting when Haddie told them all what she’d seen. If she hadn’t vouched so hard for Marcus, none of them would have agreed to attempting a working truce with the Killers. It was pretty clear most of them weren’t happy about it, but she refused to stay in medical until they came to some kind of decision.

“Can you keep an eye on him?” he finally asked. He didn’t add that he was actually more worried about Jake, Meg, and Claudette getting Marcus into trouble than he was worried that the ginger would try something on his own.

David knew all of them well enough to understand the subtext and nodded curtly. “Yeah… but if he keeps mouthing off like that I can’t promise not to pop him one.”

“Under no circumstances is he to be harmed,” Leon ordered. “We’ll be back as soon as we can.”

Grunting to acknowledge he’d heard, David turned and went back inside.

God, he really hoped he wasn’t making a huge mistake leaving him in charge. Still, he didn’t have time to second guess himself. Ada was waiting for him. If they wanted to get there before the Killers, they needed to move…

~

Leon was starting to wonder if the Killers had gone to the wrong coordinates somehow. Maybe they should have tried to meet somewhere public? If they could be as level headed as Marcus claimed, it could have forced them to send one that could walk around unmasked. Other than Ghostface and the Pig, he wasn’t actually sure who else they could send at that point. Well… maybe Wesker. But he highly doubted the egomaniac would be that invested in the vet, even if he had forced him into some kind of agreement. They still needed to get the full story on that one…

Taking a good look around the open, empty field he was standing in, he kept his back to the hill behind him as he murmured into his throat mic, “Ada… anything?”

Hidden in the trees cresting the hill above, she lifted her head from the scope of her rifle to roll her eyes. “Nope. Nothing. It’s starting to feel like we came out here early for nothing.”

“Maybe…” he agreed. “Honestly, I figured they’d have had a similar idea. I’m surprised no one’s here.”

“Hmm, perhaps. Shit, Leon!”

Before he could react, he noticed the shimmer only a few feet away. The sound of a bell ringing echoed in his ears and he found himself face to face with the Wraith. The Killer had positioned himself perfectly, ensuring Leon’s body was between him and Ada and blocking her chance at a safe shot should he decide to attack. One hand instinctively went for his gun, and the man hissed at him, eyes narrowing.

Leon managed to still his hand before he actually touched his gun. The Wraith’s weapon was secured to his hip, the only thing in his grasp was the Wailing Bell. Still, he had a long reach and speed on his side. He could easily move and strike with his bare hand before anyone could react if he really wanted to.

Eyeing the Survivor up and down, the Killer slowly secured the bell to his other hip before looking up at the hill and grinning. Lifting one hand, he waved before looking back at Leon.

Ada’s voice came through a moment later, and although to most people she would have sounded totally unfazed, he easily picked up the stress in her tone. “It looks like they beat us here.”

The Wraith’s head tilted to one side and he made a small chirping sound. Raising both hands, he signed, ‘Where’s Marcus?’

“Where’s Dwight?” Leon asked in return, crossing his arms definitely.

A slow smile spread across the Killers’ face. What precisely he was smiling about was unclear, but he once again signed as he communicated, ‘Come.’

Before Leon could say anything, he turned on his heel and started walking towards the other end of the valley. There were a few trees but not enough to hide a person in, much less a Slasher. Unless it was another stealth Killer… Shit.

“We can talk here,” Leon called, watching the Wraith leave.

Pausing, he turned to look at him, then pointedly up at the hill where Ada was hiding. Snorting, he shook his head before signing, ‘You set up this meeting, then broke your own guidelines. Now it’s our turn. Come… Or don’t. Dwight can stay with us a while longer…’

“Leon, don’t,” Ada warned. “You go with him and you’ll have no backup. We could be handing them another hostage.”

“I know that,” he murmured. “But if we want this to work we’re going to have to take risks, aren't we?”

“Leon! Don’t you-”

He cut off the mic, cautiously following the Wraith towards the small patch of trees. The Killer stayed visible the entire time and when they reached the small gove he put a hand on one large tree. It leaned precariously, meeting another slightly smaller tree to create a natural archway.

As soon as Leon got close to it, he could feel a cold presence. It was shockingly similar to the Entity’s Realm and he almost flinched. Looking at the Wraith, he was met with a nod. It was exactly what he thought it was…

Stealing himself for what could end up being a horrible mistake, he stepped through the Door. It was cold and slightly nauseating, much like the sensation of being dropped into a new Trial. He could only wonder if it felt like that for Marcus. Poor kid. How often did these psychopaths drag him through that crap? His boot bonked into something and was immediately followed by the racket of metal clanging across a cement floor.

Wincing, he looked around. To his surprise, it looked like a factory of some sort that had been abandoned mid demolition. The Door the Wraith had made was supported by two large pieces of rubble that had fallen together, leaving a narrow space just big enough for a person to fit through.

Stepping a bit further into the factory floor, Leon started to notice signs of a battle. Dried blood was splattered and smeared across the ground, disturbing the thick layer of dust. Conveyor belts had been overturned and tossed around, tearing up the cement floor. Glancing back towards the rubble making up the Door, he realized it had once been a raised office. The blackened, warped section of wall up above was clear evidence of heavy explosives. The only Killer he knew of that carried that kind of weaponry was Nemesis… Shit, had he just walked into a trap?

“Way to make an entrance,” a smug voice purred. “Come on in. I would say I don’t bite… but that would be a lie.”

Looking around, Leon squinted into the shadows. It was impossible to tell where exactly the voice had come from, but he knew the Killer was watching him. Probably Ghostface, judging from the setting and method of communication. Plenty of places to hide and the echo only served to make his exact location impossible to pinpoint.

Hand slowly lowering to his gun, he took a cautious step forward. “You planning to stay hidden the whole time? Or are we going to talk face to face?”

“Hmm, where’s the fun in that, Survivor?” Ghostface cooed, voice coming from somewhere behind Leon.

Spinning, he was met with more empty space and ruined industrial equipment. “I didn’t think either of us were here for fun. I thought this was about getting our people back to where they belong.”

There was a pause, then from somewhere to one side, “Oooh, it could have been. But then you went and changed the terms of the meeting. I do so hate people who break their word, Survivor.”

“Like you didn’t bring backup?” Leon scoffed, slowly moving closer to the center of the warehouse. “The Wraith didn’t seem too surprised. Makes me wonder if this was your plan from the start.”

His accusation was met with a mirthless laugh, Ghostface confessing, “It was. Good job, officer. But you see, you made one critical mistake…”

Forced to humor him just a bit longer, Leon turned in a slow circle as he asked, “Oh, yeah? What’s that?”

A tremor ran up his spine and his eyes widened, a strange feeling of raw energy surging through him. His heart rate jumped dramatically and he instantly felt slightly out of breath. Ghostface was still able to use his power?!

An arm wrapped around his waist, pulling him against a body as the sharp edge of a knife met his throat. A mask pressed against the side of his head, Ghostface’s voice whispering directly in his ear, “Really? Letting yourself get exposed, Survivor… You never were good at spotting me in time.”

Hands hovering slightly above his hips, Leon considered his options. Chances were Ghostface was expecting him to try and fight back. Throw an elbow or a leg, try to knock him back so he could draw his gun and fire. He could try to headbutt him, but with the Killer’s head on his shoulder and not behind him, it would probably be a fruitless effort.

Ghostface laughed suddenly, the knife and arm disappearing as he took a step back.

Leon took a quick step forward, spinning to face him as he went for his gun.

“Oh, I wouldn’t if I were you,” the Killer taunted jovially. “There’s a reason the Wraith let you keep that cute little thing.”

There was a click and Leon froze. Slowly looking over his shoulder, he grit his teeth.

The Deathslinger’s scarred face twisted in a grin, his finger not in the slightest twitching as it sat on the Redeemer’s trigger. “Lawman. Good to see you again.”

“You set the terms, but failed to do two important things,” a woman's voice pointed out.

Turning back to Ghostface, Leon’s eyebrows rose as the Pig stepped out from behind an overturned conveyor belt. “You failed to uphold the rules you set… and you failed to give us a chance to agree, or counter your offer.”

“It doesn’t look like you all planned to trade anyway, so does it really matter?” Leon demanded coldly.

“If you’re here,” Ghostface said, wagging a finger at him. “That means that you not only showed up with backup of your own, but you didn’t bring Doc with you. So… what were you really hoping to accomplish back there? We thought this was a one for one. Your man for ours.”

Letting his hands hang by his sides, Leon let out a long sigh. “We want to negotiate and we weren’t about to risk you all trying anything.”

“There’s nothing to negotiate,” the Pig told him flatly. “We don’t want Dwight, we want Marcus.”

“I know,” he said. “We want the same things. Our people back where they belong, safe and sound. However… we want to make a peace treaty with you all.”

Both Killers heads tilted slightly and they turned to look at one another before looking back at him.

“What?” Ghostface asked. “Why?”

“Because we don’t want a war. We want to be able to continue living in peace without fear of being hunted down every time we go out,” Leon told him. “As well… We want Marcus’s help.”

The tendrils of Ghostface’s cloak started to float slightly, his head canting to one side. “Oooh. So that’s what this is? Trying to find a way to get Dwight back and keep your hands on Marcus? Good thing you don’t stay dead, Survivor, because I’m not the only one who’s going to kill you.”

“That’s not what’s happening,” Leon argued quickly. “Marcus isn’t a prisoner. Once we come to some kind of agreement and Dwight is returned to us safely, he’ll be free to come and go as he pleases. Of course, that’s assuming you all allow him the same basic human rights.”

It was easy to see he’d struck a nerve with Ghostface, as the Killer took a step forward, cloak strips floating around him ominously. “Marcus isn’t our prisoner, you waste of hair spray! He’s my goddamn boyfriend, and if you think you can keep us from getting him back-”

“We’re not animals,” Leon interrupted, taking a step closer himself. He refused to be intimidated, even if he was at an absolute disadvantage. “We have no intention of holding him hostage or trying to keep him from you. We don’t trust you, and we don’t like that he’s involved with you all. But if that really is his decision, we aren’t going to try and stop him.”

“How noble of you,” the Deathslinger chuckled. “If the threat of total annihilation wasn’t hanging over your heads, I bet you’d be singing a different tune, lawman.”

“Not at all,” he argued, risking an angry glance over his shoulder. “We’re not monsters.”

“We are,” Ghostface stated.

The pride in his voice set Leon’s teeth on edge. These were the kind of people he’d joined the Raccoon City Police Department to try and stop, yet there he was… trying to make a deal with them. “We’re fully aware of what and who you are, Danny… Or should I call you Jed?”

Ghostface didn’t appear fazed, a low laugh creeping from behind his mask. “It’s Jed to my ignorant peers and Danny to my friends. You can just call me Ghostface.”

“How do we know you all intend to keep your word?” the Pig asked, stepping up beside the other Killer. “As much as you don’t trust us, we don’t trust you. We know you harbor nothing but hatred for us and the things we do. So what can you do to show you don’t have any intention of trying to stab us in the back?”

He knew the Pig was really Amanda Young, and he knew she wasn’t as naive as she was before the Entity had taken her. Once a drug addict and victim of Jigsaw, she’d come into her own as a Killer during her time in the Realm. Leon could only imagine she’d become more shrewd and dangerous since she’d been out.

“You probably already know this, but I’m going to tell you anyway,” he said. “There’s no way for us to reveal you all to the government or any other form of authority without also revealing ourselves. As much as we’ve done our best to avoid you all, we’ve also had to be careful not to let the general public know there are people like us out there now too.”

“Immortality is a hell of a thing,” the Deathslinger drawled, sounding amused. “Can’t tell you how many men I saw lose their minds thinking they’d found a magic cure for death, only to die from it.”

“So, this isn’t about keeping Doc safe at all,” Ghostface purred smugly. “This is about keeping yourselves safe. Hm?”

Leon sighed, glaring at the dark eyes of the Killers mask. “It’s a bit more complicated than that… but to an extent, yes. We’re not going to let you all terrorize us into living like caged animals, nor will we allow ourselves to be hunted down and exploited by any organizations. I saw enough of that in my home Realm.”

“Hmm,” Ghostface hummed. “How interesting. I’d love to never hear the rest of that story. Now, how precisely do you expect this to work? We just agree to play nice when we see one another? Or do you actually want something from us? Other than Dwight, obviously.”

“We want your word that none of your people are going to come after us,” Leon stated firmly. “If any of them do, we will defend ourselves with any means necessary. But we need access to a proper vet. So, as long as Marcus is willing, we intend to extend an offer of employment to him. That also means we will be around. Often.”

“It’s hard to make a deal when everyone involved isn’t present,” the Pig chided. “We can’t speak for Marcus, or for the others. The best we can do is take this back to them, then meet with you again with an answer.”

“In the meantime… how do we know Doc is actually safe and unharmed?” Ghostface pressed. “You sent back Frank, who had a few choice words he’d like me to pass along, and you sent back the Hag’s pendant.”

“We have no reason to hurt Marcus,” Leon promised. “I can’t imagine the same can be said for how you’re treating Dwight.”

“He’s fine,” the Pig answered. “A little banged up, but that’s what happens when you kidnap someone's boyfriend’s right in front of them.”

“Here’s how this is going to work,” Ghostface stated, voice smooth as he began slowly circling Leon. “In six hours, you’re going to bring Marcus back to his house. We’ll even let you bring a second person if you’d like. We’ll be there with your precious little Dweety, and an answer to your… proposal. Even if the answer’s no, we’ll let you leave unharmed. Just like it could have been in the first place.”

Leon studied him and the Pig for a moment before slowly nodding. It may very well be a trap, but it was their best bet if they wanted to avoid any kind of public incident. “Alright. We’ll be there.”

“We look forward to it,” Ghostface purred, holding a hand out towards the Door. “Michael will see you out.”

Head snapping around, Leon jumped backwards. The fucking Haddonfield Boogeyman was standing less than four feet away, and probably had been for the majority of the conversation. It was impossible to see his eyes through the black holes in his mask, but the Survivor could feel him glaring with such an intense hatred it almost made him sick. There was no way that was a normal human being!

“I’d go, if I were you,” the Pig warned, malicious amusement in her voice. “He’s not a patient man.”

Michael was standing in the middle of the path and showed no signs of moving. Leon would have to go around him, which also meant getting incredibly close to him. Even if the Killer had yet to take the opportunity to grab him while his back was turned, it didn’t mean he wouldn’t. Still… that was the only real way out and something told him refusing would only end with him being forcefully sent back through the Door. Possibly in pieces.

Leon was careful not to take his eyes off the Shape as he cautiously stepped around him. Michael’s entire body turned as he did, keeping the unwavering evil stare on him the whole time. He couldn’t hear his footsteps, but he knew the Killer was walking directly behind him. The raspy breathing that often haunted his dreams was once again directly over his head. Only that time, it wasn’t a Trial.

Reaching the makeshift Door, he wasn’t made to wait. Michael didn’t even bother touching the Door to open it. Planting one huge hand between Leon’s shoulders, he shoved him through the opening.

Stumbling into the grassy field he’d left from, Leon took a quick look around. The Wraith wasn’t anywhere in sight and he didn’t see the tell-tale shimmer of his cloaked form… but that didn’t mean anything.

Reattaching the earpiece and mic, he asked quietly, “Ada, you there?”

There was a brief pause, then, “You’re lucky I am. The Wraith didn’t stick around after he sent you through. So? What happened?”

“Let’s get back to the others. We have a lot to discuss.”

~~

Dwight wasn’t sure how long he was huddled in the corner. He hadn’t expected to fall asleep, but waking up to the Trapper taking up the majority of the tiny room had been utterly terrifying. He’d gone ahead and pulled his pants back on the second he’d closed the door before once again scooting into the corner and wrapping his arms around his knees.

Although it had been an incredibly short interaction, he couldn’t stop thinking about it. The last time the Killer had him alone, he’d been positive he was going to kill him. Maybe do something worse, although he desperately wanted to believe that wasn’t the case. The strange conversation before Freddy had interrupted had only confused him more. Well, if anyone could even call it a conversation anyway.

Wearily resting his head on his knees, he let out a tired sigh. He didn’t know how much longer they were going to leave him there, or what they’d do to him when they came back. He could only hope they’d be willing to resolve it amicably. He knew the other Survivors would try that route first, but there was no telling how the Killers would react.

Starting to doze off slightly, the sound of someone softly clearing their throat had him shooting upright with a gasp. Unfortunately, he moved a little too quickly and smacked the back of his head against the wall with a loud crack. Hissing, he reached up to feel the spot and winced when he found a large bump already forming.

The bed dipped suddenly and he jolted, looking up to find the Trapper sitting on the mattress and leaning over him. Even sitting down he was so much bigger than the Survivor, and he let out a small whimper.

Pressing himself back against the wall when a hand reached for him, he shrank down even further. Trembling so hard he could barely get the words out, Dwight begged, “P-please do-don’t touch me.”

The Killer froze for a moment, hand hovering a few inches away from the side of Dwight’s face. Fingers slowly curling, he withdrew his hand after a moment and sat back so he was no longer leaning into the Survivor’s space. Staring down at his hands as he held them absently in his lap, the Killer said quietly, “I’m sorry… I didn’t… I… brought you some food. I figured you might be hungry.”

Glancing slightly to the side, Dwight confirmed that there was indeed a plate with a sandwich and a can of soda on the bedside table. It actually looked really good and his stomach growled quietly. Still, he was pretty sure Amanda had drugged him when she’d given him that bottle of water, and he wasn’t about to risk being given something stronger no matter how hungry he might feel. He could only guess he didn’t need to eat in the Killer’s Realm, but he was so used to eating regularly to stay in the best state possible it was always a terrible readjustment when he skipped meals.

“I wasn’t sure what you liked… so I just made it with ham and cheese.”

Jumping when the Trapper spoke again, Dwight once again found himself marveling at hearing him say so much at once. Even his body language was different. He still seemed tense, but he didn’t seem as violent or aggressive as he had back in the Entity’s Realm, or even when the Survivor had first been pulled into the Killers Realm. Had he actually… changed?

“Um, i-is it- there’s not-” he wasn’t sure how the heck to ask if there were drugs in it or not, so he gave up, shrinking down on himself when the Trappers mask turned towards him again. “N-never m-mind.”

“It’s not drugged, if that’s what you’re worried about. It’s… just a sandwich. I don’t bother with drugging people. I just hit them.”

Dwight wasn’t sure if that was supposed to be a reassurance or a threat, but either way it was terrifying. Pulling his knees slightly closer to his body, the best answer he could muster was a small, “Oh.”

Rubbing a hand over the front of his mask, the Trapper looked away, sighing heavily. “You fucking idiot…”

The pair sat in silence for a while, the Killer staring at the floor as Dwight watched him like a hawk. Stomach growling again, he glanced at the sandwich a second time. It did look really good… besides, the Trapper seemed like the kind of killer who preferred his victims to be awake when he killed them.

