I Care {Darkiplier}

(Chapter 28)

Your stare bores into his expression. You scan his facial features, searching for anything to hint otherwise.

...

You couldn't find any hint of deception. He was sincere in his response. With this, you felt a faint, soft smile, tug at the corners of your mouth.

Your tone softens, "Of course." You whisper. This made a small, nearly unnoticed, weak smile flicker on Dark's face before it disappeared, and Dark broke away from your gaze. He stared down at the flames, seemingly not wanting to continue the conversation.

You keep your eyes on him, observing the way he looks, with him leaned forward, a bit hunched over, with his hands clasped in his lap. His aura glitches around him, outlining and enhancing his pensive stature more. You were a bit confused by his change in demeanor, maybe a bit worried as well...You hoped you didn't cause any distress... Though you just reminded him of...

You force yourself to avert your eyes from him after staring for what seems too long, to you, not wanting to seem rude. He looked like he was in deep thought, mayhaps he was reflecting. You embrace the silence that worms its way out, taking advantage of it. You take a moment to decide for yourself, what you should explain next, should he ask about anything else. You still had some things to think about yourself, there was still so much to comb through. You try to keep your own eyesight on the fire, trying to ignore the urge to look over to the entity beside you.

A couple of minutes later, you're pulled from your thoughts when Dark's voice, a murmur at first, speaks. "Thank you...For understanding." He first repeats, before continuing, his voice growing in volume, more so how it was earlier when he asked you about the manor. He clears his throat before speaking, back to business. "Now, before I find myself overtaking the conversation, may I inquire what happened afterward?"

When he thanked you once more, it brought momentarily warmth to you, with a bit of weight to your chest. However, with the follow-up sentence, the gentle feelings went away, dissipating as quickly as they arrived, your torso's pressure now more prominent. Your mind drifted to the darkness that was unlit by the plastic candles, seeping in out of the corner of your vision, the anxiety that grew between you and your friend...the entity's claims...

Then...

Then the old crime scene you discovered, that followed after...

It all came back to you, slowly but surely. Without realizing it, you tense a bit, your mouth forming into a thin line. You clamp your hands together, as you try to gather your words.

Dark patiently waits for your response, fully focusing on you the moment he senses your discomfort, your lack of response. He tilts his head, his curiosity piqued, his brows pinch together ever so slightly.

After a solid minute, you find yourself, finally, sighing soundlessly, before answering his question. "There is a lot to unpack here..." You start, before elaborating. You describe how you left the room, choosing to leave after your friend called you from the foyer. You discuss the conversation you two had before they brought up the Ouji board, and how even though you were hesitant to do so, you still partook in trying to contact some kind of spirit. You try to recall as many details as you can as you recount how everything unfolded, hoping it can bring some kind of visual to Dark, so he can have a better grasp on the situation.

"To be honest...I never thought we would contact something, I mean, of course, there's some kind of supernatural out there, I mean hell, you exist. No offense, of course...But I- What was terrifying about it, even in the end after we said goodbye, shut the whole thing down, it...It..it still lingered in- in the back of your mind that...That something was there. It never did much afterward...but..."