Work Text:
Even though it was already midnight, Wise was still wide awake.
Standing before the movie shelf in his room, his hand hovered over the VHS tapes. A cold sweat dripped down his forehead, fingertips occasionally flinched, tracing the spines of some tapes that would help his mental health better than the choice of another presence in the room.
Sarah sat by the sofa, her legs crossed, swinging one heel in a slow, predatory arc. She watched his hesitation in amusement. Despite her not moving, her presence kept expanding, making the hair on his neck prickle. Whether it was Sarah's charismatic capability as a cult leader or Wise's instinct knocking on his danger sense, another sleepless night was guaranteed. He couldn't avoid it the moment she set foot into this room.
"This!" Wise started, pulling out a tape from the shelf. "A retrospective on Waifei Peninsula in the pre-modern era. It's a four hours documentary looking into the history of its architecture, you can say that we'll learn more about stones and building schematics of Waifei culture."
Sarah tilted her head. Her thumb traced the television remote control.
"Building schematics? Does that mean you want us to go to sleep early? I was looking forward to an enjoyable night."
"Okay, that part only lasts for fifteen minutes. It's more about the type of stones and silence."
"Hmmm, stones and silence." She hummed softly, with a smile. "Sounds like a tomb. Now, I wonder if there's any horror flick that involves a grand cemetery where the wind screams through an opened field because there's no one left to answer. It's such a perfect setting for a haunting."
Wise gulped, he slid the documentary tape back. The sound felt loud in the quiet room after she said those words.
"Fine. No stone. How about this?" He grabbed another tape. "A culinary documentary. The Art of Making Noodle. Just half an hour long, about an elder in the Outer Ring kneading flour. You'll see the whole process of cooking noodle from scratch."
She stared at him, Wise could almost see her eyes crinkling.
"I've seen how they use those long, thin knives, Wise. The way the steel slides through the flour, like it's searching for a pulse. One slip, and the ingredient turns a very vibrant shade of crimson. A tragedy waiting for a single mistake."
"Sarah, it's just noodle. It doesn't have a pulse." Wise wiped a bead of sweat from his face. Her gaze on the back of his neck now felt heavy and expectant.
He tried one last desperate attempt. A romantic comedy movie, the kind Belle often watched when she wanted to cry into a tub of magical ice creams.
"Alright, In Our Distance! Two lovers separated by a Hollow disaster. They write letters for years and then pass away peacefully due to old age in different cities. It's boring, you'll hate it. But I want to watch it."
He didn't hide his intention anymore. She would just steer the meaning with words, twisted it into anything that could make his skin crawl.
Sarah stood up. The sofa groaned a small noise as if announcing a vain protest. She walked toward him and reached past his arm.
"Separated by a dying world?" She whispered from behind, her breath grazed his ear. "Living in the shadow of what was lost, feeding on paper and ink until their hearts wither? That isn't a romance. That's a slow-motion disintegration, Wise. The most terrifying horror of all."
Wise didn't turn around to meet her face, he watched her hand closed around a VHS case at the top of the shelf.
"This one." She said. Her voice carried a pleasant tone. "Seems to be a good choice if you placed it that high on the shelf. The Whispers."
His stomach did a slow roll the moment he recognized the horror movie that Belle brought over and hid it just to mess with him.
"Sarah, the sound design on that film was literally made to induce nausea. It's packed with sensory assault effects."
"Even better~." She turned the case over, reading the synopsis with a nonchalant smile. "I heard the lead actress never spoke again. Such dedication to the craft."
Sarah didn't wait for his respond, she slid the tape into the VHS player. Wise's shoulders slumped as the machine swallowed it much to his horror.
"You're doing this on purpose..."
"Well now, I'm merely broadening your horizons, dear Wise. You need to break out of your shell, shred your senses to find the truth in fear." Sarah patted the spot on the sofa next to her. "Worry not, if you get too scared, you can always explain the cinematography to me. I'm always listening, I'm always watching you."
It was no longer about watching a horror movie with her. It was an Exaltist's invitation to trap him in his weakness, to see him struggle and break. She simply loved it when he tried to resist everything she threw at him.
As the screen went black for the intro, Wise sat down, anxiety grew in his chest. Sarah offered her hand to him, she was sure he needed an anchor for his own sake. What could be better than the embrace of the one who was in control.
Wise gave it a look, then he reached out. His hand went past hers and grabbed a pillow at her side. Wise clutched it like a shield, sinking into the sofa.
"....."
"....."
The two shared a look. Sparks weren't flying but a challenge had been acknowledged. Since he'd rejected the offer, she would resort to the usual tactic to commend his audacity.
Sarah smiled, the TV's volume pushed to maximum. Wise resisted the urge to groan, his grip on the pillow tightened as the sound of a slow, wet footstep echoed through the speakers.
"Remember, Wise. You can always criticize the movie's poor lighting." Sarah leaned closer, enough that her shoulder brushed his. "Or you can simply look at me instead."
"No doubt." An instant answer.
"No doubt?" She shot him a brief glance. "About the movie? Or me?"
"I'll do my best to keep it in layman's terms, Sarah."
Wise already narrowed his eyes in preparation for the first jump-scare.
"In that case, don't miss the best parts. And don't loosen your grip on that thing, I'm always watching~."
A moment later, she snuck his pillow away when he wasn't looking.
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