#ahs reader insert

Mind Games

Something wasn’t right

Your head hurt, that was an understatement to say the very least. You had a splitting headache, pounding away like someone had used you like a drum and this was simply after effects. You tried to focus but that wasn’t easy with the way your head was throbbing. A noise off to one side caught your attention. You weren’t as alone as you first believed yourself to be. It wasn’t just any noise, it was a voice reaching out.

The muffled voice called out to you but the words were flooding straight into one another making it almost impossible for you to interpret them. You were a little too curious for your own good, you wanted to know what they were saying to you. It was a call that you just could resist for better or worse. Which would it be this time around? Soon enough you would find out.

Whoever they are, this mystery person seems to linger just beyond in the darkness. A soft groan escaped your lips as you tried to move but you couldn’t. Heavy, they felt as if they were being weighed down which was impossible, right? Your eyelids flicker and flutter as you try to open them and adjust the darkened room. It soon dawns upon you that you are lying down on a rather firm surface.

As you try to sit up, you find that you are unable to lift more than your head and shoulder, you try once more but you fail to move. Your arms simply won’t budge. You are stuck, trapped in this current situation. You crane your head, trying to get a look at what is keeping you confided but even as you strain your gaze, you can not pierce through the dense void that encompasses the room.

The surface beneath creaks and groans as your head flops back down. You are lying on a bed, a hard mattress in one of the many bedrooms of the Hotel Cortez. You never left, you are still where you wandered aimlessly into in the early hours of the morning. However it was almost impossible to know how much time had passed since then. You remembered sitting down at the bar. You remembered being served a drink and flirting with somebody easy on the eye but you couldn’t recall their name or even what they looked like, after the second or was it the third drink your memory tapers off into a pleasant void of nothingness.

You had no knowledge of how you went from an enjoyable drink with a stranger to being here, trapped and waiting for whatever came next. A shiver rushed down your spine as the enormity of your predicament set in. This was far from a good situation to be in. You were now just hoping that there was a way out, a light at the end of the tunnel but in this moment, you couldn’t see it then you remembered the voice. You weren’t alone in here. Was this your capturer? Or Someone just like you caught in the spider’s web waiting for the spider’s sharp fangs to sink in as it claims it’s prey. This doesn’t happen, as they speak once more. There is hesitation, relief temporarily masking the fear that perfumed through the cracks.

“Thank God, I thought you were dead for a moment” You lift your head up arching as far as you possibly could as your eyes desperately search in every direction possible for the location of the person behind the velvety smooth pipes. Hindered only by the lack of light and shadow that blanketed every inch of the room.

The voice spoke once more “Can you move?” They asked. You dared for a split second to give in hope and believe that the owner behind the voice was more friend than foe. To hold onto the notion that they were not trying to lull you into a blind trip and strike when the iron was hot, the moment that you truly dropped your guard around them.

“No, can you?” Your voice broke as each word passed through your cracked lips. It was as if your throat was lined with sandpaper. You sounded positively dreadful but your words were sincere and truthful.

You heard a pained, frustrated groan in response that spoke volumes in the place of actual words. Silence then followed, this worried you about the state that your roommate in the loosest terms was in. The stillness was broken after a moment as the voice perked up and spoke slightly louder than before.

“That makes two of us, I’m handcuffed to the radiator attached to the wall” This was the worst possible outcome to this particular set of circumstances that you walked head first into. There were two of you trapped in this small room, bound to various pieces of furniture as part of someone’s twisted fantasy. There was an end game here, one that you dreaded to even consider. You feverishly tried moving your arms once more, you still couldn’t. Nothing had changed to allow you to even move more than a few inches. If this other person was handcuffed to the radiator then it was highly if not completely possible that you were handcuffed to the bed. Great, this was not the ideal time for an impromptu bondage session without your expressed consent.

“It appears as if I’m in a similar situation over here. I’m Y/N L/N” You responded, it looked as if the pair of you were going to be stuck in this awkward position for an undisclosed period of time. It made sense to get acquainted with the person who was experiencing this nightmare alongside you.

“I’m Matthew Vaughan, I’d say it’s nice to meet you but considering the mess we are in, that will have to wait. Seriously when we are on the other side, I’m taking you out for a drink” You chuckled, seeing what he was trying to do. Lighten the mood and see the light at the end of the tunnel.

“I’d like that” You could cling to that, maybe there was a way through the figurative maze of thorns that lay at your feet. A brief smile passed over your lips as you thought of the hereafter but you could not follow that train of thought down the rabbit hole and daydream. Not quite yet. There were still a few burning questions that lingered on. The how and the why. You focused on trying to recall the events that led you up to this moment.

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You had been sitting alone at the bar for far too long, staring down into your now half empty glass. The bartender was floating around, of that you were certain. How could this happen? Your night hadn’t started here and you were meant to meet your date here.

Thirty minutes had passed and still they had not appeared. Your excitement, your buzz had deflated like a lead balloon. For once, you thought that you found someone that wanted to discover who you were, wanted to talk and understand what made you tick but it seemed that they were like everyone else in this world, a complete let down.

You had been staying at the Hotel Cortez and it seemed like the ideal place to meet up with your date. Have a few drinks at the bar before heading out in the night but your plans were not scattered to wind. For the rest of the night, it would be just like every other night with you, yourself and I but at least for a moment the alcohol would chase your blues away.

