Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/ works/7613215. Rating: Explicit Archive Warning: Graphic_Depictions_Of_Violence, Major_Character_Death, Underage Category: F/M Fandom: Creepypasta_-_Fandom, Marble_Hornets Relationship: Jeffrey_Woods_|_Jeff_The_Killer/Original_Character(s) Character: Original_Female_Character(s), Jeffrey_Woods_|_Jeff_the_Killer, Eyeless Jack, Timothy_"Tim"_W._|_Masky, Brian_Thomas_|_Hoodie, Slenderman, BEN_ (BEN_Drowned), Jane_Arkensaw_|_Jane_the_Killer, Sally, Smile_Dog, Liu Woods_|_Homicidal_Liu, Zalgo Additional Tags: Light_Angst, slight_AU, Romance, Love_Story, Teenagers, Lemon, light fluff, Demonic_Possession, mention(s)_of_child-rape, Loss_of_Virginity, there_might_be_more_tags_in_the_future_if_I_remember_to_add_them, mention (s)_of_anorexia, Love, Friendship, Female_Friendship, Male-Female Friendship, mention(s)_of_suicide, Background_Relationships Stats: Published: 2016-07-29 Updated: 2017-01-17 Chapters: 8/? Words: 9788 ****** The Red Moon ****** by vanity_paige Summary Zalgo, after an entire millennium, has decided it’s time for another Red Moon cycle. Slenderman, Jeff and some of his other favorite killer creations have gathered to endure an even more vicious urge to kill for an entire month. Jeff, on the other hand, experiences much more than that: He is lured into love, and falls for a girl named Molly. He has to fight the urge to hurt her, as well as deal with the confusion that comes with caring about her. His feelings might be real… but then again, it might just be the moon. Notes This is a long-ish A/N, so please bare with me. This is years in the making (in a way) so I had to write something to honor that! Disclaimers and such are handled here as well, so with all that being said you can skip if you want to. I was on FanFiction.Net a few years ago. In fact, I don't even remember what year it was, maybe like 2013 or 2014. I had a version of this story up, and it had gotten kinda popular (like, 50 reviews or something like that) and I was so proud of it. Then, I hit a rough patch in my life. I don't really remember what made me so sad, but there were months between updates for a time. Back then when stuff like that happened I tended to just quit and delete, so that's what I did (don't ever do that by the way, you’ll regret it I promise). I didn't say anything, I just wiped my account and deleted the story completely. So, if anyone here happens to remember reading a story extremely similar to this one on FF.N (which I highly doubt), just know it's not stolen, it's actually me. Honestly, it's been bugging me ever since. I've been writing on and off my whole life, and I guess now I'm coming to terms with the fact that I can't get away from it, ya know? Anyways, this is the rewrite of my Jeff the Killer X OC Creepypasta fanfiction (I'm talkin' extreme reconstructions. It’s almost a completely different story since I can barely remember the original)! Enjoy! xx *All Creepypasta characters mentioned in this story are not owned by me. Anyone or anything that resembles a real person, place, or event is mere coincidence. ***** Gathering ***** 0/27 - Jeff He had been walking for days. No eating, no sleeping, no killing, just walking. He was barely conscious of whether it was daylight or nighttime, whether it was cold or warm. His body was numb, he couldn’t feel his feet hitting the ground anymore. His mind was in a daze, he could hardly perceive the exhaustion. All he knew was he had to get there on time. He had to keep going. Jeff longed for a cigarette, his addiction nagging at him from somewhere in the back of his mind. The small part of him that was still aware wondered why his arms wouldn’t move toward the sticks and lighter when he commanded them to, but it wasn’t alarming. When the hypnotic need to walk had overtaken him, it didn’t allow him to feel worry or fear, only confidence and contentedness. It pulled him in the right direction, never specifying what the destination was. The nomadic murderer didn’t question it too much, nor did he resist. He was so close, and he could have his fill of nicotine when he arrived. Almost there… Almost… He stopped. His eyes refocused, and he saw he was at the edge of a clearing in the forest. The trees were bare, the darkness of the sky was clear, and the ground was frostbitten. Just around the edge, everyone stood in a large circle: Slenderman, Masky, Hoodie, Ben, Sally, Eyeless Jack, Jeff, and Jane. The eight of them stole questioning glances at each other, but before anyone could say a word, the noise started. It was like the buzzing a radio makes when someone is looking for a station, except it had the potential to deafen all of them. It brought them to their knees, Jeff saw Sally curl into the fetal position out of the corner of his eye. The sound focused into hellish screams for a moment before it ceased. “...Hello, my children.” A demonic voice echoed out in their heads. “Lord Zalgo…” Slenderman’s static voice seemed oddly quiet and… submissive, something Jeff had never witnessed before. He almost snickered at the thought of Slenderman answering to someone, when he remembered who the name belonged to. This was the entity that created them, who made them immortal killers. They all answered to Zalgo. “I’m sure you’re wondering why you’re here-” He began. “You don’t say?” Ben interrupted. Jeff watched as Ben almost immediately struggled for air. He was on his hands and knees, gasping and coughing violently, a pool of clear liquid forming below him. “I will not hesitate to drown you again, boy.” Zalgo growled. “Does anyone have any further comments?” Silence. Jeff slowly shifted to sit up against the base of a tree, the energy of the clearing making him uncomfortable. A few drops of fear began to creep into his psyche, but he refused to acknowledge it. “Good. So, allow me to explain the current circumstances: this is the Red Moon lunar cycle. You all have been led here to experience a heightened urge to kill, as well as other variables, during the length of this cycle. Such impulses will get more intense as time goes on, for a total of twenty-seven days. That’s shorter than usual, since it’s your first time… well, most of you. I played this game with Slenderman before, a millennium ago. I thought, since now we have more players, it would be more fun... Simply put, entertain me, children. Try to get along and share, as there are a limited number of people in this city. Do not exploit yourselves. I will be watching.” Just like that, the heaviness and intimidation of Zalgo’s presence was gone. Jeff hated the way Zalgo referred to him as a child, but he didn’t dwell on it. He was just grateful to be sitting at the moment. The clearing was silent still, the only sound being Jeff lighting the cigarette he’d been craving for days now. He didn’t question the situation, didn’t try to argue the choice that was made for him. It was just accepted as fact with a shrug of the shoulders; most of his life had gone that way anyways, he just rolled with the punches. “Benny, are you okay?” Sally’s voice broke the silence. Everyone turned to watch as she struggled to crawl to the blonde boy. “I’m fine.” He assured her, sitting back. She wrapped her arms around him. “I missed you, Benny-boo!” She giggled. “Where have you been?” He awkwardly patted her back as he answered. “Oh, you know… around.” “I c-can’t stay here.” Eyeless Jack suddenly said, his muffled voice trembling. His legs shook as he attempted to stand. “I just can’t, not here. I’m leaving.” He used a tree for support. “I refuse… to stay another minute… even if it kills me.” He gasped for breath and staggered forward. He only made it one step before he made contact with something that wouldn’t let him continue. He smacked his hands up against some invisible barrier. “No, no no! Come on!” He said as he continued to kick at the wall. His entire body gave out and he sunk to the ground. “Looks like we’re stuck here. Poor you.” Jane muttered sarcastically. “Toughen up. It’s one fucking month, deal with it.” Jeff added, taking yet another puff on his cig. Jack didn’t acknowledge either one of them. “Be nice you two.” Slenderman ordered, his static ringing in their skulls. “We’re going to have to keep each other in line, and since I’m the only one who’s experienced this before-” “Only a thousand years ago, old bastard.” Ben chuckled. Slendy ignored him. “I suggest we live together, just to be safe.” “Look, you piece of shit,” Jeff growled. “I’m not living with that.” He pointed at Jane. “Excuse me? 