The Rose Killer

"Welcome to the Buzzfeed Unsolved Valentine's Day Special. Today we're talking about the recent Rose Killings." Ryan says to the camera.
The two are in the usual set. There's a folder on Ryan's desk. What's strange about the folder is all the heart stickers on it.
Shane points at the odd sight. "What's with all the hearts?"
His best friend smiles. "It's to make it festive. I mean, it's Valentine's Day. Or at least, it will be when this thing gets uploaded."
Ryan carries on. "Unlike a lot of the cases we cover this is an ongoing situation."
"Yeah," Shane interjects, "I bet the killer's watching us right now. Aren't you, buddy?"
The shorter man lets out a nervous laugh. "Nice going, Big Guy, you're going to get us killed!"
Shane grins. "I'm killer proof, baby!"
The taller man isn't exactly lying. After all he is a demon, and not just any demon. Poor Ryan has no clue his co-host is actually the King of Hell. Shane still doesn't know how he's going to explain that one.
"The Rose Killer started killing just a month ago. It began with the murder of Georgia Williams at an alleyway. Since then, six other people have been killed thus far. At each murder the killer has left a single red rose."
Shane laughs after Ryan's done. "So this murderer has a love for flowers? What does he do? Stab them with a bouquet?"
The short man rolls his eyes. "They often uses a knife and stabs various times. There's no clear pattern with their killings yet."
"Do you think we could put the cuffs on this guy?" Shane asks.
"We'll have to see. We're visiting the alley where they're rumored to be when planning a kill."
——
Both of them stand with the camera crew at the entrance to an alleyway. The place appears to double as floral shop. An arch over the entry reads, "Poppy's Flowers" in gold lettering. Baskets of flowers line the sides of the area. Sunflowers, tulips, carnations, and other flowers are abundant. There's also plenty of red roses.
"Maybe this is where they get their stuff from." Shane says.
Ryan laughs. "What you just think he comes in here and is like, 'I need all of the roses! I'll pay whatever you want!' Then when they don't let him get all of them he just steals a bunch and runs off."
"A rose thief? That's worse than being a serial killer!"
The two can't help at these words.
It's daylight now. They figured it would be better to film this during the day so they could actually get past the gate that guards the entrance. Through its gaps they can see that the shop also has little tables. There's even a coffee area.
"You know," Ryan says, "I think it's pretty cool that they have a place where you can get coffee."
"Some flowers and a cup of Joe! Rose person probably comes in here and gets a cup every day." Shane exclaims.
The shorter man wheezes a bit. "You really think so? A little coffee before a kill?"
Shane stops laughing when the gate swings open.
As they walk in, the owner begins to talk to them. Her name is actually Poppy and she began this business a year ago. Lots of people come to get flowers or coffee of both.
I should get a place like this in Hell. Shane thinks. Might be nice for the demons to finally be able to have flowers that aren't dead.
Eventually they're able to get a look around. It's nice here, but there's something unsettling about it. A serial killer is probably fond of this place.
When the two are done talking to the camera about the shop and showing everyone around, the camera crew ventures off to get nice shots of the flowers for editing, leaving Ryan and Shane alone.
The demon finds himself wanting to get Ryan a pretty flower. It's no secret he likes the human.
Don't be silly. He's not into you.
Besides, what kind of human would be into a demon? Even if Ryan had some feelings for him there was no chance he'd stay once Shane revealed his identity.
"Do you think the killer finds flowers pretty?" The taller man asks Ryan.
His best friend shrugs. "I'm sure he thinks they're aesthetically pleasing or something. Like normally roses symbols of love but now he's using it to symbolize killing."
Shane frowns. There's something Ryan keeps saying that's bothering me.
"Hey, Ry, how do you know the killer's a guy?"
The short man freezes. "Oh-uh-I just guessed, you know?"
"Uh-huh."
Ryan runs a hand through his hair. "How about we get going, Big Guy?"
"Alright."
——
After they finishing filming, Ryan gets a cool idea.
"Hey, how about we take a trip for Valentine's Day?"
The demon feels his heart skip a beat. Could it not do that for once?
He smiles. "Sure, Little Guy. Where to?"
"I was thinking someplace fun like camping. We could get a tent and stay there for few days or something."
"Camping sounds nice." Shane tells him.
——
When they get to the campsite they're happy to see that a lot of others are there. This way they can feel safer if anything bad happens. After all, there is a killer on the loose.
After setting up their tent under a large tree, the two decide to take a hike. It's around seven in the morning. It'll be Valentine's Day in around three days.
Several other people mill about the woods. Ryan and Shane end up traveling down an area where it's not filled with a lot of people.
