(Archived) Poth Short Stories and One-Shots

Fright Night - Chapter 4 (End)

Chapter Warnings: Blood (marrow), implied abuse, swearing

***

Reaper turned away from the computer display with a knowing look directed toward the four younger skeletons, "Let's share our thoughts; I'm guessing everyone learned something from this experience?" His eye lights settled on Rurik first.

The skeleton folded his arms, averting his eye lights and grumbling, "I shouldn't antagonize the ghosts..."

Reaper hummed as he nodded, shifting his eye lights to Lotus; the monster brushed their fingers over the scarf hiding the bandages around their neck, "The crucifix should be kept easily accessible for use at a moment's notice." The adult gave a sympathetic nod.

"I should pay better attention to my surroundings," Goth spoke next with a grimace that Reaper couldn't help but mimic.

Palette hummed in thought, sitting up from the couch he had been resting on before answering, "I could have taken the mission more seriously."

"All good, but I'd also suggest doubling up on protective measures in the future. Smudge sticks might be a bit cumbersome to include in your arsenal, but they would've afforded ya extra time to get out the door or hide; even another crucifix would've disrupted an attempt to hunt at the very least," Reaper added before cracking a smile, "That said, ya did well with what ya had, kept your cool for the most part, and showed solid teamwork when it counted; it was good work." Powering down the computer, he ejected the USB and set it on the computer table before striding toward the garage door, "Ya can turn that in along with your evidence to redeem your rewards for the contract tomorrow afternoon; for now, everybody should head home and get some well-earned rest."

After the group made plans to meet up for the drop-off, Rurik headed for the door with Lotus not too far behind. "Be safe," Goth waved at the pair, getting a wave in return from the smaller skeleton before the pair disappeared from view. Turning to the remaining monster, he sat on the couch and eyed the brown stain peeking from the back of his companion's jacket, "How's your spine feeling?"

Palette beamed, "The cream did a good job numbing the area, I can barely feel a thing; thanks for wrapping the gauze, too."

"It's the least I can do," Goth commented, "if anything, I feel like I should be thanking you for helping me out back at the site."

Palette's face went blank for a moment, then he donned a sheepish smile, "I just kind of moved without thinking; I don't think it was that impressive."

"It was impressive to me," the smaller countered, playing with the hem of his coat, "things could've ended badly if you didn't jump in; you helped me stay focused too, even though you were hurt... so I really want to make it up to you."

"Goth, you don't have t-"

"I want to," Goth insisted with an earnest expression.

"Alright, I can't say no when you look at me like that," Palette laughed, raising his hands up in a placating gesture. After a moment of consideration, he stood up and suggested, "What about going out somewhere tomorrow after we turn in the report?"

"That sounds good," Goth agreed, standing with him as they both walked to the open door.

Turning out the lights, they both made it out of the garage when they heard a low voice, "Smooth."

Jumping into the air, the pair spun around and caught sight of Reaper leaning against the pale gray siding with a cheeky grin. Once the word registered, Goth's startled confusion swiftly transitioned into an embarrassed blush; he knew exactly what his dad was referring to.

"heh, you got us...," Palette chuckled in relief, then cocked his skull to the side, "and what's smooth?"

Rather than deign the parent's teasing with a response, Goth turned and pulled his perplexed companion's arm to get them moving down the driveway... though he was glad to hear their footsteps follow along for the walk to Palette's house despite the laughter that accompanied it.

---

"What's wrong?" Rurik sighed, spinning around mid-step to come to a halt.

Lotus looked up and stopped a pace behind him to avoid bumping into the stationary skeleton, "Huh?"

"You're being quiet," the taller pointed out, quirking his mouth before adding on, "well, more quiet than usual."

"I... I was thinking," the smaller monster murmured.

"I figured that out," Rurik rolled his eye lights. Taking a moment to think, though, it wasn't too hard to put the pieces together, "You're still stuck on what happened back at that house."

"... I mean, there was a lot going on," Lotus admitted reluctantly, "I'm still trying to wrap my skull around it all."

"Yeah...," Rurik agreed simply, if only for the fact that he had done plenty of thinking on the way back that he had masked as dozing; there were far too many close calls for his comfort in that house, so there had been quite a bit of self-reflection on that drive back to Goth's place. Recalling the drive, he also remembered a question he had withheld for a more private moment... like now, "By the way, you never answered how you knew the way to get down those shitty stairs without a sound; care to share?"

Lotus looked stricken by the question and the look of shame from earlier returned full force; Rurik merely stood by, exercising his patience until the smaller eventually mumbled, "You know my parents have bad tempers, right?"

"Yeah, I've heard them going off a couple times," the taller confirmed.

"Well...," Lotus paused, his eye light dimming a bit, "when they get in a mood, it's usually best to avoid them... so I kind of had to learn how to move around the house quickly without making any noise; otherwise... I would get in trouble..." The skeleton trailed off into an uncomfortable silence, only breaking it when he brushed past Rurik and suggested, "We should keep going... shouldn't stay out too late, after all..."

Rurik kept his mouth shut and maintained his pace behind the hooded monster; he really wasn't sure how to react to what he had been told. What did 'in trouble' mean here; was it simply getting yelled at, or was it something more? Lotus' words weren't sitting well with him and brought suspicion to many of their habits and quirks along with an urge to do something... but by the same token, his companion wasn't asking for help either. Was it really his place to intervene; was there even anything to intervene with?

Before he knew it, they were both standing in front of Lotus' house; it was the same as always, looking more or less abandoned with its untended front yard, dirty and worn house exterior, and dark windows save for a single dim light coming from what looked like the living room. Glancing toward the smaller, he noticed their focus on the solitary light as well as the apprehension in their expression.

"Thanks for walking me home," Lotus mumbled with a faint smile, taking slow steps down the walkway, "I'll see you-"

"I have an empty room at home," Rurik blurted out.

Lotus turned to stare at him, "What?"

"It's not very big and there's not a lot in it, but...," Rurik scrunched up his sockets, rubbing the back of his skull in anxious habit, "but you can come hang out any time... you know, in case you ever need somewhere else to go."

Lotus snorted, redirecting Rurik's attention back on them; he fought the heat rising in his cheeks upon seeing the genuine smile on the smaller's face, "Thanks for offering; I'll be sure to keep it in mind for the future. I'll see you later, alright?"

"R... right," Rurik coughed to cover his verbal slip, earning another round of quiet laughter before Lotus turned and covered the rest of the distance to their front door. The taller watched them slip into the house, and after a minute or two of satisfactory silence, he put his feet onto the route home. "Why the hell did I even say that?" he grumbled to himself, getting a strong impression that he was beginning to go soft... though if opening up a bit meant he got to experience that warmth more often, it might just be worth the effort.

***

Things ended well... but we still have one more day and what's a spooky holiday without some horror?

Word Count, 1,387