Just as he was about to grab the plate, the Trapper suddenly turned to him, the start of a question on his lips. Dwight panicked at the sudden movement, grabbing the nearest thing he could reach and flinging it at the Killer.

Unfortunately, it was the sandwich. It very ineffectively smacked the Trapper in the arm before going all over the floor. Looking at the mess for a moment, Evan slowly turned and stared at Dwight.

Just as he opened his mouth to speak again, Dwight let out a shaky sob, swearing, “I’m so sorry! I’m sorry, really, I’m sorry! I- I just- I didn’t- I wasn’t- P-please don’t hurt me!”

Holding up both his hands, the Trapper said as softly as he could manage in his rough voice, “I’m not mad… but, you know if you don’t like ham you could have just said something.”

Dwight really wasn’t sure if he was trying to make a joke to lighten the mood, or if it was some kind of ploy to get him to let his guard down. Slightly embarrassed to be crying in front of a Killer, he quickly scrubbed an arm across his face before looking away. “N-no, it- it’s not that. I- I’m sorry. Y-you startled me and I- I just kind of… reacted.”

“You have nothing to apologize for,” he said quietly, once again looking at his hands. “Dwight… I am… I’m sorry. For this. And for everything that’s happened. You shouldn’t have been dragged into all this.”

He sounded… sad. Legitimately sad. Dwight wasn’t sure what to think. A part of him, the majority of him really, was still terrified. The Trapper had been the first Killer he’d ever faced, and although the others didn’t bother to keep track of their Trials, he had. And he knew that he’d faced Evan more than any other Killer the Entity had at its disposal.

But a small, nagging part of his brain, the part that spurred him on to step into the path of danger to help others at his own expense… That part wouldn’t shut up until he hesitantly asked, “Do you… Do you remember? Everything?”

The way the Trapper’s muscles tensed told him he did. At least enough anyway. Drawing in a long breath, he let it out slowly before nodding. “Yes. All of the Killers do. The Entity… wouldn’t take our memories. It… sometimes it would make us see things during Trials to encourage us to kill if we were… struggling. But it always made sure we knew what we’d done in the end. That was our reward… and oftentimes our punishment.”

Taking a chance to study him a bit closer, Dwight studied the layers of scars covering his arms, neck, shoulders, chest and back. Some looked like cuts, others like burns. All of them had long since healed, but the metal hooks and shards of shrapnel embedded in his body still looked fresh. It was as if they’d been placed there on purpose; none hindered his movement or range of motion, but there was no way he didn’t feel them constantly.

Looking up slightly so he could try and take a look at the Trapper’s mask, he jumped when he realized the Killer had turned his head to stare at him again. Blushing, Dwight quickly looked away.

“Do you remember it all?” he asked softly, and Dwight looked back at him again.

Starting and stopping, he finally nodded. He was one of the few who did. Even Jake had some Trials he simply didn’t remember or specific details that were fuzzy… But for Dwight, he remembered every single one. Every hook, sacrifice, mori, and escape.

The Trapper looked away again and for a moment it looked like he wasn’t going to say anything else. Then, much to Dwight’s shock, he asked quietly, “Do you remember… when we ran into one another in the woods?”

Dwight didn’t even realize he’d slowly been letting the tension out of his muscles until he pulled his legs tight against his body again. Shivering, he looked away when the Trapper looked at him again. He remembered it. All of it. Biting his lip, he forced himself to look at the Killer and nod.

The Trapper nodded, letting out a short huff. “Right. I-” he sighed, rubbing a hand over the front of his mask. “I’m not going to force you to listen to me if you don’t want to. I know this isn’t… this probably isn’t the right time or place for this. So if you’d like me to go, I will. I’ll bring- Or, I can have one of the others bring you some food, if you’d like.”

Unsure how to respond to that, Dwight didn’t try to answer right away. So far, it seemed like almost everything he’d thought he knew about the Killers wasn’t entirely true. Even the Trapper was so different from the nearly feral animal that had tormented him and his friends in the Entity’s games.

Making up his mind, Dwight was about to speak up when footsteps came racing towards the door. Evan rose from the bed, a low growl starting in his chest as the door was flung open.

It was Joey that time, and he looked almost excited about something as he rushed out, “They’re back! Come on, it’s big!”

Darting away, his footsteps suddenly changed direction and came racing back. Poking his head around the door, he added quickly, “Bring him. We need his input.”

Both Killer and Survivor were left staring at the empty doorway for a moment, unsure what the hell to do.

Finally, the Trapper looked down at him, saying, “Well… come on, I guess.”

Slowly uncurling from his hunched down spot in the corner, Dwight forced himself off the bed. Even though his pants were still a little bit sticky with blood, he was glad he’d pulled them back on.

The Trapper was waiting outside the door, but was watching him closely as he approached. It wasn’t like he could go anywhere, but Dwight wasn’t surprised. Most people would probably try to run the second they thought they had even a tiny chance of success. Unfortunately, he knew better.

“This way,” the Trapper directed, falling in step beside him. He didn’t try to touch or grab the Survivor, just verbally directed him to the stairs and then the dining room again.

It really wasn’t hard to find, but since he hadn’t been paying attention when Amanda had taken him upstairs, Dwight was glad for the gentle guidance. The low murmur around the table didn’t die down when they entered that time, but he did get a few strange looks. Why did they seem so… excited?

Pyramid Head was the only one who directly followed him as he was led to the other end of the table, helmet slowly turning to track his movements until he sat down. That time he was at the very end, sitting next to Joey.

Evan sat at the head of the table as he always did in his home, and glanced at Dwight before speaking loudly enough to quiet the assembled group. “Alright, what the hell is going on?”

“The meeting went… very interestingly,” Ghostface purred, eyes locked on Dwight with a malicious glitter. “The Survivors have proposed a truce.”

Dwight’s heart skipped a beat. Not just a trade but an actual truce? Peace?! Would that even work?!

The quiet murmur around the table started up again, quickly gaining volume. Before it could get too loud, Ghostface shouted, “Do I need to pull out the gun again?!”

Everyone quickly quieted down, and he purred, “Thank you. Now, Dweety? As the only Survivor present, you get to answer a couple of questions for us.”

Trying not to shrink under the intense stares, he nodded. “Wh-what about?”

“Leon was the one who met with us. And despite bringing backup to what was supposed to be a one on one face to face, he claims the Survivors want a truce. They want our guarantee that we won’t hunt, hurt, or harass you all so that you can come and go as you please. That’s well and good, you know? We’ve already been doing that for years. Even if it’s because most of them didn’t know you all were out there, but that’s not important. None of you have tried to rat us out or get us captured or killed by the government, so who cares if you all are… doing whatever you do. You all aren’t that special so for the love of the Entity’s cold spidery corpse, get over yourselves,” Ghostface monologued. “Here’s where the issue arises…”

The expression of almost happiness dropped off of the Killer's face, his demeanor changing just as quickly. Standing, he placed his hands on the table and leaned in as he explained, “Apparently Marcus has made quite the impression on your little friends, Survivor. They want to hire him to help out. Which also means they want access to him, the same as we have.”

Dwight could hear his heart beating in his ears, a mixture of excitement and apprehension twisting in his stomach. Did that mean he and Marcus could still see one another? Oh… would the vet even want to see him after the botched ‘rescue’ attempt?

“If we were to agree to their terms…” the Killer reiterated. “Would your people attempt to stab us in the back in any way?”

“I- I don’t think so,” Dwight swore. “We’re- We try to keep all our business above board.”

“Would we have to worry about them trying to keep Marcus from us or convince him to betray us?” Ghostface asked, voice cold as the grave.

The Survivor quickly shook his head. “We- we all have our own opinions about- about the situation, I-I’m sure. But we- we wouldn’t try to… take him from you all.”

“You kind of already did,” Freddy muttered snidely.

Without looking, Ghostface reached back, pulled a gun out of the back of his uniform, and fired a single shot in the Nightmare’s direction.

Dwight flinched, nearly falling out of his chair again. He probably would have if he’d been tied up, but Joey managed to grab his arm and steady him before he did.

At the other end of the table, Freddy was peeking over the edge at Ghostface with narrow eyes, a smoking hole in the center of his hat.

“Lastly,” Ghostface said, picking things back up as if he’d never been interrupted. “If Marcus chooses not to work with your people or wants nothing to do with them… will you all respect his wishes?”

As much as it pained Dwight to say it, he admitted, “Yes… We- we wouldn’t interfere with his life.”

“Then I think it’s time we put this to a vote. Do we negotiate with the Survivors for a working peace treaty, or not? All those in favor?”

Dwight’s eyes widened as he looked around the room. Was that really the way things were going to go? Were they serious?!

Giving it another grueling minute, Ghostface finally nodded before chuckling, “I supposed it’s pointless but I’ll ask anyway. Opposed?”

