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Hidden Among the Shadows - A Supernatural Inspired RP

Penny mulled over Christian's words before angling herself so she can look up at his face. She stared at him in awe. "You're right, as usual," She mumbled the last part quietly. Perhaps it was time for her to let go of her childish disappointment and desire for familial love and work on repairing the relationships first.

"I'm stil mad he didn't tell me he was getting freaking married." Penny ran a hand through her tangled hair, wincing when it snagged on a knot. She turned to look behind them and saw the lights of the farmhouse casting shadows against the dirt driveway. Penny squeezed Christian's hand lightly- she enjoyed the feeling of his thumb rubbing against hers in a calming manner. "Thanks, for letting me rant." She smiled up at him sweetly and genuinely, her eyes crinkling at the corners.

"I guess we should get back and say a proper goodbye. I want to drive my new truck," Penny said, a hint of excitement in her voice. She smirked at Christian and tugged him forwards. "How do you feel about learning how to drive?"

Hidden Among the Shadows - A Supernatural Inspired RP

“Right,” Penny chuckled in response to what he’s actually prepared for. While Penny knew he was a reaper and what his job entailed, she sometimes forgot about the whole ‘comforting’ aspect of the job.

“I wish I didn’t care… because every time I do care, my heart breaks repeatedly. As soon as I start to believe that he’s going to make an effort and contact me more often or include me, he doesn’t and I’m left disappointed. It’s just an ongoing process. It’s the same for Liam, my other older brother.” Penny had a hard time blaming them for it too.

“I can’t blame them either, even though I try- which makes me feel even worse. Distancing themselves from me and our family was a way to cope. Our mother… she would hit us and throw things at us if she was mad or drunk. Even if we did something wrong. I was her favorite to beat on because I came way later than Luke and Liam. I was unwanted and with all of mother’s attention on me, they were free.”

Penny no longer cried when she talked about her abusive home. While it was a sensitive topic and she didn’t exactly go around broadcasting it to everyone, Christian deserved to know what skeletons hid in her closet. Honestly, she feared Christian leaving her and becoming too busy for her. She didn’t want her relationship with him to turn into what she had with her brothers.

Hidden Among the Shadows - A Supernatural Inspired RP

Penny dropped her hands to her side and turned to face Christian as he suggested they go for a walk. Her eyes still burned and she really just wanted ti leave Luke’s property and go back home, but Christian was right. She was too angry to drive. She put her hand in his and squeezed it slightly as he pulled her along down the road. It was warm and soft. It was funny how holding someone’s hand could make a person feel safe and comforted. It was silent for a bit before Penny decided to break it.

“I want him to care. And I care, even though I wish I didn’t. I’m sorry this has been so uncomfortable for you. I don’t usually yell or get frustrated so easily.” Penny felt her face heat up in embarrassment over how she acted. She thanked God it was dark outside so Christian couldn’t see the coloration.

Hidden Among the Shadows - A Supernatural Inspired RP

Penny shook her head regretfully. “I don’t, unfortunately. But most RV parks and campsites have some. I can also start saving up some more money for one that we can take with us.”

In truth, Penny did still have some money after the camper and truck, but she’d prefer to save the rest for living expenses and gas than spend it on a grill. Luke set out all the ingredients for burgers and Penny followed behind, building her own. She quietly helped Christian with his too, explaining in almost a whisper that he could add whatever he wanted and keep out whatever he didn’t want- though Penny knew it probably didn’t matter since he couldn’t taste food anyways.

To say dinner was awkward would be an understatement. Luke brought up small talk and Penny was amicable- as in, she answered his questions and even asked some of her own, but there was a sort of tension in the air that couldn’t be ignored. “Who is that woman in the picture with you?” Penny asked. She didn’t want Luke to think she cared and she really didn’t want to care, but deep down, despite the hurt her brothers caused, she still cared a little bit.

“Oh, that’s Melissa. She’s my fiancee. On a business trip right now though. She’ll be back in a couple days.”

Penny stared down at her empty plate, shocked that Luke had a fiancée and didn’t even bother to tell her. “For how long?” She asked, still looking down.

“We’ve been engaged for about a year now, but I’ve dated her for three.”

Penny felt that usual pang of hurt in her chest and she frowned. Of course he was getting married and didn’t even tell her. She stood up, her chair rubbing loudly against the wooden floor and grabbed her bag. “Well congratulations, Luke. I hope you’re happy. Really. But we better be going.”

