Your Devotion - Slashers x Reader [Book Two]

[Chapter 56: Hide 'N' Seek]

"Hmm...You're right." You thought aloud, taking his words into account whilst you considered what Penny might've done. "But then again, he could always want us to think that - and then done something as simple as hide upstairs."

"TᖇᑌE. TᕼᗩT ᗯOᑌᒪᗪ ᗷE ᗩ ᔕᗰᗩᖇT ᗰOᐯE. ᗷᑌT ᗩᖇE YOᑌ TᖇᑌᒪY ᗯIᒪᒪIᑎG TO ᒪOᔕE TIᗰE? ᗩᖴTEᖇ ᗩᒪᒪ, YOᑌ OᑎᒪY GᗩᐯE YOᑌᖇᔕEᒪᖴ TEᑎ ᗰIᑎᑌTEᔕ. ᗩᑎᗪ ᗷEᔕIᗪEᔕ, ᕼE ᑕOᑌᒪᗪ ᗷE OᑌTᔕIᗪE." [A/N: "TRUE. THAT WOULD BE A SMART MOVE. BUT ARE YOU TRULY WILLING TO LOSE TIME? AFTER ALL, YOU ONLY GAVE YOURSELF TEN MINUTES. AND BESIDES, HE COULD BE OUTSIDE."] Michael next scrawl made you become somewhat cautious; whipping out your phone to check the time you had remaining. 7:35.

"You said more than enough time." You stubbornly answered, feeling unusually confident after swallowing your nerves. "I've got this. Trust me, I think he'll either be somewhere upstairs or outside the house. For some reason, I just don't think he'll have doubled back when I was glancing down at my phone and switching the time."

"ᗩᒪᖇIGᕼT. ᔕEᐯEᑎ ᗰIᑎᑌTEᔕ ᗩᑎᗪ TᕼIᖇTY-ᖴIᐯE ᔕEᑕOᑎᗪᔕ Iᔕ ᑭᒪEᑎTY EᑎOᑌGᕼ TIᗰE TO ᑕᕼEᑕK TᕼE ᖇEᔕT Oᖴ TᕼE ᕼOᑌᔕE ᗩᑎᗪ ᒪOOK OᑌTᔕIᗪE. I ᗷEᒪIEᐯE Iᑎ YOᑌ, (Y/ᑎ). I ᒪOᐯE YOᑌ." [A/N: "ALRIGHT. SEVEN MINUTES AND THIRTY-FIVE SECONDS IS PLENTY ENOUGH TIME TO CHECK THE REST OF THE HOUSE AND LOOK OUTSIDE. I BELIEVE IN YOU, (Y/N). I LOVE YOU."] Michael wrote in response, his adoration shining through as you blushed an embarrassed shade of scarlet.

"I-I love you too. But now's not the time!" Stammering, you passed the piece of paper back to him and pushed past him; heading outside and starting up your search for Pennywise once again.

Not in the garden, not in the shed, not in the garage, not in the conservatory...Damn, where could Penny be hiding...!? He had to be upstairs. So, after looking down at what time you had left, you hurried upstairs and began opening doors - now feeling like you were invading privacy. Not in the bathroom, not in Norman's room, not in Michael's room, not in Hannibal's room - nor his office - and not in attic. But...But...The only room you hadn't checked upstairs was— Looking to your right, you stopped and stiffened up; suddenly growing unbelievably shy. Y-Your room. No...No! There was no way he'd hide in there! Was there? Would he? Well...There was only one way to find out...especially if you actually wanted to win this intense game.

Faking your own arrogance, you grasped your bedroom's doorknob and pushed forwards; opening the door before entering with false egotism. "Hah! Better luck next time, Penny, because I've clearly—!"

"—BOO~!" Pennywise evilly exclaimed, leaping out in front of you and causing you to shriek with an insane amount of shock.

"B-But I...Wait...I don't understand...Why would you...?" You couldn't comprehend his actions, your questions taken over by stutters whilst Michael stood protectively in front of you and held out his knife.

"Hahaha, that was hilarious...!" Penny laughed wickedly, his golden eyes glowing with dark amusement while he gladly accepted his defeat of Hide 'n' Seek. "Y-Your face...!"

"But you...you gave yourself away...!" You pointed out, puzzled. After all, you knew how excited Pennywise was to play and win. Especially because of the "free fear" prize.

"True, but I-...Well, it doesn't matter. That was just super~duper~funny~" Stopping himself from saying something, the killer clown flashed you another caring smile; now behaving relatively cheerful again.

"Jeez..." Faintly exhaling, you placed a hand on your heart and moved in front of Michael; not wanting the stalker to start a fight or take offence to Pennywise's actions. "Let's agree to disagree on how funny that really was."

"Mmm...Fine." He gave in teasingly, blowing you a smug kiss before following you out of the room fully. "I take it that means you've won that particular round then~?"

"Well I certainly don't think that means that I've lost." You wryly replied, your words swirling with sarcasm while you headed downstairs and back into the living room. "Do you?"

"I suppose not~" Penny chuckled, taking a seat next to you after he watched you sit down on the sofa.

"Wait, isn't it my turn to hide? Don't you want to keep on playing?" You asked curiously, the rest of your fear fading whilst you turned to face him entirely.

"What, and stand the chance of losing against you a second time? I think you've won for today, sugar~" He spoke with affection, his sweet tone of voice causing your eyes to widen in surprise slightly.

What the—? This wasn't like Penny whatsoever. He was sadistic. Sarcastic. Sly. He messed around 24/7. He constantly tried to scare you, and feed off your fear. He'd almost never act like this towards you - let alone call off a game or admit defeat. Was there something wrong with him today...? Had you done something to mess with his mood...? Whatever it was, you weren't complaining! If anything, you were rather grateful for the way he was treating you - especially since it stopped you from feeling lonely for the rest of the afternoon. Still though, hopefully the other two would return home soon, because this oddly peculiar atmosphere felt unusually bizarre to you.