The Trapper let out a low laugh, mask splitting over his chin as he smiled. “Well… alright then.”
~~~~

Chapter Text

After the allergy scare and Leon’s departure, things in the house got very quiet. Although the majority of the itchiness and swelling had gone away, Marcus still felt slightly dizzy.

They’d been sitting in an awkward, heavy silence for almost an hour when David finally asked, “You didn’t really sleep with Michael Myers, did you?”

Marcus arched an eyebrow. He really, really shouldn’t… but he really, really wanted to… Fuck it, he may as well! “Are you asking for yourself, or ah… you trying to figure out my type? I can’t really speak for Myers, but I’m not super picky. And I’ll top, if that helps.”

One of David’s eyes twitched and he let out a long breath. It looked like he was mentally counting to ten so he didn’t do anything violent. Eh, maybe he was counting to twenty. Curling and uncurling his fingers, he finally asked in a strained tone, “Are you hungry?”

“Forward much?” Marcus asked, grinning smugly when David slapped a hand over his face. “No, no, that’s okay. I’m not super comfortable with subtle hints until we know one another a little better.”

“Here’s a not so subtle hint,” David told him, glaring angrily. “I’m going to snap you like a pencil if you don’t stop.”

“Not used to getting hit on by guys?” Marcus asked entirely unsympathetically.

“First, I’m gay,” David seethed. “Second, how have you not been murdered already? Every time you open your mouth I want to choke you.”

“Jokes on you, I’m into that,” he answered immediately.

Man, he was on a roll with the snappy comebacks for once. Shame it was such a bad time for a verbal banter war. Why could he never come up with this kind of stuff with Danny or Frank?

It did actually look like David was about to come after him, but Claudette suddenly asked, “Would you like a tour of the Pocket?”

Both Marcus and David looked at her, so she quickly explained, “If you’re going to be working with the animals-”

“I never said I was,” Marcus interrupted. “Look, I appreciate the offer and all, and I really do want some kind of peaceful agreement between you all and the Slashers, but I’m not sure I should get involved any more than I already have.”

All four of the Survivors stared at him for a moment before Jake asked, “What?”

Marcus wasn’t sure which part of it was confusing, so he explained, “I put Dwight and the rest of you in danger, and I’ve put my partners and friends into a situation they shouldn’t have been put in either. And… honestly, I don’t really feel safe here.”

That got a bit of a reaction from the Survivors. David looked angry, while Meg and Claudette both looked worried.

Jake frowned slightly, looking thoughtful. “If this is about Leon shooting Frank and both of you being locked up-”

“No, I get why that stuff happened,” Marcus assured. “It’s more… I know that there are people here who have personal issues with me. Or at least with the people I’m involved with. It’s not really fair of me to be hanging around when I make so many people uncomfortable.”

“That’s… fair,” Meg agreed reluctantly. “But, I think most of us are at least willing to try and get to know you before they really make a judgment call.”

Sighing, Marcus informed her bluntly, “Cheryl tried to shoot me in the head while I was handcuffed to a bed. That’s a judgment call if there ever was one.”

“Have you stopped to wonder why she may have reacted like that?” Jake asked. “Obviously all of us have had nothing but bad experiences with the Killers, but some of us have been connected to specific Killers since before the Entity.”

“Pyramid Head used to be her guardian,” Meg added quietly. “But, something happened and he turned on her. Then, the Entity took them both.”

Marcus vaguely recalled one of the others saying Pyramid Head had been invited into the Realm, but decided it was best to keep it to himself. In all reality, Jake was right. He hadn’t taken the time to consider just how deep their trauma related to the Slashers actually went.

“I’m sorry, you’re right. I don’t know you all’s stories or what you all went through. But at the same time, she didn’t know a damn thing about me when she pulled a gun on me. I’ve been threatened, abused, and tortured far too many times and I’m not just going to accept it. I do want peace, but I’m not sure how comfortable I am coming around here.”

“Well… can we show you around a bit?” Claudette asked. “You don’t have to answer right now, obviously. I mean, we don’t even know if the Killers are even going to accept the proposition or not. But, maybe getting out and stretching your legs is a good idea. Then you won’t have to be stuck here until you can go home.”

A walk did sound like a good idea… It wasn’t quite ‘fresh air’ but it was still better than being cooped up inside a house for god only knew how long. “Yeah. As long as I’m not going to get shot.”

“You’ll be fine,” David stated. “Especially if you stop running your mouth.”

Mustering up the most Danny-like stare he could manage, Marcus looked him dead in the eye as he challenged, “Then give me something to keep it occupied.”

Leaning over, Meg whispered rather loudly to Jake, “If they don’t hook up at some point, I’ll eat my socks.”

“I’m not making a bet I know I’ll lose,” he answered immediately.

Dropping his face into his hands, David groaned, “I do not want to be here…”

“If you want to stay here we can show him around-”

“No, Meg,” he quickly interrupted. “No. Besides, Leon said to keep him here at the house.”

The three of them exchanged knowing looks, and Marcus got the strangest feeling. He’d seen the Legion give one another a very similar look before. Usually when being called out for doing something they knew they shouldn’t have done…

“Shall we start with the lake?” Claudette asked, smiling.

Marcus did a double take. “The what?”

“Come on, we’ll show you,” Meg invited, standing and holding out a hand.

“What did I literally just say?!” David demanded, and Jake shrugged.

Hesitating for a moment, Marcus finally took her hand. If they were willing to show him hospitality, he may as well accept it.

~

They weren’t even half way through the tour but Marcus was already too stunned to say much of anything. The Survivors had not only dug out a nearly thirty foot deep lake, they’d stocked it with fish and other marine wildlife like clams and crawfish. There were several smaller, shallower ponds as well that they used for watering the livestock and irrigating the crops. They had several fields of crops that grew year round, as well as orchards hosting a variety of fruit and nut trees.

As they were getting to the livestock, Meg and Claudette took turns explaining how they’d started by selling some of the old coins they used to offer the Entity. That had been enough for them to start buying the equipment, seeds, livestock, and other things they needed to start building a fully sustainable community in the Pocket.

“The cell towers didn’t come along until about ten years ago,” Meg told him, and he raised his eyebrows.

That was something he was incredibly curious about, and it made him think. If the Survivors were willing to agree to a truce as long as he was willing to work as a vet for them… Would the Slashers be more inclined to agree if the Survivors showed them how to improve the Realm? Then again the amount of work that would go into getting things even close to the level of the Pocket would take years, and a level of cooperation he wasn’t sure they were capable of.

Something occurred to him, and he asked, “Where does the water come from?”

Meg had been in the middle of explaining how several of them collaborated on the plans for the towers, but stopped when he unintentionally interrupted her. “I’m sorry, what?”

Gesturing back towards the ponds, Marcus explained, “The water. Here, in the Realm… All the houses have an endless supply of hot water. Do you all know where it comes from?”

“Underground,” Jake offered. “We started digging and it didn’t take long to hit water.”

“Just… under the earth?” Marcus asked skeptically, looking at the ground around them.

“No, on the moon,” David snarked, rolling his eyes. “Some of the others actually did the math and figured out where to dig first. We didn’t just start randomly digging.”

“I see,” he mused, looking around again. “So, you all haven’t had any other medical issues with the animals, right? Yui said there’s never been a case of illness or miscarriage, so why do you all need a vet?”

“So… that’s not one hundred percent accurate,” Claudette admitted. “None of the animals have ever miscarried before, that’s true. But sometimes they do get sick or injured.”

“Yeah, like that time one of the cows accidentally gored a goat with its horns and we had to put it down,” Jake recalled.

Marcus winced. That did sound pretty bad.

“We’ve never had a major issue with disease, but that doesn’t mean the animals can’t get sick,” Meg explained. “It seems like being here as opposed to out there keeps them a lot healthier, but there’s an adjustment period when we bring in new animals.”

“We also have to keep them quarantined for at least thirty days before we can introduce them to the rest of the livestock to make sure they’re not bringing in anything nasty,” Jake added. “We’ve been doing what we can, but we really don’t have any proper veterinary training.”

“Fair enough,” Marcus allowed. He still wasn’t convinced they really needed his help, but he still had every intention of trying to help them find a fair agreement with the Slashers.

A sudden sound caught their attention and he looked around excitedly. “You all have cats?”

“Um, no,” Claudette answered, also looking around for where the faint meow had come from.

“That sounded like a cat though,” Jake confirmed, sounding confused.

A louder meow reached them and the entire group turned to see a fat black and white cat quickly trotting towards them from the direction of one of the barns.

Eyes going wide, Marcus couldn’t keep the shock out of his voice as he asked, “Jude?! How the hell did you get here?!”

“Wait, is that your cat?” David demanded, eyeing the approaching animal suspiciously.

Jude let out a long, loud meow as she closed the distance. Ignoring everyone else, she leapt into the vet’s arms.

“Jude, how did you- eck, ack, stop that!” As soon as he’d started talking, the cat had quickly reached up and jabbed a paw into his mouth.

Meg and Claudette both started laughing, while Jake just looked confused.

David was still staring at the vet with a mix of suspicion and confusion, made even more evident when he asked, “How the hell did a cat get in here?!”

Pushing her paw down, Marcus distracted her by scratching between her ears as he explained simply, “Jude can open doors.”

All four of them stared at him incredulously, and he grinned. It still confused him too, but it was kind of funny seeing the same emotion playing out on a bunch of other people’s faces.

“Wait, wait, wait,” David stated, rubbing his eyes with one hand. “Doors, as in Killer Doors? Or doors, like into and out of a house?”

“Both,” Marcus answered, kissing the top of her head. “And I guess she can open you guy’s kind of Doors too.”

“Is the cat a Slasher too?” Meg asked, inching forward until she was close enough to lean in and squint at Jude.

Still purring like a lawnmower, the elderly cat stretched out a paw and pressed it against her nose. Meg went slightly cross eyed, but grinned nonetheless.

“Aw, she likes you,” the vet pointed out, smiling as well. “Honestly, no one really seems to know what her deal is. Not even the Slashers.”

“How long-” Jake stopped, frowning thoughtfully as if rethinking whatever it was going to ask. “When did you realize she could open Doors?”

Thinking about it, Marcus recalled, “It was a few months after I first met Danny. The others had learned about me by that point, and one day while I was in the Realm with Evan we heard the Druanee chasing something. It ended up being Jude, and I had to punch him in the face to make him leave her alone.”

Mouthing the word ‘Druanee’ a couple of times, Claudette suddenly asked, “Wait, Dredge? You punched Dredge? And it didn’t kill you?”

“Nah, he’s actually kinda nice when he’s not trying to drag people into cabinets or… other stuff,” he explained awkwardly. He wasn’t about to elaborate about the ‘other stuff’ and he really hoped they weren’t going to ask. They were already horrified that he’d slept with Michael. No need to tell them about Dredge.

All four of them were starting to look at him like he was certifiable, but no one said it out loud. Thankfully, Jake redirected the subject back to Jude without trying to press for details on the ‘other stuff’ he’d foolishly mentioned. “So, that was the first time you saw her in the Killer Realm?”

“Yeah, and for a while we weren’t sure how she got there. It wasn’t until she started coming and going through the closet that we realized she was doing it herself,” Marcus explained. “Maybe she learned it from Myers.”

“What?” David asked, eyes narrowing. “How do you mean?”

It took him a second to realize all four of them looked incredibly confused. Did they not know? After a minute of uncomfortable scrutiny, he pointed out, “The Entity never took Myers. He broke in to it’s Realm to find Laurie.”

“That- how could- no way!” Meg argued, looking horrified. “How?!”

“I have no idea, I’m just telling you what was told to me,” Marcus admitted. “But knowing how he is, are you really that surprised?”

“That is… horrifying information to learn,” Jake murmured, exchanging a look with David. “Can he… can he do that anywhere?”

Catching on to the implied concern, Marcus’s eyes widened. “Ooh… I don’t think so? I’ve never seen him travel anywhere without using a Door in the time I’ve known him. Besides, I don’t think the Slashers can get in here without one of you opening an Entryway for them. Like with Frank.”

David made a face so he added, “Even unintentionally. Besides, if he could he probably would have by now.”

“For you or for her?” Meg asked, gesturing to the Obsession mark on his wrist.

Rubbing it uncomfortably, Marcus managed a small shrug. He had no idea if Michael was still obsessed with Laurie or not, or even what it was about her that had caught his murderous attention in the first place. As bad as he felt for her, he was still incredibly relieved that the Shape’s intentions with him had turned into something more positive.

“Come on. Let’s go see the goats,” Claudette invited, smiling nervously. “Two of them just had kids and they’re really cute.”

Marcus ginned, carrying Jude with him as he followed them to a large pen fencing in the front part of a medium sized barn. Maybe… maybe working for the Survivors taking care of their livestock wouldn’t be a bad plan. It would be a good source of income and he’d get to work with animals without fear of drug dealers or crooked cops-

That thought stopped him in his tracks, the smile falling from his face. Shit… He still had Carter to deal with, and he was pretty sure time was almost up.

“What’s the matter?”

He jumped, unintentionally squeezing Jude a bit too hard which she protested by nipping his hand. “Ah, sorry old girl.”

“Excuse me?” David demanded, looking furious.

“Not you,” Marcus griped. “I just… I have some stuff to deal with back home and I’m running out of time. I need to get back soon. How long have I been here anyway?”

David pulled out his phone and looked at the screen before answering, “Little over a day and a half. Why? What’s so important?”

Oh, he was so not telling them shit about Carter or the fact that he used to work for a drug dealer. “Personal stuff.”

David crossed his arms. “What kind of personal stuff?”

“David, come on,” Meg warned, but he ignored her.

Glaring at him, Marcus reiterated, “Stuff that is personal. As in, involving my person and not yours. You want me to spell it for you too?”

The Survivor looked like he was about to start arguing more, or possibly throw a punch, when someone called out to them from back in the direction of the houses. A woman with short brown hair was approaching, and although Marcus didn’t know her name, he recognized her from the meeting he’d been dragged to. Wasn’t she one of the ones who’d reacted strongly to him mentioning Wesker?

“Jill, what’s up?” David asked once she was within speaking range.

“They’re back,” she answered, and Marcus perked up.

That was good news, right? She didn’t look upset, so they had brought back good news, right?!

Turning to him, she started to say something but stopped, frowning slightly. “What… Okay, which one of you brought a cat in here?”

“She’s mine,” Marcus answered quickly. “I guess she followed me. Probably missed breakfast or something.”

Jill stared at him incredulously for a minute before shaking her head. “Okay, sure. I’ve seen crazier shit. Come on. Leon and Ada are back and they need to talk to you.”

Jude looked up at the vet and started purring, eyes squeezing closed as if she were smiling at him.

Marcus nodded, starting to feel more confident about the whole thing. “Okay, let’s go.”

~~

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Bill asked for the third time.

Leon sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “We need them to believe us. They didn’t do anything to me last time, I don’t think they’re going to this time. Right, Marcus?”

He’d zoned out while they argued, but at the mention of his name he snapped back to reality with a startled, “Huh?”

“Ghostface said even if the answer is ‘no’ they’re going to let us return to the Pocket without harm. You said he also never breaks his word, right?” Leon repeated.

“Oh, yeah,” Marcus confirmed. “If that’s what he said, he meant it.”

“Just because he isn’t going to try something…” Bill argued, crossing his arms and refusing to take the gun Leon was trying to hand him.

Sighing again, the former cop passed it off to Jill instead. “He said, ‘we’ll let you go unharmed.’ Not ‘I’, not ‘me’. ‘We’. Not a lot of wiggle room there, Bill.”

Grumbling under his breath, he continued to press the issue. “Going in there unarmed is a death sentence. Killers lie! And taking the kid with you is just giving them what they want, plus two more hostages!”

Putting a comforting hand on his shoulder, Leon promised, “We’re going to be fine. We’ll be right next to the Entryway and we’ll be able to bolt immediately if need be.”

Glaring at him, the old Survivor finally backed down. He still looked pissed, but he stopped arguing. It was a good thing too, as Jeff pointed out, “We need to move. We got all of three minutes before the deadline.”

“Right,” Leon confirmed, turning to Marcus. “Are you sure you’ve made your decision? You know you can always change your mind.”

Cradling Jude to his chest, Marcus nodded, stating firmly, “I’m sure. Let’s go.”

Jeff smiled softly, gently gripping his bicep so he could take him through the Entryway. Opposite the feeling of walking through a Door, warmth flared through the vet’s body for a brief moment before they were stepping into a familiar living room.

Leon was right behind them, but before he could say a thing, an excited voice nearly shouted, “Jeff, Leon!”

Standing in front of the closet door were Ghostface, the Pig, and Dwight.

Before Marcus or either of the Survivors could say anything, a low laugh from the kitchen drew their attention to the table. The Trapper was seated in a chair, elbows on his knees as he watched them from behind his eerie grinning mask.

“Oh shit, you were right, Frank. He got old,” Susie cackled, revealing the Legion sprawled out across the couch.

Jeff raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything until Julie mused, “I don’t know. The beard’s kinda hot.” That got a small sound out of him and he looked away, cheeks slightly red.

“Mmyes,” Danny purred, and Marcus could hear the deadly rage simmering just below the surface. “Be that as it may, it’s nice to see you can actually follow directions, Survivor. Oh, and before you try to claim that we aren’t, just remember… I never specified how many of us were planning to show up to this little meeting.”

Marcus could practically hear Leon’s teeth grinding as his jaw clenched. Taking a deep breath, he asked simply, “Have you and your people thought about our proposal?”

“Ah, ah, ah, no rushing things,” Danny scolded, wagging a finger at him. “Foreplay first. Let’s exchange prisoners, then we can sit down and talk.”

Marcus felt his wrist start to burn and glanced down. Jude was looking over his shoulder, eyes wide and pupils blown out. Following her gaze, he nearly dropped her when he looked over his shoulder.

Michael and Jason were both standing in the hall right behind them.

Jeff glanced at him, then behind them. Jumping, he swore, “What the fuck!”

Leon grimaced, apparently not needing to look back to realize who was behind him. “Ah… Right. Dwight? Are you okay?”

He nodded quickly, promising, “Y-yeah, I’m okay. Th-they were actually… kinda… nice. For the most part.”

Marcus was more focused on the amount of blood covering his pants and shirt to really hear him, but when Evan stood up he snapped back to attention.

“All of you. Come sit down.”

Setting Jude down, Marcus invited, “Come on. It’ll be fine. They just want to talk.”

The Survivors exchanged a suspicious glance, but seemed to accept that there wasn’t really a choice. With Michael and Jason behind them, they wouldn’t be able to dip back through the Entryway without getting grabbed and risking taking one or both of the Killers with them.

There wasn’t a lot of room at the table, especially since the chair Danny had broken had yet to be replaced, so the three Survivors each took a seat. Michael and Jason remained in the hallway, blocking their only means of escape, while the Legion remained on the couch.

Waiting for Marcus to get closer, Evan moved to intercept him. Gently taking his face in both hands, he tilted his head as he looked him over. Voice soft, he asked, “Are you alright, pet?”

Leon made a small sound before the vet could respond, and the Trapper’s head slowly turned in his direction. “Something to say, Kennedy?”

Reaching up, Marcus gently gripped both Evan’s wrists, pulling his attention back to himself as he promised, “I’m okay. They didn’t hurt me.”

He made sure to leave out the ‘on purpose’. They could talk about all that later, assuming things went well anyway.

Evan hummed under his breath, one hand sliding down the back of the vets neck. Squeezing gently, he stepped aside as Danny moved closer. He seemed almost hesitant, as if he were worried about how Marcus was going to greet him.

Reaching out, Marcus grabbed his hand. Pulling him closer, he smiled slightly. “Hey.”

Danny let out a soft sigh, arm wrapping around the vets waist and pulling him tightly against him. “Hey. I missed you.”

“So…” Amanda said, taking one of the last two chairs at the table. “We put it to a vote. It was almost entirely unanimous.”

Guiding Marcus to the last seat, Danny leaned on the back of the chair to sing-song, “Looks like you kids get your wish. Let’s talk terms, shall we?”

Leon looked slightly stunned, glancing at Dwight questioningly. He nodded quickly, and the blond returned his attention to Amanda to ask, “What did you all have in mind?”

Reaching up, she pulled off the pigs head covering her own and set it on the table. Actually face to face, she smiled humorlessly. “First. Marcus? Have they explained to you what they want?”

Trying not to stare at the revolting severed pig head on his kitchen table, Marcus nodded. “Um, yeah. They don’t want you guys to go after them so they can keep living peacefully, and they want to hire me as a vet for their livestock.”

“Is that all of it?” Danny purred, one hand sliding down over the vets chest possessively. He had yet to take his mask off, but it was pretty clear he was staring at Dwight.

“Yes, that’s all of it,” Leon confirmed. “We believe we can coexist as long as we stay out of one another's business.”

Ghostface’s head slowly turned to him instead, and he asked, “Oh, do you? So if I said Michael here likes to visit his hometown every Halloween and do what he does best, you’d just… look the other way?”

In the hallway, the Shape’s head slowly tilted to one side.

Leon looked incredibly uncomfortable, but Jeff was the one who answered. Tone calm and controlled, he explained, “We’re aware. He makes the news every October.”

“Hmmm, yes he does,” Danny confirmed, a not so subtle hunger in his voice. Reaching up, he slid his mask off before setting it on the table beside Amanda’s.

Both of them looked up at the Trapper and after a long pause, he sighed, one hand coming up to take his mask off.

Marcus couldn’t help but take note of the way Dwight was staring at him, mirroring the shock he too once felt at seeing Evan’s face for the first time. Of course, he could only guess it was for different reasons.

“We won’t hunt any of you, but neither will we make any effort to protect you,” Evan stated coldly. “If you get in our way or try to interfere with our business, you will be cut down just like anyone else.”

Dwight looked down at his hands and Marcus felt a twinge of anxiety in his chest. Did he think that meant he couldn’t come around at all?

“You know we will still be around,” Leon pointed out. “Marcus has agreed to work for us-”

“What?” Danny asked flatly, arm tightening against his chest slightly.

Finally given the chance to get a word in, Marcus quickly explained, “Yes, I have. It’ll help supplement my income and provide valuable experience relative to my job. And… some of the Survivors are actually really nice.”

Dwight quickly looked at him before looking away, cheeks flushing.

“Aha, ha,” Danny chuckled coldly. “I see. And how often do you all think you’ll be around Doc?”

“It’ll vary,” Jeff admitted. “More often when it’s time for the livestock to birth, or when we have to purchase new stock. Injuries do happen on occasion, but we have medical personnel for any human medical needs.”

“And you plan to compensate him fairly?” Amanda asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Very,” Leon promised. “We can draw up a work agreement if it would make everyone more comfortable.”

“Oh, there’s just one problem,” Danny chuckled mirthlessly. “Why the hell would we be okay with you taking him to your Realm alone? What’s to keep you from just… not letting him back out? Hm?”

“That’s what we’re here to discuss,” he reiterated. “Obviously we’re not comfortable with Killers entering the Pocket, but… for your peace of mind and to avoid any misunderstandings, we’ll allow one of you at a time to accompany him any time we need his services.”

“He’s not a child,” Evan growled, glancing at Danny. “Pet, what are your thoughts on this?”

“Honestly, I’d be more comfortable with one of you there,” he admitted. “It’ll have to be someone that can control their temper though.”

It had been a rather short and uneventful meeting when Leon and Ada got back, and none of the Survivors had liked it. However, they had agreed after Marcus told them in no uncertain terms that he would only be willing to work for them if he was allowed to bring someone with him on his trips to the pocket.

There was an audible grunt from the hallway, and everyone looked over to see Michael glaring daggers at the assembled group. Obviously he was self aware enough to know that little stipulation excluded him…

“That brings up another question,” Leon added. “Obviously there are Killers out there that weren’t in the Entity’s Realm. Do you have contact with them or are they still separate from you all?”

“Some of us have contact with some of them,” Amanda explained. “But the majority are a no. Jason over there is really the only exception.”

His head tilted slightly, managing to look smug even with a hockey mask covering his face.

“We can’t speak for them, but as far as we know, they don’t know you all exist,” she finished. “So if you’ve never had a problem with them before, you shouldn’t start to have one now.”

“That sounds reasonable,” Jeff accepted. “Now, if one of your people do decide to come after us, aside from us defending ourselves, what exactly do you all plan to do about it?”

“We handle our own,” Evan growled darkly. “We all agreed to this, we’ll all be held to the same standard. It keeps peace in the Realm.”

“All of you?” Leon questioned, one eyebrow rising. “I’m sorry, but I honestly find that hard to believe.”

“It was nearly unanimous,” Danny repeated, laughing darkly. “There were no against votes, but a couple of people abstained.”

“Who, exactly?” the blond pressed, tone prickly.

Marcus didn’t blame him. Depending on who exactly didn’t vote could be a sign of ill intentions down the line. If Leon had some kind of past with Wesker like he was starting to suspect, he could be worried about the genocidal maniac’s intentions.

“Blight, the Oni, and the Trickster,” Amanda told them. “Honestly though, none of us are surprised. Blight is trying to play it safe and stay out of the limelight, no one has seen Oni in almost twenty years, and Trickster… He’s probably just trying to see if he can play the situation to his favor in some way. I wouldn’t worry about either of them though.”

Nodding slowly, Leon asked, “Now, we don’t really have a way to announce when we’re coming over. It’s unfortunate, but it doesn’t appear there’s really anywhere else we can safely establish an Entryway. Marcus, obviously we will try to let you know if we’re coming over. Unfortunately things can happen unexpectedly, and we may not be able to every time. If we come over and you’re not home, how would you like to handle it?”

“You can hang out here,” he offered. He really didn’t mind, but the chorus of boos from the couch gave him pause. That might not have been well thought out, so he added, “The Legion-”

“Goddammit, Doc!”

“-are my roommates. They live here most of the time, so you can always leave a message with them-”

“No they fucking can’t!”

“-or you can text me and I’ll get back to you when I can, since you all have cell service in the Pocket.”

Dwight looked genuinely excited, even if he was staring at his hands in his lap.

Marcus was about to ask him a question when the tattoo on his chest suddenly flared with heat, making him inhale sharply. Everyone looked at him and he started to excuse, “Sorry, I just-” A sudden emotional shift hit him like a ton of bricks and he grit his teeth, slamming a hand down on the table.

“Marcus?” Amanda asked worriedly, turning in her chair.

Before he could answer, the smell of rust and ash filled the room and all three Survivors leapt to their feet.

In the living room, the Legion scrambled over the back of the couch as a body materialized in a swirl of rotten detritus. The moment Pyramid Head was fully corporeal, he took a heavy step closer to the table, the Great Knife in hand.

“Oh, now this is a surprise,” Danny purred, a malicious smile on his face. “Hey, Tin Man. How’s it going?”

Marcus shivered, staring at him with wide eyes. He wasn’t there as a Slasher. He was there as the King of Silent Hill, and he had something he wanted to say to the Survivors. Without looking away, the vet said, “All of you sit down please. He wants to talk.”

“What?” Leon demanded, still staring with an expression of raw fear at the god. Dwight and Jeff were next to him, looking similarly worried.

“A pity,” Ghostface murmured. “But I would listen to him. He’s not here on Realm business.”

Pyramid Head continued to move closer until he was standing beside Evan at the head of the table. Helmet tilting down to the side, he let out an echoing growl.

“Hmm, nice, big guy,” Danny chuckled. “Baby, you want to translate or should I?”

Knowing the killer would take far too much joy in relaying the incoming message, Marcus cleared his throat before turning to look at the Survivors again. “Um, he- Pyramid Head says, ‘If you hurt him again, or try to keep him from us, I will raze not only the Realm you all call home, but any place on this Earth you try to seek shelter. I will leave you no place to run or hide, and no allies to help you. He is under the protection of Silent Hill and any act of harm against him will be seen as an act of war’.”

“Hurt him again,” Danny repeated slowly. “Again. What do you mean, again?”

Marcus winced, able to feel tension in his body as well as hear it in his voice. “It wasn’t intentional. They didn’t know I’m allergic to pineapple and I had a bit of a reaction to something I ate. But they took care of me and I’m fine! Danny stop!”

He’d taken a step towards the Survivors, knife already in hand. The only thing that stopped him was Marcus lunging out of his chair and practically wrapping around his waist. Breathing heavily, he looked down at him, eyes wide and feral. “They could have killed you with that shit, Doc.”

“Danny, please. Don’t. They haven’t done anything wrong. They’re just trying to protect themselves,” Marcus reasoned. He didn’t want to be the reason a war was started. Especially with people who were just trying to keep themselves safe after god knew how many years of torment.

Pyramid Head let out a long hiss and the vet winced as a private thought was shared with him. He knew what Haddie had seen. That was why he’d decided to come separately from the Realm Killers and deliver his own message to the Survivors…

Expression softening slightly, Danny wrapped an arm around Marcus. Pulling him close, he nodded, promising softly, “Anything for you, Doc. You know that. But if they hurt you… I will hunt each and every one of them down and make them pay. That’s aside from what the others will do to them. So, yes. I’ll let this slide. We can make this deal, if this is what you really want.”

Looking at Leon, he swore, “Right now, you have two choices. Leave. Go home. Never show your faces in Utah or around Marcus again, and we will leave you alone. If we see one of you, we’ll walk the other way. You won’t even see us… Or, you can continue to ask Marcus to get involved. You can show him the Survivor side of this coin. But if he gets hurt because of one of you, you will all pay. And that will be on you, as will every person who gets cut down in the process… So what’ll it be, Survivor?”

Glancing at Dwight, then Jeff, Leon finally met Danny’s eyes. Holding out his hand, he stated firmly, “We have an agreement.”

Looking at each of the Slashers in turn, then Marcus, Danny tilted his head slightly.

Marcus smiled softly and nodded.

Letting out a long sigh, Danny looked back at the Survivors. Taking Leon’s hand, he shook it, agreeing, “Looks like we have a deal.”

~~

‘So boring… This could have been so much fun, but they want to play nice with Survivors? For a regular human?’

Leaning against the door of his house in the Realm, Ji-Woon mulled over everything he’d learned so far. A lot had changed since he’d last been there and it certainly wasn’t for the better. Evan being reasonable was a shock, Michael being obsessed with someone without wanting to kill them was insane, and Danny had gone and gotten domesticated. It was pathetic. Like taking a wolf and breaking its wild spirit, only to dumb it down into a pathetic house pet.

“All this over some twink?” he muttered aloud, too annoyed to keep it in. He wasn’t surprised Carmina, Amanda, or Philip were rooting for the kid. They’d always been soft for killers. A pity, really, considering how creative the Pig’s mind was for brutal torture.

Still, he knew there was fun to be had. He’d just have to make it himself. With any luck, Ghostface would be drawn back to the chaos like a moth to flame. He’d never been able to resist long. He thrived on creating panic and fear; throwing the masses into a thoughtless frenzy and then sitting back to laugh at their hysteria.

By how to do it? The ginger was absolutely going to be a problem, but there was no getting rid of him. That was obvious just from the amount of Slashers so desperate to get him back from the pack of feckless Survivors. Pyramid Head and Michael were definitely the biggest concern.

Hmm, he could always try to get the vet out of the picture without actually hurting him or even interacting with him directly… But getting someone else to do his dirty work seemed impossible for the current issue. People talked and it wasn’t hard to find out about Kenneth’s blunder or Talbot’s continued idiocy. Maybe Wesker? No, he had a deal with the human already and he wouldn’t jeopardize a claim that already benefited him. Nemesis? No. No, absolutely not. He was smart enough to be a useful tank, but he was also unpredictable and couldn’t be trusted with delicate work.

Spinning his bat in a slow arc, Ji-Woon sighed again. Why was his life so unfair? It’s like no one even gave a shit that he was back! They were all too distracted with some veterinarian! Oh… Maybe Herman could be convinced to-

Someone stepped through the Tree and he lost his train of thought. He almost lost his bat too, hand falling loose in surprise at the newcomer's appearance. He managed to catch it before it could hit the ground, and quickly glanced around to make sure no one had seen his almost blunder. The coast was clear and he grinned. He may have just found the solution to his little problem.

Hopping off the porch, he walked forward to greet the last arrival. “Kazan! Long time to see! You sure have missed a lot. Let me bring you up to speed on the situation.”
~~~~