'That'!?” Jane ranted. “Says the one who fucked me not too long ago!” “And you probably haven’t been fucked since.” Jeff retaliated. “You’re such a-” “Quiet! Both of you!” Slenderman said, raising his voice. “We will all be staying under the same roof, and there will be no bullying of any kind. That’s final, am I clear?” “Yes Master, but may we rest here? Just for tonight?” Masky’s small, meek voice barely carried across the clearing to Jeff’s ears. “Most of us are exhausted. We can’t all teleport or travel through computers.” He looked at Ben. “I walked in heels, for Christ’s sake.” Jane added. “My feet hurt.” “And before you get any funny ideas, you are not carrying me with those disgusting tentacles; who knows how many kids they’ve been inside of. You touch me, I break every bone in your anorexic body.” Jeff threatened, but not as forcefully as he’d wanted to. The fatigue was taking over him quicker than he thought it would. Eyeless Jack snored loudly, completely proving Masky's point. Slenderman sighed. “Very well then. Ben and I will go find a house adequate enough for all of us, we’ll fetch you all in the morning.” “Thank you, Master.” Masky whispered before turning away. “House? Yeah, right.” Ben was already on his feet. “No house is gonna be big enough for all of us. We’re looking for a mansion. You know, upper-class...” Jeff had already put out his cig and gotten comfortable when Ben’s voice began to fade away. He drifted into unconsciousness almost immediately, along with the others. ***** Six Feet Deep ***** Chapter Notes See the end of the chapter for notes 0/27 - Unknown The frigid air hit him like a ton of bricks. From six feet under to breaking surface ground, the temperature change was drastic. It warranted a shiver, but his body was unresponsive. His lungs no longer coveted oxygen, his stomach didn’t feel empty, and his heart had no desire to pump blood… or whatever fluid inhabited his veins now. His legs however, they had a duty to fullfill. His head felt fuzzy, like he’d just woken up from a drunken dream. Yet somehow, he knew what to do. He knew where to go. He knew he was late. There was no room to think about anything else. So he started walking. And he wouldn’t stop until he got there. Chapter End Notes This chapter was extremely short and likely confusing, but it's necessary! The next chapter is much longer, I promise! If you have any predictions you should leave a comment, I'd love to read them! It's cool to see how other people's minds interpret things before they've got the whole picture, especially since I know where this is going! (◐‿◑) hahaha I hope you enjoyed! xx ***** Challenge & Change ***** Chapter Notes This is another long one. Sorry, but I had to rant a little. I hope the changes in Point of View don't throw anyone off. I wanted Molly to be more... "personal" (for lack of a better word) than Jeff, so she's the only one who will be written in first person. That being said, I wanted to say a few words about Molly before she'd introduced. I want you, as a reader, to have some sort of creative discretion. My job as a writer isn't to fully dictate the movie that plays in your head while you read, though I could. My job is to tell a story, not specify what kind of phone Molly has or which side of the bed she likes to sleep on. Some people love to describe every detail, and that's fine, but I want it to be up to you. I've read too much fanfiction where the main character is some "plain" pale, long-haired brunette with brown eyes. While there's nothing wrong with those features, I'M not a pale brunette! I felt exuded in a way, like these stories weren't for someone who looked like me. I decided Molly would be all-inclusive, or at least as inclusive as I could make her without writing this in second person or making it an x reader. I won't tell you her eye color or hair texture or what shade her skin is, and I hope that doesn't make me a bad writer. I do mention her weight insecurities (a lot), she's not all that into social media, she's kind of a crier, along with other things, but I can't help sprinkling a little bit of me into her personality. However, you are in no way bound to the words on your screen. Wanna self-insert? Go right ahead! Is she a Bella Swan look-alike? That's cool too! Does she have a flip-phone? I'm not even mad at it! You pick out her bedroom, her outfit, her hair, do what makes you happy. I just wanted to create something that everyone could connect with in their own way. Have fun with it. Thanks for reading this, I hope you enjoy! xx 1/27 - Molly It was midnight now, and I was no closer to sleep than I had been when I laid down two hours ago. I sat up, admitting defeat, and got out of bed to use the bathroom. I knew very well the reason I was restless, but I’d thought about it long enough. I used my phone as a flashlight and attempted to creep downstairs to grab a quick snack. It was a failed attempt — this was a new house, and though its creaks and croaks where different from my old one, they were more subtle. I’d learn the patterns soon enough. I hurried to turn on the lights, panicking a little inside every time I didn’t flip the right switch. Once I could see the fridge, I went over to examine its contents. It was bigger than the one at home, and everything was in a different spot now. Yet another thing I’d have to get used to. Not wanting to stay downstairs any longer than necessary, I snatched the unopened bag of my favorite chips, a can of soda, and two mandarin oranges to make myself feel better about my terrible dietary decisions. As if oranges would help me lose weight. I sighed and rushed back upstairs. What seemed like fifty viral cat videos later, the oranges, soda, and three- fourths of the chips were gone. I was energized and ready to do something that would actually relieve some of my stress: homework. Knowing I was definitely the only high school student up at three on Sunday morning doing homework was the most depressing part of it all. Sure, I’d moved, but not really. I’d moved houses, big deal. I hadn’t switched cities or schools, I should be grateful. I’d moved into a bigger, better house in a gated community, I should be jumping for joy… But I wasn’t. Instead, I missed my childhood home more than anything. Instead, I was mourning the loss of a close relationship with my parents. Any chance of rekindling it had been blown to smithereens when they’d accepted double the shift for double the paycheck. Both of them. Government jobs weren’t a joke, and neither were the hours put in to make that kind of money. We’d gone from family movie night every Friday to having dinner together once a week if we were lucky. The worst part was they didn’t even talk to me about it. We just packed up and moved one day. It was a