You’re Not Who You Seem {Kenny McCormick x Reader} {SERIES | 4 / Final}
Summary: After returning from the hospital, you realize that sometimes a second chance can be better than the first.
Pairing: Kenny McCormick x Reader (she/her pronouns) - South Park
CW: implied sexual content in the past
NOTE: Every part of this series can be read as stand-alone, or as part of the series itself! If you don’t want to read each part on Tumblr, feel free to check out links to the work on the below websites:
Wattpad | Quotev | AO3
Fic Below the Cut | Previous Part
For the first time in forever, there wasn’t snow on the ground. In South Park, that seemed like an impossible probability- yet here you were, outside of a hospital holding a paper bag of your things while the sun warmed your back and the grass peaked out from the building around you.
It was a Sunday afternoon. You could barely remember what day it was, yet at the same time you had been watching the calendar like a hawk, counting down days until you could get out like you were in some sort of prison. Of course, you weren’t in a prison; you had been sent to a mental rehabilitation center that, against all odds, opened your eyes and gave both you and your mother new coping mechanisms against the harsh world outside of here.
You settled into the car for a long ride home, waiting to hear about how her and her boyfriend had been doing so much while you were gone, however you were just met with utter silence. That is, until you decided to break it, albeit against your better judgement.
“So, how’s everything?” You were surprised at the meekness of your voice. In your head, you’d decided to become stronger and more proud of yourself; it would take some time to change, though, you’d decided.
Your mother cleared her throat, eyes on the road while you snuck a glance from the side of your vision.
“Well,” she paused, flicking on her turn signal and exiting the campus of the facility- this time for good. “It’s been okay. Lonely without you.”
You hummed and nodded in thought. You didn’t think she’d ever describe your lack of presence in that God forsaken house ‘lonely’, but here we were.
“And what about Hugh?” Saying his name aloud sent shivers down your spine. You hated that someone decided to name their child Hugh, but you hated that your mother decided to date someone named Hugh more than that.
You expected her to answer with the usual, ‘he’s fine’, or even just an ‘alright’ to acknowledge his presence in your life and in the conversation, but she didn’t respond right away. You thought about repeating yourself before she answered.
“Hugh and I broke up. He was putting too much stress on our relationship- you and me, I mean.” She looked at you quickly before returning her eyes to the road. You didn’t know how to process this information.
“But-”
“I know,” she cut you off, probably completely aware of how he’d been treating everyone in the house. “He wasn’t good for me. He wasn’t good for us, either. I think I’m gonna try being single for a while, to cleanse my palette, you know?” The corners of her mouth turned upward into a small smile, and similarly, your expression mirrored hers.
“Yeah.”
* * *
The drive was shorter than you remembered. Possibly because the entire time that you had been heading up to the hospital, you were crying and begging your mother to turn around.
You opened the door and stepped out, looking down the row of almost-identical-looking houses and praying that no one from school happened to look out and see you come home in nothing but sweats and grippy socks. You seemed to be in the clear, but even so, you made haste and pushed into your home as fast as possible, setting your stuff in your room and flopping onto your mattress for a moment before you rolled over and sighed, staring at your wall- your wall- for the first time in weeks.
You reached out for your phone, habitual impulse taking over. You found it, sitting on your nightstand, but when you went to press the power button, it was still nothing but a black hunk of metal. You pushed the pillows out of the way from behind you and rummaged around behind your bed for the plug- you found it, fingertips caressing the cold metal and ran your hand down the line until you found the end. You plugged in your cell and sat it back onto the nightstand, and changed into a more suitable outfit for being seen in in the meantime.
It had only been minutes since you’d arrived back home, however you were already itching to get outside. You hadn’t been allowed to even peak through the windows half of the time at the hospital, so you wanted to cherish every moment of South Park’s Spring that you could. You opened the door to leave, yelling to wherever your mother may be that you were going out for a walk and would be back, and stepped out onto the porch like you had done so many other times before. You welcomed the warmth on your face and squinted your eyes against the brightness of the pavement in front of you, picking a direction and letting your feet do the rest.
The block was mostly quiet, save for the elementary school children playing games outside with sticks and paper hats, yelling something about magic at each other. You remembered when you were young and did the same thing to pass the time- you smiled at one of the children as you moved around them, but they didn’t so much as spare you a passing glance. You chuckled to yourself and kept walking.
You passed the school, various small stores that seemed to be busy this season, and other houses with kids similar to the ones in your block skirmishing outside. You slunk around the chain-link fence blocking in a basketball court, listening to the distant bounce of a basketball that sounded like it could use more air.
Your eyes had been, for the most part, glued to the ground as you walked, however when the sidewalk transitioned into muddied dirt, you looked up and realized where you had ended up.
The railroad crossing sat, mostly unused and deteriorating, in front of you. Past it were only a few things, two of which you didn’t feel like encountering at the moment; Kenny’s house, and next to it the addicts’ den- further down was the forest that bordered your small little mountain town, though you knew it was filled with wild animals and possibly worse things. You took in a deep breath and counted back from ten, utilizing your newly learned coping skills and desperately hoping that it would calm the growing anxiety within you.
Your fists clenched and unclenched repeatedly in the pocket of your jacket, and you bit your lip and spurred forward with an unclear consciousness. You calmed down after you got your rhythm back; there was no sign of a single McCormick, nor of anyone being around the area as you headed into the woods. Twigs cracked underneath your feet, though the path leading you around was mostly clear save for underbrush and discarded trash from other irresponsible teens.
Your pulse slowed and you felt safer. Your pace slowed as well, and you looked around to take in the beauty of nature- or at least to catch up on what little you missed during your stay locked inside of a building, not allowed to see the light of day for God knows how long.