Chapter Text

Dwight wasn’t sure how he was keeping so calm. Things had gotten a bit chaotic after the vote, with many of the Slashers wanting to go to the meeting and then arguing about it. Michael had eventually shut everyone up by slamming his knife through the table. The Survivor had let out a very startled and embarrassingly high pitched shriek in response and that had gotten everyone's attention. Things went a little smoother after that, with Evan standing up and telling them exactly how things were going to go.

It evoked… some very confusing feelings in Dwight. The Trapper still terrified him, he wouldn’t deny that. But his behavior since their unexpected meeting was astounding. Not only was he speaking in clear full sentences, he’d been polite to him. And apologized… Was this… was this man Marcus had fallen in love with really the same one who’d been set to hunt him and his friends like animals?

It made Dwight curious, and now that their respective sides had made peace he wondered how hard it would be to work up the courage to actually talk to Evan. He’d seemed so genuine in his discomfort and remorse, it made the Survivor wonder. What else had he wanted to say? He said he remembered all his time in the Entity’s Realm, and even specified the time they’d run into one another in the woods. Did he regret what happened? Did he actually have something he wanted to say way back then? That raised a very important question… What had he really wanted all those years ago?

“Are you ready to go?” Leon asked, snapping him out of his thoughts.

Looking between the vet and his friends several times, he finally managed to ask, “Oh, um, actually can I- Um, Marcus, can I please talk to you for a second?”

The ginger smiled at him, still holding onto Danny. “Yeah, of course. What’s up?”

Rubbing the back of his neck, he looked down uncomfortably. Marcus looked happy, but so tired. It was obvious he had a lot on his mind, and although it did cast some doubts that it was a good time to try and have such a conversation, Dwight made himself ask, “Um, a-actually, can- can we speak alone? Out-outside maybe?”

“Absolutely fucking not,” Danny chuckled, tone venomous. It was somewhat terrifying how his far too wide grin didn’t reach his eyes.

“Yes, that’s fine,” Marcus emphasized as he glared at the Killer. “Danny, I’ll be fine. What’s he going to do? Kidnap me again?”

Oh god, he was mad about it! He had to be! Not that Dwight could blame him… Was that why he’d agreed to speak in private? Was Marcus going to yell at him but still spare him the humiliation of doing it in front of an audience? He kind of deserved it…

Danny’s facial expression clearly conveyed his thoughts, but he let the ginger go nonetheless. Watching them closely as they made their way to the front door, Ghostface made a point of slowly wrapping his fingers around the handle of his knife.

Pyramid Head groaned, reaching out suddenly and grabbing the vet by the back of the neck. He let out a startled gasp and the Survivor leapt sideways, instinctively reacting as though the Killer had been trying to grab him off a generator. His hand was so large he easily could have ripped the ginger’s head off if he used even the tiniest bit too much strength, and for a moment Dwight was genuinely afraid for him. That was, until he noticed how calm Marcus looked, eyes soft as he gazed up at the rusted metal shell.

Leaning down slightly, Pyramid Head brought his other hand up to cup the vet’s face, a low moan echoing out of his helmet. It actually sounded worried, and Dwight couldn’t help but stare, slightly open mouthed. He didn’t think it was physically possible for a Killer like him to show such restraint or care.

Bringing a hand up over the back of the Killers, Marcus leaned into his touch as he said, “I’m alright. I promise. I’ll see you soon, okay?”

Pyramid Head growled like a tiger before withdrawing his hands. Taking hold of the Great Knife, he lifted it from where it was planted in the floor before dematerializing in a swirl of ash just like the one he appeared in.

The Trapper sneezed and Dwight jumped again, startled by the sudden sound. On the couch, the Legion all laughed and he blushed. His face only got redder when Marcus reached down and grabbed his wrist, leading him to the door and outside into the frosty air.

Pulling the door closed, Marcus let him go and asked, “Are you okay? What did you want to talk to me about?”

Dwight felt like he’d just been punched in the stomach. Was he okay?! He was fine! Was Marcus okay was the real question! Realizing he’d been staring at him without saying anything, he quickly stammered, “Oh, right! Right, no, I’m fine! Um, Amanda was actually really nice, which is kind of weird because she used to be absolutely ruthless in Trials. But- but I guess she’s changed since then. Right?”

He also really, really wanted to ask about Evan… But he knew it probably wasn’t the best time.

Clearing his throat, he quickly continued, “Marcus, I’m so sorry for everything. I- I panicked when I saw the Obsession mark and then I kind of stopped thinking in terms of… of being back here instead of in the Entity’s Realm, so I immediately jumped to the conclusion that we needed to get you away from the Killer and- and…”

He trailed off with a deep sigh. “I really am sorry. I know I should have tried to talk to you first instead of just jumping straight to trying to convince you to come with us. I- I really didn’t think it would lead to us kidnapping you.”

It was Marcus’s turn to stare for a moment before he finally shook his head. Rubbing his arms against the cold, he said sincerely, “Dwight, I’m not mad at you and I don’t blame you for this. Really. I had no idea who you were when we first met. I swear, I never would have let this happen if I had. You had no way to know about my involvement with the Slashers or how much I already knew. It didn’t really occur to me until way too late that there was no way you’d be able to recognize Joey without his mask on, or I would have tried to warn you so all of this could have been avoided.”

So incredibly relieved he actually laughed a little, Dwight admitted, “I thought- To be honest, I was worried that you’d hate me for what happened. And anything that might have happened to you while you were in the Pocket. They- they were nice to you, right?”

Nodding at first, Marcus frowned slightly. “For the most part. They were pretty suspicious, but I can’t blame them for that. I think I made Laurie hate me, Cheryl knows about my connection to Pyramid Head so she definitely hates me, Ash wouldn’t stop asking about my sex life, and I can’t tell if David wants to kick my ass or fuck me. Or both. But, hey. I can handle Myers, I think I can handle him either way.”

Unable to help it, Dwight blurted out, “So you really did sleep with Michael Myers?!”

He slapped a hand over his mouth immediately, glancing at the door behind him with a slight concern that he’d been loud enough for the man in question to hear. He shouldn’t be asking about other people’s sex lives! It didn’t matter how curious he was!

Laughing, Marcus nodded. “Um, yeah. Yeah, I did. That was actually one of the main questions your friends kept asking me. They’re really worried about you. You should probably get back. I have a feeling we both have a lot of people who are wanting to see us again.”

Dwight nodded, quickly asking his last question before he could chicken out and escape back inside. “I know we probably can’t… Um, well, have sex again, but… but can I still see you? Just, as a friend? Do you think that would be okay?”

Marcus smiled warmly, promising, “Of course. And hey, maybe Danny and Evan will come around to the idea and it’ll happen again. It’s not like I’m going anywhere.”

Before Dwight could ask what that meant, the vet swung the door open and getured inside. “I don’t know about you, but my feet are freezing.”

Only just realizing his feet were also terribly cold, Dwight hurried to follow him back inside. The Legion were still on the couch, all unmasked and watching him closely. As unnerving as it was, he was able to take comfort in the fact that their eyes weren’t red.

The remaining Killers were standing beside the table, while Leon and Jeff had gone to stand by the Entryway. Thank god Michael and Jason had finally moved so they could leave. Of course, that was when Dwight realized every single one of them were staring directly at him. Shifting nervously from foot to foot, he finally managed, “I-I’ll see you later, Marcus. Um, feel free to text me anytime.”

“I will. And if you can, just text me a heads up before coming over so I can let you know if I’m home.”

Dwight nodded, waving goodbye before cautiously skirting past the assembled Killers. Practically able to feel their eyes on him, he couldn’t help but glance at them as he hurried by. Michael’s eyes were nothing but black voids in a stark white face, while Jason’s single working eye was watching him with a dangerous gleam. Ghostface was watching him with a blank expression but his eyes were hard, while Amanda had a softer almost concerned look on her face. The Trapper was watching him with an entirely unreadable expression. He may as well have still been wearing a mask, but when Dwight met his eyes, his head tilted slightly.

Blushing for some inexplicable reason, Dwight dipped his head. Trying not to make it obvious, he picked up his pace a bit and hurried back into the safety of the pocket. He’d barely cleared the Tree when he heard a familiar voice shout his name.

Meg slammed into him so hard he nearly fell over. Jeff caught them at the last second and kept them upright until they were able to find their balance again. He took a quick step out of the way as Jake and Claudette jumped him as well, and that time they did fall over.

“We were so worried about you!” Meg said, squeezing him.

Jake surprisingly maintained his side of the hug-pile for a while longer, muttering, “Glad you’re back safely.”

“Are you okay?” Claudette asked, pulling back slightly to inspect his blood stained clothes. “What happened? Did they hurt you?”

Before he could start answering any questions or ask them to please get off of him so he could breathe, Leon cleared his throat. “Why don’t you three go let everyone know Dwight’s home safe, and we’ll be meeting in two hours to discuss the agreement with the Killers. For now, Dwight, get cleaned up. Get some rest. Then, we need to talk.”

Dwight sighed. He had a lot to answer for. He knew that it was coming, but he really wasn’t looking forward to it.

~~

The moment the Survivors were gone, Michael nearly shot across the room, grabbing Marcus before he could take so much as a step back. He should have seen it coming, but he’d been more concerned about the Legion sitting only a few feet away.

For the second time that night, a large hand grabbed his face. Unfortunately, Michael wasn’t nearly as gentle, squeezing his jaw with a tightness that was just shy of painful. Wincing slightly as his head was tilted back so he was looking into the Shape’s eyes, he managed to get out, “I’m okay, Michael. Really.”

He didn’t seem convinced, but Jason’s hand on his shoulder had him reluctantly letting go. When he took a step back, the camp killer took his place, much more gentle as he gripped Marcus's arms. Looking him over, he finally nodded before stepping back as well, seemingly satisfied with his physical well being.

“Aw, you guys are so cute,” Susie teased, and both of them slowly turned to stare at her. She laughed nervously, shrinking down on the couch between Julie and Joey. “I meant, Doc. Doc’s cute.”

Both of them turned bodily to face the Legion and she let out a small sound of concern.

Frank quickly leapt in, offering, “Hey now, keep it in your pants. She’s just happy Doc’s safe. We all are.”

Michael’s head tilted slightly, as though he were considering mutilating the Legion leader just to blow off some steam. Instead, he stared for a moment longer before turning back to Marcus. Reaching out, he gave the back of his neck a firm squeeze before making his way to the closet. Jason followed and both vanished through the Door.

“Hey, Doc,” Amanda greeted, coming forward to pull him into a tight hug. “We were pretty worried there for a second.”

“That’s me,” Marcus muttered, returning the hug nearly as tightly. “Danger magnet and all around dumbass.”

“You’re not a dumbass,” she scolded, patting his back. “There was no way for you to know.”

Marcus didn’t answer, able to see Danny looking away over Amanda’s shoulder. There had been a way. An opportunity for him to learn the truth before things went to shit…

“Actually, Amanda? Now that things are settling down, I need to talk to Danny and Evan.”

“I bet you do,” she answered, casting a cold look in Danny’s direction. “Call me if you need anything, please.”

“I will,” Marcus promised. “I’ll try and come visit you soon, or if you want you can come over for a movie night.”

“Gonna teach the Legion all about netflix and chilling?” Danny joked, but his voice was strained.

Frowning, Frank asked, “Why would we learn about either of those things?”

“If you weren’t such a pussy, you’d know,” Amanda answered.

“Oh, snap!” Joey cackled, and Susie slapped a hand over her mouth to keep her laughter quiet. Julie was making a point not to look at Frank when he turned to glare at her for not backing him up.

“Alright, come on your four,” Amanda relented. “Doc needs some time with his boyfriends and you all need to try and not add your two cents to everything that gets said.”

“We would never!” Susie argued, daring to look offended.

Joey shook his head sadly. “That hurts. It’s like being stabbed right in the heart.”

“I can’t believe you think we’re that oblong,” Frank scoffed.

“Obtuse,” Julie corrected, and he huffed, “Yeah, that.”

“Out,” Evan growled, pointing at the closet. “Or I will remove you myself.”

Holding up his hands, Frank hopped off the couch before helping Julie up. “Alright, alright, calm down, Uncle Chuckles. We’re going.”

As all of them got up, he turned to the vet and nodded. “We’ll be back tomorrow so if you three are going to fuck, try to be done by then. We don’t want to walk in on that again.”

Marcus turned beet red, but still mumbled, “You didn’t even walk in...”

“Nah, but we heard enough,” Julie snickered, punching his arm. “Glad you’re back. And thanks for keeping an eye on Frank.”

Smiling slightly, he patted the vet on the shoulder. “Glad you’re back, Doc. And I’m glad they didn’t hurt you.”

Surprised by both of their uncharacteristically friendly reactions, Marcus just nodded dumbly. “Oh.. Yeah, of course.”

Susie and Joey each gave him a quick hug before following Amanda through the closet, leaving him slightly bewildered in the middle of his living room. Gathering his thoughts, he turned to Evan and Danny.

Both of them were watching him, Evan tense as if he were holding back from doing almost the exact same thing Pyramid Head, Michael, and Jason had all just done. Danny looked like he was in pain, something obviously on his mind but unable to get it out.

Finally, the Trapper broke the silence, asking, “Pet, are you sure you’re okay?”

Marcus started and stopped several times, unsure how to answer now that it was just the three of them. The truth was, he really wasn’t and it was getting harder and harder to pretend he was. No matter how many times he said it, he knew he wasn’t okay. Shaking his head, the vet finally said it out loud, admitting, “I’m really not. Danny… Why did you lie to me?”

“I didn’t… I didn’t lie, technically,” he argued, but it sounded like he was trying to convince himself just as much as the vet.

“You knew who Dwight was the second you saw him,” Marcus accused, voice strained. “And you pretended he was just some random person.”

“I never said I didn’t recognize him,” the Slasher defended. “I just- I didn’t- I knew if he found out about your relationship to us or if you found out who he was it would lead to trouble. And look at what happened! I was right!”

“None of this would have happened if you’d said something to me!” he shot back angrily. “But no! Instead, you went and attacked him, didn’t you? You were the only one who knew who he was and I highly doubt he got mugged by some random person between here and the hotel he was staying at!”

Not bothering to deny it, Danny’s expression darkened as he said, “I did what I had to do to try and keep you safe.”

“Look how well that turned out,” Marcus replied coldly. “If you had told me the truth, we could have sat down and talked about how to move forward. I could have talked to Dwight and explained the situation. Hell, maybe we could have still worked out a peace treaty without anyone having to get hurt.”

“He’ll survive. That’s what they do,” Danny snapped, lip curling. “Sure, I roughed him up a little but it’s nothing that he hasn’t dealt with a thousand times already. He’s fine.”

“I’m not fine!” Marcus shouted, finally snapping. He could feel tears stinging his eyes as he repeated, “I am not fine, Danny! I can’t believe none of us learned a thing from what happened with the Lament Configuration and the Collector! So I want to know why? Why did you think that going behind my back and chasing off someone I considered a friend would keep me safe? Do you understand how I would have felt if he’d just ghosted me? Do you know how many people have come into my life, used me, and then just disappeared? Is that really what you’d want me to think happened? My mom and dad used to do the same goddamn thing! You’re supposed to be my partner, not my parent!”

