F!ReaderXSusie

A Risky Secret

Thud!

I yelped as I crashed into the forest floor, just outside the Main Campfire. Rubbing my back, I slowly stood up and bent backwards, stretching. I think I must've landed on a tree root or something because I had a dull pain throbbing in my lower back.

"Hello?" I heard a strong feminine voice call out in the distance. It sounded like Yui.

"Hey Rookie, is that you?" Bill's distinctively raspy voice yelled.

I walked in the direction of the voices, carefully avoiding the trees and roots on my way there. Sounded like they were looking for me, so I headed straight for the Campfire.

As I trudged through the forest, I wondered how long it had been since they were released from the Trial since they all died before me.

Suddenly, I tripped over a stick and bounced off of someone's chest. I looked up at the person, rubbing my nose.

Jake Park's dark eyes stared into mine intensely as he came around the tree he had been standing behind.

"Hey Jake, I didn't see you there. How long have you been waiting for me?" I asked casually, adjusting my glasses.

Jake continued staring at me silently, making me nervous. Finally he said quietly, "I saw what you did."

I froze in shock, chilled. There's only one thing he could be talking about, but how could he have seen Susie and I if he died before I did...?

Jake seemingly read my mind and stated, "Survivors can choose to spectate the Trial once they die..."
He glared at me and raised his eyebrow mockingly. "Or did Nea forget to mention that fact to you?"

I folded my arms, and plastered a look of indifference on my face as I considered his words. Nea hadn't mentioned that to me, but I'd figure out why later. Right now, I needed to figure out what Jake wanted, or this could go very badly for me. I was pretty sure Survivor/Killer relationships were this Realm's form of taboo.

I raised an eyebrow at him in return and stated, "What's it to you, Park? I didn't take you for the nosy high schooler type."

Jake snorted at that, and mirrored my posture, leaned up against the tree. "Damn, that's a bit cold, don't you think? No, I personally don't really care about what, or who you do in your spare time," he laughed as I turned red at his comment as he continued.

"I'm just giving you a warning right now, be careful when you interact with her, cuz there are plenty of Survivors and Killers who'll make your life a worse hell than it already is if they find out."

I stuffed my hands in my pockets and looked at him, trying to read his body language. He was still lounging against the tree, one arm tucked under the other and he was casually brushing a twig out of his crows nest of hair. He met my eyes and the hostility was gone, replaced by sincerity.

I nodded slowly and asked him quietly, "I don't suppose you have any idea who would be an obstacle?"

Jake hesitated, then sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I'll tell you the ones to look out for, but don't make it obvious."

I mimed sealing my lips and throwing a key away as he continued.

"The big ones to look out for, in our group, are the older guys. Overbeck, Tapp, Visconti. Those are the main homophobic ones. Thomas also seems pretty grossed out by any openly fruity stuff, but I've seen her making out with Nea on multiple occasions so I'm just gonna say she's closeted."

I snickered, imagining Meg being topped by Nea while Jake stared at them from behind a tree while eating an escape cake.

Jake ticked his fingers off as he went and I made mental note of which ones to watch out for.