"Yeah, I thought maybe you had a fever," Sally Face teased and let go of me to hug me from behind, instead. I instantly melted at his touch. "You're cuddly today, huh?"

"Y/n's always cuddly, bro. You never have your hands off that thing," Larry scoffed and shook his head. "Anyway... Let's go to my treehouse and smoke weed. I've had a very long and stressful hour and a half and deserve to treat myself."

"I wholeheartedly concur," I nodded solemnly.

//

I pointed to a spider scuttling across the wooden floorboards of my friend's treehouse and gasped, "Larry, it's you!"

"Daddy?" he smirked and flopped back into a forest green beanbag chair below shelves of plants, paintbrushes, and pencils.

"No, supremo stupido," I rolled my eyes. "Larry Long Legs, hehe."

"I will knock your ass out," he snarled. "You got my hopes up, dawg. I'm HURT, Y/n."

"I'm responsible for my actions, not how you feel about them," I sneered and allowed Sal to pull me between his legs on an adjacent beanbag chair. I was more than happy to absorb all of his body heat.

"Damn," he scoffed. "Ouch. Looks like you have a personality again, though."

That caught my attention.

"What do you mean?" I hesitantly inquired.

"I- you've been like this... I don't know, like you worship Sally Face. Which is fine I guess, but not when it's like everything you do is for him," Larry shook his head and gazed at the wall, halfway on autopilot. "Not saying that either of you are doing anything wrong, I know it's probably just the honeymoon phase. I get it. I'm just glad to finally have my annoying Y/n that never shuts up back."

"Well, of course they worship me," Sal muttered. "I'd do anything for them. And I feel like you're getting too close to them."

"What do you mean?" Larry squinted at his best friend as if he'd asked what color an orange is. "I'm not gonna try to steal your man/lady/partner. That's a dick move. And while my dick is huge, I don't have dick for brains."

"Still. I know you like them. I know what you've said about them. I know everything," he spoke in a hushed, yet fierce tone. "And if you or Ash so much as lay a finger-"

"Sal. He's not gonna do anything," I said softly. "Leave it. It won't do you any good."

He paused for a moment.

"Did I give you permission to speak? You're absolutely right, but hush," he sighed and wrapped his arms around me. "Sorry. I'm possessive as hell."

"I know," the brunette mumbled. He looked unnerved. I wasn't sure what to make of that. Did he say something beyond just a regular crush with a hint of remorse? Well, duh. But what? "I'm gonna go home. My mom is sick and I should check in on her. See you lovebirds later," he sighed, distraught.

I felt an ache between my ribs as a result of his lack of a lazy grin. He's always bubbly, yet laid back. Now he's just... Meh.

Very descriptive, I know. 😘

"Okay. Be safe, love you," I called as he climbed down the ladder.

"You too, homie/dudette/dude," he answered. "And Sally Face!"

There was a long pause of silence after Larry left the treehouse. Sal lifted one hand, but I clicked my tongue at him.

"We are not going to fuck in your best friend's treehouse. Hands to yourself, you poorly behaved, horny teenage boy," I scolded. He groaned and hugged me impossibly closer to the hollow of his chest. "Pfft-"

"Can I sit on your lap?" my boyfriend grumbled into my clavicle after setting his prosthetic aside.

"Always," I smiled warmly as we switched places. Sal was facing me, however. His chin was on my shoulder and arms around my waist.

"Angel, can I vent for a while?" he asked after a moment.

"Go ahead," I confirmed and kissed his temple lightly.

"Thanks," Sally Face let out a sigh of relief. "I get really upset and jealous when Larry and Ash talk to you. I know I can't control you and I should probably lay off as it is, but... I just... God, I don't even like when people look at you. You're mine and I've done everything I can to make sure you know that, so I get frustrated when you wanna talk to other people. It's not healthy. I don't know what to do, bunny..."

"Go to therapy," I shrugged slightly, so as not to shift his head. "I'll go with you if it would help."

"No, I'll try to figure out why I'm like this on my own. And if I can't, I'll go by myself," he breathed. "Thanks, though. Um... C-can you spend less time with Larry?"

"I already don't talk to him very often, love," I whispered. "And you're almost always there."

"Oh. Okay."

I felt nothing but gut wrenching guilt, but for what? Having a friend? C'mon.

//

"S-Sally Face... What did you do?" I covered my mouth and staggered back. He turned over his shoulder to look at me.

"To make sure no one takes you from me. It's for us," he smiled sweetly under his prosthetic. I held my trachea and looked around at the mess of blood he made. I was hyperventilating. I felt lightheaded. As if I was watching this all happen on a movie screen. I felt so far in my own mind, yet I was unable to produce a single thought.

All I knew was that my boyfriend killed his best friend and crush and I was staring at their blood.

Sal stood up and held his arms out for me.

I shook my head and took another step back.

"Angel, I'm not gonna hurt you," he chuckled. "Don't be silly. This is for you. Well, it's mostly for me. But I do want you to be safe. So c'mere. You're okay, bunny."

"Sal, I-I don't want this," I choked out. "I can't- I'm sorry. I..."

"It's okay," he approached me, still clutching a large kitchen knife, and pulled me into his embrace. "I know it's a lot. I was gonna wait for you to figure it out, but I guess I don't have to, heh. This is how much you mean to me, angel. You think Larry would do this for you? No, baby."

I held back sobs as he ran his fingers through my hair and I held onto him as if it'd solve all my problems.

"This is how it should be," he whispered and let the knife hit the floor with a clatter. I just sniffed and shook my head. "Yes, heh. You'll see soon enough, honey."

"Sal, I don't know what the hell you think I'm on, but I don't want any part of you anymore," I spoke in an unsteady voice. "But I'm too scared to tell you no. I'm not gonna pretend that I'm glad you... Killed Larry, though."

His hold on me tightened.

"Mm-mm. You'll see. Just stick with me, okay?" Sal moved one sticky, red hand to the back of my head.

"Kay," I sniffed.

"I love you."

"Maybe I'll love you back tomorrow but right now I'm scared," I muttered and pressed my lips to his clavicle. "Right now I hate you more than anything."

"Tch. You'll be fine, I promise," my boyfriend spoke dismissively. "Just be quiet as a mouse, alright? Promise you won't tell anyone that it was me?"

"Promise," I nodded and shut my eyes. I couldn't say no. I didn't want to die. I didn't want to end up a traitor to myself in his eyes.

"Good little one/boy/girl. Let's get back inside, I don't want to get caught red-handed. Literally, heh," the boy lifted his mask a bit to smooch my cheek.