complete culture shock. They gave me a raise in my allowance though. They were literally trying to apologize with cash now, and that made me even more upset. I barely spoke to them yesterday during the move. A tear splashed onto my paper before I could stop it. I’d been holding back the tears of resentment for a couple of days now. I was too tired to keep it in anymore. And I was alone, no one had to know. I felt terrible for crying over something like this; there were people who lived in cardboard boxes, they’d kill for my situation. But it didn’t change the fact that I was hurting, so I let myself sit there, thick drops of salt water pouring into my hands. I let out soundless sobs, hiccuping every once in awhile. Just when I thought it was over, more came. I need fresh air, I thought as I stood to throw my tissues away. Fresh, cold air. I went to open my balcony doors, pushing them but they wouldn’t budge. I struggled for too long before I realized I was supposed to pull them. Just another thing to add to my long list of shit to get used to around this god- forsaken place. I could feel the anger building up, and tried to stay calm as I stepped outside. The frigid air stung my face. I let out a shaky breath as I overlooked the woods beyond the fence in my backyard. The trees were naked and thin, I could see the frosty ground for a few miles. “It might snow before thanksgiving.” I whispered to myself. I imagined those trees dense with green leaves in the summer, flowers sprouting up all around. It would be so much prettier, so much warmer. Now was just as good a time as any to crawl back under my blankets. I felt better now. Maybe this time I would actually fall asleep. =============================================================================== “Molly-moo! I’m here to see you!” Anne singsonged on the other side of the door. “You never answered my text, I called you like fifteen —  oh.” Anne’s voice came closer as she let herself in. I was still half asleep. “I didn’t hear anything.” I mumbled. “Yeah, I can see why.” She chuckled. “Your parents said they thought you were avoiding them.” I ignored her comment. “I thought you had church today.” “I did, I came straight here after the service.” My eyes shot open, and I was taken off guard by the amount of sunlight coming through my window. I read the numbers on my bedside clock; it was two in the afternoon. I looked at Anne, taking in her outfit. It was classic formal church attire. Then I looked down at myself. I was an eyesore. This situation mirrored our personalities exactly. The saying “opposites attract” was an understatement. You see, Anne was a well put together, punctual, bright oriental girl. She was everything I wasn’t: outgoing, bubbly, and involved. She was top-dog in the science club, ran track, volunteered at the animal shelter every other week, and somehow still had time to be my best friend. She felt it was her job to make me smile everyday, to convince me that I didn’t have to be like her to be a good member of society. She told me all the time my introversion was a gift, my problems were valid, and my not-so- skinny body was nothing less than perfect. Though I considered most of her compliments wishful thinking, she was the bestest best friend I could ever ask for; I’d do anything for her. “I’m sorry, I was up most of the night and I didn’t fall asleep until—” I began to explain. Anne cut me off, sensing my impending freak-out. “Molls, it’s okay. You’re stressed, I get it. The first night is always the worst, things will get better.” “...Just give me a second to get dressed.” “You got it.” She smiled and plopped down on the bed as I rose. I shut myself in the bathroom to freshen up. Once I was done brushing my teeth, washing my face, and detangling my hair, I headed to my closet to grab the most comfortable clothes I could find. For me, that meant leggings and a loose t- shirt. I grabbed my jacket as well, and slipped on some warm boots. I would definitely look homeless next to Anne, but I wasn’t one who cared too much about aesthetics, especially on weekends. “Can we go to those backwoods?” Anne pointed towards the window when she saw I was ready. “I wanna take some fire IGs.” I raised an eyebrow. “English, por favor?” She rolled her eyes playfully. “Pictures for Instagram. Do you think we could make it over the fence?” “I mean, yeah, but we’re not. We’ll just... walk around.” “That’s unnecessary hard work! Fences are nothing but false security. Besides, the one around this neighborhood was built to keep people out. No one cares if you’re already inside. C’mon!” Anne grabbed my hand, pulling me downstairs before I could come up with a better argument. We made our way to the back door, completely avoiding my parents in the living room. They didn’t greet us or anything, so I assumed they didn’t hear us. We crossed the yard swiftly, and I was shivering by the time we made it to the metal barrier. The athletically-superior girl next to me started climbing first, and I followed her lead. Though I struggled a lot more than Anne seemed to, I made it. “Look at that, miss Goody Two-Shoes! Our sins haven’t damned us yet!” She teased. “Says the Christian.” I threw back. We made our way deeper into the barren woods, just until the trees got a little denser. “This is good.” Anne said as she handed me her phone. I opened the camera, taking several pictures as she struck pose after pose. This was actually kinda fun. At the very least, it took my mind off of things. Spending the afternoon outside with my best friend seemed like just the medicine I needed. When we were done, Anne took her phone back and I watched intently as she began adding filters to her favorite shots. “You know, if you had an Instagram, I’d tag—” She’d started, but her words were cut short. A paper-white hand covered her mouth, yanking her body backwards. My eyes followed the movement, and in a split second there was a knife to Anne’s throat. “You scream or try to run, her death will be even more slow and painful.” A rough, hoarse voice came from the man. Luckily, this had all happened so fast that a scream never made it out of me. Anne, however, was fighting as much as she could. She kicked, her fingernails clawed at his hands, her screams were muffled but not mute. It didn’t even seem to phase the man. He must’ve been an absolute brute, but his white hoodie hid his muscles, as well as his face. “...Please, please don’t hurt her.” My pleas were pitiful, but it was all I could do. A deep cackle bounced through the air, and I cringed when I saw the blade begin to slide across Anne’s skin, beads of blood inching towards her chest. The panic was really starting to set in now. “Do anything you want to me! Just please let her go!” I blurted. “Selfless, are we? Don’t worry, I’m gonna get you too, sweet… heart.” His head tilted upwards, and his words caught when his eyes met mine. I studied his features, and the description got weirder and weirder the more I looked. His skin was so thick — swollen, it seemed like — that the contours of his nose were barely visible. He was so pale it looked like he’d escaped the morgue, it was a stark contrast against the burgundy that coated his lips and spread across his cheeks. The flesh there had been mutilated to form an unreal smile that stretched from temple to temple. There were charcoal-colored rings around his wide eyes, and it didn’t take me long to realize he lacked eyelids. It had to be makeup, it had to be, but I couldn’t deny it — everything about the gruesome face in front of me was real. “What happened to you?” I whispered before I could stop myself. I saw an expression cross his face, maybe