Through twists and turns in the muddied path, you managed to find a nice clearing. Well, ‘clearing’ wasn’t really what you’d call it- it was more like a small, flat area that had no trees growing from it, clear of brush. It was the perfect size to retreat to and read a book, enjoying the sunshine while you were at it. It was also the perfect size to curl up and nap in, but you weren’t really up for doing that this deep in the woods.
You tilted your head and put your fist to your chin, thinking about what else this place would be good for. A fairy garden, maybe? You could grow fresh vegetables here, too- for the animals, that is. Not for you. A smile spread on your features- this would be a wonderful place for a fairy garden! You could also hang some tapestries to keep out the wind, and it would be the perfect little hangout spot-
“Dude, I’m telling you, it’s true! Bebe keeps telling the story, it’s always the same!”
“Yeah, and Wendy says it too! It has to be true!”
Rustling not far behind you pushed your instincts to make you crouch, and so you did, partially hiding behind the tree next to you. This, of course, made you realize what garb you were wearing; your tattered winter pajama pants and an oversized tee, covered up by a partially-zipped-but-still-light jacket.
“Guys, c’mon. It’s not cool to be out here looking for someone’s dead body.”
You recognized him, the voice that spoke with such reluctance and sorrow. It was Kenny. Again.
Everywhere you turned, it was always Kenny. Kenny this, Kenny that, Kenny did you a favour, Kenny stabbed you in the back, blah blah blah. You were done with his bullshit, and so you stood, refusing to hide.
At the same exact moment, Stan turned the corner of the path and looked up to make direct eye contact with you- and then, he stopped, immediately.
“Dude! How many times did I tell you not to stop directly in front of- what?” Kyle ran into Stan, and upon noticing his sudden change in attitude, looked at you as well. They were both wide-eyed and had their mouths slightly agape, as if they were staring at a ghost.
“Oh my God.” Cartman chimed in, but only after he pushed the other two to the side. He, too, was completely shocked. Too shocked to even joke about you.
You stared blankly, confused and unsure as to what was happening. You opened your mouth to speak, but as soon as you did they erupted into a roar of disbelief- “She’s moving! Oh my God, she’s a ghost! She’s haunting the fuckin’ forest!”
You furrowed your brows and frowned. You most certainly were not a ghost.
And then there he was. That orange-parka-wearing bastard.
He pushed through Cartman and Kyle, his frame slender enough to slide through without making much room. He had his jacket tied around his waist, and his arms were pale enough to reflect the sunlight. He reminded you a lot of yourself, but only in certain aspects. This was not one of them.
His eyes went wide, and his mouth, too, opened. Instead of poking fun at you, though, he was smart enough to tell that you weren’t some apparition. He took another step forward, much to the dismay of his friends, and reached out a hand.
“(Y/n)- where have you been? Everyone thought that you- the story was- uh-” Cartman nudged him hard in the ribs and earned himself a cold look from the blond. He didn’t have to finish though- Kyle did that for him. “We thought you killed yourself. They said it was from Kenny.” He didn’t elaborate, but Kenny seemed more melancholy than usual. More like a lost puppy. More like… a child.
You shook your head, not reaching out toward the group but backing further away. “Okay. But I’m clearly still alive.”
Kenny dropped his hand and shook his head, tears welling up in his eyes. His face turned more and more red as he fought to push down his emotions, and by the faces of his friends, this is something he’d never done in front of them.
“Yes, and I’m so happy that you are. God, I thought I’d bullied you to death! I didn’t mean to, I’m so sorry, I told everyone that we didn’t sleep together after you left, but it was too late, no one cared, no one-”
“Kenny, you’re a fucking bastard and a half if you think that shit works on me.” You were surprised at how stern you sounded, but you’d finally found your voice. The others kept quiet, and were now standing behind Kenny.
“I- what?” His expression dropped and he looked more confused than anything. You wanted to laugh, but you held it back.
“Are you fucking serious? Do I have to repeat my whole speech from months ago?” Kenny shook his head, really listening to you. “Good. So you know why I up and left, right?”
He shook his head to that, too. You scoffed and stuffed your hands deeper into your pockets.
“There’s no point in telling you. Or anyone, for that matter. Too much drama.”
You shook your head and ignored any protests, speedwalking around the group and back down the path where you came from. You could hear them talking behind you, and lots of laughing. You didn’t care, and you weren’t paying any more attention than you had to. You just kept walking.
Eventually, you reached the addicts’ den again, and the railroad tracks. You looked at the pole that was a little too close to the crossing, and sighed before you sat with your back leaning against it.
You were tired. There was no denying that. But deep down, you were also exhausted. You’d literally just gotten back from a trip to the hospital for attempted suicide and you were met with the one person that made it worse.
But, he made it better.
So, so much better.
You leant your head back and closed your eyes. It was such a mixup of emotions! You found yourself wanting to be around him, wanting to get close to him. You knew that he wasn’t the persona he played at school. You knew that he was poor, he wore the same clothes over and over again, he stunk because his shower didn’t work very well, he took care of his sister because no one else would, and he helped you even though he had nothing to give.
But you were also conflicted- he’d taken care of you, yes, but he told everyone that something happened when it didn’t. He tagged along with Cartman and his gang to see if you were dead- but professed an apology as soon as he saw that you were still alive. God, he was so complicated!
Rustle. Rustle.
There it was again- the noise of foliage and footsteps. You almost groaned in annoyance, because of course he’d follow you.