“Another one?” Liz had asked, approaching you with a bottle in one hand. You had quickly nodded “Yeah, hit me again Liz”

You had lost count of how many you had put away but by the time last orders came around you were plastered but giggling to yourself. You had found it hilarious that you found it difficult to walk in a straight line. Each step to you in your intoxicated state had been a comedic piece before another followed after. You had forgotten about the one who had never turned up as you had found better company on the way back to your room.

You had rambled about everything and nothing but in that moment no-one cared. You and your companion were heading the same way, staying a few rooms apart on the same floor.

You shook your head, pushing back the memories of the previous night. You had been more liberal with your alcohol consumption than before. As the memory of staggering back to your room with a loopy grin and a companion for the night hot on your heels. You were more than ready to chase the morning with a night of anonymous filthy, racy fun.

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One moment you were trying to keep the key into the lock and failing as you burst out laughing and in the next second, there was pain. It had come straight out of the blue. It was hot and intense followed by the soothing embrace of weightlessness that you welcomed with open arms.

It hit home, hard and fast. You had been targeted to be someone’s victim, someone’s play toy until they grew tired of you. Your life was in someone’s hands and that shook you to the core. This happened to other people, not to you. However it happened to you and to Matthew.

‘I don’t want to die here,’ You whispered to yourself, not wanting to shake Matthew’s misplaced hope. He believed he could get out of this alive but someone had to be optimistic and right now that wasn’t you. Maybe he didn’t remember as much as you did. You would hold back the information for now, you didn’t want to fracture his sunny disposition. You would need that warmth to make it through the chilly horror that awaited you both.

“We’ll get out of this” Matthew spoke once more, his voice more confident than before. You wished that you could muster up the same level of self-confidence as your cohort. “I do hope so” You reply, your voice low and soft matching your feelings at that moment in time. The sound of the lock turning took your focus away from your companion in the gloom.

“We’ve been found. '' He proclaimed with such joy and happiness at the thought of the person coming through that doorway as the saviour. As an end to this bleak situation. In his mind your nightmare was over. You could not think that innocently. Realistically you could only consider one possibility, your kidnapper and tormentor was back.

You, the negative counterpart in this twosome, believed that the person who was about to enter the room was not here to help but hurt, maim and possibly kill the two of you. “We’re here!” You could hear the confidence, the hope oozing from his words as he shouted at the top of his lungs to grab their attention.

Abject horror and panic set in, quickly washing over you, this was not how you wanted to go out as the door creaked open.

The nightmare had only just begun

The door flew open, flooding the room with bright white light, temporarily blinding the pair of you. Without a second thought, you turned your face away from the spotlight that had been the doorframe seconds before. After a few moments had passed, you re-opened your eyes to look upon the face of the newcomer but no-one was there standing in the doorway. Was this just a cruel tactic to build you up before tearing you right back down? This was just cold and calculated to a new kind of low.

“HELLO?” Matthew continued to call out from his seated position on the floor. The position of the bed directly skewed his view of the door. He tried once then again. Each time his voice grows more desperate to hear, to be found and set free. “There’s nobody there” You tell him, your gaze finding him for the first time. In that moment, the light behind his eyes dulls as the reality of it all hits him square in the jaw. There’s no going back from here.

The lights in the bathroom begin flickering on then off again. This pulls your attention away from the somber man. This was an old hotel right? Faults with the electrics happened all the time. Just as quickly as it had started, it was over. “What’s going on?” He asked, as fear started to creep into his words.

The light show had added to the already uncomfortable atmosphere, unnerving Matthew putting more on edge than before. You on the other hand had seen such sudden displays before in the time that you lived within the walls of the Cortez. Your own room was similar to this one in design and had on occasion suffered from loss of light as well as the opposite.

This was a different kettle of fish, this wasn’t your room. This wasn’t a place of familiarity and comfort. This didn’t feel right. Something was wrong, off but you couldn’t put your finger on exactly what. This small fact puts you on edge.

“Hello? Who's there” He tries one last time as he sinks below desperation. An answer came but the one hoped for as the door slammed shut. Hard enough to cause the doorframe to shake from impact. As the light flickered into life for a brief moment before plunging you back into the darkness. You gasped, terrified by what was happening all around you. A scream erupted free from the depths of your very soul that echoed around the room.

As the notion that you were going to die in this room. This was how your night and life was going to end. Here in these four walls of this cramped little room. You were trapped, along with Matthew who wept silently on the floor as his mind came to the same conclusion. It was over. You had lost the game. No-one knew where you were, no-one was coming to help you.

Creak

Creak

Creak

The floorboards groaned, you could hear the sound of approaching footsteps, your eyes shot left then right, frantically searching in the pitch black for any sign of where the unknown noise was coming from within the room. You found nothing, no person moving about the place. You were losing your mind with all these sights and sounds. How much longer could you or Matthew last with these twisted mind games? You simply didn’t know.

In the confusion, you had failed to notice the figure standing by the door, silent and unmoving. Their face were shrouded in the dark as they watched their helpless prey give into fear. They remain still, waiting for the right moment to strike. For now they would simply watch and enjoy with perverse pleasure this game as events played out. The endgame grew near. Soon the fun would truly begin.

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James Patrick March was the true master that lurked in the shadows of each and every room and corridor of the hotel. The Cortez was his realm, his hunting ground. No-one was safe from his fatal touch. Fate was in the palm of his blood stained hands. For which way the pendulum swung lay solely with him and he loved it. Loved each delicious moment as he slowly stalked his prey through the halls with a knife in hand, ready to strike when the moment arose. He lived to see the light fade from the eyes of his victims as he stole their life from them.

