Care (Slashers X Male Reader)

FORTY

Tears stream down your face as you stand in the middle of your room. Your eyes trace over everything your boys have given you during your time with them and your heart breaks knowing they'll be the only things you'll have of them once you leave. You desperately want to say goodbye to them but you know you can't. Wanda likely already deactivated your key card so you wouldn't have access to their ward.

You're halfway through packing your things when there's a soft knock on the door. You quickly wipe the tears from your face so whoever it is doesn't see you in such a pathetic state before moving to open the door. As you do, you're met with Chris who looks apologetic.

"Hey. I heard what happened." His voice is gentle as he speaks with care. "Can I come in to talk to you real quick?"

You hesitate slightly before stepping aside to let him into the room. Once the door is shut you return to packing while he sits down on your bed. "What do you need to talk to me about?"

He sighs, running a hand through his hair. "I figured that since you're leaving I should be honest with you about everything." The statement catches your attention, making you stop packing as you turn to face him as if silently telling him to continue. "I want to be up front and say that I never lied about working here at the Sanitarium before you started here. I've been here for roughly three years now as a night shift guard up until I met you."

"I graduated a couple years ago from the same school your older brother Mark attended. We were roommates the entire time we went there and grew pretty close with each other until we both got jobs and moved away. When he heard you'd be working here, he called me and asked me to keep an eye on you. I will admit that I had no idea it was you when we met at the store and it didn't register again until I saw you here."

"You really knew my brother?"

For some reason he blushes as he looks down at his hands. "I knew him pretty well. We don't talk much now so it was a bit surprising getting a call from him. I couldn't say no when he asked me to look after his little brother. He talked about you a lot so I know he cares for you greatly."

"Anyways, I had swapped over to the day shift shortly after he called which was roughly a week before you officially started here. I know it probably looked really weird when you suddenly saw me again after running into each other at the store. I kind of panicked and lied about why I swapped shifts since I couldn't exactly tell you the truth. Mark didn't really want you to know that he asked me to look after you since you apparently hate when he is protective of you like that."

You laugh softly as it's definitely something your brother would do. Ever since you were born he was overprotective of you and it only grew when your sister passed away roughly a year ago. You've had to tell him off a few times for getting into your business but you know he means well.

"I tried my best to figure out ways to keep an eye on you. Watching from afar, asking to join you for lunch, joining you for lunch even though you obviously didn't want me to." He awkwardly chuckles as he remembers that day. "I felt like such a creep but I didn't really know what else to do. I've never really been put in a situation like this before. It didn't help that I couldn't just straight up tell you what was going on."

"And suddenly switching back to night shift?" You question, wanting to know about that as well.

"It wasn't exactly a lie." He shrugs. "My buddy Felix really did need me to take over for a while but not for the reason I gave. The truth is that his boyfriend was in a pretty serious accident that resulted in him needing surgery. Felix wanted to be by his side so I offered to take his shift."

"Why didn't you just say that?"

He scoffs, looking disgusted. "The other guards are homophobic as hell. If they found out Felix was gay they'd treat him like shit and turn him into their own personal punching bags. The pregnant wife thing was just a cover story so they wouldn't find out the truth."

"Is his boyfriend alright?" You feel bad knowing the true reason he had to leave. That and you feel bad for somewhat doubting his existence.

"He's back on his feet and doing pretty well. Felix actually returned to work shortly after you did." Chris smiles, honestly glad his friend didn't lose his lover. Felix is rather sensitive and it would've destroyed him.

"That's good." You pause, shuffling awkwardly on your feet. "So this entire time you were just awkwardly following me around because of my brother? And the night shift thing was a favor? What about being outside my room when I was attacked?"

"That's Felix's usual route for his shifts. He's in charge of going through the employees living quarters hallway and the cafeteria. That night was my first night patrolling those areas as when I worked night shift I was in charge of the low risk patient wards. I didn't even know that was your room until Wanda unlocked the door and I saw you."

It admittedly makes sense. Everything does. From why he'd suddenly swap shifts, his awkward and somewhat creepy demeanor, his warnings, the shift back to being a night guard at such a convenient time. Thinking about it, the only reason any of it seemed off is because you overthought everything and he was horrible at acting normal.

If you really felt the need, you could easily just call your brother to confirm what Chris said. You could also ask Chris to call Felix to confirm the other parts but you don't know Felix at all in order to tell if he's lying or not. Though, since Chris knows your brother well enough to know about his overprotective ways you doubt he's lying about anything.

"Thank you for telling me." You give him a soft smile, glad he finally cleared up all of your doubts and worries about him.

"I wish I could've told you sooner." He chuckles as he stands up, holding his hand out for a friendly handshake. As you shake his hand, he gives you a playful wink. "Since I doubt you're interested in me, feel free to put in a good word to your brother for me."

He exits the room after that, leaving you standing there in slight bewilderment before you snap out of it to continue packing. It's not much, but you're happy you got to say goodbye to at least one person.