As they walk, Shane tries to sense any bad presences. He doesn't want anything supernatural hurting his human companion. There's a lot of supernatural things in the woods. Whenever they have to shoot in a place like this, Shane becomes very nervous, ready to shift out of his human form and protect Ryan at any moment.
"Lovely, isn't it?"
His best friend's words take him out of his thoughts. Ryan is looking up at the towering trees. He seems pensive and lost in his own mind.
Shane nods. "Yeah."
They continue on and Shane can't help but feel helpless. He just wants to tell Ryan how he feels. It's eating him alive at the moment. Even if he's a monster, he wants to be Ryan's monster.
The sky begins to darken as the sun starts to set.
Eventually the two stop and find a spot on the ground to sit and observe the sunset.
"I've never watched the sunset with someone before."
Ryan's words are soft enough to make Shane's heart feel like it's melting.
It's annoying, this feeling like he has to bottle this all up. Why can't he just tell him?
"Same here, and I'm a sunset kind of guy, baby." Shane responds.
The two of them sit in silence, staring at the sky.
At one point the demon shifts his gaze from the sky to the human beside him. He feels like crumbling and flying at the same time.
When Ryan turns and locks eyes with Shane, the demon's heart nearly explodes.
Ryan gives him a soft smile. "Hey, Big Guy."
The two now shift their positions to face each other more.
Slowly, they begin to lean in.
Shane knows he's done for as soon as their lips meet.
As the sun goes down and the stars start to emerge, the two of them begin to head back to the tent.
In the midst of their silent walking their hands lace together.
They spend the rest of the night cuddling under the stars.
Shane's arms are wrapped around Ryan when they fall asleep.
——
Somewhere in the middle of the night, Ryan gets up.
He comes back about an hour later.
Shane is asleep and doesn't notice.
——
In his sleep, Shane dreams of his time in Hell.
It's a memory from when he was a child.
He had been helping his father, the old King of Hell, with business on Earth. During the days they spent in New York, though, he developed a crush on a human girl staying at the same hotel. His father didn't like this at all.
"What was our rule?" His father said.
Young Shane looked down. "No falling in love with humans."
He'd surely send a demon to kill Ryan if he ever found out about the two of them.
——
They're awoken by a shrill scream.
The two jolt up from their sleeping bags and throw on some clean clothes.
When they run outside, they see a crowd of people gathered around something.
Shane and Ryan push past the people blocking the view.
When they finally see what the crowd is looking at-
The demon gasps.
A body lays before them. It's bloody and beaten.
Beside it-
A single red rose.
Ryan sees the corpse. "Oh my god."
"I got the police on the phone," a man says, "they'll be here any minute."
Shane feels dizzy as he rushes back to the tent. He sits down and puts his head in his hands.
Ryan enters the tent and sits next to Shane. "You okay, Big Guy?"
He shakes his head. "I've never seen shit like that, Ryan."
The demon can feel his resolve cracking. If he gets too emotional, his human form will shatter and Ryan will see what a monster he is.
"It'll be okay." Ryan tells him.
God, Shane hopes that's true.
——
That night they watch the sunset again, as well as the stars. The whole time Shane is stressed. What if the killer gets them? Ryan is oddly calm about the whole thing. What happened to his usual jumpiness?
It was Ryan's idea to watch the sunset and stars tonight, despite the obvious risks.
Why is it that the killer was here? Did they catch wind of the two of them making a video about the killings? Did the killer follow them here?
——
The two fall asleep in each other's arms again.
Ryan gets up to go again.
Shane doesn't wake up again.
——
When they awake, there's no scream.
As soon as they leave the tent they notice that several people have left the camp.
"Can we hike again?" Ryan says, seeing Shane's fearful expression.
Shane nods. "Sure, baby."
——
Their hands are intertwined as they walk down the path.
Every minute, Shane feels fear closing in on him. He's so worried that his human form will soon shatter.
Ryan still seems so calm and it bothers Shane so much, but how can Shane focus on that when Ryan likes him back and makes his heart melt and they're holding hands?
"Shit." Ryan whispers.
The demon follows his human's gaze-
Corpses block their path. Roses strewn besides them.
Shane's stomach drops, and he finds himself running back to the tent.
When he gets there he sits himself on the mattress.
Tears steam down his face as his body starts to shake.
Control yourself. You can't turn.
"Shane?"
Ryan enters the tent. He takes a seat next to the tall man. There's still that calmness that bothers Shane so much.
——
They decide to end their camping trip. Shane's fear begins to lessen as they end up at Ryan's place. The two enter his apartment.
"I'm sorry about all of that." He says to Shane.
The demon smiles. "It's alright. We're safe now."
"Yeah. Also you can stay here for the night if you want."
"That'd be great."
——
During the night, Shane finds himself awake. Frozen with fear.
His eyes dart around the room.
