I'm not apologizing.

Aria's POV

I descended down the attic stairs, a soft sigh escaping my lips.

I stared up into the darkness for a moment before pushing the stairs back up and sealing the entrance.

Turning, I started walking back towards the front of the house.

I glanced at the stairs, a quick memory of myself sprinting up them my first night here passing through my head.

With a soft smile I shook my head, continuing forward.

I was just about to enter my living room when a knock to my front door made me jolt, my head snapping in the direction of the noise.

My brows furrowed and I stood in place for a moment.

That's not Alastor...no, he wouldn't knock.

Who is at my door...

I haven't ordered anything...

Warily I approached the door, my hand reaching towards the knob. I hesitated, biting my lip.

Just when I was about to turn around and ignore it all together, a voice floated through from the outside.

"Ari?"

Oh! It's Eliot!

My expression lifted into a smile, my hand grasping the knob and pulling the door open. I smiled up at him widely.

"Hey, Eliot!" I said, and then quickly followed that with, "how did you get my address...?"

His eyes widened as if it just occurred to him how strange it was.

"Oh! Mrs. Ida gave it to me," he said with a smile and I nodded, smiling back and welcoming him in.

He stepped in, past me, and it was just then my smile strained and my eyebrows furrowed as I froze completely.

I never told Mrs. Ida my address...

Quickly I shook it off...she probably just...she...how the fuck did she get my address-?

"Wow Ari, this house is fuckin huge..." Eliot breathed out, looking around. I snapped out of my daze and looked at him.

"Yea," I chuckled, "it's ancient, too," I said and he nodded.

"Yea, I heard. You got it for cheap, right?" He glanced over at me, "I mean...because of the previous owner..."

I glanced to the side, my smile twitching slightly.

"Yes, I did," I chuckled nervously and Eliot hummed.

We walked to my living room and he plopped onto the couch. I sat next to him and curled my legs beneath myself, facing him.

"I wouldn't have been able to do it," he murmured, and then shivered, "I mean...what was the guy's name anyway? Alexander?" He said, looking towards me.

"Alastor," I corrected quickly and matter of factly. He blinked, staring at me for a moment.

"Yea, him...man, I can't believe he used to live here..." he looked around, "and is this all of his stuff?"

I nodded, "yep, I just decided to keep everything," I shrugged and he looked down at the couch we were sitting on.

"I sincerely hope no one died on this couch..." he mumbled and then shook his head, "anyway, I'm so glad you're home!" He said with a wide smile.

I smiled back, a happy feeing bubbling in my chest.

"I'm glad I'm home, too!" I giggled, and then Eliot and I just sat together, talking on the couch.

He caught me up with the town drama, and anything interesting that may have happened since I left.

By the end of it I was laughing, my eyes shut tight. I held my stomach, "there's no way she got pregnant," I laughed out and he nodded, tears pricking his eyes as he laughed with me.

"Not only that, but she tried to say it wasn't his even after they showed her the CCTV footage they caught of her fucking him in the storage room," he wheezed and I almost fell off the couch.

When we were finally done laughing, I was trying to catch my breath. Then my mind wondered and I pouted slightly as I thought about Alastor.

Where is he...he hasn't checked in on me at all...

"Hey, what's this?" Eliot asked, reaching forward towards the coffee table. I looked where he was reaching, and my eyes widened.

The Radio Killer.

He got it before I could snatch it away, and I started sweating. If he sees that picture of Alastor...

He opened it up, "oh, it's about that Alastor guy..." he said, his eyes flicking through the page.

The picture was really far into the book when Al showed me...so we should be fine.

"Damn," he said, "it says he was 6 ft 5, and killed almost..." his eyes narrowed and his tone turned into one of disbelief, "100 people..."

"Brown hair...brown eyes...oh, and he was a famous radio host, that's why he had this mansion," he said, glancing around. He flipped through the pages.

"Man, this is kinda cool, it's like a 'hey, wanna read about my creepy house's previous owner?' type book," he chuckled and I nodded, chuckling softly and hoping he doesn't see the picture.

My fingers tapped anxiously against my arm, and Eliot just casually flipped through the book.

He paused and his eyes widened and my heart nearly stopped. But what he said wasn't what I was expecting at all.