Luke stood up just as abruptly and held his hands out. “Wait, already? Why don’t you two stick around a few days? You can meet Melissa. I have a spare bedroom-“

“Seven years, Luke. For the last seven years you’ve reached out on and off, claiming to care and saying that you want to get closer and bond. At first I thought, ‘sure, why not? He and Liam left me alone with an abusive mother and an absent father, but now that I’m an adult and finally moved out, they want to bond over our trauma’. Then when I thought we were getting somewhere, you drop off the face of the planet. You’ve been dating this woman for four years and don’t even bother to say anything? The last time you called was a year ago and you didn’t say a word about her!” Penny’s chest felt tight and her throat ached- as it usually did when she was holding back tears. She was so frustrated.

“Wait- you’re upset I’m getting married and didn’t tell you?” Luke sounded incredulous.

Penny grew angry and she shook her head. “I’m not mad you’re getting married! I’m mad that you keep saying you care, but then you never act on it! If you want to be involved in my life and vice versa, telling me you were getting married would’ve been a great start!”

“Penny, I-“

“C’mon Christian.” Penny gave Luke a watery glare before stomping out the front door and letting it slam shut. She sped walked to her new truck before coming to a stop, her breaths heavy. She felt the tears well up in her eyes and she groaned, holding her palms to her eyes. She was so pathetic.

Hidden Among the Shadows - A Supernatural Inspired RP

Luke flipped a couple of the patties before setting his eyes back on Christian with a frown for a few seconds. He watched the soft smile that adorned this man's face when he talked about his little sister and he realized that she would be okay. "You seem genuine enough. Just... be good to her- whatever you two end up being, friends, lovers, partners, I don't care. Penny didn't grow up in a loving family. She's had it rough and it made it difficult for her to have meaningful connections." Luke turned his attention back to the grill, though he still had a frown on his face. "If you so much as lay a single harmful finger on my little sister, I will make you regret it," He pointed the spatula at Christian's chest in a threatening manner.

----

Penny watched through the window with her arms crossed as Luke discussed her with Christian. She worried for a second, wondering if Christian would handle things okay, but then she remembered Christian could most likely take Luke in a fight and felt less worried. They seemed to just talk and Penny sighed in slight relief, though she was still irritated Luke was trying to get involved.

By the time she was finished setting out three of everything, Luke and Christian walked back inside and Penny gave them a smile. "How was the grilling?" She asked Christian, smiling at her little joke - but also because this was probably Christian's very first time seeing and watching someone grill something. She wanted to know what he thought of it.

Hidden Among the Shadows - A Supernatural Inspired RP

Penny felt herself melt into Christian's warm hug and his solid frame. She buried her face in his chest with a smile. "My homelife is just a sensitive topic. Especially when Luke or Liam- my other brother- brings it up. I thought I'd be over it by now, but I guess my mother still has me in her clutches." Penny tilted her head back to stare up at Christian, her chin resting on his chest. "But I don't mind telling you. We can talk at the hotel tonight. For now, let's just get through dinner." Penny pulled away with a determined look on her face and her hands on her hips, her mood significantly better after Christian's efforts to comfort her.

While Luke finished up whatever he was doing outside, Penny used the bathroom and wandered around the house for a bit. The house seemed lived in, but there were barely any pictures anywhere. There was one picture on the mantle of the fireplace- Luke and a girl embracing and smiling at the camera. Penny frowned and placed the picture back where it was. She wandered into the kitchen and looked through the fridge and freezer for the hamburger meat. She found it in the fridge and she hummed in satisfaction. "I think I'm going to start shaping the burgers so they're ready for Luke to put on the grill. Do you wanna season them while I do so?" She asked Christian while washing her hands.

She pulled the ground hamburger out of it's package and started separating it into small servings before shaping them into patties. She'd put them on a greased tray for Christian to sprinkle seasoning on top of.

"I said I would make dinner. You don't have to do that, Pen." Luke's voice came in from the doorway to the kitchen. Penny hummed and finished shaping the last patty before glancing up at him and then washing her hands.

"Well, I'm hungry and you were taking forever, so I decided to do you a favor. Besides, I'm not the one grilling them."

"Well, thanks." Luke washed his hands before grabbing the tray and stepping out onto the back porch. "Oh, Christian, do you mind helping me for a minute?"

Penny raised an eyebrow at that and glanced at Christian. "You don't have to." But she knew he probably would.

------

"So, Christian," Luke started as he fired up the grill. "Penny says you're just a friend, but there's clearly something else going on between the two of you. Penny doesn't trust people. At least, not easily." He narrowed his eyes and sized Christian up. Christian was slightly taller than him, but Luke was buffer. Luke was confident he could win in a fight if this man was hurting his baby sister. "What did you do to make her trust you, hmm?"