discomfort, but it was gone in an instant. Everything was still and quiet for a moment. “...You’ve got ten fucking seconds.” He growled. He let go of Anne and shoved her in my direction. “What?” I said, catching my friend. I was frozen in place, still staring at him. “NINE!” He yelled, his patience non-existent. I flinched at the sudden loudness of his voice. “Run, Molly!” Anne screamed and gripped my wrist. “Come on!” She sprinted back in the direction of my house, dragging me with her. It took everything in me and more to keep up. =============================================================================== My parents had called the police when Anne ran into my house screaming bloody murder. The EMTs also came to tend to her neck, which wasn’t that bad, thank God. The cops took a report, and we did have to admit to climbing the fence, but they disregarded that. “Can you describe what he looked like?” One of the police officers had asked. It was the question of the day. I ultimately had to give that information, as Anne had barely seen his face during the ordeal. When I explained, the more I spoke, the more his face told me he didn’t believe me. “Are you sure it wasn’t a mask or makeup of some-sort?” He asked. I felt the eyes of everyone on me. “No, it was real.” I assured him. I was breathless and beginning to tremble again just thinking about it. I looked around the room — everyone obviously thought I was crazy. “Are you joking?” He asked a bit more forcefully. I felt the heat rise in my face, both from embarrassment and anger. The other officer began to speak before I could say something irrational. “Now hold on there. Kids these days are really good at this whole… what’s it called… ‘cosplay’ thing. They dress up as all these fictional characters, she could be mistaken.” I’d been stupid for assuming he was going to defend me. “I know what I saw.” I spat. “What you saw,” The first officer’s tone mocked me. “Was some kid in a Jeff the Killer costume.” “I don’t even know who that is!” I yelled, completely ticked off now. “Whoever it was, they almost killed my friend! Are you gonna do something about it, or are you gonna sit here and call me a liar!?” “Calm down Molly.” Anne said, placing her hand over one of the fists I’d made. “No one’s calling you a liar. I believe you.” I sucked in air and attempted to relax my muscles. They took the report, said something about how they’d look out for the guy. They also told us security was down in the neighborhood and the city was working to get it fixed as soon as they could, but until then we should be careful. Anne’s parents came to take her home, and I locked myself in my room before my parents could try talking to me. Jeff the Killer rang out in my head for the hundredth time. Was that who’d attacked us today? He seemed to be well-known, the cops even knew about him. Plus, killer was literally in the name. Had I really met a famous murderer today or just someone impersonating him? If I thought about it hard enough, I could convince myself it wasn’t real, but then I remembered how clear the fact had been in the moment. I’d been so sure. And the fact that I lived to question it baffled me even more. So I opened my laptop to figure out exactly who this guy was. ***** No Patience ***** Chapter Notes See the end of the chapter for notes 1/27 - Jeff Jeff had woken up early that morning with two things on his mind: food and blood. He was forced into patience though, as Slendy and Ben had found a place to stay and were leading the rest of the group to it. Yawns were passed around as the killers made their way to their new, temporary home. It was in some kind of country-club neighborhood, the whole place was fenced in. Ben told the story of how he disabled the security, and they waltzed right through the front gate, knowing none of the humans would be awake yet. The mansion was deep in the neighborhood, toward the back, and it was a really nice place. Marble countertops, leather furniture, a grand chandelier in the dining room, the whole nine yards. There were just enough bedrooms for the eight of them, a tolerable amount of bathrooms, and a fully-stocked refrigerator. Jeff absentmindedly wondered who had lived here a few hours ago. Regardless, he raided the fridge within seconds of walking in. He found his way to a rather plain guest bedroom and plopped down on the queen-sized bed, planning on resting some more. He ended up napping into the afternoon. When he woke up, the itch in his skull was far worse than before. Though he was advised against it by nearly the entire household, Jeff knew he had to go kill immediately. He wouldn’t make it to nightfall. Besides, it wasn’t nearly as big a deal as everyone was making it out to be. Now he was regretting every morsel of that decision. He mentally kicked himself as he ran back to the mansion. He’d been stupid, so stupid, for going out in the first place. The others were right, it was broad daylight, but that had never stopped him before. He deserved it after all the exhaustion and deprivation he’d endured. He needed to hear the terrified screams of victims, needed to feel the heat of their bodies as the adrenaline kicked in, needed to see the life leaving their eyes. If he was so desperate, then why did he let them go? How could they have gotten away? Jeff must’ve reconsidered a hundred times. If you turn back now, you could still catch them, he reasoned. You could satisfy the feeling. It would be so easy. But then he remembered her face, and for a split second he felt waves crashing in his chest and rippling throughout his whole body. Every nerve inside of him sparked with fire, heat spread across his skin. For once he felt something that wasn’t inconceivable fury or psychopathic satisfaction or just plain numbness… it was something he couldn’t name.   He growled under his breath, cursing this blockage that had stopped him from getting his fill. He had never ever let a victim go. Not once. So what the hell happened back there? “Cat couldn’t catch any mice, I see.” Jane snickered as he walked in through the back door. “There’s no fresh blood on your sweatshirt.” “There will be if you don’t shut the fuck up.” Jeff snarled. “Ha! Serves you right!” Ben said from the living room, eyes never leaving the game he was playing. “We told you not to go.” “What were you thinking? Are you trying to get the rest of us caught!?” Eyeless Jack raised his voice. Jeff rolled his eyes — he didn’t have time for this, not when he was so confused he couldn’t think straight. He headed up to his room and made sure to slam the door to discourage anyone from bothering him. For the next few hours he was oblivious to everything but the aching in his head and the pounding of his heart. Chapter End Notes This one feels like a filler but it’s really not… kinda? Jeff’s side is important, too :P It's short, and I'm sorry it took over a week to crank out. The next chapter will have more Jeff and Molly interaction :) Hope you enjoyed! Xx ***** More Questions Than Answers ***** Chapter Notes See the end of the chapter for notes 2/27 - Molly It was Monday, a school day, and my eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep. I’d had two rough nights in a row, last night being the worst. My head was still spinning with all the information I’d crammed it with. I feared it would kill me if I didn’t let it out somehow. I was going to tell Anne everything I’d learned, assuming she didn’t know about it already. Creepypasta was a popular thing, and it was a real wonder I hadn’t an inkling of it until yesterday. Anne met me at my locker first thing in the morning. “You didn’t sleep well either, huh?” She