"Damn, it says he killed his own parents...he viciously attacked them in a fit of rage, and they found his father's headless corpse thrown in the woods behind their country home...they never found his mom."

My mouth fell open at the blatantly false information.

I bit my lip, then, knowing I can't correct him. If I do, that's just suspicious...because how the hell would I know?

So I feigned shock, covering my mouth, "no way...that's awful," I said and mentally rolled my eyes.

To my utter relief, Eliot closed the book, setting it back onto the table.

"So, how long have you been in town...er...close to town, I guess," he asked me, and I thought for a moment.

"About...three weeks, I think," I said, and Eliot nodded. He started babbling again about different shit that's happened, but suddenly a ringing entered my head.

I winced slightly, and the ringing faded to a loud static.

Alastor...?

My eyes widened, and slowly I looked over towards my black screen TV, something whispering at me to check the reflection.

I felt my breath catch when there in the reflection was Alastor...except he was terrifying looking. His eyes were black and he was wearing a smile that nearly split his face.

And he was standing directly behind Eliot.

The ringing got so loud that I could barely stand it, and everything felt slow. He lifted his hands, revealing he claws as he got ready to strike Eliot, and before I could stop myself I stood up.

"Stop!" I screamed and the ringing ceased.

I blinked and his reflection was gone.

I was breathing heavily and looked back at Eliot. He was staring up at me, his eyes wide and his mouth formed in a surprised expression. He blinked and I shook my head.

"S-sorry...I-I n-need to go to the bathroom," I said quickly, and stood back up, rushing up the stairs.

When I got to my room, I swung the door open and then shut it quickly, locking it.

A cold chill ran through my body and it reminded me of my first night here, in this same exact spot.

I turned around to face him, and he was just standing there with his hands behind his back, his eyes narrowed.

I stared at him for a second, and then threw my hands out in front of me, exasperated, "do you maybe want to explain what the fuck that was?" I said, trying to keep my voice quiet.

He growled slightly and I stood up fully, my eyebrows raising as a scoff left my throat.

"I'm sorry...am I missing something?" I asked him, and crossed my arms.

"Why is he in my house," he seethed and I looked up at him a moment longer. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

Opening my eyes, I spoke slowly, "Ok...Alastor, I'm going to need you to stop whatever this is that you're doing, right now..." I said, my voice shaking, and the tension in his features lessened just barely.

"I'm more than happy to tell you why he's here," I said, and my throat felt tight, "but what you just did down there was not cool," I strained out, pointing at the door.

His eyes seemed to lose a bit of the anger they held, his eyebrows relaxing as well.

I nodded, "Ok...thank you...Eliot is here because he wanted to check up on me...that's all," I said, my voice calming down as well.

He took a couple of steps towards me, making my heart fall into my stomach when he was right in front of me and I had to look all the way up at him.

A small whimper left my throat and he sighed.

"I'm...I'm sorry..." he said, and the tension left my shoulders.

I blinked up at him and he ran his hand down his face, his smile momentarily falling as he rubbed his eyes and let his hand fall back to his side.

His smile returned as a soft grin and he looked down at me, seeming a bit tired.

"I've had a long day, dear...coming home to see that kid on my couch just irked me a bit, that's all...I didn't mean to scare you..." he said and I shrugged, letting my eyes fall down.

He tilted my chin up, making me blush when he was much closer to my face than I expected.

"Do you forgive me...?" He asked softly and a small squeak escaped me.

I nodded, pulling my burning face away from his hand, "yes, I do, now stop teasing me," I huffed and he chuckled.

He cupped my cheek and I turned my lips towards his palm, covering his hand with mine and placing a soft kiss on his skin.

When I looked back up at him, he was blushing now.

I smirked, and then he sighed, standing back up to his full height.

"I suppose I am a bit jealous," he admitted reluctantly.

I snorted, then, and a short chuckle forced its way up as I covered my mouth, looking up at him. He cocked an eyebrow at me and I shook my head.

"Alastor, you really don't have to worry about Eliot..." I said, still laughing slightly. He tilted his head.

"And why is that?" He asked dumbly.

"Al," I giggled, "Eliot is fucking gay."