This was just another night perfect for the hunt. He stood silently watching as his prey lost their collective minds as he toyed with the lights, doors and floors. Causing noises without any visible explanations. His lips twisted with a vile smirk, enjoying little facial cue of terror displayed upon their faces. He remained hidden for now as he silently slunk across the room until he stood at the foot of the bed. To see his victim bound in place, helpless and powerless to stop the upcoming onslaught that he would soon deliver when he was ready.

His eyes danced across every delectable inch of the body of one that would soon be gone from this world. As he planned out his diabolical scheme in its entirety, where he would plunge his blade and where he would slash and cut if he used the knife in his hand as his weapon of choice. The sweet relief of death’s eternal embrace would be brief for the trapped mice as they would roam the hallowed halls of the Cortez for the rest of their endless days when the madman plunged his blade in again and again.

“Excuse me? Mr. Langdon has a visitor.”

The door opened once more to reveal a new woman. She was breathtaking. So beautiful, she made even the Antichrist stop in his tracks. But why was she there to visit him?

He stared, mouth slightly ajar, and his brows knitted a little. “I thought we agreed you’d rest?”

Jeff’s head snapped toward Michael. Mutt was preoccupied- entranced by the stranger. 

“I have been but... I- they miss you.”

Who’s “they”? Mutt snapped from his trance and met eyes with Jeff. Both were confused yet mildly intrigued. The words were communicated between the two with their eyes, shrugs and furrowed brows the only answer they could muster.

“Do- do they?” The two men watched as Michael inched forward. His eyes left Y/n’s after he got close enough to touch her, glancing down to her stomach as he rested his hand against her covered skin. “They really do.” His back was turned to the two behind him, and because so, they couldn’t see the smile that met his eyes.

The actions were missed by the curious scientists, Michael’s frame of no help for their view. Like the saying, a better door than window he truly was. But they weren’t as interested in the actions of their master, more so the stranger’s. A peculiar character, this new woman was.

“Come home soon, please. It’s not just this one who misses you.” The mystery woman’s hand lifted to Michael’s face. She gently caressed the Antichrist’s soft skin without so much of a sliver of fear in her body.

They could just barely see her delicate fingers brush his hair behind his ear. Jeff and Mutt were sure if it had been anyone else, Michael would’ve turned them into ashes instantaneously. She surprised them more and more with each second that passed.

“Soon. I’m still working.”

“That’s all you’ve been doing, Michael-”

His hands lifted to the sides of her head. Michael’s grip was soft rather than the harsh and brutal expected of him. “Y/n. I promise. I will be done soon. I just have to finish this last thing.”

They stood still for a moment. The the tension in the air hung thick, at least, in the eyes of the scientists. It seemed that they misjudged the situation, as Michael pulled Y/n into his arms before kissing her and whispering with his head against hers. Unfortunately for the eavesdroppers, they couldn’t make out what he was saying.

When he turned back around, they jumped and messed around with random things to look occupied. His unamused glare burned into their skin at their horrible attempts of hiding the fact that they were watching and listening his conversation with the woman, who they now learned was named Y/n.

“Michael?” All three men turned. “Please do try to hurry... I’m holding you to-” she tried her best to mind her words, Michael’s employed friends presences’ registering fully, “that promise. I would hate to have to take matters into my own hands.”

His eyes narrowed as they grew dark, only slightly, and a small growl-sounding groan erupted from his throat. “You wouldn’t.” Michael stepped forward.

“I would.”

“Not while I’m still breathing.”

It didn’t take long for them to get the topic of Michael’s alleged promise. The words he whispered to her were not hard to imagine thanks to Y/n’s little threat. On the other hand, they would’ve figured it out sooner or later with minds like theirs.

“Fine. But only because I miss you.” A tilt of her neck revealed purple bruises strung along her neck. The sight lasted little time before she moved her head back, even so, the two didn’t miss a thing. Y/n turned on her heels. “I’ll see you soon.” 

Michael watched her as she walked back to the doors steadily. An endearing look sparkled in his blue orbs. Had he not been in the company of Jeff and Mutt, he’d be smiling so hard his cheeks hurt. The moment was pure and warming for a small minute or two.

In hindsight, he should’ve expected such questions from the perverted men he worked with.

“You fucked that?” Jeff snickered. Mutt and Jeff held up their hands for Michael to high five, their laughter trailing off as he stared at their palms with disinterest. Their hands dropped awkwardly.

“That would be my wife. Our personal lives are none of your fucking business. Neither is our sex life.” The two men gulped quietly. “...But, yes, as a matter of fact, I fucked her.” Their laughter picked up again and a smirk tugged at Michael’s lips slowly. “I fucked her... I fucked a baby into her.”

They.

A baby.

It had only taken an hour for your friends to leave your side.  But you weren’t surprised.  They were never really good “friends.”  In fact, the closest one to you out of the group once told you that the others were only friends with you for publicity.  Being the only other survivor out of your friends, save for Brooke, you were like a little legend in your town.  You knew it hadn’t been Brooke.  But it was your word against everything. 

You missed her.  She had been a good friend.  All of your friends had been.  Chet, Ray, Montana.  And Xavier.  Oh, God, did you miss Xavier.

There wasn’t a day that went by that you didn’t think of the blonde haired jazzercise instructor.  It hurt your heart to know that he was gone forever, taken by the very thing that made your “friends” fangirl.  On your way up to the camp, you swore you heard them talking about the Night Stalker.  It sent you into a memory that you couldn’t stand remembering.  Perhaps you should have just asked them to drop you off at the gas station and then pick you up later.  It would have been easier that way. 

It was 1987.  Three years after the massacre of your friends, and three years after you barely made it out of Camp Redwood alive. 