Taking a step closer, Danny’s voice shook as he said, “Doc, I am so sorry. I- I didn’t think of it like that. I just- I know I’m not a good person and I was scared that if you found out who he was, and if you still wanted to hang out with him and started getting to know the Survivors and you saw the kind of people they are that you- that you would- that you might… leave.”

Marcus felt like he’d just been slapped. Blinking several times, he cleared his throat before asking quietly, “Do you really think I’d just… abandon you for someone else? That I’d… what? Decide the Survivors are a better option? Because I’m more like them than I am you? Because I’d be safer with them?”

Danny looked away, his silence a loud answer.

“If I didn’t want to be with you, I wouldn’t be. I don’t care that you kill people. I don’t care that you're not a ‘good person’. God knows I’m not, but I don’t trade people in like used cars! I have been honest with you about everything this whole time and it hurts that you think I’d just leave you for someone else!”

Danny’s eyes were downcast, expression grim. Slowly looking up, he suddenly asked, “Everything? So there’s nothing else? Nothing going on that you want to tell me about?”

It was Marcus’s turn to look away, shame spiraling through him. “I… You’re right. There is… something going on. I thought I could find a way to handle it myself and I was wrong.”

“Marcus?” Evan asked softly. “You know you can tell us anything. What’s going on?”

“Richards was deep in debt to a corrupt cop before he died,” he forced out, looking at the floor. “And now the person he owed is coming after me for- for almost fifty thousand dollars and if I don’t get him his money by tomorrow, he’s going to try and kill me.”

“Why didn’t you say anything sooner?” the Trapper demanded, frustration heavy in his voice. “We could have had it handled already.”

“How?” Marcus asked desperately. “By killing him? I don’t want any more people’s blood on my hands!”

“It won’t be,” Danny whispered, voice trembling with barely contained fury. “This is on him, Richards, and myself.”

Shocked, Marcus started to ask, “Danny, what-”

“Richards got into debt, not you!” he snarled, cloak tendrils coming to life around him. “This fucker decided to come after you for someone else’s money! And I’m going to be the one who opens him up and shows him what fifty grand looks like in fresh human organs!”

Snatching his mask off the table, Ghostface paused before putting it on. Looking at the vet, he said much more softly, “I am sorry I hurt you, Doc. I didn’t think about how my actions could affect you, and I ended up not only hurting you, but I put you in danger. Now, I’m going to go make sure this bastard never gets a chance to do the same.”

A part of Marcus was greatly relieved, almost glad that Ghostface was going to hunt down the man threatening his life. The rest of him felt sick for being glad someone was about to die for getting involved with him. Instead of arguing or trying to plead with the Slasher not to kill someone, he just nodded.

Not hearing his footsteps approaching, Marcus jumped when arm suddenly wrapped around his waist. Looking up as he was pulled in close, he met the black voids of Ghostface’s mask.

“Please don’t lose faith in me, Doc. I’m going to make this right.”

Barely able to swallow past the lump in his throat, Marcus nodded silently.

A gloved hand came up, gently brushing his cheek before Ghostface was darting away, leaving the vet alone with Evan.

Growling quietly at the closet, the Slasher didn’t say anything. Instead, he returned his attention to Marcus, head tilting slightly as he closed the gap between them.

Looking at the floor, he braced himself for some shouting. Maybe some cold words of disappointment for hiding the cop issue for so long. Wincing when hands gently gripped his shoulders, Marcus forced himself to look up at his boyfriends face.

He didn’t look mad. If anything, he looked worried. “Come on, pet. You need a shower.”

“Oh… yeah, I guess,” he agreed quietly. It occurred to him that he was still wearing the clothes he’d been loaned by the Survivors. Whoever’s scent was clinging to him was probably not something the Trapper really wanted to be reminded of.

A hand slid down to the small of his back, Evan guiding him to the closet and grabbing his mask on the way. Jude followed after them with a discontent meow, still waiting on someone to pay attention to her.

Pausing for a moment on the other side of the Tree, Evan lifted his head, inhaling deeply before frowning.

Looking around, Marcus asked, “Is everything alright?”

The Trapper was quiet for a minute but finally shook his head. “I thought I smelled someone… but I’m not sure.”

Rubbing the vets back, he nodded towards his house. “Come. You need rest before we introduce you to the others. They’re going to want to meet you now that they’ve agreed to a treaty with the Survivors.”

A chill ran up Marcus’s spine as they made their way to the MacMillan estate. It felt like someone or something was watching them, but when he turned around all he saw were quiet houses, a thick unwelcoming fog hanging between them. Maybe it was nothing…

~~

Joey wasn’t sure why, but he had a weird feeling in his gut. Things seemed calm and peaceful again, but there was something in the air that promised a storm was coming. Whether it was due to the Survivors or something else, he couldn’t tell. But it worried him nonetheless.

“I need to kill someone,” Julie sighed, flopping onto the couch with Frank, a plate of poptarts in her hands. “I still say we should track the bastard down and gut him.”

Snuggled up against Joey’s side, Susie agreed, “Fuck cops, but fuck that one in particular. You should have seen the way he was looking at Julie when he showed up at Doc’s house again. We should have cut him down right then and there.”

Frank had the same look on his face he always got when he was plotting something, but Susie’s comment brought a particularly dark look to his face. “No, you all did good. We can’t be doing that kind of stuff on Doc’s front porch. Besides, killing a cop is like sticking a firecracker in a hornets nest.”

“You might take out a few, but the rest will swarm,” Joey muttered, snagging a poptart. He had no qualms about killing Carter, he just wanted to make sure they were smart about it. Huh… if they managed to pull it off, that would technically be their first premeditated murder.

Holding him a little tighter, Susie asked, “So what are you thinking? We find him, take him out, and then hide out in the Realm till things calm down?”

Making a face, the brunette shook his head. “Fuck hiding. I’m not worried about us. We have masks and are still Unknown Slashers, so it’ll be a lot harder for the cops to pin anything on the Legion. I’m more worried that he may have something on Doc.”

“We could burn his house down to ensure there’s no evidence left,” Julie mused, a glint in her eye. “Hell, we could burn it down with him in it.”

“Hmmm, adding arson to your list of crimes, are you?” a smooth voice purred, and all of them looked up to see Ghostface sitting on the stairway banister.

How the hell had he gotten there without them seeing him come in? More surprisingly, how had he managed to balance without falling on his face at least three times?

Sliding down the slanted rail, the older killer dropped to the ground with a thump of boots. “Don’t worry about the cop, children. I’m taking care of it. All I need is a name.”

Joey was about to tell him to fuck off, but Frank caught his gaze and subtly shook his head. Oh? What was he planning?

To Danny, he asked, “So why are you coming to us?”

“Because I know you know his name and I’m not letting Doc get any more involved in this than he already is,” Ghostface stated bluntly.

Oh… he was in a mood. No banter. No jokes. Just straight to the point. Never a good sign for whoever he was targeting.

Half expecting Frank to say something snide or try to taunt the other Killer, Joey was shocked when he answered simply, “Carter. Don’t know his first name. But in such a small town I doubt there are a lot of those on the force.”

Ghostface gave no reaction to the ease with which the name had been passed along, simply nodded and turned to go. Before he could make it to the door, Frank called, “Oh, and Danny?”

He paused, head turning slightly to show he was listening.

Without bothering to get off the couch or even turn and look at him, Frank said, “Doc’s a great guy. Don’t let him down.”

His hands squeezed into tight fists, the leather of his gloves creaking from the strain. Then, with a short sigh, his fingers relaxed and he left without a single word.

“Think he can do it?” Julie asked quietly.

