Upon the Gaze (Ghostface X Reader 18+)

CHAPTER 32 - Curiouser and Curiouser

I heaved myself up, feeling sore but satisfied, and lifted a hand to rub the back of my neck, easing the stiffness of the previous awkward positions.
"Can we please have a real conversation now..?" I said softly, a little too shy to face him directly.
He was quiet for a moment, then I felt his hand on my back, loosely running his fingers up and down, as he said,
"sure, babydoll."
Babydoll, huh? I thought to myself.

We recollected ourselves and moved into the kitchen. I sat on my usual side of the table and watched him fix himself a glass of water from the sink. I stared a little, still dazed and aroused as I watched his adams apple waver and a pair of water droplets slide down his neck. I bit my bottom lip and shook my head.
Nope. No more. We're done with that.
Once he quenched his thirst, he refilled the glass and came over to the table, sliding it over to me before sitting himself down. He gave me a little smile and a nod, clearly suggesting I should hydrate as well. It was a sweet gesture, but my brain also wandered to the word cocky to describe it in a way.

"So. What did you wanna talk about?" He asked with an innocent tone. I looked at him with a slight annoyed expression because I knew he was playing dumb.
"The police officer? And where you were all night?" I said a bit dead-panned.
"Oh right. What about it?" He responded, with an obvious smirk tugging at the edge of his lips.
"Danny! Enough! What did you do!? Where did you go for so long!?" I raised my voice, becoming heated.
He sighed a bit with a low grin and said,
"I was doing my work."
"What the hell does that mean?" I bantered.
I gave him a long hard stare, making it obvious I wasn't backing down. His smile dropped and he looked more serious.
"You know you got real mad with me the last time you were aware of what I had been up to." His words dug at me, and my concern grew. I squeezed my hands tightly together, preparing myself for whatever answer or reaction I was about to get in response to my question.
"Did you...kill someone again?"
He shifted unenthusiastically to lean on one hand on the other side of the table.
"Would it bother you if I did?"
I bit my inner cheek as I felt myself beginning to crumple inward at his statement. His energy felt callous, like he would get annoyed with me if I were to infact state that his actions bothered me. I looked down to the woodgrain of the table for a moment. Plotting the right path for the conversation. The silence felt thick. Then he spoke.
"...I'll at least tell you this much. I was doing what needed to be done. There's been too many people around the area sticking their noses in places they don't belong. I'm keeping us safe, (Y/N). People can't find out who I am, and they can't find out who you are."
Me? Oh. Yeah...I'm a murderer.
"Just trust me, (Y/N)." He said reaching for my hand. I obliged, slowly. I looked up into his cerulean blue eyes, feeling lost to them, trying to ease the tension of the situation. But I knew truly it was avoidance.
"But why...were you gone for so long? Why did the police show up here?" I asked in a more desperate, softer tone.
"I had to lay low for a little bit...I don't want to worry you but..." He paused momentarily. "I almost got caught last night when I was trying to make my way back. They had several officers combing the forest the other night."
My hand tightened in his. "What were you doing in the forest?" I asked nervously.
"Trying to get rid of evidence." He stated almost plainly as if it should have been obvious. "I was dumping the remains of a person who spotted me spying on my next victim. Couldn't let them make a fuss, and I certainly didn't want to let them go."
"-couldn't you of though!? You have a mask! It's not like they would have known who you were!" I interrupted greedily, trying to make him see an error, a misstep in his actions. "-(Y/N)!!" His voice raised above mine and he rose from his chair. I felt myself pitifully shrink. He walked around the table, and came behind my chair. He placed his hands on either of my shoulders. Then used one of his hands to lift my head by my chin. He somewhat nuzzled his nose into my hair and whispered. "It's all for us, sweetheart. Just trust the process."
My lips parted, "...but-" he cut me off, "don't you love me, (Y/N)? Don't you trust me?"
My lip began to quiver. I became so conflicted. My moral compass was spinning in circles. After my actions I had no right to argue with his.
"Danny..." I whispered his name to him. We both shifted more in each other's directions, and he lifted my chin up higher before placing his lips to mine. Delicately we pressed into one another then parted.
"I don't know why the police came here tonight, other than to do just a menial inspection and ask people of the area some questions...but it won't matter. I won't let anything happen to us, (Y/N).
With that he kissed my forehead, and began to walk out of the room, quietly heading towards the stairs. He paused after taking his first step upon the staircase, and gazed through the doorways connecting the rooms  to me.
"Come join me in my room when you're ready." He said with a grin before continuing his ascension up.
My heart began to beat rapidly. What was that supposed to mean? I supposed there was only one way to find out.