You found yourself sitting on the edge of the dock, staring out at the lake.  The water was dark and murky—not how you remembered.  But it had been quite a few years since you were last here.  You didn’t know what else could have happened.  You took in a deep breath, squeezing your eyes shut. 

You wanted to leave.  That was the first thing that came to mind.  Just moments after the thought ran through your head, you felt something brush against your foot. 

Your heart leapt to your throat.

Scrambling to your feet, and suppressing your scream, you looked down at the water and saw a bloated body.  They had obviously been in the water for some time.  You took a couple steps back, your hands gripping at your shirt.  But that’s when you saw it.  A flash of two blonde heads in the corner of your eye, standing by one of the cabins.  None of your friends were blonde. 

You blinked and almost thought that you were just crazy—but then you saw it.  That outfit.  The blues and whites and that signature coat.  Were you crazy? 

You didn’t know.  Even so, your feet started moving before you could stop them.  In a matter of seconds, you were running.  Through the mud, through the roots that sprung up from the cold ground, through the tree limbs that continued to snag your shirt.  However, you didn’t care.  If that was who you thought it was, it didn’t matter if you hurt yourself or scratched up your outfit.  It was okay. 

You reached the area you had thought you saw him—the girls’ cabin.  That’s where you had hung out during the short time you were there.  The sight of the log building made you sick to your stomach.  This whole trip made you sick. 

If only you had listened to your gut feeling and passed up your friends invite, then you wouldn’t be standing here, questioning your sanity. 

But then you heard a voice. 

“[Your name]?”

Not just any voice—Xavier’s voice.

You quickly spun around; your eyes were wide.  You saw him standing there, all alone.  He gave you an incredulous look before Xavier wasted no time in rushing over to you.  He wrapped his arms around you, one of his hands resting on the back of your head.

“What—what,” you breathed out, quickly hugging him back.  “What the hell?  You’re dead,” you spoke, burying your face in his chest.  “You’re supposed to be dead.  Why are you here?”

Xavier chuckled softly.  “I’m a ghost, [Your name].”  He slightly pulled back to look down at you.  “God, I never thought I’d see you again.  Why are you here?”

“My… my friends—”

Before you could finish, a scream erupted through the trees, sending birds flying into the blue sky. 

You pulled back, looking over your shoulder.  “My friends brought me here…”

Xavier rose an eyebrow. 

“What’s going on?” you asked, shaking your head.  You paid no mind to the scream—a part of you didn’t care what happened, as awful as that sounded.  The other part of you ached to go and help them, but you couldn’t.  Xavier was standing in front of you.

“What do you mean?” he asked. 

“How are you—how are you here?  You’re a ghost...?”

He smiled softly, watching you with an unreadable expression.  “Yes.”

“That’s so vague,” you huffed, noticing a smear of blood on his cheek.  You reached forward, your thumb rubbing it off.  You frowned up at him.  “How the hell are you still here?” you repeated. 

“I don’t know,” he finally admitted.  “All of us.  We’re all here.  Well, save for you and Brooke,” he hesitantly smiled. 

You blinked slowly, furrowing your eyebrows.  “You’re all still here?” you asked, unable to stop your tears from forming.  “Xavier, I—I never thought I’d see you again.  And you’re telling me everyone’s still here?”

“You’re taking this pretty well,” he snorted softly.

“Yeah, well, you would to when you realize that all your friends are still here, and you didn’t watch them all die,” you said, taking in a deep breath. 

“Well, you did—”

“—you know what I mean, Xav.”

The blonde began to smile at you.  “I really never expected to see you again,” he said, giving you another tight hug.  “Why did you come with them…?”

“Closure?” you questioned your own answer, hugging him back.  “A chance to… to come to peace with what happened?”

“You sure as hell aren’t getting that,” he let out a laugh, not stopping himself from kissing the top of your head. 

You froze up, but you never once stopped him. 

“It’s only been three years, X,” you said, closing your eyes.  “I’ve lived… three hell-filled years without you guys.  I miss you so much,” you said.  You swallowed thickly, completely pulling back from the man.  “I… Brooke was sentenced.  They are convinced she did it,” you spoke. 

Xavier pursed his lips, and he took ahold of your hand.  “It’s okay.  It’s not your fault.”

“I… I just… I miss you.  I miss you guys so much, Xavier.  You have no idea.”

“Is that why you came?” Xavier softly asked, looking over you.  “To… be closer?”

Your eyes widened a bit.  You hadn’t thought of it like that.  But maybe, subconsciously, that’s what was going on.  Your mind knew that it was a way to be closer to your friends.  You never expected that you would literally get closer to them, in every way possible. 

“You make a good point,” you said, sniffling softly.

Xavier grinned, leaning forward to cup your cheeks.  “You look hot for a twenty-six-year-old,” he said. 

You slapped his hand away, unable to stop your cheeks from growing warm.  “It’s been three years, not a fucking decade.”

His smile only grew.  “You do, though.”

You sniffled again, looking up at him.  “You… I really never thought I’d see you again.  I can’t believe you’re here, Xav.  I…. It’s so hard to live without you.”

He frowned and leaned forward, kissing your forehead again.  You closed your eyes as his lips lingered. 

“I know.  But you can’t stay here.  There’s nothing here that would support someone who’s alive.  You need to go back home, get back to your life.”

“Xavier, I don’t have a life,” you frowned.  “I work, I come home, and I try to ignore the people who brought me here.”

“So, they’re not your friends?” a female voice came from behind you. 

