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When their alarm beeped to life, numbers showing 05:00, 1x groans. They punched the alarm clock to silence it; they miscalculated their strength, though. Gears, wires, and batteries flung across the room, the alarm now a machine corpse.
It’s not waking up early that bothers them. Rather, it’s the familiar bile rising in their throat, the sharp ache in their lower back, the cramps twisting in their stomach. The gross specks of dried blood on their pristine bedsheets (a pain to wash later). Their pants, too, are surely stained with the same red.
The dreaded menstrual cycle.
Despite feeling like shit, they got up.
1x did nothing the previous round; other than hiding in a corner where they were sure nobody would bother them. They curled up on the floor, clutching their cramping abdominal muscles, praying no one would approach. Luckily, no one did. And the survivors fixed the generators with haste.
Soon enough, they were back in the cabin.
They shouldn't be killer again for today, thankfully. Wrapping their black cape tightly around themselves, they made a beeline for the kitchen in search for something sweet.
The killers' cabin was quieter than usual. Slasher is prepared for the next round, the scrape of his machete sharp and clean. John Doe sat in his usual sturdy wooden chair near the stairs, carving patterns into the floorboards with his claw and corrupt trail. Azure and Noli (surprisingly) are sitting together on the couch, crocheting and squinting at a guidebook.
Normally, 1x would appreciate the silence... But today, everything seems to aggravate them.
They stomped past John Doe— who momentarily looked up at them, claw lifting in a small wave... But 1x didn't look. Nor did they care about how their heels ruined John Doe's work of art. The usual smile on the corruped robloxian's face falters.
Arriving at the kitchen, 1x opened the cabinet to grab the first thing they saw: a box of Fruit Loops. It was c00lkidd's cereal, but they'd make it up to the kid later.
"Your performance last round was abysmal."
The comment came from the dining table. There sat Itrapped, admiring the rings on his fingers. None of the killers like Itrapped. And that says something. 1x certainly did not want to see his ugly frosty crown any day, today especially.
"Fuck you."
1x threw him the middle finger, too unbothered by his provocations to come up with a witty comeback. They exited the kitchen with haste, walking back to where they came from.
No one knows how Itrapped's face looked like. But it was probably offended.
Azure and Noli are still crocheting. They huddled together on the couch, peering into a tiny tutorial book they had found in the attic of one of the secondary cabins, along with some hooks and yarn. One thing led to another (and perhaps boredom took over). And now they're trying to crochet scarves.
"Your hands tremble." Azure comments offhandedly. Noli's frail, decayed fingers all purple bones and little flesh visibly shake as he held the hook in his hands. Of course Azure pointed out the obvious... Perhaps vengeance for his plants, which Noli had trampled on a few days ago (no accident, he was sure). Everyone in the cabin knew of Noli's fragile ego.
The usually loud and aggravating man is so focused, that he only lets out a grunt at Azure's comment. His silence is unusual, but appreciated—
"Noli, can you shut up?"
Both looked up. Behind them is 1x; dark cape wrapped tightly around themselves, hair frazzled, holding a box of cereal... And looking grumpier than usual. Noli squinted. Azure sighs, knowing the two had severe beef with each other.
"[WEEWOOWEEWOO]" Noli mocks, mimicking the sound of an ambulance as a fuck you. To be as loud as possible. He shot 1x an unimpressed, offended look, "im n0t. Even [Say a word] u b—ITCH."
(Azure smacks Noli on the shoulder with a tendril. What a bad word. There are kids around, too.)
"Son of a bitch." 1x grumbles, reaching into their cereal box to angrily munch on a handful, "You're destroying my ears."
A garble of noise escapes Noli's throat. Fortunately, before he could blow anything up, c00lkidd bursts through the door. The oversized red boy probably just finished playing outside. He beams, approaching 1x enthusiastically. His voice loud, so loud that 1x winces at the volume.
"1x! I haven't seen you all day— can I play tag with your minions, please, please, please?"
Too loud. Too annoying.
"NO." 1x raised their voice. The sheer volume alerted even John Doe, who's redoing all his intricate floorboard carvings.
c00lkidd's face fell. But 1x was already stomping upstairs. Everyone downstairs can hear the wooden door being slammed shut.
The boy sighs, plopping onto the couch near Noli and Azure. Lips pouting, hands on his cheeks, and gaze fixed on the floor; sulking.
"Did I do something wrong?" He asked.
Azure and Noli shared a look. Noli grunts, putting away his crochet.
"[NAH] tbh They"re alW4ys liek dat— [Hissy Fit] evErYy m0nt-Hh [on the same date]. pr0lly on—Onn theyre [Period!]. smh."
Azure squinted, finding it difficult to understand Noli's sentences; as everyone else does. Still, months trapped here together had taught him how to decode Noli's speech. It's no secret that the prankster is very attentive and observant— with his pranks and everything else. Noli lies often, but Azure doesn't think he's lying right now.
"You know," Azure muses, "That is actually a plausible explanation."
"ofc [IT IS!!]"
c00lkidd frowns, curiosity piqued, "What's a period?"
Noli and Azure exchanged a look.
"...as—Ssk ur [dad]."
1x buries their face in the pillow, cocooned in blankets. Their body curled inwards, trying to soothe their cramping stomach. It felt awkward, and they worried about bleeding through their pants. They grunted and grumbled to themselves, complaining about stupid biology.
Then the door opened.
1x sat up sharply.
"Who the fuck—"
It was Azure. Carrying a steaming cup of something warm and soothing.
Azure didn't smile, he never did. Hard to smile with a zipper mouth, 1x knows the feeling all too well. But something in his gaze was gentle. Fond, almost.
"Apologies. I've knocked, you didn't answer." He said, tendrils hung low as he stepped closer to place the hot cup on a nearby table, "Noli said you could be in your period, so I brewed something that might help."
...Noli said what?
1x felt heat spreading through their dark cheeks. Embarrassment. Anger. Both.
But they focused on the present.
"You don't need to do that." They murmured.
Azure shakes his head, "An old... Friend of mine had terrible syndromes too. This helped them."
Friend. Everyone knew of Azure's friend. He was never subtle about it. Everyone in the cabin knew he still yearned. Though no one ever managed to insult Azure about it (except Itrapped).
"...you mean the cultist."
Azure's eyes cast down, hidden under his sinister hat (who knows what that wicked thing whispers into Azure's ears). A click of his tongue, a seethe of his breath. His voice then comes out fragile. Soft. Melancholic.
"...the cultist indeed."
He left shortly after.
1x slowly stepped out bed... Taking a sip from the comfortable, warm beverage. They'd make sure to thank him later.