You screwed your eyes closed and tried to forget that you felt a presence near you. You clenched your jaw in an effort to ignore the sound of someone sitting nearby, lighting up a cigarette. You tried to ignore the smell of the smoke, but that was the one thing that pushed you over the edge.
You opened your eyes and looked to your left, and of course, sitting next to you was Kenny.
He, too, was looking to his left. Only his gaze didn’t land on a person.
He puffed on the Marlboro and watched his house sit there, and do house things (which was absolutely nothing). He must’ve felt you staring, because when he finally turned to face you, he had a lighter and another cigarette ready in his opposite hand, offering them to you.
You started to shake your head, but decided that it didn’t even matter. You took the items he was offering.
“Where’s Cartman? And your other friends?”
He shook his head. “I left them. They’re probably still in the forest somewhere, fucking around.” It didn’t look like he cared all that much about what they were up to, so you dropped any thoughts about talking about them. Curiosity did get the best of you, though.
“...Why?”
“Why not? They’re pieces of shit who treat me the same. My only redeemable quality is my loyalty and my looks, but that can only take you so far.”
More smoke swirled in the air above the two of you. You dragged on your cigarette, placing the light in between you and it’s owner.
“It took you far enough. You’ve made it. You’re on top of the world.” You emphasized the last phrase. You two may be similar, but you were worlds apart.
“Yeah, but I thought I lost someone that made me think a little differently. And I don’t want to go back to the way I used to be.” He paused, looking at you more seriously than you’d ever seen him.
You didn’t have a response to that, so he kept going. “I come out here every night to smoke a cigarette before bed. Sometimes even pot.” He flicked his ashes out into the road, pulling on the last bit of tobacco before doing the same to the cigarette, smashing the butt between his shoe and the asphalt. “I could see you on the other end of the street, but you never came close enough for me to see who you were. Until, you know, you did.”
You blinked, discarding your own cigarette in the same manner that he did. You crossed your arms and continued to listen.
“I’m used to protecting people. I do it for my sister, constantly. I do it for my mom. Hell, I even do it for that pigheaded kid I call a friend. But I didn’t think it really mattered until you.”
You squinted at him, so he elaborated.
“It wasn’t that big of a deal, I mean. You slept on my floor, so what. I kept you from getting attacked at a party, whoopee. But it upset you so much when rumours spread around that you used that against me- you said you thought I was a good person. No one’s ever thought that.”
You wanted to talk back to him- of course no one’s ever thought he was a good person, he treats everyone like shit!- but you realized that wasn’t true, and you were just angry. ANgry with the situation. You thought about something to say, but he kept going.
“And you confronted me about the whole sleeping together thing- which, by the way, wasn’t me. I know you’re not too close to her, but even you should know that Wendy likes to gossip. Anyway-”
You processed what he just said. Wendy? Makes-sure-to-hold-your-hair-back-while-you-barf Wendy? Lends-you-her-makeup Wendy? Best-at-nearly-everything Wendy?
“Hold on,” you say, raising a hand in disbelief, “you’re saying that she’s the one who said we slept together?” Kenny nodded. “And why didn’t you say anything?!”
He scoffed. “You don’t know how it works. Her word is truth, even if the people involved say something different. Sure, I’m a horny teenager, but even I don’t want to go around doing half the stuff she says. There’s just no use in fighting it.”
You were in shock, but at the same time, that made so much sense. She was always everywhere, and knew everything about anyone. It also made sense as to why Kenny was so… different, than what you’d expected.
“Anyway,” he continued, “you confronted me, and I didn’t really know what to do. It was the first time anyone had challenged a version of me that wasn’t… real. I didn’t know how to act. And by the time I did, you were gone. And then everyone said you killed yourself, or at least tried to.”
You could see it now. You saw his emotions bubbling up. His eyes started to fill with tears. You wanted to reach out to him, but something was holding you back.
“And I thought it was my fault.”
Time froze.
This boy- this young man- was so distraught and emotional because he’d thought he was the reason that you’d tried to take your own life. Sure, the drama surrounding him definitely pushed you over the edge, but he really didn’t do anything.
“Kenny, it wasn’t your fault at all. There was a lot of stuff going on, at home, at school, but you as yourself didn’t do anything to help me make that decision.”
He looked at you, the tears falling as his expression stood still.
“You really tried to kill yourself?”
Fuck.
You’d forgotten that your almost-suicide was, at this point, just another rumour. You’d stupidly confirmed your attempt, and all of a sudden you didn’t want to be here anymore.
You had to suck it up, though. So, you did. You nodded, confirming for him.
More tears spilled from his face, but he quickly wiped them away, clearing his throat before he spoke again. “I’m- (Y/n), I’m so sorry. I’m so, so sorry. You’re okay now, right? You’re… better?”
You nodded again.
“Good. I’m sorry.”
His face was still red, but he’d stopped crying. You didn’t have anything else to say.
You desperately wanted to let him in- you wanted to tell him everything that lead you up to that point and then share with him everything after.
The silence grew and the afternoon turned to the beginning of the night. Neither of you had said much of anything since the revelation, but as it started cooling off, it became apparent that it was time to do something.
You sighed and stood up, stretching your body. Kenny did the same, albeit slower and less coordinated. It was almost like he was intentionally copying you, but you didn’t comment on it.
“So… are we good?” Kenny looked to you, waiting for an answer.
“Yeah. I think.” He nodded in confirmation and looked up at the sky. Everything was so different from when you two had first come out here and stargazed, but it felt the same. The connection was still there.
“Kenny,” you started, nervous at what you were about to say.
“Yeah?”
“Can we start over? Can we… be friends?”