You quickly spun around, spotting a blood-covered Montana.  You could hardly breathe.  You let go of Xavier and rushed over to the girl, tightly hugging onto her. 

“Oh my God,” you breathed, tears forming in your eyes again.  You silently cursed yourself for your constant waterworks—but your emotions were all over the place. 

“Uh, definitely not God,” she laughed, hugging you back.  “God, [Your name], why the hell are you here?  You look hot,” she grinned.

“Hey, back off, I already told her that,” Xavier scoffed. 

Montana just smiled, pulling back. You noticed that your clothes were now bloody, but you honestly didn’t care.  You reached up, wiping your tears away. 

“I can’t believe… I can’t believe you guys are actually here.  Are you sure I’m not just crazy?  And making this all up in my head?”

Xavier smiled and took your hand.  “We’re here.”

You lost track of time.  When you finally looked out the dusty cabin window, the moon was peaked high in the sky. 

You looked over at your friends, not knowing what to say.  You didn’t want to leave them, again.  You couldn’t leave them again. 

You reached forward and took Xavier’s hand, dragging him out of his conversation with Chet. 

“Can we talk?”

Xavier smiled back at you and nodded.  He hadn’t been this happy about anything, for some time.  He couldn’t believe that you were here.  He never thought that he would see you again—and you were the one person that he would have done anything for, save for himself. 

The two of you stood outside of the edge of the cabin steps.  Xavier leaned against the railing and you found yourself sitting down on the top of the staircase.

“I… I can’t leave you guys.  Not again.  I’ve got nothing out there for me—”

Xavier’s face fell as he heard you.  “No.  I know what you want.  You’re not doing that.  No way in hell.  You’re the only one of us who survived, you need to keep on living—”

“—I only survived because you guys all died before I escaped,” you said, your bottom lip quivering.  “Xavier, I can’t function without you guys.  I can’t—I can’t do anything without thinking about all of you.”

“You will, eventually,” Xavier said, sending you a soft smile.  He leaned forward and grabbed your hands.  “You’ll be able to.”

“When, X?  When I’m on my eightieth birthday?” you questioned. 

He snickered softly and kissed your cheek.  “You know that’s not true.  You’ll be okay.  You need to go home, [Your name].  You know that we’re here.  You can visit any time you want to.  Stay alive for me.”

“But I’ll continue to age.  And you’ll all stay here, exactly the same.”

Xavier grinned.  “Well, you continue to age.  Get a spouse.  Make some babies.  Come and see us when you have the time.”

He was trying to talk you out of it.  He didn’t want you dead—if you died, he wouldn’t be able to live with himself (metaphorically, of course).  He had protected you until his last breath, and he would do it again.  Even if it meant sending you away, no matter how much he would have rather had you there. 

“I’ll continue to age, X.  But I’m not ever gonna marry.  And I won’t ever have kids.”

“Why not?” Xavier asked, brows furrowed. 

“Because the one person I wanted that with is here.”

He stopped for a moment, letting go of your hands.  “What?” he tilted his head, watching you.  “Who?”

“You, you idiot,” you said, tears welling in your eyes.  “I didn’t want to come back here because I thought that I would find things of yours.  I didn’t expect your whole damn ghost.  I don’t want to age.  I don’t want to just marry someone.  I wanted to marry you,” you said, choking back a sob with an awkward cough.  “I wanted to date you, I wanted to fall in love with you even more than I already loved you.  You dying made me realize that I would never have that.  I would never love anyone as much as I love you, Xavier.”

Xavier didn’t say anything, watching you intently.

“I’ve mourned you every damn day.  I—I’ve wondered, why did this happen?  Why couldn’t I have just died with you?  And I nearly did it.  Several times, Xavier.  I would have done it again,” you said, staring him down.  “If I came here and saw that you… you still had things here.  If I saw your blood or that—that damned horror oven.  I… I would have done it.”

Xavier quickly took your hands again.  “Stop it.  Stop talking like that.  [Your name]…”

“And see?  You don’t even love me back,” you said, finally letting out a sob.  “You’ve stared at me this whole time, and said noth—”

You were cut off by cold lips pressing against yours.  But just as soon as you had been interrupted, you started kissing him back.  You were still crying—all of your pent-up exhaustion and rage releasing with your tears. 

Xavier slightly pulled back, his forehead pressing against yours.  “I… I love you, too, [Your name].”

You squeezed your eyes shut.  Xavier leaned forward and wiped your falling tears away. 

“The only way you can stay here… is if you die.”

You took in a deep breath, looking up and locking eyes with the blonde.  “I’ll do anything I have to.  I just can’t leave.  Not again.”

Xavier sadly smiled, unable to stop his own tears from forming.  “Alright, then.  I won’t stop you,” he pressed a soft kiss to your knuckles.  “How… how do you wanna go?  It’s your choice.”

He was unconscious most of the time he’d been in the oven. When he awoke, his conscious was about as messy as his teenage bedroom. It was so hot, he had to wonder if it was what hell felt like. Scorching heat that burned through him both literally and not. However, he was panicking so much, he couldn’t think. The burning was a constant in his mind, so he couldn’t have a clear head even if he tried.

But now, as time felt like it slowed dramatically- ironic for the aspiring actor, he could. And so he did. It hit him like a bus, or a bolt of electricity, a flood of thoughts frantically trying to claw their way into the spotlight before everything was doomed to go dark. Margaret was over him with the knife raised. But before she brought the knife down into his torso, his brain finally picked something to see before he’d see nothing.

“Xavier!” She giggled and squealed, her smile beaming so bright Xavier couldn’t help but smile himself.