Frank didn’t answer at first, gazing into the fireplace with cold eyes. “Yeah. I know he can.”
~~~~

Chapter Text

Marcus was in a bit of a daze as Evan led him upstairs. He felt… icky. He and Danny had never fought like that before and it left a bad taste in his mouth. He couldn’t help but feel a lingering sense of anger over Danny hiding the truth from him, but that made him feel like a hypocrite for hiding the Carter situation from not just him, but Evan as well.

It had been stupid to think he could come up with forty-eight thousand dollars on his own. Maybe it was for the best to have the man killed. There was no telling how far his abuse of power and position went, and for all the vet knew taking him out of the picture would save innocent people down the line. That idea almost made him laugh. How could he be concerned about a corrupt cop killing innocent people when both his boyfriends made a hobby out of doing exactly that?

Almost walking face first into a wall, he was only stopped when a large hand gripped the back of his neck. Stopping immediately, he blinked several times before tilting his head back to look up at Evan.

The Trapper was looking down at him, brow creased in a deep frown. “Thinking about Danny?”

Marcus felt another pang of guilt swell in his chest. Voice cracking slightly, he asked, “Am I… wrong?”

Eyebrows rising, Evan pressed, “About what, pet?”

“This whole situation. Being mad at Danny for not just telling me he knew Dwight when he had the chance. Not telling you both about Carter right away. Just… all of it.”

Expression softening, Evan nodded. “Yes, you should have told us about the cop sooner, but we know now and there’s enough time to do something about it to ensure your safety.”

Although that made him feel slightly worse, Marcus was still incredibly grateful Evan wasn’t shouting at him. He already felt like he was going to cry and being yelled at would absolutely have been the breaking point.

Continuing, the Trapper told him, “No, you’re not wrong to be upset with Danny. He should have told you, but I understand why he didn’t. None of us knew how the Survivors would react to learning about you, or that you’re now a part of our way of life. We’d never really considered it. He still should have told you, but I think he sees that now.”

It didn’t do much to assuage his guilt in the moment, but Marcus did nod. Just as he was about to ask another question, he noticed something. They weren’t in the bathroom Evan usually had him use when he was there.

Lacking a bathtub entirely, it made up for it with a walk-in shower large enough to hold a horse. Pointing at it, he raised his eyebrows before turning to stare at his boyfriend. He got to use that?! Hopefully no one needed him for anything for the next few days, because he couldn’t think of a good reason to want to leave. Maybe he should end his lease and move into the Realm full time. No bills, no debts, no corrupt cops… And he’d be closer to his partners and friends…

Evan was smiling slightly as he took in his reaction, before reminding, “You had a question?”

“O-oh, yeah!” Marcus stammered, shaking his head as he tried to focus. “Sorry, I just- Wait, are you joining me?!”

The Trapper paused, midway through unbuckling his coveralls. “Yes. There’s room.”

Marcus had zero objections, he was just shocked. Smiling from ear to ear, he quickly pulled his borrowed shirt over his head and chucked it down the laundry shoot. In a bit too much of a hurry to get his pants off, he almost fell over.

Raising an eyebrow at him, Evan didn’t say anything. Stepping past him as he continued to fumble with his pants, he started the water before standing in the shower door to wait for him.

Marcus’s smile fell then, and he asked quietly, “Are you mad at me?”

It was the only thing he could think of to explain why the killer was being so uncharacteristically calm about the entire situation. Maybe he’d finally gotten tired of his constant bullshit and was just… done caring.

Both Evan’s eyebrows raised at that, but he still didn’t say anything. Instead, he reached out to gently grip the back of the vet’s neck and guided him into the shower so he could close the door.

Assuming the non-answer was an answer, Marcus sighed and stepped under the hot water. It felt good and he let out an even louder, longer sigh. He didn’t know how much he needed that. Letting his eyes close, he almost felt like he was going to doze off standing up when arms wrapped around him from behind.

Pulled against Evan’s body, he tilted his head back to look up at his face and was met with an uncharacteristically soft expression.

“Why would I be mad at you, pet?”

Marcus choked up, used to that kind of question having no right answer. He didn’t know what to say or how to respond. Saying he didn’t know would only make things worse but giving a laundry list of answers would be met with an equally long list of punishments. At least, that’s how his father had always handled it…

Trying and failing to keep his voice from shaking, he finally managed to say, “I’m sorry for not saying something sooner. I know I should have. I just- I was- I don’t know what I was thinking, Evan. I’m sorry. I- I was just… being stupid. Again.”

Unlike his father, Evan didn’t yell at him or belittle him. Instead, he squeezed the vet against his body, promising, “I’m not mad at you, pet. I’m mad at Danny for not telling you the truth and for the trouble it’s caused. I’m mad at myself for not noticing something was going on, and for the things I’ve done that I can’t change. We all make mistakes, but at least you’ve accepted help in fixing yours.”

Marcus nodded, slowly allowing himself to relax in his boyfriend's arms. He knew it would be some time before he saw Danny again, but he hoped they’d be able to sit down and talk when he got back.

“Pet…” Evan murmured suddenly. “You’re not stupid.”

He didn’t say anything, staring at nothing as the hot water washed over them both. He sure felt stupid…

The arms around him shifted slightly and he tensed up as one of the Trappers hands ran up his chest to rest just under his collarbone. “Evan… I know I messed up. Okay? It was a stupid thing to do. I should have just-”

He went silent as fingers wrapped firmly around his neck, not squeezing but sending a clear message. Behind him, he could feel the low growl Evan let out. Pulled back slightly so he was no longer directly under the water, Marcus’s head was tilted back so he was looking up into the Trapper's eyes.

“We all make mistakes, pet. A lot of them are stupid, sure. You are not stupid.”

Marcus tried to lower his head but the grip on his neck tightened, keeping him in place. Swallowing nervously, he tried to argue, “But I-”

Eyes narrowing, Evan repeated firmly, “You’re not stupid.”

Unable to nod, the vet sighed, “Okay. If you say so.”

Head tilting slightly, the Trapper let out a low growl. He didn’t look convinced, and his following order confirmed it.

“Say it.”

Eyes widening slightly, Marcus couldn’t keep the confusion out of his voice as he repeated, “You’re… right?”

Snorting, Evan clarified, “You’re not stupid. Say it.”

He almost argued, refusing to believe it… But when he saw the way Evan was looking at him, eyes soft despite the way he was squinting at him, lips pulled to one side in a concerned grimace, grip firm and comforting despite the seemingly predatory position of his hands… Marcus knew he meant it.

Sighing, he managed a small smile as he repeated, “I’m not stupid.”
Humming contentedly, the killer lowered his hand back to his abdomen beside the other. “Good boy.”

Heart skipping a beat at the words of praise, Marcus took a moment to get his thoughts back in order before speaking again. Turning around in the Trapper’s arms so they were facing one another, he asked softly, “Is there anything I can do to help you?”

Evan chuckled, a smile playing across his face as he considered the question. “I don’t know if now is really the time for you to be worrying about me, pet. You’ve got too much on your plate as it is… Are you looking for a distraction from what’s on your mind?”

Marcus was grateful for the heat building up in the shower if only for how well it helped hide the embarrassed blush coloring his cheeks. “You’re not a distraction, Evan. I want to help because I love you. I just… don’t know what to do right now. I feel so lost.”

Humming under his breath, Evan thought it over. After a few minutes of silently holding the vet, he said, “I want… to try your plan.”

Slightly lost, it took Marcus a moment to remember what plans he’d been talking with the killer about. “Oh, you mean seeing if I can help with the pain from all the shrapnel?”

Evan nodded, so he quickly explained, “Um, so, it would only really numb the pain for a few hours at best, but I was thinking, if I inject lidocaine at the base of the shrapnel, it should at least mitigate the pain in that spot. Temporarily. It… it’s not a permanent fix. I still don’t know if or how I could get the pieces out.”

Evan was quiet for a long time. Finally, he let out a deep breath. “Okay.”

Marcus was sure he’d misheard him at first. Blinking several times, he repeated, “Okay?”

“If you think it will work, even for a few hours… I trust you,” Evan murmured.

“Are you sure you want to do this? I really do think it’ll help, but at the same time I don’t want to get your hopes up over the possibility of a temporary measure,” the vet warned. As badly as he wanted to help and even as sure as he was that he could do it, he was terrified of letting his boyfriend down. Especially after everything that had just transpired.

Chuckling, the Slasher told him, “Pet, I am in constant pain, even when I sleep. If you can even dull it for a few minutes…”

Unsure what to say, Marcus just nodded. It really meant a lot to him that Evan trusted him so much, especially considering his reaction the first time he’d ever asked about the shrapnel.

“Do you think people are capable of change?”

The question was so sudden and unexpected, he wasn’t sure he didn’t imagine it. Starting and stopping several times, he looked up at Evan. The Trapper raised his eyebrows curiously, and Marcus asked, “I’m sorry, what?”

Finally letting him go so he could grab the soap, Evan repeated, “Do you think people can change? Become… better.”

Thinking it over for a moment, Marcus said, “Yes. Absolutely. If they want to.”

Voice soft, the Trapper asked, “And if they only want to change for selfish reasons… Does it really make them a better person?”

Taking one of his blood stained hands in his own, Marcus turned his palm over, gently feeling along each of his fingers. “Wanting to be a better person is never selfish. It doesn’t matter if you’re doing it for yourself, or for someone else. All that matters is that you’re trying.”

“I see,” he murmured. That was the apparent end of the conversation, as he reached up to hold the side of the vets face with his other hand. “Now, can I do anything to help you, pet?”

Smiling at him, Marcus promised, “You’re doing enough already. Thank you for being here for me. And… thank you for handling this so well. I… I’m not used to people actually listening and talking it over instead of just shouting and trying to make me feel bad.”

“People like that don’t deserve people like you in their lives,” Evan told him. Frowning slightly, he grumbled, “Now, come here. Your hair needs washed.”

Before Marcus could catch up to the shifting mood in the room, the Trapper had a hand on the back of his neck, turning him around as the other scrubbed soap into his messy red hair. The sound the vet made was practically a moan as his entire body reacted to the touch.

The grip on the back of his neck was firm and the hand running through his hair was applying just the right amount of pressure. Fingers massaged his scalp and he closed his eyes, losing himself in the relaxing feeling. A quiet chuckle had him trying to turn his head but the hand on the back of his neck tightened, keeping him in place.

“Relax, pet. Just stay put for me.”

Murmuring an agreement, Marcus still couldn’t help but protest quietly when Evan’s hands left him. A moment later they returned, that time to run over his arms and chest as soap was lathered over his skin. Practically melting into the Trapper’s arms, he couldn’t help the small sounds he made every time the man would run over sore muscles or sensitive areas of his body.

At first, Marcus assumed it was simply coincidence when Evan’s hands would return to the knots in his muscles, squeezing and releasing before moving along to another part of his body. It wasn’t until he felt something hard pressing against his lower back that his eyes shot wide open, suddenly very aware of how close he was pressing against the man behind him, and just how affected his body was by the purposeful caressing.

Hips pressed forward and he gasped quietly, pushing back against Evan in a slow grind. One of the hands on his chest slid down over his abdomen, circling around his navel before slowly reaching lower until fingers were brushing just above his groin. Tilting his head back and to the side so he could press his cheek to the Trappers chest, he looked up at him with pleading eyes.

A low, amused growl rumbled through the killer's chest and the vet could feel it in his ribs. It made him shiver and he pushed his hips back again.

“Good boy,” Evan growled, and he blushed. The Trapper’s other hand slid up his body, nails dragging teasingly over his chest before his palm was covering the front of his throat. “You’re being such a good boy for me tonight, hmm?”

Marcus swallowed thickly. He couldn’t nod, not that he really wanted to risk disturbing the closeness between them, so he murmured, “Yes, Evan.”

“So good for me,” he growled. “Now, pet… you’re going to have to wait just a bit longer. Don’t look at me like that. You won’t have time to get bored.”

The disappointed pout on the vet's face was instantly replaced with a curious grin, but Evan only chuckled, reaching up to turn off the water.

Guided out of the shower, Marcus was quick to dry off, eager to see what his boyfriend had in mind. Sex was the best distraction in the world, and the Trapper's unusually gentle attitude that night was something he wanted to see in action.

Before he could wrap his towel around his waist, Evan’s arms were wrapping around him instead and his feet left the floor with a startled squeak. The sound made him blush but the man’s following laugh had him whining, “You startled me!”

“Cute,” Evan growled, nuzzling his face into the side of the vets neck as he walked.

Marcus gulped when he felt the sharp teeth in his mask graze his skin. He hadn’t even seen him put it back on before being grabbed from behind. Wait a fucking second, had Evan just called him cute?!

Before he could think too much about it, he was being dropped. He landed with a soft ‘oof’ face first in the middle of the bed, but when he tried to get up a palm pressed down between his shoulders. Marcus immediately settled back down and was rewarded with fingers gently trailing down his spine. His back arched instinctively, and he turned his head to look back at the man kneeling over him.

The Trapper’s head tilted to one side, a thoughtful hum escaping between the mask's jagged teeth. Sliding his hands down the vet’s body, he took hold of his hips with a firm but gentle grasp. Positioning himself over the vet’s legs, he let out a content growl as he rested his shaft against his ass.

Marcus whined quietly, eyes widening as he silently questioned what exactly Evan was planning.

“Relax,” he growled, hands beginning to move up his back.

Lowering his head back to the mattress, the vet was entirely unprepared when the Trapper’s thumbs pressed into the small of his back. It hurt at first and he gasped, fingers clawing the bed underneath him. After a moment of steady pressure, Evan started slowly rubbing circles with his fingers and the tension in his muscles began to ease along with the pain.

Once his lower back was nice and loose, Evan started working his way up his spine and Marcus had to bury his face in his arms in a poor attempt to stifle the sounds he was making. His dick was trapped between him and the bed, but every time the Trapper would shift or move, it would cause him to rub against the soft sheets. At the same time, he could feel the killer rubbing against his ass with every movement, driving him wild with anticipation.

When Evan’s hands reached his shoulders, he let out a long groan. He hadn’t realized how much tension he had in his back until they’d gotten started, but now that it was being worked out he felt like a puddle. If he weren’t so horny he probably would have fallen asleep from how relaxed his body was becoming.

Slightly foggy from the combination of desire and comfort, he didn’t notice when a hand left his back or hear the tell tale click of a cap being popped open. It wasn’t until Evan shifted slightly and a wet finger trailed down between his ass cheeks to press against him that he opened his eyes.

The hand on the back of his neck squeezed gently, holding him in place as a finger slid inside him. Gasping, he tried to arch his back but was held more firmly against the bed.

“Ah, ah… be still, pet,” Evan ordered softly. “You deserve a night off.”

Marcus moaned, body shivering as the Trapper’s finger slowly worked in and out of him. He knew he was supposed to be taking the night off, but he couldn’t help but beg, “Please, Evan? More, please?”

“Still so well behaved,” he chuckled, pressing a second finger into the vet. “What do you say, pet?”

“Ah, th-thank you,” he stammered. That earned a pleasurable twist of the fingers inside him and he panted, “Ha, ah, E-Evan, I’m- I’m really close.”

The Trapper didn’t sound the least bit surprised as he asked, “Are you now, pet? Gotten a bit pent up, have you?”

Marcus wasn’t sure how since it had only been a few days since- No, no, that was long enough actually. Not to mention the earlier teasing in the shower and the entire massage.

The fingers inside him didn’t pause as Evan readjusted himself. Keeping his legs on either side of the vets, he moved his hand from the back of his neck down to one hip. Pulled up slightly, Marcus made a small sound of surprise when the Trapper’s cock slid underneath him, brushing against his own in a slow grind.

Growling wordlessly, the Slasher slowly moved his hips back and forth. Marcus gasped and moaned, unable to do more than take what he was being given. He didn’t mind, entirely lost in the sensations firing through his body.

Something pressed into him alongside Evan’s fingers and he whimpered as he was stretched open. “Evan! Evan, please let me cum!” he begged desperately.

Angling all three fingers just right, he rubbed and pressed against the nerves inside the vet as he soothed, “Beautiful, pet. Let it all out for me.”

Marcus let out a desperate moan, back arching in what little space he’d been given as his orgasm rolled through him. Evan continued to slowly rut underneath him, unbothered by the cum dripping over his dick as the vet shuddered and whined. The fingers inside him gently withdrew, and he let out a pathetic whimper at how empty he suddenly felt.

“Don’t worry, pet,” he chuckled. “That was only the first round.”

Half expecting Evan to keep him in position to fuck him, Marcus let out a startled squeak as he was rolled onto his back. The lower half of the Trapper’s mask was unhinged, allowing him to easily lean down and capture the vet’s mouth with his own before he could start babbling again.

Marcus let out a surprised hum that quickly turned into a small moan. For once, the kiss was slow and deep, not nearly as rough and demanding as it usually was. A hand slid up his arm, gently holding the back of his head as an arm looped underneath his back. Hesitantly, he brought his hands up against Evan’s chest. The Trapper’s muscles twitched but instead of growling or snapping at him not to touch, he let out a rumbling groan. The arm around his back pulled him closer and Marcus could feel Evan’s dick pressing against his abdomen as the Trapper sat up, pulling him onto his lap.

Arching his back, he pressed himself against Evan with a quiet murmur. It seemed like he wanted to be touched and as long as the vet was careful to keep a fair distance from his arm and shoulder, it was exactly what they both needed. His body was so warm and it felt good to move against him for once instead of being forced to maintain a more careful distance to avoid accidentally causing him extra discomfort.

Evan growled quietly, the sound vibrating through his chest and the man held against him as he broke off the kiss. Mouthing at the side of the vet’s neck, he whispered against his skin, “Good boy.”

Marcus tried to respond but all that came out was a quiet gasp as teeth clipped his ear. Hands roamed his body, squeezing and caressing his chest, moving slowly down to his waist and hips before returning to his chest to start the process all over again.

Sharp teeth bit gently into the thin skin of his neck and he tilted his head back in invitation. There was a pleased growl as the razor tips pressed just deep enough to draw blood. Dark red beaded on his skin like raindrops before slowly being lapped up by a warm tongue. Hot breath puffed against the trails of saliva, cooling them off and sending shivers through Marcus’s body.

Rolling his hips, he rutted against Evan’s body. There was a louder growl and a hand slid behind his head, fingers tangling in his hair. For a brief moment, he worried he’d gone too fast trying to explore the seemingly new limits presented. The fear was just as quickly snuffed when Evan’s free hand pressed into his lower back in response, tongue and lips working over his neck like he was trying to devour him.

Whining when Evan suddenly pulled away, Marcus yelped when he was suddenly shoved onto his back. His attempt to push himself up on his elbows was put on hold by hands grabbing his legs. Pulled up until his knees were over the Slasher’s shoulders, his eyes widened at the familiar position.

Even with his mask on, it was clear the Trapper was staring back at him as he slowly pressed kisses into the insides of his thighs. Tongue snaking out, he licked a deliberate stripe over his skin before nipping him hard enough to draw blood.

Marcus jolted slightly at the sharp sensation but couldn’t help but moan as the spot was soothingly licked clean. His back arched as teeth sunk into the meat of his other thigh. It hurt but not in a way that he minded, he realized. Bruises and cuts were bitten into his legs, the blood quickly swept away by Evan’s attentive tongue. Every few bites were interspersed with gentle kisses and when his tongue found its way between the vet’s legs to prod at his hole, he let out a keening whine.

Unlike with his first time, Marcus didn’t try to bite back the sounds he made. Evan’s tongue worked in and out of him, easily pushing him to the edge all over again. It felt amazing and he wasn’t going to deny it.

Growling against his body when he began to writhe and moan, Evan didn’t admonish him. Instead, he seemed spurred on, fingers tightening against Marcus’s legs to keep him from slipping out of reach.

Stuck teetering on the edge of release, Marcus pawed at the Trapper’s knees. “E-Evan, please, I’m so close!”

There was a satisfied chuckle and lips pressed against his leg again before he was gently allowed to lay flat on his back. Opening his legs as Evan grabbed a bottle of lube from the bedside table, he eagerly watched him stroke the fluid over himself with one hand.

In yet another surprise, Evan laid down on his side next to him before tugging him close. Back to chest, Marcus found himself at a loss for words. It didn’t matter too much however, as a moment later an arm pushed under his head, wrapping over his chest to keep him close. A hand slid down his leg to lift it out of the way, the leaking head of the Trapper’s cock pressing teasingly against him.

Bone brushed his cheek and he tilted his head slightly, offering his neck again. Instead of teeth cutting into him, lips gently brushed his skin as a gruff voice murmured, “Are you ready, pet?”

“Mhmm,” he hummed, doing his best to press his body back against the man. The arm over his chest squeezed tighter in response and hips shifted against him.

Marcus couldn’t help but whimper quietly as Evan entered him. It was tight despite the earlier prepping, burning slightly as he was made to accommodate his partner's size. Teeth nipped his neck, distracting him from the strain of adjusting and helping him relax into it.

Lips brushed his ear and the following low growl of, “Good boy,” had him melting in Evan’s arms.

Slowly dragging in and out of him, the Trapper mouthed his neck, hands exploring his chest and leg without letting the closeness of their bodies wane. It was gentle and intimate in a way Marcus had never experienced with Evan, or even thought he would, and it allowed him to slip into an entirely calm state of mind.

Even when teeth sank into his neck, holding him in place as the Trapper’s rutting became more aggressive and his quiet growls grew deeper and louder, Marcus felt entirely at ease. He knew he was safe and it allowed him to enjoy every touch and sensation.

It wasn’t long until Evan came with a low groan, hand sliding down from the vet’s leg to gently caress his stomach and abdomen. Nuzzling his face into the vet’s hair, he rumbled contentedly, “Gonna’ keep you full, pet.”

Marcus murmured wordlessly, body still alight with pleasure. Not complaining when he was rolled onto his stomach with Evan still buried inside him, he looked back at him with a small smile. “Love you, Evan.”

Head tilting slightly, he let out a quiet huff before dipping down to kiss the back of his neck. “Love you too, Marcus.”

~~

Laying in bed several hours later, Evan stared up at the ceiling. Marcus was passed out on his chest, mentally exhausted from recent events and thoroughly worn out from their time together. It was… cute. Not a term he ever thought he’d use to describe anyone or anything, but it fit. He thought it was cute how soundly the vet would sleep when he or Danny were with him. He still had nightmares, but being around them seemed to distract him well enough…

“Distractions,” he murmured quietly.

Marcus mumbled something in his sleep, face pressing a little harder into his chest.

Lifting one hand from his back, Evan gently stroked his hair until he settled back into a more restful sleep. Letting out a deep sigh, he barely caught himself before growling in frustration. He didn’t need to wake up Marcus. He hadn’t been lying when he’d told him he needed to take a night off and rest. After everything that had happened with Danny and the Survivors…

They both needed a distraction. Marcus more than anyone. He was still recovering from dealing with the Collector and Pinhead, the last thing he needed was to be worried about brokering peace between Killers and Survivors.

At least some of them seemed happy about it…

Holding Marcus a little tighter, Evan squeezed his eyes closed. He wasn’t used to feeling the way he did. Guilt just… wasn’t an emotion he’d been raised to accept and that made it easy to ignore for so long. All he had to do was keep telling himself it didn’t matter, he’d never see Dwight again. Whether or not the Survivors had gotten out of the Entity’s Realm had seemed impossible to confirm and he had taken selfish comfort in that.

Sighing again, he pressed his lips against the top of Marcus’s head. He smelled good. Well… he smelled like sex and sweat and a little bit like blood, but the scent of the soap was still lingering in his hair. It was a very nice combination.

Fingers still playing through his hair, Evan frowned slightly when he felt a long thin scar along the back of his head. Where had that come from? It couldn’t have been recent. Judging from the size it would have definitely needed stitches and that would have required the back of his head to be shaved. Was that why he kept his hair so long? To hide it? He’d have to ask him about it later.

Smiling into the vets messy red hair, he murmured sleepily, “Distractions…”
~~~~

Chapter Text

Dwight knew it wasn’t going to be a fun meeting. It wasn’t going to be a discussion about trying to expand the cattle pen or building a new coop so they could raise a few more fowl… No. Oh no. It wasn’t to be that kind of meeting at all.

“So… he was telling the truth about everything?” Jane confirmed.

Wincing, Dwight nodded. Leon had told everyone how the meeting had gone, including the Killers' wildly unexpected interactions with the vet, Pyramid Head’s warning, and Ghostface’s threatening promise.

“Sounds like someone’s got something to prove,” David huffed in reference to Ghostface. “You’re sure this kid isn’t their prisoner?”

“Oh, he’s definitely there willingly,” Jeff chuckled. “There’s no doubt in my mind he’s exactly where he needs to be.”

Although his answer raised quite a few eyebrows, no one pressed the issue. After that, it was Dwight's turn to tell them the whole story from his side. He really wasn’t too surprised to find that Marcus had in fact told them everything as well. Not surprising, but certainly mortifying…

“An opossum, Dwight? Really?” Yun-Jin asked, looking utterly disappointed when he finished. “I grew up in a giant city but even I know what an opossum looks like.”

“Are you sure you actually know what an opossum is? Or just what a cat doesn’t look like?” Nea questioned sarcastically. “You hate animals, unless they’re clothes.”

“Fuck off,” she snapped, rolling her eyes. “Just because I actually have a sense of style as opposed to… whatever the hell it is you’ve got going on.”

Nea bristled, starting to get out of her chair as if to turn the argument physical.

“Enough, both of you,” Haddie ordered, and Nea begrudgingly retook her seat. “There’s enough going on without us arguing amongst ourselves.”

“I still can’t believe-”

“Ash, if you bring up the vet’s sex life one more time,” Leon warned, eye twitching slightly.

Dwight almost laughed, but managed to keep it to himself. Ash had already tried asking at least six times about who Marcus was actually sleeping with among the Killers, but so far hadn’t gotten an answer.

“I was going to say,” he repeated loudly, “I still can’t believe all the Killers actually live in a Realm so similar to ours. Some faith would be nice, Leon.”

Sighing, he nodded. “I’m sorry. This whole thing is just-”

“Did he really sleep with Michael Myers though? Did you ask him?” Ash interrupted, pointing at Dwight.

He turned bright red when everyone looked at him, mumbling under his breath and shrugging awkwardly. It didn’t really seem polite to be talking about someone else's sex life. He’d only told Meg, Jake, and Claudette about him and Marcus because they were his best friends and he was actively involved…

“I’m going to shoot him,” Leon muttered, rubbing his forehead like he already had a migraine.

Patting his back, Ada still sounded entirely unsympathetic as she prompted, “Just let him get it out of his system.”

“He never gets it out of his system! Never!” Leon hissed, glaring at her.

“You don’t actually trust them to keep their word, do you?” David asked, redirecting the conversation back to the main point. “Just because Marcus isn’t all bad, doesn’t mean he won’t stab us in the back if he thinks it’ll save his ass.”

“As long as we’re not a threat to him, why would he?” Kate asked, squinting at him. “Yeah, obviously Ghostface and Pyramid Head’s warnings shouldn’t be taken lightly, but none of us are going to purposely try and hurt him.”

“They’ll probably take care of that themselves sooner or later,” Cheryl snapped, slouching in her chair with her arms crossed.

Dwight cringed, practically able to feel the rage coming from his fellow Survivor. He knew some of her history with Pyramid Head and Silent Hill, but she kept the majority of it to herself. Laurie looked just as upset, but she had stayed quiet about it so far. Still, knowing Micheal was so deeply involved was sure to open up some very old wounds.

“So… The non-Realm Killers are involved with the Realm Killers?” Felix asked. “Or is it just this one Jason fellow?”

“From what the Pig told us, it’s just him,” Jeff answered. “He seemed… surprisingly reasonable.”

That almost made Dwight laugh. Jason had just stood there, not saying a thing the entire time they’d been at the vet’s house. Then again, he was pretty sure the man hadn’t uttered a single sound the entire time he’d been present anywhere.

“If he’s Michael’s friend though…” Kate left the thought hanging. She may have been more on board than some of the others with the whole situation, but she still knew better than to trust the Shape.

“Michael isn’t capable of making friends,” Laurie finally said, voice cold. “He’s a soulless, emotionless, bastard who likes playing games with people. Whatever he’s got you thinking he’s doing, he’s not. He’s just waiting. Biding his time. It’s what he does. If Ghostface can still use his power to make us weaker, Michael can probably still use his power to become faster and more lethal.”

Dwight couldn’t help the small sound that slipped out. He’d almost started to argue and hadn’t been able to stop himself in time. When everyone looked at him, he stammered uncomfortably, “W-well, it- it’s just that- that um… See, I think… some of them… aren’t as bad as we thought they were? At- at least… not anymore.”

The silence that followed was suffocating, but the looks he was getting from half the table were worse. Distrust, disgust, anger, a little fear… But they hadn’t seen what he had! They hadn’t gotten to know Marcus at all yet or seen how the Killers were around him! It’s like they were different people!

“People like them don’t change,” Yun-Jin argued bitterly. “They just get worse and they drag down everyone around them.”

“I don’t know. Marcus seemed like a pretty decent kid,” Adam said. “He didn’t hesitate to help with Patches, and from what Haddie saw, I don’t think he’d sell us out.”

When Dwight glanced over at her, she had a slightly pained look on her face. What exactly had she seen? He was aware of her ability to see the past from objects and locations, and even people if they were truly willing to share, but so far he hadn’t been filled in on what had happened while he’d been gone.

Haddie’s expression didn’t change as she explained, “What I saw only scratched the surface of the things he’s been through. If he hasn’t snapped and become a Killer by now, he won’t. He won’t try to hurt us. Honestly… he may get hurt trying to protect us if we’re not careful.”

“Or he’s a really good actor,” Cheryl huffed, rolling her eyes. “Pyramid Head has marked him for something, and I don’t believe it’s anything good. For all we know, he could be trying to create a weapon to combat the cult, or a conduit to store power in so he can turn around and drag more land into permanently becoming a part of Silent Hill.”

“Does he really need a weapon to do any of that?” Jill asked, raising an eyebrow. “You said it yourself. You could feel his power for a moment when you first saw Marcus and it’s only grown since his time in the Entity’s Realm.”