He stopped, and then he smiled. It was genuine- he didn’t bother hiding his cracked teeth or crooked canines.
“Yeah. We can.”
You smiled, too. There was still so much on your mind, though. How would this affect everyone else? Would Kenny ditch Cartman? Would you have to put up with him? Your expression must’ve shown your worries, because Kenny was quick to pick up on it.
“You got somethin’ on your mind?”
You shrugged.
“Then… how about I offer you another smoke?”
It was clear he didn’t do well with super emotional situations, but it was also clear that he was trying. You didn’t respond, and he fished out and lifted up an actual offer this time.
“A cigarette for your thoughts?”
You couldn’t help but laugh- he looked so serious and at the same time so… happy. He smiled as you gently took it from his hands.
DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA - MAIN 3 HEADCANONS! (MODERN)
note: these are headcanons for a modern au - aka, if the demon slayer trio (+Nezuko) were set in the modern era! Also, although they are Japanese, I am American, and so I'll be basing these HCs off of my experience in the states :)
TANJIRO
Definitely a small town boy raised on a small farm / catering to a family business.
The family business is still coal-centered, being a home-style Pizza restaurant with in-house brick ovens.
Doesn’t mind the use of technology, but doesn’t capitalize on it.
Also prefers to call over text, but will do either.
Innocent, sweet, and clueless. Often taken advantage of by others.
If he finds out he’s been taken advantage of, he’s always nice about it. “They probably needed help more than I did!”, etc.
Best grades in school! Praised and received many awards!
Always turns them down to ‘save for someone else’. It never works.
Super popular, but oblivious to his influence.
Participates in Dance as a sport, maybe Martial Arts irregularly.
Can make killer homecooked food, courtesy of his job.
Always puts others before himself, in school and out of school. Need homework answers? He’ll tutor you! Upset? He’ll comfort you!
Could attend a prestigious college, but likely won’t to keep helping out at home.
NEZUKO
Small town girl raised on a farm / also catering to family business.
Works in the Pizza restaurant, but as a waitress. Also in charge of deliveries and ingredient runs.
Uses technology more than her brother, mostly for inspiration (Pinterest, anyone?)
Hand makes most of her clothes / family’s clothes. It’s fun and it saves them money!
Grades are more catered to ‘average’, but her dream is to attend a good college and get a degree to help out her family.
Just as popular as her brother, but she denies it and even resents it sometimes.
ZENITSU
Most used to technology / uses it constantly
He’s a city boy, so this makes the most sense.
Parents are lenient, and so he’s allowed to colour his hair. He usually sticks to his signature blonde/orange, but you’ll see black come in through his roots.
Acts like an airhead and very much socially awkward, but very sweet once you get to know him.
Because of this, he’s often the guinea pig for the “popular” cliques
Still has a fear of girls
Most average out of everyone; parents have average jobs.
He tried working retail once but chickened out- he lives off of an allowance from his parents.
Extremely good at playing musical instruments. He attends guitar clubs and tries to write music, but he doesn’t like to share it with anyone.
He used to perform within said clubs, but the stage fright often got to him. He wishes he could become a musician and not care about what others think.
Because of his overbite (Manga), he has braces. He can’t stand them.
He also likes dabbling in writing, namely poetry. He also has a Diary.
He doesn’t do sports- or much activity, actually
Because of this, he’s more on the chubby side than fit (Manga- he enjoys junk foods and has expensive tastes)
INOSUKE
The most “country” out of everyone. Raised on a countryside and did farm work for most of his life.
He goes to school, eventually. He only goes to ‘please his parents’, and then he plans to come right back to the farm
His school life is sparse- he learns how to better socialize but is extremely troubled with writing and speaking.
Not only is he not used to technology, but he avoids any use of it.
He’s almost impossible to reach- he has a home phone and that’s all.
Although not raised by boars in this AU, he is still starved of human interaction. He’s not socially awkward, but he comes off as rude very often.
He enjoys activities that show off his ‘natural strength’- he does Martial Arts and other fighting activities (Boxing, etc.), and he is gifted in Gymnastics and Acrobatics.
He participates in all of the aforementioned as sport, but he detests wrestling (sport). He’ll harp on it all day if you let him.
Also- while he’s not very gifted in the musical department (he’s tone deaf), he enjoys playing the drums.
One of the least popular kids in the classroom, but due to his outstanding performance within his sports, he is very well known.
His ego is boosted because of this, and the fact that he already thinks himself better and different because of his origin.
Hates wearing shoes. He wears sandals or, more often, nothing on his feet at all. When he’s outside, he’s always got his bare feet touching the ground.
Hello everyone!
I’ve been looking through my fanfic archive and decided to revamp my old Jason Dean x Woman of Colour! Original Character fic - SEX MURDER PARTY!
I’ll provide a brief summary: Veronica transfers schools once Heather threatens her, leaving JD without someone new to commit murder with. At the same time, a new girl transfers to Westerberg and is already being discriminated against because of her race. She is mostly quiet, however she has a delusional mind and agrees with JD on more than one topic. Eventually they meet and “fall in love”, bonding over the murder of their classmates and eventually, their parents. In the end, Andrea and JD are on the run from the police and commit a double suicide to escape from their consequences, though JD doesn’t entirely agree. (Basically, someone is finally crazier than JD and scares the shit out of him until his bittersweet end).
I’ve already planned this fic out to the very end, so there will be a set amount of chapters: 12 Chapters, including the Prologue and Epilogue.
Unfortunately, I’m still in the process of writing this! That being said, until the first chapter has come out, the entire plot and planning by chapter (as well as insights on the characters) can be found in this Patreon post (Tier 2 Patrons only): https://www.patreon.com/posts/64732108
Thank you all for your continuing support and I hope to see you when this starts rolling!