sighed. I shook my head. I wouldn’t have guessed Anne hadn’t slept — her makeup did a good job of hiding the fact. A scarf concealed her bandages as well. “How’s your neck?” I asked her. “Healing. This’ll be quite the story to tell our kids, won’t it?” Anne tried to giggle but the sound faltered. “Speaking of stories,” I began before I could change my mind, “you do know who Jeff the Killer is, right?” “...Yeah.” She admitted. “Why?” “We really saw him yesterday… You said you believed me.” I saw her expression shift to one of concern. “I did, but I thought about it last night. It was probably a costume, Molly. We were both really freaked out in the moment.” Her voice got low when she saw my face change too. “It doesn’t matter anyways, we’re alive and that’s what counts.” I didn’t know whether to be angry or disappointed or accepting. I quickly realized I was jealous of how easy it was for Anne to think that. I’d had all night to mull it over too, and I still wasn’t convinced. With the move and my parents’ jobs and now this, all at once, it seemed like my world was borderline falling apart. The mental burnout wasn’t helping either, and maybe it was my obsessive personality talking, but it seemed like I’d never rest until I knew for sure. Until I could prove to everyone I hadn’t been seeing things. “...We have to find out.” I said suddenly. “We have to find him.” “What? Are you crazy?” Anne’s eyes widened. “He almost killed me!” “I know, but he didn’t.” I reasoned. “And if everything I read last night is true, then he shouldn’t have let us go, but he did.” “He’s probably looking for us.” She said, shifting her weight uncomfortably. “That’ll make it even easier for us to find him.” “Listen to yourself!” Anne exclaimed as she shook me by the shoulders. “You sound batshit crazy! Going out hunting for a serial killer, costume or not, is suicide!” I winced at how hard she was gripping me. I felt eyes on us as people traveled through the hall, and heat rose to my face. I knew she was right, but I still wasn’t going to let it go so easily. Jeff the Killer, ruthless murderer, let two easy kills get away. If he was a fake, he was a terrible one. He’d get caught and that’d be it, end of story. If this was the real deal, we had a literal monster in our hands. The police didn’t stand a chance. Did he plan on stalking us? No, his type of crazy doesn’t allow for time- consuming, effort-demanding plans. Well, maybe his story was all wrong, maybe I didn’t know as much as I thought I did. Maybe he wasn’t as ruthless as everyone says, maybe he was just… misunderstood. Sad. Lonely. Jesus, I almost feel bad for him. Maybe  Anne is actually right. I do sound batshit crazy. “Costume or not, he let us live.” I mumbled. “There has to be a reason for that. Don’t you at least want to know why?” Anne sighed and let me go, obviously at a loss. “No. I don’t care and you shouldn’t either. Just… don’t do anything stupid. We’ll talk about it after we’ve both gotten a decent night of sleep. I’ve gotta get to class.” Then she walked away, leaving me there with more questions than answers. ===============================================================================  The day had been monotonous and slow. I’d been distracted and zoned-out in every single one of my classes, and that was unlike me to say the least. I thought hard about what Anne said, tried everything to get on her wavelength, but I just couldn’t. I saw her side, saw how insane mine was in comparison, and my thought pattern still refused to change. Was it a costume or not? If it was, then why? And if it wasn’t, then how? Most importantly: Why did he decide to let us go? My questions needed answers, there was no way around it. What I was about to do, now that was really unlike me. I took the bus home as usual. My parents were surely still at work, but I yelled out an ‘I’m home’ as I walked through the door just to be sure. When I received no response, I bolted for their bedroom and easily found the safe they’d always had. I knew the combination, just in case of an emergency, but I had no intention of grabbing one of the guns. Instead, I shoved a can of mace into my pocket. As far as I knew, this guy couldn’t be killed, plus I had no idea how to use a gun. The best I could do was debilitate him, and mace was the best weapon to use on a guy without eyelids. I figured the best place to start looking was where I’d first encountered him. I had a bit of trouble hopping the fence without Anne to guide me, but the barrier was quickly crossed and I wandered my way into the woods. It wasn’t far, of course, and I could still clearly see my house from where I estimated Anne and I had been last time. No killers in sight. A defeated sigh escaped me — what the hell did I expect? “...Jeff?” I hesitantly called. “I um… had a few questions for you?” Nothing. My eyes searched every direction; I was the only warm body around. I wasn’t about to give up just yet and decided to travel left, walking parallel to the neighborhood fence. “Jeff?” I was a bit louder this time. Silence was all I got. It had only been a few minutes, but I was really starting to shiver. He clearly wasn’t out here. “Alrighty then.” I muttered to myself, turning back to my house. It wasn’t like I could think of anywhere else to look. “By all means, spare my life for no reason and then vanish. Quite the serial killer you are.” “And quite the victim you are.” The gruff, raspy voice was directly behind me. I whirled around, heart pounding and hand tightening around the mace. He was right there. “I mean really, what dumbass would go out, alone nonetheless, looking for me?” He examined his blade in his hand, running his finger along the sharp edge without breaking skin. “Your friend too smart to join you? You come to thank me? What?” His insults and sarcastic tone went right over my head as I took him in. We were chest to chest, much closer than last time, and I had to cock my head upwards to look at his face. It didn’t shock me nearly as much as last time, so I paid special attention to detail. If his smile was done with papier-mâché, then it must’ve been professional. The scars were perfectly imperfect, the blood that coated him looked as real as it smelled. His eyelids were truly non existent, and neither were his irises — all he had were black dots for pupils. His hair was a greasy black, and it only fell to about his chin. No wigs, no contacts, no makeup… not an inch of him was fake. I still wasn’t satisfied though. “C-can I…?” I began to ask, but there was no use. I couldn’t stop the sloth- like movement of my hand as it reached toward his face. He flinched back when he saw what I was doing, but it was only a reflex. He relaxed, tentatively watching me, eyes darting between my hand and my face, trying to gauge my intentions. I simply tucked a strand of hair behind his ear, my fingertips softly grazing his leather cheek. “You’re real.” I whispered in awe. Reality began spinning back, the anxiety and fear settling into my stomach all too quickly. I took a few steps back. “If you’re real, then I should be dead. Why am I not dead?” Something flickered in his eyes, and I’m sure if he could’ve blinked he would have. In the next second I felt my head slam up against a tree and pressure on my neck. Jeff’s knife was centimeters from my face, pointed right between my eyes. I struggled to breathe, hands clawing at my throat, but it was no use. I grappled for the mace next, but with my luck and shaky hands, it fell right out of my pocket. Jeff gave it one look and kicked the can away. “Came prepared, did we Molly?” Jeff chuckled. Hearing my name leave his mouth sent new waves of