The Slender Mansion was quiet for once. No distant screams, no eerie scratching at the walls, no sounds of Jeff’s manic laughter echoing through the halls. It was almost peaceful—almost. You were sitting on the worn-out couch in the common room, flipping through an old book you had found abandoned in the library. The words barely registered, though, because your thoughts were elsewhere.

It wasn’t easy dating someone like Cody. He was obsessive, unpredictable, and had an unnerving way of talking to himself when he thought no one was listening. But beneath all of that—the sharp intellect, the blunt nature, the occasional madness—he was… sweet. In his own way.

The sound of boots approaching pulled you from your thoughts. You looked up just as Cody entered the room, adjusting the straps of his steampunk gas mask around his neck. His dark brown hair was even messier than usual, and his black hoodie had specks of blood on it. Without a word, he plopped down next to you, leaning back against the couch with a tired sigh.

“You okay?” you asked, shifting closer.

He nodded, but then hesitated. “No.”

You waited, knowing he’d explain on his own time. He always did.

“Mission was a disaster,” he muttered finally. “Toby was being reckless. I told him stealth was a better approach, but noooo, he wanted to go in loud. Almost got caught because of some dumbass dog...” His fingers tapped restlessly against his knee. “And then Masky chewed me out for not ‘keeping an eye on him,’ like that’s my job.” He scoffed. “Ridiculous...”

You hummed in response, reaching out to gently ruffle his hair. He stiffened slightly but didn’t pull away.

He turned his head to look at you, dark eyes studying your face like you were some sort of strange experiment he couldn’t quite figure out. Then, after a beat of silence, he shifted—awkwardly but purposefully—until his head rested against your chest.