I’ve posted Chapter 3 of “Lost in Halloweentown” on my Patreon as "Early Access"! The Public Release date is set for April 8th, 2022. All platforms will be updated promptly.
Can't wait? The post link is here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/64690289
If the Rumours are True... (Kenny McCormick x Reader) {SERIES | Three}
Summary: The party at Wendy’s is more of a romp than you’re used to. The aftermath, also, is equally as unexpected.
Pairing: Kenny McCormick x Reader (she/her pronouns) - South Park
CW: implied sexual content / implied sexual content while intoxicated
NOTE: Every part of this series can be read as stand-alone, or as part of the series itself! If you don’t want to read each part on Tumblr, feel free to check out links to the work on the below websites:
Wattpad | Quotev | AO3
Fic Below the Cut | Previous Part | Next Part
South Park High, a school just as brutal (if not more) than any other high school peppered across the United States. There were cliques, clubs, boys, girls, and anything else you could imagine roaming the halls, ready to pounce.
You were luckier than most; you didn’t stand out at all. Sure, you had a small group of friends equally as normal as you, and sure, you turned in all of your assignments like a “goody-two-shoes”, but you blended in like camouflage in the forest.
At least, you did.
Your life has always been in the process of falling apart. You were used to the constant yelling and belittling of yourself, mostly from your parents. If anything, you’d used school- as hectic as it was- as an escape from all the shit in your day-to-day. You’d walk in, get noticed by no one, and stand in the corner, sit in your chair, get your work done, and leave. That’s how it’s always been, and the silence you’d brought along with you was always welcomed.
Today was different. Hell, last week was different. You weren’t one to go out and party, yet you took up the opportunity nearly as soon as it had fallen into your lap. You also didn’t ask for handouts or sleep in a stranger’s home, but when it was offered to you, you didn’t refuse. How could you? You needed help- Right?
You pushed open the double doors and breathed in the warmth from the heating system. You half-stomped, half-walked inside the building, getting extra snow from your boots before you found your usual waiting place; right around the corner of your class, conveniently in the front of the building just down the hall. You leant against the painted brick walls, trying to get your phone to connect to the school’s wifi before you gave up out of frustration- you understood why only teachers were allowed to connect, but that didn’t mean it didn’t piss you off some when you couldn't listen to music before class.
You took out your earbuds and wrapped the wire around your phone, shoving it into your pocket. You looked up just in time to make very brief eye contact with someone passing in the hall, and they snickered. Your brows furrowed, and you watched them slow down and whisper something to their partner before they pointed a thumb back in your direction.
...What?
What could they possibly be talking about?
You didn’t do anything that would warrant gossip. You scoffed to yourself before a sinister thought crossed your mind: What did you do at the party?
Anxiety built up in your chest as you racked your brain for any clue of something embarrassing you might’ve done. You just drank! You remembered playing beer pong, you remembered being really bad at it, but no instance of you completely embarrassing yourself came to mind.
You tapped your foot, waiting for the bell to ring and save you by ushering you and others to class. You wanted nothing more than to surround yourself in papers, work, and the silence that you’d grown to know as a friend, but you couldn’t. You, for the first time in a very long time, didn’t feel safe in the High School.
* * *
You sat in your seat- back corner, half-hidden by a structural mistake in the room that was a protruding wall. You leaned your head against your palm, leg bouncing as you tried not to stare at anyone that walked in after you. You heard mumbling and idle talk- it was Monday, and it’d been at least a few days before most people had had contact with their classmates. Greetings floated about before the teacher coughed and began his lesson.
You obediently pulled out a notebook and pencil, scribbling in the margins to distract yourself. You drew bottles and cigarettes, random circles, and a horrible rendition of a person. Before you knew it, class was over, and it was time to get up and leave.
You were the last one out of the room, and for good reason. The halls were crowded with people trying to get both here and there, but there was something else that you couldn’t put your finger on. You bumped elbows with some, and definitely were the subject for a group of laughing girls. Your blank expression didn’t change, but your pulse quickened, as did your pace. When you found a way out, you darted to your next class, ignoring anything and anyone that would possibly try and contact you.
It was like that for most of your day. Head down, dart to the next class. Do your work, turn it in, hide. You wanted nothing more than to be home right now- or at the very least, outside and away from everyone else.
The period before lunch was the thing you were most looking forward to; Wendy Testaburger sat two seats down from you, and though you didn’t talk much with her, you knew she was at the party. You knew she had answers. She had to.
You left your stuff at your seat and waved to Wendy as she walked in. She smiled and waved back, as usual, but didn’t say anything important to you. You didn’t like to speak up when it was so quiet, but this was important.
“Hey, Wendy,” you called her quietly, hoping that she heard you.
She turned her head around and raised her eyebrows, letting you know that she heard you. “Yeah?”
“Uh, I need to talk to you. About the party. Did-” you quieted down some more, now that you knew she could hear you just fine, “did anything happen? Like, anything I should know about?”
She shook her head before she stopped herself, and started to laugh. “Well, actually, there are a few things you might not remember. Nothing bad though! I promise.” Her unfaltering smile calmed you some, but it could only give you so much comfort.
You nodded, waiting as she told you things you already knew. She told you just how much you sucked at beer pong, and how Stan- that was the black-haired boy’s name- made you drink every time you missed instead of every time you made a shot in. She laughed about how drunk you’d gotten, stumbling over and then nearly falling into Bebe when you realized you’d finally scored a point for them.
You nodded, but none of this helped. “So, I just got shitfaced and then went to sleep on your couch? That’s all that happened?”