“Why else would he be willing to wage an entire war over him?” she challenged. “Pyramid Head isn’t what he was before the Entity’s Realm, that’s true… But I don’t believe he’s changed that much. At least not for the better.”

Unable to contain it any more, Dwight finally asked bluntly, “But how would you know? It’s been over twenty years since we’ve seen or interacted with any of them. Ghostface said they’ve known we got out for a long time but they chose to leave us alone. They had almost two days to torture me or kill me, and they didn’t! Evan actually… apologized to me. And… and Amanda was… nice.”

“They must have been if you’re suddenly on a first name basis with them,” Nea pointed out. Although her tone was reserved, there was an excited gleam in her eyes.

Dwight blushed furiously, fiddling with his hands as he stammered, “I- I mean, k-kinda? I guess. I- I got stabbed, obviously… But that was my fault for-”

“How was getting stabbed your fucking fault?!” David shouted. “Ghostface stabbed you! You didn’t jump on his fucking knife!”

“I’m the one who started the whole mess,” Dwight argued. “I could have tried to talk to Marcus before I brought you and Jake in to kidnap him! So, yeah! It’s kind of my fault!”

“It doesn’t matter who’s fault it is,” Tapp interjected, holding up his hands to silence any further arguments. “What matters now is making sure we keep an eye on the situation. It’s only the first day, so there’s no telling how this is going to play out. So… Do we wait until we actually need Marcus to come here and check on the livestock? Or do we start rotating people through to keep an eye on him and the company he keeps?”

“Or, third and better option,” Laurie offered. “We don’t do either of those things and just leave him to his weird Killer harem. If he wants to be with them, let him. He’s not our responsibility and we don’t really need a veterinarian.”

A little disturbed by the idea of trying to ‘keep tabs’ on the vet or just abandoning him entirely, Dwight started to argue but was almost immediately talked over.

“It would look suspicious if we just started showing up at his house for no reason,” Ash pointed out. “Besides, I don’t think Marcus is the one we need to be worried about.”

“No, just both his boyfriends and the rest of the Killers he has wrapped around his fingers,” Quentin pointed out, speaking up for the first time. “Killers are tricky. They’re good at making people think they have the advantage only to swoop in and yank the rug out from under them at the last second. His intentions could be entirely legitimate, but they could be playing him for all we know.”

“What’s the point of this discussion?” Élodie questioned tiredly. “We can sit here and theorize all night but it won’t lead to answers. You proposed the deal and the Killers accepted it with their own terms tacked on. Can we not just leave it at that?”

“You think they will?” Laurie asked, sounding bitter.

Dwight couldn’t really blame her, considering her connection to Michael. Of course, for all he knew the Shape could have changed as well. He seemed to actually like Marcus after all, so maybe he’d become more reasonable over the past twenty plus years.

“We’re not going to ignore the danger,” Leon stated firmly. “What’s done is done. All we can do now is move forward with the information we have. Obviously, anyone who leaves the Pocket needs to be extremely cautious, more so than ever before. I’m going to ask that if any of you do go out, you take at least one other person with you. As well, we aren’t going to assign anyone to ‘keep an eye’ on Marcus.”

“Is that for his safety or ours?” Bill asked darkly.

“Both,” Ada pointed out. “We don’t need to be putting ourselves in harm's way, or risk putting him into a situation where he feels like he has to mediate or choose a side. That being said, if any of you decide you want to get to know him, we’re not going to try and tell you that you can’t go.”

“That doesn’t mean anyone should start picking fights with the Killers,” Leon added, looking pointedly at David. “No scores to settle, no getting even, no provoking them into attacking you first so you have a reason. If this deal goes south, it won’t be because of us. Do you understand?”

David looked incredibly annoyed, but nodded anyway. Everyone else around the table added their agreement as well, with varying degrees of excitement or irritation.

Dwight himself was both anxious and ecstatic. He’d get to see Marcus again! Of course, that also meant he’d be seeing the Legion, Ghostface, and… and the Trapper… He still wasn’t sure how he felt about seeing Evan again. Certainly not as scared as he used to be, but he was still nervous about how another meeting might go. What if he snapped on him like a wild animal? Seemingly sweet one moment but acting on some instinctual urge to hunt and kill without warning? But Marcus seemed to trust him, and so far the vet really hadn’t given them a reason not to trust him, so-

“Dwight? Earth to Dwight,” someone said, and he jolted.

“O-oh, sorry! What was that?” he asked, looking around sheepishly.

“You seem to have made a good impression with both Marcus and at least some of the Killers,” Leon repeated tiredly. “Would you be willing to-”

“Yes!” Dwight answered immediately, even though he had no idea what the hell he was agreeing to. He still blamed himself for the whole mess and wanted to make it up to everyone. Of course, if it meant getting to see Marcus again sooner rather than later…

Leon blinked several times before finishing with, “To take a couple of the others over to meet him… If we can get the Killers used to the idea of us being around, and introduce Marcus to more of us one on one, we’re hoping it will make this treaty easier to maintain on all sides.”

“Yes,” he quickly repeated. “I still have his number, so- Oh, no… They never gave my phone back…”

“That’s okay,” Jonah told him kindly. “We’ve got extra’s. Give me an hour to set it up. I might be able to sync it to your old phone so you shouldn’t lose all your contacts.”

Dwight nodded gratefully, silently hoping he’d remembered to back up his phone since getting the vet’s number. Unfortunately, he was pretty sure he hadn’t.

“And if we don’t want to meet this guy?” Yun-Jin asked coldly. “Besides, why does it matter if the Killers are used to us being around? How will that help?”

Haddie spoke before Leon could, calmly explaining, “If we get to know Marcus better and can understand his relationship to the Killers, it can help us maintain peace. Make sure we don’t overstep any boundaries while setting some of our own. Besides, depending on who he brings with him when he comes here, it would be better for us to have a clear understanding of them.”

“I still can’t believe you all agreed to that,” Steve mumbled, rubbing a hand over his face. “Do they still have the Demogorgon?”

Dwight winced, looking away when both he and Nancy stared at him questioningly. “Um, well… Y-yes. It was present, but it didn’t… get a vote or anything, I guess? I mean, it raised its hand when they asked who was in favor of a treaty, which was kind of crazy. Then again, so did Dredge…”

Haddie looked slightly shocked, but didn’t say anything about it beyond, “How interesting.”

Shaking her head, Cheryl muttered bitterly, “You should have let me shoot him when I had the chance.”

It took Dwight a moment to fully comprehend what he’d just heard, but when he did he felt a spark of genuine anger ignite in his chest. “You tried to shoot Marcus? What the heck, Cheryl?! You don’t even know him!”

“I know Pyramid Head!” she snapped, glaring at him. “I could feel his power, his connection to the guy! Jesus, Dwight! I can’t believe you spent so much time with him and didn’t notice a single thing wrong with him!”

“There’s nothing wrong with him!” he argued, actually starting to let his anger show. It wasn’t often he got in such a mood, but he really liked Marcus and he was admittedly pissed by how little the others seemed to trust him. “Maybe if you all hadn’t treated him like a prisoner the whole time he was here you’d have seen it already.”

“If you could feel what I did, or if you’d seen what Haddie saw, you’d think differently,” Cheryl insisted stubbornly.

Haddie’s eyes narrowed and before Dwight could ask for proper clarification, she stated firmly, “Dwight’s right. The things that I saw weren’t Marcus’s fault. The guilt he carries for things that were out of his control is staggering. Your situation with Pyramid Head is a valid issue, but Marcus has nothing to do with that. He didn’t even know who you were.”

“He sure doesn’t seem to feel bad about sleeping with a bunch of psychopaths and mass murderers,” Laurie huffed, and Cheryl threw up her hands in agreement.

Ash inhaled, obviously about to start asking a bunch more inappropriate questions, when Leon quickly stood up. “Okay! I think that about covers it. Jonah, if you can get Dwight’s phone backed up and recover Marcus’s number that would be fantastic. Dwight, please let me know when you have it. Everyone else, if you’re going to try and visit with Marcus, please make sure Ada, Bill, Jeff, or myself are aware before you leave. If you can’t find one of us, text us, and verbally communicate your plans to at least two other people.”

Dwight was quick to get up as well as the others began to get up and move around. As badly as he wanted to pull Jake, Claudette, and Meg aside and speak to them, he really needed to see if Jonah could get all his contacts back on a new phone.

It was obvious more than a few of the Survivors still had questions they wanted to ask him directly, but Ada and Haddie were doing a good job shooing them all out of the room. Other than Jonah, only Meg, Jake, and Claudette were allowed to stay.

“Alright, I can get you a better one later, but for now I have this one I can loan you,” Jonah told Dwight as he pulled a phone out of his pocket.

No one bothered to ask why he had an extra phone with him, as it was pretty common knowledge that he usually had at least three at all times.

As Dwight took a seat beside him so he could help put in his information, the others crowded around, Meg asking, “So? Did he say anything about us?”

A bit surprised by the question, he told her, “Kind of. He said he made a pretty bad impression with both Laurie and Cheryl, and that he’s not sure if David wants to kick his ass or… what his deal is… and, uh, Ash wouldn’t stop asking about his sex life.”

“Yeah…” Jake mumbled, rubbing the back of his head. “He did do that.”

Jonah handed Dwight the phone, instructing, “Log in so I can start downloading everything.”

Only half paying attention, Dwight mistyped his password several times as he asked, “What happened while he was here anyway? Frank, um, the Legion leader, said you all shot him?”

“Leon shot him,” Jake confirmed. “When we first came through the Entryway, he was Frenzying and attacked me, David, and Marcus.”

“Oh,” Dwight mumbled, blanching slightly. “Wait, why would he attack Marcus?”

Meg shrugged. “No clue. We didn’t really talk to him, and he didn’t volunteer anything.”

That wasn’t really surprising, but Dwight still thought it prudent to mention, “Out of the four of them, Joey seems like he’s the most… level headed? Julie’s scary though. I think she scares me more than Frank, actually.”

“Pink hair?” Jonah asked, taking the phone back.

“No, the blonde,” Meg corrected, and Dwight raised an eyebrow. Shrugging, she offered, “Marcus filled us in on a bunch of their names since he couldn’t actually use their Slasher titles without bringing them here.”

Totally lost, Dwight asked slowly, “What are you talking about?”

“They didn’t tell you?” Jake asked, sounding a little surprised.

“Why would they? It doesn’t work when we do it,” Claudette mentioned, only confusing Dwight more.

“No, seriously! What’s going on?” he asked frantically. “What did I miss? The Killers didn’t really tell me much!”

“We still have a lot to talk about, I guess,” Jake admitted, taking a seat beside him. “Turns out there’s a lot more to the Killer’s powers than we thought…”

~~

Finding a single cop amongst an entire precinct with only a last name to go on wouldn’t be so easy under normal circumstances. Thankfully for Danny, Marcus lived in such a small town only one officer had the last name he was looking for.

“Carter… Blake Eric Carter…” Ghostface mused, staring at the computer screen. “That is the fakest fucking name I’ve ever heard.”

It really wasn’t that much of a surprise. A corrupt cop in a small out of the way town in bum-fuck Utah? As long as he put together his fake identity well, no one would really think to look twice. Or his parents were just absolute shit at naming their kids. Either way, the man had to die. Preferably slowly, covered in his own blood and tears and maybe piss if he got scared enough. It was admittedly gross as hell, but kind of satisfying when they peed themselves. That level of fear only added fuel to the fire that was ‘The Ghostface’ killer, and that worked for Danny.

Closing up the laptop, he set it aside before picking his binoculars back up. He’d been watching the house for hours, and so far it seemed like a very easy kill. Small suburban neighborhood, quaint little house not outside the realistic price range for a cop his age, no dog, no signs indicating an alarm system…

But something still felt off. It was almost too easy. Most cops were paranoid as hell; Houses wired to the chimney with alarms, guns and ammo out the ass, big dogs to further intimidate passersby, an oversized SUV or zippy little sports car in the driveway, and a wife to beat when he got home from abusing random citizens.

Finding him had been a bit too easy as well, despite the size of the town and lack of a large police force. Danny had found his home address on google for pity’s sake… It’s like the man was inviting trouble to his door! There was only one reason for that, in his opinion. Carter wanted to be found. By who though? That was an important question. Unless… that was the point. If he looked like he had nothing to hide or be ashamed of, enough people would be willing to simply overlook him. Too many people still wanted to see cops as the good guys no matter what… Ugh, he couldn’t wait to kill this guy.

Feeling a migraine starting, Danny sighed. He’d been awake for far too long and used far, far too much energy. But he couldn’t stop now. Not until he put that bastard in the ground. Carefully pushing his mask over just enough to free his mouth, he downed a couple more pills before readjusting himself. Time to wait and think some more.

Or not, as it turned out. A cruiser pulled into the drive, parking without opening the garage door.

Peering over the crest of the roof he was laying on, Ghostface tilted his head to one side curiously. So… he drove his cruiser instead of a personal vehicle? Or did he have one in the garage? Hmm, there hadn’t been anything registered under his name. At least, not in the state of Utah. He hadn’t had time or the bandwidth to do a broader search, but it shouldn’t matter.

Watching Carter exit his vehicle and make his way through the front door, Danny let out a low hum. He was looking forward to what was coming next. His blood was already heating up with the thrill of the hunt, fingers itching to wrap around his blade in preparation to sink it into the man’s flesh over and over… He’d make this an unforgettable display. A work of art that would shame all others. And god the articles Jed would write. No detail would be spared. The public would tremble in fear at the thought that such a good upstanding man, a cop no less, could so easily be cut down.

‘Upstanding my ass,’ Danny thought bitterly. ‘Disgusting piece of trash.’

Almost reaching for his phone to send Marcus a quick text, he stopped himself. No, he needed to be patient. He’d screwed up and he knew it. Doc had every right to be mad at him, and he wasn’t going to pretend they were fine when they still had things they needed to talk about. The next time he saw his boyfriend, he’d be bringing him good news. No one else was going to threaten the vet’s life and get away with it.

Sliding down the slanted roof, Danny landed softly in the grass behind the house. It was dark enough that he could have dropped into the front yard, but there were a lot of suspiciously pointy lawn gnomes in the garden and with his track record… Well, he wasn’t going to go crawling back to Doc with a chunk of broken plaster lodged somewhere it shouldn’t be and no dead cop to gloat about.

Creeping around the front of the dwelling, he made it across the street with no issues. Sneaking up to the front of Carter’s house, he peered in through the kitchen window. The lights were off, save for the flickering of the TV in a different room. It didn’t look like much, from what Ghostface could see. A pretty normal kitchen with normal furnishings. No dishes in the sink? Hmmm. Clean. Too clean, perhaps?

Sneaking around a ways, Ghostface paused again to peer in through a different window. He could see into the man’s bedroom, and it too struck him as a bit unrealistically neat and tidy. Who had time to stay so organized? The guy had to be some kind of psychopath. Oh wait… Cop, extortionist, threatened Marcus… Yep, psycho. One-hundred percent.

Circling around to the back of the house, Danny peered inside again. He’d been able to find the blueprints to the little two bedroom easily enough, but it was always wise to see as much of the interior before going inside when possible. Floor plans only covered so much after all. Furniture, decore, after the fact home renovations. He sure as hell didn’t need to be caught unaware by anything.

The flickering light from the TV illuminated a familiar sight. A man sitting in an armchair, beer in hand as he laughed at whatever show he was watching. There was already an empty bottle on the floor beside his chair, and Danny wondered if he was one of those ‘drink until he passed out’ types. It would make things easier in some aspects, but it would also make things take longer. He wasn’t a fan of killing inebriated individuals. It felt cheap.

Humming thoughtfully, the killer wondered just how many people Carter had paying him. It was fairly obvious he was being smart not to live above his publicly visible means, so whatever illicit funds he had coming must be either hidden somewhere in the house, or in a secured bank account. Now, Ghostface wasn’t a thief of anything other than lives. His only souvenirs were the photos he took and the beautiful memories he made with his victims… Danny Johnson on the other hand? He was nothing if not a man of opportunity, and if he was able to secure a little extra cash… Besides, Doc could use it more than a soon to be dead man.

Carter lowered the footrest on his chair, standing as he drained the last of the bottle in his hand. Ghostface quickly ducked below the window frame, waiting out of sight until he was sure it was safe to peek again. The cop was gone from the room but had left the TV on. Getting more beer perhaps? Maybe using the restroom? Sneaking back around to the kitchen window, he was just in time to see his target close the refrigerator with an irritated expression. Hmm, must be out of beer.

Picking his keys and wallet up off the counter, Carter once again disappeared towards the front of the house. Creeping to the edge of the building, Danny peered around the corner just in time to see the cruiser's headlights turn on. The vehicle backed out of the driveway, nearly taking out the mailbox on the way, before disappearing down the street.

Ghostface let out a low whistle. Time to add driving under the influence to the list… Yikes. Still, he’d just been handed a golden opportunity and he wasn’t going to pass it up. Giving it another thirty seconds to be sure the cop was out of sight, he crept over to the back door. It was nice that his little house didn’t have a fenced in yard. Or suspiciously pointy lawn gnomes… Seriously. Who the fuck needed that many gnomes?

As he picked the lock on the door -and wow was it a shitty lock- he got a brilliant idea… Once he was sure the door was open for him, he quickly darted back across the street and opened a Door to his bedroom. Bad idea, but oh was it going to be worth it once he was able to get some rest. Letting it close again so it wouldn’t drain even more of his dwindling strength, he double checked the road for any oncoming cars before resuming his mission.

The moment he stepped into Carter’s house a chill ran down his spine and he paused. There was something off about the place. He couldn’t quite tell what though, besides the lingering feeling of it being far too clean and tidy. It was all too polished and neat, reminding him more of a staged show house than a lived in home.

Ghostface was quick and efficient as he explored the house. It wasn’t hard, really. A one store, two bed, single bath? Perfect for a bachelor and not overly filled with personal belongings, if felt more like a hotel room than a home.

On his way back through the living room from the master bedroom, he paused. There was something… strange. Looking around the room with a more critical gaze, he silently listed everything he was seeing. Hallway, closet door, TV, arm chair, coffee table, other door, kitchen, front d- Wait… that door wasn’t on the blue prints… There shouldn’t be anything along that wall.

Staring at it, Danny considered what could be behind it. If he was remembering the blueprint correctly, the kitchen pantry should be on the other side of that wall. So either Carter was prone to getting the munchies on a regular basis, or he shrunk the pantry so he could install something else behind it. But why?

Making his way to the door, Ghostface pressed his ear to the door to listen. Anything alive in there? He hoped not. He’d rather not have to kill a dog if he had pets or something locked up down there.

Trying the knob, he was slightly surprised to find it locked. Again, it was pretty easy to get through and Ghostface had the door open in no time. The first thing that hit him was the smell.