At first, the blond didn’t say anything in response to her shriek. Instead, he continued his whimsical assaults on her squirming body, reveling in every sound he drew from her. His hands tickled her sides without mercy, his lips pressed kisses to her cheeks. He moved his face down a little and skittishly nibbled on her neck, claiming he would eat her up.

Though his claims were often repeated in different scenarios, this was a moment where it wasn’t sexual, just...playful. He missed those moments.

Y/n was his shining star, the light of his life, the only person in the world who would ever grasp the true key to his heart. Relief stirred within Xavier as he relived the moments with her.

Then the scene shifted. He was next to her and her head was rested on his naked chest. They were both bare beneath the sheets of his bed. Despite their sweat covered bodies, they were holding each other like it was the last time. Each time he inhaled, her head would rise with his chest, lowering with it when he exhaled as well. It was calm, content...intimate.

“Xavier?” She asked, voice soft and barely audible with obvious tiredness.

Neither of the two lifted their heads to look at each other, but they didn’t mind. “Yeah?”

“I wish this would never end.”

“Me neither.” He thought for a moment as he stared at the ceiling. “I think...I think I love you.”

“You think?” Y/n adjusted so she could see his face, all signs of sleep wiped away and replaced with intrigue.

“Yeah- I mean...”

She suddenly perked up, a new attitude in play as she looked around the room and avoided his blue orbs. “Well that’s just too bad, because I know for a fact that I love you too. Perhaps when you’ve made up your mind, you should kiss me like your life depends on it.”

It only took a few seconds for him to snap back, a smirk sliding onto his lips as he sat up, “Maybe I will.”

He wondered if she was safe. He regretted bringing her along, whisking her away from the safety of LA and dragging her to the camp where they’d die the night before becoming counselors. If he were to say he didn’t hate himself for getting her to join in on the gig, he would be a liar.

Again, the memory altered, this time, taking him to his bedroom the night before he was to leave for the camp that would be the cause of his demise. He went out with Y/n, took her to dinner and brought her back to his place where they would enjoy a night together before they would have children taking up their time with each other.

“Are you excited?”

Xavier furrowed his brows, trying to come up with an honest answer. “For camp? I suppose. It’ll be so fucking hard keeping my hands off of you though.”

Y/n snickered at his confession, unsurprised by her boyfriend’s lewd thoughts. “I think I might just have to agree with that observation, Mr. Plympton.”

“Really?”

“Yeah!” She looked at him, her e/c eyes meeting his blue ones. “It must suck ass not being able to pound me into a mattress for an entire summer.”

Xavier’s face morphed with confusion. “Who said anything about mattresses? Or being abstinent?”

“What exactly are you suggesting?”

“I meant in front of the kids, babe.” A mischievous smile slid upon his lips, “You of all fucking people should know that the moment those rugrats hit the hay, Xavier’s gonna want to play.”

That was all the warning Y/n received before he attacked her neck with love bites, soon lifting her off the couch and throwing her into his bed for what would be the last time.

The pain of the blade entering his flesh snapped him back into reality. He slowly lifted his head, watching as the blood stained his shirt. Then, it all went black.

Venable’s cane clacked against the floor as she made her way to her office, which the new man had taken over. Wilhelmina and Miriam had been talking in their spare time about her their suspicions. The woman who had claimed authority over the entire outpost, making her own rules and consequences, had many opinions about Langdon, however, with his “work partner”, L/n, in the picture, there were many more she had to share.

“Are you sure?” Mead thought about Venable’s recent conspiracy and came to a conclusion made up of doubt. She had to admit, Venable did have a tendency to grow extreme time after time; and this was one of those times. “I mean, maybe they’re just coworkers-”

“No! Have you seen their attitudes, felt the feelings radiating off of their bodies, watched their eyes when they’re in each other’s presences? Do you know what I saw, and felt, clouding those two?”

Miriam looked around blankly, not sure where Wilhelmina was going with it this time. “Uhm...love?”

“Love? No- no man is capable of love. It’s lust!”

“Oh. Are you sure?” She sighed and nodded. They sat for a moment in the silence before they rose in unison. “How about we go figure that out?”

 “Mr. Langdon. I would like to talk to you, if you could spare a moment of your time.” Venable inquired in a rather demanding tone. She didn’t wait for an answer, sliding open the doors and clicking her cane down loudly as she walked.

“Of course. What can I help you with?”

She rolled her eyes at his calm and seemingly unphased exterior. “I know what’s going on between you and Miss L/n.”

“I’m sorry,” Michael lifted his gaze from the paperwork on the desk to the woman standing by the fire, nothing but a curious furrow of his brows as a response to her contextless accusation, “I’m not quite sure I understand what you’re implying, Miss Venable.”

“Don’t act dumb, Langdon.” Venable laughed cruelly.

Michael took in her attitude and allegations, chuckling when he ‘added it up’. “By the way you’re glaring at me, I must assume you’re indicating some sort of inappropriate relationship between Miss L/n and I? Or, at least, inappropriate for coworkers?”

“An ill-suited relationship in general, Mr. Langdon. I will not tolerate such behavior in my outpost. As a worker for the corporative, I should expect you of all people to respect and follow the rules I have set.”

“Your outpost?” Michael grinned mockingly. “I don’t know what you think is going on between Miss L/n and I, but I can assure you, it is none of your concern. Perhaps next time, instead of going around spreading, or believing, rumors, you would like to find yourself some form of evidence to support your crude claims?”