She started to nod, but then stopped herself. “Well, no.”
When she didn’t elaborate, you pressed further. “Well, what? Seriously, Wendy, there are groups of girls I’ve never seen before laughing at me in the hallway. This is important.” You pled with your eyes and she bit her lip, giving in.
“Okay, but you didn’t hear this from me. Bebe didn’t want me to tell you. Girls’ oath, okay?” She stuck out her pinkie for you to take in a pinkie promise, and as childish as you thought it was, you humoured her and did as she asked.
When it was over, she nodded and leaned in, her voice now just a whisper. “Okay, so you already know you were very drunk. You had trouble walking up the stairs to go sit down and sober up, so I tried to help you but it wasn’t working out. Kenny- you know him, Stan’s friend who always wears orange?- Yeah, he took you upstairs and took care of you. He has more experience than anyone else in that matter, so it was better for him, you know?”
You blinked. Kenny helped you, again? You didn’t think he’d want anything else to do with you after you literally slept on his floor, but, as per usual, you were completely wrong in that regard.
“Wait, so Kenny ‘took care of me’? As in, gave me water and stuff, right?” Your intense gaze never once parted from hers, determined to scrounge up every piece of evidence you could on this case.
“Well, yeah. I don’t know exactly what he did, but I know he didn’t hurt you or anything. At least, not really.”
Confusion once again weighed on your eyebrows. “What do you mean, ‘not really’?”
She opened her mouth and then thought better of it, swallowing her words and looking to the side, as if she were being watched.
“Well, you know him. You know what he does.”
You shook your head. “No, I don’t know Kenny. You know him, and all of Cartman’s friends. I’ve only heard of him, and until the party, I haven’t really had anything to do with them!”
She seemed taken aback by your sudden outburst. “Jesus, (Y/n), you know what I meant. He’s a player. You know what they do- they sleep with girls and brag about it.”
Your stomach dropped and you could feel the butterflies of anxiety flutter through every part of you. “But he didn’t sleep with me.”
Wendy shrugged. “He didn’t have to. All he had to do was say he did.”
Your face scrunched up and you plopped back into your chair completely, Wendy turning back to face the front of the room. You had never been so angry, nor felt so used. You’d also never felt so forced out in the open.
Fuck it, you thought, endorsing your impulses for once, if he’s gonna push me out there, I might as well be out there.
* * *
The lunch bell rang and you practically leaped from your seat, fueled by anger and adrenaline. Maybe you were feeling excitement, too, but you couldn’t tell with the rising anxiety that accompanied your other feelings.
You walked past the lunch line and sat your bag down at your usual table, reserving your seat before you spun on your heel and searched for that orange wearing fucker. He was easy to spot, especially considering your town was small and the school even smaller. You stormed toward him, your feet flying across the cafeteria tile to meet him before he sat down.
Cartman was the first to notice you coming at them, his confused expression turning to one of annoyance before the others noticed you as well. You didn’t give anyone a chance to speak, however, before you opened your mouth and spat pure venom at your perpetrator.
“What the fuck, McCormick?”
You grabbed his shoulder to make him look at you, but he must’ve sensed you coming because he was already staring you dead in the eye. He had one eyebrow raised, a dumb look on his face like he did nothing wrong at all.
“Hey, who the fuck are you calling McCormick?” Annoyance laced his words.
“You! You can’t just go around telling everyone we had sex! What kind of douchebag does that?”
Cartman snorted opposite you and Kenny looked at him for a brief moment before he turned his attention back on you. “Look, can we talk about this later? I-”
“No.” You interrupted him, tired of hearing his voice. Maybe he was right- everyone knows his name, everyone knows his game; everyone but you, apparently. “We didn’t sleep together. I’ve talked to you a total of two- two!- times, and you tell everyone we fucked? There’s gotta be something wrong with you in your head. Does your mom not give you enough attention?”
You could tell you struck a nerve with him, because his face got red and he clenched his fists under the table. At this point, the surrounding tables got quiet. No one was laughing now- just wide-eyed stares and confused glances from one friend to the other.
“Dude, don’t talk about his mom.” The ginger spoke up, his tone about as serious as the air in the room. Kenny didn’t even comment on his friend trying to back him- instead, he clenched his jaw to keep from saying something incredibly stupid.
“Maybe he should’ve thought about that before he spread rumours about me! Kenny-” you softened, suddenly overcome with a wave of emotion. Fuck, not now, please, you thought, damning your inner waterworks. “you let me stay at your house when my mom kicked me out. I don’t even know you, and you put me to bed so that no one else would take advantage of me when I was intoxicated! And- and now, come to find out, all you wanted to do was tell everyone you tricked another girl into giving you some pussy? What kind of fucked up person does that?”
Tears pricked at your eyes and you finally looked away from him. You sniffed, wiping your eyes with the backs of your hands before anyone else could comment on them.
You were too late, though. Cartman piped up, as usual; “Fuck, no one cares, lady. So, you slept with Kenny, big deal. Don’t think you’ll get famous for it or anything. Jesus.”
You scoffed, shaking your head before muttering to Kenny, but mostly to yourself. “I thought you’d be better than this. I just- fuck, nevermind. Fuck you.”
You walked away, leaving him to do whatever he did while you had your back turned to him. You didn’t know, nor did you really care. You picked up your pack and rushed to the bathroom, locking yourself in a stall and crying as much as your body was able to. It wasn’t fair- life wasn’t fair. You knew that, but God you’d thought Kenny was a good guy. You thought maybe that deep down, he was just misunderstood.
