Summary: Christian promises to protect the reader in a haunted corn maze but ends up getting scared while she stays calm and leads him through, teasing him affectionately.
Word Count: 608
All Dividers in each story this month are by: solitary-serendipity 🤎
read my other flufftober stories here | Flufftober 2025
The corn towered over both of you, dry stalks rattling in the chilly night air. Lanterns flickered at the entrance of the haunted maze, casting long shadows that danced across the dirt path.
Christian squeezed your hand tighter than necessary and gave you a serious look—one that clearly wasn’t for show.
“I’ll always protect you,” he said, all confidence and captain energy, like he was about to lead a team into battle instead of a Halloween attraction.
You bit back a smile. “From people in dollar store masks?”
He lifted his chin stubbornly. “From anything.”
The second you both stepped inside, the air grew colder and the world went quiet except for the crunch of your footsteps. The path twisted between walls of corn so tall the stars disappeared from view.
You felt Christian inch closer, his arm brushing yours every couple of steps.
“Are you behind me or glued to me?” you teased.
“I’m just… staying close. That’s called strategy.”
“Mhm. Leadership,” you whispered back.
A soft groan echoed a few rows over. Christian froze.
You didn’t.
“Probably just an actor,” you said, tugging him forward by the hoodie sleeve.
He cleared his throat. “I knew that.”
Minutes passed, and you started to enjoy watching him look in every direction like a guard dog who wasn’t sure what he was guarding. The path curved sharply, the lanternlight fading. That’s when a figure in a blood-spattered apron stumbled out from the corn with a rusty prop knife and a scream that was way too real.
Christian said something that sounded like “NOPE” and practically levitated backward—right into you. You caught him by the hoodie before he fell into a hay bale.
The actor cackled and retreated back into the stalks.
You couldn’t help it—you laughed.
Christian put a hand over his heart. “He came out of nowhere. Could’ve been a real guy.”
“With foam shoes and a plastic knife?”
“It looked metal in the dark!” He defended.
You pushed a cornstalk aside and glanced back at him. “Do you still wanna protect me, or should I send a search party for your courage?”
He narrowed his eyes. “I’m fine. I’m just… warming up.”
Sure. You thought.
The farther you went, the darker the maze got, shadows twisting, whispers rising from hidden speakers. You walked ahead with calm steps, reading every turn like you’d been through a hundred mazes before. Christian stayed close enough that his chest kept bumping your shoulder.
Another jump scare came—a ghoul dragging a chain across the dirt. Christian swore under his breath and grabbed your arm like he was trying not to float away.
You just patted his hand. “You’re doing amazing, sweetie.”
“Stop,” he muttered, cheeks red even in the low light.
Finally, the exit appeared through a break in the corn, lit by strings of orange lights and the smell of kettle corn drifting across the field. You stepped out first, breathing in the crisp night air.
Christian joined you a second later, looking like he’d just survived a war.
You stood on your tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “My hero.”
He groaned. “You’re never gonna let me live this down, are you?”
“Not a chance.”
But then, as you started walking toward the cider booth, he slipped his fingers between yours again, softer this time, calmer now that the monsters were behind you. He glanced over with a sheepish kind of smile.
“Next time,” he said, “I’ll protect you better.”
You bumped his shoulder. “And I’ll protect you anyway.”
He huffed. “Yeah… I know.”
And even if he got spooked at every corner, he didn’t let go of your hand once.
