Wren's heart went cold. There was no question of who was in the house; no question at all as a scratchy male voice called to the dog in front of her and no question when said dog obediently followed his master's command. Minerva was in front of her, hissing furiously as none other than the infamous Jeff the Killer strode into the living room, dog at his side.
"Oh, and what is this? Did you make a new friend, Smile?" He asked, tilting his head slightly and looking her over with too-wide eyes. His tone was mocking, and twisted into a snarl as he spoke again, "You know I don't like new friends."
The dog barked happily, grinning not at Wren but the cat set on protecting her. You're finished he crowed happily at Minerva. The cat hissed again, settling back on her haunches and drawing Jeff's attention. He scowled down at her. "Of course the cat lives here," He sighed, bending down to pick her up. Minerva yowled and struggled, clawing at the scarred flesh. The cat's actions shook Wren out of her stupor.
"let go of my fucking cat you vagrant!" She barked, reaching out with all the foolish bravery anger lent her and wrenching the cat from the killer's grasp. Jeff's face contorted oddly in fury, his mouth opening to spit out something venomous. Wren cut him off.
"where do you get off coming into my house messing with my cat and threatening my LIFE, huh? I took in your stupid dog and nursed him back to health and fed him bacon and - and - YOU." her attention switched abruptly to the dog, who shrank back in surprise. "you just sit there like I didn't spend two hours rubbing that spot on your belly that was really itchy. I GAVE YOU BACON."
Silence.
Then, "pffftHAHAHAHA! OH THIS BITCH IS A FUCKING RIOT." Jeff's face twisted again, becoming for all the world highly amused. Smile looked up at his master questioningly, but the killer only had eyes for the girl in front of him and the tabby in her arms. "I like you; you've got some piss and vinegar in those veins. I guess I can let you off with a good scare, since you did…" he trailed off looking a little lost. Evidently mercy wasn't something he was well versed in. "You did take care of my dog." he paused again, eyes squinching in what wren guessed was an eye-narrowing gesture.
"yeah. I'll let you live, since you took care of Smile… but only if you let me stay here."
Wren blinked. "Huh?"
"Huh?" Jeff mocked, a sneer curling across his features once more, "I'm going to stay here. This place is too big for just you anyway, and I need somewhere I can go to hide out for a while, when the need arises."
"You want me to let a killer stay in my house. You want to stay," Wren emphasized, "here. with me."
"I never said I wanted to; you're ugly as all hell. Don't flatter yourself. You're just… opportune. How'd you get a place this size anyway?" He walked over - glided, almost, with how silent he was - and took up most of the couch as he lounged in it like some imperial housecat. Minerva's tail twitched agitatedly.
"It's none of your business," Wren spat out.
"It is, actually. I'll kill you if you won't tell; fuck knows you need to be made beautiful~"
Wren fumed. "You already said you wouldn't kill me if I let you stay!" She yelled. Jeff shrugged, pulling his knife out and toying with it.
"You didn't accept my conditions; the bargain deal expired. Now you have to answer all my questions too." He gave her a lazy grin that was just on the safe side of sane and on the nasty half of mean.
"I-" She narrowed her eyes. "How do I know you won't go back on your word?"
"who?" Jeff looked around, eyes widening, "me?" his grin grew. "How'd you guess."
"I'm calling the cops." She pursed her lips and stomped off towards the phone. Jeff jumped up, clutching his knife tightly. he looked pissed, Wren could see out of the corner of her eye, but he made no move to throw the knife and kill her, or rush at her. Interesting. maybe he neede the place more than she thought… a plan formed in her head as the killer spoke up.
"Don't be an idiot," Jeff growled, staring darkly at her back. She closed her eyes briefly, counted to ten, and then turned back to him.
"Give me one good reason not to call the cops," she said, lifting her chin defiantly.
"Give me one good reason not to vivisect you where you stand!" Jeff retaliated.
Wren fought the curving of her lips. She could work with this.
"Because," she said calmly, startling Jeff, who had thought his question was rhetorical, "if I live here, alive and unmangled or mentally damaged, you have a better cover. The more normal I look and the less dead I am, the longer you can stay."
"So you're saying I can stay."
"No."
"That's what I fucking heard. I'm taking the biggest bedroom."
Wren clenched her fingers tightly. "Fine," she snarled, "Whatever. I'm just fucking monster house central. Take the master; it's full of critters and you better not kill them or I will out you so fucking fast."
She spun on her heels and stalked off to bed, Minerve following close at her heels.
Jeff snorted humorlessly, reaching down to pet Smile. "Monster house, huh?" he snorted again. "Like this is some fucking hotel."