Death and decay were something he was intimately familiar with, but he still gagged slightly on the unexpected assault to his senses. Fuck the Entity, his eyes were watering from the reek! Taking a step back, he waved a hand in front of his face. It was definitely time to upgrade his mask. Add some filters, maybe some actual night vision lenses, something.

Moving closer to the doorway again, Ghostface held his breath as he peered into the darkness. He could see a narrow staircase descending into the inky blackness below, but not much else. There was no telling what the hell was down there without going in, but he wasn’t sure he had enough time for that.

The hairs on the back of his neck stood up and he started to turn. Someone was looking directly at him! As he started to turn, the sound of glass breaking was immediately followed by a searing pain in his torso.

Staggering, Ghostface pressed a hand to his gut. Blood poured over his hand, dripping in a steady stream down his leg all the way to the carpet. At least the bullet had gone all the way through. Small mercies, perhaps?

He could still feel someone watching him, but he couldn’t see anyone. The front window was cracked, a small hole in the center of the spiderweb where the bullet had entered. Long range? Who the hell was this guy?

Before Ghostface could start to work out any answers to his questions, something whizzed past his head and he jerked to one side. The fucker had just tried to shoot him in the head! Ha! He’d missed!

Unfortunately it didn’t matter too much, as the killer stepped a little too far. Foot finding empty air, Ghostface let out a startled, ‘Huh?!’ as he careened backwards. Arms pinwheeling, Danny was unable to catch himself before he was falling backwards down the stairs. By the time he reached the bottom, he was pretty sure he’d broken at least a couple of things and sprained a few more.

Vision spinning, Ghostface stared at the block of light high above him. Fuck… that was really far away. Trying to stand up, he flopped back down almost immediately. He was in trouble. Big trouble. He’d pushed himself too far, expended too much energy. Now he was bleeding out in a dirty cops smelly basement.

A silhouette appeared in the light above him and he hissed. Carter? It had to be. He must not have left like the killer had thought. Did that mean he did have some kind of alarms set up around his property? Something Danny had missed.

Without a word, Carter swung the door closed. There was a clicking sound as it locked, and Ghostface was left in total darkness.
~~~~

Chapter Text

The first thing Marcus thought when he woke up was that he’d very much like to go back to sleep. He hadn’t slept so well in a while and he was so comfortable on Evan’s chest.

Eyes shooting open at the realization he was still on his boyfriend's chest, he swallowed. How long had he been asleep? It couldn’t have been all that long or Evan would have moved him to the bed like he usually did. Then again, he’d gone and drooled on him so maybe he’d been out longer than he’d thought. Either way, he’d needed the rest.

Before he could figure out a way to safely check and see if the Trapper was actually asleep or not, the Slasher chuckled, arms wrapping a little tighter over his back.

“Sleep well, pet?” he asked, sounding amused.

Tentatively wiping the drool off his chest, Marcus lifted his head to offer him a sheepish grin. “I- Yeah, I did. Um, how long was I asleep?”

With his mask off, it was a lot easier to read the thoughtful contemplation on Evan’s face as he mused, “Six maybe seven hours.”

Well, that would explain why he needed to pee so badly… Marcus couldn’t keep the shock out of his voice as he realized aloud, “Wait, you actually let me sleep on you for that long?!”

Laughing, Evan rubbed his back before saying, “I slept for a decent part of that too, pet. I was actually just about to get out of bed when you started waking up.”

Snuggling up against him again, Marcus mumbled, “Ah, in that case just stay. Adulting can wait. Besides, I don’t go back to work for one more day.”

That got a snort in response and he was slid off to one side to rest on the bed. “Breakfast first. You need to eat after all that.”

As if to help prove his point, the vet’s stomach growled loudly. Frowning when Evan smirked at him, Marcus muttered jokingly, “Yeah, yeah. I think I liked it better when you were mean to me.”

Pulling his mask over his face, the Trapper tilted his head to one side before chuckling, “Well, alright then.”

Before Marcus could scramble out of reach, a hand connected with his bare ass and he screeched. Shooting over the opposite side of the bed, he peered over the mattress with narrow eyes. “How dare you.”

Mask splitting as he smiled, Evan growled dangerously, “What? Don’t you like it when I’m mean to you?”

“It was a joke,” he lamented, shrinking down lower when the Trapper took a step closer to the bed. “I really do appreciate everything you did. I just… are you okay?”

Although it made him incredibly happy to see Evan so calm, he knew there had to be something on his mind for him to be acting so uncharacteristically soft. He just hoped he wasn’t overstepping by prying into something he shouldn’t be.

Head tilting slightly, the Slasher didn’t respond at first. Finally, he said, “Get washed up and come downstairs for breakfast, pet. We’ll talk then.”

“I still need clean clothes,” he sheepishly pointed out. “Unless you want me running around the house naked all day.”

Evan stared at him without saying a word and it occurred to him that he’d probably be perfectly fine with exactly that. Although he wouldn’t mind it himself, he also wasn’t about to do it in the Realm…

“You realize how many of the others could and probably will come barging in without warning because I’m here? Especially Myers?”

Growling, Evan muttered, “Fair…” Pointing at the dresser, he added, “Bottom drawer. Danny always keeps a couple of pairs of shorts here despite my insistence that he does not.”

Scurrying over to the dresser, Marcus quickly dug out a pair of shorts. No shirt, but eh. He’d be fine. It wasn’t particularly cold in the Realm so it should be fine. As he was pulling on the clothes, he voiced, “You know, the only reason Danny keeps extra clothes over here is because you keep cutting up his pants to get them off him.”

A body pressed close against his back and he jumped. He wasn’t able to go far before an arm wrapped around his neck, holding him against the larger man. Reaching up to pry at the arm, he squeaked, “I need to pee before we do anything else!”

That got a laugh out of Evan and he patted the top of the vets head. “Mouthy little thing, aren’t you?”

“You love it,” he challenged, grinning cheekily despite the position he was in.

“Hmm,” was the only answer he got before being let go. “Get washed up. I’ll get breakfast started.”

Feeling a lot better than the night before, Marcus hurried to the bathroom. After taking care of business and quickly washing his face and armpits, he made his way downstairs. He could already smell breakfast cooking and he couldn’t wait to eat. Evan may not need to eat while in the Realm, but he still liked to and they’d both worked up quite an appetite.

Entering the kitchen, Marcus found Evan at the stove, a cup of coffee already in hand. Beaming, he said cheerfully, “Careful. If you keep this up I might have to make a proper wife out of you.”

Choking on his coffee, Evan’s head snapped around so fast his neck made an audible popping sound. “What?!”

Quickly making an about-face, Marcus started for the front of the house. “Oh, I think there’s someone at the door! I better go che- eeeck!”

Stalking up behind him, Evan reached over his shoulder to grab him by the throat. Spinning him around, he asked in a low growl, “Who exactly do you think is wife material in this relationship, pet?”

Smiling weakly, Marcus offered, “Um, y-you?” A low, dangerous growl was the Trappers answer, and the vet quickly corrected, “M-me? I’m wife material?”

Evan made a point of looking him up and down. Meeting his eyes again, he stated, “You’re getting there. Maybe with a little more training…”

Mouth dropping open slightly, Marcus argued, “I am absolutely wife material! I cook, I clean!”

“And you fuck like a rabbit. Hmm, maybe you are already wife material,” he chuckled, releasing him.

Marcus stood there for a moment, pretty sure he’d just owned himself with that one. Still, he wasn’t upset. It kind of gave him a warm fuzzy feeling that Evan considered him ‘wife material’. That did raise an important question though… What the hell were the Trapper’s thoughts on marriage? It wasn’t something any of them had talked about before, and the vet realized his partners may have very different views on it than himself. Before he could mention it however, Evan spoke up.

“You asked me if I’m okay and I… wasn’t sure how to respond. I wanted to say I’m fine because it’s what I was raised to do. Men like me don’t have problems that can’t be solved with fists, steel, or money… we aren’t supposed to.”

Unsure what to say to that, Marcus waited for him to continue. Evan opening up to him wasn’t something that happened often and he didn’t want to make him uncomfortable by pushing him.

Pulling the bacon off the stove and setting it aside, the Slasher finally continued. “I was the first Killer in the Entity’s games. Not the Realm, but in the Trials. I was supposed to be a Survivor, but I was too much for Blight to handle so I was tortured into becoming… this. That’s when the Entity started bringing in the others. Dwight was the first of the Survivors, and from the first time I saw him I…”

He trailed off, staring at the stove for a moment before sighing. “I’ve always… found him… interesting. I wanted to know more about him but I knew there was no way to actually get to know him. The Entity was very strict about how much it allowed us to interact outside of our set roles in the games, and the one time I did find him outside of a Trial, I scared him so badly I was sure he’d hate me for the rest of his life. Now… Now I don’t know. I want to explain things to him and I think he may actually be willing to hear me out, but I don’t know how to explain myself when I’m not even sure what the hell I was thinking.”

Marcus took a moment to respond, wanting to word it as clearly and kindly as he could. He could hear the remorse in Evan’s voice and didn’t need to ask if he felt bad about what happened, but he didn’t want to come across as pushy or insensitive. “I think… As long as Dwight is willing to hear what you have to say, you should start by apologizing for whatever happened when you two met outside of a Trial. I obviously didn’t know you back then, but I can tell you’ve grown a lot as a person. I’m sure he can too, but don’t be surprised if despite that, he still needs time and space. The best way to show him you’ve changed is to start by respecting his boundaries.”

Evan nodded, grabbing two plates out of a cabinet. “I know. I did talk to him a bit while he was here, but for all I know I just made things worse.”

Recalling what Dwight had said about Amanda, Marcus offered, “I think he’s noticed that you’re trying. Are you… interested in him?”

Evan jolted slightly and the vet raised an eyebrow. He wasn’t sure he’d ever seen him caught so off guard before.

Snarling slightly, the Trapper demanded, “Does it matter? I have no right to put that on either of you.”

That surprised Marcus, and he asked, “What do you mean?”

Sighing, Evan grabbed their plates before nodding towards the dining room. Following Marcus, he set their plates down before taking his seat. Only then did he elaborate, “After the things I’ve done, I have no right to dump my feelings on him on top of everything else. It wouldn’t be right, and it wouldn’t be fair to you to try and pursue something with another man.”

“I don’t see how that would be unfair to me,” Marcus pointed out. “I’m dating both you and Danny, and I have multiple friends with benefits. It would be incredibly hypocritical and selfish of me to expect to be the only person in this relationship with multiple partners. You having feelings for someone else or having another partner doesn’t bother me, as long as you’re honest about it.”

The Trapper had actually stopped mid-chew, staring at him with such intensity he may as well have not been wearing his mask at all.

Taking that as a cue to keep going, the vet added, “I believe love and affection don’t have to be limited to a single partner, as long as everyone involved is honest and onboard. I know that kind of thing isn’t for everyone and I don’t expect it to be, but I don’t think people should have to choose between loving one person or another. I love Danny and I love you, and if someone asked me to choose only one of you, I couldn’t do it. That’s just not who I am.”

Evan was quiet for a long time and Marcus began to think that was the end of the conversation. It wasn’t until they’d both finished eating and were washing the breakfast dishes that Evan suddenly asked, “Are you telling me I should… be honest with him? Assuming he even wants to hear me out in the first place?”

Looking up at him, Marcus smiled. “Yes. But only if you think it’s the right time. Even if he’s willing to work through the things that happened in the Entity’s Realm, he may not be ready for that kind of conversation.”

“So cornering him the moment he’s alone and confessing I’ve had feelings for him for decades would be a…”

“Very bad idea,” Marcus completed, horrified. That was quite the opposite of the advice he’d been trying to give, and all he could picture was the poor Survivor scared out of his mind assuming he’d sicked his Slasher boyfriend on him as revenge for getting kidnapped by his friends. “Evan! What the- Oh, haha. Very funny.”

He’d started chuckling quietly, but it had quickly turned into full blown laughter at the vet’s reaction. Every time he started trying to speak, he’d take one look at the glare on Marcus’s face and burst out laughing all over again.

Splashing him with soapy water, the vet huffed, “Har-har, very funny. Don’t scare me like that! Or Dwight for that matter!”

Still laughing, Evan promised, “I’m not planning on it. But… Thank you, pet. You’ve helped me more than you can possibly know.”

Marcus couldn’t help the way he blushed or the incredible feeling of contentment that gave him. He didn’t think he’d done that much. But if Evan really felt that way, he was happy. Maybe there was more hope for the truce than he’d originally thought…

Before he could bring it up, there was a knock at the front door. Both of them looked up, and the Slasher growled, “If that’s the Legion I’m going to wring their scrawny necks.”

Almost asking what they’d done that time, Marcus decided not to. Even if they hadn’t done anything, he knew the Trapper didn’t like them being in his house or interrupting their time together. Still, the mental image of him throwing Frank across the courtyard like a football was too good to pass up, so he quickly dried off his hands and followed him to the front door.

Already starting to snarl as he yanked the door open, Evan cut out mid rage, saying instead, “Oh, it’s you.”

Peering around him, Marcus grinned when he spotted Amanda. “Hey! What’s up?”

Smiling slightly, she waved before explaining, “Evan, if you’ve got a minute I need to talk to you.”

His head tilted slightly but he made no move to go anywhere or shoo Marcus away. “About what?”

“I need a hand with something…” she answered cryptically.

She and Evan stared at one another for a long, tense minute. Finally, he turned to Marcus, growling, “Pet, I’m going to take you home. If anything out of the ordinary happens, you call me, Michael, Jason, Caleb, whoever the hell you can think of. Understand?”

“Of course,” Marcus promised, smiling nervously. Something was obviously up, but he had a feeling it was very Slasher oriented. As grateful as he was that they weren’t involving him, he still couldn’t help but worry for their safety.

“What… where is your shirt?” Amanda asked as they stepped out onto the porch.

“Evan doesn’t like it when I wear clothes,” he sighed dramatically. “I think you narrowly saved me from being chained to the stove. Apparently I’m wife material.”

“I do not need to know about you guys sex life,” she groaned, rubbing a hand over her eyes. “Danny blabs about it enough and believe me, I don’t want to hear it from him either.”

Clamping a hand down on the back of his neck as he guided him to the Tree, Evan warned in a low voice, “Careful, pet… Or I’ll chain you to the bed and really show you what ‘wife material’ means.”

Oh, that was both terrifying and arousing, and Marcus couldn’t help the small squeak he let out. Face flushing when Amanda laughed, he mumbled, “I thought you didn’t want to hear about our sex life.”

She just smiled at him before waving goodbye, and a moment later he was stepping out of the closet and into his living room.

Jude was sitting on the couch but the moment she saw him and Evan she let out a long, dramatic meow and rolled onto her back as though starving. Her pudgy belly did nothing to help sell the con, and Marcus shook his head.

A hand gripped his jaw and his attention was redirected to the Trapper's face. Mask unhinged so it was open over his mouth, he said, “I’ll be back as soon as I can, pet. Remember what I said.”

“Call everyone I possibly can if anything weird or out of the ordinary happens,” he repeated, grinning slightly.

Evan grunted, leaning down to kiss him before turning to leave. Pausing in the doorway, he pointed at Jude, ordering, “You’re in charge. Make sure he behaves.”

With a suspiciously smug meow, Jude stretched out a paw and closed her eyes.

Squinting at her, Marcus turned to Evan and crossed his arms. “Really?”

He just laughed before ducking back through the closet and into the Realm.

Shaking his head, Marcus asked, “Okay, lady. Where are the troublemakers?”

He wasn’t sure where the Legion had gotten too, as the last time he’d seen them was at the meeting with the Survivors. They’d gone back to the Realm and he’d been with Evan since then. Although he was curious as to if they’d come back to the house yet or not, he wasn’t about to call them to find out.

“Oh my god… I have a day off and absolutely no obligations,” Marcus told Jude. “I could do my laundry! Or I could vacuum! Or- Oh shit…”

His laundry was all at Evan’s still, and he’d pawned the vacuum six months ago….

Shivering slightly, he decided, “You know what, Jude? I’m going to treat us both. Let’s turn the heater up to seventy.”

Jude let out a very unimpressed meow, once again loafing in the center of the couch. Just because she had a built-in fur coat to keep her warm…

Squinting at her, he asked, “Seventy-two?”

She blinked slowly as if agreeing, and he nodded. Wait… Was he really taking instructions from a cat? Well, Evan had left her in charge.

Laughing slightly at the absurdity of the situation, he made his way over to the thermostat and turned it up to seventy-four. He deserved it. He also may not have any shirts in his closet and if that was the case he wasn’t about to catch hypothermia. Man, he was already starting to miss having other people to share a bed with, even if it was platonic.

He wished Danny was there. He didn’t like how they’d left things and after talking with Evan, he was even more disheartened by their fight. At least Carter wasn’t going to be an issue any more.

Groaning, Marcus complained to Jude, “Well, now I feel like an asshole for being glad someone’s gonna die! Even if he does probably deserve it…”

Not used to actually having so much time off or even time to himself when he was off, the vet found himself unsure what to do. It was too cold to go for a walk and his car was frozen to the ground. Even if it hadn’t been, there were so many parts missing or broken it wouldn’t run anyway.

Danny, Amanda, and Evan were all busy and he wasn’t about to call Michael for anything short of a life or death situation. Calling Jason would probably result in Michael showing up anyway, and he wasn’t in any state to deal with both of them at the same time. Pyramid Head was out of the question for the same reason, and he wasn’t about to call the Legion home and ruin the peace and quiet.

“I kind of suck at being alone, huh Jude?” he asked, plopping down onto the couch next to her.

The elderly cat immediately moved to his lap, purring loudly as she demanded his full attention. He wasn’t alone! She was there! And if he paid attention to her, he’d be even less lonely!

Laughing, he smiled as he pet her. “Okay, okay. You’re great company. Now, how about we try out this game system the Le-”

Jude interrupted with a chattering sound and a paw shoved into his open mouth.

Spitting and coughing, Marcus complained, “Okay! Sorry! But thanks for the save. Now, let’s see if I can beat Joey’s high score.”

~

Marcus ended up having a pretty good night by himself. It was peaceful, mostly quiet aside from Jude demanding as much attention as she could get, and he did end up beating Joey’s high score at the racing game. He’d held off on texting Dwight, wanting to give him some time to get caught up with his friends. As well, he was silently hoping to hear from Danny and didn’t want to be in the middle of something when he got back.

“Should I text him?” he finally asked Jude. He’d been staring at his contacts list for the past fifteen minutes while the TV played in the background.

The cat looked up at him and yawned before flexing her claws against his leg.

“Ouch, rude,” he muttered, gently pulling her paw away from his thigh. “If that’s your way of saying no, message received.”

Danny was on a hunt and risking interrupting him could be dangerous. He knew that, but not being able to talk to him sucked. Turning up his ringer, Marcus shoved his phone into his pocket and settled down with Jude to watch TV.