ethan landry x reader oneshots

all this time [2/2]

part two to more than a feeling. contains spoilers for scream 6, mentions of violence/murder, angst with no happy ending

The shrine hadn't gotten any cozier, goosebumps forming on your skin the second you stepped in. You were already shaken up; you had gotten separated from Mindy and Ethan. You were pretty sure this was the longest you'd been apart from Ethan since you were attacked, and the absence of his hand in yours made your knees weak.

The memorials of each Ghostface and victim(s) made your skin crawl, reminding you of how easily you could've ended up on a mannequin. You weren't brave like your friends were. You had just gotten wrapped up in the wrong situation, the target on your back large enough for anyone to hit.

And yet, a determination to know who had been stupid enough to terrorize the Carpenters and the Meeks-Martins filled you. You knew something in you wouldn't be able to rest until the killers were taken care of, no matter how much Ethan tried to soothe your need for justice.

You didn't think about that night. You didn't want to rewind the memories of being chased in your apartment, the one you no longer felt safe in unless Ethan was next to you, or the sick feeling that something about the picture wasn't quite right. You didn't want to believe in the reality you suspected to be true.

But now Ethan was gone, with Mindy of all people, and you knew you could prove it now. Ethan Landry was not a killer because he promised you.

Ghostface was going to show up and it couldn't be Ethan because the trap was set. It was a fool-proof plan.

Or maybe you were the fool for believing it.

「 ... 」

There stood Detective Bailey and Quinn, alive and well, in her Ghostface costume, revealing their motive for attacking Tara and Sam. It felt like something was missing... but no one seemed to share your concern and the fight began.

You took advantage of how the two sisters took on the father and daughter. You took the opportunity given to you and smashed one of the display cases, eyes avoiding the drawings as you picked up a knife; the thought that you were holding a weapon used to end someone's life made you sick.

You heard a crash and were stricken with horror upon analyzing the scene the Carpenters were stuck in: Quinn was jumping up and down in excitement, knife swinging just below Tara's feet; Tara, who was narrowly avoiding knife wounds because of Sam, who was doing her best to pull her back up to safety. But Sam's strength was running out and Detective Bailey was creeping up confidently, as if he had already won.

And then: a mutual understanding passed between the two sisters and Tara was let go with a knife in her hand. She fell with ferocity, ready to fight the second she landed. But before she could take a swing at Quinn, another figure appeared. Another Ghostface, who took advantage of Quinn's ignorance to his presence and sent a knife into her back.

Tara backed away as Quinn's face contorted to one of shock and pain. She turned and her hands reached for Ghostface's mask. It started to slip, but before it could come off completely Quinn was gone.

The new Ghostface adjusted his mask, wiping off his knife. A shout from above caught the attention of everyone, the strangeness of the situation shocking everyone.

"What have you done?" Detective Bailey's voice was full of pain, eyes full of tears as he reached for his daughter's limp figure.

Sam, never one to waste an opportunity, took her chance to push him over the railing. Detective Bailey fell with a thud but he was not deterred, stumbling for Quinn's body.

Wails escaped him but nobody felt for him. Ghostface hesitated, but ultimately took a step forward to introduce a knife in the same spot. Detective Bailey fell.

Silence followed, no one quite knowing what to do. This wasn't how it usually played out.

Finally, Tara moved, reaching out to unmask this new character. Her hand stopped midair and although she struggled, his grip was tight.

"If you do that, I will kill you," the voice that always sent shivers down your spine said.

Tara retracted her arm but glanced wearily at the bloodied knife in Ghostface's hand. His eyes followed hers and he stuck it into Detective Bailey's shoulder.

And then, Ghostface noticed you. You were only a few steps away, but you were just far away enough to not have caught his attention. And now that you were really looking, you knew. This was the Ghostface that had attacked you. You came closer with Sam right behind you. Unlike Sam, you didn't stop at the bodies; you moved closer until you were face-to-face with the masked figure, a hardness in your features. And with one swift movement, you took away his cover.

Matted curls and brown eyes, no longer warm and loving but desperate now, told you who it was but you were not surprised. An emptiness took over. Maybe you would scream and cry at the betrayal, but right now you felt nothing.

You had misinterpreted Ethan's words, maybe on purpose, but you knew they were honest. Ethan stood there, helpless. He would not hurt you.

You had your own shield, and you had just taken away Ethan's.

You took a step closer to Ethan, hand reaching for his face, thumbing over his cheek. Ethan's hands flew to yours, begging for your understanding, tears beginning to slip out of his eyes. He was pleading now, and he couldn't tell if he was speaking or if it was all in his head.

Couldn't you see? He did it all for you!

Ethan could not make out the emotions in your eyes no matter how hard he stared. He could not determine if you hated him or worse, were afraid of him.

Ethan could not see the knife you held, even as it entered his stomach, concealed by your hand and his own tears.

Ethan's eyes flickered all over your face rapidly, searching for anything from you. As the knife entered and exited him so many times he lost count, Ethan began to lose hope. He couldn't find what he was looking for and now he never would.

This hadn't been part of his plan.