fear through me. “You still haven’t a-answered my question!” I choked out, trying to think of other ways to draw out my last moments so I could actually come up with a plan. “Why did you let… me and Anne go?” I felt his grip loosen ever so slightly, but the tip of his blade made contact with my nose now. “In what fucking position are you to ask questions!?” He spat. “I think I deserve to know—” His maniac laugh cut me off. “You’ve gotta be a fucking bold one to keep talking. Deserve? I don’t owe you shit. In fact, I think I’m doing you enough of a favor by finally putting your dumbass to sleep! This is a cruel, cruel world—” “The world has been cruel to you.” I said through my teeth. The tears began forming in my eyes as I realized I really wasn’t going to get out of this one. Anne was right, I was going to die out here, and I just knew she would blame herself. My parents would realize I’d disappeared, there’d be a search, and they’d find me back here all mangled and bloody. No one would hear my last words, there would be no last goodbyes, so what I did now didn’t matter anyways. Jeff was crazy, but not as crazy as me. I was the one forgiving him for what he was about to do. “What did you just say to me?” He growled. Even more pressure was released from my throat so I could speak clearly. “The world has been cruel to you.” I repeated, my teeth no longer clenched. “Elaborate, motherfucker.” He said, the patience in his voice thin. “I’m sorry about what happened to you.” I said, looking straight into his eyes. “You didn’t deserve what Randy and his friends did to you. I’m sorry.” My voice faltered as I struggled to hold back tears again. I squeezed my eyes shut, waiting for the pain to come, but it never did. The quiet seemed to last an eternity. I noted how easy it was to breathe. The raggedness of my breath filling my eardrums, along with the thudding of my heart. I found the courage to open my eyes but kept my gaze down in order to avoid his. I wondered what he was thinking, why he was hesitating, but I didn’t dare open my mouth to try to find out. Finally, Jeff grumbled under his breath, “I can’t believe I’m doing this.” He released me, stepping back and shoving his knife into his hoodie pocket. Just when I thought I was in the clear, he grabbed my face and forced me to look at him. “Go home and stay there. Pulling this dumb shit is how you get yourself killed.” He said. He let me go, flipped up his hood, turned and began to walk away. I rubbed my jaw where his fingers had been, watching him go. I was dazed, still not sure of what just happened, but part of me almost hated to see him leave. Probably the crazy part. “Will I see you again?” I called after him. My fingertips were numb and I couldn’t feel my face, yet my body had never felt so incredibly… hot. “I’ve got a rough idea of which house is yours.” He spoke without turning around. The ball of heat in the pit of my stomach faded as the space between us grew, yet my breath never fully steadied. My heart barely slowed. There were tingles in my neck, and my hand continued to rub my jaw long after the pain was gone. I didn’t want to admit it to myself, but I was looking forward to our next meeting. This was the second time today I’d been left alone with more questions than answers. Chapter End Notes I’m sorry this chapter took so long! But if it’s any compensation, it’s quite lengthy so that’s good :) It was just surprisingly difficult to write, and I’m still not one hundred percent happy with it, but it was close. Like, ninety-seven percent close, haha. I should’ve done this a while ago, but I’d like to thank Kakapo here on AO3 for being such a supportive commenter. You rock :) Thanks for reading! Xx P.S. I changed my username and whatnot, hope that doesn’t throw anyone off ╮(. ❛ ᴗ ❛.)╭ ***** Servant ***** Chapter Notes See the end of the chapter for notes 2/27 - Unknown As fate would have it, she found him. Clothes soaked in mud and sweat, hair disheveled, skin rotten and nearly peeling off the bone. He was a morbid sight, and had she not seen the things she’d seen, she may have gagged a little. He was barely recognizable — just barely. But of course, she knew him. He collapsed at her feet like a gift from the heavens. This was the missing puzzle piece. This was how she’d even the score. She hummed ever so quietly in the darkness. She crouched down to stroke his hair as she cooed, “I know exactly what I’m going to do with you, little one. Don’t you worry...” Her plan was taking shape in her mind, and it was so perfect that she couldn’t hold back her smile. She began to giggle. This month was about more than just hunting and killing and being satisfied — it was about revenge. And he was her secret weapon. Chapter End Notes Here’s another one of those short-and-confusing-but-necessary chapters. School has started, but I still managed to get this one to ya. Yay! Shout-out to Just_a_Ria for leaving le comments on le last chapter! I am so guilty of repeatedly reading your comment because it pushes me to get to the part where Jeff pays Molly a visit xD I hope you enjoyed! Xx ***** Barely Sane ***** Chapter Notes See the end of the chapter for notes 3/27 - Molly “Why didn’t you tell me this at school so I could yell at you in person!? I told you not to do anything stupid!” Anne scolded me over the phone. “I had mace!” I said after taking a bite out of my lasagna. “Had. Judging from the story, you don’t have it anymore.” It was true. In the moment, my mind had been racing; the last thing I would’ve done was retrieve that can. It was still out it the woods somewhere. Now it was Tuesday evening, post-school, and I was home alone yet again. I’d called Anne to tell her everything, the guilt of keeping it from her all day was eating me alive. Needless to say, it was a regrettable decision. My best friend wasn’t too pleased. “Look, the point is I know he’s real—” “Oh whoop-dee-doo. Are we gonna talk about the fact that he knows where you live!?” “Anne—” “Might as well make him your new Man-Crush Monday! Are you two dating yet?” I nearly choked. Heat suddenly rushed to my cheeks, despite the sarcastic tone. You know what, maybe I shouldn’t have told Anne anything, I’d thought it was a great plan this morning.She’ll be better off not knowing, I’d convinced myself. I couldn’t tell her the whole truth even if I wanted to. She couldn’t know I sympathized with a killer. She’d flip out and probably land me in therapy. ...Maybe rightfully so, but still. I couldn’t lie to her, but what I could do was avoid the subject. “He let me live twice, Anne.” I sighed as I put my plate in the sink. “Not that I know why, but I shouldn’t have gone looking for him to find out. You’re right, it was stupid.” “Oh no, don’t think admitting I’m right is going to get you out of this. I’m still mad at—” “I know you’re mad Anne, and you have a right to be. I just… don’t want to talk about this anymore. I want to move on, like you. Please?” There was a pause before she answered. “...Just promise me you won’t seek him out again.” “I promise.” I said a little too quickly. Technically it wasn’t a lie — he was coming to find me. Anne was attempting to change the subject, but the sound of a news report on the television caught my attention. I’d turned it on earlier to drown out the silence, before I decided to out myself to my best friend. Now the news anchor’s voice seeped into my eardrums, shoving everything else out. “There have been seven local homicides as of last night. Four of those seven were quite violent, we’re being told that one woman was stabbed over nineteen times in the chest. Authorities are working tirelessly to gather evidence, but