Short Story: [Emberfate] Horror Movie

Hey everyone!

And here we have the short story reward for July! Another silly story, this time starring Chris and their, uh, love for horror movies. 

It looks like I'll need a bit more time to wrap up the coding for Lyrissa's endings, so I'll unfortunately have to delay the last beta build update for Lyrissa's route for a few days. I'm really sorry about the delay, but I'll try not to keep you guys waiting for long! 

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this little short story!

---

You tap the touchpad on the laptop in front of you, satisfied to see the video pop up in fullscreen mode on the screen of the television to the side. You rise to your feet, turning around to grin at your partner, Chris, on the couch.  "All right! That should be all set up. Are you ready?"

"Y-Yeah. 'Course. I'm born ready." They say with confidence, but you can't help but notice the slight stammer in their voice and the way his hand starts mindlessly stroking the fluffy rabbit lying on his lap — a small gesture that you recognize as a dead giveaway for when they're feeling nervous. 

Cocking an eyebrow, you move to flick off the light switch — and watch as Chris' body jerks in response before they give an awkward cough to hide it. 

You look between your partner and the television screen, which is currently frozen on the thumbnail of the paused video — a particularly bloody face of a ghostly little girl, the main character of the horror movie you're about to watch together. 

You ask tentatively. "Are you sure you want to watch this with me? I mean, it's fine if you're not into horror movies. We can put something else on, and I can watch this later in my room."

"'Course I do. Who says I'm not into horror movies? I am. I'd never be scared of them." Chris raises his voice slightly with increasingly obvious bravado, even as their eyes still can't make contact with the television screen. 

You try to suppress a smirk, but you decide not to call him out yet. "Uh huh. Right. I'd never doubt that." 

Your hand hovers over the laptop to press play on the movie, your movement slow and deliberate as your eyes remain trained on Chris. Amusement fills you as he watches your hand like a hawk and finally can no longer hold it in when your finger is a mere inch away from the touchpad.

"Wait! Uh, is the entire movie this..." Chris gestures towards the screen, floundering as he fails to find the words to describe the scene. 

"I'm not sure. I haven't watched it yet, duh. Though based on the glowing reviews it's gotten since its release and what I've heard from Jim and Aedriss who won't shut up about this movie, I think it does get pretty gory and terrifying."

Chris tries their best to hide their trepidation, nodding with a fake air of composure. "Right. 'Course. Go for it then."

You wait, giving him one last chance to chicken out, before starting the movie when there's no more protests. Then you cross the room to join him on the couch, cuddling up to him naturally as he wraps his arm around your shoulder. 

Soon, you find yourself sucked into the story unfolding on the flickering screen before you, stuffing your face full of popcorn in between your reactions and comments. "I swear, why do the characters in every horror movie have to suggest splitting up in an obviously dangerous, creepy place? Don't they know that's how they get picked off and die immediately?"

"Mmmm." Chris' response is a non-committal hum, the sound tight with unease. You sneak a glance at Chris' leg that's been bouncing in restlessness this entire time, biting back a smile as you wonder how long it'll take for them to crack.

He doesn't keep you waiting for long.

You suck in an involuntary breath at the next jumpscare, goosebumps rising on the skin of your arms. Beside you, Chris almost jumps five feet into the air, failing to hold back a surprisingly high-pitched scream of surprise, followed by a string of colorful curses to express their fear. Rookie gets spooked by the sudden racket, glancing at his owner with a look of disdain before leaping off the couch to hide in their den.

At the sound of your quiet chuckle, Chris' eyes fly to meet yours, a flush spreading across their cheeks as they realize their cool facade has been blown into smithereens. 

"I, uh... Sorry, I was just... taken by surprise."

You grin, wrapping your arms around your partner as you soothe him. "It's okay. You don't have to be embarrassed. It's normal to get scared when watching horror movies. Why don't we just stop the movie here and watch something else that's more fun?" 

They relax into your arms, burying their face into the crook between your neck and your shoulder. Their breath tickles your skin, sending a small shiver down your spine that has nothing to do with the creepy groans coming from the ghastly creature on the screen.

"No, it's fine. I... do like horror stuff. I just... get a little spooked by them sometimes. Just a little." Chris' voice comes out slightly muffled. "I'm enjoying this movie, honestly. And I know you like it so far too, so let's just... keep going."

"Are you sure? I really don't mind finishing this myself another time." You rub a comforting circle on Chris' back, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. 

"Yeah. As long as you don't mind my screaming or hiding in your arms if anything particularly scary happens." Chris lifts their head, smiling sheepishly with an abashed blush that's faintly visible in the dim light of the room.

"Aww." You can't help but press a kiss to your adorable partners' lips. "You can close your eyes and snuggle into my arms when you get freaked out. Don't worry, I'll protect you from the scary ghosts. I'll tank them and beat them up with my excellent DPS skills." 

Chris lets out a laugh, settling back into his spot on the couch and grabbing a handful of popcorn. "Then I'm counting on you to protect me, my lovely guild leader."