And your heart broke, because it was so obvious that you’d thought wrong.
Escape From Halloweentown {Jack Skellington x Reader} CHAPTER 1
Summary: When a game of hide-and-seek goes wrong, you find yourself lost in the woods without a way home. Whether it be fate, or just dumb luck, you suddenly find yourself in a far bigger predicament than you ever thought you would be- and it’s not just because you can’t seem to find your little brother.
**Pairing: **Reader / Jack Skellington. A very slow burn fic.
NOTE: This is a full-length fanfic! If you don’t want to read chapter by chapter on tumblr, please use the following links to read in a different format / on a different website!
Wattpad | Quotev | AO3
Fic Below the Cut | Previous Chapter | Next Chapter
You had thought the doors in the trees lead to a cozy, hollow trunk, or even just a black-filled void of some solid decorative substance. Of course, once you found yourself launched onto the ground in front of you, sprawled out after trying and failing to break your fall, you quickly came to realize that that obviously was not the case.
You grunted, wheezing in the air you’d just had knocked out of you. Once you managed to scramble to your feet, you brushed yourself off, picking the pebbles and other woodland debris from your stinging palms and knees. The inflicted areas burned, and you idly ran your fingertips over the little divots they’d made into your skin before you turned around to face the door. Or rather, doors.
They still were attached to the circle of trees you’d found in the beginning, all towering over you by miles as they stood stoic and unmoving as trees always are. Out of both a burning curiosity and an insatiable impulse, you reached forward toward the gleaming knob to twist it, yet it was as stiff as a board. You furrowed a brow, trying yet again, but it didn’t move.
It didn’t move.
You looked beyond the massive trunk in front of you and out toward the horizon, where the sun had just started to come up. The entirety of the sky was painted a fruitful orange, and despite the beauty of the picture, you were more confused than you’d ever been before. The sun, as warmth-emanating as it was, sat there, climbing in a direction opposite of where it had just been moments before.
You blinked. And then you blinked again.
And then you squeezed your eyes shut and clenched your fists, digging the ends of your nails into your palms to ground you with some semblance of pain.
It was almost too easy to convince yourself that everything you’d just experienced was, in fact, a dream- yet still you found yourself trying your hardest to cling to the façade. It definitely seemed more real than the reality that was currently right in front of your closed eyes in the moment.
You sighed, and when the sun didn’t revert back to the other side of you, and the doorknob still didn’t turn, you gave up.
You turned on your heel, tentatively at first, but then started to walk away. You didn't know where you would end up, but using this newfound daylight for something other than trying to convince yourself you were crazy is the best you could do. You crunched browned leaves under your shoes, their steady rhythm keeping you going.
Crunch crunch crunch crunch…
You breathed in and out to the beat of your own footfalls, so lost in the monotony that you didn't even realize there had been a dirt path bare of grass and leaves before you. You'd been so focused on figuring out what had just happened that the transition into silence didn't even faze you, so when you finally did notice you were actually heading somewhere, you were surprised.
Your pace quickened, excitement coursing through your veins. Maybe there was a town nearby, or at the very least, someone's backyard. As long as you had somewhere to go, you could make it work.
The trees started to thin, as did the grass and underbrush that had surrounded you nearly the entirety of your journey. The forest itself pushed back, and ahead you could make out gnarled buildings that curled and rose toward the grey sky. Although the architecture was odd, especially by modern standards, you couldn't help but smile. It was a town! There had to be people here that could help you, and if you were lucky enough, maybe you’d find someone who’d seen your brother.
The clouds fogged the distant towers, making it seem so far away. You didn’t let that deter you, however; you passed the opening in the trees and met a dull graveyard with twisted tombstones and gnarled wording carved into them. You furrowed a brow and stopped for a moment, taking in the sight before you. These stones were surely unlike any you’ve ever seen, the lettering curling in such a way that you couldn’t make out what it said other than the dates in which these people had died: 1743, 1820, 1789, 1650, etc, etc.
Your eyebrows raised and mouth parted to breath, surprise etched in your features. You didn’t live in the north, where the pilgrims settled and died as early as the 1600s, and you didn’t know of anywhere around that could remotely match these dates of death. It was astounding to you that there had been people living here during that time- and then your shock turned to wonderment. The headstones all had one thing in common, aside from the material they were made of; none of the dates had passed the mid-1900s. Where were you? And what kind of town looks like this, with old buildings and outdated graveyards?
Shaking off the oddness of the situation, you left the line of tombs, only glancing back a couple times to make sure that you’d seen the dates correctly. You trudged on until the blackened iron fence that enclosed the rest of the graveyard came into view, the gate pointed and an unmistakable jack-o-lantern etched into it’s bars. It was propped open, it’s bottom hinge broken and the butt of the gate sunk into the dirt. From the path, you could see stones, and eventually a cobble route that was indistinguishable from the stone archway and wall that closed in the uncanny town in all its glory.
The alleyways were mostly empty, save for an occasional statue you mistook as a person. There was no litter among the lines of houses; just empty trash cans, rusting bars on windows, and locked doors to accompany the already peculiar feeling of the place. In the distance, the crashing waves of the somehow-running fountain gave some life to the town center. This, of course, was one of your only indications that there were people here at all; why would the fountain be running if there wasn’t anyone to manage it? Everything was clean, too- so this place must be a town of hermits, with outdated traditions and their own ancestors in their graves.
You sighed, and noticed the sun still creeping over the horizon. It hadn’t taken you long at all to get here, and usually that would be a good thing, but now that you were perched on the fountain’s edge looking at the vastly differing houses around you, you weren’t so sure that this place would be of any help. If anything, you were scared. You very plainly not even a full-fledged adult yet, but here you were, in the middle of God knows where looking for your little brother where he didn’t seem to be.