“Mr. Langdon?” A new voice joined the conversation. It brought a genuine touch to Michael’s smile and a whole new change to his persona; no longer cautious and vile, but confident and relaxed. Though, Venable could not see the change. Not that Michael would let her anyways.

“Yes, Miss L/n?” He kept his eyes trained on Venable, watching her for reactions.

“Oh, my apologies.” Y/n shifted her attention to Venable as well. Wilhelmina felt mildly uncomfortable as the two burned imaginary holes into her skin with just their eyes. “I had no knowledge of this meeting. I’ll come back when you’re done, sir.”

“No, no, no, that won’t be necessary. It’s fine. Miss Venable was just leaving now. Weren’t you, Venable?”

Venable tensed, inhaling slowly before releasing the breath she’d forgotten she was holding. “Perhaps I could question her before I leave. If you truly have nothing to hide, you would accept my offer.”

Y/n turned to face Michael, raising her brows and awaiting his directions. He nodded after a quiet minute spent going over their options and beckoned Y/n over with a few waves of his hand. As she lifted herself onto the edge of the desk, Venable shot her a criticizing look.

“Are you and Langdon partaking in forbidden acts of intimacy?”

“Forbidden?” Y/n smiled at Michael over her shoulder, “Not at all.”

“Is there anything I should know?”

“No, nothing I can think of. We’ll be sure to let you know if there indeed is, but so far, there’s no reason for any panic in that lovely head of yours. Is that all?”

She was still suspicious, not pleased in the slightest with the answers she’d received. Although she wanted to snap, tell them to stop lying, sentence both workers to death, she nodded politely and walked out of the room, her cane clicking harshly with every step she took.

Once they were sure the wicked, not in a good way, woman had left all places within earshot, they broke into stifled laughter. Y/n swung around, her legs on either side of Michael.

“Finally. I thought that infuriating woman would never leave. Don’t even get me started on that stupid cane of hers.”

His hands lifted to her face, a loving smile placed on both Langdon’s lips. “You and I both, Mrs. Langdon.”

Her smile fell upon the mention of her last name, as it was seldom she’d heard it. “How long do we have to keep up this horrible act? I hate having to pretend we aren’t involved. If I went by the name I married into, people would stop giving you those thirsting looks.”

“Yes, but then the plan could fail. Or worse; you’d be a target of some form of danger.” Michael reminded her, worry in his voice as he rubbed her cheek with his thumb. “Understand? I can’t lose you too-”

“Yeah, yeah, I know, I know. Believe me, I can’t possibly fathom what would happen if I lost you either. I- I just can’t wait until all of this is over.”

The interviewer adjusted in his seat, having just sat down, before he introduced Cody, both men waiting for the cheers to fade. Their conversation started simple, regular questions about American Horror Story, Michael Langdon, stuff about new projects. None of it was really new to Cody.

“Anything new you can tell us about the show?”

“I’m not quite sure at the moment, but I can say that it was and is a lot of fun to film. Working with all these beautiful people has been the time of my life, and I’m happy to be able to do it again.”

“We are too.”

It was going smoothly so far. Cody was confident in each of his answers, as he’d answered them before. Occasionally, he’d get asked a question or two about what one person thought about AHS or one of his characters, but this interview was the first to have taken him by surprise.

“So, from what we’ve seen on your instagram, you’re in a polyamorous relationship.” A photo appeared on the screen behind the two, a woman to the right of Cody, kissing his cheek, and a guy to his left, kissing his other cheek. “Some fans are guessing that the girl, Y/n L/n, is your girlfriend, others that the boy, Eric Smith, is your boyfriend, but we’re guessing that it’s both. Are we correct?”

Cody smiled, “Actually, you are.”

“Oh cool! What’s it like having two partners in one relationship? Do you ever have jealous moments? Do either of them have jealous moments?”

He licked his lips, trying to think of an honest answer to the man’s question. “I mean, sometimes. No one said it’s easy sharing your partner, and then again, where’s the fun if it’s easy?” More cheers erupted as his smile grew wider. “Y/n, yeah, she has her moments of jealousy...I believe the correct wording is clingy, but all the same. Eric too. It’s hard to tell when those two get jealous, specifically because they’re too stubborn to admit it.”

“Ah, I know what you’re talking about. As for figuring it out, it’s all in their actions, right?”

“Yeah- yeah, it’s like a guessing game, to be honest.”

“Backtracking to our previous topic, how about American Horror Story? Do they have any opinions on the show or Michael? Or on your other characters, do they like them? Dislike them?”

“Uhm...” Cody scratched the top of his head, quirking a brow as he dived back into the thought train. “I think they like them. I think Y/n’s helped me with some characters...I’m not sure. I know they’re both very supportive though.  I admire that about them.”

“Supportive of what? You? Your characters? Your career?”

“Everything, really. They’re supportive of each other, of me, my career, Eric’s career, Y/n’s career.” He shrugged, “It’s like living with your best friends but not only are they your best friends, but they’re also your girlfriend and boyfriend.”

“That actually sounds like a lot of fun.”

Cody nodded with a small laugh, “It really is.”

The man looked down at the papers in front of him, reading the notes scribbled across each one. “What about your newest post?” A screenshot from Cody’s instagram replaced the black screen, Y/n holding her stomach in front of the window, Cody in the reflection as he takes the photo. “Anything on that?”

“Yes.” The blond chuckled, “Y/n and I have been interested in trying for a baby,” he paused for the cheers of the audience in front of them, “and after having a discussion with Eric, we’ve come to a point where she and I have indeed...tried, and Eric is fully supportive.”

“Speaking of Eric, with his part in the relationship, will he be the child’s second father?”

