Hearthway Hollow

Arsene

Female Reader x Male Monster

Hearthway Hollow seemed like such a boring place on paper, the kind of town you'd go to visit grandparents. Your job takes you to many places - you decorate sets and do special effects makeup for a traveling theatre troupe. You get sent to all sorts of locations for different productions, often at the last minute. You are given a per diem for room and board, but you usually save that and sleep in your car.

Then, one morning, there is a knock at your window. You wake up to see what looks like a giant shadow outside your car.

"Hey, you," a gruff voice beckons like something from a noir movie. "Get out here, I need to talk to you."

You weigh your options. You could easily get into the front seat and drive away, or actually talk to the guy. Hearthway Hollow doesn't seem like the type of place where you need to keep your doors locked, but it is the kind of place you expect to see witches in gingerbread houses. You decide to roll down the window and find out what the giant shadow wants.

"Something the matter, sir?" you ask.

The man is a big, solid sort made of hair, grisle, and hard times. His dark eyes pore over you for a moment, studying you. "Young ladies shouldn't be sleeping in their cars, no matter how safe a place might be. You never know what weird shits are roaming the streets."

You want to say 'like you?' but you hold your tongue.

"If you need a place to go, I got an in with the lady who owns the hotel down the road from here." He points with his thumb down the street.

"Oh, it's fine," you answer.

His thick brows pinch together. "It's fine?"

You open your mouth to speak again, but the aura that radiates from him is the sort of tough love a good father gives to his wild child. "Yeah, it's fine." Your voice cracks - very unconvincing.

The big guy looks over your car, then back at you. "Take the hotel, young lady. It don't matter how tough anyone is nowadays, there's always someone out there who could hurt them."

You frown a bit at his words, wondering if they're a threat.

"I got two girls and a granddaughter!" he scoffs. "I worry, a lot!" He shakes his head. "I own the hardware store across the street. Name's Billy."

"Oh," you gasp. "You're Kamilah's dad."

"Oh, crap, you know the mean one," he chuckles.

You get out of the car and stand in front of Billy. You're not a small person, but you feel positively petite beside him. "I think she manages the theatre?"

"It's best you believe that." Billy holds out his thick hand, and you shake. "Take up my offer, and be glad Mrs. Locklear didn't find you, or else she'd have you by the ear and forcing you into a room."

You chuckle. "Okay. I mean, I get it. I'm just used to this, is all." You glance back at your car. "I'll stop by after work."

Billy looks to your car as well, and the special paint job you gave it to look like it had been through a zombie apocalypse. "What the hell is work for you?"

You shrug. "Set design, special effects makeup, a hodgepodge."

Billy smirks. "You want some extra work?" he asks. "Halloween is coming up, and it's a pretty big deal around here. Come paint my windows and I'll pay for your room, plus a little extra."

"Who am I to look a gift horse in the mouth?" You chuckle as the two of you trade business cards.

You head to the theatre, where you spend most of the day painting sets. Behind the theatre is the old fire department. As you paint and build, you see the firemen outside training some new hires. Today, they're washing and inspecting the fire trucks, and it is quite a show.