have not found any signs of premeditation or motive. The names of the victims have not been released as of yet, but we will get that information to you as it arrives. In the meantime, remember to keep your doors locked and alarm systems armed.” “Hello? Molly? Are you still there?” Anne’s voice crept back into the center of my awareness. “Yeah Anne, um… I-I’ve gotta go.” I stuttered. “I should call my parents, check up on them. It’s getting late.” “Okay, then. I’ll see you at school tomorrow.” “Mhm, bye.” I barely finished my sentence before I hung up and speed-dialed my mom. I was already rushing around to check all the locks on the doors and windows, tugging the blinds shut as I went. To say I didn’t feel safe would be a bit of an understatement. It was obvious Jeff killed those people, yet the same question remained: what the hell made me so special? What was I to him, dessert? Sure, maybe I did think of him as a person, a victim of his circumstances, the sob story of the century, but that didn’t change what he really was: a criminal. A lunatic. A monster. The fear was starting to set in — seemed like my common sense was a little late to the party. I took the stairs two at a time to get to my room. I knew I would feel safer there. My mom’s phone rang one last time before it cut to voicemail. The automated woman’s voice was telling me to hang up after recording my message as I was opening my bedroom door. The beep sounded, I flicked on the lights, and a scream escaped me. My balcony doors were wide open, the chilly breeze raised goosebumps on my arms. There stood Jeff in the middle of my bedroom, bloody hoodie and all. He was rigid, eyes staring me down, knife at the ready. Apparently I’d startled him. As I attempted to slow my breathing and steady my heart, I realized the voicemail was still recording. “Oh shoot! Sorry about that scream, mom. I uh…” I struggled to come up with a good excuse as I panicked. “I was out on my balcony and a bug landed on me! Hahaha, um… I was just calling to check on you, make sure you and dad were okay. You’re probably in a meeting or doing paperwork or something so… I’ll leave you to it. Love you, bye.” I wanted to chuck my phone across the room. I felt the surge of heat in my face, more intense this time since Jeff was standing right there. I didn’t want to look like a wimp in front of him, but something told me it was a little too late for that. I peered up at him, seeing he’d hidden his knife and relaxed. “You’re a terrible liar.” He half-chuckled. I barely even registered his comment as an insult, I was too busy trying to figure out what to do. I was really starting to scare myself — there was a killer in my bedroom and my immediate reaction wasn’t to run away. What, then? When it came to Jeff I was clueless. His temper was unpredictable, the depths of his rage unknown. Hell, I could be pushing his buttons right now and not even know it. He spared me twice, but the third time’s a charm. It would be a perfect murder, too. My best friend was in the dark, when my parents got home they’d probably think I was in bed. They wouldn’t find me until— He caught me before I fell forward. He gripped my forearms and my knuckles tightened around the fabric of his hoodie. Beads of sweat were forming at my temples, the woozy feeling completely caught me off guard. “Sit. Now.” He ordered me. We sunk to to ground, and I didn’t have time to catch my breath before Jeff started hurling questions at me. “When was the last time you ate?” “I’m fine.” I said, wanting to push him away but not having the strength to. “I just ate.” “You’re obviously not fine, you damn near passed out. Now what did you eat?” He snapped. Strained as it was, a giggle bubbled it's way out of me. The fact that he was so concerned was amusing. If crazy was contagious, I’d be sure Jeff was infecting me. Or maybe it was just the fatigue talking. “Why are you laughing?” At least I still had enough sense to know not to explain myself. “Nothing, nothing. I've just um… been really stressed and I haven't been sleeping well. I guess the exhaustion finally caught up to me. I think I can...” I moved away from him to sit against the wall, letting my head fall back. The world was still teetering, but otherwise I was okay. At the moment, I was thankful for the chilled air filling my bedroom. “I’m not going to fall over and die, Jeff.” I blurted as I eyed him. The worry on his face was pretty apparent. “You know, instead of just sitting there looking at me like that, you could murder me already. There’s been, like, three opportune moments today. The anticipation will kill me before you do.” His looked away from me, his entire demeanor shifting. “I’m not going to hurt you.” He said. “It sounds like you’re trying to convince yourself more than me.” “You asked me to be here, you’re basically begging for it.” “No, I—” “Like I said, you’re a terrible liar. And while we’re on the topic, why exactly did you want to see me again?” I was quiet. Any reminisce of that reason was completely gone now, but in the moment I’d been so sure… I’d wanted answers, and I hadn’t gotten them. I still haven’t gotten them, but that wasn’t it…  I felt like there was something else…   “If you won’t tell me why you won’t kill me, then I don’t have to tell you why I wanted to see you again.” I said with false confidence. He rolled his eyes. My eyebrows raised. “What? Is there not a reason?” “Would you quit asking me that?” He huffed. “Why are you even bothering, Jeff?” I egged him on. We were going around in circles and I was getting tired of it. “Wouldn't it be so much easier? I mean, you're supposed to be this ruthless serial killer—” “Are you fucking suicidal or something? Here’s an idea: Maybe what I’m ‘supposed to be’ and what I am are two different things. Now drop it.” The immediate guilt felt like a punch to the stomach. I’d triggered something in him, and though I knew it bothered me more than it should have, I still felt terrible. I wanted to apologize but I didn’t know how, nor did I think it would really matter to Jeff. He kept his eyes glued elsewhere, obviously avoiding mine. We were sitting there long enough for me to shiver, and my eyes watered as I tried to suppress a yawn. “You’re cold.” He said blankly, getting up and eyeing me again. “Can you stand?” “Um—” He didn't give me a chance to test the theory before he gripped my elbows. I clenched his hoodie again as he pulled me up. I held on, feeling awkward as I noticed how close we were. He lead me over to my bed, guided me to a seated position. He was already a head taller than me, but when I sat down all I saw was… “When was the last time you washed this hoodie?” I whispered, smiling. He looked down at his chest, as if he was noticing the true state of his clothes for the first time. “I uh… I don’t really—” “I can wash it for you.” I offered. “Thanks, but you really need to—” “It’ll give you an excuse to come back.” I spoke before I thought, wondering if I’d regret this in the morning. “It’ll be sparkling white by tomorrow night, I promise. Just leave it here.” He looked at me curiously, a question in his eyes that he didn’t bother asking. Even so, he removed the jacket and let it fall to the floor, revealing the black shirt he wore underneath. Satisfied, I tucked myself under the blankets as he shut off the lights. I was too tired to question anything at the moment, especially my more recent decisions. Particularly today. The anxiety that came with the idea of Jeff leaving was swelling up again, but his return was already a guarantee. Everything else could wait until morning, it would all be easier to sort out then… “Molly, can I ask you