Luke wasn't the best big brother when the time came for him to be, but he genuinely cared for Penny and he wanted to make sure she was okay. She had always been a bad liar and a naive little girl. Honestly, it pissed him off half the time when they were younger, but now he realized she just wanted a solid person to lean on. Luke regretted that he wasn't there for her. He just wished she saw how genuine he was.

Hidden Among the Shadows - A Supernatural Inspired RP

"Right," Luke sounded skeptical as he scrutinized Christian. He made sure to squeeze his hand for extra measure before letting go.

"Okay, that's enough. Christian is a friend. Now, can we please go look at the truck?" Penny interrupted the staring contest and crossed her arms.

Luke held both hands up in a surrender pose, attempting to appease his sister. "I just worry, okay? You know how mom and dad were."

Penny's face fell and she glared at Luke. "You don't get to bring mom and dad into the conversation. You weren't there. And no, Christian won't beat me." He abandoned her. Both him and Liam, her other brother. As soon as they turned eighteen, they left and didn't even bother to take her with them. Penny looked up to and adored her brothers when she was younger. When her mom was throwing a fit and threw things at her, Penny hoped her brothers would step in to save her, but they never did. It made her feel worthless and unloved.

Luke went quiet at her accusation before sighing, his shoulders drooping. Penny wondered if he was going to push the issue and try to apologize or if he was going to avoid the confrontation altogether. Luke turned away and waved at them to follow. Penny shook her head. She wasn't surprised- it's what he did best.

The truck was a shiny black and bigger than she thought it was. It shined in the sun, though there was some dust and mud caked around the tires. "Seventeen grand, Penny. This bad boy has four wheel drive, off-roading, and is big enough to pull whatever trailer you want."

Penny opened the door and climbed into the truck, placing her hands on the steering wheel. It was a very nice truck. Leather seats with seat warmers, a screen in the middle, cupholders... Penny turned the keys in the engine and let it run for a few minutes before turning it off, satisfied. She jumped out of the truck with a nod and pulled a thick envelope out of her bag. "Seventeen grand, in cash."

Luke accepted it with wide eyes as if he was surprised Penny had this much in cash. "How do you have this?"

"I worked for it." That's all she told him and it was all he needed to know. In reality, she worked a secret part time job when she was fifteen. She'd often skip school for it. Sure, she got beat when her mom found out she missed school, but Penny knew that if she failed school, she could always just get her GED later. Money mattered the most- especially since she was planning on leaving when she turned eighteen. Then she worked her butt off after leaving her childhood home behind.

"You didn't steal it, did you?"

Penny balked at his accusation, hurt that he would even assume she was capable of such a thing. "What? No, I didn't steal it."

Luke shook with head with an incredulous laugh. "Fine, fine." He pocketed the envelope and gestured to the house. "You both drove like five hours to get here. Do you want to come in and relax for a bit? I was about to throw some burgers on the grill."

As if on cue, Penny's stomach growled and she realized she needed to pee. While she didn't really want to have dinner with Luke, she figured it couldn't hurt. "Okay, but we're leaving after. I already got us a hotel room."

"Alright. Head on in. I'm going to finish cleaning up some of these parts laying around and then I'll wash up and start on the burgers."

Penny nodded and walked into the modest farmhouse with Christian in tow. She closed the door and let out a heavy sigh, eyes closing. "Sorry," She apologized to Christian. She wasn't sure what for. Perhaps everything, but she was slightly embarassed Christian got to witness her family drama.

Hidden Among the Shadows - A Supernatural Inspired RP

It was weird to wake up and not have Christian there with breakfast and some morning conversation. This realization kind of scared Penny. Even going to sleep without him there made her a little nervous and on edge all night. She eventually went to sleep and didn't have any dreams, but Penny decided that if she could have Christian nearby in the future, she would. She hoped it would get getter the longer they spent time together, but only time would tell.

The drive to Luke's house was uneventful, besides the cow that tried to cross the road and made her stop halfway over, but she had made it safely. Luke lived in a modest house on a small farm. While the lifestyle seemed pleasant and simple, it wasn't for Penny. She liked the city and the noise. A beat up car with it's hood popped, sat elevated in the dirt driveway. As Penny pulled up, she saw Christian off to the side and she gave him a wave, slightly jealous of his teleportation abilities. Man, how convenient that would be.

He opened the car door for her just as she parked and she jumped out of her seat and wrapped her arms around her friend. "It was pretty uneventful. How was work?" She pulled away just as she heard footsteps a few feet feet away. Luke walked down his porch with a beer in hand and waved in greeting.