He notices a black duffel bag on the floor by the bed. It's the one Ryan had with him on the camping trip.
Suddenly, there's a loud thud outside of the room.
His heartbeat quickens as he weasels out of Ryan's sleeping embrace.
He opens the door and peaks out into the rest of the apartment. Nothing to be seen.
The demon steps out of the bedroom completely, allowing his fingers to grow their usually hidden claws. These claws are as white as snow and as sharp as knives.
"Where is he?"
A voice behind Shane makes him whirl around.
There stands a man holding a knife. Shane recognizes him from the news.
The husband of Georgia Williams, the first victim of the Rose Killer.
"W-Who?" Shane croaks out.
"The man who killed my wife. I know he's here-"
"Get the fuck away from him." A voice cuts the man off.
Shane turns to see Ryan. The shorter man is scowling and-
Is that a knife in his hand?
"Ry?" Shane asks, his voice shaking.
"Move, Shane. I never wanted you to get in the middle of this."
The man races past Shane and goes straight for Ryan.
Before the demon can even attempt to attack, Ryan leaps into action.
The human is lethal. Shane Can tells he's fought like this before. Desperate to save his own ass and kill his adversary. He's so skilled with that knife it makes the demon want to watch him twirl it more and more.
Eventually Ryan lunges for the man, who then sidesteps quickly. Ryan falls to the floor.
The man is above Ryan now, ready to plunge his knife in.
He's about to strike-
When Shane snaps.
His human form shatters. Both of his hands now have those snow white claws that match the color of the two large horns on his head. His eyes completely white and he's grown a white tail to match them. The veins all over him are white, too.
He tackles the man to the floor while letting out an inhuman snarl.
Ryan stands just in time to witness the demon king plunge his claws into the man's chest over and over again.
The human can only stare in horror.
At one point it becomes too much for Ryan to watch.
"S-S-Shane!" He stammers out.
The man whips his head around to see Ryan, and his features soften. Fangs peak out from his white lips. He draws his claws out from the man's chest.
Standing, he looks down to the ground. "I'm sorry. I wanted to protect you."
"When were you gonna tell me?" Ryan asks, gesturing to Shane's real appearance.
"I had no clue. I guess this break the ice a bit, though."
"What are you?"
Shane's voice still sounds like the one Ryan's come to adore. "Well, I'm a demon, and the King of Hell."
The human's eyes widen. "Wait, seriously?"
"Yeah sorry if that's scary-"
"That's so cool!"
Shane looks up. "What?"
His human's laughing. "I mean, my boyfriend is a demon! This proves everything I've been thinking all along! And he's the fucking King of Hell? Even better!"
"Well I'm glad you aren't scared of me."
"You should be scared of me, Big Guy."
Shane frowns. "Why?"
Ryan gestures to the body of the man.
"I'm literally a serial killer, Shane."
The demon has to admit that being a serial killer is problematic thing-
But when he looks at Ryan he could are less in all honesty.
"I don't care. You're my literal serial killer, baby."
Ryan flushes. "In that case, can you help me?"
"With what?" Shane asks.
"The body. We need to dump it."
Shane agrees to help, so the two each take an end and drag the man out onto the street, setting him down. Ryan then runs back inside. When he comes back, he's carrying the black duffel bag.
He sets it on the ground and unzips it to reveal-
Several roses. Mostly red ones.
Ryan grabs a red on and sets it besides the fresh corpse.
"Do-Do you have a white rose?" Shane says.
"I do, why?"
"Can I have it?"
The human nods and digs through the bag. When he draws out a white rose, the demon takes it and sets it besides the red one. It looks nice (the roses, not the body).
Both of them head back inside.
——
When it's finally Valentine's Day, Ryan and Shane decide to go out to eat.
The demon finds a fancy restaurant. Both of them decide to wear suits to the event.
Ryan walks out of his room. "How do I look, Big Guy?"
Shane takes in his appearance. The man wears a neat suit.
"You look great, baby."
The demon stands. "Also, I have a surprise for you."
"I do too."
Ryan runs back into the bedroom and walks out holding a white, heart shaped box.
Shane holds a red box shaped like a rose. It's a rather large box, rivaling Ryan's small one.
Both of them hand each other the other's gift at the same time.
The human laughs. "Nice box."
Shane just smiles.
Ryan opens the box to see a pink teddy bear. The funniest part? It's holding a red rose.
"Seriously?" Ryan says.
Shane nods. "Bear time, baby!"
The shorter man is laughing his ass off at the whole situation.
Shane carefully opens his gift. It's a picture of the two of them on the Unsolved set. It's in a polished silver frame. The sight of their two smiling faces together makes the demon's heart melt.
"Ry," he says, "I love it.
The human runs to him and embraces him. "I knew you would, Shane."
"Now come on, we got a date to catch!"