Behind It All
sero x reader
request from: anonymous
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The wind howled through the cracked windows of the old mansion, sending a chill that seemed to seep into your bones. You wrapped your arms around yourself, shivering, eyes scanning the dark corners of the abandoned house. Your breath caught in your throat as you heard a creak from upstairs—slow, deliberate. It had to be him.
You weren't sure why you'd agreed to come here with Sero. The night had started out harmless enough: a dare between friends. But now, with the house's eerie silence pressing against your skin, you regretted it. Sero had been acting a little strange since you entered, as if he knew something you didn't. His usual mischievous grin had faded, replaced with a tense focus.
"You okay?" Sero asked, stepping closer, his voice low, almost like he was trying not to disturb something.
You nodded, your heart thumping in your chest. "Yeah, I'm fine. It's just... this place is creepy."
Sero chuckled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "It's all in your head. There's nothing here. Just an old mansion."
You tried to shake off the feeling crawling up your spine. This was just a house. An old house. But why did it feel like you were being watched? Why did the floorboards groan like they were trying to warn you?
"Let's check out the basement," Sero suggested, his eyes gleaming mischievously. He reached for your hand, pulling you toward the stairwell leading down into the darkness.
"No way," you said quickly, tugging back. The idea of going into the basement alone, or even with him, made your stomach twist. "We should head back. This is—this is too much."
Sero raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips. "Scared?"
You felt your cheeks warm at the challenge in his tone, but your instinct was to step away. There was something off about him tonight—something different. His usual carefree demeanor was missing, and it made the hairs on your neck stand up.
Before you could back out, a loud bang echoed through the house—louder than anything before, a crashing sound coming from the floor above. Your heart raced, and Sero's hand tightened around yours.
"Let's go," you whispered, voice trembling.
But as you made to turn and run, Sero stopped you, his grip firm on your wrist. "You don't get it, do you?"
"What?" you asked, looking up at him in confusion. The air seemed to thicken around you, the walls pressing in.
He took a slow step back, his expression dark. "I'm the one behind it all."
Your breath caught. "What... what do you mean?"
Sero's smirk returned, but it was sharper now, colder. "This place... these noises, the things happening? It's all part of the plan. And you walked right into it."
You felt your stomach drop. He couldn't be serious. Sero was the last person who would—
Before you could process, the house seemed to shift. The lights flickered out, plunging the two of you into darkness. The floorboards creaked, and the walls groaned under the weight of something unseen.
You yanked your hand out of his grip, heart pounding. "Sero, what the hell?"
"I told you," he said softly, "I've been planning this for a while. You had to be the one to figure it out."
A shiver ran down your spine, but you couldn't bring yourself to move. Something about the way he spoke sent a chill through your veins.
"I know it's crazy," he continued, stepping closer, his voice gentle in the darkness. "But you're the only one who can stop it now."
You felt the weight of his words sink in. "Stop what? Sero, this isn't you. You're just—"
The sudden crack of thunder outside shook the house, and the lights flickered back on. And for just a moment, you saw Sero differently. His eyes were wide, almost frantic, but there was a deep sadness in them.
"I didn't want you to get hurt," he whispered, his voice cracking slightly. "But they said you had to come."
You could feel your breath catch in your throat. "Who said?"
Sero didn't respond. Instead, he reached into his pocket, pulling out a small device. It clicked in his hand, and with a soft whir, the floor beneath you began to tremble. A section of the wall slid away, revealing a hidden passage leading deep into the earth.
You froze, your heart pounding. "This isn't real."
But as Sero stepped back, a shadow appeared in the doorway. Another figure, tall and imposing, emerged from the darkness.
"This is real," Sero said softly, voice filled with regret. "I'm sorry, but it's too late now."
The figure loomed closer, and you saw it clearly now—his features twisted in a familiar, unnatural way. His eyes, hollow and dark, reflected a ghostly, unnatural light.
And then, in that moment, it clicked. The puzzle pieces fell into place, and the pieces of Sero's strange behavior all made sense. He had been the one behind the haunting. He had led you here, knowing exactly what would happen.
But there was more to it than that.
"I didn't want you to suffer," Sero repeated, his hand reaching for yours. "But you're the only one who can end this. I... I thought I could protect you from it."
Your heart skipped a beat as you processed his words. "Protect me from what?"
Sero's face softened, the sharp edges of his smirk melting away into something gentler. "From me."
Before you could ask anything more, the world seemed to collapse around you. The darkness consumed everything.
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You woke with a start, gasping for air, eyes snapping open to find yourself lying in a cozy bed. The room was bathed in soft light, the scent of fresh coffee hanging in the air. Sero sat beside you, his usual carefree smile in place.
"Hey, you okay?" he asked, his tone light, though you could hear the concern in it.
You blinked at him, struggling to get your bearings. "That was... was that a dream?"
He gave a small, amused laugh, brushing your hair away from your face. "Yeah, I guess you could say that. Though I don't think I've ever scared you like that before, huh?"
You sat up slowly, your mind reeling from the events of the night. Sero watched you carefully, waiting for your next move.
"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked softly, offering you a warm mug of tea.
You took it, still processing the strange vision you'd had. You didn't know if it was real or not, but something about the way Sero looked at you, the way he cared for you, told you one thing: he wasn't behind it all after all.
"Maybe," you said, wrapping your fingers around the cup, your voice a little steadier now. "Maybe... I'm just glad I'm here with you."
Sero smiled warmly, pulling you into a hug. "I'll always keep you safe, promise."
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