something?” His voice came low and gruff. “Mhm.” I mumbled, eyes already shut. “What you said yesterday… about what happened to me… and being sorry… did you mean that?” An amused hum escaped me. Jeff had never sounded so… vulnerable. It was kinda cute. “Of course I did… You probably think I was just trying to save my own ass, but really… No one deserves to get bullied, or set on fire…” I couldn’t control the yawn this time. “And I can’t really blame you for what you do… It’s not your fault. I hope you know that.” If there was a response, it wasn’t meant for me. The last thing I heard was my balcony doors gently shutting. I snuggled deeper into my sheets. I regret calling him a monster earlier, I thought to myself. That’s a really harsh word. Chapter End Notes This update took over a month, and for that I’m super sorry. School is kicking my ass lol. I hope this chapter isn’t as crappy to you as it is to me, I’ve just been working on it for so long I’m, like, mentally done with it tbh xD I hope you enjoyed it anyways! Xx ***** Willing ***** Chapter Notes Hey ya'll! It's been so long! I know, I'm sorry, I literally have no excuses xD Once I actually started writing this chapter it was really easy, so I feel bad for putting it off for so long. Anyways, this story is really gonna start picking up soon and I'm so excited! Next chapter is gonna have lotsof dialogue, more Jeff/Molly, introduction of a slight AU (it's more like a theory/explanation of mine but whatever), etc., etc., so be on the look out for that! :D I don't wanna hold you up for too long, so enjoy! See the end of the chapter for more notes 3/27 - Jeff The frigid air caused goosebumps to raise on Jeff’s arms, a mere human reflex. He hadn’t felt cold in years, hoodie or not. He stood out on the balcony, taking a deep breath and feeling his smile stretch even further across his face…  In this moment of weakness, he allowed himself to think of her. The butterflies in his stomach fluttered freely, uncaged.  His adrenaline spiked not for bloodlust, but for her. Her voice, her face, even her smell… so intoxicating it could’ve been lethal. He’d practically been undressing her with his eyes in there. Do I want to kill her? Jeff questioned himself. I mean, do I really want to kill her? And end this? The most interesting, peculiar thing that’s happened to him in years? She would never speak again, her expression would be dull, and she wouldn’t smell nearly as good. She’d reak of death like the rest of them. She’d be so much easier to forget, though. The longer he waited, the harder it’d be to get the job done. All he’d have to do was turn around, walk in, and slash her throat. Right now. No noise, no struggling, nothing. One easy motion, he’d done it a thousand times. Now why couldn’t he get his legs to move? This constant inward turmoil was driving him… a different kind of insane. Was he really going to let some weak little girl have so much power over him? Distract him from his true purpose, make him worry about her all the time? Why did he think, even for a second, that she was worth it!? Jeff sighed as he brought a hand up to push back his hair. We’re far past why now, he thought to himself. This is a lost cause. Just leave, find someone else to cut open. He jumped down from the balcony, contemplating how many victims it would take to curb his appetite. He hadn’t taken two steps before he heard a voice behind him. “That girl up there is still alive, isn’t she?” Jeff whipped around, knife at the ready. Shielded by the darkness was a hooded figure, you could barely see that it was a man. A man not quite as tall as Jeff, but just as well built. Once his eyes focused, he could make out a mask. A blue mask. “...Jack!? What the fuck are you doing here? Did you follow me!?” Jeff hissed. “This is the third time… you really insist on sparing her, don’t you?” Jack questioned calmly. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” “So if I go up there and—” “Don’t even think about it.” Jeff cursed himself when he couldn’t stop the threat from tumbling out. He watched Jack carefully, seeing his body language was far too stiff. He felt the tension in the air, and he just knew Jack would— He darted for the tree that would help him climb to the balcony, but Jeff was half a second faster. He grabbed Jack by his clothes, ripping him from the branches and throwing him to the ground. Jeff then straddled him, pressing his knife hard into the cannibal’s throat. “You get within five feet of her and I swear to fucking god I will kill you. She’s mine.” He growled, so animalistic his voice was almost demonic. “...I knew it.” Jack said, the disbelief obvious in his voice. “You care about her—” “I do not.” Jeff blurted, his tone not nearly as fierce. “Why are you being so damn possessive, then?” Jeff didn’t answer. Jack sighed. “Look man, I’m trying to help you. We both know Slendy will have your ass if he finds out, and I won’t tell as long as you don’t endanger my life. When this moon thing really gets going, and the number of victims starts dwindling, it’ll take more than you alone to protect her.” Jeff made no moves to relax his posture — Jack’s act wasn’t believable enough for him. “And why should I trust you?” “You don’t have to, I’ve got blackmail. But… I have been in your shoes before.” Jeff’s expression changed to one of questioning. “Been in my shoes how?” “I’m not going to kill her, Jeff. You can get off of me now.” Jack wasn’t going to answer him until he moved, that much was clear. He hesitated, but ultimately his curiosity got the best of him and he stood. He made sure to keep himself between Jack and the tree though, his stance remaining defensive. “How?” Jeff asked again. Jack took a breath. “...I loved a girl once. Here in this town actually, that’s why I wanted to leave so bad when we first showed up… I, um… I killed her. Indirectly, but it was still my fault.” You could hear the crack in his voice, the emotion. Jeff believed it — he wouldn’t act so vulnerable if he could help it. “This is a dark and dangerous road.” Jack continued. “I just hope you turn out better than me. All I ask is you do right by her, and I can help you.” Jack held out a gloved hand for Jeff to shake, and still Jeff doubted it all. Now it wasn’t only him, Jack knew he had… feelings… for this girl as well. The external validation made it all too real for him. Jeff wasn’t even sure he wanted to put time and effort into keeping someone else alive and safe, why would he trust someone else to? The fact of the matter was he didn’t, no one else would protect Molly like he would because no one else cared about her like he did. He’d give Jack a chance though. So Jeff finally relaxed, put his knife down, and they shook on it. Chapter End Notes Okay, so I'd like to thank @odrugs for writing such an interesting Jeff in her story "Tainted" and inspiring me to attempt to make Jeff kinda-sorta realistic. I'll probably fail, but shout out to her either way xD Tainted is awesome, you should go check it out! :) I'd also like to thank @Mikochan215 for being around for the FF.N version of this story, waayyy back in the day! Fun fact: Molly's name used to be Jacqueline. I think I changed it to get a new feel for the story, you know? She's kinda a new person now, in a way. Also fun fact: there was a Twilight reference in this chapter. "Her voice, her face, even her smell…" yeah, that's something Edward (kinda) said. The line seemed to fit and I didn't want you guys to think I stole it or anything O_o So yeah, I'll see you all in the next one! Thanks for reading! Xx Please drop_by_the_archive_and_comment to let the author know if you enjoyed their work!