How To Kill A Demon; for DUMMIES | tpn x reader

ARC II-ACT II

"Y/n!"

"Y/n!"

"Where are you?!" A frustrated sigh finished the unanswered question that left the older girl - leaving her question to sound more annoyed than worried. She didn't mean to, but a branch had already left a stinging scratch on her leg and the day was only getting colder by the minute. "We've searched everywhere, are you sure they left in this direction?"

Albeit not being too confident himself, Noah nodded. Maybe to keep his pride without admitting that hey! Maybe he didn't exactly see where you ran off to, but he sure had an idea of it. "I think... I think they passed the chains."

"The chains?" Janesse scrunched her nose in surprise. "But mama has forbidden us from passing to that area."

"Maybe they're just curious?" The boy shrugged, not too sure of the reason himself. It would take an idiot not to see your obvious interest in the outside world - from books that centred around traveling tales and geographic information. Perhaps you only wanted to see the edges of what had been, and would be, beyond your tiny universe in the Grace Field home.

Staring at the distracted boy for only a second longer, Janesse huffed, shaking her head and stepping towards the silver shining chains. What she once remembered glistened in the sun were now coated in rust and moss. "Well, there's only one way to find out." She shrugged, hesitantly throwing one leg over before stepping through fully.

It was a lie to say neither Janesse nor Noah had never been past the swinging chain - curiosity was to be expected in growing children, and the temptation of seeing past the poor excuse of a boundary outweighed the need to listen to their mother's words.

Noah followed close behind, the calling of your name beginning once again as they stepped further and further away from the wooden home and towards 'prohibited' lands.

"We're nearing the edge." Noah hummed, looking to Janesse, sharing a look of uncertainty. They'd have to start looking around all edges at this rate, the day darkening and showering the words with a dark blue glow.

Janesse hesitated her next step, turning to Noah. "Should we just go back? I mean, mama is sure to find them, you know she's crazy good at it."

Something in his stomach turned. It didn't take an idiot to suspect how freakishly fast Mama was at finding lost children, as if she knew their every step.

Sure, it was useful, but creepy nonetheless. "We're already this far." He looked away from her, trying to hide his anxiety. "We might as well just look a little more before returning."

The girl hummed, staring her friend down a minute longer before sighing. "Fine, but-" mid-sentence, her voice was drowned out by a crack within the forestry besides them.

Both children froze, staring wide eyed in the direction of the noise. Darkness now enveloped the woods, making branches look like claws and shrubs resemble hairy monsters. Anything could jump out, and Noah couldn't help but pray that the most dangerous thing they'd encounter tonight was a scolding from mama.

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Inside the Grace Field home the day has come to a cold end and night had marked the beginning of their sleep routines. The eldest of the kids were in the kitchen preparing dinner when Isabella walked in, her smile as soft as always and hands folded atop her dress.

A chorus of "hello mama" sounded out from the group, greeting the head of the home with loving gazes and admiring voices.

She smiled and greeted them back, making small talk with some of them before standing straight to address them. "Does anyone here by any chance know where Noah and Janesse are?"

Curious glances passed around the group, waiting for anyone to speak out about the whereabouts of their beloved friends. All silent as the woman sighed, shaking her head. "They must have stayed out, very well, carry on. I'll be looking for-" as she reached into her pocket to grab her watch, a hand flew to the air.

Will was a shy boy, thick brimmed glasses resting on the bridge of his nose. He too tended to stay in the library majority of the days of the week, only going out to play with the others when he felt like it. "Uhm, mama, I believe they might be somewhere upstairs." He mentioned to the woman, who's eyes widened just a tad at the new found information. "I think I heard Janesse got upset over something and Noah is comforting her."

For a moment, it was silent. But no longer than anything that felt normal, as Isabella nodded and closed her watch without giving it so much as a glance. "I see, I'll leave them be then. Thank you for telling me Will."

"Of course mama."

Without missing a beat, the group of older kids got back to cooking, chatting and laughing with one another, leaving the silent Will to do his own thing. Gripping the handle of the cooking pan as he took in long, steadied breaths. His heart felt like it was drumming a hundred times per second.

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The tall wooden door had a bad habit of squeaking when being pulled open, so as you heaved a breath you lead both of the older kids towards the back area of the house where the much further back door resided. If you were lucky, Jake would have remembered your instructions to unlock it, allowing you and the other two to sneak in successfully without being noticed.

"What... what was that..." Janesse gasped, both out of breath and out of her usual mood. Her usual cheery self was nowhere to be seen, replaced with something scared and almost fragile. As if another unexpected turn in her life happened, she would crack.

And she did, at least she did when Jake threw open the back door with an excited 'boo!'. Her scream rang out like a shrill alarm, surprising both you and Noah as you turned to her, her body shaking and almost frozen as she limped into the warm lit home - patting the head of the giggling boy as she walked past.

Following close behind her, you instructed Jake to run off with the other younger kids who were innocently watching the interaction from their respective seats at the dinner table. Your eyes nervously flitted around the room, perhaps coming in through the door connected to the dining room at dinner time wasnt the best idea, but at least Isabella wasn't in the room to have seen you sneak in with the shrieking girl.

After escaping the room, you followed Noah and Janesse up the stairs into the rooms, sitting her down on her bed before sharing a worried look with Noah.

"What... what was that." She frowned. After all this time, she seemed to finally gain control of herself, her head finally wrapping around the situation.

Noah shrugged, looking to you for answers. Albeit he was confused too, he seemed to have some idea of what it was. It made you wonder just what he knew, what he hid from you and the other kids.

You hesitated, before kneeling down in front of her and grabbing her hands. "Janesse. That... what you saw and felt today... that's called..." silence filled the room, temperature dropping as a cold shiver ran down your spine. You swallowed the heavy lump in your throat before speaking again. "It's called a crush. It's what you feel when you like someone."

"What... no It's not!"

You gripped her hands, squeezing them as her eyes widened at the stare you held to her. Cold and serious, as if trying to convey a thought to her without speaking the words. "It's... it's okay. It's okay to have a crush. It's normal."

With words caught in her throat, she had no other choice but to nod. "Y-yeah."

Behind the partly open door, Isabella walked away from the room, her hands folded atop her skirt and her lips stuck in a thin line.