“Mhm. That’s another thing we talked about; Y/n will be their mother, Eric and I their fathers. It may seem...I suppose, weird to others, but for us...it’s just one happy little family. Couldn’t have it any other way, ya know?”

More applause from the supporting viewers sounded, causing a slight delay on the man’s sentence, but a laugh of his own as a reaction. “A happy little family indeed. May I ask, have you succeeded in conceiving a child yet?”

“You know you can tell me anything...right?” Tate poked Y/n. He continued the motion, attempting to push her over the edge so she’d break and finally spill what had her so agitated.

“Tate. I understand that, but this is...private.”

“And I’m your best friend, remember?” It was true. Though he wasn’t, and still isn’t, exactly the best person in the world, she somehow befriended him. He told her of previous residents in the murder house, tales of their deaths. It was likely just to scare her, but she remained nonchalant.

Soon enough, she devolved an odd bond with the dead teenager. He adjusted, realizing it was no use trying to scare her, let alone kill her. Almost like she knew his every move, nothing got past her. The same went for him; spending long amounts of time observing his new roommate, as well as other people who had lived there, he learned cues that showed she was hiding something.

Tate continued poking Y/n, but harsher. He wanted to know what was bothering her, whether it be for his curiosity or for the strange urge to protect Y/n. It didn’t matter to him, as he was too focused on getting her to spill whatever beans she’d been keeping.

Her eyes narrowed, expression bland. “I’ll stab you.”

“I’m already dead.”

“I know. That just makes it all the more fun. You can’t die...” She quirked a brow as she grinned, hinting to the ending of her sentence.

“So you, my best friend, would like to take advantage of the fact that I’m dead, and kill me over and over again. Am I missing anything?”

“You have friends?”

Tate groaned, rolling his eyes. He rose to his feet and grabbed Y/n’s hands. She gave him a look of confusion as he pulled her up, dragging her to the kitchen and digging two beers out of the fridge.

“No! Don’t waste my shit! You’re dead- it’s like...like buying beer for a corpse!”

“I’m dead, yes, but that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy a good beer.” He took a sip from his bottle. “Oh, and, yeah. That’s literally what you’re doing.”

“Except for the fact that I didn’t buy it for you.” Y/n grumbled, sitting down and drinking from her own bottle. Tate watched her with curious eyes. She sighed, gaining his attention, and finally spoke up. “You really wanna know what’s bothering me?”

He scoffed, “Is that even a question?”

“Watch it, Langdon. I won’t tell you if you keep that up.”

“What up?”

“Whatever. C’mon.” She guided him back to the bedroom they were sitting in earlier, sitting in the spinny-office chair while he sat on the bed. “So... I used to be in love-”

“You? In love?”

“Strike two, Langdon.” Tate put a hand over his heart, feigning hurt. “Anyways, yeah. He was unique. Still is, I’m sure. But we... we didn’t get along too well at some points, over some things.”

“So you’re hung up over some dick and your guys’ issues?”

“I’m still up for stabbing you, Tate. Now shut up, and let me finish. His name was Jimmy Darling-”

“He was such a darling that it broke you heart-”

Tate stopped talking as Y/n glared at him, “As I was saying, he and I got...into a fight that kinda tore us apart. There were some things I wish I didn’t say, but there were also somethings I wish he didn’t say. We didn’t entirely break-up, but we have yet to try and contact each other.”

“That doesn’t sound too darling to me. Are you sure his name was Jimmy D-”

“Yes! Jesus Christ, just shut up and let me talk!” Tate chuckled to himself before obliging to his best friend’s wishes, bringing his hand to his lips and dragging it across, imaginary zipper being zipped tight. “Some shit happened, which I’ll get to momentarily, and I left.”

Y/n continued with her story. Her eyes watered with unreleased tears halfway through, which she wiped away, keeping the story going. He nodded every now and then, listening to her rant.

As the story was ending, Tate began to think over the information he’d been given; Coming to a conclusion he mumbled, “Wow, he sounds like an ass.” 

She sighed, throwing herself onto the bed that he sat on. “Yeah, but he was my ass... Wait... That came out wrong” 

Tate laughed, holding his sides tightly as he wheezed dramatically -for the teasing effect-, “You think?”

He calmed himself, quite easily as his chuckle was nowhere near genuine nor necessary, and pat Y/n on the back. “If he really is the ‘one’,” he said the word like it disgusted him, which it did for multiple reasons, most of which involving his protectiveness over Y/n, “he’ll push past his anger and see how wrong he was.” 

She interjected, “Who says he was wr-” 

“Even if you weren’t, I, as your best and only friend, am deciding that you are way smarter than some ass. Now, as I was saying, I believe he’ll come through, if he really loves you. So,” he reached for the bed’s sheets, “why don’t you lie down, and I’ll keep an eye out for your ‘Darling’ or whatever. Alright?”

“Really? Knowing you, you’d probably shoot him on si-”

“I give you my word. Plus, if he dies, he’ll probably end up here...for me to torture for all eternity.”

“Thank you Tate.”

“Yeah whatever.” As nice as it was to get to see Tate be...helpful, relief washed over Y/n when he spoke up again, this time with words the Tate she’d gotten to know would’ve said; “I get to meet your ass you speak so ..eh about whether I kill him or not, so it’s a win win for me.”

“Shut up, dork.”

“Go to sleep then. Can’t bother you if you aren’t conscious to be bothered.”

“Mhm. Night, Langdon.”

“I’ll tell your ass you said hi-” A pillow hit Tate’s chest, victorious smirk growing on his lips.