"Penny! Glad you made it!" He walked up to them and went in for a hug. It was awkward and just one armed, but Penny preferred it that way. She wasn't too close with Luke and believe it or not, hugging wasn't really her forte. Christian seemed to be an exception, Penny noted. "I'm Luke. It's nice to meet you...?" He held his hand out for Christian to shake.

Hidden Among the Shadows - A Supernatural Inspired RP

Penny mourned the space that opened up once Christian stepped away. It felt cold and empty, making Penny hold back a shiver."Hmm, I think he's a few towns over," Penny's phone dinged and she looked down at it. Her brother had just texted her his address. "Yeah, it's about five hours from here. I don't want to get there too late, so probably around nine in the morning." She stepped out of the camper and into the daylight.

She hesitated and gave Christian a small smile. "If you have work to do or can't come with me, that's completely fine." She didn't want to be a hindrance in his work and so far, she was kind of starting to feel like one. Not because Christian has given any hints towards being displeased with her -he hasn't, at all- but because she hasn't seen him go to work at all recently. A pang of guilt and disappointment lingered in her chest. She didn't want him to go, but if he got in trouble then he may not be able to spend as much with her anymore. Besides, she was a big girl. She could handle a day or two by herself. She had lived alone for years before Christian ever came along.

Hidden Among the Shadows - A Supernatural Inspired RP

Penny nodded and tapped a finger on her lips in thought. She had the money to buy a nice used truck, but she remembered her older brother had a truck he wanted to get rid of. That was like a month ago, so she didn't know if he still had it, but it was worth a shot. "I have an older brother that was trying to sell his truck. I'm not sure what the specs are on it, but I can call him and ask."
Penny had two older brothers. She wasn't very close to them since they were a good eight to ten years older and loved practicing an avoidant attachment life style, but she figured it didn't hurt to ask. "It was about a month ago, so I'm not entirely sure if he still has it, but I can call him."

Penny pulled her phone out of her pocket and scrolled down her contacts to 'Luke Lowe'. The phone rang a few times before a voice answered. "Hello? Penny?"

"Luke, hey," Penny responded. Luke's voice was deep for a guy and his tone usually made it sound like he cared about every little detail of your life. Earlier in life, he wasn't like that at all- caring, but as they've grown older and gotten further away from their mother and their childhood trauma, he began reaching out to Penny more and more. "Are you still trying to sell your truck? I know you called me about a month ago for it."

"I thought you didn't want it?"

"Well, I didn't, but circumstances have changed. Can I buy it off you for cheap?" Penny crossed her fingers in hopes he'd say yes.

"Are you kidding? It's a brand new truck, Penny. Barely any miles. I haven't sold it yet, but it's only a year old. I paid a fortune for this thing."

Penny felt disappointment replace her feelings of hope. "Fine, at least let me pay half. I have the money for pay for it in full, but Luke, I've had a really hard time lately. Can you just do me this solid?"

There was a sigh on the other end and a pause. "Fine. Half. That's seventeen grand," Penny nodded, a smile breaking out on her face. She looked at Christian and gave him a big grin with a thumbs up. "Listen, I heard over the news what happened in your little town. Are you okay? Those dead and missing students were your neighbors, right?"

Penny felt a pit form in her stomach at Luke's inquiry. He sounded like he cared and wanted to comfort her and Penny appreciated it, but it just felt weird. Her smile straightened out and she nodded, though he couldn't see it. "Yeah. I sold that house before it happened. I guess I just had a bad feeling- and for good reason. That's why I need a truck. I'm buying a trailer. I'm going to just travel a bit and live as I please."

"Just be careful. There are tons of weirdo's out there just waiting to prey on a young, cute, woman like yourself. Especially if you travel alone."

Penny began to feel irritated. Why did he care so much? He wasn't there for her when her mother took a metal rod to her back so why was he trying to be there for her now? "I won't be alone," She snapped. "I'll stop by tomorrow for the truck. Text me your address." Before he had a chance to say goodbye, Penny pulled the phone away from her ear and hung up. She felt her face heat up and she felt embarassed for the show she put on in front of Christian. "Sorry for that. My brother is.. he likes to pretend he cares, sometimes." Penny gave Christian a small smile before gasping. "Crap. I told him I wasn't traveling alone. He's going to be curious when we go pick up the truck."

Penny sat down on the small bench in the camper. "Like I said, he likes to pretend he cares. He may grill you. Perhaps you'll want to stay invisible when we drive down."