Tears pricked at your eyes, and you instinctively sniffed to get rid of the stinging sensation. You were here for your brother, and no one else. That meant that, despite the scary situation, you would go door to door and ask for help if you had to. There were no ifs, ands, or buts about it.
All the houses here were menacing in their own way, so, as you did when you chose a direction to walk in, you just turned toward a house and decided to walk toward it. You breathed in and made your way to this particular house’s stairs, stepping up one to plant three loud knocks on the front of a surprisingly sturdy wooden door.
You stared at the outside of the building. The windows didn’t have bars, like the others; instead, there were rotting boards covering the openings. The more that you looked at the exterior, the more you realized that there would be no way for any semblance of light to creep in, which made you raise an eyebrow in question. A moment more passed, and you knocked again, growing impatient with this empty village. Right as your knuckles brushed against the door for the third time, it swung open, revealing the dark interior and a tall, thin man clad in black standing before you.
“Yes?”
His voice was high, but it fell and rose as though it were a teen greeting her friend in a sing-songy way. You gave him a once-over, realizing that not only was this man inhabiting a house that could be compared to an abandoned lot, but he was also dressed as a vampire… in the middle of November.
“Uh, I was looking for my brother. Have you seen him?”
He had to squint to see you against the light of the outside, but even so you could tell he was looking you up and down. Though you had no idea what was going through his mind, you could tell that he was probably just as confused as you.
When he didn’t reply, you decided to elaborate; “We were playing in the forest, and he got lost. I don’t know if he ended up here, but could I at least use your phone? To tell my dad I’m safe. Mine’s dead, I can’t reach him.” You stopped yourself before you continued to ramble on, biting your tongue and hoping he could help you.
He didn’t say anything at first, and you thought that he might not respond at all. You opened your mouth to speak once more and the door closed in your face. You had no time to be shocked before it opened once more, creaking on its ancient hinges. He stepped back and gestured behind him, his cape draped over his arm as if he were Count Dracula.
You bowed your head and thanked him as you stepped into the very dimly lit room, the only source of light coming from an old lamp that sat in the corner of the room, which seemed to be nearly burnt out. You glanced about and saw that it wasn’t just this man’s costume that was vampire themed…
His décor was littered with Victorian era styles, a large coffin in the corner next to the lamp, slightly larger than the lopsided grandfather clock that sat next to it. It didn’t seem to be running, but you wouldn’t be able to tell even if it was. Wary, you seated yourself on the edge of the couch, hands folded in your lap as you watched the vampire-enthusiast close the door gently and look at you. Your eyes took a moment or so to adjust, but once they did, you realized that the interior of this place was nearly as dreary as the rest of the town.
“So, what did you want again, dear?”
You cleared your throat, nervousness coursing through you. “To use your phone, if that’s alright.”
He cocked a brow and glanced to the side, thinking before he responded in a hushed tone; “Let me see if I have one to use… just give me a moment.”
He was gone, around the corner and down what you thought was a hallway- it was too dark to really see anything, but you figured since he lived in this house, he had memorized its layout perfectly. You sighed, twiddling your thumbs as you waited, still thinking about the man’s obsession with the popularized blood-sucking creature.
He returned, floating across his carpeted floor with no phone in hand. Trailing behind him were two shorter figures, both dressed the same as he was with long black capes and an equally dark robe. You couldn’t tell if they were related, or just friends, but they all seemed to have one thing in common; the idolization of the vampire. This, of course, worried you some. What if they were to try and suck your blood? Or maybe they were some sort of killer posse? If that were the case, though, then surely this town wouldn’t be as empty as it was. Surely, you thought, they’d already have done something to me by now.
The tallest one- the one which had answered the door for you- informed you that these were, indeed, his brothers. They were both shorter than he, albeit heavier and wider. You smiled half-heartedly as a greeting and looked back to the original.
“So, did you find a phone?”
“A phone? What’s that, Prince?” One of the brothers drawled, his voice as old and scratchy as the other’s.
“Well, no, I didn’t. But I know someone who can.” He elected to ignore the previous question and instead followed it up with a request from the other two; “Go get Jack. He’ll know what to do.”
With a curt nod, the brothers practically floated out of the front door, arms over their heads as a classic vampire would most likely do to shield themselves from the sunlight. The tallest stayed- Prince, he had been called. He didn’t sit down, as you were, nor did he really move from his standing place.. The silence in the room settled, thick and heavy, until you were so fed up with it that you decided you had to speak to preserve your own sanity.
“Uh, I like this room. It looks very nice- it’s really unique.” You smiled a thin-lipped smile and looked to him, gauging his reaction. He had already been staring at you- you chalked it up to him having not had guests in a long while. He nodded, not smiling when he responded; “I like it too.”
You didn’t like the tension, nor did you enjoy just sitting around, however you needed a phone. Or at the very least, someone more capable of getting you one than Prince. Summoning all your patience, you waited.
You were lucky that you didn’t have to wait very much longer. You’d been bouncing your leg and fiddling with the dead skin on your fingers the entire time, and you didn’t want to seem too nervous or scared. You had a feeling that it might’ve been rolling off you in waves, so you tried your best to stifle the urges.
Your ears perked up after a minute or so more, alerted to a crunching sound outside of the door. Both you and Prince looked at it before it was pushed open by the shortest brother, who bumbled inside ungracefully, followed by his other similarly dressed family member. You looked passed him, expecting another vampire, or maybe even a normal human person, but what stood in the archway was so much more than what you were expecting.
