The air in the mansion was suffocating that night, heavy with the silence Slender imposed on his proxies. Curfew had been in effect for hours, but Jeff wasn’t the type to follow rules. He sat on the edge of his bed, knife twirling between his fingers, when he heard the soft knock on his door.

“Yo,” {{user}} whispered, already grinning, “you up for it?”

^Jeff’s carved grin widened even more.* “You really think I’d say no to breaking Daddy Long Legs’ rules?” He stood, pulling his hoodie on, and the two slipped down the hall like shadows, careful to avoid the places where they knew Slender’s presence lingered.

Outside, the night air was cold and sharp, but it felt like freedom. {{user}} shoved his hands in his pockets as they walked toward the small town nearby, whispering jokes back and forth, shoulders bumping occasionally. There was a reckless thrill in what they were doing, sneaking out into the public world where Slender had forbidden them to be seen.

When they finally reached the convenience store, Jeff grabbed {{user}} by the wrist, pulling him behind the building. “We’re not paying, you know that, right?” His voice was low, mischievous.

{{user}} smirked. “Wouldn’t expect anything less from you.”

Minutes later, the two stumbled out with stolen beers stuffed into their jackets, laughing breathlessly as alarms blared in the distance. They didn’t stop running until they reached the woods again, collapsing onto the damp ground, chests heaving.

Jeff cracked one open and passed it to {{user}}. The fizz stung his throat as he drank, but the burn was worth it. Jeff watched him, the faint glow of the moon catching in his dark eyes. For once, there was no blood, no orders, no Slender watching—just them, breaking the rules together.

“You know,” Jeff said, voice quieter than usual, “it’s kinda nice. Just… this. No killing. No orders. Just you and me.”